Page 134 of One Last Shot

He stared at her. “You remember that?”

“You remember the mayo?”

“It’s my favorite now.”

“Of course it is.” She got up. “I remember every conversation we have. So, mocha shake?”

He had nothing, his breath stripped. She remembered every conversation? He shrugged.

She winked. “I got this.” Then she walked away.

Pulling out his phone, he read a text from Dodge.

Dodge

Heard from Boo. Looks like rehab might be another week or so.

Great. She’d called in last week with the news, but he’d been hoping for a sooner recovery. He didn’t want to replace her, not after everything she’d done to earn her keep. Wasn’t easy to put together a crew that worked well together.

He had even started to wonder if Oaken might stick around. Seemed like Oaken might have been thinking about it for a while.

A tall glass came down into his view and then a straw and long spoon. He looked up to see Tillie standing there. “It’s strawberry-chocolate and you’ll love it. It’s my—” Her breath caught. “It’s a fan favorite.”

“Thanks.” He put down his phone. Sighed.

“You okay, Moose? Feels like something more than the rescue is egging you.”

She stood there, so much concern on her face?—

“The woman at the ski hill—the bride—she wasmurdered.”

Maybe he shouldn’t have said it like that, and the investigation had only started, but he had his suspicions. “She was shot. By a hunting rifle.” And that was probably enough. He looked away. “Sorry. It just...”

She sank into the seat across from him.

“My cousin Aren was murdered too. By a hunting rifle.”

“You think?—”

“I don’t know.” He looked at her. “But it’s sort of stirred up everything and...” He sighed. “Thanks for the shake.”

She nodded. “I put down some chicken for you too.”

His throat tightened. Oh, he liked this woman. “Will you go out with me?”

Oh. Oh no. How did that come out?

Worse, her breath caught and she swallowed. Then she closed her eyes tight, making a face, as if his words had stung.

Shoot. They’d sort of stung him too.

She opened her eyes. Gave him a soft smile. Opened her mouth, and for a second?—

“I’m sorry, Moose. I... you...” She sighed. “I would love to say yes, but... I can’t.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

Then she got up and headed to the kitchen.

He ran his hands down his face. What kind of idiot was he?