Chapter Seven #2
A grimace formed on my face, even as nausea built in my belly. “Win, the PRCU is… the guy who runs it—Thomas Booth—he’s a terrible human being. Like, he’s one of the most horrible people I’ve ever met. He… he’s been in charge of the PRCU for something like twenty years now.”
If there was anyone in the world that I hated, it was Thomas Booth.
Win shrugged a little. “I don’t recognize the name.”
That made me blow out a breath. From what little I’d been told about Winter’s prosecution, it sounded like they’d treated him unfairly, which had Booth written all over it.
But if Winter didn’t recognize the name, hopefully that meant he hadn’t been involved.
Sure, he still might’ve encouraged his detectives to do some shady shit, told the prosecutor to fight for the maximum sentence for a kid and first-time offender, but hopefully, he hadn’t faked evidence or added false witness statements to the case.
It wouldn’t be the first, second, or even the third time I’d seen some of the detectives in the PRCU do it.
“Miles?”
I jerked my attention back to Winter and offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I was… drifting. Thinking about this—talking about that man—is… not what I’d call a fun time.”
Winter nodded. “I’m sorry. We can change the subject after you answer one thing for me, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you used to be a detective?”
I blew out a breath and let my body fall back on the couch so I was squishing his arm as I stared at the ceiling.
Even though I was sure it was uncomfortable, I didn’t want to lose the contact, so I leaned up so he could move, then grabbed his arm and held his hand against my chest, still staring at the ceiling.
“I wasn’t necessarily trying to hide it, I was just… worried you’d be upset.”
“What? Why would I be upset?”
With my head back, I tilted it toward him so I could look at his handsome face. “After you told me you were arrested and went to prison, I was afraid you’d pull away if you found out. I… I wanted you to get to know me and give me a chance first.”
His eyes went comically wide, and for a few seconds, I thought he was going to explode in anger, but then a strangled laugh fell from his lips. He leaned forward, covering his eyes with his free hand as his laughter went on. I could only stare at him in confusion.
Why the hell was he laughing?
After a few seconds, he sighed and met my gaze. “Out of the two of us, it’s me who should be worried about my past and how that’ll affect you and our relationship. Good gods, sugar butt, I can’t believe you were worried about that of all things.”
“What do you mean? You’re amazing and sweet and kind and caring and—”
“And an ex-con. How’s it going to look to your partner and his coworkers when they find out you’re dating an ex-con?”
My brow furrowed. “He’s not my partner, hasn’t been for five years. And why the hell would I give even half a shit what any of those bastards think? I only care what you think, how you feel.”
He stared at me for a long moment before a small smile formed on his kissable lips.
Then he released my hand, and before I had time to complain, he had me pressed against him in a hug.
It was a little awkward on the couch, but I didn’t care because he was warm and sweet and smelled like sunshine and spring flowers and some of his natural musky scent that I couldn’t help but inhale.
“You are something else, my sweet Sidekick.”
“I’m not your sidekick,” I muttered into his shoulder, making him snort.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
That made me smile and shake my head, but like hell was I ready to let go of him.
After how upset and hurt Winter had been this last night, I was sure he’d be mad at me. So this was certainly a million times better.
Still, I felt guilty when I thought about the look on his face when he’d found out I used to be a detective. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, Win. I never, ever, ever meant to. It’s the last thing I want.”
He gave me a squeeze. “It’s alright, lovey. I understand why you didn’t tell me.” He kissed the side of my head, then leaned back, breaking the hug but not fully letting me go. “Do you want to watch that episode now? Then we can cook together?”
“Sure, but you don’t have to help me cook. I don’t mind doing it.”
He bussed my cheek. “I think it’ll be fun to help.”
I shrugged. “Sounds like a plan.”
We snuggled in on the couch with our animals around and on top of us, and I leaned into his warmth, wishing I could keep him by my side always.
After our episode, we went into the kitchen. I got out all the ingredients for a nice vegetable lo mein and sighed when I found yet another bag of marshmallows open in my pantry. What the hell? Over the last several days, I’d found several open bags of large marshmallows.
Could it be one of the animals getting into them? But… how? And when? They’d have to open the pantry door to even get to them.
Could it be me in the middle of the night, sleepwalking? I mean, I’d never sleepwalked before, but maybe I’d started now?
That was ridiculous. I was thirty-three years old. Surely I would’ve known before now if I was walking around the house in my sleep.
I stared at Winter, who was searching the fridge for something.
Hm.
The main difference between now and before the Big Marshmallow Mystery was… him.
Maybe Win loved marshmallows and kept sneaking them and was just really bad at closing the bag up.
“You know…” I dropped the open bag in the trash when I felt how hard the marshmallows were. “I keep a ton of chip clips on the fridge on the side since they’re magnetic.” I pointed to said chip clips.
Winter stared at me like I had three heads. “Um… okay.” He sounded like he thought I was crazy, but that was fine. Better that than me accusing him of being a marshmallow thief.
I shrugged. “In case you ever need one.”
“I… knew they were there already.” He let out a small chuckle. “But thanks… I think.”
That made me smile at him and shake my head as I grabbed an ingredient I needed and asked him, “So how’d it go with your boss?”
I glanced at him over the top of the refrigerator door and caught his grimace. “Not great.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
He sighed and took the veggies from me to place them on the counter. “He got really pissed, tried to pretend I couldn’t quit at all, then got even more pissed when I insisted, and he fired me.”
My nose scrunched up. “How can he fire you if you already quit?”
He waved me off. “It’s Derrick Geddie. He’s an idiot. I honestly don’t know how he’s kept that business afloat all these years. I truly think it’s mostly Gracie—the receptionist’s—doing.”
“I’m sorry you had to deal with that. What an ass.”
He snorted. “Tell me about it. He even said he wouldn’t write me a recommendation letter or anything.”
“Wow. You’ve worked for him for over ten years, right?”
“Yep. He’s a dick. I’m not even surprised by his reaction.”
I shook my head as I got out two cutting boards and set us up side by side at the counter, then walked over to wash the veggies at the sink as I soaked in everything he’d said.
His boss fired him? Or fake-fired him or whatever? Did that mean… “Does that mean you’re not working there for the next two weeks?”
Winter made a face I couldn’t interpret. “Correct. But don’t feel obligated to bring me on earlier. I’m sure you have paperwork to get situated and everything, so—”
“Are you kidding me? I’d love to have you start right away.”
He stared at me for a long time. “Are you sure?”
“Hell yes. I told you I’ve been thinking about bringing someone else on for a long time, right?
Like, probably at least two years, but I’ve really been thinking about it the past several weeks.
I actually got a contract together a while back when the idea first came to me, so we can go over it tomorrow morning…
if you want? If you want to wait the two weeks or whatever, that’s fine too. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
His smile was wide and beautiful. “I don’t want to wait. I’d love to start tomorrow.”
I let out a little whoop, then leaned over and pressed a kiss to his smiling lips. We both laughed as we went back to preparing dinner.
Tonight had gone even better than I could’ve imagined.