bastard won’t get away with this.”
Every movement hurt, and Eryn couldn’t hide a quiet whimper while she punched 911. When a dispatcher answered, Eryn kept her voice steady when she reported the details of the assault and their destination, but she still trembled from pain. “Oh yes, I can identify him. And I have a witness.”
*
Manon checked the clock next to her grand piano again as Vivian’s voice reverberated throughout her living room and filled it with the magic of her famous sound. After they had practiced the entire aria several times and stopped to work on certain parts, it was well past eight o’clock, and Manon suggested a supper break.
“Didn’t you say Eryn was supposed to join us?” Vivian asked as she followed Manon into the kitchen.
“Yes. I suppose something must have come up. She doesn’t work from just nine to five.”
“Nor do we.” Vivian rubbed her neck. “All four of us work far more than normal eight-hour days.”
“All four? Oh, you mean Mike too? Yes, being your own boss means working twice as much.”
“Can I help?” Vivian asked as Manon pulled a tray from the refrigerator.
“No, I—” The doorbell rang. “That must be Eryn.” Relieved, Manon hurried to the door, opened it, and stared. “Eryn! My God! What happened?”
Eryn managed a grin despite the blue sling on her arm, the white bandage on her left temple, and the red bruise on her right cheekbone. “Would you believe I won?”
“I’ll try, but…” Manon guided her inside with a hand on her uninjured arm, shaken by the sight. “You’re hurt. Don’t make light, please.”
“I’m okay,” Eryn said, touched by Manon’s concern. “I had a run-in on the job with somebody bigger than me. I just finished giving a statement to the police at the hospital.” She sighed. “The doctor and my photographer insisted I shouldn’t be alone. Sorry to barge in so late.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Manon said sharply, her worry making her impatient. “Of course you should have come.” Mellowing, she slid her arm gently around Eryn’s waist. “Who did this?”
“I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise. I just need to catch my breath.” Eryn began to shake her head, but stopped with a grimace. “Ow. Bad move.”
“Have you eaten? Can I get you anything?”
“Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Eryn didn’t really want Manon to move her arm. It felt very good on her waist. Very. The worry in her eyes was kind of nice too. But if they stood there much longer, this close, Manon was going to feel her tremble at just how damn good it felt. Reluctantly, she said, “Maybe just a sandwich or something?”
“Of course. Vivian and I were just about to eat.”
Eryn smiled. “I didn’t miss her after all? Great.”
When Vivian saw them, her smile of welcome changed to a look of horror. “Eryn! For heaven’s sake, sit down. What happened?”
“She’ll fill us in after we fill her stomach,” Manon explained, placing the chicken salad her housekeeper had prepared earlier on the kitchen table. “Eryn, would you rather sit here or on the couch?”
“I’m fine. Let’s eat.” Eryn grabbed her fork. “This is just what the doctor ordered. Literally.”
After quickly finishing her meal, Eryn explained. “I spent two hours in the ER—X-rays, doctors, the police…it’s been a long day.”
“Why didn’t they keep you for observation?” Manon frowned. “You hit your head, after all. You may have a concussion.”
“They discussed it, but since I never lost consciousness and the neurological exam cleared me, they just told me to take it easy this weekend.”
“What about your arm?” Vivian looked at the sling. “Is it fractured?”
“No, just some badly sprained ligaments around the shoulder joint. I have to keep it immobilized for a while. Thank God I’m right-handed.”
Manon stared down at her untouched salad and stabbed a tomato. The thought of Eryn
Every movement hurt, and Eryn couldn’t hide a quiet whimper while she punched 911. When a dispatcher answered, Eryn kept her voice steady when she reported the details of the assault and their destination, but she still trembled from pain. “Oh yes, I can identify him. And I have a witness.”
*
Manon checked the clock next to her grand piano again as Vivian’s voice reverberated throughout her living room and filled it with the magic of her famous sound. After they had practiced the entire aria several times and stopped to work on certain parts, it was well past eight o’clock, and Manon suggested a supper break.
“Didn’t you say Eryn was supposed to join us?” Vivian asked as she followed Manon into the kitchen.
“Yes. I suppose something must have come up. She doesn’t work from just nine to five.”
“Nor do we.” Vivian rubbed her neck. “All four of us work far more than normal eight-hour days.”
“All four? Oh, you mean Mike too? Yes, being your own boss means working twice as much.”
“Can I help?” Vivian asked as Manon pulled a tray from the refrigerator.
“No, I—” The doorbell rang. “That must be Eryn.” Relieved, Manon hurried to the door, opened it, and stared. “Eryn! My God! What happened?”
Eryn managed a grin despite the blue sling on her arm, the white bandage on her left temple, and the red bruise on her right cheekbone. “Would you believe I won?”
“I’ll try, but…” Manon guided her inside with a hand on her uninjured arm, shaken by the sight. “You’re hurt. Don’t make light, please.”
“I’m okay,” Eryn said, touched by Manon’s concern. “I had a run-in on the job with somebody bigger than me. I just finished giving a statement to the police at the hospital.” She sighed. “The doctor and my photographer insisted I shouldn’t be alone. Sorry to barge in so late.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Manon said sharply, her worry making her impatient. “Of course you should have come.” Mellowing, she slid her arm gently around Eryn’s waist. “Who did this?”
“I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise. I just need to catch my breath.” Eryn began to shake her head, but stopped with a grimace. “Ow. Bad move.”
“Have you eaten? Can I get you anything?”
“Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Eryn didn’t really want Manon to move her arm. It felt very good on her waist. Very. The worry in her eyes was kind of nice too. But if they stood there much longer, this close, Manon was going to feel her tremble at just how damn good it felt. Reluctantly, she said, “Maybe just a sandwich or something?”
“Of course. Vivian and I were just about to eat.”
Eryn smiled. “I didn’t miss her after all? Great.”
When Vivian saw them, her smile of welcome changed to a look of horror. “Eryn! For heaven’s sake, sit down. What happened?”
“She’ll fill us in after we fill her stomach,” Manon explained, placing the chicken salad her housekeeper had prepared earlier on the kitchen table. “Eryn, would you rather sit here or on the couch?”
“I’m fine. Let’s eat.” Eryn grabbed her fork. “This is just what the doctor ordered. Literally.”
After quickly finishing her meal, Eryn explained. “I spent two hours in the ER—X-rays, doctors, the police…it’s been a long day.”
“Why didn’t they keep you for observation?” Manon frowned. “You hit your head, after all. You may have a concussion.”
“They discussed it, but since I never lost consciousness and the neurological exam cleared me, they just told me to take it easy this weekend.”
“What about your arm?” Vivian looked at the sling. “Is it fractured?”
“No, just some badly sprained ligaments around the shoulder joint. I have to keep it immobilized for a while. Thank God I’m right-handed.”
Manon stared down at her untouched salad and stabbed a tomato. The thought of Eryn
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