Sasha let her inside. “Hey, Nic. You’re off early. Hey, Mocha, girl.”
Nicole let Mocha off her leash. “The place was pretty slow. Bowen let me go early when I told him I was going to make you supper.”
“That was kind of him.” Sasha locked the door behind her. “Megs and Mitch brought chili, salad, and cornbread. It’s in the fridge if you’re hungry. I can help.”
“You just rest.” Nicole set down her backpack by the door, tossed her jacket on top of it. “You and Mocha can keep each other company.”
Sasha knelt, scratched the puppy behind the ears. “Who’s the cutest puppy ever?”
Mocha’s entire body wagged.
“That’s right, girl.Youare.” Sasha loved animals, but she traveled too much to have a pet. “Come snuggle with me.”
Nicole’s head was in the fridge. “This smells wonderful. Does this bowl of uneaten chili belong to you—the one wrapped in plastic?”
“Yes. I just wasn’t that hungry.” Sasha led the puppy to the sofa, sat, and patted the cushion beside her. “Will you keep me company, Mocha?”
The pup jumped up, licked Sasha’s face, then flopped down beside her, her head resting on Sasha’s thigh, her big brown eyes gazing lovingly up at Sasha.
While Sasha stroked Mocha’s silky fur, Nicole got dinner ready and caught her up on happenings at the gym. “Everyone who came through the doors today asked about you. They’ve got a giant get-well card on the wall for members to sign.”
“Aw! How sweet is that?”
“How did it go with the sexy detective today?”
“You mean Darius? That’s his name.” Sasha told her about her conversation with Darius and how he’d warmed up for a moment when they’d talked about his brothers. “He helped me out of a chair, and he got lunch ready, too.”
Nicole stirred the chili. “It sounds like he likes you.”
“I doubt it. He and I are nothing alike.”
“Hey, opposites attract. Isn’t that what they say?”
Sasha dismissed that crazy idea without comment. “He smiled a few times, and when he smiles, he’s so damned good-looking he could melt your panties. But most of the time, he was dead serious. Esri said that some people in law enforcement shut off their emotions because they’ve seen so many terrible things.”
“You talked to Esri?” Nicole carried the salad and cornbread to the table.
“I called, and she came over. We had a session in my bedroom and talked for about an hour.”
“Did it help?” Nicole set bowls of chili on the table with spoons. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Thanks! Excuse me, Mocha. I need to get up.” Sasha slowly stood and went to sit at the table, Mocha following her and curling up near Nicole’s feet. “It did help. You know Esri. She’s always so calm. She thinks I should have two sessions a week for a few weeks and then see how I feel.”
While they ate, Sasha explained what EMDR was and why it was important to start therapy now.
Nicole dabbed her lips with a paper napkin. “I think you’re incredibly brave. You just got home from the hospital, but you’re already getting to work.”
“Nothing worthwhile is easy. I refuse to let this stop me, Nic.”
Nicole reached over, rested a hand on her good arm. “It won’t. Trust me. I know you. It won’t.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
Nicole buttered a piece of cornbread. “Where is that sexy detective now?”
“I’m not sure. He and Julia left in her squad car when Esri was here.” And then because it seemed important, Sasha added, “Esri thinks he’s hot, too.”
Chapter9
