I crinkled my nose at his comment. It didn't sound exactly right. But I didn't have time to ask questions as the main door to the jail cells opened at the far end of the hallway.

The two men on the street started toward one another again. They moved faster this time, and I stopped breathing as they continued closer. Right as their chests were about to collide and a fight to break out, they embraced. Both their arms circled each other's shoulders, and hard pats on the back replaced the expected fists I tensed for.

What the hell? They were friends? Men were so weird.

The two pulled away from one another, laughing as Bradley carried two trays of food into the cell area. "Food time."

I stepped away from the cell as another officer entered behind Bradley.

"At least the food is good," Uncle Richard said with a smile as he watched the two men stop at the cell beside his with the sleeping inmate.

I laughed. Eating from the diner had to be better cooking than eating whatever my aunt made. When we were kids, Vivi and I used to use her rolls as boats in the ocean. They took hours to break up and dissolve. Even the ducks wouldn't eat them.

"Come back and visit soon," my uncle called as I walked toward the exit. "I get lonely."

I stopped and turned back toward him as Bradley unlocked the cell and the second officer handed off the tray. "Yes. I will, Uncle Richard. Enjoy breakfast."

"Hold up, Vonnie," Bradley said and caught up with me at the door. "We don't need you wandering around alone."

I smacked my lips. "Yes, think of all the damage I might do to your bustling station," I said as we walked into the empty space with only three desks. Pelican Bay wasn't a metropolis by any stretch.

"You might see a lot more activity soon. Word on the street is the criminals are on the run." He followed me toward the front exit. "I guess Ridge accomplished his goal of cleaning up the place."

That's bullcrap. I pursed my lips as he opened the gate to let me into the station waiting area. Ridge had nothing to do with putting my uncle in jail. That was all on me. Why were men always trying to steal accomplishments from women? Even the shitty accolades.

I waved goodbye halfheartedly and walked out of the station, getting in Broadrick's truck and driving the short distance to my next meeting point. Tony didn't say why he wanted to meet at the town's diner, but I hoped it included breakfast. I'd need a large order of scrambled eggs to help me power through whatever big case he needed my help to finish.

Broadrick's truck rumbled when I accidentally hit the gas while in neutral as I pulled into the parking space right by the front door. Oops. I glanced around to see who might have heard that, but Tony was the only one outside the diner.

He shook his head as I turned off the truck and got out. Rather than his normal work attire of an army vest with black leather gloves, he had on civilian clothing-a pair of jeans with a light green T-shirt hanging loose. He looked so... normal. Not at all like the tough bounty hunter I'd gotten used to.

"What kind of case doesn't need a bullet-proof vest?" I asked as I made it to him.

He raised one eyebrow. "Only pussies use bullet-proof vests." He opened the door to the diner and let me walk in first. "But this might not be what you expected."

I took a seat at the first booth and grabbed the menu from the caddy next to the window. "You said you needed my help on a case."

Tony yanked the menu from my hand. "No eating breakfast. This is work."

"The case?" I asked as he adjusted the menu back to its place.

He fixed the rolled napkin beside him, lining it up with the metal dispenser full of extras. "Yeah, about the case. I might have lied."

"What?" I leaned in over the table to ask. "What is it then?"

If he needed me to be his fake girlfriend and afterward planned to dump me in front of his mother and all his cousins, I'd scream. One giant, outrageous, loud scream. I absolutely refused to do it again.

"I won't be your fake girlfriend," I stated as he opened his mouth. Better to rip the Band-Aid off for him quickly. If that's what he wanted, we could move right the fuck past it.

He made a face like he'd just eaten something sour. His eyes and forehead squished all in and his lips puckered.

"What was that face about?" I asked as he struggled to control his features.

He shook his head. "Nothing. I didn't make a face."

"There was a face." I grabbed the menu again. If he was going to be all squished faced at me, he could buy me eggs. "I'm a great fake girlfriend. The best on the East Coast. You'd be privileged to have me to fake break up with."

Tony held up his hand and tried to take the menu from mine, but I held on tightly. "Vonnie, I don't need a fake girlfriend."

"Then what?" We obviously weren't here to slap the cuffs on someone.

Oh wait. What if we were? I scanned the diner and scoped out the customers. Ember and her Halliday boyfriend had a booth a few away from us. Huxley Weiss, one of Ridge's crew members, had a seat by himself at the countertop. No. My excitement waned. We definitely weren't here to arrest any of them.

"I need you to dump my girlfriend for me," he said as Trish approached from the kitchen holding her order notebook.

My eyes widened. "What?"

Tony waved his hands between us and shushed me. "Not so loud. This is embarrassing."

"As it should be." I smiled as Trish approached and added more to my mental order. This was going to take way more than eggs. Trish took my order and Tony said nothing as I added a chocolate milkshake, a glass of orange juice, and a cinnamon roll.

He leaned across the booth more as she walked away. "Rebecca is stalking me."

I snorted. That was doubtful. Wasn't he the one who made his living from stalking people and then tracking them down?

"She went through my phone," he said with disgust.

"And?" I mean, not cool, but let's be honest, I'd done worse. Maybe he gave her good reason. "I should have ordered two cinnamon rolls."

I checked around the diner for Trish to see if she'd add one.

Tony reached across the table and tapped my hand. "Vonnie, she changed the preset stations in my truck."

"Okay, so she's a little possessive. I thought men like that kind of thing."

Tony's eyes widened. "She swapped out my shampoo because she didn't like the smell."

"Why can't you dump her?" He was the one walking around town like the big tough bounty hunter who always got his man. Now that he'd caught a woman too, he wanted her gone. Such a man thing.

He shook his head. "I've tried."

"And?" I stared at him. How do you try to break up?

Tony dropped his gaze. "She said no."

I snorted so loudly Huxley turned around in his seat to peek at us. "So then what happened? Did she say no, and you just said okay then, never mind?"

"Of course not." He looked ready to fall over from the pain of whatever he had to say next. "Then she took her shirt off."

"Oh, Tony. Sweet, simple, summer child, Tony." I unrolled my silverware. These eggs were going to taste amazing. "You're a moron."

"I know," he said and threw his hands in the air. "That's why I'm having her meet us here, so we're in public when you do it."

I choked on the air I'd been planning to breathe. "She's coming here? Now?"

Trish dropped off a plate of eggs and a side of hash browns, but I couldn't eat right away. My brain was cycling through Tony's girlfriend walking in the door at any second. "You're sure you want to do it in Pelican Bay?"

That didn't sound like the most responsible choice. Rebecca was from Clearwater, and the two towns hated each other. We were school rivals, so it started early. We were born with the rivalry in our veins. Plus, Pelican Bay had cameras everywhere.

He nodded. "Yes, I need witnesses."

"You'll definitely have those here." And probably video. At least I got a firsthand view of the drama to supply the gossip mill with details.

Trish left my drink order and the single cinnamon roll. I waited to add another to the order. That way I'd get it in a to-go box.

The diner door opened, and Rebecca walked in. She was taller than me by a good six inches and wore spike-heeled black boots that went up to her knees. Her black hair fanned out behind her as she walked. She strolled right up to our booth, gave me a quick glare, and slid in next to Tony.

She pulled his face to her, twisting it as she did, and kissed him with sloppy tongue right in front of me. That's the thing he was into? Gross.

"You didn't tell me we were going to have company," she said to Tony, flicking her wrist in my direction. "I'm not really into that kind of thing, but if you really want it, maybe you can earn it."

A giant piece of egg stuck in my throat, and I coughed, trying to dislodge it.