Page 106 of No Cap

I nodded and parked my car, then got out and went to him.

“Did my carburetor come in?” I asked in greeting.

“Hello to you, too.” He smirked. “And yes. It’s on the desk.”

I went to find the box, then headed for my car.

Kinny and I worked in companionable silence for a whole three minutes before he headed in my direction, a red rag in his hand as he cleaned his fingers free of grease.

“So, you and my best friend, huh?”

I looked at Kinny with a raised brow. “How do you know about that?”

Was he telling everyone we were together? And if he was, why did that make me want to clap my hands in giddy excitement?

Kinny rolled his eyes. “He’s my best friend, Hollis. What did you think he was going to do? Keep you a secret?”

I shook my head. “I guess not.”

He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

I thought about telling him nothing, but in the end chose to tell him the truth.

“I’m scared that I’m catching feelings and he’s not,” I admitted.

That was when Kinny Fink laughed in my face. His big, barrel chest utterly guffawed at my obvious discomfort.

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him.

He kept belly laughing for a solid minute before he was able to control himself.

“Let’s make a bet,” he said. “You walk into the PD. You go looking for him. He’ll be in the middle of the room with a bunch of other cops. And if he doesn’t give you the biggest fuckin’ smile, and kiss the hell out of you, then he doesn’t feel the same. If he doesn’t kiss you, you and me will go to Barrett Jackson in Las Vegas this weekend. If he does, you have to bring back lunch.”

I narrowed my eyes, then said, “And what’ll be my reason for dropping by?”

He shrugged. “Go get a couple of cookies or something. Then you’ll have a reason. Or bring him lunch.”

I dropped the wrench I was about to start using on the cabinet next to my car, then moved everything off of it so I could close the hood.

“Leave it,” he said. “Take my ride.”

I chose to follow his advice.

I stopped by Pie Hard and bought every single cookie that she had left.

It wasn’t many. Just about three dozen.

“You’re a Godsend!” she said as she looked at me with tears in your eyes. “The circus family came in, and posted about this place, and now I can’t keep cookies on the shelf! It’s nine a.m., and I’m all empty!”

I grinned at her. “You deserve it. All this is so good.”

Every last cookie she’d given me was beautiful, and no doubt delicious.

“How would you feel about being a taste tester for a few new things?” She got a sad look in her eyes for a long moment before she said, “I don’t have any family.”

After promising my new bakery friend I’d taste anything she baked , I headed down to the police station, and walked inside.

The DPD was freakin’ massive.