“Okay, let’s call it a day,” he finally declared.“We’ve redone your profile and put out some more generic feelers.The best thing to do now is to wait to see who responds.”
Roxie couldn’t sit still any longer.It wasn’t just the computer work that was bothering her.This search was more important to her than she wanted to admit and getting nowhere was frustrating her.
He stood up and felt his back pop.He squeezed his bare toes into the carpet and finally felt the need to put on some socks.Clouds had moved in, covering the sun outside.While cozy, the living room wasn’t as warm as her bed.He glanced at the clock.
“I need to get going.Charlie and I are going fishing.”
A pout crossed Roxie’s face before she could hide it, and Billy bit the side of his cheek.They hadn’t meant to leave her out.“Did you want to come?”
“Fishing?Really?”She pushed her hair over her shoulder.“I have some things I need to get done.”
Billy’s brow furrowed.He didn’t like that tone—flat and distant.They’d been working together well, but he was suddenly at arm’s length again?
To hell with that.Now that he’d made up his mind that this would be their last hurrah, he didn’t want to sleep in the abandoned apartment downstairs.
He’d been alone too much of his life.
“See you tonight?”he pressed.
“Okay.”
Her attention was on the computer when he caught her by the back of the neck.He gave her a hot, solid kiss and kept at it until she relaxed back against the sofa cushions.“Bye.”
“Bye,” she whispered, her voice husky.
That was more like it.Gathering up his things, he headed for the door.
He meant to head out straight to his truck.He really did.
When he made it down one flight of stairs, though, he found himself turning towards that abandoned second floor apartment.He stared at the door for a long moment, lost in thought.Finally, he let himself in.
He took his cell phone out of his back pocket and opened the address book.It wasn’t a number he knew by heart.Every other time he’d called, it had been for updates or billing questions.This time when a pleasant voice came on the line, he sat down on a chair.
“Can I talk with Marley Cannon, please?”He fiddled with the zipper on the duffel bag on the table in front of him.“This is her son, Billy.”
* * * * *
The digital age was for the birds.Roxie tucked the laptop into its place on a shelf and walked away.She’d been too angry and stubborn to try to find answers about her childhood before.Now that she and her sisters had joined forces, though, she wanted details ASAP.So far, the Internet had been a bust.
And boring.
She’d rather be flipping through microfiche or combing through documents down at the city courthouse like they did in the old movies.At least then she’d feel like she was making progress.All this pointing and clicking was giving her a headache.
The Internet provided too much anonymity, anyway.She wanted to look into people’s eyes as she asked them questions.She wanted to read their twitches and tells.That’s how Billy had eventually tracked down his mother.
Look how well that had turned out.
She let out a huff and combed her fingers through her hair.He’d left and the bar didn’t open for hours and hours.What was she supposed to do until then?
She let out a groan.Um, probably clean up the mess from yesterday?
Slipping her phone out of her pocket, she hit speed dial for the number that had become her most dialed in recent months.
“Replay,” came a pleasant, professional voice.
Roxie smiled.That voice had sounded different yesterday when it had been screaming “Run!”at her.“Have you had lunch?”she asked.
It was late notice, but she thought she’d give it a shot.
