“I didn’t know,” she mused, finishing off her drink. “The last time I spoke with Dr. Ortega was during the Snowblood Peak murders, and I have no personal relationship with him. I don’t know why he insisted I accompany you today or why he refused to relay the results over the phone.” More importantly, she didn’t understand why Huck would care if she became intimate with the medical examiner. “You and I do not have a personal relationship. Correct?”

“Right.”

“I thought we were becoming friends,” she mumbled, turning to look out her window. Had she misunderstood? She crossed her arms over her ribcage.

He set his cup back in the holder. “I’m not a very good friend.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t considered that he was the one who’d miscalculated. When it came to relationships, it was usually her error that ended them. She didn’t understand most people. “I don’t know what makes a good friend.”

He slowed down to drive around a curve in the road. “Everyone knows what makes a good friend. Loyalty, honesty, trust, and I guess spending time together. Maybe protectiveness as well.”

She mulled over his words. “During the time we worked the Snowblood Peak cases, I found you to be loyal to your dog and the Fish and Wildlife organization, honest to the point the local sheriff almost punched you in the face, and someone I could trust with not only my life but that of anybody in trouble. In addition, you have a protective streak that belongs in one of those romance television shows.” She stretched her chilled hands toward the heating vents. “So your failing as a friend lies in the fact that you prefer being alone with your dog and not spending time with people?”

“One of those romance television shows?”

“You know, streaming every episode. Even the mysteries or thrillers usually have a hero with a protective edge. You have perfectly symmetrical bone structure and impressive muscle mass like they do.” There was no question he’d been gifted in the bone structure department.

He shook his head. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d really think you were messing with my head.”

“I get that a lot.”

He chuckled. “You are such a brainiac.”

“I get that a lot as well.” She smiled, her shoulders lifting. Apparently she hadn’t ruined another friendship.

“At least you used the term ‘sleep with’ and not ‘engage in coitus’ when denying a relationship with Ortega.” Humor tilted Huck’s tone.

She sat back, her hands now toasty warm. “I’m not a complete dork.”

“Huh.”