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Honey looked over; her face filled with doubt. “But I might have been. Think about it. I expected them to be the only ones who had any reason to jump me. So my brain filled in that information. I couldn’t swear without a doubt that it was her.”
“What about the text messages?”
“They were crude and threatening, sure. But first of all, it’s not definite who sent them. And it doesn’t mean those same jerks followed through. The police need more than that to prove they’re responsible.”
“At least, Metro P.D. are on your case now, right?”
“Right. Along with thousands more like it.” Honey’s tone showed she didn’t hold out a lot of hope for getting satisfaction. “And we both know, if you’re waiting for an admission of guilt, you can forget about it.”
“Pretty much what I thought myself.” As her next words exploded, Mel’s foot got heavier on the gas. “I just hate to think that mangy little bitch might get away with this.”
“Well, unless we can come up with compelling evidence that she and her gang were behind the attack, we’re hooped. And please… slow down before you get a speeding ticket.”
“Oh, sure. Speeding tickets, the cops are lickety-split on the scene. Get the shit kicked out of you, not so much.”
Honey had no idea why that made her laugh, but it did. Soon both girls were roaring.
Mel finally calmed down and pulled up in front of Honey’s apartment. “Look, I know you’re not going to like this, but Luke came over earlier and wrangled information out of me about the mess at the school and the court case.”
“Wrangled? What… he held you down and poured truth serum down your throat?”
“Almost. He looked at me with that smile… you know the one he hardly ever uses.” Mel practiced but gave up.
Honey crossed her arms and waited.
“I’m sorry. But he hypnotizes me. His way of looking at you… it forced me to share cause he meant to find out, Honey. Truthfully. Pretty soon, I was babbling away like a wingnut escaped from an asylum.”
Laughing now, Honey’s voice soothed. “That’s messed up. So… what gems did you share?”
“Everything.”
***
Honey finished packing and waited for Mel to return to pick her up. They’d arranged for her to have a couple of hours to clean up, and then she’d stay with Mel for the night and search out another place the next day. Problem was, trying to find a room she could afford during tourist season would be brutal.
When she heard the knock at the door, she was dumbstruck to find Luke leaning against the doorframe rather than her pal. With his hands in his front pockets, he appeared relaxed – unlike her rioting emotions.
“Ahh, hi. Sorry, I was expecting Mel.”
“I know. She told me. Said you’d be staying with her because you had to move. Look, I have a friend who’s away from town for a few months, and he left me the keys to his apartment. It’s not far from the city, and it’s in a good neighborhood. You’ll stay there.”
“What a compelling invitation. I love being asked. Makes me feel like I actually have a say.”
“Sure. I’ll help you move.”
“Seriously? Look, do I have a choice?”
“You do. Where’s your bags?”
“Luke. Stop. I mean it. I don’t know your friend and why would he be willing to let me rent his place anyway?”
“No rent involved. And… because he knows me. If I say you’re good people, that’s all he cares about.” This time he stopped long enough to look down into the worry on her face and his creased into the grin that melted hearts. “I know you only intended to spend the summer here, working at the museum. He’ll be traveling until the fall. It fits the bill for both of you.”
Honey backed away to sit down on the nearby chair, his charm all but making her swoon. “Let me think. It’s happening too fast.”
“Okay, how about this. I’ll take you to see the place and if you like it, then you stay tonight. If it helps, we can take it day by day. And I swear, I’ll call before dropping in like this again.”
He’d crossed his arms, posing again by the doorway, his muscular frame leaning nonchalantly as if he didn’t have a care in the world. She looked closer and saw the twitch in his cheek and felt the stress he’d worked hard to hide. He cared about her answer. She knew it like she knew she craved his lips on hers.
