Perfect Fling (Serendipity's Finest 2)

He couldn’t help but grin. “Guess I should have known better.” He glanced over her shoulder. “Hi, Cara.”

“How’s Jed?” Erin asked.

“Still don’t know anything,” Cole said, surprised to hear his voice catch as he spoke. Apparently he was more upset than he wanted to admit to himself. He cleared his throat. “I was just about to go in and push for answers.”

Erin faced Cara. “Go on back to Mike. Plan’s scrapped for today, and I’ll be here as long as Cole is. We’ll just go back to the house together.”

“No,” Cole said. “You go back with Cara and Mike. I don’t know how long I’ll be here.”

“All the more reason for me to stay.” Erin waved Cara away.

He should have known she’d pull the stubborn routine. Despite trying to push her away, he was grateful she wasn’t listening. He didn’t want to deal with doctors by himself, let alone Jed. Hell, he didn’t want to deal with the realities inherent with his father being so ill.

Cara glanced back and forth between them. “Well, given the choice between hanging out with you two and all these outdated magazines”—she pointed to the dog-eared glossies on the table—“or going home to my husband . . . easy choice. And you’ll be safer with Cole,” she muttered.

“What’s that mean?” Cole asked.

Cara pulled him into an unexpected hug. “Take care. And I hope your dad’s okay,” she said, backing away just as quickly.

Cole was glad. Hugs and emotion from Cara were as unfamiliar as the panic coursing through him.

“Okay, you two, I’m gone,” Cara said.

He nodded. “Drive safely.”

“Will do. And one of you call me when you have news.”

“Sure thing,” Erin promised. She glanced at Cole. “Well? Let’s go find the doctor.”

He shook his head. “Hold up.” There was something they needed to discuss first.

“What is it?” She looked up at him with guileless hazel eyes that, on top of Cara’s cryptic comment, Cole suddenly didn’t trust worth a damn. “You tell me.”

Erin blinked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Start with what Cara meant by you’ll be safer with me? Did something happen at Joe’s?”

“Shouldn’t we be checking on Jed?” Erin started for the swinging double doors, but Cole pulled her back.

He caught her around the waist, stilling any jittery movement. “Out with it. What happened?”

“Well, I might have had a run-in with Victoria.” She winced as she said the words.

All the blood running in Cole’s veins froze. “What?!”

She forced herself to meet his gaze. “Okay, it’s like this. I ran into Evan when I was with Cara, and seeing how I haven’t been working but he saw me in a bar, I needed to explain. It was crowded and loud, so we stepped into the bathroom hall. Cara and Mike were within shouting distance. It was fine.”

Cole cocked an eyebrow. “Somehow, I don’t think it was fine,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“But she got close to you,” he bit out.

Erin ran her hand down his arm in an obvious effort to soothe him, but instead of calm, all he felt was frustration that he hadn’t been there to protect her.

“Finish the story.”

She sighed. “Evan and I argued—”