Page 32 of Starcrossed Colorado

“Yep.”

My ex had convinced me to believe everything he said because I trusted his experience and his judgment. He’d made me feel unsophisticated in comparison to him. What a mistake that had been.

“I think you’d be good for Ashford, though. It would help him relax if he had a little fun instead of being so serious all the time.”

“What about you?” I asked.

“Medate Ashford?” She looked horrified.

“Not Ashford.” I was surprised at how vehement I sounded. “I mean, someone else. Do you have your eye on anyone?”

“Remember how I said I’d never get married again? That includes falling in love. Not for me.” She sighed, wiping her mouth and hands on a napkin. “My divorce was awful. I can’t imagine going through anything like that again.”

I squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry. That’s rough.”

“Things got really bad about three years ago. Danny, that’s my ex, fought with me constantly. Often in public. Danny is a dentist. Dr. Carmichael.”

“I’ve seen his office up the street.”

“I walk by it every day. Joys of breaking up in a small town. But anyway, we would end up yelling at each other in front of his staff.” Her eyes got a faraway look. “Lori O’Neal was Danny’s dental assistant.”

“Ashford’s wife?”

She nodded. “Lori and I had always been friends, but with my marriage collapsing in front of everyone, I felt awkward around her. And that was right before she died. I wish I’d spent more time focused on Lori and not reacting every time Danny picked a fight. One day I came into the dental office, and Lori was crying. I asked her what was wrong, and she wouldn’t tell me. I didn’t press the issue. But I had this feeling it was about a man.”

“A man who wasn’t Ashford?”

Piper leaned in closer. “Well, she and Ashford weren’t together that way. They were allowed to see other people as long as they kept it separate from Maisie.”

“Oh.”

Piper cringed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you. I feel like the worst gossip right now. You’re way too easy to talk to.”

“I’ll take the blame if you want. But you were sharing your own experiences. No crime in that.”

“I know. After her death, I told Ashford about how Lori was upset. It felt wrong not to. He didn’t know what it meant either.”

“Maybe she was afraid to tell anyone. Or didn’t want to disappoint him.”

“Whatever it was, she took it to the grave.”

A cold shiver traced down my back. “And it was definitely an accident? Not…intentional, somehow?”

Now I felt like the gossip. But I came from a law enforcement family. Questioning these kinds of scenarios was second nature.

“There was an investigation, and that’s what the police ruled. A tragic accident. Ugh, I’m sorry. This conversation took a really depressing turn. Divorce and death.”

I squeezed her hand again. “Seems like you needed to talk about it.”

She blew out a breath. “And now, I need to get back to work. Let me know if you want to hang out later. Ollie and Maisie loveto play together. I’m taking Ollie to his baseball summer league this afternoon, but we’ll be free after.”

“Thanks.”

I gave Piper a big hug. Truth was, webothneeded it.

Before I left Silver Linings, I stopped by the bathroom to fluff up my hair. I tried not to think too hard aboutwhyI was doing it. The rain earlier had left me with messy waves, and it didn’t look half bad.

When I reached the Big Blue Monster, I went inside and climbed the stairs. There was an external door that led directly to these stairs as well, but that one required a key I didn’t have.

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