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Laney lifted my head above water. She was laughing as she nodded her head. “I’ll be yourgirlfriend.”
“Even though you barely know me?” My browsshotup.
“Let’s take the time to get to know each other.” Sheshrugged.
I blew out a breath. “We’ve got plentyoftime.”
Laney giggled. “Actually, I was hoping for tonight. I want to know moreaboutyou.”
I reached over to dry my hands on my towel, then grabbed the bottle. “This conversation is going to need wine. I canfeelit.”
With a laugh, Laney nodded. “I couldn’t agree more, but for some reason, talking to you isn’t even a little scary.” She picked up a strawberry and tookabite.
“I know. I’m mostly joking about the wine, but I do have a tendency to be rather awkward. I’m not Ty.” I frowned as I struggled with thecorkscrew.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m just glad you aren’t Drew.” Laney sighed. “But I was serious about putting yourfootdown.”
After managing to remove the cork, I poured the wine and chose my words carefully. “Don’t worry. He only gets one chance,” Ibegan.
“Oh, I know. And then he broke out of the hospital, and everyone said that didn’t count because he didn’t know.” Her browarched.
“Right,” I agreed as I passed her aglass.
“Then he ordered drugs from California. The guy showed up here.” She pursed her lips and I could hear an edge to hervoice.
“Yeah. I know, but he’s still in the hospital.” I played with the stem on the strawberry, but I couldn’t bring myself to eatityet.
“Of course, because he can’t screw up in the hospital? Stop it. You all keep making excuses for him. It only emboldens him.” She blew out a breath and took a sip of the wine. “You know whyI’mhere?”
My chin jutted out. “Because of my rugged good looks and charm?” I pasted on a fake exaggeratedsmile.
She laughed, but it was entirely hollow. “Or because I’m detached enough from the situation that I can’t be corrupted likeyoutwo.”
My head hung for a moment and I tried to pass it off as looking introspectively into my glass of wine. I swirled the glass, hoping she’d think I was doing the sommelier thing I’d seen done countless times. Now, I didn’t know the difference between oaky fruity and fishy peppery, so I left it to the professionals, but this did make for a nicedistraction.
“Listen, addicts and alcoholics can ruin lives, and not just their own. Take me, for example, consider the life I gave up.” She shook her head, but it was impossible to ignore the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. “It’s too late for me. I’ll never have my dream.” She sniffled and swiped athereyes.
I reached out and laid a hand on her forearm. “No,it’snot.”
She nodded. “You know better. Itreallyis.”
“Being a star matters that much to you?” My brow furrowed and fear welled up in mychest.
“No. I want to be happy. Singing, dancing, acting…that was my happy, my escape. I could be someone else, anyone else for a little while.” She smiled, but it never reachedhereyes.
“Oh.” I didn’t know what elsetosay.
“It’s okay. I don’t need to be anyone else anymore. I’m happy with who I am, mostly.” Laney closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “I just need to figure out what to do next because being an accountant, even a forensic one, isn’t coming close to my idea of a fulfilling life. And nothing is scarier than movingbackwards.”
20
Harry
WhenI finally had Drew cleaned up, bandaged, and settled into his bed, I wandered down the hall to find Laney. I knew the phone had rung earlier. Ty had probably called to let us know Drew had pulled another Houdini. She didn’t even come to me. She talked to him, told her version of the story. I rubbed my temple as I followed a trail of blood all the way to the foyer. I found her sitting on the floor leaned against the wall, a safe distance from the brokenglass.
“You should go back to bed,” I murmured as I squatted beside her. “I’llcleanup.”
“Right. Because that’s what you do. You’re on clean-up.” Laney shook her head. She started to stand. I held out a hand, but she refused to take it. “I could’ve cleaned up. That’s what I did for many years. If my mother woke up to normalcy, maybe life could be normal. If the house wasn’t a wreck after her drunken terrorism, maybe she wouldn’t have to touch any liquor the next day.” Laney released a hollow laugh. “Look at this.” She pointed to the glass shards all over the floor. “The guy you’re so determined to protect broke into your house. Not one, but two sidelights are gone. He probably couldn’t figure out where the deadbolt was in hisstupor.”
