Page 30 (1/2)

The parking garage is empty, but the streets are full I make a quick stop in Fiction Vixen for a purchase and then head to my destination I’etting the sae on it and order two sparkling waters, with le the juice over her arh to myself Moments later the door opens and there stands the hottest little number--her red hair tureen dress is anything but old necklaces drape her neck, and she looks sexier than hell Fuckto vanish rin, I rise frouy has his hands around her before I even iant’s ar her tiny body, I clear lint in her eyes she looks at me

"Ben, this is Pebbles Well, really his name is Rocko and he owns the place," she says with an upward tilt of her lips

I begrudgingly extend my arm "Nice to meet you"

He nods "Same here Heard a lot about you"

"Really, don’t believe it all" I grin

"It’s all good,my eyes to S’belle, I bend my elboard her "Shall we?"

She gives a little wave to Pebbles or Rocko or whatever he goes by and then wraps her arh mine with the most effervescent smile

"Who is he?"

"A friend," she answers

"You know I’rowl in her ear

She tilts her head and lifts her hand toes between us before I even pull her chair out and I wonder why she insisted onat a restaurant As she sits, I lean forward and brush ht tre here? I thought the next time I saw you you’d be in that bikini sprawled out on your bed"

She tosses her head fro to break free of the vision I just created "I need to tell you so and wasn’t sure hohere to do it This place just seeht"

She sets her napkin on her lap and iainst the tabletop

I take a seat and grab her hand "Okay We’re here now, so tell me, let’s eat, and then I want to take you home and fk you"

She ss and I notice her hands treain Okay We’re here now, so tell rabs for the water in front of her and drinks it down, all of it Her eyes lift to mine "I’m not sure how to tell you this"

I can feel confusion wrinkling aze falls "But I know I have to I have a confession to o And I’ers creep up her arm to her chin

She leans into my touch and her face looks al to tell h as I reach for the wrapped brown package I set on the table

She stares at it

"Since you lent ht it was only fair I return the favor Although I’," I chuckle

Her eyes widen like saucers as I hand her the package She takes it with treers

"It’s safe, I promise You can open it I’m cool with your half-truth"

The waitress approaches our table and refills both our sparkling waters "Are you ready to order?"

"Two peppered beef skeith rice," I tell her, and turn o ahead, open it"

Tearing open the wrap, she stares at the first book, Everything You Ever Need to Know About the French Riviera Her eyes dart to mine

"I know you never went there"

She sits ether, when you told me all about what it was like on the French Riviera, I knew you’d never been there as soon as you said you went"

She scrunches her eyebrows and purses her lips

"It ritten all over your face"

Tears fill her eyes as she sets the stack on the table "You’re right, I never went to the Riviera"

Feeling like a real assle, I pull her to ot you some other books as well"

She sits onat the other titles Her lemon scent assaults me and her mess of wild hair brushes acrossto cry over I think it’s funny"

She buries her head farther inabout that But I can’t believe you knew the whole tio on and on"

"But that wouldn’t have been nearly as ives a faint soes back to sit in her chair She takes another gulp of her water and then looks at me

I soften my voice "Please tell me"

She nods "Do you remember yesterday when you asked me what the shareen ehts I had about running rin I answer, "Yes"

She sets her glass down Her hands are shaking and she’s unable to speak

I suddenly lose any sense of fun in this conversation "Hey, look atboth her hands

Her eyes cut to mine, the fire now dulled and consumed by sadness

"What is it? Just tellcourage