Page 51 of Too Hot to Sleep
"Oh. So you did get my messages?"
"Um, yes. Yes, I did."
He smiled. "I was beginning to think there was something wrong with your machine because I couldn't catch you."
Nothing wrong with my machine, just me,she thought miserably. She'd hoped for some spark, some sense of excitement at the sight of Rob, but she was merely... sad. Sad that she and Rob both maintained a physical and emotional distance that neither seemed able to pierce, and neither seemed willing to shed. And perhaps neither was to blame—they simply weren't compatible on any level of intensity. In the few days that had passed since she'd last seen him, she had changed too much, had learned things about herself that would alarm and perhaps disgust someone as passionless as Rob Trainer. Still, she owed him some sort of explanation.
"Is something wrong?" he asked. "You look worried."
The understatement of the year. "Rob, we need to talk."
"Is that Stacey and Neil's wedding?" he blurted, distracted by the Sunday paper that had fallen open on the counterwhere she'd tossed it.Local Cop Saves the Wedding Day.Sure enough, a photo series obviously taken from video stills showed Officer Ken Medlock holding a folding chair over the balcony, the madman being struck down—especially effective since his knife had been knocked from his hand and hung in midair—and another of Ken handcuffing the man. Georgia sighed. Was she destined to be reminded of the man at every turn?
"Yes," she said. "It was a bit of a commotion, but everyone was fine. Um, your friend Ken Medlock saved the day."
His pleasant face turned into a frown. "My friend?"
"Officer Ken Medlock. You know, the cop from the gym. I've, um, run into him a few times over the past few days."
Rob squinted at her and his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Your face is all red. Does this have something to do with the cop?"
She tried to will away the flush and clasped her hands together to keep from fidgeting. "Well—"
"Georgia."
She glanced up at his sharp tone, stunned that his expression was a cross between anger and panic.
"I don't appreciate anyone poking around in my past," he said quietly.
Her mouth opened and she shook her head. "But I wasn't—"
"I don't know anyone by the name of Ken Medlock, and I certainly don't know any city cops."
"But he said—"
"I made a mistake," Rob said, smacking his hand on the counter, causing her to jump. "And I served my time."
Georgia backed up a step, stunned by his mood change and the turn of the conversation. He had a record? "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked with as much calm as she could muster.
"Because my past is none of your business," he bit out. "It was one lousy charge of embezzlement—a few thousand dollars to pay off some debts. What is it to you?"
She felt like a fool. Rob had no intention of getting close to her, and deep down, she'd known it from the beginning. She'd perpetuated the relationship because it was safe, because it didn't require her to extend herself or be vulnerable in return. Rob was the kind of man she thought would provide the most stable home for a family, someone to... offset her urges?
"You're right," she murmured. "It's none of my business. I'm leaving."
"Georgia, wait," he said, his expression contrite. "I'm sorry to go off on you like that." He sighed. "It's just not working between us, you know?"
She nodded. "I know."
"But you're such a nice person."
"Thanks, Rob. I feel the same way about you."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything to anyone about that mess back in Ohio."
"I won't. Goodbye, Rob." She laid his door key on the counter, then walked out, nearly tripping over the box that held her phone system. All she wanted to do was go home, lie on her rock-hard couch, and have a good, long cry.
