Shadows of You (Lost & Found #4)(50)

I slid the sandwich and tea across the counter to her. “Understatement.”

Elsie pulled out a twenty and handed it to me. “Guys like that are the worst. But I guess it just makes us appreciate the good ones, right?”

Heat hit my cheeks as the memory of Roan’s thumb stroking my neck flashed in my mind. “Right,” I mumbled.

A smile stretched across her face. “You’re blushing.”

“I am not.” I totally was.

Elsie laughed. “Is it the chief of police?”

“Lawson?”

She nodded.

“No. He’s just a friend. Our kids are the same age and best friends.”

“Gotcha,” Elsie said. “Then who?”

“No one, I swear. I guess I’m just wishing I had that.” Not a lie. Nothing had happened with Roan, and I wasn’t sure it ever would. Or if I could go there even if he was willing.

She met my gaze with a kind smile. “One day you’ll get everything you deserve. There’s no way the Universe won’t come through for you.”

“Thanks.” I moved to hand Elsie her change, but she waved me off.

“Keep it for the tip jar.”

She was too generous when I knew she was struggling to make ends meet herself, but I didn’t argue. I’d send her home with extra cookies when she left.

As Elsie grabbed an empty table, the bell over the door jingled again, and a familiar face strode inside.

“Afternoon, Dr. Miller,” I greeted.

He smiled at me. “Damien, please.”

I nodded. “Damien.”

“How does the doe seem? I was going to see if I could stop by later today and give her a checkup.”

“She’s healing nicely. Roan said he thinks she’ll be ready to be released soon.”

A flicker of surprise danced across Damien’s expression. “Roan doesn’t usually do follow-ups with his finds.”

I shrugged. “We’re friends, so he was already around.”

Damien nodded thoughtfully. “I admire anyone who can make it through that steely armor.”

I chuckled. “He certainly doesn’t make it easy. I think I have Cady to thank, mostly. Once she decides someone is going to be her bestie, she doesn’t give up.”

Damien grinned. “She seems like quite the character.”

“Understatement of the century. So, what can I get you?” I didn’t remember Damien ever coming in previously, and my past meant I was usually pretty good at remembering faces.

He surveyed the menu and then the bakery case. “What do you recommend for an afternoon snack?”

“Hmm. The orange-cranberry scones are always a favorite. And we’ve got a new double chocolate peanut butter cup muffin on the menu.”

Damien nodded, his gaze on me instead of the bakery case. “An orange-cranberry scone sounds perfect.”

“Coming right up. Would you like that for here or to go?”

“To go. I need to get back to the clinic.”

I slid the scone into a bag and handed it to him. “That will be five fifty.”

Damien pulled out his wallet and handed me a ten-dollar bill. “I actually had another question for you.”

“Shoot,” I said.

“Could I take you to dinner sometime?”

I stilled, sheer panic flashing through me. “Oh. I, um. I’m not really looking to date right now. My life is, uh, complicated, and—”

Damien held up a hand, a gentle smile on his face. “Don’t sweat it. Roan warned me not to ask, but I had to try.”

My jaw went slack. “Roan told you not to ask me out?”

Damien nodded, his lips twitching. “He was pretty firm about it, actually.”

“Oh,” I said, not sure what else to add.

“Seems to be quite protective of you,” he went on.

That heat was back in my cheeks as I handed Damien his change. “We’re good friends.”

Were we, though? I had no clue what Roan and I were in his mind.

“Seems like a bit of an extreme reaction for a friend.”

I worried the inside of my cheek. “He looks out for Cady and me.”

Damien shoved a few dollars into the tip jar. “Always good to have someone looking out for you. I’ll see you around, Aspen.”

He headed for the door, and I just stared after him.

As the door closed behind him, Elsie made bug eyes at me. “Are you crazy? That man is gorgeous, and he’s a vet.”

I shrugged. “I just don’t feel a spark.”

“Maybe you need to get your spark radar examined.”

I snorted and turned to grab my rag to continue my cleaning, but I couldn’t help hearing Damien’s words ringing in my ears. “Roan warned me not to ask, but I had to try.”

Now, what the heck did that mean?





25





ROAN





“This is bad,” Nash muttered as he stared at the poor, mangled bobcat that lay across the trail.

“This was rage,” Lawson said, a muscle fluttering beneath his eye.

I turned away from the fallen animal, unable to take the carnage anymore. Nothing could be gleaned from the body. Not until Dr. Miller arrived and we had test results back from the techs currently scouring the crime scene.