Don't Let Go Read Free Page B

house, her job, and her independence. What else did she need?
    Annalee blinked. Her finger was purple. She quickly uncoiled the cord and changed the subject. “You should see the killer dress I bought for tonight.”
    “Can’t wait. By the way, did I tell you my brother’s in town?” Dee changed the subject so quickly Annalee almost got whiplash.
    “No, you didn’t, but we ran into each other earlier. When I was walking Bobo.” She didn’t mention that, thanks to Bobo, she nearly ran into a tree as well.
    “Oh, really?” Eric’s sister drew out the last word— realllyyy .
    Annalee rolled her eyes. “Yes, and what’s that little tone of yours supposed to mean?”
    “Oh, nothing,” Dee replied airily. “I knew he went out this morning. I merely find it interesting that of all the people he might encounter, he bumps into you. Very interesting.”
    “Do you really, Inspector Clouseau?”
    “Yes, indeed. Given the fact he’s had a major crush on you all these years—”
    Annalee pulled at the collar of the sweater that now felt too tight around her throat. “A crush ?”
    “A crush, the hots, whatever. Now you’re free, and he’s free—”
    “Wait a minute.” She gripped the handset to keep it from sliding from her slippery palm. “I thought he was seeing that girl, the brunette—”
    “Katie? No, they’re no longer an item. The stars have finally aligned for you. It’s…what’s the word…”
    Annalee was speechless, her thoughts a flurry.
    “Oh yeah, serendipity.”
    This call had to end. “Goodbye, Delayna. I’ll see you tonight.” Annalee hung up before her friend could say more.
    Okay, what just happened? Dee was encouraging her to get with Eric?
    A new image flashed before her—she and Eric, naked. Smoothing her hands down his bare chest, then trailing lower…
    She shook her head. Sexual deprivation was getting to her. How long had it been? Half a year since the divorce and even longer if she counted the last year of her marriage, which had been a war zone. A cold war of silence and contempt, which couldn’t even generate enough heat for hate sex.
    Not a moment too soon, the coffee maker gurgled. Annalee filled a cup, but no longer needed a hot drink to eliminate the chill.
    She was on fire.

Chapter Two
    That evening Annalee posed in front of her hall mirror.
    She’d spent a hefty chunk of salary on the black satin cocktail dress and silver peep toe heels. In her earlobes winked a pair of diamond studs she’d purchased herself. Hah. She didn’t need a man to buy her jewelry.
    But now she frowned at her reflection. Was she trying too hard? She was going for sleek and sophisticated. Did she scream divorced and desperate?
    Where was her evening bag? She’d chewed off most of her lipstick. She also needed to pop another antacid to soothe the knot of anxiety in her stomach.
    After tossing around a few sofa cushions, she spotted the bag on the seat of the armchair and almost fell on her face reaching for it. Damn heels. Well, with any luck, she’d break her neck and have the perfect excuse for not showing up at this stupid event.
    Part of her wanted to back out altogether. Call up Dee and say she was sick with a headache. A stomach bug. The bubonic plague.
    There’d be gossip if she didn’t show. She could hear it even now. “Well, I don’t blame her for not being here. The poor thing couldn’t show her face after the way Denny dumped her for that new girl. How humiliating.”
    And she could picture the smug look on Denny’s face, thinking of her huddling at home, heartbroken and miserable, because of him, of course. His big, fat ego would just love that.
    No. No way would she give him that satisfaction. The gossips could stare, whisper, and speculate to their hearts’ content. She’d strut in there with her new dress and her sparkly earrings and flash her ex a great big smile.
    Yeah, eat your heart out, Denny. Not too shabby, huh? Howja like me now?
    She had every right to