Anna pulled her Toyota Previa into the parking lot of the shopping area and turned off the engine. The therapy session this morning had been one of the better ones since she’d been going. Somehow, it felt easier opening up about the things she’d endured at the hands of Danny Cooper and Stavros Aristides.
She had to bite back her laugh. Her therapist had questioned what was new in her life, and she’d confided that she was seeing somebody, which made her therapist over-the-moon happy. Without asking, she’d gone on to advise Anna about taking things slow, and not being afraid to tell Stefan if something scared her or made her uneasy.
It was good advice. She only hoped when the time came they reached that stage, she’d be able to make love with Stefan. The thought of his touch both intrigued and terrified her in equal measure.
Now she was meeting Frankie, Celeste, and Janessa for lunch. They’d picked the Mexican restaurant close to her therapist’s office. Walking through the front door, she spotted the three women waiting for her by the hostess stand.
“Anna! Wow, you look…I don’t know… different somehow.” Celeste studied her, hands on her hips. “I’ve got it! You look happy.”
Anna chuckled. “I am happy.”
“Things going well with Stefan?”
She felt the heat flooding her cheeks, and felt suddenly tongue-tied, and could only nod.
“Ohhh, look at that blush. Things must be very good.” Janessa elbowed Celeste, giving Anna a wink. “Let’s grab a table, then you can spill all the juicy tidbits.”
The hostess led them to a table on the patio, with big colorful umbrellas over a round table, and took their drink orders, promising they’d be out shortly.
“Okay, girlfriend, spill. What’s happening with your new fella?” Celeste waved her hands around while talking, and Anna grinned at her excitement. Having found these women, and started becoming friends recently, had been the one good thing that came about from her rape. Well, that and meeting Stefan. That definitely was at the top of her list.
“There’s really nothing to tell.”
“Hmm. Ladies, all those who don’t believe her, raise your hand.” All three hands shot up.
Anna laughed. “Okay, fine. We went out to dinner and…he kissed me.”
“Le sigh.” Janessa got a wistful look on her face. “Was it amazing?”
“It was the sweetest kiss I’ve ever gotten. He even asked me first if he could kiss me.”
“Smart man,” Frankie whispered under her breath.
“Well, that’s progress. What else is going on?”
“We’ve talked.” Anna paused while the waitress handed out their drinks along with a basket of warm tortilla chips and salsa, then took their orders. She decided on the chicken enchiladas.
“Go on. You talked, and…” Frankie prompted.
“He wants to see me, once Aristides is out of the picture. To see where things might go.”
“Yes!” All three women high fived each other.
“Are they any closer to finding this Aristides guy? I know Bogey and Javier and Book are helping out.” Janessa stuffed a laden chip into her mouth after asking the question.
“No, and he hasn’t done or sent anything in a couple of days, which has me worried. It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s not going to let this go. He wants me to pay for Danny’s death.” She broke the chip in her hand into several pieces, her appetite suddenly gone.
“Well, he’ll find a wall of SEALs protecting you if he tries to make any moves. If he was smart, he’d get the hell outta Dodge as far as his hairy little legs will carry him.” Frankie tipped her margarita glass at Anna, before taking a hefty swallow.
“I thought it was bad when he was in South America, always wondering if or when he’d resurface. Now that he has, I just want everything over with, so my life can get back to normal.”
“Honey, normal is overrated. You stick with Stefan, he’ll make sure your life is an adventure every day.” Celeste gave her a conspiratorial wink.
They all laughed, and toasted with their drinks, but Anna couldn’t shake the feeling something hovered just over the horizon, and her life would never be the same. It was like an itch between her shoulder blades, and she no longer liked sitting on the outdoor patio. It felt too exposed, too open.
“Ladies, I’ve gotta go.” Grabbing her purse, she tossed a handful of bills on the table to cover her portion of lunch.
“Wait, what’s wrong?” Frankie caught her hand, and Anna jerked back automatically. Darn, she wished she’d get over that knee-jerk reflex.
“I…I don’t know. I just feel like—I can’t explain. It’s too open. He might be out there. What if…”
Before she could finish her sentence, a body barreled into her, knocking her to the floor. Right as her head hit, she recognized Bogey shielding her, and felt his body jerk above hers, as the sound of a shot filled the air.
Then nothing but chaos.