Текст книги "Searching for Always"
Автор книги: Jennifer Probst
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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 20 страниц)
She’d thought something was wrong with her and happily ignored that part of herself.
Until now.
Stone Petty owned her. Possessed her. His tongue took what he wanted and demanded it all, with each thrust and complete deflowering of her mouth. He reached around and sunk his fingers into her hair, tugging her head back to expose her throat and keep her helpless beneath him. Her breasts pressed against his hard chest, his erection notched between her open thighs, and he ravished her body and soul, leaving nothing behind but an aching, horrible want for more.
She exploded with her own demands, turning the kiss into something much more. Whimpering, she opened her mouth wider, arched her body up to rock against his hardness, and dug her short nails into his scalp.
“You taste so good,” he muttered, biting and sucking on her lower lip. “Like sugar cookies. I want to spread you out, taste you, eat you until you come apart.”
His dirty words caused a rush of liquid warmth to trickle between her legs. “Oh, God, this is bad,” she gasped, clinging tighter. “Very bad.”
“And so good.” He ground his erection against her, bumped her clit, and she shuddered, writhing to get closer. “Need more.” He ripped his mouth from hers, grabbed the stretchy halter top, and pulled it down to bare her breasts.
She wasn’t wearing a bra.
“I just died and went to heaven,” he groaned, his hands cupping her breasts and rubbing her tight nipples. She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out, especially when he plucked at her, watching her tortured face as if to see what she liked. “You’re like butter and cream, silky smooth. Peach nipples, just like I thought. How do they taste?”
“No, don’t, I don’t think—oh!”
His lips opened over one aching tip, his tongue swiping over and over, nibbling on her like a feast. She drowned in a tidal wave of sensation, her brain shut down, her body exploding on overload like a bad circuit firing up.
Her past seductions consisted of scented candles, romantic verses read aloud, and the taste of champagne. Silken sheets turned down. Long, endlessly orchestrated scenes that she always dreamed she wanted.
Now she realized how they’d barely scratched the surface of her need. Right now, she wanted to push Stone Petty on the ground, climb on top of him, and sink down until he slid deep inside her. She wanted to get sweaty, be loud, and take pleasure on her terms, with nothing holding her back. With a man who wasn’t afraid to be rough, and demanding, and bad.
“I want you. Now. Here.” He looked up, his mouth wet, eyes fierce and so filled with hunger she began to shake. “You want it, too.”
She did.
But she couldn’t.
My God. What was she doing?
Sanity returned. He was all wrong for her! This man irritated her on a constant basis. They’d have crazy sex, and he’d saunter away and torture her with his smug grins for the rest of the anger management class. She was recovering from a broken heart and had no energy to tackle such a sizzling affair. He’d eat her alive. In a good way. In a bad way.
“I can’t.” Arilyn pushed weakly at his shoulders. Her voice got stronger. “I can’t.”
She gave him credit. He backed off immediately, hands lifted in the air as he grabbed for his composure. “Okay. Give me a minute.” She took the time to yank up her top, straighten her clothes, and get herself together. Stone shook his head hard, rubbed his hands over his face, and let out a breath. “Got carried away.”
Satisfaction surged. It was nice to know she wasn’t the only one affected by the kiss. Arilyn wondered if she’d ever be able to kiss another man without thinking of Stone. His goatee was a combination of silky and bristly, a delicious contradiction to the softness of his lips. His taste was better than those apple martinis she loved so much. Tart, spicy, with a heat that slid into her bloodstream and exploded in her tummy.
“I did, too,” she offered. “I’m sorry.”
He scowled. “I’m not. Thought you had more backbone than to apologize for a great kiss.”
And just like that, the annoyance was back. “I don’t need this type of complication in my life right now,” she snapped. “You’re a client. We can’t blur the lines.”
Those lush lips that had bestowed such pleasure now treated her to his famous sneer. “Don’t give me that crap. As I just said, I’m not your client, and you’re not my real therapist. You counsel me to control my temper, which is getting frayed right now by your sad excuses.”
She bristled in fury. “Excuses? I don’t need an excuse! We kissed, it was good, I’m over it. Let’s move on. The last thing I need is a pushy cop wrecking my life.”
He got in her face. “Lady, you wrote the book on pushy. A relationship with you would be a nightmare. But you can’t deny we’d steam up the sheets together.”
