Mick’s face changed, his eyes cut to Max then back to me. He smiled and said softly, “Be kind of you.”
“Well, not really. Max made the coffee though I think he used coffee from my grocery stash. I’m finding Max isn’t good with grocery boundaries.”
A short, surprised laugh escaped Mick as his eyes shot to Max.
Max moved to my side and slung an arm around my shoulders, noting, “You’ll find, Mick, that Nina’s somethin’ else.”
My head tipped back and I looked at Max. “What does that mean?”
“Relax, Duchess,” Max grinned at me, “it was a compliment.”
“It didn’t sound like one,” I retorted.
He bent at the waist and his face got close. “Well, it was.”
Mick cleared his throat and I decided to let it go. It was rude, arguing in front of other people, especially people you didn’t know.
I looked at Mick and prompted, “Your travel mug, officer?”
“Call me Mick.”
I doubted I’d ever see him again but on a smile I said courteously, “All right, Mick.”
Mick went to get his mug, I went to the coffeepot, Max stood behind my stool and watched Mick.
“You okay?” I called.
“Shauna’s a f**kin’ bitch,” Max replied.
This was true therefore I had no comment.
Max turned to me. “Bitsy, Dodd’s wife, she’s disabled.”
I blinked then I asked, “What?”
“Disabled, car wreck, ten years ago. Paralyzed from the waist down.”
“Oh my,” I whispered and Mick came in, interrupting our conversation.
“Thanks for this, been up since way before dawn. Figure coffee’ll be my saving grace the next few days,” he remarked, coming to me.
I poured him coffee, trying to ignore the fact that I still hadn’t put on any clothes and was in a short, cotton nightgown.
Mick didn’t act like he noticed it and I guessed since he was a cop he pretty much saw it all. He told me he took two sugars and a “slug” of milk. I gave it to him then gave him my farewell. Max walked him to the door, said his good-byes, stood in it as Mick jogged to his SUV and only closed it when Mick started up the truck, gave a wave and started to reverse.
Max joined me in the kitchen, reached around me and grabbed his mug. Then he leaned a hip against the counter and looking up at him I did the same.
“Bitsy?” I prompted, curious. “And Shauna?”
“Bitsy’s sweet, I’ve known her since we were kids, she’s lived in town her whole life, everyone loves her. Shauna…” He didn’t finish, I nodded that I understood and Max went on. “Dodd’s loaded. Shauna likes that. Harry’s pretty loaded too but not like Dodd.”
“You’re loaded too,” I said to him and he looked down at me.
“That I ain’t, Duchess,” he said honestly.
“According to Shauna, you’re sitting on millions of dollars worth of land.”
I watched his face close down and he said, “Yeah, if I sell it.”