trailed off, and she started to blush.
Tonia blinked. "Don't tell me you're blowing off this opportunity because you're hung up on that guy who ruined your life!"
"My life is not ruined, for your information," Erin snapped. "Connor came to see me yesterday."
"Here?" Tonia's jaw dropped. "In your apartment? What did he do? Did he come on to you? I'll shoot him if he came on to you."
"No! He didn't! He came to tell me that Novak and Georg Luksch broke out of prison. He's worried about my safety. He tried to persuade me not to go on this trip." No need to mention that intense hug, since it had been completely platonic. At least on his part, if not hers. "Actually, I thought it was sweet of him," she said hesitantly. "To warn me."
"Sweet?" Tonia snorted a derisive sound. "He wants into your pants. Sure, he saved you from the evil henchman of the big bad criminal, but you told me yourself that all that Georg did to you was flirt. And McCloud turned him into hamburger right in front of you. Maybe some girls go for that sort of thing, but you're not one of them."
It was painful to hear the facts laid out in Tonia's merciless style, but Erin nodded. "It was horrible."
"Watch out, Erin. This guy is violent, and wild, and dangerous. He's got a grudge against your dad, and he's way,
way
too interested in you. And you keep making excuses for him, like he's got some weird power over you, or something!"
"That's not true." She laid down the half-eaten sticky bun. Her appetite had faded away. "I don't think he means me any harm."
"No? He's insane if he tries to stop you from going on this trip. Anything that interferes with this client is harmful to you."
"I know." Erin stared out the window at the soot streaks on the wall of the adjoining building with hot, brimming eyes.
Tonia sighed. "I know it's hard. The whole clinic nursing staff was gooey about your devotion. Every single day, there you were to read to him. Like
Lassie Come Home
, or something. It was adorable."
Tonia's choice of metaphors was an uncomfortable one. "Tonia—"
"It broke our hearts, it was so romantic," Tonia barged on. "But it wasn't meant to be. He's just not good enough for you, Erin."
Erin shook her head. None of her friends or family knew that she'd visited Connor every day that he'd lain in a coma, but there had been no way to hide it from the nursing staff.
Her friendship with Tonia had begun one day when Tonia had found Erin crying in the ladies' room. Tonia had given her a tissue and a hug, and led her down to the cafe outside for coffee. For the first time ever, Erin had let it all pour out, and confessed her unrequited love, her longing and heartache. Her terror that Connor might never wake up.
"Sore subject, isn't it?" Tonia's taunting tone dragged her back to the present. "Truth hurts, don't it?"
Erin breathed through the urge to snarl until it was controllable. "Let's not talk about Connor anymore," she said evenly. "I turned down his offer. I'm going on my trip. I told him to leave me alone. I did all the right things, so there's no reason for you to scold me like this."
Tonia looked abashed. "You're so right. I am such a bitch sometimes. Forgive me?" She fluttered her long lashes.
Erin smiled reluctantly. "Of course."
"OK. Good. Let's move on to your wardrobe. If you take a cab to the station instead of a city bus, you will buy yourself just enough time to come home and raid my wardrobe before you go. Consider it an investment. If you land this guy, you will spend the rest of your days in the lap of luxury, shopping with your good friend Tonia. I have got the perfect suit and blouse for you. Wine-red, short skirt, and a tantalizing hint of that kick-ass cleavage you never take advantage of."
Erin smiled. "Thanks, but the zillionaire will just have to cope with the real me. I've just got to be true to my inner dowdiness."
Tonia made a frustrated sound. "Well, then, I'll be on my way. Help me get that cat of yours into the pet carrier,
Tonia blinked. "Don't tell me you're blowing off this opportunity because you're hung up on that guy who ruined your life!"
"My life is not ruined, for your information," Erin snapped. "Connor came to see me yesterday."
"Here?" Tonia's jaw dropped. "In your apartment? What did he do? Did he come on to you? I'll shoot him if he came on to you."
"No! He didn't! He came to tell me that Novak and Georg Luksch broke out of prison. He's worried about my safety. He tried to persuade me not to go on this trip." No need to mention that intense hug, since it had been completely platonic. At least on his part, if not hers. "Actually, I thought it was sweet of him," she said hesitantly. "To warn me."
"Sweet?" Tonia snorted a derisive sound. "He wants into your pants. Sure, he saved you from the evil henchman of the big bad criminal, but you told me yourself that all that Georg did to you was flirt. And McCloud turned him into hamburger right in front of you. Maybe some girls go for that sort of thing, but you're not one of them."
It was painful to hear the facts laid out in Tonia's merciless style, but Erin nodded. "It was horrible."
"Watch out, Erin. This guy is violent, and wild, and dangerous. He's got a grudge against your dad, and he's way,
way
too interested in you. And you keep making excuses for him, like he's got some weird power over you, or something!"
"That's not true." She laid down the half-eaten sticky bun. Her appetite had faded away. "I don't think he means me any harm."
"No? He's insane if he tries to stop you from going on this trip. Anything that interferes with this client is harmful to you."
"I know." Erin stared out the window at the soot streaks on the wall of the adjoining building with hot, brimming eyes.
Tonia sighed. "I know it's hard. The whole clinic nursing staff was gooey about your devotion. Every single day, there you were to read to him. Like
Lassie Come Home
, or something. It was adorable."
Tonia's choice of metaphors was an uncomfortable one. "Tonia—"
"It broke our hearts, it was so romantic," Tonia barged on. "But it wasn't meant to be. He's just not good enough for you, Erin."
Erin shook her head. None of her friends or family knew that she'd visited Connor every day that he'd lain in a coma, but there had been no way to hide it from the nursing staff.
Her friendship with Tonia had begun one day when Tonia had found Erin crying in the ladies' room. Tonia had given her a tissue and a hug, and led her down to the cafe outside for coffee. For the first time ever, Erin had let it all pour out, and confessed her unrequited love, her longing and heartache. Her terror that Connor might never wake up.
"Sore subject, isn't it?" Tonia's taunting tone dragged her back to the present. "Truth hurts, don't it?"
Erin breathed through the urge to snarl until it was controllable. "Let's not talk about Connor anymore," she said evenly. "I turned down his offer. I'm going on my trip. I told him to leave me alone. I did all the right things, so there's no reason for you to scold me like this."
Tonia looked abashed. "You're so right. I am such a bitch sometimes. Forgive me?" She fluttered her long lashes.
Erin smiled reluctantly. "Of course."
"OK. Good. Let's move on to your wardrobe. If you take a cab to the station instead of a city bus, you will buy yourself just enough time to come home and raid my wardrobe before you go. Consider it an investment. If you land this guy, you will spend the rest of your days in the lap of luxury, shopping with your good friend Tonia. I have got the perfect suit and blouse for you. Wine-red, short skirt, and a tantalizing hint of that kick-ass cleavage you never take advantage of."
Erin smiled. "Thanks, but the zillionaire will just have to cope with the real me. I've just got to be true to my inner dowdiness."
Tonia made a frustrated sound. "Well, then, I'll be on my way. Help me get that cat of yours into the pet carrier,
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