She gave up poetry for this? He was rude, crude, and owned no soft edges. First he kissed her, then he yelled. Even if she wanted a transitional lover, he was all wrong. Arilyn refused to back down, even if she had to tilt her head back to eyeball him. “Classy. You can go ahead and steam them up with someone else.”
He shook his head as if disgusted by the thought. “Can’t. Chemistry this good is rare. It may piss me off, but we have to explore it.”
She gasped. “In your dreams! It was a complete fluke. I’m not exploring anything with you!”
He studied her with hard eyes, and the man did something so outrageous she didn’t see it coming.
He kissed her again. Just manhandled her, pulling her in and planting his lips over hers for a long, deep, thorough kiss that curled her toes and revved her body right up to Ferrari status.
The worst part?
She responded.
He slid her back down to the ground, letting her feel his rock-hard abs and thighs, ran his tongue over his bottom lip as if to taste her one last time, then gave a cocky grin. “Yep. That’s what I thought. I’ll keep this crime a secret for now, but you owe me big. See you in class.”
Stone turned his back on her and walked toward the door.
Arilyn squeaked with outrage, shaking with the urge to belt him and wipe out his satisfaction. Finally, she found her voice. “I still don’t like you one bit, Officer Petty!”
He glanced back over his shoulder and winked. “I still don’t like you either.”
Then he left.
Arilyn turned to look at the dog, who still hadn’t moved. Just stared into space, looking at something else.
A premonition washed over her. If she allowed her body to weaken, she’d ask him to take her to bed. And he’d destroy her in ways even her ex hadn’t touched. She couldn’t risk her heart being broken a second time so soon.
She might never recover.
Arilyn knelt beside Pinky, gently stroking her head. She didn’t respond. She’d clean the wounds, maybe feed her through a dropper to get some water in her system. Anthony would know the best plan to undertake. In the meantime, she’d keep her head down and get to goal.
The end of anger management and the end of seeing Stone Petty.
nine
A FEW DAYS LATER, Stone realized he should’ve just thrown her in jail.
It would’ve been a hell of a lot easier.
The motley crew of the anger management class gathered around the outdoor kennels at the Animals Alive shelter. At first, he’d looked forward to a field trip. Spending hours locked in a room with her, trying to do yoga or meditate or talk in the circle, was painful. For his mental state and his body. Besides a constant state of blue balls, they’d formed another type of connection.
They shared a secret. Stone knew there was a level of intimacy in sharing something no one knew about. Every time their gazes touched, energy shimmered between them, a reminder of the favor that hung ripe and beat through every undercurrent of conversation.
He figured a little air was good for the soul, and they’d visit some crazy ashram or help children or serve food to the homeless. But this he refused to do.
He hated dogs.
Stone tried to focus on her lecture.
“Animals are statistically proven to help lower stress and ease anger issues in humans,” she said. Today she wore jeans, scuffed brown boots, a snug tank, and some sort of crochet cape thing in bright red. Her hair, caught in a high ponytail, was shimmering red-gold under the weak rays of sun. The leaves, which had fully turned in a stunning display of orange, amber, and yellow, crunched beneath their feet. Acres of woods spread out behind them, with a small building as the welcome center, horse stalls, and different types of gates holding various types of animals. “Now, I’m sure you’re all wondering how volunteering our time with rescues can possibly help control anger management. First, serving the community helps us get out of our worlds and reminds us of what we do have. Though anger is a trigger and caused by a multitude of stresses, it is also part of ego. It’s selfish. Getting in touch with less fortunate creatures, big and small, ground us in the reality of what we do have. If you’re driving to work, get caught in horrific traffic, and start to lose it, reminding yourself of the dog who was abused with no home or the child struggling with cancer can actually help ground us in the bigger reality.”
Luther and Eli looked fascinated. Stone grudgingly admitted she was a good speaker. Spending years around lies and bullshit and criminals made it harder to be empathetic or believe in something bigger. She did. The pure energy of her spirit practically rolled around her in waves. She drew people in with the urge just to be around her, listen to her speak, maybe touch her. She had a gift, and Stone bet she had no idea how she affected people.
“I’ll be handing the training over to Anthony, our director. He’s going to show you the procedures, and then we’ll spend the next hour working with the animals on a one-to-one basis.”
No way.
