Page 31

“Hello.”
“Hey!” I recognize my friend Maddie’s voice immediately. “Lyndi told me you were back, but I didn’t believe her. I guess you were avoiding me.”
Crap. I forgot Lyndi and Maddie were best friends and probably talk to each other every day. I rub my temples. “I wasn’t avoiding anyone, I promise. I’m busy with a case.”
“Relax. I believe you. And I’m not mad.”
I don’t respond and she reads into it. “Going that well, huh?”
She knows I can’t answer anything.
“How are you?” I ask her instead. When in doubt, focus the conversation on the other person.
“You’ll never believe it. I’m teaching high school debate and coaching the volleyball team.”
“What?” I'm completely dumbfounded by her revelation. "Maddie the lawyer is now Maddie the teacher?”
She laughs. Another odd Maddie occurrence. “It’s quite the story. But honestly, I’ve never been happier. I’ll tell you all about it over dinner next Saturday.”
I should have known that’s where this was going. “Sounds great.” I surrender to the inevitable. At least my friends won’t let me be forgotten. Maybe I should call Ward sometime and set up that drink he mentioned.
“And wear something nice.”
I groan. “Maddie, please don’t tell me you’ve set me up on a blind date.”
“Of course not. She can see just fine.”
Wow, she really is a different Maddie.
“Haha.”
“She will only happen to be in attendance as well as you.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.”
Our call ends a few moments later and I look over to see Cruz putting on…lipstick?
“What are you doing?”
She drops the little tube like it’s on fire. “My sister gave it to me for Christmas. I promised to try it out.”
“It’s almost July.”
“Better late than never.”
I look at her lips, trying to figure out the best way to tell her the purple junk she slathered on her lips looks less appealing and more like she’s suffering from hypothermia.
“Harris, Cruz.” Supervisor Ford steps up next to our adjoined cubicles. Serena jumps out of her seat and rams into her desk. The movement jolts the container of pens she has sitting on the corner and the whole thing clatters to the floor.
Ford picks it up and Cruz rushes around the desk to help.
His hand brushes hers, and she all but faints. I could be a decent guy and look away, but I simply can’t tear my eyes away from the trainwreck happening before me. I feel like I’m watching a middle school love story unfold.
They stand up and Cruz tucks her hair behind her ear, blushing furiously. The woman could intimidate the head of a cartel with her wicked glares and killer fight instincts, but her whole facade comes crumbling down around this man. And he’s utterly oblivious.
Ford tilts his head to the side and studies Cruz. “What happened to your lips?”
Cruz gapes, her hand flying to the lipstick there.