“Very nice. So where did you and my Tara meet?”
“She covers the crime beat,” Kirkland said. “I’m a cop. We’ve crossed paths regularly.”
Roxie lifted a penciled-on brow. “So, Detective Alex Kirkland, what kind of policeman are you? Not vice, I hope.”
His laugh sounded genuine and relaxed. “Homicide.”
Roxie’s eyes widened with approval. “Very nice. Detective, can you stay for a cup of coffee?”
Experience had taught Tara that the best lies were the least complicated ones, and the sooner she got Kirkland out of here the better. “Roxie, he has an early-morning roll call.”
Kirkland shook his head. “A cup of coffee won’t hurt.”
Tara tried not to groan.
Roxie winked at him. “Come on over to the bar. I just made a fresh pot.”
Tara’s shoulder ached and she braced herself to climb up on a bar stool. Kirkland surprised her by pulling out a stool and helping her up in such a way that the gesture looked more loving than helpful. His touch was solid and steady and made her heart race a little faster. He took a seat beside her.
Roxie went around to the bar and set two mugs in front of Kirkland and Tara. She filled each with coffee. “So it’s taken a year for you two to finally go out on a date.”
Kirkland thanked her for the coffee. “We both lead busy lives.”
Roxie wasn’t convinced as her gaze skipped between the two. “So what did you learn about my baby tonight?”
“Not much,” Kirkland said. “She plays her cards close.”
“That’s my girl.” Roxie leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand. “What do you want to know about Tara?”
Tara set her coffee mug down. A bit of coffee sloshed onto her hand. “Roxie, that’s enough. Kirkland doesn’t want to hear about my boring past.”
Roxie shrugged. “Baby, you are not boring.”
A teasing light sparked in Alex’s eyes. “Your niece didn’t say much about herself. She’s very tight-lipped and very guarded.”
Roxie nodded. “That’s my T. Has been like that since she was a kid.”
Tara’s gaze narrowed. If she could have run from the room she would have. “I’m not that interesting.”
Roxie waved her away. “She’s very modest. She is brilliant. I have a scrapbook full of her articles from the Post and the Globe. My baby is going to win a Pulitzer one day. The scrapbook is in the back. I can get it if you want to see it.”
Tara pushed off her stool, wincing as her feet hit the ground. “Roxie, no—really. Alex really does have an early call in the morning.”
Kirkland slid off the stool and stood beside her. This close, she realized how much he towered over her. “Tara’s right. I do have an early-morning call.”
Roxie nodded. “Hey, I understand how hard you boys in blue work. As far as I’m concerned they don’t pay you guys enough. So remember, there’s always a free beer or coffee waiting for you at Roxie’s.”
Kirkland’s smile was genuine. “Thanks.”
“Will you be seeing my girl again?”
Before Tara could come up with some excuse, Kirkland said, “I hope so.”
Roxie winked. “Good. Because I like you, Detective Kirkland. Tara, go ahead and escort your date out to his car. That is the polite thing to do.”
Tara was grateful to be making an exit. “Absolutely.” She walked Kirkland to the curb. “Thanks again. I really appreciate the ride home, and you speaking to Roxie. She can be a little bold.”
He smiled. “She seems like a good person.”
“She is. And I love her to death. But there are times when I cringe.”
He kept his gaze on her and, lowering his voice, said, “You know she’s staring at us.”
“Did I mention she’s overprotective? It’s just the two of us, and she worries.” Energy and heat radiated from his body. She had to concentrate to not stare at his full lips.
Alex leaned forward. “I think she’s waiting for me to kiss you.”
Her mouth went dry. “What?”
“You’ve heard of a kiss, haven’t you, Mackey? It’s
“She covers the crime beat,” Kirkland said. “I’m a cop. We’ve crossed paths regularly.”
Roxie lifted a penciled-on brow. “So, Detective Alex Kirkland, what kind of policeman are you? Not vice, I hope.”
His laugh sounded genuine and relaxed. “Homicide.”
Roxie’s eyes widened with approval. “Very nice. Detective, can you stay for a cup of coffee?”
Experience had taught Tara that the best lies were the least complicated ones, and the sooner she got Kirkland out of here the better. “Roxie, he has an early-morning roll call.”
Kirkland shook his head. “A cup of coffee won’t hurt.”
Tara tried not to groan.
Roxie winked at him. “Come on over to the bar. I just made a fresh pot.”
Tara’s shoulder ached and she braced herself to climb up on a bar stool. Kirkland surprised her by pulling out a stool and helping her up in such a way that the gesture looked more loving than helpful. His touch was solid and steady and made her heart race a little faster. He took a seat beside her.
Roxie went around to the bar and set two mugs in front of Kirkland and Tara. She filled each with coffee. “So it’s taken a year for you two to finally go out on a date.”
Kirkland thanked her for the coffee. “We both lead busy lives.”
Roxie wasn’t convinced as her gaze skipped between the two. “So what did you learn about my baby tonight?”
“Not much,” Kirkland said. “She plays her cards close.”
“That’s my girl.” Roxie leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand. “What do you want to know about Tara?”
Tara set her coffee mug down. A bit of coffee sloshed onto her hand. “Roxie, that’s enough. Kirkland doesn’t want to hear about my boring past.”
Roxie shrugged. “Baby, you are not boring.”
A teasing light sparked in Alex’s eyes. “Your niece didn’t say much about herself. She’s very tight-lipped and very guarded.”
Roxie nodded. “That’s my T. Has been like that since she was a kid.”
Tara’s gaze narrowed. If she could have run from the room she would have. “I’m not that interesting.”
Roxie waved her away. “She’s very modest. She is brilliant. I have a scrapbook full of her articles from the Post and the Globe. My baby is going to win a Pulitzer one day. The scrapbook is in the back. I can get it if you want to see it.”
Tara pushed off her stool, wincing as her feet hit the ground. “Roxie, no—really. Alex really does have an early call in the morning.”
Kirkland slid off the stool and stood beside her. This close, she realized how much he towered over her. “Tara’s right. I do have an early-morning call.”
Roxie nodded. “Hey, I understand how hard you boys in blue work. As far as I’m concerned they don’t pay you guys enough. So remember, there’s always a free beer or coffee waiting for you at Roxie’s.”
Kirkland’s smile was genuine. “Thanks.”
“Will you be seeing my girl again?”
Before Tara could come up with some excuse, Kirkland said, “I hope so.”
Roxie winked. “Good. Because I like you, Detective Kirkland. Tara, go ahead and escort your date out to his car. That is the polite thing to do.”
Tara was grateful to be making an exit. “Absolutely.” She walked Kirkland to the curb. “Thanks again. I really appreciate the ride home, and you speaking to Roxie. She can be a little bold.”
He smiled. “She seems like a good person.”
“She is. And I love her to death. But there are times when I cringe.”
He kept his gaze on her and, lowering his voice, said, “You know she’s staring at us.”
“Did I mention she’s overprotective? It’s just the two of us, and she worries.” Energy and heat radiated from his body. She had to concentrate to not stare at his full lips.
Alex leaned forward. “I think she’s waiting for me to kiss you.”
Her mouth went dry. “What?”
“You’ve heard of a kiss, haven’t you, Mackey? It’s
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