Page 16 of Too Hot to Sleep
"Aren't you going to finish eating?"
"I'm finished." The two Toms were probably looking for her.
"Maybe you should have a doctor check you over."
And she needed to talk to Rob. "Officer, I think I can make that determination for myself." Georgia stooped to gather her bags and noticed the man had extremely large feet. Oi.
"I'll have to file a report on what happened here," he said. "Should I send you a copy?"
And be reminded of him again? And this spectacle? "No. Goodbye."
He inclined his head. "Ma'am."
His honeyed politeness only fueled her anxiety. She dragged her gaze from him and whirled toward the exit just in time for her conscience to kick in. With a chagrined sigh, Georgia turned back. "By the way, how's the dog?"
He crossed his arms over his chest, displacing all kinds of muscle. "The vet said he'd be fine."
"G-good," she said.
He nodded, his expression unreadable, although she got the impression he wasn't thinking about the rescued pet.
"Well... thanks."
"You're welcome, ma'am."
She didn't look back as she left the food court, but she could feel Ken Medlock's knowing gaze upon her even after she finished her errands and arrived at her apartment. Between the uniform and his massive frame, the infuriating man packed a powerful punch of sex appeal.
It was a good thing he was so irritating and she was so… fulfilled. Yes, fulfilled.
When she saw the light flashing on her new message recorder, her heartbeat raced.Rob.What would he say? Was he excited by the new phase of their relationship, or had she gone too far? After a deep breath, she pushed the Play button, then jumped when a mechanical voice blasted into the stale air of her apartment.
"Thank you for buying this Temeteck product! This is a test message to allow you to adjust the volume. Press 1 if you don't want this message to play again."
Georgia frowned and stabbed the "1" button. Darn it. Oh, well, it was still early. Rob would probably call later. She grabbed a bottle of water and the mail where she'd left it on thetable and settled as best she could onto her hard sofa, which she was starting to despise.
Bills, bills, and a letter from her mother. Georgia winced but decided to get it over with. She slid her finger under the envelope flap, then removed the two pages covered with her mother's familiar script. Same old, same old. She was extending her visit in Denver with Fannie and Fannie's perfect family unit. They needed her, after all.
Which meant that she didn't, of course. Georgia had been their father's child, Fannie their mother's. She didn't begrudge her sister's seemingly charmed life and abiding happiness, but she did resent her mother's implication that Georgia was less of a dutiful daughter for not producing an environment conducive to a visiting, meddling parent.
As expected, the chatty letter ended with:
P.S. I lit a candle for you at Mass on Saturday that someday you will find a man who will make you as happy as Albert makes Fannie. By the way, how is Bob?
Georgia closed her eyes and laid her head back on the couch. Fannie had made The American Dream look so easy. She'd slighted her studies in favor of socializing and snared the son of the man who'd created some newfangled racing snow ski, ergo the lodge in Denver big enough to host the winter Olympics. Their wedding had been the social event of the year in Denver. Georgia's bridesmaid gown had cost as much as a semester's tuition. And their mother... Well,herhappiness was clinched when the star of a nationally syndicated decorating show flew in from Los Angeles just to make the table arrangements.
How was a little sister supposed to follow that act? She wanted all those wonderful things, too, but maybe Fanniehad inherited all the husband-hunting genes. Maybe she was destined to be simply a good aunt.
Her phone rang, an alien noise that sounded like a sick pet.Rob, finally.She yanked up the portable phone and pressed the Talk button. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's me," Toni said.
"Oh, hi."
"I take it from your depressed tone that Rob hasn't yet called to, um, return the favor?"
She sighed. "He left a message at the hospital saying he was called out of town unexpectedly, and that he would phone, but I haven't heard from him yet."
"He's probably just busy or away from a phone. Hey, what's this about you treating a dog in the E.R.?"
