Third Eye Watch (A Serena Shaw Mystery) by Nipa Shah Page A

said nonchalantly, adding softly, “I’m sure you had more important things to do.”
     
    “Well, Audrey and I were busy working on Sofia’s case. But that’s not why I didn’t call. I…. uh”, he cleared his throat uncomfortably, and then added; “I have a girlfriend.”
     
    “I know.”
     
    He tilted his face to look at her, perplexed, then his face cleared and he said “Ah, Audrey”.
     
    “She didn’t tell me, I….just knew.” She cursed herself for once again tripping.
     
    “So you understand why I had to stay away. I know I already apologized, but I felt guilty for kissing you. I had no right to hold you and….”
     
    “Are you telling me you didn’t enjoy it?” She interrupted, her voice defiant.
     
    “Serena, honey, you know the answer to that,” he said tenderly. “But, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t wrong of me.”
     
    “Well, I kissed you back, didn’t I?”
     
    “Yes, you did. But you don’t have a girlfriend”.
     
    “No. No, I don’t. Are you disappointed?” Serena’s asked in a challenging voice.
     
    Serena watched as Sam buried his face in his hands and laughed, his shoulders shaking with mirth. After a moment, she started laughing too. When Sam looked up, she rested her head on his shoulder, and smiled when his arm came around, and pulled her close.

The awkwardness between them disappeared and they talked nonstop, getting to know each other better. Sam was the oldest of three; his brother was a cardiologist, his sister a dentist. He told her he was the black sheep of the family.
     
    “Since my brother is almost a doctor,” she said, “I guess I’m the black sheep of my family too.”
     
    They found they had many things in common, and also found they had many things, not in common. Both loved to travel and both were vegetarians, but whereas Sam was calm and preferred to ponder his actions carefully, Serena liked to jump headlong into things first and think later. Sam was a morning person; Serena was a night owl. Sam loved the outdoors; whereas to Serena, camping meant getting a room at the Hilton.

Sam’s parents lived not to far from Serena’s, and, Serena was shocked to learn Sam lived at home with them.
     
    “I know. Everyone is surprised to hear it. I like being home. Besides, my working hours are erratic, so we don’t actually run into each other much.”
     
    Serena watched as his face softened when he told her about his parents; his eyes softening even more when he talked about his mom.
     
    “A mama’s boy?” she teased.
     
    “I guess I am.” Serena realized that she had a thing for mama’s boys too!
     
    They lingered over coffee, both of them too full for dessert, and were surprised to see that the restaurant had emptied out. They reluctantly got up, after they noticed that waiters were refilling salt and pepper bottles around them, setting up for the next day.
     
    When he pulled up to the lobby of her apartment, Serena hesitated for a brief moment; then throwing caution to the wind, she invited him up for a nightcap. He too hesitated before accepting, and they took the elevator upstairs in silence.
     
    They stepped outside on the balcony, drinking in companionable silence; a double shot of Baileys for her, and cognac, for him.
     
    Serena thought the city looked so beautiful at night; cleaner, its ugliness hidden by the darkness, and magical almost, with the million glittering lights that stretched out as far as she could see in the distance. The downtown streets were deserted, as the city slept below them.
     
    The night breeze played with her hair, swirling and covering her face, so she set her glass down, gathering up her hair to tie it into a knot.
     
    xxxx
     
    Sam stood lost in thoughts; he was keenly aware of Serena standing next to him.
     
    He had not planned on asking her out, hadn’t known he was going to until he had heard the words spilling from his mouth. All he had planned to do was stop by, tell her he had a