Page 42 of Tangled
“I’ll hold you to that. It’s my favorite, you know,” he said. She smiled at him, a gorgeous, intoxicating, intimate happiness glowing in her eyes.
“I might have heard that,” she said quietly.
Chad cleared his throat and rose. “Okay, we’re off to go coordinate.”
“Who will take care of Will?” Brad asked. With all the parents occupied with their new grandkids—or, in his dad’s case, with dinner—he didn’t want them left in the lurch for childcare.
Sabina waved him off. “Waverly has him at the daycare until five, then Gina will pick him up and take him home,” she said, referring to her honorary aunt who’d moved to Mystery Lake a few years ago.
“You sure?” Brad asked.
“We’re sure,” Chad said. “Gina got back from her trip to St. John yesterday and called this morning to ask if she could take Will for the night.” He paused, then smiled. “Go figure, she missed the little guy.”
“Or she wants to give you two a chance to make another one,” his dad said.
Scarlett and Chad laughed, but Sabina turned red.
“Really, Dad?” Brad said on an exhale.
His dad shrugged. “I’m not taking it back.”
Still chuckling, Chad grabbed Sabina’s hand. “On that note, we will see you at five in the bar. Stay in touch,” he said before dragging his wife out the door.
When it closed behind them, no one said anything. Then his dad sighed and rose. “I’m going to find Andrea and have a little chat with her. And give you two some alone time. I’ll be back in an hour,” he said.
“You know we can’t make another right now, right?” Scarlett called after him.
His dad chuckled as he left.
“I can’t believe you said that,” Brad said, fighting his own laugh.
“I get the feeling that your dad is going to be who your dad is. If you can’t beat him, join him,” she countered.
He wagged his head. “There’s some truth to that. But as his son, I can’t.”
She chuckled, then slid her leg over his so she was straddling him. Gliding her fingers into his hair, she started massaging his scalp, easing the headache he hadn’t even realized was brewing until now.
“It will be fine,” she said, pressing her thumbs into his temples.
“I sure as hell hope so,” he replied. Then, needing to hold her, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. She shifted one arm to behind his neck and the other to around his back, embracing him.
And for a long time, they simply held on.
***
At ten minutes to five, they walked into the bar, hand in hand. Chad had texted to say that Katz was already there, so they’d decided not to wait.
They spotted him easily, sitting alone, his back in a corner, with two empty seats across the small round table. He nodded to them, but Brad steered Scarlett toward the bar first. He took his time ordering two sparkling waters with lime, if for no other reason than to delay having to be in the man’s presence.
Scarlett flashed him a look, letting him know she knew what he was doing and that she was not pleased. As soon as the bartender delivered their drinks, she grabbed hers and made her way to Katz.
Katz rose as they approached, giving the impression that he was a gentleman. And to many, with his clean-cut hair, square jaw, and tailored suit, he probably looked the part.
“Ms. Mitchell, Mr. Warwick, thank you for joining me,” he said, waiting for Scarlett to sit before he retook his seat.
“With such a polite invitation, how could we refuse?” Scarlett replied, meeting the man’s gaze without any sign of trepidation. She had far more experience with men like Katz than he did, but still, Brad marveled at her bravado.
He inclined his head. “It’s come to my attention that you are looking into the death of Graciella Lopez.”
