Page 35 of Rekindle My Heart

Erica’s gaze drifted from one nodding head to the next before it cut to the back door. Crap, could she run from her own house?

Either Dr. Garcia O’Roarke was very perceptive or Erica’s fight-or-flight mode was written across her forehead, because Liz gave her arm a small squeeze and smiled. “It will be fine.”

All the strength slipped from her neck and her head wobbled like a bobble-head. These beautiful, lovely women were here to help her. The least she could do was not freak out on them. She forced a smile. “Where are my manners? Can I offer you a beverage?”

The doorbell rang, and Karma raced to the door. A low rumble echoed in his wake.

“That would be the beverages.” Liz unzipped the garment bag.

“Huh? Beverages?” Erica instructed Karma to sit before she opened the door to find Detective Larson and another blonde woman standing on her step.

“Sorry, we’re late,” Amy said.

Erica pulled the door open wide to welcome the newcomers. Her little home was bursting.

Amy shifted a duffle bag to her side and extended her hand. “Nice to see you again, Erica. This is Kate Meyer. I hope we didn’t miss any of the good stuff. You didn’t try anything on yet, did you?”

Kate smiled in greeting then pulled a bottle of champagne from the brown paper bag in her arms. “You can’t get ready without mimosas.”

The ladies all chattered as Liz held up a beautiful dress. Sapphire blue with rhinestones on the collar.

With the precision of a surgical team, Mira laid out tools and tubes of color. She opened another case, this one filled with hair products.

Kate unloaded juice. “Do you have a pitcher I can use?”

Erica stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a water jug she used to fill Karma’s bowl. She quickly washed it even though it only held water, then returned to the living room. Five sets of eyes scanned her from head to toe. She froze. “What?”

“Ryan has a good eye. I’d say we’re the same size.” Liz pulled out yet another dress, this one in the most beautiful shade of emerald green.

Amy snorted. “Ryan definitely has an eye for women’s bodies. I bet he’s on the money.”

Erica felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Amy’s mouth turned down.

Kate sauntered up to Erica and took the jug from her hands. “He may date, but I don’t think he’s as much of a horndog as they say. Heck, we went out a couple times and nothing happened.”

The women’s focuses in the room all shifted to the blonde—even Erica’s.

“What? He’s cute. And funny. Are you guys all blind?” Kate started mixing up the drinks.

“Why did I not hear about this until now?” Amy asked.

From the look in the Detective’s eyes, she and Ryan were close and not knowing was a shock.

Kate shrugged. “It was only a couple dates last year. No biggie.”

“I think Daniels and I need to have a talk about partner communication.” She shook her head, then zeroed in on Erica. “And what’s the deal with you and our boy Daniels?”

She shouldn’t have been taken aback with Amy’s question. All cops had the tenacity of a bloodhound when they latched on to a salacious bit of information. And her past with Ryan was definitely salacious.

Erica straightened her stance and squared off with the other woman. “No deal. We are working together on the task force. That’s it.”

Amy squinted. “It wasn’t. You have a past with him.”

Pulling all the badass confidence she could muster, Erica raised a brow. “Do I?”

“Ladies. We’re here to help Erica get ready for the gala. No need to go to pistols-at-dawn.” Lorna handed out the mimosas. “I think we all could use a drink to relax. I know I could,” she muttered the last under her breath.