Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
I smile, stuffing my hands in my pockets. As she takes two steps backwards, I add, “Might wanna watch where you’re goin’.”
She salutes me and turns, but nearly trips so I lunge and catch her by the hips.
“Easy there,” I say, my nose grazing the shell of her ear.
She stiffens and presses her hand to the wall, then walks away slowly. That Jeffrey guy has stepped into the hallway; his eyes land on me shrewdly.
Platonic protectiveness. Good. I’m glad she’ll get safely to her friend’s place tonight in his company.
I step back into my office, switch the monitor off, and call Shep in.
“You know Alannah Fisher? She’s in here often.”
“I do,” he confirms.
And the way he confirms it has me curious.
“You friends with her?” I ask.
“Hooked up once. Not on company hours of course, boss.”
“Of course,” I reply. “Good terms?”
“Good terms,” he confirms. “Cling factor zero.”
That’s what Shep prefers. Non-clingy types. Same here. Previously.
“Good. Would you make sure she and her party safely get where they’re going?”
Shep looks perplexed. My returning expression lets him know I don’t want to be questioned.
He nods and leaves. I send a text message to Kenny who already knows I want information on Adam Hallman and Chloe Turner. But my message lets him know I want her followed around the clock, beginning tomorrow morning from Alannah Fisher’s home.
Sunday Night
I feel like I’m tiptoeing when I get into the townhome, but instead of things being quiet, Adam still has company. They’re lounging in the living room watching sports on TV. The coffee table is littered with beer cans, a stack of pizza boxes, and four chip bags. And the drink coasters sit, unused in their coaster holder.
I wave to the room which includes Adam, his brother Paul, best friend Craig, and our former neighbor Lawrence.
I get multiple greetings including hugs and cheek kisses from Adam’s guests, who each get up to hug me. After this, I move to Adam who is on the recliner. His chair is parked beside him otherwise he’d look like the Adam of seven months ago.
I haven’t seen him lounging on the furniture like this since it all happened. The only time he’s not in his wheelchair outside the bathroom is when he’s in bed or in the car. I lean over and he puts his hand to my jaw and kisses me. I drop a peck and am about to straighten up when he hooks his hand around the back of my neck and keeps me there to deepen the kiss. It lasts a few seconds before he looks directly into my eyes.
“Hi,” he whispers. “Welcome home.”
“Hey you,” I say.
I feel my chin wobble. I feel like I’m about to burst into tears. Because he hasn’t kissed me like this in months. Months and months.
“Have a good time?” he asks softly.
“Yeah, I did. I guess I kinda needed some girl time,” I say, somehow managing to keep my voice from completely cracking. It definitely trembles, though.
“Lots of food here if you’re hungry, Chloe,” Craig invites, gesturing to table. “We ordered your favorites, too.”
“Jalapeno poppers and mozzarella sticks?” I gasp with enthusiasm. I’m laying the enthusiasm on thick as these are Craig’s favorites and I’ve always ordered his favorites in the past, but the diversion is welcome.
“Of course,” Craig says and tugs my hand so that I fall onto the couch beside him. “Fried pickles, too. Stay with Alannah?” he asks me with his puppy dog eyes.
I smile. “You probably already know the answer to that, Detective. What do you wanna know?”
“She take anyone home from the bar this weekend?” he asks.
I snicker and zip my mouth with a pretend zipper.
“Killin’ me, Smalls,” he mutters, throwing his head back.
Craig is a cop. He’s pretty hot. And sweet. A little immature, but he’s had a thing for Alannah since day one and they started their little thing right after Adam’s accident. Adam complained a while ago about hating the idea of her stringing him along, but I set him straight. Alannah lays it all out on the table, wouldn’t pretend, wouldn’t let Craig think they were going to be something if they weren’t.
My guess is that she told him she was up for strictly friends with benefits, and he wants to change her mind but might be afraid of getting shot down.
“Nobody took anybody home from the bar this weekend,” I advise pointedly.
“So, Coraline and Jeffrey are still doing that dance, are they?” Lawrence asks, popping the tab on a beer and passing it to me. “For Adam,” he says. “You want one?”
I wave and shake my head as I pass Adam the beer. “No thanks. I’ve had enough alcohol poisoning this weekend, thank you very much.”
Adam takes a big gulp of the beer. And then he belches and doesn’t even excuse himself.
“Oh, I’m here for boys’ night so I don’t get manners?” I quip.