Chapter Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Present Day
A fter a hectic day, Nash was exhausted when he sat down with a cheeseburger near nine p.m. and opened the lid on his laptop.
The disappointment on Haisley’s face this morning had haunted him all day. His best read on her mood? While it was possible she’d awakened grumpy, she’d clearly been confused when he’d refused to engage with her beyond the professional. Did that maybe mean she missed him?
“You’re finally home, asshole?” Garrison padded barefooted and bare-chested into the kitchen, a discarded T-shirt slung over his inked shoulder.
“Hey, fuck face.”
“Aww, I love our pet names for each other. They’re almost romantic,” he quipped as he poured himself a glass of milk.
Nash rolled his eyes. “I’m eating here. Don’t make me hurl. I’d never want to be romantic with your hairy ass.”
“Same. So…do you know where your girl is tonight?”
That taunt made Nash freeze. “Haisley?”
“Who else?” Ethan quipped with an I-know-a-secret smile. “I ran into her less than an hour ago.”
If she’d been at Highrise flirting—or worse, sneaking around the mall—he’d spank her ass a spectacular shade of red. “And?”
Ethan chortled. “Listen to you, trying to play it cool. Dude, your face is telling me you’re desperately worried about what she’s up to…”
Nash tossed down his burger and stood. “Okay. Ha ha. You’ve had your laugh at my expense. You want me to tell you that woman drives me crazy? I admit it. She does. You got me. Now tell me where you saw her.”
“Chill, bro. I ran into Haisley at Matt and Madison’s. She stopped in to check on her bestie, who’s apparently having a real bitch of a time with morning sickness. She was worried.”
“Oh.” Nash sat again, relieved that he didn’t have to chase her down and have it out tonight. “Did she say anything about me?”
As soon as the words fell out, Nash wished he could bite them back. Fuck, that sounded so junior high. But he was out of restraint.
Not flirting at full throttle with Haisley went against everything in his nature. Being so close to her this morning while forcing himself to behave like she was nothing but a counterpart in this case—rather than the woman he loved—had almost killed him. Changing tactics with her had seemed like the best option after she’d confided in Jasper that their past relationship had felt like nothing more than an extended hookup. She genuinely fucking believed that she hadn’t been his everything. That he’d merely viewed her as a good time.
She’d be shocked to know he’d been ready to propose.
None of that helped him now. Jasper couldn’t tell Haisley that she had everything wrong. But Nash could. And he could win her back, starting by respecting the boundaries she’d set yesterday—no matter how much it killed him.
He’d use Jasper as recon, to check in with her, make sure she was staying safe, getting the emotional support she needed…and then hope like hell that when the time to come clean rolled around, she understood he’d been trying to help and support her, not bullshit and hurt her.
But either way, he refused to lose her without putting up the fight of his life. Somehow, someway, he would convince Haisley Rowe that he loved her. Once she knew the truth… Well, what happened next was up to her.
Ethan laughed. “She might have mentioned you once or twice. What’s it worth to you?”
Nash slanted his roommate an annoyed glance. “What do you want?”
“You do my laundry for a month, and I’m an open book.”
“You’re a rat bastard. I’m not washing your sweaty underwear or sticky sheets.”
“That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”
“Motherfucker.” Nash wasn’t looking to be the kid’s bitch, but he would absolutely bend his pride for help in winning back Haisley. “Fine. But I’m not folding.”
Ethan laughed. “Sucker.”
Nash hurdled the sofa and crossed the kitchen floor in a handful of steps, grabbing the kid by the throat. “You better not tell me you punked me.”
“Lighten up, dude.” When Nash let go, Ethan rolled his shoulders. “I’m just yanking your chain. To be honest, I didn’t hear that much, just that you being all straight-up business this morning confused her. She doesn’t know where she stands with you.”
As he’d suspected. “Thanks. Give me your laundry.”
“I’m not going to make you do it. I just wanted to see how much this woman meant to you.”
“Son of a bitch.” Nash stomped back to his dinner.
Ethan trailed after him. “Sorry. You okay?”
“Fuck, I don’t know.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “You want to know what Haisley means to me? Everything. When she left, it fucking crushed me. I thought we were on the same page—until she took off. Why is communicating with that woman so hard?”
“It’s not like you’ve been lonely without Haisley, dude. You get laid a lot.” He grinned. “Almost as much as me.”
