Page 43 of Deadly Force

“Sorry. I’m… buried in a story.”

“Oh, Brooke. One of these days… there is more to life than work.”

“I know. But this is a big one. I have to see this through.” I glance at the door. Caleb’s shadow stretches under the crack, stationary, vigilant.

Mom sighs. “Have you heard from Samantha? I want to talk to her about the reception.”

After accepting that I’m not Samantha’s keeper any more than I am my brother’s, she prattles on for a while about my brother’s upcoming nuptials, while I pace the room and try not to think about Eliza.

If I start thinking about how she’ll never get to have a wedding, I won’t be able to hide my grief from Mom.

I’m not sure if I’m pleased when she suddenly changes the subject.Slightly.

“Oh! I almost forgot. There’s a lovely man who just joined the church. You can take him to the wedding. It’ll be fun.”

Horror shrieks through me like a fire alarm. “No!”

The word bursts out faster than I can catch it. Too loud, but absolutely necessary.

Blind dates are where dignity goes to die. I’vesurvived men who only talked about their protein powder routines, one who brought a board game to dinner, and another who showed up in Crocs and tried to evangelize the waiter.

“I mean,” I add, scrambling to soften the explosion, “that’s really kind of you. But no. Just… no.”

Please don’t let her ask why.

“Why?” she says.

I groan.

Panicked, my eyes shoot to the door. I need something good. Really good. Something to throw her off the scent.

“Er… I met someone. He’s… interesting.”

Mom sucks in a sharp breath. “Who?”

“Um…” I glance toward the door again, now frantic. “He’s a friend of Mick’s.”

“I don’t believe you. You think all of Mick’s friends are morons.”

I snort. “Okay, I did say that once. But this is… um, someone he knows through work?” My voice pitches on the last word and comes out sounding more like a question than it should.

The second it’s out, I regret it.

Because now there’s silence.

And silence is never safe with church women.

Her voice lights up as if I've just handed her the final puzzle piece of a ten-year prayer chain. I can practically hear her rearranging her matchmaker strategy in real time.

“But you said you’re interested?”

I chew my lip. “Caleb is…an interesting guy.”

“Is he handsome?”

“Mom!”

“If you’re going to convince me this is real, you’re going to have to tell me all about him.”