Stone studied the guy who stepped up and thanked her. He had those moony eyes Stone knew too well. The director had a crush on Arilyn big-time. As he took them through the greeting center and showed them how to put on a leash, how the dogs they walked or spent time with were coded, and how to follow the rules, Stone wondered how Arilyn felt about him. She’d told him in the car he was in the friend zone, but could that change? No. She kissed him like a woman who was starving and not actively dating or interested in another man. Stone was trying to be her transitional. But Anthony seemed to be a better fit for her lifestyle over the long term.
Stone brooded. They were similar. Both shared a passion for animals. He worked for charity. Good-looking guy, too. Looked Italian, so the guy probably knew how to cook. If she were smart, she’d date this guy and stay away from him. Stone couldn’t promise her anything but the best night of her life. Oh, and hanging out with a workaholic, anger-ridden divorcé who wanted no children.
Yeah, it was a real win-win.
His mood soured. He trotted behind Anthony, learned the rules, and then was handed back to his teacher. They both smiled so brightly at each other, Stone wondered if he’d be blinded for life. He got a fucking cavity looking at them. Weren’t they just perfect together?
Anthony squeezed her hand, leaned down, and whispered in her ear. She laughed, swatted his arm playfully, and turned back to the group. “Okay, guys, we’re going to focus on the dogs today. Listen to Anthony’s instructions and go by the color-coded tags. Green is acceptable to take for a walk. Blue is no touch. Yellow is needs social interaction.”
She led them to the long, narrow aisle of gates. The smell of earth, rotting leaves, and dog poop rose in the air. The whines and barks grew to a shrieking level as the dogs recognized company and tried to get noticed. He watched Luther and Eli choose their dogs, clipping on the leashes and leading crazy bundles of energy out the squeaky gate door. Luther seemed delighted with the large black Lab rushing toward freedom, and Eli had a small smile with the medium-sized mutt with the long snout.
Stone took in their lolling tongue, sharp eyes, and big snouts. Then he freaked.
Sweat broke out on his skin. A low panic clawed at his stomach. He took a few steps back.
“Stone, are you okay? Just pick one and clip on the leash.”
He stared back at her, shaking his head hard. “I’m more of a cat person. I’ll go to the cat house instead.”
She frowned. “The cat house is being refurbished, so it’s off-limits today.”
“Then I’ll hit the stables.”
“Horse training is an entire day.”
The image of the pit bull leaping at him, teeth bared, drawing blood while he screamed like a baby and writhed on the ground hit him full force. It was suddenly hard to breathe. He was getting the hell out. “Well, I’ll help in the office or something. I’m not doing this. I told you I hate dogs and always have.”
He beat a hasty retreat, but she was suddenly in front of him, placing her hands gently on his arm. “Stone? I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”
He gritted his teeth. Wished for a cigarette so bad he figured the patch would explode off him. “Know what?”
“The dogs. Did you get bit?”
The horror of her knowing his one weakness made him snap. “I’m not afraid of the damn dogs, okay? I just don’t like them. Is that a fucking crime?”
Instead of yelling back or telling him to breathe, she smiled. Her voice lilted like soothing music, and her fingers interlaced with his. The touch of her skin against his grounded him back to earth. “No, it’s not a crime,” she said. “Neither is being skittish around an animal you don’t know. It’s called being smart.” She gazed at the kennels, her eyes sad. “Many dogs, especially the pit bulls, are bred for meanness. It’s almost like having something good but shaping it into evil. Some can’t even be saved, they’re too far gone in the darkness and fighting for survival. Others still manage to see the light and the goodness. See, they’re just like people. Some good, some bad, some right in the middle.”
She faced him again. “It’s my fault for not checking with everyone about how they feel about animals. I’m sorry. And if you were bitten, that’s a traumatic experience very difficult to get over. Dogs need to earn your trust back, just like we need to earn theirs sometimes.”
He suddenly felt stupid being embarrassed over something that wasn’t his fault. How did she do that? Make him see things in a different way? He cleared his throat. “Sorry. I was a kid and a pit bull knocked me down, bit the hell out of my leg. The owner just laughed and urged the dog on.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I hear those stories a lot. Most dogs don’t start off that way, but it’s probably too late. We can’t save them all. That’s why I wanted to rescue Pinky so badly. I thought maybe there’d be a chance.”
How often had he uttered condolences to a family member who lost someone? A weak excuse but all he had left to offer. The tightness in his chest eased. In her own way, Arilyn knew the battle he took on every day. So much loss, but you did it for the occasional win.
“Why’d you name that thing Pinky?”
She gave a half shrug. “Knew a Chihuahua with the name. She kicked butt and carried herself like royalty. Thought the poor thing could use a cool namesake.”
