Page 37 of Detectives in Love
“If you say so,” Xavier huffs, rolling his eyes in mock annoyance, like I’m being difficult. “Come on. Let’s move.”
***
A sleek black cab idles at the curb. We slide into the back, pulling the doors shut behind us. The car pulls away, picking up speed as we leave the narrow street and head for the open highway.
I lean my head against the cool window, fighting off drowsiness as the city lights smear into streaks. My mind drifts—mostly to Xavier, and whether he actually meant that thing about coffee, or if it was just something to say. Either way, there’s this quiet warmth in my chest, a strange kind of comfort,even though it’s almost two-thirty in the morning and we’re on our way to a crematorium.
“You’re smiling,” Xavier says, breaking the cab’s muffled silence.
“Huh?” I glance over at him.
“What are you smiling about?”
I shrug. “Just in a good mood, that’s all.”
He goes quiet again, unreadable. We ride like that for a while—me replaying the chaos of the past twenty-four hours, him frowning at the seat in front of him, possibly doing the same.
“Tell me that joke,” I say, finally breaking the silence.
“Mm?”
“Earlier, at Rishetor’s. You said I told you a joke when I was drunk. Something about sex and math.”
Xavier lifts an eyebrow. “You’re only just now catching that? Maybe you do have a concussion.”
I ignore the jab. “Tell me.”
“No.”
“So you made it up,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “I never told you anything like that.”
“You did.” A flicker of a smirk pulls at his mouth.
“Then tell me.”
“No. Too dirty for me.”
I scoff. “You’re just trying to get me curious.”
Xavier shrugs. “Are you into dirty jokes?”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, forget it.”
We fall quiet again, both watching the blur of streetlights outside. Then Xavier says, almost offhand, “What happened between you two?”
I blink. “Come again?”
“You and Fairfax.” He doesn’t look at me. “Back in high school. Was there something?”
I hesitate, not sure if he’s prying into my love life or circling back to the case in some way. He gives me nothing, just waits.
“We dated for a little while,” I say at last, my cheeks warming.
“For a little while?” Xavier repeats, completely neutral, like he’s talking about the weather.
“Yes,” I say. “We were good friends, but once we started dating, it got awkward. Then it just…fizzled out.”
“Too bad,” Xavier says, deadpan.
