She rolls her eyes.“Don’t get carried away, now.”
“Damn, I was hoping for a reward.”
I love the way her face is so quick to betray emotions.The blush is cute.
“Oh look,” she quickly diverts attention.“That must be our food.”
As loaded as both her question and my answer were, the rest of dinner was as easy as you’d expect between two people who’ve been friends for a long time.Conversation was light and comfortable, topics spanning from the merits of pet ownership, via the start of the turkey hunt, to next Friday’s pastry of the day at Strange Brew.
But just as I’ve asked for our bill, Bess’s attention is once again drawn to her phone as it has several times during our dinner.The difference is, this time she looks up at me.
“I should probably take this.”
“Of course.”
I have no choice but watch her go as I wait for the bill, even though my instinct is to follow her outside.She didn’t even bother with a coat.Whoever it is who has been blowing up her phone, it’s crystal-clear Bess does not really want to talk to them.
That does not sit well with me.
Grateful I have enough cash on hand when the girl brings me the bill, I peel off enough bills to include a generous tip and slap them on the table.Then I grab both our coats on my way out the door.
At first, I can’t find Bess.Shoving down a flash of panic, I scan the parking lot before walking around the side of the building where I catch a flash of the vibrant blue of her sweater.
She’s leaning against the wall halfway down the alley, her back turned to me and a slump in her shoulders I don’t like seeing.I slowly walk toward her, straining to hear at least some of her side of the conversation.I’m a cop, I can’t help myself.
I only pick up a few words before she catches on to my approach and swings around.
“I can’t, Ken.I can’t.”
Her eyes are wide when she sees me, and she immediately ends the call.
“Who is Ken, Bess?”
Chapter5
Bess
I tryto take a deep breath in, but my lungs don’t seem to want to expand.
Peeking at Hugo’s rather formidable profile as he focuses on the road, I notice the tension in his jaw.I worry he didn’t buy into my spiel.
I reminded him Ken was my half-brother—which he recalled—and explained we’d only recently reconnected, but things were still a little tense and awkward.It was kind of weak, but not exactly a lie, even though that brief conversation was a lot more than just awkward.
It was downright scary.
Underneath all the anger and the vitriol my stepbrother was spewing at me, I could hear the fear in his voice.Part of me had hoped it was just a feeble attempt by him to get money out of me after his release, but I’m starting to believe some, if not all, of what he said was true.
And if that is the case, I could be in real trouble.
Oh, how I wish I could confide in Hugo, but I can’t.Especially after he opened up to me tonight, it wouldn’t be fair.Last thing I want is to put him in a difficult position, he’s had enough to deal with in his life, he doesn’t need me to complicate things once again.
That’s why, whatever tonight promised to be the start of simply cannot happen.
It’s too messy.I’mtoo messy, and he has no idea.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”he asks, pulling into the parking slot beside my Prius.
Plastering a smile on my face, I turn to him.
