called out, realizing she didn't want their time together to end.
Terri called her good night and Mac waved before he climbed into his car. Carolyn closed the door and depressed the lock on the knob as well as hooking the chain lock.
"There. All set," she said to a grinning Terri. "Now scoot. There's just time for a quick bath for you before you have to jump into bed."
Terri skipped along, singing, "Mommy's got a da-ate! Mommy's got a da-ate!"
Shaking her head, Carolyn hung up her coat and followed her daughter down the hall to the bathroom. She took a deep breath and started running the warm water. She knew she was in for more urging from Terri to find her a daddy, a nice and handsome one like Mac.
For the first time since Richard's death, she was ready to give it serious thought.
Mac heard the lock of Carolyn's door snap into position. But damn it, he was the one who'd snapped. Here he was in this burg only three weeks and already he was getting involved with a woman. A woman with a kid, no less. What was he thinking? He was doing exactly what he knew he should not do.
When he'd touched her hair moments before, he discovered it was just as soft as he thought it would be. Men here aren't just nuts, he thought. They are downright stupid if they aren't interested in her.
Mac drove straight for the apartment he shared with Hines. He found Hines with his feet up on the steamer trunk that passed as a coffee table, a beer in his hand, and Monday night football on the television.
"There's pizza left in the fridge if you want some," Hines said, his eyes never leaving the screen.
"No, but a beer sounds good as soon as I change."
In jeans and a sweatshirt, Mac popped the top on a beer and stretched out at the other end of the couch while Hines filled him in on the progress of the game.
"You were slipping today, Hines," Mac said nonchalantly while still watching the game. "Funny how you didn't remember to tell me all the facts you gathered at the costume shop."
"Huh? Whatcha talking about, man?"
"The one specific detail that you left out of your report."
The sudden grin appearing on Hines's face told Mac that he knew what Mac was talking about. But he still feigned ignorance.
"You called her Mrs. and I know you meant to make me think she was married."
"You might have thought I was encouraging you to make a move on her. Instead, you managed that all on your own. So…how was your pizza supper with the nice Widow Blake? You appeared a bit uneasy at the pizza place while you waited for it to bake." Mac frowned and Hines raised his hand to defend against a forthcoming argument. "Not that Ellie and I weren't happy to have you sit at our table and annoy us while you waited."
"So what's with you, out with Ellie?"
"Oh, no, you don't. You can't change the subject, man. We were talking about your evening with the lovely Widow Blake."
"Hell. My taking pizza up there was no big deal. We ate the pizza and I helped a little in the store so she could go home. End of story." Mac watched the TV in silence a few moments and then added, "But I did learn something else about her that wasn't in your report either."
"Like what?"
"She's got a kid."
"A kid? I didn't know she had a kid, " Hines responded with surprise.
"Yeah, and I don't know a thing about kids."
"Get outta here, man! I've seen you with Sam's kids. You're great with them. They treat you like their favorite uncle."
Mac shrugged and then rubbed his shoulder when a pain shot through it. The mention of his late partner's family halted the conversation. They watched as play on TV resumed.
"I probably don't have to ask, but has any more of your memory come back?" Hines asked during the next commercial.
"You're right. You don't have to ask 'cause you'll know when it does."
Hines nodded and pulled on his beer.
The four musketeers…where were they all now? Mac and Hines were still cops, but in Lakehaven, not Albany or New York City . Hines's partner was home on
Terri called her good night and Mac waved before he climbed into his car. Carolyn closed the door and depressed the lock on the knob as well as hooking the chain lock.
"There. All set," she said to a grinning Terri. "Now scoot. There's just time for a quick bath for you before you have to jump into bed."
Terri skipped along, singing, "Mommy's got a da-ate! Mommy's got a da-ate!"
Shaking her head, Carolyn hung up her coat and followed her daughter down the hall to the bathroom. She took a deep breath and started running the warm water. She knew she was in for more urging from Terri to find her a daddy, a nice and handsome one like Mac.
For the first time since Richard's death, she was ready to give it serious thought.
Mac heard the lock of Carolyn's door snap into position. But damn it, he was the one who'd snapped. Here he was in this burg only three weeks and already he was getting involved with a woman. A woman with a kid, no less. What was he thinking? He was doing exactly what he knew he should not do.
When he'd touched her hair moments before, he discovered it was just as soft as he thought it would be. Men here aren't just nuts, he thought. They are downright stupid if they aren't interested in her.
Mac drove straight for the apartment he shared with Hines. He found Hines with his feet up on the steamer trunk that passed as a coffee table, a beer in his hand, and Monday night football on the television.
"There's pizza left in the fridge if you want some," Hines said, his eyes never leaving the screen.
"No, but a beer sounds good as soon as I change."
In jeans and a sweatshirt, Mac popped the top on a beer and stretched out at the other end of the couch while Hines filled him in on the progress of the game.
"You were slipping today, Hines," Mac said nonchalantly while still watching the game. "Funny how you didn't remember to tell me all the facts you gathered at the costume shop."
"Huh? Whatcha talking about, man?"
"The one specific detail that you left out of your report."
The sudden grin appearing on Hines's face told Mac that he knew what Mac was talking about. But he still feigned ignorance.
"You called her Mrs. and I know you meant to make me think she was married."
"You might have thought I was encouraging you to make a move on her. Instead, you managed that all on your own. So…how was your pizza supper with the nice Widow Blake? You appeared a bit uneasy at the pizza place while you waited for it to bake." Mac frowned and Hines raised his hand to defend against a forthcoming argument. "Not that Ellie and I weren't happy to have you sit at our table and annoy us while you waited."
"So what's with you, out with Ellie?"
"Oh, no, you don't. You can't change the subject, man. We were talking about your evening with the lovely Widow Blake."
"Hell. My taking pizza up there was no big deal. We ate the pizza and I helped a little in the store so she could go home. End of story." Mac watched the TV in silence a few moments and then added, "But I did learn something else about her that wasn't in your report either."
"Like what?"
"She's got a kid."
"A kid? I didn't know she had a kid, " Hines responded with surprise.
"Yeah, and I don't know a thing about kids."
"Get outta here, man! I've seen you with Sam's kids. You're great with them. They treat you like their favorite uncle."
Mac shrugged and then rubbed his shoulder when a pain shot through it. The mention of his late partner's family halted the conversation. They watched as play on TV resumed.
"I probably don't have to ask, but has any more of your memory come back?" Hines asked during the next commercial.
"You're right. You don't have to ask 'cause you'll know when it does."
Hines nodded and pulled on his beer.
The four musketeers…where were they all now? Mac and Hines were still cops, but in Lakehaven, not Albany or New York City . Hines's partner was home on
Similar Books
