Page 17 of Trust in Me
I shook my head. “Don’t be saying anything negative about yourself, Avery. It’s not true. And yes, I’m working, but that’s the beauty of having a job where I have some flexibility to come get you. Come on, I’ll bring you over to Blackstone in the cruiser and we can pick up your car.”
Avery grabbed her purse and stepped into the hallway ahead of me.
“You have the keys?”
Avery reached into the bag, shuffling around, then nodded. She must have found them. “Yep. I’m good. Let’s go.”
The parking lot at Blackstone always looked different in the morning light. There were a few cars still parked here, including Avery’s. I pulled the cruiser into a spot beside her Jeep, then came around the side to open Avery’s door. She climbed out, keys in hand, and unlocked her car.
“Drive safe, now, darlin’. Will I see you back here tonight?” I closed the passenger door of my truck.
Avery opened the driver’s door of the Jeep and slid in, carefully placing her travel mug of coffee in the cup holder, and threw her purse on the passenger seat. Clear priorities. “Um…I don’t know. I know I don’t have to work tonight, but I used the guest passes you gave me, and….”
“Got it. Just check in with whoever is working the door tonight, okay? I’ll take care of it.” I closed her door, ending the conversation before she could argue. I patted the top of Jeep twice in a send-off, then walked back to the cruiser.
Avery started the Jeep and backed out of the spot. I waited until she’d gotten a ways down the road before I pulled out my phone.
Brax:Hey, I need to add someone to my membership.
Drew:The subbie you were with last night? *wink emoji*
Brax:Yeah. Avery Cooke. Her stuff is on file, just put her under my membership for now.
Drew:So… she yours now?
Brax:Don’t read too much into it. You know I’m not in the market for anything permanent.
Drew just sent back another wink emoji. Damn matchmaker and his schemes. He knew I wasn’t looking for something serious, and he was one of the few at Blackstone that knew the reason why. I shoved the phone in my pocket.
I wasn’t ready to admit to him that I was counting the hours until I saw Avery again. Hell, I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself.
14
Avery
Ipulledbackintomy apartment parking lot one Starbucks stop later. I moved the gearshift into park and tipped the paper cup upside down to get the last sip of my venti vanilla latte. I could have another coffee once I got home, right? I nodded to myself as I justified my caffeine habit. There were plenty of worse addictions out there.
I climbed out of the Jeep. What to wear tonight? Honestly, I needed something new. I pulled out my phone to text Emma while I walked across the lot. She’d have an idea of where to shop.
Avery:Need an outfit for tonight. Want to come shopping?
Emma:Sure thing! Meet you at 1? You still on Brax’s guest pass?
I was about to reply to Emma’s text when a piece of white paper caught my eye. It was taped to my apartment door— the door to my actual apartment, not the main door to the building, so it had to be for me. I dropped my phone in my purse and snagged the paper off the door.
See you again soon. Leave the cop behind next time.
The scrawly handwriting looked the same as the note I’d found on my car the other day. A chill ran down my spine. I looked down the hallway both directions, my heart beating out of my chest. There was no one in sight. I unlocked the door, darted inside and shut it behind me.
I looked around the apartment with my back to the door. Everything seemed to be in place, and there was nowhere here for anyone to hide in here, was there? I looked around the living area once more, then checked the bedroom, which looked clear.
I checked behind the shower curtain, too. Then in the closet, just to be safe. The apartment seemed as empty as I’d left it. The coffee in the carafe was cooling down, since I’d turned off the machine before leaving. I poured myself another cup and put it in the microwave to heat up. I pulled my phone out to text Emma back while the magical life-juice returned to its proper piping hot temperature.
Avery:I guess I’m still on a guest pass? He told me he’d take care of it, whatever that means.
Emma:*heart emoji* *wink emoji* Ooooh, he’ll take CARE of it, huh? We need some girl talk!
Emma:*eggplant emoji* *water droplets emoji*
