“You two need to find something else to occupy your time besides my love life. I’m not really interested in getting involved with anyone right now,” Leslie said—even though it wasn’t quite true. If the right guy came along, she’d getinvolved.
Now that she had a life, she was ready for a partner to shareit.
The problem was, she wasn’t sure if she’d know the right guy even if he showed up on her doorstep with flowers and a puppy. She hadn’t had a long-term relationship since college; every man she’d dated since had been more a convenience than offering a real soul-deepconnection.
She wanted what Iva and Hollishad.
Not just a friends-with-benefits situation, or a hot, sexyfling.
Though a hot, sexy fling might be a nice short-term distraction. Especially if it were with someone like DeclanZyler.
“Leslie?”
She looked up to find Orbra and Cherry laughing at her. Surely they had no idea what she’d been thinking about…didthey?
“Don’t think I don’t remember you reading—and rereading—that old historical romance novel about the blacksmith and the lady of the manor,” Cherry said with a wicked glint in her eyes. “I remember that summer you stayed with me after you graduated college—you must’ve read it three times. What was itcalled?”
“Love’s Forbidden Caress,” Leslie admitted. “The cover was pretty dog-eared, and no, I don’t still have it. But I haven’t had much time to read in the last few years—except…well, right after…everything.” Her mood settled into something moresober.
“Nothing wrong with a good novel to take your mind off the crap of the world,” Orbra said briskly. “Maybe you’ll find time to read more again now that you’re not flying all over the world and running acorporation.”
“It’s on my life-improvement list: read more light, fun, sexy novels,” Leslie said with a sassygrin.
But Cherry was looking serious. “The fifteenth is Wednesday, isn’t it, Les? Do you want to come over so you don’t have to be alone? I can get Nolo to take over my classes thatnight.”
Leslie shook her head. “No, that’s all right, Aunt Cherry—but thanks. I think I’d just rather be alone.” She smiled at the concern on her aunt’s face. “I’ll be fine. And if I change my mind and want company, I’ll put on my yoga clothes and show up at thestudio.”
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea, you know. Stretch out some of those muscles, take your mind off things, even meditate a little. Then we could grab something to eatafter.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lesliesaid.
After that, things started to get a little busier again as the third quarter wound down and people left the stands for moreconcessions.
By the end of the game, they were out of tea and only had one sleeve of paper cups left. It wasn’t until they were loading up Orbra’s van that they realized there was no room for both Leslie and Cherry to ride withher.
“I forgot I made two trips,” said Orbra, hands on her hips and very displeased at her lack of planning. “But even though we’re out of cups, there’s not an extraseat—”
“It’s fine,” Leslie said, waving her off with a smile. “I can walk home. It’s only around the corner and up the hill. And it’s a nicenight.”
“Are you sure?” Cherry looked guilty. “We can squeeze in the front passenger seat together. I’ve got a smallbutt.”
“No, really, it’s fine. I don’t mind the walk at all. And honestly, I could use some peace and quiet. I love you both, but do you realize—you never stop talking?” She laughed, and the two older ladies looked at each other in mockdismay.
“Promise you’ll call when you gethome.”
“Yada, yada,” Leslie said, tugging her hat down over her ears. “See youlater.”
She hadn’t been exaggerating—Shenstone House was only a little more than a mile from the school. But it wasn’t until she started on her way, cutting across an expanse of grass toward the road that curved around the rear of the school’s property, that Leslie thought of Kristen van Gerste and her ill-fated walk home from her seniorprom.
They said her body had been found in the woods—presumably the woods that covered the hillock and area around Shenstone House, butting up against the edge of the high school’s sprawling property. The same woods in which Leslie had seen…or thought she’d seen…something move lastnight.
For some reason, this made her shiver as she walked along the edge of the road, mittened hands tucked in the pockets of her vest. Though the night was clear, and the air was chilly, she found itinvigorating.
Behind her, she could hear the sounds of celebration for the home team’s victory: shouts, horns honking, music blaring. The noises made her feel less alone, and the illumination from streetlights made large pools of pale yellow light that accompanied her on theway.
Still, there was no one else around on this gravel road, as she headed in the opposite direction to most of the others from the game. Occasionally, a car would drive by without slowing, and she actually found thatcomforting.
Leslie wondered if this was the exact route Kristen had taken that night, or if she’d cut across yards and lawns toward herhouse.
