Page 98 of Sergeant O'
“It can be a lot,” I warned, and noticed she winced slightly, so I added, “We could just keep it between us for a while.”
“Do you think that’s possible? With everything that’s out there right now?”
“It is if we don’t give them any more fodder.”
She pursed her lips like she wasn’t so sure, so I shrugged. “It’s up to you, Sunshine. We can lay low until this all blows over, or we can go public this morning.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know. I kind of like the idea of keeping you to myself a little while longer.”
“So, what should we tell people about the photos of us?”
“I don’t have a clue.”
Jade snorted. “Well, that’s helpful.”
“I say we take a page from the criminal handbook—deny, deny, deny. And stick to our story, no matter what.”
“What is our story?”
I glanced at my Garmin. I knew I needed to leave soon, or half the town would be up and about as I walked home.
“Let’s figure that out tonight.”
****
Jade
When he pulled his shirt back on, I sat at the edge of the bed, still watching him.
He paused to reassure me. “It’s only for a little while, Sunshine. The media will lose interest, and then we won’t have to keep things a secret. I’ll still find ways to see you.”
A wry smile tugged at my mouth. “You make that sound like some covert operation.”
He grinned. “Maybe it is. I’m a cop, remember? I’m good at sneaking around.”
That earned a soft laugh from me, and before I could answer, he stepped closer and kissed me. It was slow and unhurried. Then he pulled back and let out a sigh.
“I don’t want to go, but I know I need to if we’re going to keep this thing between us a secret.”
“I don’t want you to go, but I know you have to.”
“I’ll text you later,” he said, then produced a grey beanie from his back pocket and tugged it low on his head, making me laugh out loud.
“I hope that’s not your idea of a disguise.”
“Of course not,” he quipped. “I’ve got the fake mustache at home.”
I shook my head, and he dropped a kiss on my lips one more time before slipping out through the garage. The quiet he left behind felt heavier than I wanted to admit.
Being someone’s secret wasn’t exactly new territory. The difference was that at least this time I knew it, and was keeping him a secret, too. And it was only temporary. At least, that’s what I told myself.
By early afternoon, the stillness was starting to crawl under my skin. Penny was asleep on the back of the couch, and I’d already folded every scrap of laundry—even my sheets, caught up on the crosswords I’d missed while I was in Massachusetts, and cleaned out my fridge. So when my phone rang, I almost welcomed the distraction.
“Allie” flashed across the screen, and I smiled as I answered. “Hey, you read my mind. I was just about to call you to see if you needed an extra hand tonight.”
“Oh, you’re back.” she said, sounding hesitant, “I actually was calling because HR wants to meet with you as soon as you’re available. They didn’t give details, just asked if you could come in.”
