Page 110 of Steeled

Both men laughed, which was doubly disarming. “I apologize,” Reed drawled. “I didn’t mean for it to sound like that. Just curious.”

“Well, it’s like you said,” she murmured with a shrug. “I don’t make it home often. It was time.”

Her stomach fluttered at the sound of her answer. The meaning behind her words was starting to shift as the day wore on, and it made her feel unsettled.

“Dedective Steele?” Evie pipped in softly, graciously rescuing Mitzi from her thoughts, yet again. “Do you have one?”

“Does he have what, Evie Belle?”

Mitzi’s gaze moved from Evie to Steele, stopping when she caught sight of the grin he offered the little girl.

“Always, Evie,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a Dum Dum sucker and offered it to her.

She was quick to snatch it up and hug it to her chest. “Thank you.”

“Don’t eat it until your mom says you can, copy?”

“Copy.”

“Wait, you always have Dum Dums in your pocket?” asked Mitzi.

“You should see the stash at his desk,” muttered Reed.

Steele shook his head at his partner and then answered, “It’s like I said, it’s my fault she took off earlier. Evie knows I’ve always got a sucker in my pocket. I’d offer you the same, but—the little lady took my last one.”

“It’s all right,” she said, speaking through the smile he’d inspired.

“Auntie Belle, can I hold the leash again? I promise not to let go this time,” Evie whispered pleadingly.

“How about after we cross the street?”

“Steele, I think our work here is done,” said Reed.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Don’t mean to keep you. Maybe we’ll see you around.”

As the two men walked away, Mitzi couldn’t stop herself from catching another glimpse. When Steele did the same, both of them locking eyes over their shoulders, Mitzi’s belly fluttered in excitement. She drew in a deep breath as she focused her gaze in front of her, then took another slow sip from her latte.

“Come on, Evie. Let’s go before your mom wonders where we are.”

With every step she took, Mitzi tried to convince herself her most recent chance meeting wasn’t fate. It couldn’t be. Shelby was a small town, and that was all.