Return to You by Samantha Chase Page B

imagine how James was going to see her. Would he think that she had dressed for him? Did she look like she was trying too hard to impress? Shaking her head, she realized that paranoia was beginning to overwhelm her. “I look completely normal, exactly the way I would dress when meeting a friend for lunch. Which I am.”
    Personal pep talk completed, she walked around the suite and collected all the reunion paperwork she was going to need along with her briefcase and her phone. Glancing around the room and certain that she hadn’t forgotten anything, she stepped out, pulling the door closed behind her.
    She rode the elevator down to the lobby and felt confident in what the day held for her. If only the cops could find this Todd guy and ease Jen’s mind, it would be a perfect day.

Chapter 5
    He was late.
    It was now after four and Selena was beyond furious. She had called the police station and could not get an answer as to where he was. It was more than possible that he had been called away on some sort of police business, but he could have at least let her know. Calling Jen to get his number was a possibility, but Selena thought she’d be damned if she’d chase him down. She had extended the olive branch, and now he was being spiteful. She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
    Well, fine. Let him be spiteful. Another glance at her watch showed it going on four twenty. She’d give him until four thirty and then she’d leave, to hell with closure. Ten years ago she was thrust into a situation beyond her control, and when she had needed James the most, he had bailed. She didn’t need him now. She had lived just fine without him—barely—but now, seeing him for who he really was had opened her eyes. If there had been any lingering—overly romanticized hopes and memories on her part—this little stunt of his had certainly killed them.
    Finishing off the hot chocolate she had ordered, Selena meticulously cleared off the table and threw away her trash. She made her way to the door slowly, and once outside, she even stopped to look around just in case he was walking her way. This part of town wasn’t familiar to her, and she wasn’t even sure which direction James’s police precinct was or where he would be coming from. But as she looked around, she felt empty and defeated. Everything she thought she needed had been right within her reach, and James Montgomery had taken it away again—leaving her alone, with nothing.
    Absolutely nothing.
    Again.
    With a sense of determination, she walked back to her car with her head held high—just in case he was lurking around and watching her. That’s when her phone rang. Certain that it was James calling with an apology, she was disappointed to see Jen’s face appear on the screen. “Hey!” Selena answered, forcing herself to sound cheery when she felt like screaming. “How was your day? Where are you?”
    â€œExhausting as usual,” Jen replied. “I talked to Mike, and there’s still no sign of Todd, but…I think I’m going to sleep at home tonight. I know you paid for the hotel, and it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, and if you want to stay with me tonight, that’s fine…”
    â€œBut…” Selena prompted.
    â€œBut…I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed with everything, and I kind of wanted some time alone. I know I hounded you about coming home and spending time with me, and here I am all but throwing you out…”
    â€œJen, Jen,” Selena interrupted. “It’s okay. I completely understand. To be honest, today was a little exhausting for me too.” She knew it wasn’t fair to dump any more drama on Jen, but that’s what friends were for, right?
    â€œHow did the lunch go?” Jen asked.
    Selena told her about the fun she’d had with the girls and all of the plans they had confirmed, and then told