Page 52 of Karma

“How did you like the flowers? I wanted to make sure you got them.”

Liza blinked in surprise. “Yousent the flowers?”

“You didn’t know?”

She shook her head.

“No wonder you didn’t call,” he said, more to himself than to her.

Embarrassment flooded her. “I’m sorry I didn’t acknowledge them, but there was no card, and I just thought…”

Jeff’s eyes widened in sudden understanding. “You thought your cop sent them,” he muttered and shook his head.

Liza gritted her teeth, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration filling her. Could this mess with Jeff get any worse? They’d had a great working relationship until she’d gone and screwed it up in a misguided attempt to be nice and invite him to meet her at the fair. So she could introduce him to people in town, not because she had any romantic interest in the man.

“Jeff, listen. I realize this is awkward, and we’ve had a lot of misunderstandings in a short time—” Liza began.

“It’s fine. You already told me where I stand. The flowers were just what the card said—if you’d gotten it. A friendly get-well gesture from a colleague,” he assured her, sounding like he meant it. “And I’m sorry for what I said about your cop friend. He just stepped up and took over before I could.” He shrugged, and his cheeks flushed.

He was embarrassed, she realized. Men and their egos.

“I hope we can get back to where things were before?” Jeff asked.

Liza smiled and nodded, admiring his honesty. “Of course we can. And I appreciate the flowers. They really were beautiful.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re better. And now I should get upstairs to work.”

“You’ve got a tough boss, so yeah, you probably should.”

Jeff laughed, and Liza joined him. “I’m heading for Mystic, so I probably won’t see you back here until tomorrow.”

“Okay. Let me know when you’re ready to move forward there.”

“I will.”

She raised her hand in a wave and walked out to her car again.

The sun shone down, and Liza put the convertible top down for the ride. Maybe some fresh air and a road trip would help settle her mind and her mood. She ignored the urge to check her phone to see if Dare had called. It wouldn’t matter if he had since her brother would always be an issue.

Which shouldn’t matter if what she wanted from Dare was a quick fling. That was all she would allow in her life. So why were all these unwanted feelings and emotions rioting around in her head? Why did her heart feel like it was breaking a mere morning after just because Dare had walked away so easily?

She ground her teeth in frustration and pulled out of the parking lot, heading through town. Her brakes felt funny—mushy-like—and she narrowed her gaze.

She’d just had the car inspected last month. At the end of the road, there was a stop sign and she decided to test the brakes before getting onto the highway. At the intersection, she slowed and still didn’t like the squishy way the brakes felt. And when she attempted to bring the car to a stop, nothing happened.

The vehicle still rolled, and she began to pound on the brakes. Still nothing. Panic filled her, and she hit the floor harder with her foot. Still nothing.

Someone was looking out for her because no more cars were coming on either side of the street, but her heart picked up speed since the main traffic light in town was ahead of her. Cars would be coming from all directions.

Liza glanced around frantically. To her left was a row of shops. To her right was the main lawn and the beautiful flowers lining the street. With no alternative, she cut her wheel right and held on as she deliberately turned her small car onto the lawn.

She shut her eyes and screamed as the car hit the gazebo.

***

Dare walked intothe station, hot and annoyed. His first call of the day was spent arguing with the Delaneys, an older couple, over the fact that, yes, their barking dog was creating a disturbance and either they’d have to agree to take him inside or Dare would be forced to call the pound. As it was, he issued them a citation for animal cruelty for keeping their pets outdoors for so long in ninety-eight-degree heat.

“You look like you’ve been through the wringer,” Cara said from her seat behind her desk.

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