“And it’s all empty. It’s all…” His insides twisted. “Meaningless. That’s great for a while. But…man, once you have someone who means something, it’s different. And going back to those empty fucks? It’s just… You’re going to fucking laugh, but some mornings, I’d wake up and roll over and think—for just a moment—that I had Haisley back. Then I’d open my eyes and see someone else. No matter how sexy or sweet or snarky or whatever the woman beside me was, she still wasn’t Haisley. And I kept wondering what the hell I did to not only drive a wedge between us, but to make her flee two thousand miles away.”
Ethan dropped onto the sofa beside him. “Shit, man. I’m sorry. I just thought… Hell, everyone thought you were just hooking up. You didn’t take her out or bring her to the company parties or act like you had a thing for her. So I thought?—”
“That I just wanted to nail her. Apparently, that’s what she thought, too.” And Nash felt like an idiot. He’d so zealously guarded his time alone with her that he hadn’t stopped to think about how she might perceive his behavior. But she’d never pushed back, never asked him to take her out or show her a good time that didn’t involve his bed, some cuffs, and his stiff cock. She’d been so fucking perfect for him in every way.
And he’d been an idiot.
Of course Haisley had assumed she was his favorite hookup, not his treasured submissive or his girlfriend. He hadn’t given her any reason to think he loved her or wanted to marry her. It seemed so fucking obvious now, but in the moment…he’d only thought about being as close to her as possible.
Well, that wasn’t the whole truth. The very first night they’d spent together, she’d been adamant that she wasn’t looking for a relationship. For months, he’d been searching for a way to tell her that he wanted more than sex with her. And he’d been afraid of being too honest and losing her.
“What are you going to do now?” Ethan asked.
“Everything I can.”
“I’d ask if you need relationship pointers, but I’m the guy who lost his high school girlfriend to his dad, so?—”
“You’re making that up.” He had to be.
“I’m not. My dad married Havana right after her eighteenth birthday. They have three kids now. I tease him all the time that he needs to stop knocking her up. It’s embarrassing.”
Nash laughed, mostly because it felt nice for a few seconds not to think about how badly he’d fucked up. “Wow.”
“It kind of sucks, but they’re happy, so…” Ethan shrugged. “Listen, about earlier today, at the mall?—”
“It’s not your fault the girl working at the pastry shop wouldn’t talk to us. She wasn’t going to.”
Ethan sighed. “I didn’t think Abby would be so skittish.”
“Same.” And Nash felt bad for not realizing that he and Ethan were probably intimidating, especially in light of the abductions happening less than a hundred feet from her. “And that other kid…”
“I guarantee he’s stoned more than he’s working. Did you see his eyes?”
“Yep. That’s my read, too. And the fact he refuses to wear his glasses… Jesus, he shouldn’t even be driving.”
“No wonder none of the police reports mention that guy. Then again, I don’t think Detective Haskins gives a shit about anything these days except his upcoming pension, his gold watch, and endless days of fishing.”
“It sucks. I’m not sure where to turn from here. We need to sit down with a list of facts and unknowns, then start asking the right questions, rule out people who couldn’t possibly pull this off, then start narrowing down to a list of suspects who could.”
Ethan nodded. “We’ll hit it first thing in the morning.”
“You going out tonight?”
The kid grinned as he pulled on a T-shirt. “I’ve got two booty calls, and I’m already late to the first. See you in the morning.”
“How are you going to get any sleep?”
That made Ethan laugh. “If that’s your first priority, you’re getting old, dude. See you.”
“I’m not fucking old,” he called to Ethan’s retreating back.
The door slammed. Nash cursed, then focused on his laptop.
Putting on his Jasper hat to talk to Haisley tonight was probably reckless, but every part of him needed to make sure she was okay. Nash wasn’t in a position to reassure her yet; she wouldn’t listen to him. But Jasper was. If he could be fucking delicate—something he absolutely sucked at.
He hated lying to her, and hopefully, this subterfuge wouldn’t blow up in his face. He’d come clean eventually, and using a screen name to get close to Haisley wasn’t his first choice, but she hadn’t left him more appealing options.
Sighing, he navigated to the CSI site and logged in. He already had a message waiting from Haisley. Eagerly, he opened it, but it didn’t say much more than hello and a tacked-on hope that he had a good day.
He answered right away.
JasperThePrivateDick: Hi, Red. My day sucked. I hope yours was better.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Nope. Day two of my new job, my boss is still an asshole and this case is still an enigma.
JasperThePrivateDick: Sorry to hear that. What about your ex? See him again?
