Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Returning To Work: Continued (Part 11)

Donovan kissed her. "How could I forget it?"

The restaurant they arrived at was fancy enough that Carter didn't feel out of place dressed up as she was. A hostess tugged out two thick menus and guided them through the maze of satin table clothed tables and glittering patrons.

As Donovan reached to pull out Carter's chair, a man jerked back, nearly colliding with Donovan.

"I'm sorry-"

Carter blinked. "Tyler."

Tyler paused and Carter sensed as Donovan went rigid beside her.

"Uh, hi," Tyler said, taking in Carter's dress and then Donovan tense stance.

"Fancy running into you again," Carter said, smiling, but for Donovan's sake keeping it subdued.

"Fancy that. I was actually about to leave, my friend cancelled our dinner," Tyler said, his eyes darting to Donovan again, nervous.

"I'm sorry," Carter said. "Tyler this is my husband, Donovan."

Tyler shifted a book out of his right hand to shake Donovan's. The action drew Donovan's eye and Carter noticed how all the tension left him in an instant.
"You're a fan of Brandon Sanderson?" Donovan asked.

Tyler glanced down at his book as if forgetting what he'd been reading. "I am, I'm reading the latest Stormlight book. Have you read it yet?"

"No, it's on my list to read," Donovan said. "But I know if I pick it up I won't want to stop so I need to find the right day to read it."

Tyler grinned. "I know what you mean, trying to read Brandon's books slow doesn't work. I think I read through the entire Mistborn series in a week."

"I think it took me a couple days," Donovan said.

Carter blinked, not completely sure what was happening at the moment. And the next got even more bizarre.

"Do you want to join us for dinner?" Donovan asked.

Tyler looked to Carter surprised, but nodded. "I would."

Donovan barely registered that he was helping Carter into her seat as he kept talking to Tyler.
"How did the ending of the Mistborn series hit you?" he asked.

"Honestly," Tyler said. "I was a wreck. I didn't see it coming."

"I felt the same way. I tried to get Carter to read the series but after the development in the first, she wanted to shoot the book."

Tyler laughed. "I don't blame her, it was hard to swallow. I wasn't expecting it."

Carter leaned back in her chair realizing that she no longer existed in this world. If she was being honest with herself, she thought she'd falling into some alternative universe, because Donovan and Tyler talked as if they were best friends. And this was coming from her husband who wanted to shoot Tyler less then eight hours ago.

"What's your take on James Patterson," Donovan asked, after orders had been served.

"I have to say I'm not taken with his work," Tyler said. "I feel like he's over hyped."

"I agree. His characters lack depth and his writing is average at best."

"But Stephen King on the other hand."

"Don't get me started, Green Mile!"

But to Carter's confusion and amusement, they did get started on Stephen King. As well has a dozen other authors that she didn't know about. It seemed that there was no end of things they could discuss about each author.