Page 14 of Love Me Gently

She blinked and unfroze. “What are you doing here?”

I stepped further from the doorway, and hoped she’d come with me. She scanned the sidewalk, eyes focusing on something in the distance before she took a step, then another, toward me.

“Cole,” she finally said.

My name exhaled from her lips like a song.

I cracked a smile. “Hi, Trina.”

Her lips curved, fell. “I…I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Detective conference.”

“Oh. You’re a detective. That’s good.” Her bottom lip found its way between her teeth and the world around me silenced.

“Yeah…” It was just her and me, her gorgeous, thick and blond hair and wide, round blue eyes, lighter than I remembered. Somehow duller, too. And was that... “What happened to your cheek?”

She jerked back like I’d slapped her and whatever light remained in her eyes dimmed. “I should go. It was nice to see you.”

She stepped away. On instinct, I reached for her. She flinched, yanking her arm away from me as she turned white as a sheet.

My voice was softer when I called her name again.

I swore there were tears swimming in her eyes when she shook her head. “Don’t, Cole. I need to go.”

“Hey! There you are!” A woman’s voice rang out, and Trina froze, head whipping in the direction.

I followed her gaze and found a woman in cream-colored, wide-legged pants and a pale blue shirt with a wrap tied at her hip sauntering toward us, smiling widely at her friend. Her eyes widened as she caught me standing nearby.

“I was waiting for you atDelu. But it seems you got held up.” The woman’s eyes jumped from Trina’s to mine and lingered. “And you are?”

“Cole. An old friend.”

“Cole.” She said my name with intention, drawing it out, like she’d heard it before. I knew the moment recognition hit. Her eyes slid to Trina’s. “Oh.”

“We ran into each other on the street.”

Like she had to defend herself. Irritation spiked in my veins. The hidden bruise. Her flinch. The caution in which she held herself now, even though this woman had been excited to see her…

Something was wrong. Definitely.

“And your name?” I asked the woman.

She blinked, maybe surprised I’d asked. Maybe surprised I didn’t know who she was considering Trina’s current social status. “Valerie. Nice to meet you, Cole. What brings you to the city?”

So she did know who I was. “Police officer’s conference.” I really needed to get going but my stomach rolled at the thought. “Can I see you again?” I asked Trina. “Before I leave town?”

“No,” she said and stepped further away. “I don’t think there’s any point in that.”

“We should go, Katrina,” Valerie said. Regret flashed in her eyes when she looked at me.

I couldn’t figure the two out. She was either a genuine friend to Trina or something much darker.

“You’re right.” Trina steeled her spine and rolled her shoulders. The coffee stained her pink shirt, but it was forgotten. At least to her. “It was nice to see you again.” Her tone had gone cold.

Vapid.

I detested it.

---