Page 95 of Renard's Deliverance

Well. It seemed she was writing a list of her fantasies tonight.

“You’re sure you’re going to be all right?” he asked.

“I will be.”

“Call me if you need me.” He walked out and she stood there, watching him leave. Movement across the street caught her attention as she went to close the door.

Barney was standing by his car, staring at her. She waved at him. It seemed to take him a moment to see her before he waved back.

He must have been staring at something else.

She pushed him from her mind as she headed inside.

Time to start making a list.

Every fantasy?

This could take a while . . .

18

She was not fine.

Her back was killing her by midmorning. Why had she gone to the club last night? She was an idiot. The pain had been more manageable before that scene with Dean the Dick.

She’d meant to go to the pharmacy this morning before work, but she’d had a terrible night and had slept through her alarm.

You’re going to be in so much trouble when Renard finds out. Especially since you lied and told him that you slept all right.

But right at the moment, she didn’t much care because her back was absolutely burning.

“Are you all right?”

She glanced over at Liston. Laken had just hired the younger woman to help out during their busier times. Opal was supposed to be training her today since Mondays were quieter at the shop.

But she could barely move off the chair by the dressing room.

“Yeah, I’m good. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Shit.

Liston didn’t deserve to be snapped at.

“Sorry,” she said with a groan as she heaved herself out of her chair. “I hurt my back over the weekend. Thought it would be better, but it’s making me a bit crabby.”

Liston nodded. “I get it! My mom hurt her back a few months ago, she was hobbling around, snapping at everyone for ages. I know it gets harder to recover from injury as you get older.”

“Right.”

Liston did realize that Opal was only a few years older than her, right?

Although today she felt centuries old.

The bell chimed as the door opened.

And she barely smothered her groan. Why couldn’t everyone just leave her alone today? They just kept coming in here and pestering her.

What size do you have in this?

---