Chapter 8

8

S asha packed up her bag. It was exceedingly rare for her to leave the office this early, but she and Ellie had accomplished a great deal in one day. She was halfway to Will’s office when she bumped into her husband in the hallway.

“I heard a rumor you were here.” She stretched up on her toes to give him a quick kiss.

He rubbed her bare arm, sending a delicious shiver along her spine. “I Just finished talking to Will.”

“About?”

“You said you were going to arrange for a security audit.”

“I did say that.”

“Well, I have time on my hands, and I do know a thing or two about security.”

“You’re going to do the audit?”

“Already did it. We’re upgrading the security system to include the hallway outside the lobby doors, installing a panic button behind the reception desk, and putting some cameras in the hallways.”

She frowned. “The cameras will be too invasive.”

“They’re only in public spaces. Will checked the employment agreement, and they won’t violate anything.”

“Still, isn’t that a bit excessive?”

“It’s your choice: Cameras or I give myself the new job of being your personal bodyguard. I’ll sit here and watch you work all day every day. I don’t think you’d enjoy the latter.

“It could have its benefits.” She gave him a sly smile. “My office door locks.”

“Attorney McCandless-Connelly, are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?”

She couldn’t hold back a giggle, but then she remembered the promise she’d just extracted from Naya and Ellie and grew serious. “For real, though, you’re the expert. If you think that’s what we need, then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Good.”

“By the way, where are our children?”

“I dropped them off at Riley and Ryan’s place after school for a cousin playdate and dinner.”

“You could have done the audit while they were at school,” she pointed out.

“I could have,” he said. “But I thought we could grab a bite, just us.”

“A weeknight date?”

“Wild, I know. I didn’t know about your hearing, though, until Will told me. Can you spare the time?”

She let a slow smile spread across her face. “Absolutely.”

She popped into her office to click off her desk lamp and gather some work to take home before they headed down the stairs to the first floor. Sasha asked him to give her a minute to run into the coffee shop to compliment Jake on the autumnal macchiato.

When she returned to the hallway Connelly was thumbing out a text. “Riley’s making her homemade mac and cheese,” he said without looking up.

“Finn’s going to be over the moon.”

His Aunt Riley’s baked macaroni and cheese was one of his favorites. And with good reason. Riley covered the top with buttered panko breadcrumbs and baked the dish until the cheese bubbled and browned. She always served it with a salad with a sharp dressing to counterbalance the creamy fat. It was the most comforting of comfort foods.

“Now, I kind of want to go over for dinner,” she joked.

“I’ll make missing it worth your while,” he promised. “How does Thai sound?”

“Who needs mac and cheese?” she said by way of answer.

Then, she slipped her hand into his and he snugged her into his side.