All in One Place Read Free

that taking the baby into the bar was a smarter option.
    The jukebox started playing “Bed of Roses.” distracting me from Amelia's departure, the music teasing out pictures from the
     past. Leslie and I taped that song from the radio years ago, playing it until the tape wore out, staring soulfully into the
     eyes of Jon Bon Jovi as we sang along. I felt the subtle undertow of memories pulling me back. I needed Leslie right now.
     Needed her badly.
    “You seem sad,” Ralph was saying. “A drink could chase your blues away.”
    Or turn me a beguiling shade of green. “No. Thank you.” Ralph was quickly losing what little charm he might have had two beers
     ago.
    “Then how about a ride home?”
    Home.
There was a word guaranteed to make me feel maudlin. All I had with Eric was a fancy condo, a platinum credit card, and too
     much fear. No home there.
    “Just leave me alone,” I said.
    “C'mon. I bought you two beers…”
    “And here I thought you were a generous, selfless type.” I pushed away the half-full glass of beer that I should have known
     would have strings attached. I didn't like the smirk on the bartender's face as he took the glass away, nor did I appreciate
     the wink he gave Ralph.
    Ralph slipped his arm around my shoulder. “C'mon. We could have some fun.”
    Maybe Ralph understood body language better than English, so I pushed at him. “Leave me alone.”
    His eyes narrowed, and he quickly put his arm back, only this time he squeezed just a little harder. I pushed back. A little
     harder.
    When he tried to kiss me, I elbowed him.
    His eyes narrowed and fear slithered through me. “Why, you—” His open hand swung toward me. I ducked, pushed, but as I tried
     to get away, he caught my arm.
    The same arm Eric had grabbed too hard when I told him I wasn't going to stay with him anymore.
    And my anger blossomed.
    I reached behind me, connected with the solid neck of a beer bottle. When I lifted the beer bottle, it was as if I were watching
     someone else—simply a spectator trying to warn this wayward hand that if it completed the arc, it would be in deep trouble.
    Then the bottle connected with Ralph's head, right over his eye, and I felt one with my arm again. The bottle splintered.
     Ralph roared and punched my shoulder. Blood poured out of his head as he rained down curses on me and my mother.
    I yelled back, still holding the remnant of the bottle.
    Ralph grabbed for my arm. I swung and hit him again. Arms grabbed at me from behind. I kicked and stomped, using my heels
     against shins just like my self-defense instructor taught me.
    In spite of my flailing and spinning, I suddenly found my arms pinned behind my back. Ralph held his forehead, blood pouring
     into his eye, screaming that he was going to press charges.
    And when I saw the flashing lights driving up outside, I had this sinking feeling that I hadn't outrun my troubles at all.

    W ithout his sunglasses, Jack DeWindt looked to be on the young side of thirty, until you saw the fan of wrinkles at the corners
     of his eyes and the faint lines around his mouth. His hazel eyes, fringed with thick, dark lashes, were deep-set, drooping
     a bit, which gave him a deceptively gentle look. The last time I saw him, he was smiling, but now his mouth had a hard, narrow
     look of authority.
    “You're free to go,” he said as the door to my cell slid open. “Your sister came up with the rest of the bail money.”
    When I was told that using a bail bondsman meant I forfeited my deposit, I went with posting bail myself. Trouble was, I didn't
     have enough money. Consequently, my first connection with my dear sister was a call from the sheriff's office asking her to
     literally bail me out.
    “And then what?” I asked, stifling a new rush of nerves at the thought of facing my sister. Asking her to get me out of jail
     after many months and fewer e-mails was more humiliating than having Ralph hit on me and charge me with assault.
    I'd tried to