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“Justin and I aren’t dating,” Riley pointed out, staring at Daisy as if she was trying to convince the dog. “Last night was a one-off fluke. Nice, but no big deal.”
“Nice? The man is gorgeous enough to make even me look twice, and I’m gaga over Sam.” Cassie shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re describing sex with Dr. Brothers as ‘nice!’ Guess he’d be too good to be true if he was the total package.”
Justin was the total package. Witty, kind, attentive, gorgeous...hot in bed.
Stop thinking of him that way, she scolded herself, her temples pounding.
Still, letting Cassie think poorly of Justin didn’t sit well.
“Last night was better than nice—way better. But it doesn’t matter. What happened was one night. Nothing more.”
Her friend sipped her coffee, obviously processing what Riley had said.
“I can’t say this doesn’t surprise me, because it does,” Cassie began. “I thought—Oh, never mind what I thought. If that’s all he wants it’s his loss. You’re a great catch.”
Even her best friend assumed it must be Justin who didn’t want to continue their relationship. Because no one in their right mind would assume a slightly chubby plain Jane wouldn’t jump at the chance to be with him anytime he crooked his talented finger.
They were probably right. But she wasn’t giving Justin the opportunity to be the one to say, Thanks, but no thanks.
She liked her life just as it was. She’d worked hard to get Johnny’s voice out of her head, and on most things had succeeded.
She liked not having to worry about making anyone happy but herself. Not having to walk on eggshells because of her many flaws, or worry about starting over if the person she’d built her world around found someone new and left her.
Riley reached for the small golden cross she wore at her neck and toyed with when she was nervous or agitated.
It wasn’t there.
Her stomach knotted.
It had to be.
She touched her neck again, feeling around on her throat. Panic gurgled from her belly upward. No! She hadn’t lost—
Riley’s airway tightened.
Her necklace was gone.
Sitting Daisy down, she stood, patted her neck, shook out her clothes, looked around on the floor.
Nothing.
Panic rose, clogging her throat.
“What’s wrong?” Cassie asked.
“My necklace.” Riley fought back tears, tracing back in her mind when she last recalled having it.
“The one your mother gave you?”
Riley nodded, feeling bereft, as if she’d lost a part of her mother. Had she had it on the night before at the party? She couldn’t remember—couldn’t recall if she’d put it on after changing out of her scrubs at the hospital. Was it possible she’d lost it there?
She’d check at the hospital, call Cheyenne, see if anyone had found the necklace at either place. She hoped so. She’d hate never to wear the precious gift again. It had been the last thing her mother had given to her.
Or she might have lost it was while she was with Justin. Had she still had it on in his Jeep? At his condo?
In his bed?
* * *
