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“Are you sure you weren’t a card shark in your previous life?” Zara grabs one of the samosas she brought with her and dips it into the yummy chutney she also made.
Chuckling, I grab my own samosa. I could live on these. Along with the other international foods she makes at Picnic & Treats. “Positive. I’m just lucky today.”
“Well, either way,” Simone says, “I’m glad you could finally join us for Game Night…even if the guys aren’t here, and it’s actually Saturday and not Friday.” She slides me a look that can be interpreted several ways, one being she knows the only reason I’m here is because Noah isn’t. Is it that obvious?
I lean down to stroke Bailey, who’s sitting patiently next to me, even though I know she’d love to go play with Jasper.
A loud squeak comes from the chew toy Jasper’s attacking, and he takes it over to where Simone is sitting on the other end of the sectional.
“What’s Noah up to tonight?” I ask Avery, my tone casual, something I’ve been working on when it comes to her boyfriend. At least I can now mention his name without my mouth going dry. I’d call that progress.
“He’s gone away for the weekend with some friends. You know, a guys’ weekend. No women allowed.” She takes a sip of her vodka cooler.
“How did you two meet?” Unlike the other three women at the table, Avery didn’t grow up in Maple Ridge. But from what I’ve figured out, she wasn’t in town long before she and Noah began dating. Pretty much like Troy and me.
“He rescued me from a ditch. I grew up in Portland, so I wasn’t used to big dumps of snow. Well, Maple Ridge got a big dump back in February, and I lost control of my car and ended up in a ditch. He happened to be driving by and stopped to see if I needed help. I didn’t know at the time he was a cop. He was a good-looking guy—”
“Who she thought wanted to get into her panties,” Simone says, the equivalent of a snicker in her tone. “And damn, the girl gave the poor man attitude. Instead of leaving her there like some guys might have, he called a tow truck and decided to wait with her until it showed up.”
“But she was still giving him attitude.” Zara picks up the story next. “And it was very cold. So Noah hoisted her onto his shoulder and walked to his warm truck.”
“Naturally, I thought he was a serial killer, and I started to fight him and kicked him in the nuts.”
Zara, Simone, and Emily all wince in sympathy for Noah.
Avery grins, but the smile is sheepish at best. “Okay, not my finest moment. Anyway, he goes down, dropping me in the process…and somehow, we roll into that damn ditch. He ends up on top of me. A state trooper picks then to drive past and stops to see if we need assistance. That’s when I discovered Noah was a cop. The trooper knew him.”
“Oh, but that’s not the best part,” Emily chimes in, lifting her wineglass as if to toast what comes next.
“I was so embarrassed at how I kicked him in his nuts.” Avery’s smile widens. “I made him some brownies the next day and went to the police station to drop them off for him. He took a bite of one, declared they were the best brownies he’d ever tasted, and asked me out on a date.”
“And you’ve been together ever since?” I ask.
“Yep. One date became two. And I quickly realized he was a nice guy, despite being a cop.” She shrugs. “I’ve never been a fan of cops. I’ve had a few bad experiences with them in the past. But Noah is nothing like them, so I gave him a chance.”
Maybe she’s right. I need to give Noah a chance. He’s not my late husband. He’s never done anything to make me feel threatened or unsafe. Just the opposite.
I nod at her, my message clear—I’ll no longer go out of my way to avoid Noah. But the same can’t be said for the rest of the Maple Ridge police force.
They haven’t yet earned my trust.
“Are we still on for tomorrow?” Simone asks me as I slip on my sandals.
“Yes. I’ll see you around two thirty?”
“That sounds good.”
Zara and I step out of the house into the cooling night air. It’s already dark by the time she drops Bailey and me off at my home. Fatigue dulls my thoughts, drains the energy from my body, and a yawn powers through me. But even my exhaustion and the two glasses of wine I’ve had tonight aren’t enough to get me to go to bed yet. I’m in no rush to relive yesterday’s nightmares.
I enter the house, reactivate the alarm, and turn on lights as I walk to the kitchen. The lights chase away the shadows haunting the house at night.
Bailey stops and stares at the door leading to the backyard.
“You wanna to go out to do your business?” I click her leash onto her collar, turn on the patio light, and deactivate the alarm again. I open the back door, and we step outside.
I walk her over to the patch of grass used for her business, ever conscious of my surroundings. I listen for every sound that’s out of place, every smell that deviates from normal.
Without warning, Bailey lurches toward the oak tree, but doesn’t get far because of her leash. “Bailey. Stay.”
