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She didn't move a muscle. "My fiance's father."
Fiance. Steven physically staggered backward against her front door. "You're engaged?"
Her head turned and he could see her face had grown pale. "My late fiance. Adam died two years ago." Her lips twisted bitterly. "Two years ago next Saturday."
Now he understood her comment on the fragility of life. "I'm sorry, Je
"Thank you," she whispered.
Steven shook himself into motion. "I'll replace your lock."
"Okay," she murmured.
"Matt has a soccer game tomorrow. It'll be Tuesday before I can come back."
She nodded. "Okay."
"Di
For a moment he thought she'd say no. Half of him wished she would. The other half wanted her to say yes with a yearning that threatened to rip him in two. Then she nodded and his heart started beating again. "Okay."
Sunday, October 2, 10:00 P.M.
Casey found her in the same position an hour later.
"What are you doing here?" Casey thundered, letting herself in with her key. "I thought you were dead on the highway. In my truck! Why didn't you call me if you weren't coming?"
Je
"Di
Je
Casey followed her into the kitchen. "Were you not listening to anything I said? I ate. New Italian place on Capitol." She poked Je
Je
"I forgot." Casey peered under Je
Je
Casey looked worried. "What's wrong, Jen? And why were you feeling sorry for yourself?"
Je
Casey choked. "What? Where the hell did that come from?"
Je
"No." Casey stepped back and shifted her weight to one foot. Her eye twitched. "Not exactly."
"Not exactly?" Je
"Jen?" Casey asked in a tiny voice. "Do you have something you want to get off your chest?"
"I am insane."
"You said that already." She squeezed Je
"Not then. Now. Tonight."
Casey tilted her head, puzzled and tentative. "Tonight?"
Je
Casey frowned. "What are you talking about? Who was here?"
"Steven Thatcher," Je
Casey's brows shot up. "Oh." Her eyes darted back toward Je
Je
"Then I am confused. How did you cheat? Specifically now, Je
"Steven was here. Long story." She massaged her temples. "He held my hand."
Casey was staring at her as if she were a french fry short of a happy meal. "And?"
Je
Je
Casey gently grabbed Je
"I wanted to… you know… just holding his hand, Case." Je
Chapter Twelve
Monday, October 3, 1:35 A.M.
"Je
Je
Casey caught up, huffing and puffing. "'Where's the fire, Marshall? Slow down. You've got twenty minutes till the first bell. Besides, doesn't that hurt your ankle, walking that fast?"
"Yes, but the throbbing in my ankle takes my mind off the throbbing in my head," Je
"No shit," Casey muttered, then was blessedly silent until they stopped in front of Je
"Nothing." Je
"That's what I wanted to discuss," Casey said with an emphatic nod.
Je
Casey pursed her lips. "Not Rudy. I wanted to talk about why you couldn't sleep last night."
"I don't want to talk about that, either. Especially not here. Go away, Casey." She shoved her hand in her purse again and muttered a curse when something sharp poked her finger. She brought out a metal nail file and put it in Casey's outstretched palm. "Don't tell me I left my keys in Blackman's office. I don't want to go back there. Dammit to hell."
"Really, Jen. I've been thinking about Adam and… you know."
Je
Casey lowered her voice to a whisper. "Listen, Jen, you shouldn't even try to remember how things were between you and Adam. I don't even think you have rational memories of how he was before, so I'll remember for you. You were perfectly satisfied. You told me so."