RedHotSavvySleuth: Yes. Don’t remind me. No offense, but why are men so confusing?
JasperThePrivateDick: Ha! We ask the same thing about women all the time.
RedHotSavvySleuth: But you mastered it once. You had someone you clearly loved.
JasperThePrivateDick: More than she’ll ever know.
Nash hated how true that seemed right now.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Ugh. Let’s not talk about the past. I wish I could say I’d made headway on the case, but it’s hard when I’m stuck in the office, and I can’t actually investigate beyond the paperwork inside those four walls.
JasperThePrivateDick: You’re safer that way. Presumably your ex and the others working on the investigation have been trained for danger. Isn’t it better to let them do their jobs?
RedHotSavvySleuth: You mean sit on my ass while other women are in danger? Shouldn’t I be doing something helpful?
JasperThePrivateDick: Supporting the people in the trenches is doing something helpful.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Not enough. And you’re sounding like my ex again, warning me away from a potential paper cut.
JasperThePrivateDick: Getting abducted by these people would be a lot more perilous than a paper cut, Red.
RedHotSavvySleuth: I know. Doesn’t mean I like it. Did you learn anything new today?
JasperThePrivateDick: I’m afraid not. Today was hectic, and none of it as productive as I’d like.
Not that Jasper could share any of today’s findings with Haisley. That would all have to come from Nash. He had things to tell her, even if all the news was terrible. But at least he’d get to spend more time with her.
Fuck, he had it bad.
JasperThePrivateDick: Did your ex make any progress on the case?
RedHotSavvySleuth: Some. He tracked down the lead detective, but the old fart is basically useless.
JasperThePrivateDick: Hey, watch that old talk. I identify with not being as young as I once was.
Not a total lie. After all, his age started with a three now. Nash was still wrapping his head around that.
RedHotSavvySleuth: You’re not useless in any way, shape, or form, so don’t go there. I meant that this detective is burned out and coasting to retirement.
JasperThePrivateDick: That’s frustrating. I’m sure your ex isn’t thrilled, either.
RedHotSavvySleuth: He isn’t. But he’s pushing forward, following other leads. Talking to witnesses, victims who escaped, that sort of thing.
JasperThePrivateDick: Sounds like he’s as dedicated to solving this case as you are. Good. Those victims deserve someone in their corner. How are things between you two? Any more communication now that you’re working together?
Yes, he was fishing.
Haisley paused for a long time before responding.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Yes and no. Yesterday, I was irritated with all his flirty innuendos and smoldering looks, so I asked him to behave more professionally. Today, he was strictly business. It was actually too professional. It’s like he did a complete 180 overnight and decided to treat me like any random coworker.
JasperThePrivate Dick: Isn’t that what you wanted, though? For him to respect your boundaries and keep things aboveboard?
Another lengthy pause. Nash could practically see Haisley worrying that plump bottom lip between her teeth as she mulled over her response.
RedHotSavvySleuth: I mean, yeah. I did. I do. It’s just… I don't know. It felt weird. Unsettling. Like I said, men are confusing.
JasperThePrivateDick: Sounds like maybe you’re not entirely sure what you want from him.
RedHotSavvySleuth: I want to solve this case. I want to stop more women from being abducted and who knows what else. That’s what matters most.
Nash’s chest tightened at her evasion. She was dodging the real issue, the complicated emotions simmering between them. He couldn’t let that go.
JasperThePrivateDick: Of course. But don’t forget to consider what you want for yourself, too. Trust me, as someone who’s lost the woman he loved, if you still care about your ex, you shouldn’t take a single day with him for granted. Even if things are messy and confusing, it’s way better than being brokenhearted.
Nash held his breath, hoping he’d get through to her. Again, Haisley’s reply was slow to come.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Maybe you’re right. I’ll think about it. BTW, if you ever want to talk about your lost love, I’m a good ear. I won’t pry, but you’ve been such a good listener, I’m happy to return the favor.
Nash’s throat tightened. He couldn’t go there, not even in their anonymous online bubble. The wounds were still too raw, and Haisley was no one’s fool. She’d probably catch on before he was ready for the big reveal.
JasperThePrivateDick: I appreciate the offer, but it’s ancient history. Not nearly as interesting as the present. And it’s getting late for this old fart, so I should sign off. But think about what I said, okay? Take it from someone who learned the hard way. Don’t let fear and pride keep you from something real with your ex. Even if it’s complicated.
