Easy This Time - JH Croix Page 0,10

I’d spoken to the property manager. She’d been horrified to learn Brett didn’t have any claim to my deposit. That didn’t change the fact that my money was still gone. I knew I had the option of taking legal action, but nothing would happen fast enough to help me now.

No matter what, I had to make a quick decision. Of course, I didn’t need to do something impulsive, especially involving money.

With my polite face firmly in place, I stepped back out into the sweltering heat and promptly collided with someone. “Oh! I’m so sorry,” I said as my eyes swung up.

Before my gaze even made it to his face, I knew I had run straight into Nash Reynolds. What was it with me encountering him when my pride was so shredded? To be fair, the first time I met him, I’d sought him out.

Nash’s eyes swept over my face. “What brings you back out of the airport, Mari?” he asked, his tone measured.

Considering that he already knew the outlines of what an idiot Brett was, I figured I might as well not bother being polite. “Apparently, Brett got us refundable tickets. He canceled mine to get the refund,” I explained, my tone sharp.

Nash’s eyes held mine, and I silently sighed. “Clearly, I wasn’t aware of just what an ass he was. To give me a little credit, we haven’t had sex in three months.”

The moment that detail slipped out, I wanted to stuff the words back in my mouth. I had the worst habit of blurting things out when I was flustered.

Nash arched a brow. “Well, thank you for the information.”

I laughed bitterly. “You’re most welcome.”

“How can I help?” he asked, his tone solemn.

Chapter 5

Nash

Mari looked tired, a sense of unease and weariness clinging to her. I found myself wanting to scoop her up and take her away—anywhere where she could relax and forget about all this. No one deserved to be taken advantage of, but the sense of protectiveness she elicited was unusual for me.

With my energy focused on work, I studiously avoided getting caught up in messy emotional entanglements. Yet, I found myself wanting to do whatever was necessary to hold Brett accountable and to tidy up whatever mess he’d created for Mari, which made no sense. I mentally shied away from contemplating just what I was doing and why.

Mari sighed again. “I don’t know. I have no way to get home, and Brett seems to have maxed out every single credit card I have. Before you go thinking I was too trusting, they weren’t even in his name. I’m pretty sure he figured out all my logins and…” Her words petered out, and she lifted a hand to brush a loose lock of hair away from her face.

I was torn between two impulses. On the one hand, I could simply buy her a plane ticket. On the other hand, I knew when she got home, she was going to find out the situation with her apartment if she hadn’t already. I’d had a friend who happened to be a private investigator do a quick check on her. Among other things, he’d scouted up that she’d recently moved out of one place and had leased another. Except the lease had been terminated two days ago after Mari had arrived here in New Orleans.

I wanted a little time with Mari. She got to me. I wasn’t thinking rationally, and I didn’t care. I shook my thoughts loose and repeated my question. “How can I help?”

“Honestly, I should probably just stay here until I figure out a plan. I already know from talking to my landlord that I have to find a new place.” Her mouth twisted in a bitter smile, although she didn’t add more to that explanation. Ah-ha. So she did know. Well, at least I wasn’t the bearer of that news. “No sense in paying for a plane ticket when I could use the money in other ways,” she finished.

Because it was my nature, I got practical. “Do you need to go back for work?”

Mari shook her head. “No. My job’s mobile. Not that it’s the most lucrative, but I’m a journalist.”

“Hmm. I recall Max mentioning that.”

“Do you know my brother well?”

“Our connections are business, but I trust him and consider him a friend.”

Mari lifted a hand and swiped away a bead of sweat rolling down her temple.

“I’d offer to buy your plane ticket, but I’m not sure that’s what you want. Why don’t we get out