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“Okay.” I exhale. All the air exits my lungs, and my shoulders drop. “I’ll listen.”

“If we—you keep going back there to look at stuff, it will look suspicious and raise questions. But if you two were dating, and you stopped by during lunch and brought your boyfriend a sandwich, well, no one would think much of it. And since the evidence is in his office and that door has a lock . . .”

Damn it! She has a point.

The detective has one arm crossed over his stomach while rubbing his bottom lip with his free hand. Back and forth that thumb goes, his gaze lost in thought. He blinks, and his eyes find mine. His hand freezes, thumb pressed into his lip, creating a dimple. I can’t stop staring.

He clears his throat, and his hands go to his back pockets.

I drag my gaze from his face, from that mouth, from those eyes, and glare at Lynn. “Except his wife or girlfriend won’t be too happy about that. You didn’t think of that when you turned him into Detective Cheater, did you,Lynn?”Please be single.

He shakes his head. “I don’t have a wife or a girlfriend.”

It’s hard to believe that a guy with his looks is single. “Oh, you have a boyfriend.” Oh my God. What’s wrong with me? Stop talking.

He looks at me, both eyebrows raised. “No, I’m not gay. Just not seeing anyone right now.”

Shit! My face heats. I squeeze my eyes shut and run a hand over my face. I can’t believe I said that out loud. “Sorry, I’m a little stressed right now.” My voice comes out in a mousy squeak. “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s been a day . . .”

An amused smirk softens his features. “This could work. Maybe don’t say girlfriend outright. There would be questions, but a friend who’s visiting for a while . . . ”

“From college!” Lynn adds. “A friend with benefits from college.” She nods in agreement with herself.

My fingers curl around an imaginary neck. I’m going to kill her.

He returns my key fob. “Are you free around five tomorrow afternoon?”

I glance at Lynn, and she nods. “I am.”

He dips his head. “I’ll be in touch.”

Chapter7

Avalon

“Ava?Ava? It’s the middle of the afternoon. Wakey-wake!”

Lynn’s voice, followed by a light tapping on my shoulder, drags me from my slumber. Hmm. I guess I fell asleep. The visions yesterday took a bigger toll than I expected. I slept like a rock through the night too.

He didn’t text me yesterday or this morning. I’m mildly disappointed. I don’t know what I was expecting. He probably already dismissed everything I said. That’s for the best—even if he’s the guy I’ve dreamed about for half of my life. We are so completely different. If I go down that road, I’ll get my hopes up and get invested, and then what? Go back to my life in New York and never see him again?

“Man, going to the beach this morning knocked you out.”

I stretch. I didn’t tell her I’m still recovering from the toll the visions took on me. “I had fun, and the weather was perfect.” I try to blink away my stupor and reach for the water bottle on the night table between our beds. With the first sip come flashes of a dream. I’m back at that beach in North Carolina where Jake saved my life. His mouth is on mine. He’s kissing me. But I’m not a teen anymore, and he’s not a young man either. It is us as we are now. A shiver skitters from the base of my head down my spine. A frisson takes up residence in my chest. I’m not averse to the idea of kissing him, not at all. I’ll have to tell him who I am eventually, but not yet. When the time is right.

Lynn sits on the bed across from mine. “You slept a long time.”

“How long was I out?”

“Almost two hours.”

I rub my face, trying to wipe away the last dregs of sleep. I hate afternoon naps. It always leaves me groggy and disorientated for a while. “What time is it?”

She reaches for her phone. “Two-fifty-two. The detective texted you. You were sleeping, so I answered for you. He’ll be here at five. You have two hours to shower and get ready for your—”

“It is not a date.”

“Meeting with the detective,” she continues as if she intended to saymeetingall along.