Read Online Perfectly Broken by Emily Jane Trent - Free Book Online

locker room to
shower and dress. The size and quality of the gym said a lot about
the company. They could afford to treat their employees well, which
boosted confidence in their profitability and the job’s potential.
Tomas was refreshed from his workout, though his muscles would be
sore by the next day.
    “Okay, see you at the office, then.” Jason
headed for the showers.
    Tomas fished in his locker for his street wear.
“Yeah. Thanks, man.”
    *****
    After a day of apartment hunting, Tomas hadn’t
found anything yet. A few things were possibilities, but he still
had time to wait for a place that was more of what he had in mind.
He’d grabbed a late lunch in town. And when he finished seeing all
the places he had on his list, he stopped for some coffee.
    Evening approached, and it was getting dark. He
remembered he was supposed to pick up some final paperwork at the
funeral home to deliver to his grandmother. The task was not
appealing. But it was better to just get it over with.
    He nursed his coffee for a bit, thinking about
other things he wanted to do in the city while he had the chance.
Then his thoughts drifted back to Susanna. Reaching into his
pocket, feeling only the smooth lining.
    Tomas had left her panties in a hotel drawer. He
had started to feel like an idiot carrying them around all the
time. It might be sexy if the item belonged to a woman he was
actually seeing. To keep sniffing the panties of a woman that was
just a memory was kind of weird.
    It was only going to get darker, and later. He
didn’t want to miss the funeral director, because that would mean
going back another day. Tomas just wanted to get it over with. He
didn’t mind a visit to his grandmother later in the week to deliver
the documents. But the whole funeral-home thing was a downer.
    After finishing his coffee, Tomas left and went
directly to the home. There were still lights on, so it wasn’t
closed yet. That was good. He went inside and looked around. It was
terribly quiet, almost spooky, making him shudder.
    Down the hall were the administrative offices,
so Tomas headed that way. Walking over the glossy floor, he
couldn’t help but remember how he’d chased after Susanna. And how
she had vanished. There was still something about that he couldn’t
put together.
    It had been too darn coincidental that she had
appeared over and over that day. Yet she didn’t seem to be part of
the family. Tomas had casually asked a few of his relatives, but no
one seemed to know a strawberry blonde. Not a young woman of that
age. “Maybe a family friend,” they had said.
    But no one could pin it down for him. In a
family as close-knit as his, people didn’t go unnoticed. Every
relative was known to every other, and in detail, including many
specifics of their private life that each probably wished no one
else knew.
    The idea that there was a distant relative or
friend attending the funeral who was unknown to any of the family
was impossible. Yet Susanna had been there. And she had
effortlessly fit into the crowd without drawing attention, or
causing any commotion.
    It was puzzling.
    Tomas entered the offices and found the director
finishing up for the day. His somber look and pale complexion fit
with the establishment. What a job . There was no way that
Tomas would entertain the prospect of dealing with the families of
those who had passed on. Not every day of the week.
    The director pulled the packet out of his desk
drawer and handed it to Tomas. Once again, he relayed his
sympathies. Shaking his limp hand, Tomas took the envelope and
thanked him, anxious to be away.
    He turned and went back to the hall, walking
faster than he had upon entering. Tomas needed fresh air, and he
needed to put the sadness behind him. He had loved his grandfather,
but there was nothing more he could do for him.
    Tomas tucked the square envelope under his arm
and headed for the front door. Then his eyes seemed to play tricks
on him. He swore he saw a woman exit