Page 64 of The System

“The cigarettes?”

“Yes. I have to at least see if the judge will allow it, but I don’t expect him to. Anyway, that kind of kicks things off, and we’ll get a trial date after that unless the defense has more motions to file.”

“So, you don’t want to see me until after the trial?”

“No, I want to see you all the time,” she admitted, still standing there in Kieran’s living room, holding her purse in her hands in front of her body like a protective shell that was failing on all parts. “I kicked Tinley out because of you, Kieran. Not you specifically, I mean. With you there, giving Tinley back everything she tossed at you, I felt something. I felt ready to stop enabling her and to finally move on with my own life. And tonight, I kept thinking of you. I didn’t think of Amalia.”

“Amalia? What is it with you dating women with strange names?”

“I’m sorry; Kieran. You were saying?” Carina laughed for a second before adding, “Not that we’re dating… I just meant that–”

“I know what you meant,” Kieran replied.

“I should go.”

“You can stay. We can keep talking.”

“No, it’s late. And, well, now, I could use another glass of wine and my bathtub, to be honest, so I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Carina, you’re not in my hair.”

“Still,” Carina replied. “Will I see you at the hearing?”

“Of course,” Kieran said.

“Okay. Well, we’ll just take it from there, then.”

“Okay. I guess.” Kieran stood up and approached her slowly as if she no longer knew how to handle Carina now that Carina had told her how she felt.

“Good night, Kieran.”

“Night,” Kieran replied.

CHAPTER 20

“She told you that she liked you?” Ruthie asked.

“Yes, and that she shouldn’t.”

“But you’re sure she meant that she likes you as more than a friend?”

“Ruthie, yes. She told me that she’s attracted to me; interested in me.”

“But she’s prosecuting your sister.”

“I’m aware of that, and so is she. That’s the problem.”

“That’s the problem?!” Ruthie exclaimed.

“Where are you? It’s loud.”

“I’m out getting my morning coffee. Where are you?”

“At home, getting dressed for the hearing. You called me to check on the progress with your app from a coffee place?”

“I called you from the parking lot. There’s a longer line than usual today, for some reason. Anyway, you just said that the problem was that she’s the lawyer trying to put your new sister away for murder.”

“Pretty big problem. Don’t you think?” she asked.

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