into a cheesy slice of pizza.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Kelly asked Tessa.
“No,” Kevin said. “She broke it off with Mr. Perennial Grad Student about a year ago.”
Tessa ripped a piece of pizza free. The topic of her last long-term relationship was still a sore one. She couldn’t believe she’d wasted four years of her life on a spineless guy who saw nothing wrong with being a professional student. At the age of forty.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, Kelly. And even if I did, I’m not sure I’d call him that at my advanced age.”
“Thirty-six isn’t that old,” Kelly assured her innocently.
“I’m hardly thirty-three. Eat your pizza, child.”
Kevin and Kelly exchanged a conspiratorial smile and laughed. Tessa chuckled, too. If nothing else, her dull love life could provide some entertainment for a young girl who’d had very little to laugh about recently.
“I’ll leave you here while I drop Kelly off, okay, Kev?” Tessa stood next to the video game her brother was playing and had to practically shout to be heard.
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll be back in half an hour to pick you up—can you be out front?”
“Sure thing,” Kevin said, without looking up.
Tessa shook her head. “Come on, Kelly.”
They made their way through the crowd to exit at the front of the building. Tessa steered Kelly around the side of the building and past the back parking lot. The restaurant had been so crowded earlier that she’d had to park her car in the overflow lot farther down the alley. When they reached the lot, Tessa saw that other patrons had blocked the entire row by parking behind her car and the vehicles next to it.
“Great,” Tessa said. She walked around the front of her car to make sure there was no cement block or other item that would prevent her from pulling headfirst out of the parking spot. Kelly stood by the passenger door, waiting for it to be unlocked.
Standing up from her crouched position, Tessa nodded. “Looks okay. Maybe you should stay out here to spot me in case I get too close to the fence post,” she said. Behind her she heard a powerful engine downshift as it slowed to a stop.
When Kelly didn’t answer, Tessa looked at her across the hood of the car. The girl stood frozen with a look of horror on her face.
Tessa turned around to see that a huge black Hummer had blocked her from being able to pull forward out of the spot. Her car was effectively boxed in. The driver’s side door of the Hummer opened, and Tessa squinted to see who was getting out.
“Hey, can you move your car? I’m blocked in here,” Tessa said, straining for a casual tone as she saw the size of the man coming around the hood of the Hummer. He leaned casually against it. Something about the man’s body language and posture made Tessa’s heart skip a beat as adrenaline poured through her.
Recognition flared in an instant, and she abruptly understood why Kelly was frozen with fear.
“Get in the car and lock the doors,” Tessa said sharply. “Now, Kelly!” She tossed her keys to the girl, who caught them reflexively.
Sledge Aiken folded his arms across his chest and shook his head regretfully as Kelly obeyed the instructions. “Now why would you want to do that, darlin’? I just want to talk to you.”
“Stay away from her.” Tessa hurried around the front of the car to plant herself next to Kelly’s locked door.
“That’s not real hospitable. Especially when I came allthe way across town to talk to sweet Kelly and clear up any confusion.”
“She isn’t confused about being raped. Back off. Or do I have to get a restraining order?” Tessa asked. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast she was surprised the words came out steady.
“Yeah? And who’s going to give you one of them restraining orders?” Sledge had moved away from his car and toward Tessa. “I’ve done nothing wrong, I’m just here having a friendly word with the little lady. If she’s real nice, maybe I’ll
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Kelly asked Tessa.
“No,” Kevin said. “She broke it off with Mr. Perennial Grad Student about a year ago.”
Tessa ripped a piece of pizza free. The topic of her last long-term relationship was still a sore one. She couldn’t believe she’d wasted four years of her life on a spineless guy who saw nothing wrong with being a professional student. At the age of forty.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, Kelly. And even if I did, I’m not sure I’d call him that at my advanced age.”
“Thirty-six isn’t that old,” Kelly assured her innocently.
“I’m hardly thirty-three. Eat your pizza, child.”
Kevin and Kelly exchanged a conspiratorial smile and laughed. Tessa chuckled, too. If nothing else, her dull love life could provide some entertainment for a young girl who’d had very little to laugh about recently.
“I’ll leave you here while I drop Kelly off, okay, Kev?” Tessa stood next to the video game her brother was playing and had to practically shout to be heard.
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll be back in half an hour to pick you up—can you be out front?”
“Sure thing,” Kevin said, without looking up.
Tessa shook her head. “Come on, Kelly.”
They made their way through the crowd to exit at the front of the building. Tessa steered Kelly around the side of the building and past the back parking lot. The restaurant had been so crowded earlier that she’d had to park her car in the overflow lot farther down the alley. When they reached the lot, Tessa saw that other patrons had blocked the entire row by parking behind her car and the vehicles next to it.
“Great,” Tessa said. She walked around the front of her car to make sure there was no cement block or other item that would prevent her from pulling headfirst out of the parking spot. Kelly stood by the passenger door, waiting for it to be unlocked.
Standing up from her crouched position, Tessa nodded. “Looks okay. Maybe you should stay out here to spot me in case I get too close to the fence post,” she said. Behind her she heard a powerful engine downshift as it slowed to a stop.
When Kelly didn’t answer, Tessa looked at her across the hood of the car. The girl stood frozen with a look of horror on her face.
Tessa turned around to see that a huge black Hummer had blocked her from being able to pull forward out of the spot. Her car was effectively boxed in. The driver’s side door of the Hummer opened, and Tessa squinted to see who was getting out.
“Hey, can you move your car? I’m blocked in here,” Tessa said, straining for a casual tone as she saw the size of the man coming around the hood of the Hummer. He leaned casually against it. Something about the man’s body language and posture made Tessa’s heart skip a beat as adrenaline poured through her.
Recognition flared in an instant, and she abruptly understood why Kelly was frozen with fear.
“Get in the car and lock the doors,” Tessa said sharply. “Now, Kelly!” She tossed her keys to the girl, who caught them reflexively.
Sledge Aiken folded his arms across his chest and shook his head regretfully as Kelly obeyed the instructions. “Now why would you want to do that, darlin’? I just want to talk to you.”
“Stay away from her.” Tessa hurried around the front of the car to plant herself next to Kelly’s locked door.
“That’s not real hospitable. Especially when I came allthe way across town to talk to sweet Kelly and clear up any confusion.”
“She isn’t confused about being raped. Back off. Or do I have to get a restraining order?” Tessa asked. Her heart was pounding so hard and fast she was surprised the words came out steady.
“Yeah? And who’s going to give you one of them restraining orders?” Sledge had moved away from his car and toward Tessa. “I’ve done nothing wrong, I’m just here having a friendly word with the little lady. If she’s real nice, maybe I’ll
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