Page 29 of Dead Man's Alibi

She inhaled through her nose.When she spoke, it was careful and precise.A bit like she’d been anticipating and preparing for this eventual face-off.

“I’m offended that you brought it up in front of everyone including mygrandmother.And I’m offended that you used it like some kind of… wedge.”

He frowned at her because he was a smart guy, or so he thought, but he didn’t understand what that meant.“Wedge?”

She let out a gusty sigh then sat down across from him.She leaned forward.He found himself moderately distracted by the little tattoo on her wrist he still hadn’t managed to make out.

Some kind of flower or leaf.

“When was the last time you went out on a date?”she demanded.

He blinked up at her.Dark eyes, intense and direct on his.Uh-oh.He scratched a hand through his hair.Thought dimly about that haircut he needed.Anything but the worddateand Jill Harrington.

“Okay, how about this?”she continued when he didn’t answer.“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve eventhoughtabout the possibility of going on a date?”

“Uh.Well.”He found himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat like a chastised child.“No.”

“Three years.Overthree years.I have lived an isolated life with my mostly mute grandmother, who was recovering from a stroke for a lot of that time, and even to this day, with all her progress, some pretty serious trauma.Everything I’ve been has been in service to her, and whatever I have left over has gone to my job.”

“That’s very honorable.”

“No, it isn’t.It’s family and love and something I was happy to do.But what maybe I didn’t realize until recently is that whatever skills I had in the interpersonal department once upon a time belong to another Jill who doesn’t exist anymore.”

Since he understood that sentiment all too well but also couldn’t actually see how it could be true forher, he felt some of the guard he was trying to keep up slide down a little bit.“I’m sure she exists.”

Jill rolled her eyes, a response Cal didn’t fully understand.He thought he was being gentlemanly and kind and understanding, all things considered.And she was rolling her eyes at him.

“The point is,” she said firmly.“I find this whole… thing uncomfortable.Because everything is so twisted up and weird here.For all I know, Jake was feigning interest to pump me for information about Nate or you.For all I know,you’refeigning interest because my grandmother told you to.”

“Jill—”

“No, you didn’t want to talk, so you’ll sit there and listen.I’m twenty-eight years old.I’ve had one long-term relationship in my life, and I haven’t been on a second date in something closer tofouryears.I don’t want to go back to Boston.Ilikemy life here.But I also don’t want to bealoneforever.At least, not because I didn’t try.But I’m rusty and unsure, and I don’t like that because that isnothow I used to be.So, no, I don’t appreciate you throwing out Jake’s… interest like a joke or a ploy when I’m not surewhatit even was.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender.“Okay, so no more kind of jokes about Jake flirting with you.”

“And no more talking about being not too old for me unless you’re planning on doing something about it.”

Okay, so maybe he’d tiptoed a little too close to the fire the other day, andmaybeshe deserved some honesty in the face of that.It wasn’t that hewantedto be giving off mixed signals.It was just…

What would happen if…

“It’s not that I don’twantto do something about it.”

Nothing in her expression changed.She was not amused, charmed, or soothed.He also realized with a little twist of shame that she didn’tbelievehim.That—and maybe itwasthe isolation talking in her head—she didn’t think there’d be any reason for two men in Marietta, Montana towantto.

That didn’t mean he had any right to act on hiswant-tos.God knew he’d acted on them mostly when he shouldn’t have before.So, he tried to be honest, without getting too deep into it all.

He tapped his forehead.“Bad bet in here.”

Something in her gaze softened, and he didn’t care for that.Not because it felt too close to pity, but because it seemed… softer or something.Like an understanding no one could possibly have.

“Look, I apologize if the signals are a little mixed,” he said, trying to walk the right line that didn’t hurt her feelings and didn’t tread too close to emotional truths he didn’t want to mine.“No, notif.I get it.They are.Like I said, the interest isn’t feigned or imagined.I just shouldn’t really be indulging in it, but sometimes my charm gets the best of me.”He tried to flash said charm with a grin he’d once employed quite effectively.

But she still had that soft look in her eye that made him uncomfortable.And very grateful when his phone buzzed.He looked down at the screen.A text from Nate.

“Where are you?”

“Diner.”