“No.” But her eyes lit up.
“What about this?” He moved closer and opened the bag and waved it under her nose.
“Why are you being nice and sociable? You are neither of those things and especially not with me.”
“I had my hand up your skirt a few nights ago. I can be nice when required.”
It had been just the right thing to say, because she gasped, then laughed. It broke the ice.
He placed her coffee and food before her on the counter.
“But seriously.” He leaned an elbow on the counter. “It’s this place. No one can remain an island here. I just had a conversation with the Ryker Roadies about Monica’s duck.”
She giggled and then picked up her coffee, making that little humming noise he’d heard from her a few times after she’d taken a drink.
“It’s a town full of crazy, is what it is,” he added.
“I like it,” she said quietly.
“The jury is out for me, but as it’s now my hometown, I suppose I should get used to it. They kind of wear you down.”
“I noticed they’re relentless,” she said, arranging some flowers and making them look good.
“Especially the older ones. Why are you behind the counter in the florist, Luna?”
“Sally needed change, and I was in here, so she asked me to mind the shop.”
Nash thought she looked a bit dazed by that.
“Goth Girl’s name is Sally. I had her down as Aurora or Nova.”
She just smiled at that and finished wrapping the bottom of the flowers.
“You don’t think it’s weird you’re behind there? Big tycoon that you are?”
“I am not now and have never been a tycoon. But yes, really weird. I’m just going with it as I won’t be here long.”
He felt that like a punch in the gut, which told him it was a good thing she was leaving.
“It must be a real come down for someone like you to be dirtying your hands like that?”
Her eyes shot to him, but as he was messing with her, she relaxed.
“I’ll cope.”
“Bet you can.”
“About the police station, Nash. I can take care of myself. I know you found me, and I’m grateful for that. But that was a one-off thing. I’ve never had anything like that happen before.”
“You were put in hospital by some overzealous Olivia fans.” He’d read about that last night. They’d mobbed her. She’d fallen, and someone had kicked her. Just thinking about how terrifying that must have been made him want to hit something, which in turn wasn’t a happy thought, because not many people could produce that reaction in him.
Nash couldn’t be sure but thought maybe he was softening. He’d have to try harder to be grumpy.
“You should have security guards.”
“That just got out of hand.” She waved his words away as if they were no big deal, then bit into the pastry. Her humming noise went to his groin this time. “I don’t need security.”
“Nice?” He nodded to the pastry.