| |
THE FOLLOWING WEEK, the grand opening or re-opening of the Cozy Cupcakes Café was a huge success to which Dana was very thankful. But she couldn’t have done it without the help of her wonderful team and family. Balloons, prizes, cupcakes with fun messages adorned the place. A representative from the Gazette was also there to cover the event. Her favorite saying was placed on the wrapper of the largest cupcake ever that sat in the center table:
A CUPCAKE AND A SMOOTHIE CAN SOLVE ABOUT ANY PROBLEM!
Troy was there by her side, lending a helping hand in the kitchen to her surprise.
The turnout was bigger than expected and thanks to the advertisements, out of towners also showed up to celebrate and of course, it didn’t hurt that the mystery surrounding the now infamous cupcake murder was solved and the CCC had a part in it.
Detective Troy, as hot as ever, approached her. “You okay, Dana?”
“Better than ever. And thank you so much for helping out back here with the wrappers. I really appreciate it.”
“Hey, it’s no problem. That’s what we’re here for.”
And to think she’d been wrong about Troy this whole time.
When she’d seen Troy that time in a technician outfit in town, he’d been undercover all right. Apparently, someone had stolen devices like listening bugs from the station and he’d suspected his colleague, Evan, this whole time. Troy even went around to Dana’s home that night to see if he could find the bug as evidence since Evan claimed it had gone missing.
Troy had suspected that the reason Evan knew Dana’s every move was because he had her under his own private surveillance. Poor Troy had gotten a bump on the head after searching but had to keep it under wraps because Evan had friends at the police department and he couldn’t risk giving the assignment out and neither could he risk Evan finding out that Troy was investigating him.
And as for Troy blocking Evan away from her. He was simply trying to keep nefarious Evan off her back. And Troy then admitted that he really liked her a lot but wasn’t one to make his emotions known immediately. Though Dana wished he would sometimes.
“I don’t ever want to see you pull a stunt like that again, Dana Sweet.” Troy’s deep, silky voice was soft and assertive. Tingles danced down Dana’s spine. She could listen to him speak forever.
“What?” she feigned innocent. “Planning a grand opening of a café?”
He grinned and a cute dimple surfaced on his smooth skin. “You know what I mean,” he said as he cocked a brow. He looked positively irresistible whenever he did that.
“I can’t say I promise.” She shrugged innocently.
He frowned.
“Okay, fine.” She gave in to his pleading expression. “I’ll try not to get myself tangled up like that again if somebody happens to get murdered. But I couldn’t just sit back while you guys try to figure out my fate. I mean, I just knew it had to be someone close to Brad or Bradley and close to me who tried to set this whole thing up.”
“But that’s what we’re here for, Dana. To serve and protect.”
“Of course.”
“And you’re here to serve your customers, right?” He grinned and a cute dimple surfaced on his handsome cheek. “But on a more serious note. Please don’t let me see you ever pull a stunt like that again. There are some dangerous characters that I’ve encountered in my line of work, Dana. It’s not all fun and games. Actually, it’s never fun and games. But people see detective shows on TV and they think they can play cops and robbers or play detective. But they’d be playing with their lives.”
“Okay, Lieutenant Colombo.” Dana gave a playful salute.
His grin deepened, and he looked positively adorable.
“Okay, I deserve that. Sorry to get all serious on you there. It’s just that...”
“It’s just what?”
“Well,” he hesitated, combing his fingers through his delicious mousy hair. “I know I probably shouldn’t tell you this but...” He arched a brow and looked irresistible.
“But what? Hey wait a minute. That’s not like you to hesitate. You’re usually all confident and authoritative. What’s wrong?”
“Well, I’ve never quite met anyone like...” Just then his cell phone buzzed and annoyingly interrupted their private discussion. Troy reached in his pocket to answer it.
Anyone like who? Like me? Is that what Troy was going to say? Oh, great. Now, I’ll never know how he truly feels about me. Not that I really want to be in another relationship right now. Not after what Ramone did to me. But oh, boy, Troy was a million worlds apart from Ramone.
Dang it! Now she’d never know. The opportunity had been missed by the sound of a smartphone ringing.
Troy looked a bit distracted as he excused himself politely from Dana and spoke to whomever it was on the phone.
“Right,” he said into the phone. “Right. I’ve got you. Don’t worry, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Love you, too.”
What?
Dana’s face fell.
She felt the sound of her heart smashing to the ground into a tiny thousand pieces. So much for a chance to get to know Detective Troy any better. I love you? I’ll be there soon? Well, duh! Of course, he would be taken. But what about all that talk about he’s never met anyone quite like me? But then again, he didn’t exactly finish his sentence now did he? Maybe he was going to say something to the effect of, he’s never met anyone quite annoying or quite obnoxious. Who knows?
Dana fought to regain her composure and hide her private embarrassment. Well, that confirmed it then. All the good ones were taken.
After Troy had finished his call. He glanced down at his watch and then turned his attention back to Dana.
“Sorry about that. Well, I’ve got to be going now.”
“Yes, of course. Don’t want to keep your wife waiting now, do you?”
A puzzled expression slid across his handsome face. “My what?”
“Um. Your, you know, wife or girlfriend. Fiancée?”
Troy tilted his head back and laughter escaped his lips. “My wife, girlfriend or fiancée, huh?”
Dana nodded. She felt her insides melt like warm honey on a bun. She also felt a pang of embarrassment.
“I’m a complicated man, Dana. Relationships are not on my agenda right now. I’ve been through the ringer and back where that’s concerned.”
“Sorry to hear that. I can certainly relate to that though.”
“That was my mother on the phone,” he said sincerely. “She means the world to me.”
Aww. What a sweet thing to say. Now that’s a good man.
“Your mother? Oh, yes, of course, it was.”
Okay, so Dana had a bit more to learn about being a detective. She surely got that situation wrong. And thank heavens for that! But then again, he wasn’t looking for a relationship and neither was she, right?
But why did her heart flutter in her chest whenever he was inches from her?
Now that was a mystery.
* * *
