Glad the workday was over, I collected my satchel and coat from the staff room in the back, when my cell beeped with a text message. Praying it wasn’t Devyn, I glanced at the display and smiled. Max. I was so thankful I had no more secrets and had told him everything last night. I opened his text.
Logan, can’t make it to pick you up. Have an urgent errand. I’ll see you later.
Frowning, I headed out. Kate stepped out of her office. She picked up a dress that had fallen to the floor, tossed it to the sales clerk, and snapped, “Sort out this rail.”
I’d paused near the cashier’s counter to pull on my coat. Kate stopped near me, studying the half-torso there I’d dressed in a casual blouse and neck chains. Then glanced at me. “Keep your heart barred, sugar. It’s far better than having some man use you.”
I blinked in surprise. I’d heard the rumors about the rich guy she’d walked away from, who’d wanted her to be his mistress instead of his wife after seven years together and had married someone more befitting his social standing.
“I saw how you looked at him,” she said. “You can’t trust a man.”
Was that why she’d walked away from Pierre? Before her heart got involved?
There was no way I could refute what she said when I’d had my own heart broken not so long ago. So I merely said goodbye and headed for the exit. I felt sorry for Kate, I really did.
Yet I couldn’t stop the shiver of unease from skating over me as I rode the bus home, or stop the thoughts from creeping in. Max was young, and no matter his feud with his father, would he eventually walk away to find a woman from his social background? My stomach knotted. I really didn’t want to have all these depressing thoughts when I was finally starting to feel happy again. I shut them off and entered my silent apartment. Ray must have already left for her Wednesday afternoon class.
Dropping my bag and coat on the foyer table, I made my way to the kitchen, needing a warm drink to ease the chill inside me. I put milk to boil, my thoughts sliding back to Max. What was the “urgent errand” he had to take care of?
As the creamy liquid started to heat, I added three tablespoons of Milo to a mug and made my drink when footsteps thudded down the wooden stairs, sounding as if a herd of elephants was on a stampede.
“Bye, sis!” Ray yelled. “I’m gonna be so late for classes. See ya later.”
“Wait—wait!” I hurried into the living room, careful not to spill my drink. “Why are you late when your classes start at noon?”
She scrunched her face, blowing wisps of pink-streaked ebony bangs from her eyes. “I, er, finished late last night, then went over to Denise’s to work on my assignments”—she dumped papers and files into her knapsack—“got in late this morning and overslept.”
“You should try dating, a great stress reliever,” I deadpanned, following her to the door.
“Ugh, no…” A grimace crossed her face. She grabbed her jacket and knapsack, I grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Ray, what’s going on with you?”
She sighed. “I’m covering for Petra. She’s sick and can’t afford to lose her job, since she has a baby to take care off.”
I knew Petra was one of Ray’s friends, and a single mother. “So why are you looking so frazzled? What kind of job is this?”
She hesitated and that had all my alarm bells ringing. “Ray?” I narrowed my gaze, going all big sister on her.
“You can’t yell, okay? She’s an escort.”
“Are you crazy!” I yelled at her.
She winced, then protested, “It’s not likethat. It’s just accompanying men too busy for a social life to whatever social event they need a date for. No sex,” she hastily added.
“Then explain the ‘ugh’ from earlier to me?”
“The client tried to kiss me.”
“God, Ray!” I rubbed my face, unable to believe what I was hearing.
“It’s notmyjob, Ila, but Petra’s. She needs the money.”
Jesus! Her heart was too damn soft and giving. I just hope it didn’t land her in trouble.
“So you won’t be doing it again?” I demanded.
She grinned now. “Nah. Not my thing. It’s over now.”
Then Ray disappeared like a whirlwind, the door slamming shut behind her.
