prepare you dinner. It’s almost ready.”
“Nope. Like I said, I know a place and I think you will like it. I’ll be there in a half-hour. Dress comfortably and be ready to ride.”
“Treb—” she began but he was gone. She looked at her almost finished dinner then smiled as she began to package her meal for the refrigerator. As she worked, she giggled when she realized that Treble didn’t know where she lived and wondered how long it would be before he called and asked for her address.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Bridget sat curled on her couch, playing a mindless game of Leo’s Fortune on her phone. She was exhausted, wrung out from her late night then early morning, but most especially by the emotional hand wringing she had been doing ever since she visited Stiles to have her butterfly finished.
Lindy made it all seem so simple. If you’re not sure, you need to call it off, Lindy’s voice sounded in her head again. She knew Lindy was right, but events had taken on a life of their own. If only Stiles would ask her to stay so she could be sure.
Her phone rang in her hand, making her jump, Stiles number on the display. It was nearly eleven, almost an hour after he closed. She hesitated, then swiped the display to accept the call.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Can we talk?” Stiles asked, his voice cool.
“Yes.”
“In person.”
Bridget sagged into the couch. “You can’t tell me over the phone?”
“No. You need to hear this in person.”
She gritted her teeth to hold her tears at bay. “Should I come there?”
“It’s up to you.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
“Come in the back.”
She hung up her phone and then blubbered once, knowing instinctively what this conversation was going to be about. She took a deep breath and choked off her tears. It looked like Stiles was going to make her decision for her.
***
Bridget sat in her Escape at the back of SkinMusic. Until today, she had never driven her car to her clandestine meetings with Stiles, always taking a cab so her car remained at home, and today she had been here twice. She sat, the vehicle switched off and silent, realizing she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything anymore.
Terry had called her as she drove to tell her how much he missed her and how he was looking forward to being home so he could hold her again. She had barely managed to hold her tears as they spoke, trying to sound excited to speak with him, but the entire time all she could think about was how heavy her heart was. Through her selfishness she had destroyed two lives, and repeatedly lied to a good and honorable man.
Summoning her courage she opened the door and stepped out into the damp night air, shutting the car door softly behind her. Normally she was buzzing with excitement as she walked to Stiles door, but tonight there was nothing but dread. How could I have done this? she asked herself for at least the hundredth time.
She rapped softly on the door, promising herself that no matter what happened she wouldn’t beg or cry. This was her fault and she would take the responsibility for it like an adult and not like the spoiled little rich girl she felt like.
Stiles opened the door, his normal smile missing. “Come in,” he said, stepping back and opening the door wider. She stepped into his kitchen and he shut the door. “Can I get you something?”
“No. Let’s just get this over with.”
Stiles lived in the back of SkinMusic in what remained of the converted house. The parlor and waiting area occupied what was the living room and small dining room at the front of house, and he lived in the kitchen and three bedrooms at the back. He shared his bathroom with the public, but had converted two of the bedrooms into a den and a small dining room.
He led her into the den and they sat down. Normally, if they didn’t go
“Nope. Like I said, I know a place and I think you will like it. I’ll be there in a half-hour. Dress comfortably and be ready to ride.”
“Treb—” she began but he was gone. She looked at her almost finished dinner then smiled as she began to package her meal for the refrigerator. As she worked, she giggled when she realized that Treble didn’t know where she lived and wondered how long it would be before he called and asked for her address.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Bridget sat curled on her couch, playing a mindless game of Leo’s Fortune on her phone. She was exhausted, wrung out from her late night then early morning, but most especially by the emotional hand wringing she had been doing ever since she visited Stiles to have her butterfly finished.
Lindy made it all seem so simple. If you’re not sure, you need to call it off, Lindy’s voice sounded in her head again. She knew Lindy was right, but events had taken on a life of their own. If only Stiles would ask her to stay so she could be sure.
Her phone rang in her hand, making her jump, Stiles number on the display. It was nearly eleven, almost an hour after he closed. She hesitated, then swiped the display to accept the call.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Can we talk?” Stiles asked, his voice cool.
“Yes.”
“In person.”
Bridget sagged into the couch. “You can’t tell me over the phone?”
“No. You need to hear this in person.”
She gritted her teeth to hold her tears at bay. “Should I come there?”
“It’s up to you.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
“Come in the back.”
She hung up her phone and then blubbered once, knowing instinctively what this conversation was going to be about. She took a deep breath and choked off her tears. It looked like Stiles was going to make her decision for her.
***
Bridget sat in her Escape at the back of SkinMusic. Until today, she had never driven her car to her clandestine meetings with Stiles, always taking a cab so her car remained at home, and today she had been here twice. She sat, the vehicle switched off and silent, realizing she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything anymore.
Terry had called her as she drove to tell her how much he missed her and how he was looking forward to being home so he could hold her again. She had barely managed to hold her tears as they spoke, trying to sound excited to speak with him, but the entire time all she could think about was how heavy her heart was. Through her selfishness she had destroyed two lives, and repeatedly lied to a good and honorable man.
Summoning her courage she opened the door and stepped out into the damp night air, shutting the car door softly behind her. Normally she was buzzing with excitement as she walked to Stiles door, but tonight there was nothing but dread. How could I have done this? she asked herself for at least the hundredth time.
She rapped softly on the door, promising herself that no matter what happened she wouldn’t beg or cry. This was her fault and she would take the responsibility for it like an adult and not like the spoiled little rich girl she felt like.
Stiles opened the door, his normal smile missing. “Come in,” he said, stepping back and opening the door wider. She stepped into his kitchen and he shut the door. “Can I get you something?”
“No. Let’s just get this over with.”
Stiles lived in the back of SkinMusic in what remained of the converted house. The parlor and waiting area occupied what was the living room and small dining room at the front of house, and he lived in the kitchen and three bedrooms at the back. He shared his bathroom with the public, but had converted two of the bedrooms into a den and a small dining room.
He led her into the den and they sat down. Normally, if they didn’t go
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