Bailed Out (The Anna Albertini Files #2) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,20

ready for a date.”

I burst out laughing. Full on, from the belly, surprising even me.

His dark eyebrows rose.

I caught my breath and put a hand to my stomach. “Oh, Aiden.” I coughed a couple of times. “I don’t give two shits if you’re dating somebody. If you think hurting my feelings is going to get me to crawl into a hole and hide from this, then you don’t know me at all.” Plus, I didn’t believe him. If I did, I would be seriously wounded. But he just seemed to be trying too hard to get me to back off. Why? I could never turn away from a puzzle. Ever.

He looked at me like I was nuts. Yeah, I’d seen that look before.

I smiled, finally relaxing. “Scaring me didn’t work. Hurting my feelings didn’t work. The only thing that is going to work is for you to tell me the truth.”

“The truth?” He scrubbed a hand through his thick hair. “All right. Here it is. You were the one good thing I’ve done in my entire life, that day a million years ago, and I thought I could revisit that. Be a hero once more.”

“You were,” I whispered. He’d turned against his whole club and driven a car hauler full of drugs into a dangerous situation to save my life just a couple of weeks ago. “You are. This isn’t making any sense to me.” It felt good to be in his space again, even though I was more confused than ever.

He shook his head, his eyes darkening to a deep sapphire. “That’s just it. I’m not. I’ll hold that one day forever, and I’ll keep a part of you with me, but our lives are too different. We’re too different. You have to move on from us, and you have to let the justice system take care of the case. Tessa didn’t kill Pucci, so she’ll be okay. So will you.” His words were soft, as was his voice.

I’d been dumped before. Never like this. “I guess there isn’t much more to say.” Not that I wasn’t going to help my sister, no matter what. Then I walked by him, my bewildered heart slightly breaking—but I still wasn’t completely buying it. Until I opened his outside door and nearly walked right into Jolene O’Sullivan.

“Oh.” She stumbled back and caught herself before focusing on me, recognition dawning quickly. Then a catlike smile spread across her still lovely face. Her eyes were blue, her hair a natural blonde, and her figure cheerleader tight. “Things never change, do they?” She looked over my shoulder at Aiden. “Seems like old times, doesn’t it, sweetheart?”

Chapter 8

I somehow made it to my car and out of the parking lot before bursting into tears or throwing up or both. My hands shook on the steering wheel as I drove down the quiet road to get a far enough distance away before calling Donna. Or Lacey. Yeah, Donna. My sister hated Jolene as much as I did—or at least she had years ago.

Just as I reached for my phone, it buzzed. “Hello,” I said, keeping my eye on the road.

“Anna? It’s Thelma. Are you still coming by today?”

My chin dropped to my chest, but I still watched the road. I’d forgotten. “Yeah. In fact, I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes or so.” My voice shook, and I cleared it.

“Great. I have to run to the store for a better suitcase and then go visit my new flame before I leave him for weeks because he’s going to watch my cat while we’re gone, but Georgiana is here to give you directions. Drive carefully, honey bun.” She fumbled for a minute or so and disengaged the call.

I sighed and fought back tears. Okay. Aiden really had picked up his life without me. Jerk. Fine. I would go do the favor for the elderly ladies and then get drunk with Donna. It was a tequila night, for sure. My mind fuzzed as I drove toward the retirement community where Thelma and Georgiana lived. I’d met them during a case, and they’d kind of adopted me as a granddaughter, which was awesome because they baked a lot and I loved cookies. Since they’d helped solve a drug case, they’d earned a financial award from the federal government, so they were heading off for a three-week Alaska adventure that included a cruise.

The bright and oddly painted homes in the Sunnyside Retirement community failed to amuse me for once. I pulled