"Something like that," she agreed, and her face shifted to a more real smile. "Not that I'm saying anything about it out loud. I learned in my first waitressing job not to do that. It means I'll inevitably get five parties of six who all have things they can't or won't eat."

She was partially serious. She did like Russell, for all that he was a cop, and she thought he might understand the challenges of being at the mercy of the public for one's job. He was at their literal mercy, of course, as evidenced by how they'd met. And as far as she could tell, he still hadn't filed any paperwork about that or her little issue in the park.

"You ever have that problem as a cop? Someone says the shift's been slow and suddenly there are, I dunno, fifteen robbery calls at once?"