“Do you need a ride home again?” Stan winked at her.
Agitation tinged Caroline’s mood. “No, Stan, I’m not interested.” She eyed Grey. “I’m out.”
As she made her way through the parking lot, Grey caught up with her. “Did you want to stay and have a drink?”
What? I thought he was meeting someone.
His phone rang. He answered. “Where are you?”
“Your place,” said a woman.
What the?— ?????
“Hold on.” He tapped the mute button, said to Caroline, “You sure you don’t want to go back inside?”
Inside? You’ve got some chick waiting for you.
“I’m good.” She stopped in front of her ALPHA SUV. “See you tomorrow. I crossed a line, but not again.”
Before he could respond, she climbed into her vehicle, shut the door, and started the engine. He waited while she backedout before waving goodbye. With his phone to his ear, he walked to his SUV.
What the hell was that? He’s got a woman. I can’t believe I was that stupid.
She sat there in the parking lot too stunned to drive forward.
BEEP!
She put the vehicle in drive, headed out. As she approached the exit, Grey pulled onto the street. In those few seconds, a terrible idea took hold.
Keeping her distance, she followed him home.
Grey parked in the driveway of a modest one-story home in Arlington. A woman exited a car parked on the street and walked over to him. After hugging her, they disappeared inside his house.
A stabbing pain shot through her chest while emotion clogged her throat. She liked him, like for real.
I’m so glad I kept my stupid feelings to myself.
She drove away feeling like a fool.
I invited him, he accepted. It was a booty call, so woman-up and let it go.
Her heart sank. She would have to face him every day at work. The self-scolding continued until she drove into the underground parking at Carlyle Towers. As she walked into the building, she made the decision to let it go. She’d sleep it off, wake with a new attitude, and work the case like the pro she was. Even so, her heart broke a little as she rode the elevator upstairs.
And here I thought he was the one. What a dummy.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming text from the Lost Souls app. Once inside her condo, she opened the app and read the message from Stan.
Hey friend wanna grab coffee sometime?
She set her phone down and stared out the picture window in her living room. She’d hooked up with a stranger at a club and broken her work rule with Grey. Determination had her steeling her spine.
No more stupid decisions.
Her phone buzzed again. She read the next message from Stan.
You read my message, but you’re ignoring it
ARE YOU DUMPING ME