“It’s an awful name.”
She grinned, and his heart lightened. Damn this woman and her ability to make him feel good as much as she pissed him off. It was terrible. “Next time you rescue an animal, you can name her,” she said.
“Catching criminals is bad enough. I’ll pass.”
She pursed her lips, and her green eyes sparkled with laughter. His gaze focused on her lush mouth and what he wanted to do with it. She cleared her throat as if she knew. And wanted it, too. “How are you doing with the smoking?” She jerked her head toward his arm.
“Not bad. I’m on the last level, so I’m almost fit for real society now. Still get the cravings, though.”
“Maybe I can help.” She unzipped her small satchel, fished around, and drew out a purple stone. It had a brown cord attached to it. “Here. I want you to wear this.”
He fingered the rock. Shades of violet and white, it was carved into a type of pendant. “What is it? Heart of the newt?”
She snorted, reached over, and slipped the necklace around his neck. The cord was soft, like a moccasin. It hung low enough to hide in his shirt. When her fingers brushed his chest to tuck it inside his button-down Henley, he sucked in a breath. She paused, and that crackle of electricity struck again.
He tried again for humor instead of tumbling her into the grass. “You didn’t put a love spell or anything on me, did you?”
She yanked her hands away as if she’d been scorched and stepped back. “You’re a real comedian, Officer. It’s a crystal amethyst. Wear it against your skin. It’s a very powerful stone and helps smoking cessation.”
He fingered the polished stone briefly before letting it drop back against his chest. “Didn’t see it in the how-to-quit-smoking aisle.”
“You won’t. Amethyst is known as the master healing stone. One of its many uses is to transform addiction.” He studied the high flush on her cheekbones. “Forget it. I know you think I’m crazy; you don’t have to wear it.” She spun on her heel to flounce off, but he grabbed her wrist, halting her retreat.
“No,” he said softly. “I’ll wear it. I need all the help I can get.” She lifted her gaze and suddenly they were drowning in each other. He suddenly felt like one of those testosterone-ridden chumps from the teen movies. Completely smitten by a girl’s eyes. Ugh. “Thanks.” Better. His voice sounded stronger.
“Welcome.” They stared some more. If a guy saw them, his man card would be officially pulled. “Can I ask you to do something? I wouldn’t ask anyone else, but I trust you.”
He tried to ignore the pleasure that raced through him at her comment. “What?”
“Pinky’s here. She was deemed unfit to be in the kennel with other dogs. She’s completely comatose most of the time, but if she gets close to another dog, she goes berserk. Anthony may not be able to keep her, since they’re too short staffed to give her the proper amount of therapy, plus they need to keep her isolated. People don’t scare her, so she was probably used for bait.”
“You mean bigger dogs attacked her?”
Arilyn nodded. “They try to spur on the bigger dogs. Usually bait dogs are other pit bulls meant to antagonize, but sometimes they’ll use a smaller dog and keep them away to taunt the dogs. She was probably never mauled but consistently threatened and frightened on a regular basis. Something may have snapped.”
“Sons of bitches,” he muttered. “The house is on my radar, you know. I called in a few tips and we’ve got the place being watched. Any more dogs that go in will be caught immediately.”
Her face softened. “Thank you. If you’d just sit with Pinky, it would be a great help. Talk with her. Maybe pet her. Whatever you feel comfortable with. She needs to get used to being back in the real world and feeling unthreatened.”
He wanted to refuse. Stone still hated being around any type of dog, especially in a cage, but the way she looked at him made him want to slay all her dragons. And Pinky’s.
Oh, yeah, he was a chump who wanted that woman bad. Ridiculous. A few days ago, he only wanted to strangle her.
“Fine. All I have to do is sit?”
“Yes. Just be a steady presence. Sometimes they just don’t want to feel so alone.”
Stone knew how that felt.
She led him over to a cage in the corner, away from the other dogs. A small bed, various bowls, and some toys lay haphazardly in the cage. Pinky lay on the right side, staring into space, not moving. Didn’t look vicious. Even if she freaked out, if he stayed by the door, he could get up. Wasn’t like the bigger dogs that could overpower him.
