Something shifted between them,
as if a veil were yanked away…

 

“I don’t understand it,” Lia whispered. “I think I’ve been robbed.”

“What happened?”

“I was just putting away the drugs that were delivered today. See this?” She reached up and tapped empty spots, and then she turned to face him. “Morphine and everything containing codeine.”

Cal’s eyebrows shot up.

“I had a full supply.”

“You’re sure—Of course you’re sure.” He studied the shelves up behind her shoulder, his peppermint gum-scented breath filling the tiny space between them. “Maybe they were accidentally moved out of place. Let’s search through all the drugs.”

“I already did that!”

“Well, we’ll do it again. And then probably again. Hey, don’t worry.” He lightly touched her forehead and pressed away the frown.

It was when he brushed strands of hair back from her face that something shifted between them, as if a veil were yanked away, abruptly bringing into focus a nameless emotion. He stopped smoothing her hair. Surprise registered in his eyes, and she sensed hers reflected the same. Slowly he tilted his head downward until only a hair’s breadth separated them…