Way to talk yourself into feelingdisappointed.
She went through the self-checkout lane and carried her bags to her car, her gaze moving over the parking lot. There were lots of people, but no one wearing a hoodie. Once her car door was shut and locked, she let out a sigh of relief and headed northwest to RiNo and Joaquin’splace.
She parked in one of the guest spots, grabbed her groceries and overnight bag, and let herself through the security door with his key.Thiswas another reason Joaquin’s apartment was safer. Cameras. A securitydoor.
A few minutes later, she stood in his kitchen, feeling a lot safer—and just a little excited. She was going to spend an evening with Joaquin that wouldn’t involve homicides or policeinterrogations.
* * *
Joaquin smelledsomething delicious the moment he stepped out of the elevator. Usually, that meant the couple down the hallway had just been to the Farmers Market. But tonight, someone was makinghimdinner. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone besides his mother had donethat.
He unlocked his door, his mouth watering at the mingledscents.
“Hey.” Mia stood at the stove, wearing his barbeque apron over jeans and a whiteblouse.
“That smells so good.” He walked over to her, resisting the urge to come up behind her and rest his hands on herhips.
She was sautéing something—chicken breasts and scallions. “Chicken Breasts Diane and pasta. I made a salad, too. It should all be done in about five minutes—if the pasta cooperates. I brought a bottle of whitewine.”
“That sounds perfect.” Joaquin got busy setting the table, complete with wine glasses and candles. “How did it go today? Did you get thepermit?”
“Yes. Your friends had already faxed over the documentation, so it wentquickly.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Darcangelo and Hunter had never once let Joaquindown.
“My boss let me return to work, too.” She told him how security was keeping her inside in non-public areas. “I spent the day sorting through internship applications and repotting orchids for our big orchidsale.”
“I’m glad your security guys are on top ofit.”
While she got dinner on the table, Joaquin started some music—his contemporary piano playlist with Clara Ponty—poured the wine, and lit the candles. By the time they sat down together, he was as nervous as if this were their firstdate.
“Thanks for this.” He looked into her eyes, saw that she was nervous,too.
“Thank you—for everything.” She raised her glass, so he raisedhis.
They clinked,sipped.
“How was your day?” she asked—justas he took his firstbite.
“Mmm.” He moaned, chewed, swallowed. “That’sgood.”
She smiled, picked up her fork. “It’s the only fancy thing I know how tomake.”
“You make it well.” Then he remembered her question. “Today was okay. I sat through the I-Team meeting, shot a few news photos, spent a lot of time in traffic. I took advantage of the traffic jam to check in with my parents and grandmother. Myabuelitagets grouchy if I don’t call her at least once aweek.”
He decided to wait until later to tell her what had happened with Cate and the leak at the DPD. It seemed wrong to ruin her cheerful mood and the dinner she’d worked hard to make for the two of them. The situation was under control, so it wasn’t urgent anyway. Darcangelo had called him while he’d been stuck in traffic to thank him. Irving had caught his administrative assistant red-handed making copies of the files and had fired her on the spot, threatening her with charges,too.
Yes, Mia needed to know, but the news couldwait.
“Is that a typical day foryou?”
“Yeah—except for the days when I pry into people’s private tragedies or get up in their grill with my lens.” He couldn’t helpit.
She smiled sheepishly. “I take thatback.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He didn’t want to talk about himself or his job, not when there were so many things he wanted to know about Mia. “Why did you join theArmy?”
“I wanted to go to college. It was really thatsimple.”