Page 51 of The Sound of Temptation

“Do you think we could just go outside where it’s quiet.” He takes my arm and turns me toward the entrance before I can respond.

I yank my arm free of his and turn to face him. He’s looking at me confused, like he can’t understand why I wouldn’t want to go with him. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”

He looks taken aback, but he swallows whatever he was about to say and nods. “I want to tell you how sorry I am.”

I give him a stiff smile. “That’s really good to know. Take care.”

I turn on my heel and walk away.

I manage to keep my tears at bay until I’m safely ensconced in the surprisingly clean bathroom in the back of the bar. But once I’m there, I let them flow.

I don’t even know why I’m crying. In the grand scheme of my life, and the things I’ve been through, this shouldn’t register. I don’t understand why it hurts so much that I can’t hug him. It makes no sense that it feels wrong to have anything other than warmth between us when I’ve spent the last ten years hating him.

The bathroom door opens, and I dash into one of the stalls. I’m so done crying over men who will never cry over me. I take several deep breaths and I wipe my face dry before I step out and walk to the sink.

Of course Etta’s there, reapplying her lipstick. I pull out my vanity case and ignore her. She was Bethany’s friend. The last time I saw her was when I caught her giving my father a blow job in my mother’s old bedroom the day of Bethany’s funeral.

“Beth Wolfe. I thought that was you,” she cries all Southern belle charm.

I look over in feigned confusion. “I’m sorry, have we met?”

Her smile vanishes, and she curls her lips as if she smells something foul. “I saw you talking to Carter. He’s here with me. He’s not broke and desperate like Duke, so you can forget it.”

Her insult rankles, but not because I care what she thinks. It’s the insinuation Duke is with me for money. I wonder if she’s the girl Dina was talking about.

“You enjoy him, Etta,” I say with a cold smile.

“I will. And don’t you worry. I’ll have enough energy to keep Duke out of your hair, too.”

“Oh, is that a service you provide? You fuck shitty husbands, so the wives don’t have to? Cause if so, I have a friend—”

“You bitch,” she snarls before she stalks out of the bathroom.

I sigh with relief when she’s gone and wait for my hands to stop shaking before I reapply my make-up and head to find Dina.

I spot her sitting at our table talking to a woman who looks like one of the servers. I slide into the other seat and avoid her eyes while I order a burger and fries.

“I thought we were heading back to our seats. I heard you drop your glass, but by the time I turned around, you were gone. What happened?” she asks as soon as the woman steps away.

“I had to use the bathroom.”

She frowns and then leans in and beckons me to do the same. “Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome looks an awful lot like Carter Bosch,” she shouts in my ear loudly enough to be heard over the steady stream of music and conversation. I shrink in my seat and dart a glance around our table to make sure he’s not close by.

“Does he?”

A server drops two drinks on the table. “Your double margaritas on the rocks, ladies.”

She smiles at my confused expression. “I got you another one.”

I smile gratefully, pick one up, and throw it back.

Dina’s expression is casual, but I can tell her naturally astute nose has picked up a scent she’s prepared to run to the ground. “What would he be doing here, do you think?”

I squirm and give a clueless shrug.

“Do you know him?”

I choke on my drink. Her dark eyes narrow to slits and irritation puckers her mouth.

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