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“Help us catch him.” Hal stalked away and thumped down the stairs.
Her mouth dropped open. “I can’t believe this.”
“Meeting Hal? You heard Jack say he was home from the hospital.” Mitch dared her to deny that.
“Yes, but I didn’t want to speak to him dressed like this.” She swept a hand to indicate his robe, which looked even more enticing than her own robe. “Do you think that mattered? He didn’t accept my apology.”
“I’m sure he’s flattered you even bothered.”
“I’m human, you know.” Her blue eyes turned frosty, but instead of freezing him, her gaze sent a sliver of need scorching a path to his groin.
Mitch stiffened. “Get dressed. Breakfast is in ten minutes.”
She glanced at her watch and saluted.
“Wait.” Mitch sucked in a breath. He needed to sound less dictatorial. Otherwise, he’d never get on good terms with her. “Is pain perdu okay with you?”
“Lost bread?” Her eyebrows shot up. “Wow, that’s pretty elaborate.”
“No trouble. We all had some earlier.”
“That would be great, but all I need is coffee.” She gave him a dazzling smile.
“You need fuel.” He stared at the floor, fighting to recover his sight. “We’ll be gone all day. Is the GPS locator in your phone still turned off?”
“Yes.” Her chin lifted and she crossed her arms.
“Don’t get insulted. Since we’re working together”—he stressed the last word—“we need to be on the same page.”
“It’s still turned off.”
“Good. Excellent,” he said, and she scowled. He’d hated asking her point-blank, but he’d given up assuming anything with Cath Hurley. “Are you?”
Her brows scrunched together. “Am I what?”
“On the same page with me?”
She turned her wrist. “I’ve only got eight minutes now. Go away. I’ll be down shortly.”
Mitch waited for her door to close to enter another of his aunt’s storage rooms and finish dressing. She’d deflected him again. Mitch ran his hands through his damp hair. Was Hal right?
He tucked a long-sleeved shirt in over his bail recovery T-shirt and fastened his holster on his way downstairs. Jack and Hal had gone out. Kurt had retired to their office. Aunt Edi remained, working on her crossword puzzle at the kitchen table. He refilled his coffee mug and readied the skillet.
“Where’s your young lady?”
“She’s only a friend.” More like a co-combatant. Mitch dropped a pat of butter in the frying pan.
His aunt pointed her pen at him. “Nothing says you can’t get to know her better.”
“We’ll see.” He wouldn’t argue with his aunt. She remained the only family member who believed in him.
Eight minutes later Cath breezed through the doorway with a smile. “That smells great.”
Aunt Edi looked up. “There you are, dear. How did you sleep?”
“All things considered, quite well.” She sent Mitch a look.
With a hidden meaning. To him, anyway. He ignored her to soak pieces of French bread in the egg mixture and layer them into the pan.