He still wanted to know. Because, hell, maybe he hoped that if she was very expensive the quality of men would be better—although if he was honest with himself, that was a crock of shit. He did want to pull a Richard Gere, except he didn’t want to buy a week. Years was more like it.

Even though that was never going to happen.

As the waitress trolled by with the pot of coffee and both her ears open, Marie-Terese said, “The check would be great now.”

The waitress put the pot on the table and fished around in her apron for her pad. Ripping free a page, she put the thing facedown. “Take care, you two.”

As she went off, he reached across and touched Marie-Terese’s arm. “I don’t want this to end on a bad note. Thanks for keeping me out of it with the police, but I want you to come clean about me if you get any heat, okay?”

She didn’t pull away, just looked down at where they were linked. “I’m sorry, too. I’m not great company. At least…not for the civilized.”

There was pain in her voice—just a sliver of it, but he heard the note as clearly as a bell struck on a still night.

“Marie-Terese…” There was so much he wanted to say, but none of it was his right…and none of it would be received well. “…is such a lovely name.”

“You think?” When he nodded, she said something under her breath that he couldn’t quite catch but that sounded a lot like, That’s why I picked it.

She broke their contact by taking the check and holding it as she opened her purse. “I’m glad you liked the pancakes.”

“What are you doing? Here, let me get that—”

“When was the last time someone bought you breakfast?” When she glanced up, she smiled a little. “Or anything, for that matter?”

Vin frowned and considered the question as she fanned out a ten and a fiver. Funny…he couldn’t remember Devina ever paying for anything. Granted, he was always front and center with the cash, but still.

“I usually pay,” he said.

“Not a surprise.” She started scooting out of the booth. “And I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

“Don’t you need change?” he said, thinking he’d do anything to keep her with him a little longer.

“I leave big tips. I know how bad it can be, working in a service industry.”

As he followed her out of the diner, he put his hand into his pocket to get his keys and felt something small and out of place. With a frown, he realized it was the gold earring he’d taken from Jim’s.

“Hey, you know what? I think I have something of yours,” he said as they closed in on her car.

She unlocked her door. “You do?”