Page 66 of Old Flames

It wasn’t a sassy reply so much as an exercise in caution. She was dodging his question. “Taking a nap on a garden bench at night.”

She covered her eyes with her hands to blot him out.

“July, look at me.”

She sighed and lowered her hands. “What?” she said wearily.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Leo. I didn’t expect to find you here. It threw me off.”

“You’re not spiraling or anything?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” she retorted.

“I think you know,” he said.

“What did Vicky tell you?” she snapped.

Leo paused. What have we stumbled upon here? “Why would I need Vicky to tell me anything? If you’re spiraling, you’re spiraling. I’ve been there.”

“I’m not spiraling,” she said through clenched teeth. “Anyway, what are you doing here? Aren’t you on a road trip?”

You would’ve thought he’d crashed her party. “I never left,” he said. “I know for a fact that you did. Why are you back?”

“I missed my flight,” she said.

Leo was confused. “Weren’t you traveling with the others? Are they back, too?”

“No. Just me.”

“Let me get this straight,” he said. “You missed a flight departing Miami and returned to Key West?”

“I had my reasons,” she replied, dismissively.

“Which are?”

“I don’t owe you an explanation, but if you must know, I’m in no rush to return home. I thought the renovations would be done by now, and they aren’t.”

That couldn’t be it. Wasn’t she staying with Vicky? He waited for more.

“I’m on deadline. All I need is a quiet place to work for the week,” she explained. “The Aurora might as well be it.”

The answer was rehearsed. This was what she planned to tell anyone who questioned her. Also, it didn’t explain why she was sleeping in the garden, but he thought better than to press her on it.

As though she’d read his mind, she added, “I got back late this afternoon, got my room, and caught up with work. An hour ago, I was feeling boxed in and stepped out for fresh air. I must’ve fallen asleep. That’s it. End of story. It’s been a long day. I’m tired.”

All of this was completely rational on its face and yet unplausible, and even less so when her phone rang and, in a panic, she silenced it. The phone buzzed violently in her hand and would likely go on buzzing if she didn’t answer it.

“Hey, you!” she said brightly. “Sorry, I didn’t call. . . . Yep! Still in Florida! Can you believe it? It’s spring break, and the flights are booked. But it’s fine. I’m in no rush.”

Technically, she was telling the truth. The caller would assume she was camping at an airport terminal or biding her time at a hotel in Miami. Why hadn’t she given them the spiel of the apartment renovations and only needing a quiet place to work? She was glossing over the truth, and no one would get any answers out of her tonight.

“We’ll catch up in the morning. Good night.” She ended the call and tucked the phone away, out of sight. “That was Vicky.”

Better Vicky than Bobby, he thought.

He pulled up a chair to the side of the bed. “July, are you on the run?”