man?”
“Well, maybe not that dedicated.” Audra grinned.
“We haven’t talked much the past few days,” Riley said. “How are you? How has it been, being back at work? You seen much of Shane lately?”
“Geez. Are you interrogating me, counselor? How about one question at a time?”
“Okay. The Shane one.” Riley slid her a look from the corners of her eyes.
“I saw him once.” She didn’t mention the drinks and dinner. Riley would grill her like she was on the witness stand.
“I think he still likes you. You should go for it.”
Audra rolled her eyes. “The man’s been back in town for two months and you think I should pounce on him?”
Riley nodded vigorously. “Pounce the hell out of him. He’s gorgeous.”
“I’m absolutely not looking for a relationship. Things didn’t exactly go great the last time.”
“That was almost fifteen years ago. You’re divorced. He’s back. Kismet.”
Audra let out a sigh. Kismet. Right. The man had suffered some terrible tragedy in Cincinnati, moved back to his home town to heal, and Kismet wanted Audra to circle him like a vulture. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Sorry. Just think about it, okay?”
“How about I at least wait until he shows some interest?”
“You haven’t noticed the way he looks at you?”
“You mean like a concerned cop looks at a victim? Come on, Ri, you’re reaching.”
“Speaking of victim. Guess who came to see me today?”
“I have no idea.”
She blotted her face again, then draped the towel around her neck. “Maria.”
“Maria? What for?”
“About a divorce. We filed a petition.”
Audra dialed down the treadmill until it stopped. Her legs felt like they might fall off. Damn. She was more out of shape than she realized.
She turned to face Riley. “No way.”
“Yes way.”
“Wow. After all this time.” She chewed her lower lip. What had Scott done to send Maria to a divorce attorney? If beating the hell out of her weekly wasn’t enough, what was? “So, you think she’ll go through with it?”
Riley stopped her treadmill. “Let’s take a break.”
They stepped off the machines and dropped onto the hard wooden bench that lined the wall behind them. The smell of sweat and tanning lotion hung in the air. A Lil’ Wayne song played from the speakers in the ceilings, punctuated by occasional grunts from the weight lifters.
“Ahhh. This is more like it.” Riley leaned her head back. “I thought for a minute I would pass out. Next time Sadie’s at dance class, let’s go to a movie or something. This working out thing sucks.”
“You were saying about Maria?” Audra prodded impatiently.
Riley shrugged. “I can’t say much about our consultation. Now that she filed, it’s public record, but I can’t give you details. I just wanted you to know because I’m worried.”
“Worried? Was she hurt? What did he do to her?”
“She was fine. I’m worried about you. That asshole husband of hers has it in for you just for trying to help his wife. When he is served with the papers, there’s no telling what he’ll do. He’ll blame you, I’m sure.”
Audra waved a hand dismissively. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“Well, you should be. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with what happened to you.”
“He was in jail.”
“So. He could have put someone up to it. Nothing he’d do would surprise me.”
“I just hope Maria finally gets away from him.”
“She’s taken the first step. We’ll see.” She raised her brows at Audra. “Any more of those hottie ghost sightings?”
Audra’s heart jumped. “What?”
“The ghosts you saw after your accident. Still seeing them?”
In an effort to avoid Riley’s gaze, Audra bent to re-tie her shoe.
Maybe she should tell Riley the truth. The door had been opened, why not let her walk through?
Because, knowing the truth could possibly put her in danger. And, there’s no way in hell Riley would believe her,
“Well, maybe not that dedicated.” Audra grinned.
“We haven’t talked much the past few days,” Riley said. “How are you? How has it been, being back at work? You seen much of Shane lately?”
“Geez. Are you interrogating me, counselor? How about one question at a time?”
“Okay. The Shane one.” Riley slid her a look from the corners of her eyes.
“I saw him once.” She didn’t mention the drinks and dinner. Riley would grill her like she was on the witness stand.
“I think he still likes you. You should go for it.”
Audra rolled her eyes. “The man’s been back in town for two months and you think I should pounce on him?”
Riley nodded vigorously. “Pounce the hell out of him. He’s gorgeous.”
“I’m absolutely not looking for a relationship. Things didn’t exactly go great the last time.”
“That was almost fifteen years ago. You’re divorced. He’s back. Kismet.”
Audra let out a sigh. Kismet. Right. The man had suffered some terrible tragedy in Cincinnati, moved back to his home town to heal, and Kismet wanted Audra to circle him like a vulture. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Sorry. Just think about it, okay?”
“How about I at least wait until he shows some interest?”
“You haven’t noticed the way he looks at you?”
“You mean like a concerned cop looks at a victim? Come on, Ri, you’re reaching.”
“Speaking of victim. Guess who came to see me today?”
“I have no idea.”
She blotted her face again, then draped the towel around her neck. “Maria.”
“Maria? What for?”
“About a divorce. We filed a petition.”
Audra dialed down the treadmill until it stopped. Her legs felt like they might fall off. Damn. She was more out of shape than she realized.
She turned to face Riley. “No way.”
“Yes way.”
“Wow. After all this time.” She chewed her lower lip. What had Scott done to send Maria to a divorce attorney? If beating the hell out of her weekly wasn’t enough, what was? “So, you think she’ll go through with it?”
Riley stopped her treadmill. “Let’s take a break.”
They stepped off the machines and dropped onto the hard wooden bench that lined the wall behind them. The smell of sweat and tanning lotion hung in the air. A Lil’ Wayne song played from the speakers in the ceilings, punctuated by occasional grunts from the weight lifters.
“Ahhh. This is more like it.” Riley leaned her head back. “I thought for a minute I would pass out. Next time Sadie’s at dance class, let’s go to a movie or something. This working out thing sucks.”
“You were saying about Maria?” Audra prodded impatiently.
Riley shrugged. “I can’t say much about our consultation. Now that she filed, it’s public record, but I can’t give you details. I just wanted you to know because I’m worried.”
“Worried? Was she hurt? What did he do to her?”
“She was fine. I’m worried about you. That asshole husband of hers has it in for you just for trying to help his wife. When he is served with the papers, there’s no telling what he’ll do. He’ll blame you, I’m sure.”
Audra waved a hand dismissively. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“Well, you should be. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had something to do with what happened to you.”
“He was in jail.”
“So. He could have put someone up to it. Nothing he’d do would surprise me.”
“I just hope Maria finally gets away from him.”
“She’s taken the first step. We’ll see.” She raised her brows at Audra. “Any more of those hottie ghost sightings?”
Audra’s heart jumped. “What?”
“The ghosts you saw after your accident. Still seeing them?”
In an effort to avoid Riley’s gaze, Audra bent to re-tie her shoe.
Maybe she should tell Riley the truth. The door had been opened, why not let her walk through?
Because, knowing the truth could possibly put her in danger. And, there’s no way in hell Riley would believe her,
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