Page 60 of Sinful Promises

“I don’t know.” I snapped the empty pizza box shut. “Maybe she had sex with a priest or something.”

“Or a priest and his wife.”

“And their kids.” We were on a roll and laughed together.

“And grandma.”

“Ewwww. Now you’re going too far.”

“Oh, grandma is too far? Okay, got it.”

I nibbled at the garlic bread. “At least she told me some truth. I thought she’d give me nothing but bullshit.”

“So, now’s the time to get as much out of her as you can.”

“That’s the plan.”

We were silent for a moment before she said, “You thinking about Roman?”

I sighed. “Yeah. I feel so bad for abandoning him like that.”

“I know, babe. Maybe you should ring him?”

“Yeah, maybe. Let me get through this shit with Mother first.” I paused, taking a swig of the ginger beer. “The nurse told me to make her funeral arrangements.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. It hit home when she said that.”

“Hey, at least you won’t need to book a big church. It’s not like there’ll be many people sending her off.”

“That’s true. Don’t you think it’s weird though?”

“No. She used people.” Zali and I had lost many hours discussing the crap Mother had done. “Friends don’t hang around when people do that.”

“That’s true. But what about family? She’s never mentioned any relatives. Ever.” I sighed. “Anyway, I’m about ready to crash. I’ll ring you tomorrow with an update.”

“You better. Sweet dreams.”

Sweet dreams.

Roman had said that to me when he’d tucked me into bed at the Swiss chalet.

Oh, Roman. Why did you have to be so perfect?

After I’d brushed my teeth, trying to rid my tongue of the overpowering garlic taste, I pulled on my pajamas and crawled into bed.

Closing my eyes, Roman drifted into my brain like a jasmine-scented breeze.

I pictured the night he’d made me that delicious soup. He’d been so kind and caring.

I could still smell him—sweet and manly, and totally lickable.

And his eyes. They took me to another world. A world that was free of all the bad in my life.

I was blessed to have met him. That should be enough.

But it wasn’t. I wanted more. Oh, so much more.

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