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pause that wasn’t too uncomfortable, Paul said, “I hear Cliff was out of town this weekend.”
    â€œYes,” I said and then I wondered why I hadn’t heard from him yet this morning.
    I wasn’t surprised that Paul knew that Cliff was out of town. If he’d seen Jake at all over the weekend it could have come up. It was kind of a big deal. The equipment Cliff was picking up was for Broken Rope’s newest addition—its very own crime lab. Of course, the crime lab was going to be housed in a backroom space next to the ME’s small office, a space that had just last week been used to store a bunch of nooses long ago packaged to sell to tourists. Apparently, the nooses had been far too real so tourists hadn’t found them appealing. So, the “crime lab” was remedial at best, but it was a fresh start that was long overdue.
    â€œHe’s really done well, Betts,” Paul said.
    I stopped rinsing and loading and looked at him. He sounded genuine. “Yes, he has.”
    â€œHe’s a good guy,” Paul said.
    â€œYes, very,” I said, now wondering where this was going.
    â€œYou know, I thought that once the two of you spent a little time together again, you’d get married quick, kid on the way, all that stuff.”
    I was torn between wanting to defend my relationship with Cliff and wanting to tell Paul that he was beginning to dip his toe into that end of the pool that was none of his business. I was also tired of the strain that had come between Paul and me. It was ridiculous. We were all grown-ups.
    â€œWhat’s your point, Paul?” I said, getting to my own.
    â€œI’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just . . . well, Betts, let me just put my cards on the table.” He cringed, probably realizing how silly the cliché sounded. “Look, I’ve always admired your relationship with Cliff. It’s really terrific. Or . . . well, or it used to be. I’m not seeing what looks like a big commitment and I’m not sure if it’s you or Cliff, but if you feel like you don’t belong together, I guess I’d just like to put my name up for consideration.” He blanched before he took another breath. “Oh man, that sounded absolutely awful. I’m sorry. Betts, I like you. I always have. It’s pretty simple—I’d like to ask you out. If you’re available to go out, that is.” Paul’s shoulders slumped. “Holy cow, I sound like such a fool. Maybe we could just forget this conversation.” He smiled both sheepishly and hopefully at the same time.
    â€œNo, we can’t forget it, Paul, but probably not for the reason you might think.”
    Paul’s clumsy declaration didn’t embarrass me or make me feel uncomfortable about his feelings. In fact, I was glad tohave the words spoken aloud, floating out there in the universe instead of being bottled up and causing discomfort. But, I had questions. I was about to ask him to explain what he thought he’d seen. Why in the world had he interpreted things the way he had? For a moment of gut-wrenching frustration, I wanted to be on the outside looking in. I wanted to be able to objectively observe myself and whatever it was that I was doing to cause people to think I wasn’t head-over-heels crazy in love with Cliff. How in the world could everyone not see what I so strongly thought I felt?
    But my questions were interrupted by Gram and April reentering the kitchen. And then the scent of woodsmoke.
    Gram and April were laughing together lightly. Whatever their conversation had been about, it had at least ended cordially.
    As the smell of smoke filled the air, I abruptly pulled my attention away from Paul, Gram, and April, and twisted my neck back and forth in search of the ghost that went with the smoke. But there was no Jerome.
    Gram noticed the smoke, too. She stopped laughing, sniffed, and then looked around