Page 13 of Hostile Witness
Tia nodded knowingly. “My uncle again, or my mother. I’m sorry they’re using you as their errand boy. You must be Carson’s new favorite to send over.”
“Well, not exactly . . . ”
She tromped over to the porch. “Such a pretty wrapping paper. Hold the door, will you? I’ll get it inside.” She hefted the box.
Ethan glanced at his cruiser. The window was down, but the keys were in his pocket. “Sure, no problem.” He jogged over and grabbed the door for her.
She spun around. “C’mon in. You gotta be wondering what’s in here. My security system isn’t installed yet, so there’s no need to ask about it.”
He wiped his feet and stepped inside, content to hang at the entrance while she tore the wrapping paper from the coffeepot.
Tia gasped when she saw the picture on the box. “Wow, it’s red.” Grinning at him, she popped the lid open and tugged at the Styrofoam mold surrounding the pot. “I wonder how they knew I needed a coffeepot? I haven’t talked to them in weeks because they’re so overbearing, you know?”
Well, no, he hadn’t known until now. But every family had its own dynamics and—dare he say—dysfunctions. He’d tuck that tidbit into the part of his brain that already held hundreds of details about the folks around here. The lockbox with information and intimacies he’d heard on or off the job andwould never share. Those tidbits came with the territory of being a cop.
Tia slid the coffeepot onto her counter, immediately filled it with water, and started a cycle. She scrunched up the wrapping paper and tossed it into the packaging along with the Styrofoam and cardboard. Picking up the little card, she proclaimed, “I’d better read the card. They’ve probably invited me to another Sunday dinner at the house. How can I say no to that when they bought me a coffeepot?”
Uncomfortable now, Ethan glanced around the place. “I see you’ve got different balloons.”
She pulled the card out of the envelope as she waved his statement away. “Yup. I buy new ones every week or so, as soon as the old ones start to drop.” One hand flew to her face. “Omigod, this beautiful coffeepot is from you?” Her cheeks pinkened.
He crossed his arms and nodded. “I didn’t think you’d be home this afternoon and had planned on just dropping it off. You needed a new one, and I wanted to apologize for drawing attention to you in the school office.” There, enough said. “Enjoy it. I should get going.”
Tia walked around the counter and squeezed his arm. “Thank you, Detective. Thank you. I so appreciate the gesture and the, um, thought you put into it. I’ve been meaning to get one, and life’s just so damn busy. It isn’t even that hard to do, but I hadn’t gone online and ordered it. I’ve been rushing through the doughnut drive-in several times a day to get a cup, but it never tastes like what I brew at home.” She brushed the hair off her face. “I’m so embarrassed. I’m babbling. You didn’t need to do this. Seriously, you didn’t owe me anything.”
He nodded and held up a hand. “Of course I didn’t, but you needed a coffeepot, and it seemed like an appropriate mea culpa.”
She beamed a smile at him, a real stunner. His heart hammered in his throat, and his mind blanked. After all these years, the woman was still gorgeous—breathtaking.
“Please say you’ll stay for a cup from the first pot. You aren’t really a coffee lover unless you accept coffee from the first brew of a new pot. If you’re in a hurry, I can give you a go-cup.”
“A cup to go would be nice, thanks.” He stepped away from the door as she added fresh water and grounds to the pot.
Tia waved an admonishing finger. “Be forewarned if you go back to the elementary school. They’re still teasing me. According to the rumor mill, we’re getting married on the beach and honeymooning in Belize.” She laughed and gave him a deadpan look. “It’s so ridiculous. I’m letting them have their fun.”
His stomach lurched. Horrified, he shifted on his feet. “Wow. They move fast, don’t they?”
“Yeah, well, it’s their romance story, not mine. I think it takes a long time to build a relationship strong enough to endure a lifetime, you know? Plus, I’m not looking for a significant other anytime soon, anyway. I barely survived the last one.”
Whoa. That was a whole lot of information he hadn’t expected. He’d gotten out of his last relationship by the skin of his teeth, too. Still had the emotional scars.
She grabbed creamer from the fridge as the pot beeped that it was finished brewing. “That was fast. It’s the perfect pop of color on my countertop, too.” After pulling out two Styrofoam cups with lids, she waved him closer. “Here, fix your cup the way you like it. You want sugar?”
“Thanks, but no. I drink it black.”
Tia shrugged a shoulder. “I think the fixings are half the fun.” She snapped the lid onto her coffee and put the creamer away. “Well, back to my gardening, Detective. It’ll be worth it once the flowers grow.”
“I should get going, too. And call me Ethan.”
“Oh.” Tia chuckled. “Okay. Just remember I could still whoop your ass with my self-defense moves, Ethan.”
Every time she challenged him, he wanted to poke her bear just a little bit more. It was damn uncomfortable being on the bottom in her eyes and didn’t sit well with his personality. He held the door for her. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“And thanks again for the beautiful coffeepot. It’s very nice and extremely thoughtful of you.” She gave him a little wave, slipped into her gloves, and dropped to her knees in the mulch.
Ethan noticed the big shovel used for trenching. He had a few minutes to spare, and his radio was quiet. Being twice her size meant he’d get it dug in half the time. He grabbed the shovel. “Hey, Tia.” He pointed at the painted area. “Is this outline exactly how you want it?”
She barely looked at him, wiping her brow with an arm. “Yeah, but I won’t get to that section until later.”