“Do we know when the autopsy will take place?”
Bree reached for her phone and checked her email. She opened one from the ME. “Dr. Jones has it scheduled for eleven thirty.”
“Sounds like a busy morning.”
She sighed. The day already seemed like chaos, and it hadn’t yet begun. “It does.” She set her phone back on the nightstand and drained her coffee.
Matt peered into her mug. “Damn. Impressive.”
“Necessary.” She stretched. “I need to wake up.”
Matt set his coffee aside and checked his own cell phone. “You’re ahead of schedule this morning.”
“We could get in a really fast mile or two. I could use the cardio.” Bree hadn’t run in a few days.
“I can think of another way to raise your heart rate.” He turned, leaned over her, and kissed her softly on the mouth. His lips trailed down her jaw, over her neck, and lingered on her pulse point.
Heat zoomed through Bree’s limbs. She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. “I have fifteen minutes.”
He lifted his head and grinned. “I’d prefer an hour or so, but I can work with a tighter deadline.”
Already more awake, she kissed him back and repeated firmly, “I have fifteen minutes.”
“Twenty,” he countered, sliding a hand under the covers.
Bree groaned. “Deal.”
His voice went husky. “I know how to push all the important buttons.”
You certainly do. Bree arched into his touch.
The next twenty minutes were totally worth rushing through her subsequent shower. Bree tugged on a sweatshirt as she breezed through the kitchen.
Matt wore jeans and a T-shirt. Despite the chill, he was barefoot. And Bree wished she had another twenty minutes. She glanced at her phone screen.
“Your hair is still wet.” He scooped kibble into a bowl. Brody sat patiently.
“Someone used up my blow-dry time.”
“That was me.” He smiled broadly. “Hold on.” He set down the bowl and ducked into the laundry room. He came out carrying a knit hat, which he tugged over Bree’s still-damp hair. “It’s cold.”
“Thanks.” She leaned against him for a goodbye kiss. “I’ll meet you at the station.”
“You got it.”
It was still dark as Bree hurried to her vehicle. Barking erupted from the kennels as she breezed past. Matt’s sister, Cady, waved from the doorway. After his initial retirement from the sheriff’s department, Matt had used his settlement to buy the house and build the kennels to house K-9s in training, but his sister had filled them with rescue dogs before he could get his business off the ground. Now he was focused on finding homeless dogs like Greta to train for law enforcement.
Blasting the heat, she drove home nursing a stupid smile. As she turned into the driveway, she was surprised to see her brother’s junker SUV. She parked next to it and jogged to the kitchen door. Inside, Ladybug slammed into her legs, almost taking her out at the knees. Bree steadied herself with a hand on the wall and stopped everything to pet the dog. The dog’s tail nub wagged in a frantic circle. “How can you be this excited to see me every single day?”
“She loves you.” Adam sat at the kitchen table inhaling a cappuccino. Paint splattered his sweatshirt and jeans. He looked like he hadn’t combed his shaggy hair in a few weeks.
“I love that you’re here, but it’s early. Is something wrong?” Bree hung up her coat and tossed her keys on the counter.
Dana crouched in front of the oven, staring through the tiny window. “Morning.”
Bree echoed the greeting.
Vader immediately jumped onto the counter. The cat made eye contact with Bree, then deliberately sent her keys flying off the edge. Bree picked up the keys, stowed them on a higher shelf, and gave the quirky feline an ear scratch. He was an asshat, but he was her asshat.
Adam shrugged. “I worked all night. The new painting isn’t cooperating. I thought I’d come over, bum breakfast, and clear my head.”
“The kids will be thrilled.” Dana pulled a baking sheet out of the oven.
Bree stopped to toe off her boots. “What is that smell?”
Dana set the baking sheet on the stovetop. “Blueberry lemon scones. Sit.” She motioned to the table. “I’ll bring you a cappuccino.”
Adam sipped his coffee and sighed in contentment. “She’s in a baking mood. Don’t fight it.”
“I never do.” Bree gave him a one-armed hug. She turned to Dana. “Please make it a double. Maybe a triple.”
Dana worked the fancy-ass coffee machine she’d brought with her from Philadelphia. Then she dusted cocoa powder over the foamy mixture and brought it to the table. “This should jump-start your heart.”
Adam gave Bree a side-eye. “You’re in a good mood for someone involved in a murder investigation.”
“I am.” Bree pushed back the creep of guilt. She deserved a life—a realization she still struggled with when a big case landed in her jurisdiction.
Adam smiled. “I’m happy for you. I’m glad you and Matt found each other, though I am just a little jealous.”
“Same.” Dana drizzled glaze over the scones. “These are supposed to cool before you eat them, but I’m not waiting.”
Bree’s mouth watered. “What about that guy you dated last week?”
Dana shook her head. “The lawyer? Zero chemistry.” She brought the plate of scones to the table. “I haven’t really been attracted to any of them. At this point, I wonder if it’s them or me.”
“Dating apps seem backward to me.” Bree broke a scone in half, releasing steam. “You’re supposed to date someone because you’re attracted to them, not date them and then see if they’re hot.”
“That would be optimal, but if I wait to meet someone organically in this town, I’ll be alone at ninety.” Dana sipped from her mug. “Don’t get me wrong. I love living upstate. Life is slower. The air is cleaner. I don’t hear traffic and sirens 24/7. But the dating pool in Grey’s Hollow is barely a puddle.”
“No kidding.” Adam shoved half a scone into his mouth. His eyes closed for a second. “These are amazing.”
Dana sighed. “Maybe I need to fully accept that love at first sight doesn’t exist.”
Bree didn’t believe in love at first sight, but lust at first sight? That was real. Matt had made her blood hum the first time she’d met him. Bree shot her brother a look. “When did you start dating?”
“I’ve always dated.” Adam shook back his wavy hair. “It’s not like I’ve been a monk my whole life. It’s just that things have been crazy this year. My social life got put on hold.”
But he never mentioned dating to Bree. Nor did he talk about friends. She’d assumed he was an introvert. But then, before January, they’d barely known each other. They’d been separated after their parents’ deaths. Since they’d reconnected, their lives had definitely been upended. But they clearly needed to talk more.
Kayla slumped into the kitchen, still in her pajamas, her eyes bleary. She was not a morning person. She gave Adam a sleepy smile, pulled a chair close to his, and rested her head on his shoulder. “Hi. Why are you here so early?”