Nick looked up in surprise. “Of course.” He took the page she held out and scanned the front page quickly. “It’s perfect. Thanks. Take as much time as you need. I’ll hobble along without you for a while.”

Kay smiled at the image of Nick being helpless without her. She thought back to their early days working together when he’d often forget to get his cleaning or missed appointments because he was so engrossed in his work. He really did need her. It was a nice feeling.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Nick sent a casual wave in Eli’s direction. “See you guys later.”

Eli stood and tucked his phone into his back pocket. “Taking off early?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve done everything I can handle today.” She pulled out one of her drawers and her eyes landed on the spare key. Since she’d ended up recording the night Sasha was supposed to come over, the key was still in her desk drawer. Her brow furrowed when she remembered how it had seemed to be in a weird place the last time she’d looked.

“You asked me if I’d given my key to anyone. But I forgot to tell you that I keep a spare here at the office.”

Eli rounded the desk and looked down at the open drawer. “How long has it been here?”

She did a quick mental calculation. “I think it’s been about six months.”

“Who knows you keep a key here?”

“No one. Well, my best friend Sasha knows because I’ve given it to her before so she could wait for me at home. Sometimes she comes over so we can hang out and watch movies.”

“Does she have your security code?”

“No. You told me I have to change it monthly, remember? Whenever I give her the key, I give her the current code. But it changes so often that she couldn’t use it to come when I’m not there.”

At his disbelieving look, Kay shook her head. “I’ve known Sasha since elementary school. She’s the sweetest girl ever and we’ve been through way too much together. She would never hurt me.”

“People do things that would surprise you.”

She gave him a pointed look, remembering his friends don’t see each other naked comment. “Believe me, I know. Now, it’s time for me to go home. It seems I have a date.”

THE RESTAURANT DANNY had chosen was an Indian place nestled in the Harper’s Creek neighborhood of Newport News. As Eli pulled into a space on the far end of the parking lot, Kay turned in her seat to face him. This time she’d gone for the basic black dress she wore whenever she needed a confidence boost and had pulled her hair back in a loose knot. She hadn’t spent much time primping, instead going over security protocols with Eli. There would not be a repeat of last time.

“You’re going to wait at the bar, right?”

He nodded wordlessly.

“And you won’t use that listening device unless you really have to?”

His head dipped in another barely perceptible nod. “I plan to have my eyes on you the whole time, but if anything obstructs my vision, I’ll listen periodically just to be sure you’re okay.”

Kay relaxed slightly.

Danny was waiting for her at the front of the restaurant. He looked more like a lawyer now in a crisp gray suit, and his brown hair appeared to have been tamed with a brush and some gel. She accepted a quick hug and then they walked into the dim interior of the restaurant together.

“I’ve never been here before,” she commented.

He stopped right before they reached the hostess stand. “Wow. I probably should have asked if you like Indian food before I made the reservation. I really hope you don’t have a sensitive stomach.”

Kay waited as he gave his name to the hostess. They followed the waitress to a booth in the back. She slid out of her coat and folded it on the seat next to her. Once Danny was seated, she answered him.

“I love all different types of food. There’s a tiny Indian restaurant in Norfolk that my best friend loves. She orders takeout from there all the time and got me hooked on it.”

He visibly relaxed and sat back in the booth. “Great. I didn’t even think. I guess it’s obvious that I don’t get out much.”

“I don’t either. Don’t feel alone.”

After the waitress told them about the specials, Kay allowed Danny to recommend a few things. She’d only had a creamy butter chicken dish that Sasha favored and something made with curry.

“This is going to be fun. My friend always orders the same things, so it’ll be exciting to try a few new dishes.”

“I usually order the same things, too. I’m feeling adventurous lately.” His eyes settled on her again and it wasn’t at all unpleasant. Then he broke off a piece of the naan bread on the table and popped it in his mouth. “So, tell me about the album you’re working on.”

Kay relaxed as their conversation turned to the places she’d had singing gigs, which segued into a conversation about travel. Not that she had much to contribute on that topic, but Danny had lots of fun stories about his last visit to his grandparents in Poland and a drunken bachelor party in Vegas. Their food came and he offered her samples of the various items on his plate.

I could really like this guy, she thought.

The possibility would definitely have been there under different circumstances. Especially if she weren’t pining after someone else who might or might not be listening to their entire conversation.

Kay turned her head slightly, then tensed when she noticed Eli sitting at the bar. He lifted his chin slightly when their eyes met. She whipped around and hoped that Danny hadn’t noticed. After what she’d put him through last time, the least he deserved was to have her full attention tonight.