A California Christmas (Silver Springs #7) - Brenda Novak Page 0,97

see that obscene picture, she opened her door a crack.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Susan asked, perplexed. “It’s ten after twelve, and you’re just...sitting here.”

“Oh. Sorry,” she said, and scrambled from the car. “I was reading a good article and must’ve lost track of time.”

“No problem. What was it about?”

“What was what about?” she asked as she slipped past Susan to go inside.

“The article.”

“Oh. It was about...it was about how...some guy mugged one of those bell ringers for the Salvation Army and stole all the money in his bucket,” she said, grasping at anything she could think of.

“You’re kidding!” Susan sounded horrified. “I haven’t heard about that.”

“It wasn’t around here,” she said, and hoped her boss would let it go as she put down her purse and moved into the front.

Fortunately, they were busy from the moment she put on her apron. Susan didn’t have the chance to ask any more questions about that nonexistent article or anything else.

Emery was grateful that she couldn’t dwell on Tommy’s lack of response, that strange and upsetting email or how things had ended with Dallas last night. She was tempted to contact him, to tell him about the email she’d received, but she couldn’t allow herself to lean on him. That wasn’t fair.

He’d gotten her back on her feet. She had to navigate from here.

But as she closed up that night, she had to ask herself—was she going to the Blue Suede Shoe?

22

Emery felt self-conscious entering the bar alone. Because it was always busy on the weekend, and she couldn’t imagine she’d be unsafe with so many people around, she’d decided to go. She’d once reported on a story about a spurned lover who’d impersonated his ex-girlfriend online and provided her personal information to men hoping to connect with women seeking a rape fantasy experience. Strange men had come to her house at all hours of the night, thinking she’d requested a sexual attack. Fortunately, nothing truly terrible happened to her, but it was frightening and sometimes difficult to convince her would-be “attackers” that her refusal wasn’t part of the game.

Emery had to wonder if Ethan had posted her email address in a similar forum, hoping the men there would begin to harass her. If so, and she could prove it, the police would have to get involved. Setting her up went well beyond loading a sex tape onto the internet. Something like that could potentially result in physical harm.

She hadn’t gone home to shower and change after work—she’d sat in her car and read for over an hour to pass the time—so her hair and clothes smelled like fresh-baked cookies. But at least most people liked the scent of vanilla. She’d been reluctant to return to Aiyana’s for fear she’d bump into Dallas. She knew he’d ask about Ethan and if she’d heard anything on the lawsuit—they’d talked about that almost every day—and she’d decided not to tell him the latest. Not only was she determined to do a better job of handling her own problems, his brothers were coming into town today—she’d been hearing about their arrival all week—and she didn’t want to get in the way of the family reunion.

After slipping through the crowd to reach the bar, she ordered a Sprite with a wedge of lime before picking her way along the wall to the far corner. She was hoping to find a vantage point from which she could view most of the people, but there were too many alcoves. She’d have to move around, actively search for whoever had suggested they meet here, even though she preferred to keep a low profile. After what’d happened the last time she’d visited the Blue Suede Shoe, she’d become a hot topic in town for something other than the video—or in addition to it—and this time Dallas had been drawn into the conversation.

Were they a couple? Had Dallas reacted in a jealous rage? Was he still the angry youth he’d once been?

But Aiyana claims he’s gotten over all that... Aiyana must be beside herself... How can someone like Emery Bliss be good for him when she doesn’t have any moral fiber herself?

Most of those comments hadn’t been said to her face, but Susan had mentioned a few things, and she’d overheard others. Everyone seemed to be interested and hoping to learn a bit more so they could contribute to local gossip.

Her ears burned as people stared at her. She stood and sipped her Sprite, longing for the moment when everyone would just