Page 39 of Hidden Resolution
“You must be okay, since you are your normal wiseass self.”
No, she was so far from it, it wasn’t funny. But Erica already had enough to deal with.
12
“So, what’s going on with you and Mason?”
Shonda didn’t pause in brushing Erica’s glossy auburn hair. Truthfully, she’d been expecting the fifth degree for the last two and a half days. Honestly, it was shocking Erica had taken as long as she did. Her friend had never known a second’s restraint in her life.
“Not a thing,” Shonda replied smoothly.
“I’d turn around and call bullshit, but it hurts to move,” Erica muttered.
And it was a good thing she couldn’t see her expression, or she’d call Shonda out for a liar again.
“Take it at face value and move on,” she suggested.
Erica caught her hand and gave a gentle tug, a silent order to shift into view. Worried brown eyes met Shonda’s carefully neutral gaze.
“Shonda, it’s me. Whatever’s going on doesn’t have to go any further. Just… don’t shut me out.”
“I’m not.”
“You are,” Erica insisted. “Three days ago at the hospital, you were on the verge of telling me Mason was the one. And nowyou’re sitting here with the soul sucked out of you.” Her voice softened with her concern. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine.”
“You’renotfine. And if you don’t start talking, I swear, the second I’m able, I’m kicking your ass.”
Zack appeared in the doorway, to-go coffees in hand and a box of donuts under one arm. “Everything okay in here?”
“Peachy.” Shonda handed him the brush in exchange for a coffee. “I was just heading out.”
“Oh, hell no! You don’t get to leave when I can’t chase you down and yell at you,” Erica called after her. As always, even livid, she was hilarious. Her first real smile in two days tugged at Shonda’s mouth. Reaching into the box, she grabbed a donut and stuffed it halfway into Erica’s gaping pie hole.
“Later,” she sang, giving a finger wave on her way out.
Erica’s sputtered outrage and Zack’s chuckle followed her.
“She’s going to murder you in her next novel, you know that, right?” Zack said, falling into step beside her.
The twinkle in his eye was unmistakable. “I don’t know if you’ve ever read her books, but one in every four murdered women bears a striking resemblance to me.”
His bark of laughter, a twin to Mason’s, had her placing a hand over her heart and rubbing.
“You okay?” he asked, gesturing to her chest.
Leave it to Mr. Perceptive.
“Heartburn,” she lied.
His brows shot up, but he let it go. Instead, he lowered his voice and leaned in conspiratorially. “I’m throwing a surprise party for Erica tomorrow.”
Shonda choked on her next sip.
“Dude, she hates surprises. Tell her people are coming and to act surprised, or she’ll stab you in your sleep.”
The blood drained from Zack’s face, leaving him ghostly.