RedHotSavvySleuth: I’ll try. Thanks for listening. Have a good night.
Nash exited the chat and powered down his laptop, his mind racing. Had he gotten through to Haisley? Planted a seed that would make her rethink keeping him at arm’s length?
Knowing how stubborn she was, maybe not. Time would tell. But the truth was, he couldn’t maintain his strictly professional charade for long, not when every cell in his body was screaming to haul her against him and kiss her until they were both senseless.
She was right about one thing, though. Complicated didn’t even begin to cover their relationship these days. He hoped that playing Jasper didn’t bite him in the ass, but he’d meant what he’d said. He didn’t want to waste a single day with Haisley—even if it meant breaking every rule in the book to prove she still wanted him just as badly.
* * *
Late the next afternoon, Nash strode into Haisley’s office, his heart doing that familiar little flip when she glanced up from her computer screen at him. Her eyes widened slightly, surprise and something else he couldn’t decipher flickering across her face before she schooled her features into a neutral expression.
“Nash. What’s up?”
He shrugged, aiming for a casual tone, even as his pulse kicked up a notch. “Thought I’d swing by and see if you were available to join me on a field trip to the mall.”
Haisley arched a brow, leaning back in her chair. “Weren’t you the one who demanded that I stay in the office, far from any potential danger?”
Nash bit back a smile. She never could resist pushing back, even against his protective instincts. “I did. And it pains me to admit that you were right about me being intimidating to teenagers. Abby wouldn’t talk to me or Ethan last night. She clammed up tighter than a nun’s—” He caught himself, clearing his throat when Angela, hovering nearby, raised her pierced, disapproving brow. Yeah, probably not an appropriate metaphor for the office. “You get the idea.”
Somehow, Haisley managed to keep her expression neutral, but he saw her repress a grin. “So you agree that I might have better luck getting a sixteen-year-old to talk?”
“I know you will.” The words came out with a soft certainty that made Haisley blink. “Will you come with me?”
She hesitated, worrying that plump bottom lip between her teeth. Nash itched to reach out and smooth the tiny furrow between her brows, but he kept his hands to himself—reluctantly.
“Why not?” She stood and grabbed her purse. “Just let me tell Mila where I’m headed in case Mr. Benedict asks.”
Nash nodded, tamping down his irritation at the mention of her boss. The way she avoided the asshole, he’d bet the man had been giving her a hard time. He itched to march into Benedict’s office and give the bastard a piece of his mind. But he reined in the impulse. Haisley wouldn’t appreciate him fighting the battles she was more than capable of handling herself.
No doubt she was sidestepping conversations with Mr. Benedict, not because she was afraid of him, but because she was worried she’d snap back and get herself fired. Haisley refused to take shit from anyone. That, along with her cleverness and loyalty, were some of the things he loved most about her.
They stopped by Mila’s desk quickly, but she wasn’t in her office. And her boss’s door was closed, so Haisley sent a text to Mr. Benedict.
As they headed to the elevator in thick silence, Nash couldn’t help stealing glances, drinking in the determined set of her jaw and the way the fluorescent lights lit up her fiery hair. Her ass looked damn fine in that skirt, too.
God, she was beautiful. She sucker-punched him every time he looked at her.
“You’re staring,” she murmured as they stepped into the empty elevator. “If I have food on my face, you need to tell me.”
Nash laughed, leaning back against the wall. “Nothing like that. It’s just been a while since I’ve seen you get involved in something you’re passionate about. It looks good on you.”
A pleased flush spread across her cheeks. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“Just stating facts.” He let his voice dip into that low, teasing register he knew drove her crazy, gratified when her breath hitched almost imperceptibly.
The elevator dinged, doors sliding open, and Haisley darted out into the lobby. Nash fell into step beside her as they headed for his truck.
Once they were on the road, he glanced over at her and caught her fiddling with the strap of her purse. A sure sign she was nervous. Or upset.
“Hey,” he called softly, waiting until she met his gaze. “You okay? You seem a little off today.”
Haisley shrugged, looking out the window again. “Just a lot on my mind. You know, with the case, not to mention Mr. Benedict being an absolute douche nozzle to work for. He hired me because I know social media in a way he doesn’t, but he keeps trying to tell me how to do my job. It’s annoying; that’s all.”
That wasn’t all. Even after two years apart, Nash knew Haisley too well to believe that. Her skin was too thick for the bastard to crawl under it in a handful of days. Which left Nash to wonder… Was she actually upset because she still believed he’d considered her an easy hookup? Or confused because he’d stopped flirting?
