Page 131 of Sin With Me

Chapter5

Emma

Grace wasat my condo that afternoon for some much needed girl talk. I’d been holding onto the news that the Cowboy had appeared back in my life as if I were in witness protection. Julian and Tristan had both been questioning me about the case since Eric had left, and for once I was glad that I could use their own words against them, saying, “It’s private business” and “I signed a confidentiality agreement.”

It didn’t matter that I hadn’t. The lie had at least kept them from nagging any further. So when Grace plopped down on my couch, with a glass of wine in her hand, I took it from her, gulped it down, and stared. Even Dino, my beloved Miniature Pinscher, looked at me funny.

“What is up with you? What happened, Emma?”

“Pour me another one and then I’ll tellyou.”

This time she filled up two glasses, and after I took a sip, I said, “The Cowboy foundme.”

“What? The one from the bar? He got your note? What do you mean, he foundyou?”

Sometimes I wondered why Grace wasn’t some kind of an interrogations officer – she’d be awesome at the job. Instead, she opted to run an exclusive hair salon and spa. She’d started out as a hairstylist and expanded the business to a full-out celebrity style spa – and she was good at it, too. It was what she loved to do. Coming from a family of crooked lawyers who tried to use Grace to hide their illegal wealth and never believed in her choice of career, her choice of career wasn’t easy. But she’d proved them all wrong and was now able to live in Manhattan and support herself on her own income.

“Get this. He never got my note, but came into our office with a case. It was like fate brought us together.”

“Don’t tell me you’re working on his case.” Her mouth was wide open as she waited for my answer.

“I am.” I bit mylip.

“Shutup!”

“Nope.”

“And your brothers handed it over to you just likethat?”

“Well, they didn’t exactly know what the case was, or I guess Eric hadn’t told them enough to scare them away, because if he had I don’t think I’d have gotten it. Plus, they don’t know I met him at thebar.”

“Wait, so is he in some kind of trouble? Is it dangerous?”

“Nah.” I waved my hand. “I’ve dealt with worse. I’ll find the information he’s looking for, prove what a good investigator I am to my brothers, and I guess we’ll see what happens.”

“Look at you! I haven’t seen you glow like this since…” Grace paused. I knew what she was thinking. Grace had been there the night David died. She’d lost her fiancé in the same explosion I’d lost my love. We’d pulled each other through some tough times. She was not only my best friend but my guardian angel. When I needed a shoulder to cry on, she gave me her whole body to snuggle into. She’d sat by my hospital bed until I recovered, holding my hand when they told me of David’s passing. She understood. She saw him give up his life to save mine. We mourned together for months. Since the day we’d met, she’d been the best friend with whom I could fight in the morning and party in the evening. I’d borrow her clothes, and if I forgot to give them back it was no bigdeal.

Grace would pick me up from anywhere, at any time if I was having an episode, and I’d do the same for her. The first year was the worst. I’d break down midday at work and need her to drive me home, or I’d wake up drenched in sweat after a nightmare, shaking and reliving the moment of the explosion and watching David die in my arms, blood spilling from the dozens of cuts on his face and body. And when I found the strength to date again last year, she was there for me, encouraging, challenging, and, of course, daring me to go out with the most unexpected men we could find. From bikers to rockers to suited businessmen, I’d tried them all, and not one could hold a candle to David. If they got a second date, they were lucky. I don’t think there was ever a third. But Grace was the one who helped me live again, believe in life after death, and that David would want me to go on for him and for all the plans we’d made together. I honestly believed that if it came down to it, Grace would take a bullet for me. That’s why I wanted her happy. That’s why I’d introduced her to Hunter, her current boyfriend.

“Wait, what do you mean we’ll see what happens? Are you really thinking seriously abouthim?”

“I don’t know, Grace, but I haven’t felt this kind of connection since David. He already asked me out to dinner, and is picking me up in” – I looked at my watch – “anhour.”

“Well, he’s moving fast, isn’t he? And what are you doing sitting here with me instead of getting ready?”

“Grace, he’s very nice, and kind, and there’s something old-fashioned about him. And don’t worry, I’ve got you to help me get ready.” I winked. Grace was a professional at getting things done under pressure and at lightning speed. It helped that she lived in my condo, too – or was it me who lived in hers? I moved in right after David’s death. I could no longer live with my parents and needed to start a newlife.

“Turn around,” she ordered, and a hairbrush magically appeared in her hand. The next thing I knew, she was brushing through my straight hair, plugging in her curling iron, and spraying a tropical mist that left my hair shiny with a tad of bounce.

“Em, you better keep your priorities straight and not lose track of the job. Julian and Tristan may be testingyou.”

My brothers had set me up once before. It was a cheating case, but the hunk that had walked into my office to find out whether his girlfriend was unfaithful was off-the-charts hot. It didn’t take me long to figure out that he was gay, and a hired actor by none other than Julian to see whether I’d go for a client. “Women are weak sometimes,” they’d explained. “We just don’t want you to fall for the easy-on-the-eyestype.”

Really, was that how little they thought of me? Since that day, I’d refused to trust either of them. Not until they earned it back. But if this case was real, if the Cowboy really needed my help, then it was a step in the right direction.

“I know. He does seem to spin my head when he’s around, but I can see the job’s important to him, so I won’t fail him. I can’t fail him. It’s important to me too. I can be professional and do the job he hired me for, but after hours, all bets are off.” I winked.

“So long as Julian and Tristan don’t find out, right? Because honestly, Emma, you sound like you wanna jump right into hisbed.”

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