Hell, even the way she talked to her plants, weird as it was.
Was I actually going to miss her when she was gone?
Of course not.
Except… maybe I was.
Fuck, this was confusing.
And what had Luke wanted? I trusted him about as much as old Harvey Johnston trusted Tilikum’s squirrel gang—which was to say, not at all. He was up to something, and the thought that he might use Fiona to get back at me made me fucking furious.
But if she was leaving anyway, it probably wouldn’t matter.
I hiked down the trail while Sasquatch veered into the brush and back again, following his nose. We stayed out about an hour, long enough that the temperature started to drop as the sun dipped lower in the sky.
When we got back, I went into the shop and found Fiona with her feet sticking out from underneath her car. Pausing, I watched her for a moment. I could just see her arms working; it looked like she was reattaching the exhaust. There was something undeniably sexy about a woman getting her hands dirty under a car.
Especially this woman.
She rolled out from under the car. “Oh, hey. How was your walk?”
I tossed her a rag so she could wipe off her hands. “It was good.”
“Thanks.” She got up and glanced over her shoulder at her car. “Almost finished, although I don’t want to jinx it. I’m afraid if I say everything is fixed, the universe will come along and break something else.”
“Yeah, no shit.”
Out of nowhere, a thought popped in my head: Ask her to dinner.
It made sense. It was getting late and I was hungry. She was probably hungry, too. We’d eaten meals together plenty of times since she’d been here.
But if I asked ahead of time, would she think it was a date?
Did I want it to be a date?
Of course I didn’t. I didn’t date anymore.
And she was leaving anyway.
A goodbye dinner, then?
Still no.
“I’m going to reinstall the shifter, then take it out for another test drive,” she said. “Shouldn’t take me too long. Crossing my fingers everything works.”
“It will. You’ve done a great job.”
Her lips twitched in a smile. “Thanks.”
“So, what did Luke want?” Jesus, why had I asked her that? It wasn’t any of my business.
She blinked, like she was surprised by my question. “Luke? Why?”
“Because…” What was I supposed to say? Because I don’t trust him and I think he’s up to something. “It’s just weird that he stopped to talk to you like that.”
“I told you, he said no hard feelings about the Pontiac.”
“That was it?”
She glanced away. “Mostly. Don’t worry about it. I know he’s your mortal enemy or whatever, but he was nice. We had a pleasant conversation and then your brothers showed up. Why are you so worried about it?”
Pleasant conversation? What the fuck was that supposed to mean? “Because I wouldn’t put it past him to use you to try to get back at me.”
“So you’re saying you don’t think he meant it when he said he was impressed with how I turned the deal in our favor? You think he’s just trying to get in my good graces to somehow get back at you.”
“I don’t know.”
“You do know.” She crossed her arms. “You don’t think he was being genuine.”
Was he hitting on you? Did he ask you out? “I just think there’s more to it than you’re admitting.”
“I don’t see how it’s any of your business.”
You’re right, it’s not. But if he touches you, I’ll rip his face off. “I’m just—”
“Since when do I have to tell you everything, anyway? It’s not like you told me you were seeing someone.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Even if you guys aren’t serious yet, you should have mentioned it.”
“Mentioned what?”
“Jill.” She flung the name at me like an accusation.
“Fuck,” I muttered. Hearing her name made my hackles rise. I was well aware that Jill was a problem I’d created—that my attempt to fuck with Luke by kissing her in front of him was coming back to bite me in the ass. But like hell was I going to admit it. “That isn’t what you think.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but it sure would have been nice to know, especially considering we shared a motel room.”
“I am not dating Jill.”
“Whatever, it’s fine if you are. You’re allowed to date whoever you want, just like I’m allowed to talk to whoever I want, even if they’re on the other side of some feud that