Page 264 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

Nate headed for the hallway as Callie made her way to follow him. He waited for her, smiling when she walked through the doorway. “Hey.” He kissed her and snagged her hand.

“Hey,” she said, lacing their fingers.

“Walk with me outside?”

She nodded, resting her head against his arm as they moved into the brisk air, walking to the sheriff’s station parking lot. She locked her wrists around the back of his neck when they stopped next to the Tahoe. “How are you?”

He hooked his fingers through her belt loops and tugged her closer, staring into her big blue eyes. “I’m all right. How about you?”

“Good. I missed you at the breakfast table this morning.”

He’d been out the door as soon as there had been enough light to see what was what in Bob’s shed. “I should be home in time for dinner.”

Her brow furrowed slightly as she studied him. “You’re exhausted.”

He nodded. “I could probably use a little sleep.”

“All of this is weighing so heavily on you.”

He shrugged. “I’ll be all right.”

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, letting the moment linger, savoring her gesture of comfort.

She drew slightly away, sliding the pads of her fingers along the nape of his neck. “Tell me your troubles, Nate. What can I do? Let me be your sounding board.”

Like hell that would be happening. The moment Bob lost the right side of his face to a bullet, Callie had been cut out of the investigative equation. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m still trying to line everything up in my head.” He kissed her again. “I should probably get back to work.”

She held his gaze for several seconds before she nodded. “Be safe.”

“That’s the plan.” He nudged her closer—hip to hip. “I love you.”

She smiled. “I love you too.”

“I’ll see you a little later.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

He got in the Tahoe and backed out of his spot, waving to her as he headed toward Highway 1 and Lookout Lane, eager to get out to the shed and give everything another once-over before he went back to the office and did the same with the Little Girl Lost and Bob Tillerson cases, certain that the answers were there if he looked for them hard enough.

~~~~

Callie walked down the hall to the office, carrying a glass of water for Nate. She stopped in the doorway, sighing as she studied him resting his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands. “Nate?”

He looked up, sending her a small smile. “I didn’t hear you coming.”

Her gaze wandered over his spiky hair and the sweat-soaked T-shirt he still wore after his workout. “I didn’t hear the treadmill tonight.”

He shrugged. “I got in some quick sets with the weights instead.”

Typically, he spent an hour in the gym before dinner when his schedule allowed, but tonight he’d started back downstairs and headed for the office before she’d had a chance to take the chicken and vegetables out of the fridge for their simple stir-fry meal. “You didn’t have to hurry. There’s no rush to eat.”

“I know. I’m just restless—a little pissy.”

She sighed again, smiling sympathetically. “A long day.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”