Sweat pricked his brow, but he manned up. Stone opened the gate, dropped down on the rough, damp ground, and propped his back up. Pinky’s head turned a bit toward the sound, but she still didn’t seem interested. She was still just as ugly as the night he first saw her. A few bandages were wrapped around her body, probably to heal the sores. She looked cleaner, too, even though there was no fur. Weren’t dogs supposed to have hair? Her skin was a tan color, with her paws and belly a light pink. Three weird white tufts of fur sprouted from the top of her head in some kind of kooky headdress. Beady black eyes. Pinkish bat ears that sprouted up from the sides of her bullet head. Her black snout stuck out slightly, making her look like she owned a crazy overbite. A simple black collar circled her neck.
Arilyn peered through the gate. “You okay?” she asked.
“Sure. Go ahead, I’ll be fine.”
He heard her footsteps fade away. The sound of a bird screeched in the air, along with whimpers and other doggy noises down the way. The rat’s—umm, Pinky’s nose twitched as she caught a scent. Yeah, she was still in there somewhere. Whatever had happened was bad. He knew how that went.
Stone gave a long sigh. “Guess it’s just me and you for a while. That acceptable?”
No answer.
Stone settled back for a long, long silence.
ARILYN SLID THE BROCCOLI bake in the oven, sliced some multigrain bread, and poured a glass of wine. It had been a good day. The guys had been great at the shelter, no mini disasters had cropped up, and now she was ready to relax with a good book and a bath. Sure, she couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing kiss with Officer Stone Petty. Both of them. The way he touched her and commanded her body, tempting her to do a whole bunch of dirty, delicious things she’d never tried.
But she controlled herself. Repeated the mantra over and over that he was a client and off-limits. Kind of. Definitely a gray area but easier to sketch the boundary lines in bold black-and-white.
At least, that’s what she kept telling herself.
Holding back a sigh, Arilyn grabbed her laundry basket and headed outside to get her clothes from the line. She hoped that Mrs. Blackfire wouldn’t be out spying. Guilt pricked her at the second empty wine bottle she’d be forced to put out in recycling this week. The evening spent together hadn’t gone as bad as she expected, and Poppy had entertained them both with stories. Mrs. Blackfire had actually smiled at one point. Arilyn couldn’t stop staring at her, wondering if it was a trick of the light, and then Poppy gave her that sharp look—that she was being rude—and she’d concentrated on eating. At least, Poppy seemed more inclined to try some other activities at the center this week.
She opened the door and rammed right into the man on her doorstep.
When she refocused, her world shook, tilted, and dumped her in a tangle of limbs on the cold ground.
Jacob.
He looked exactly the same. Shoulder-length dark hair tied back, revealing the graceful, etched lines of his face. Long limbed and lean from his many years of yoga. A watchful, reflective aura surrounded him. He’d studied in India under a powerful yogi and dedicated his life to serving others.
Too bad he was also a lying, scheming cheater.
The nasty thought helped her breath return. Her world rebalanced. Her many years of practice and study under his tutelage came roaring back. Once, he’d made her feel as if she was the most important thing in his world. Now he only reminded her of how little she meant to him in the bigger picture.
Arilyn checked the lock on the door inside her heart.
Still tight.
“Arilyn.” His voice lilted, carried, stroked, like poetry whispered in a lover’s ear. “I wanted to come sooner, but I realize how angry you must be. I thought a bit of time would be better for us to talk.”
He’d come before, of course. Twice. The first time he cheated, he fell to his knees and cried. Begged her forgiveness. Spoke of man’s weakness and his mockery of monogamy. Said if she demanded it, she was worth the sacrifice of giving up other women. She forgave him and took him back.
The second time was more delicate. He waited two full days after the righteous, horrid anger passed and she fell into grief mode. He admitted his fault and spoke for hours about how scared he was of being close with her. How she filled him up in ways his meditation and spiritual practices never could. He wanted a chance to show her they could be more together, because he was no longer afraid. Long into the night, they discussed their dreams and ambitions. She laid down the law. No more cheating. She wanted to move forward into the light with a real relationship. She wanted him to tell the students.
He promised it all, and slowly Arilyn believed they’d make it.
Now she looked at the man she’d given five years to and wondered why. Why him? What did he truly give her other than the mirage of communication and connectedness? Even their lovemaking was a lesson in spirituality. He made her study tantric sex in all its forms but never seemed to give himself completely over to her on an emotional level. It was more like the practice itself turned him on rather than her. The idea of giving himself over was better than the actual process.
Arilyn wondered if he’d been lying to himself, too. He seemed more satisfied banging his student without any higher emotional connection than he ever did with her.
