Page 127 of Hidden Ties

“Ahh … but then, you miss the pleasure of giving in to temptation.”

“Maybe …” she countered. “But then, I don’t have to punish myself with regrets. That’s how I can go home and relax without having to go to the gym.”

Bunching the empty burrito paper, he threw it away in the empty bag. “Are you finished with the fries?” he asked when she placed her empty burrito wrapper in the bag.

“Yes. Thank you for sharing your lunch with me.”

“You’re welcome.” Instead of starting the car, he laid a gentle finger on her bandaged hand. “What happened, Sage?”

TWENTY-ONE

“Iwas mugged last night.”

“Tell me what happened,” he prodded carefully, needing details. “Where and when?”

For a second, he thought she wouldn’t talk about what must have been a frightening experience.

“After work, I went to Smart Shopper to do my weekly grocery shopping. I was coming out of the store at six. I was closing my trunk when the person who mugged me pushed me against the back of my car.”

Keeping his hand on hers, he listened to the matter-of-fact way she described being mugged. If he weren’t able to see the shadows of fear that hadn’t been there before she started talking, he would have missed them.

Lifting his hand, he cupped her face. “Did he hit you?”

“No, my face was hurt when he pushed me against the car.”

From the bruising evident on her face, the punk had slammed, not pushed, her against the car. Kent’s blood boiled at the unnecessary violence against Sage.

“How was your arm hurt?”

A grimace crossed her face at the memory. “When he jerked my arm behind my back to get my purse off my shoulder, he sawmy watch. I shouldn’t have fought him back, but I didn’t want him to take it. The watch had sentimental value. I had just gotten it back the day before.”

“Where did you get it back from? Did you lend it to someone?”

“No …” she hesitated briefly. “I had pawned it. My mother left my sister, Glory, her engagement ring and me her Piaget watch my father had given her for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.”

“That’s pretty sentimental. I wouldn’t have handed it over, either, but it wasn’t a smart move.”

“Tell me about it,” she said ruefully.

“Did he do anything else?”

“No. Thankfully, he took off. A couple saw something was wrong and called the police.”

“Do you remember the officer’s name?”

Opening her purse, she took out a sheath of papers. “His name was Officer Simon Lee. He was a nice man. He and his wife followed me home from the ER. They even helped me in with my groceries.”

“I’m glad they were there to help you. Did you call and report your cards stolen?”

“While I was in the ER.”

“Good.” Starting the car, he gave her a serious look. “Are you good to go back to work?”

“Of course. I’m tougher than I look.”

Pulling back into traffic, he blandly asked another question. “Why did Bree want to see you this morning?”

Sage rolled her eyes at him. “She called me into her office to tell me that Hollingsworth has a reputation to maintain, and I need to be more circumspect with my personal life.”

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