Once we were almost nose-to-nose, I saw the flicker of amusement in Elvo’s eyes. “I guess Dr. Johnson just wanted to drop off a casserole. No harm, no foul.”
Dr. Johnson. As in, Tucker Johnson, the man madly in love with his dairy farmer husband. The buttoned-up physician in the Thicket, who was more likely to ride buck naked and bareback on a local bull than forsake his beloved Dunn for another man, even someone as perfect and irresistible as Carter Rogers.
I tossed Elvo away from me with a grunt. “Fucking asshole.”
“You got it bad, Riggsy,” he warned with an annoying grin. “What’re you gonna do about it?”
“Nothing,” I muttered, sitting back down and dropping my face in my hands again. “I already tried talking to him and was politely shown the door. After more unanswered calls and texts, I finally had to admit the truth. It’s over.”
“Pfft. Man up, Marine. Since when do you let some hoity-toity richie-rich show you the door? Go in there and throw him over your shoulder. Tell him who’s boss. Make him understand. Stake your claim.”
“Stop talking,” I grumbled. “You sound ridiculous. And how do you know about this anyway?”
He began ticking off on his fingers. “One, you’re all mopey-eyed. Two, you get this weird jaw thing going on whenever Dr. Rogers’ name comes up. The only other time I’ve seen that happen was when Broadwell put the moves on your sister that one time. And three, Hux told me.”
“Goddamn it,” I said. “Can’t anyone keep his fucking mouth shut around here?”
“Um… no? And this isn’t news, by the way. You’re the one who told me about Jace knocking up that chick from the—”
“Zzzt!” I hissed, catching sight of our boss on the front walk. “Incoming.”
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” Champ asked, walking through the front doors. “Where’s Cole?”
“Who’s Cole?” I asked.
“Fuck, I don’t remember his name. The new receptionist. Cade? Colin? Chris?”
Elvo stood up straight and grinned. “Pretty sure it was Brenda, boss.”
I wanted to tell Champ he was starting to remind me of Gianluigi Santiago, but I wasn’t sure he’d see the humor in the comparison.
“Whatever. Where is she? You’re supposed to be doing training prep sessions online.”
I sighed and stretched. “And I am. I’m just doing them up here in case anyone comes in or calls. So far it’s been pretty quiet.”
Elvo’s eyes continued to dance. “Except for the whimpering of poor Riggsy’s broken heart.”
I shot him a look. “Shut the fuck up. Right now.”
Champ looked confused. “Why are we talking about Riggs’s heart? I thought he didn’t have one? Now his dick, that I can imagine talking about.”
I nodded. “That’s what he meant. He meant my poor lonely dick. That’s all. Maybe there’ll be some nice ass in the AIP program.” Before Champ could blow a gasket, I held up a hand. “Kidding. I’m kidding. Trust me when I say I’m not in the market for a hookup right now.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Elvo singsonged just as the doors opened and Huxley came in carrying armfuls of takeout bags.
“You owe me one,” he griped. “Lurleen Jackson ‘accidentally’ brushed against my ass the entire time I was waiting for my order. I almost called the cops for harassment. This town is nuts.”
“It’s a nice ass,” Elvo offered with a wink.
Champ helped Hux set the bags down on the table and chairs in the waiting area of the lobby. It wasn’t the first time we’d used it as an impromptu dining table, and it wouldn’t be the last.
“No cops,” Champ said, grabbing a french fry out of one of the bags. “They’re still pissed at us for calling them out two nights ago for the false alarm at Dr. Rogers’ house.”
My head snapped up, and Hux made a simmer down gesture with his hand. “What false alarm?” I asked.
“I already told you about it, man,” Elvo said. “Dr. Johnson showed up and let himself into your Dr. Rogers’ house.”
“He let himself in? As in, he has a key?”
“Maybe he’s the one who watered Carter’s plants while he was gone,” Hux suggested in a gentle voice.
“Carter doesn’t have plants,” I said. “He told me he kills everything he tries to keep alive.” Not to mention, the man had a butler now.
Elvo muttered, “Not a good look for a cardiologist. Just sayin’.”
“Not true,” Hux said. “The man’s a master at farming. He had the highest-rated purple artichoke crop of the whole growing season! Kev said…” He caught himself and snapped his jaw closed. “Never mind.”
“The point is,” I said angrily, “the man doesn’t have a key for watering the plants. If he broke into Carter’s house—”
Champ pointed a fry at me. “He didn’t. He had a key. And what the hell do you care? You’re not on the case anymore.”
I opened my mouth to suggest a deeper dive into Carter’s security just in case, but Champ was right. It wasn’t my job anymore. He wasn’t my job anymore. Still…