The Wife of a Lesser Man (LA Cops Series Book 1) by Sandy Appleyard Page B

you out!” 
    Shelley waved off Sarah’s comment.  “I was just looking at his tattoo.” 
    “What was that anyway?  A lion?”  Sarah asked.
    “Yeah.  It’s his astrological sign.  He’s a Leo.” 
    Sarah lifted her eyebrows, swaying her hips from side to side and commented in a sultry voice, “I wonder if he goes in like a lion and out like a lamb.” 
    …
     
    “I don’t need your help. I’m fine.”  Shelley slurred.  It was half past ten and they had spent the previous two and a half hours drinking and dancing at the bar.  A half hour after they arrived, the music was turned up and the dance floor flooded.
    “Oh yes you do.”  Sarah insisted.  She noticed all the lights were turned off and Mark’s car was parked in the garage.
    “My goodness girl, you sure don’t hold your booze like you used to.”  Shelley sarcastically burped in response to her comment.
    “I should’ve taken you for coffee before bringing you home like this.  Mark will have my head tomorrow.”  Sarah seethed, supporting Shelley’s weight with her arm around her shoulder.  “Maybe I should just take you into one of the girls’ rooms instead of putting you in with Mark?”  She asked, watching a dollop of spittle trail down Shelley’s face. 
    “Oh no, Mark loves it when I’m drunk! I let all my inhib…inhibish….”
    “Inhibitions?”  Sarah ventured. 
    “Yeah, what you said.  I throw those all out the window.”  Shelley’s arms flailed about, miming throwing something to her right.  She lost grip on her purse and it fell to the ground.  Shelley’s keys fell out. 
    “There is a God.”  Sarah remarked, picking them up and leaning Shelley against the door jam.
    She put the key in the hole and opened the door as Shelley leaned in and lost her footing, flopping to the tiled flooring below.  Sarah fell to her knees.  “Jesus, are you okay?”  she said, helping her up.
    Shelley seemed to sober a little, feeling the pain in her hip.  She rose with Sarah’s help and rubbed her outer thigh.  “I’m going to feel that in the morning.”
    “I’m guessing a headache is all you’ll be feeling in the morning.  Let me get you some water.”  Sarah offered, closing the door behind her.  Shelley followed her over to the kitchen and sat down in one of the chairs. 
    “Are you feeling okay?  Do you want me to stay with you?”  Sarah asked, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it under the tap.  As she handed it to her, she answered, “No, I think I’ll be okay after I have some water and maybe a piece of toast.”
    Sarah nodded and opened up the loaf of bread sitting on the counter.  She put a piece in the toaster and turned it on.
    They heard footsteps and looked at Mark, standing in the kitchen doorway in his pajamas and bathrobe.  He rubbed his eyes and said, “What are you guys up to?  Did somebody fall?”  Then he saw Shelley’s red rimmed and rather unfocused eyes.  “Shelley?  Are you drunk?”  He put his hand on her face and directed it to his. 
    She swallowed.  “I was.  But after I fell I think it knocked the drunk out of me.”  He furrowed his brows and looked up at Sarah who was leaning with her back against the kitchen counter. 
    “Where did you guys go?  I thought you went to yoga.” 
    “We did.  Then we went to that bar in the mall.” 
    He directed his gaze back at Shelley.  “Are you okay?  It’s not like you to drink like that….especially when you’ve gotta work the next day.” 
    Shelley nodded.  “I need to go to bed”. 
    “Don’t you want your toast?”  Sarah called. 
    Shelley waved her hand behind her and kept walking up the stairs. 
    Mark watched her until she reached the top of the stairs, then he turned his gaze to Sarah.  “What’s going on?”  He asked, taking the toast out of the oven and reaching for the butter.  Sarah saw him and gently slapped his hand.  She looked at him and waved her index finger