Page 89 of Liar's Point

Emmet pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. The front-row spaces were full, so he created one on the end.

He looked at her. “Is the elevator here working?”

“Yes.” She wrinkled her nose. “It smells like dead fish, but I think it’s working.”

“Sit tight.”

She sighed. “No problem.”

He went around and opened the passenger door. She tensed as he reached across her to unclip her seat belt.

“I can do that.”

“I got it,” he said, reaching over the console for the crutches stashed in back.

She eyed them warily. “Would you mind giving me a hand with those?”

“Probably easier if I carry you up.”

“Uh, no. Definitely not easier.” She took one of the crutches from him. “Here. I need to get the hang of this.”

Tamping down his annoyance that she wouldn’t take his help, he stood inside the door, close enough to catch her if she lost her balance. Her uninjured foot was covered with a blue hospital sock, and he had no idea where her shoes had gone. She pivoted in the seat and positioned the first crutch under her arm. Her sweater rode up, and he ignored the flash of skin as he helped her get the second crutch under her arm.

“Got it?” He looked up, and her expression was tight but determined.

“Got it. Can you grab my stuff?”

He collected her purse and the bottle of pain meds off the floor. Then he eased back, and she crutched awkwardly toward the building with him beside her. She moved up the cement incline and crossed the sidewalk to the elevator bank near the storage closets.

Emmet jabbed the call button, and the silver doors rattled open.

She moved inside the elevator, and he stepped in after her, hitting the two button. She hadn’t been kidding about the odor. It smelled like a bait shop.

Nicole stared up at the ceiling and seemed to be holding her breath. To block out the stink? The pain? The elevator whined and groaned as it made its way up, then shuddered to a stop.

The doors parted, and he held them open. “Go ahead.”

She crutched out, then stopped and stared down the long outdoor hallway. Her apartment was near the end.

“I can carry you.”

“No.”

He knew it was pointless to argue with her. A lock of auburn hair hung over her eyes, and he tucked it behind her ear. Taking a deep breath, she started moving forward. He watched her, his fury building with every awkward step, until finally she neared the door. He took out her keys and unlocked it.

“Thanks.”

Emmet followed her inside, switching on the light. She made a little yelp, and he looked down to see her skinny black cat rubbing against her.

“Hey, Lucy baby,” she murmured.

The cat sniffed the boot, then rubbed her head against Nicole’s bare calf.

“Don’t let her trip you,” he said.

“She won’t.”

He locked the door and then scooted around her to move a pair of running shoes out of her path. He dropped them into a corner.

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