“If you’re not up for it, you better let Cindy know now, Easton, because she looked like she was going to make the official announcement,” Jude said with humor. “I feel your pain too. Cindy’s like an older version of Carmen, pushy and selectively hard of hearing when people don’t want to do what she says.” Jude’s commiserative tone pulled a smile out of Easton, who lifted a shoulder before answering.

“I’ve been handling Cindy since I was fifteen. The key is waiting her out,” Easton said with a grin, but the way he looked, I knew he wasn’t amused about Cindy talking about it publicly. Before I could ask, Nesto pointed the drink he was holding toward me.

“You haven’t met Cindy yet, P?” he asked with a glint in his eye that made me think that was probably a good thing.

“Not yet,” I said as I bumped Easton’s shoulder. “But I’ve heard a lot about her.”

“I’m not even going to ask if any of it was good, because I know how this demon likes to slander me.” The voice came from somewhere behind me, and when I turned around I saw a tall and slender middle-aged woman with a crew cut and no-nonsense pantsuit giving me an impish smile. She extended a hand to me at the same time that she put her arm around Easton’s shoulders.

“You must be the man that’s brought my best prosecutor to distraction. Cindy Grey.” I almost laughed at Easton’s pained groan and extended my hand to her, unsure of how to respond.

“Patrice Denis.”

Cindy rolled her eyes at Jude and Nesto, who were standing there looking incredibly entertained. “Oh, I know who you are. Believe me,” she said, giving Easton, who was beet red, some side eye.

Easton exhaled and looked at her with an equal mixture of fondness and frustration. “Cindy, why?” I actually cracked a smile at his exasperation. “Also, what are you doing out, aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

That got him another look of fond exasperation. “I’m here with Lorraine. We wanted to stop by, and support this wonderful event,” she said as Nesto preened. “We’re heading out soon.”

She leaned in closer to me, as if to share a secret, but when she spoke everyone could hear her. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing lately, but keep it up. This one’s practically skipping into the office these days. I might actually get him to agree to run for DA.”

This elicited another groan from Easton and a laugh from the rest of us. “I’ll try.”

Before she could embarrass Easton any more she waved goodbye and walked off toward the door where a short woman with white curly hair was waiting for her.