She changed the subject. “How did the rest of the interviews go yesterday?”
“Mixed bag. I want to circle back with Bianca, one of the targets who escaped. She was at the mall with her ex-boyfriend. They got into a fight, and the asshole left her there. She called her mom and was waiting in the food court for her ride.”
“And she went to the bathroom.” Haisley sighed. “Then her bad night turned horrific.”
Nash nodded. “At first, she thought her assailant was her boyfriend messing with her. Then she realized this guy was much bigger and stronger. Since she had just finished a self-defense class, she managed a few maneuvers and fled to the well-lit food court. She said ten seconds later, she looked back to scream at someone to grab him, but he’d already disappeared.”
“Oh, god. How terrifying, but I’m glad she escaped.”
“Me, too. Her mother has hardly let her out of her sight since that happened in September. Bianca has anxiety and nightmares now. She even insisted on being homeschooled because she’s afraid to leave her house.”
“I hope she broke up with the boyfriend, too.”
Nash sent her a ghost of a smile. Haisley always advocated for herself. She never understood when other women didn’t have her backbone, and he loved that about her. “She did. I asked. After that interview, I talked to another of the victims who escaped, Summit.”
“That’s her name? Poor thing. As another person with an unusual name, I feel for her. I’ve always said that I’ll punch the next person who calls me Paisley, but I’m sure she gets called all kinds of crap.”
“Probably. Hell, I’ve been called Hash, Mash, Lash, Bash, Stash…” He laughed. “But Summit has multiple ways for people to abuse her name. Sydney, Sheila, Shelby?—”
“Or synonyms like Mountain, Peak, and Pinnacle.” Haisley rolled her eyes. “Since tons of people are inconsiderate and can’t be bothered to learn someone’s actual name, she probably gets all of the above. What was her mom thinking?”
“That she would be ‘unique.’”
Haisley snorted. “That’s overrated. Sorry to sidetrack you. So you and Ethan talked to Summit…”
“I did for quite a while. Garrison had to take care of something for the bosses. She broke down a couple of times. Her dad glowered at me and kept trying to end the interview, but she insisted on continuing. She told a story similar to Bianca’s, except that Summit mentioned a janitor closing off the hall to the bathroom just before someone tried to nab her. Earlier in the day, I spoke with Mrs. Wright, mom of Kaylee, the girl abducted on Christmas Eve. She couldn’t tell me much, but she thought she remembered seeing a male janitor, too. I want to ask Bianca about that. Maybe he’s not involved, and it’s just a coincidence that he cleaned the bathroom before Kaylee’s disappearance and before Summit was nearly abducted. But maybe not.”
“Good idea. It sounds like too much of a coincidence, if you ask me. Just to let you know, I followed up with Mr. Benedict about his involvement in the day-to-day operations of the mall. He said he’s far too busy for that.” Haisley rolled her eyes. “Yeah, too busy giving me a hard time. He claims he leaves all the ‘little things’ to the mall’s general manager. Have you caught up with him?”
Nash shook his head. “He’s back from vacation tomorrow. Apparently, he left four hours after Kaylee’s abduction to spend Christmas away. Who does that?”
Haisley reared back. “I get that it was a holiday, but we’re talking about a girl’s life. Asshat.”
“Exactly.”
Silence fell between them, and Nash filled it, if for no other reason than to keep Haisley talking to him. “So what did you do last night, besides stop in and check on Madison? Ethan told me. That was nice of you.”
“Poor thing looked green. She says she felt loads better, so I can’t imagine how much worse she must have felt when it was bad.”
“Do anything interesting after that?”
Haisley hesitated, and he could almost see her trying to decide whether to tell him about Jasper. Finally, she shook her head. “Surfed online. Watched some TV. Went to bed early.”
Nash stifled his disappointment. She’d open up to him eventually. He was determined. But it would require patience. And he’d have to thaw the ice between them first. How he’d do that wasn’t clear, but he’d improvise until he succeeded.
“What about you?” she asked. “After you were done with your interviews?”
Just a guess, but masturbating to thoughts of you wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear.
He shrugged and avoided the subject of Jasper and CSI. “Ate while I flipped channels. Nothing special.”
It would have been so much better if he could have cuddled up with Haisley before he stripped her down and spent half the night inside her. Even the thought had his cock hard and pressing uncomfortably against his zipper, as if it knew Haisley was close and wanted a hit of its favorite drug.
