Page 48 of False Evidence

“Are you ready for me to come get you?”

“Sure. I’ll meet you out front.”

“I’ll be there in forty-five.”

Alexandra slipped off the robe she’d slept in and put her bra and party dress back on while the in-room coffeemaker brewed. She then sat at the small dining table and ate the apple cinnamon muffin while she drank coffee. Given her lack of change of clothes, this would look like a walk of shame, but all she’d gotten was a hot kiss and a little grinding.

She was disappointed. But also, she wasn’t.

The kiss had been everything she wanted. But the man, he was so much more. Gentle with her feelings even as he turned her down. Understanding why she needed to feel empowered.

She checked the clock and tried to remember what time Kendall had called. Was it time to head down? She would love to have one of those BlackBerry thingies so she could set reminders. Plus, it would solve her cell phone problem.

But if she couldn’t afford a cell phone, she definitely couldn’t afford a five-hundred-dollar next-level pager.

Someday. When she had her PhD and was teaching or got a research fellowship at CERN, she’d get a phone. And a better computer. As it was, she had to rely on the computers in the department, which meant a lot of long hours at school.

Shereallydidn’t have time to date. Not when she had to spend nearly every waking hour at the university.

She grabbed the mostly full bottle of champagne. It was warm and probably flat, but it would be a shame to waste it. She’d mix it with orange juice. She also grabbed the remaining muffins, noting the half-eaten pumpkin chocolate chip one was gone.

She slipped on her coat before leaving the hotel room and paused when she felt the weight of something in the right pocket. She reached inside and pulled out not just the BlackBerry device, but also a charging cord and headset, along with a handwritten note.

Muffin,

You’ll find the user’s manual online. You’re stuck with my phone number, but I’ll contact everyone and give them my new number asap.

Yours truly,

Pumpkin

She let out a bark of laughter.

She didn’t think she ever wanted to learn his name. He would forever be Pumpkin. Only for her.

The BlackBerry buzzed with a message late that evening while Alexandra was reading a thriller she’d gotten from the library. She set aside the hardcover book and picked up the device from the nightstand.

She’d spent an hour playing with it after finding the user’s manual online earlier in the day. It had been a good distraction as she avoided discussing with Kendall what had happened last night.

Now she read her first message.

Received:Finally got my new BlackBerry set up. New model is a phone no headset needed, so thank you for the excuse to upgrade. How was your day, Muffin?

She smiled, feeling strangely warm. He really had given her his smartphone and now she had no reason to return it. Well, except she couldn’t afford the monthly usage fees.

Sent:Thank you for the phone, but whenever your current contract for it expires, you’ll have to take it back. I don’t have the budget for it.

Received:It will stay on my business account. Talon & Drake can pay your bill.

Sent:No! That’s theft. I don’t want to get you in trouble!

Received:It’s fine. Cleared it with my boss. Least T&D can do.

She frowned. That was a little too glib. But she supposed he’d had to explain to someone why he needed a replacement phone, and as far as she knew, BlackBerrys weren’t widely available to consumers—just professionals.

Sent:I don’t feel right about this, Pumpkin.

Received:I promise. It’s not an issue. You can ask my boss.

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