Page 9 of Craig

Her mother had loved her enough for her to be confident in that affection. But there had been times when she was growing up when his rejection had scarred her to the bone.

Now she accepted it and had moved on with her life. He never called her and she afforded him the same courtesy, by not calling him either.

“Thirty,” Dylan told her grimly.

“Well.” She drank her piña colada and studied the couple two tables over.

The man was very attentive, touching his companion’s hand frequently. The woman was basking in all that attention.

She found herself wondering briefly what it was like to have that kind of attachment. Mentally shrugging the feeling away, she dug into her pasta.

“At least she’s a bit older than me.”

“And younger than me.”

“There’s that.” She glanced at him curiously.

“Will you be attending?”

“I stopped doing so after the fourth one.” Reaching across the table, he touched her smooth cheek in shared sympathy.

“He’s not capable of loving anyone.”

Regina nodded. “I told myself that a long time ago.”

She shrugged slim shoulders. “It doesn’t make it easier to hear.”

“No, it doesn’t,” he concurred.

*****

To say she was surprised to get the call would be putting it mildly. Craig Muldoon was a blast from the past.

It had been tumultuous, what one would call a fiery, passionate interlude that had burned itself out after a few months. She could look back on that time with some regret because she had really cared about him.

But she had been unable to make a commitment then and he had wanted one.

She was scoping out the building she was bent on acquiring when she got the call. It was still available and she had the feeling it was waiting on her.

She was hopeful enough to believe it.

“Hello?” she answered as soon as she dug the phone out of her oversized purse.

“Hi.”

The deep voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

“Hi, yourself. Who’s this?”

“Should I be offended?” The amusement was there and the recognition came instantly.

“Craig Muldoon! As I live and breathe.”

Sitting on the stone wall of the sprouting fountain in the middle of the town center, she eased off her sandals and simply relaxed her toes. She had been walking for what seemed like ages, just walking and thinking about her future and what the hell to do about it.

“How’re you?”

“I’ve been better.” He could just visualize her spectacular body encased in some scandalous outfit.