He ordered, paid, and carried their coffees to the two-person bistro table a few minutes later.

“Why did you pick this place?” she asked, accepting her coffee from his outstretched hand. “I mean, it’s fine, but I prefer the little coffee shop we met at last time.”

“I know, but I had something to pick up in the neighborhood, so this was convenient,” he lied.

“What were you picking up?” she asked, smiling over her cup.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, not wanting to get into a discussion about the existence of space assassination lasers. Even if she believed him—which he deemed unlikely—he didn’t want to talk about it. “Let’s talk about you. How’s the recovery going? You back at work and feeling good?”

“Yeah, and very happy about that. Without work and you out of town, um, let’s just say I was going stir-crazy.”

He nodded and took a sip of his nitro coldbrew. “I hear ya . . .”

“Do you like that?” she said, her gaze ticking to his drink.

“First time I’ve tried it, but it’s good,” he said. “I could see this becoming my go-to. Tastes kinda like Guinness but as a coffee.”

“Hmm, interesting. I’ll have to try it sometime,” she said. After an awkward beat she flashed him a coy smile. “Now that you’re back, should we plan another night out? There’s a new restaurant I’d like to try.”

“Yes, buuuut . . . ,” he said, dragging out the word. “It looks like I’m going on another training op soon, possibly in the next forty-eight hours.”

“Is that so?” she said, her expression falling.

“Yep, something’s come up.”

“Don’t you think maybe we’re past the lying-to-each-other stage of this relationship?” she said, her gaze going frosty. “I was at the Cathedral of the Incarnation that day, Jed, remember? I know what you do for a living.”

“Well, I really have been training for the past three weeks,” he said, strangely not offended or upset by her comment. He’d not read her in on the Shepherds’ actual charter, but she’d pieced together plenty. “But that’s not the point. I thought we had an understanding, Maria. You’re no stranger to compartmentalization. I can’t share what I’m working on with you. Just like you can’t share case details with me. Why do you insist on testing me?”

“I’m not testing you, Jed. And I’m not asking to be read in, but I do think I deserve the professional and personal courtesy of straight talk. You know what I’m sayin’?”

He nodded. “I do, but you could also just trust me and know that I’ll share what I can when I can and won’t share what I can’t when I can’t. The reason why I’m traveling doesn’t change the obligation.”