“There’s nothing more to discuss,” she said evenly. “We’ve done this scene before. Twice. We both need to move on.”
Confusion flicked over his features. “You’re the one I love. I know I’ve hurt you, but I think we need to discuss our relationship. Close the cycle.”
Ah, yes. Cycles. Jacob was big into honoring the beginning and ending of any type of relationship. Once, she’d thought it was beautiful. Now she had sunk to such a level, she only wanted to bash him in the face.
The hurt and humiliation simmered. Her heart, though, remained beating and whole. “With all the hours we talked and dissected our relationship, I think we’ve done enough. You need to go. Back to your studio, and your spiritual path, and your many, many female students.”
“Please.” His voice reached out and begged. “Tracey and I had been spending late nights discussing her path. She’d graduated to the intermediate student pool and felt pressured. She came to me, needful, and I was weak, Arilyn. It’s the fault I’m consistently struggling with. My body was weak, but I swear, you’re the one I live for. The woman I love. Please give me a chance to talk.”
Still holding the laundry basket, Arilyn wondered what would happen if she let him in. Every woman had a certain weakness, and Jacob was hers. He represented a sense of authority and knowledge that always turned her on and played on her mind and emotions like a conductor at the symphony. He’d been her guide on the path of yoga, opening her body and soul to the ancient practice. Textbook stuff. The symbol of the teacher-client relationship and schoolgirl crush.
And he always came back to her.
Arilyn knew that, in his own way, he did love her. But it wasn’t the way she could live with anymore, and it wasn’t the type of love she wanted. She ached for so much more.
If she let him in to talk, she might forgive him. Be happy for a while. Maybe six months. Maybe a year. When they worked together well, she equated it to being high on drugs twenty-four/seven. He made her feel like the most important woman in the world, the keeper of his heart and happiness, and she drowned herself in those dreams. She’d trick herself into believing in something real, believe his lies about meeting her family and friends, and find herself in the same position.
Stone Petty was more honest than this man was. He was also more passionate.
The odd thought trickled past her, but she pushed it aside and concentrated on her ex-lover.
Her voice strengthened. “No more. I like my life now, Jacob. It’s more real than what we had. I’m moving on, and it’s time you do, too.”
“I love you. We’re soul mates. If you give me a chance, I’ll prove it.”
The final pang from his loss struck deep. “I loved you, too. But not anymore. Good-bye, Jacob. Please don’t come here again.”
The shock on his face told her more than she ever needed to know. Rarely did a woman turn him down. As she sagged against the closed door, heart pounding, Arilyn realized it was the first time she’d ever stood up to him and told him no. On her terms.
A laugh escaped her lips. Shaking, she dropped the basket and grabbed her wineglass. She felt freer than she ever had. The sadness of a broken relationship would always haunt her. She’d given him so much of herself. But she was stronger now. It was time to figure out what she needed and pursue that path with her eyes wide-open and no more lies clogging her vision.
Arilyn sipped her wine. And thought of Stone.
An affair. The thought of giving in to her body and allowing herself to experiment tempted her like a siren call. Still, she was afraid if she couldn’t handle it, she’d break again too soon. Not that she’d be in danger of falling in love with him, of course. But if she got addicted to the sex? Began to cling to him in an unhealthy manner due to her leftover need from Jacob?
Nightmare.
The doorbell rang.
She shook her head, grasping the knob, ready to show Jacob what it felt like to get in touch with real anger.
Kate, Kennedy, and Gen were perched on her doorstep.
“Surprise!”
Arilyn laughed and hugged them. “What are you doing here? I thought the bachelorette party was Friday night.”
“Did you start the party without us?” Kennedy asked, swinging her hips clad in a trendy pencil skirt with a short leather jacket. She opened up the cabinets and took down three more wineglasses. “Oh, goody, I love sauvignon blanc.”
Gen slid onto one of the breakfast stools and sighed. A successful resident surgeon in training, she looked tired but happy. Her dark hair was caught in a messy ponytail, and she wore old jeans and a sweatshirt with the Purity Hotel logo. “I miss this place. I’m so glad you live here now, Arilyn. It’s the next best thing.”
Kate smiled and plucked a half-filled wineglass from the counter. “This is where you and Wolfe fell in love watching HGTV. Maybe it’ll bring the same magic to Arilyn.”
Arilyn sighed and leaned against the refrigerator. “I wish.” In her attempt to be more open, she told them the truth. “Jacob was just here.”