Down, boy. Down .
“Anything else about the case I should know? Any suspects?”
At this point, everyone remotely associated with the mall was a suspect, but between his brain and his gut, he was narrowing it down. “Not yet.”
She bit her lip again. That was Haisley’s thinking face, but watching her sink her teeth into that plump, soft lip always drove him a little insane. “I’ve been thinking about a conversation I had with, um…a friend recently. At this point, I’m convinced these abductions are an inside job. It would be easy to point the finger at the maintenance man since he seems super resistant to keeping that hallway lit, but I’m wondering if this is a group effort?”
“I’m thinking the same thing. I mean, it’s not impossible that one guy is pulling this off alone, but realistically?”
“Right? He would have to get the victim out the door quietly and get her to a vehicle nearby. He can’t very well be abducting someone and have a van idling at the curb, I wouldn’t think. It’s a no-parking zone, and the chances of the mall cops sweeping the parking lot should be high…”
“Not to mention that he’d have to drug or secure his victim before he could even drive away so she couldn’t fight back or escape while he was focused on the road…”
“But if this is a money-making endeavor, maybe the person responsible isn’t even doing the dirty work. He probably wouldn’t be, right? He’d entrust his buddies or hire that out. Because how would thugs with no connections sell their ‘product’?” she asked.
“There are ways, but it’s much easier when you know shady people.”
Haisley fell silent again, worrying that lip with her teeth.
“Out with it,” Nash demanded. “What are you thinking?”
“I can’t decide if Mr. Benedict is a good suspect because he has the ability to make things—good or bad—happen at the mall or because he’s a prick. I mean, other than financially, he didn’t seem personally distressed about the abductions. According to him, Kaylee Wright ruined Mila’s Christmas, but he didn’t say anything about the kidnapping impacting his. He even admitted to covering it up. According to him, he did it to avoid the bad press and financial implications…but what if that’s a front for the truth? What if he’s really covering it up to hide his involvement. Because I’ve got to be honest. I chatted up the accounting supervisor earlier today, and she said the mall was hugely in the red. The place opened just as the economy started tanking, and at this rate he won’t make his money back for fifty years. Maybe…he decided to make his money off the mall in a different way.”
She wasn’t thinking anything that hadn’t crossed his mind, but… “It’s a good theory, but we don’t have any proof. Hell, we hardly have any clues. But we’ve only been at this two days. We’ll get there.”
“We?” She raised a cool brow his way. “Isn’t Ethan your partner?”
“According to Hunter Edgington, yes. Just like I’m not supposed to look into your boss without his authorization. But Ethan and I mostly work better when we operate separately and compare notes. He doesn’t really like anyone disturbing his ‘thought process.’ I think what he really hates is anyone telling him his unorthodox methods are likely to piss someone off.” He shrugged. “But you… I like that we can bounce our ideas off each other, you know?”
“So you only like my ideas?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Nash knew Haisley in a snit when he saw it. And as much as he’d wanted to tell her how much he loved her pussy, her heart, and everything in between, she wasn’t ready to hear that. He had to keep this professional, the way she’d insisted their interaction should be.
“You know better than that, baby.” That was as much as he dared to say now.
Haisley sent him a snappy little stare but said nothing.
Finally, they reached the mall and pulled into the parking lot. “When we get inside, I’ll introduce you to Abby, the girl who works at the pastry shop, then let you take the lead?—”
“No offense, but you asked me to talk to her because I’m less intimidating. You breathing down her neck isn’t going to accomplish that.”
As she hopped out of his truck, he followed suit, locking it with the fob and barreling after her in the chilly twilight as she headed for the entrance. “I’m not leaving you alone, not in this mall.”
Haisley rolled her eyes, but it was halfhearted. She knew he was right; she just hated to admit it. The woman had pride in spades.
As they walked toward the entrance, shoulders brushing with nearly every step, Nash made a silent vow. He would find a way to make Haisley feel special and show her that what they had was worth fighting for. Even if it meant taking things slow, building that trust brick by painstaking brick.
She was more than worth the effort.
“Fine. But you need to stay back enough to let her breathe. And no glowering.”
“I don’t glower,” he insisted, pulling the door open for Haisley.
“Oh, please. You think people just get out of your way because you’re tall and they’re afraid you’re going to step on them? Really? It’s your don’t-mess-with-me glare. Shelve that. She’s a girl. I’ll show you how this interview should be done.”