Page 26 of Last Girls Alive
The front door was wide open.
“Hello?” she said.
“In here,” came the reply.
“Where?” she laughed and stepped inside.
“Here.”
The tiny cottage had a nice-size living room filled with moving boxes, and she spied where there were most likely two bedrooms and a small bath between them.
“I thought you were a detective,” the muffled voice said from another area.
“Just clearing the other rooms first…”
Katie turned to the left and around a corner, finding herself in the small kitchen. White cabinets, a half-size refrigerator, a small butcher block island, and two long countertops rounded out the area. From underneath the sink two legs and part of a torso were visible, the banging sounds continuing.
“What, are you a plumber now?” she said.
The man pushed himself free from under the sink. Chad was still wearing his Pine Valley Fire Department uniform. “What took you so long?” he said.
“This isn’t the easiest place to find.”
He stood up, his sparkling blue eyes fixed on her. “What do you think of the place?”
“I… I like it. It’s cozy.” She didn’t know what else to say. It was tiny, but there was definitely a significant amount of charm.
“Yeah, I know. Small, but affordable. After I do some repairs, I’ll be able to flip it and get something bigger. But for now…” He gently pushed Katie backward and planted a long kiss on her lips.
“Is that your Chad hello?” she giggled.
“Is that your gun?” he countered with a sly expression.
“Sorry, the gun and badge are a part of the package.”
“It’s nice to see you,” he said and kissed her again. “Really nice.”
“I thought we were having dinner. This doesn’t look cook friendly yet.”
“How does pizza and wine sound?”
“That sounds great.”
“Great.” He retrieved his cell phone.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
“What?” he said.
Katie smiled genuinely and said, “Congratulations on your new house.”
As they relaxed on the sofa eating their favorite combination pizza and sipping a nice red wine, Katie felt relaxed. It was the first time in a couple of days that she’d taken a breath and didn’t feel rushed, stressed, or ready for something unexpected to jump out at her.
Chad studied Katie and said, “What’s up?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve known you long enough to know when something is bothering you.”
