She’d been digging for information not because she was interested in River, but because she wanted to tear River’scommunity apart. And there was no way in hell she was going to let that happen.
CHAPTER 11
Marina hurried down the street,careful not to get her heels caught in any of the cracks in the uneven sidewalk. Damn it all. Why had River been up there, looking out at the crowd? Marina had checked the members of the board, and River’s name hadn’t been on it. She’d been so sure she could hang out at the back without being noticed.
“Marina.”
River’s voice was far closer than it should have been, and Marina yelped in surprise. She spun, her heel caught in the cracked sidewalk, and it snapped audibly in the silence around them. She teetered for a moment and before she could reach for River, she fell backward onto her ass.
“With any other woman, I’d find it adorable that she kept falling at my feet.” River held out her hand, her expression inscrutable.
Marina took it and hissed at the pain in her ankle when she stood. “I really liked these shoes.” How the hell was she going to walk the two blocks to her car? She hadn’t been able to find parking any closer. Most of the buildings were businesses with apartments above, and street parking was at a premium.
“You’re hurt.” It wasn’t a question, and River sounded resigned.
“I’ll be fine.” Only then did she realize she still hadn’t let go of River’s hand, and she dropped it like she’d been burned. “Shouldn’t you be in there?”
“Shouldn’t you be in a different part of the city altogether?” River’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here, Marina?”
Marina winced when she shifted from the foot still four inches off the ground to the one now flat on the pavement. “Can we talk about this somewhere else? I’d like to sit down.”
River’s gaze finally left Marina’s, and she looked up the block. “Goat and Girl is around the corner.”
Marina nodded and did her best not to think about how utterly ridiculous she looked limping along, up and down like a drunk pogo stick. There was no way on earth she’d go barefoot, though. River, in a forest green button-down shirt and ripped jeans, looked the ultimate in cool, making Marina feel even more absurd.
River opened the door for her at the restaurant, which was quiet on a Thursday night, thankfully.
“Hey, Cara.” River kissed the cheek of the woman who came to show them to a table. “Mel over at the meeting?”
Cara glanced at Marina, then her feet, then back at River. “She is, and then she’s going to walk Mrs. Crabtree home.” She held out her hand. “Cara. I’m the manager here.”
“Marina. I’m…” She faltered, unwilling to play her hand without having talked to River first. “I’m in need of some ice for my ankle, if you have any?”
“Yeah, of course. Broken heels suck. Come on back here, and we’ll get you set up.” She led the way to a table and then pulled a chair up for Marina’s foot. “Put it here, and I’ll be right back.”
River sat across from Marina, silent, waiting, her arms folded.
“Aren’t you some kind of witch? Shouldn’t you know why I’m here?” Marina’s tone was all wrong, and she knew it. But when defensive, go on the offence.
River handed her the drink menu without saying anything, and Marina vaguely noted the cute drink names. Cara came back with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel and gently put it over Marina’s ankle.
“What can I get you?”
“I’ll have the Cat’s Pajamas,” Marina said, handing River the menu.
“Green Street, thanks,” River said, giving Cara a quick smile.
Cara left and River turned her attention back to Marina. “Have you known from the moment we met that you were going to try to tear my world apart?”
“First of all, that’s a bit melodramatic. It’s rebuilding, not Armageddon. Second, no, I had no idea who you were until just before the last time we met.” The time River had said there was something off about her. How had she known?
“When you rip a community apart and make it so people have to move because they can’t afford to live there anymore, itisthat dramatic. And I’m glad you haven’t been a fraud the whole time.” River’s body remained stiff, her jaw set.
“This is why I didn’t tell you right away. I wanted to get to know you before this came between us.” Marina moved the bag of ice and noticed the swelling around her ankle. There was no way she’d be able to walk to her car.Fucking fuck.
“Yeah, well, you decided you weren’t interested in anything with me before that. So I call bullshit.” She leaned back when Cara set their drinks down. “Thanks.”
Cara nodded, looking between them. “Everything okay, River?”
