Exposed : My Mountain Man Protector(39)
Lila stopped and turned around after a second. Squinting again, she asked Blake, “Sorry, who are you?”
Blake threw out his hand. “I’m Blake. I helped save Claire from Angelo. She hid out in my cabin for a while.”
Lila stared at the hand for a minute and then directed her glare at me.
“I’m sorry, Lila,” I said. “I meant to tell you, only everything’s been such a confused whirl that—”
“So,” Lila said, her squint now so intense that her glasses-clad eyes almost looked closed, “you were staying in his cabin—to hide from Angelo.”
“She’s still staying there, actually,” Blake said. “Though last night we stayed at the Mountain Chalet.”
Lila’s eyes were frozen on me. She didn’t react. She acted as though Blake hadn’t spoken at all.
“Why don’t we go to the table?” I bleated, hurrying to the back.
Already, this was going even worse than I’d feared.
When we got there, Lila yanked me down beside her and cast one furtive look at Blake before turning to me.
“So Angelo’s in jail then and staying there?”
“Yes,” I said. “I gave my statement at the Aspen police station. I saw him kill a man, and then he tried sending a fake police officer after me and, later, blowing up my car and shooting Blake and me.”
Over the table, I patted Blake’s arm. “It’s only thanks to Blake that I escaped at all.”
Lila’s gaze flicked to my hand and then back to me. “That’s the most insane thing I ever heard,” she murmured. Then she grinned. “So you’re saying he’s gone for good then?”
I nodded, and she threw herself onto me in another hug.
“Oh, Claire! I’m so glad. I always knew he was absolute scum. Not to mention that you need time by yourself to really blossom, you know, to see your full potential without being so concentrated on another person.”
She said each sentence with a furious bobbing of her head, sending her ruby curls flying in their own determined assuredness.
Blake and I exchanged a look.
“Lila,” I said slowly, pulling out of the hug, “about that…”
“Hey there. What can I get everyone to drink?” our blond waitress asked at just the wrong time.
“Water for everyone, I think,” I said. Then, turning to Lila, “Now, about Blake—”
“I’m ready to order!” Lila declared.
I gaped at her and she shrugged.
“I came early and had aaaages to look at the menu. You still like ribs, right? We’ll split ’em like we always do. One half rack of ribs and smoked beef please.”
“But, Lila, Blake hasn’t had time to—”
“I’ll have ribs and smoked beef too,” Blake said with a shrug.
“Great,” our waitress said with an even bigger smile. “You both want fries with that?”
“Yes,” chorused Lila and Blake.
“Great. Two ribs and fries coming right up!”
Then she was gone and we were back, knee-deep, in prickly tension.
“So, Lila,” I said, “about Blake—”
“Don’t worry about your place with Angelo,” Lila said. “He left right after you did, and I called the landlord and explained the situation. He agreed to let me check in. All your stuff is okay, Claire. You’re good to come back—even today if you want to!”
Her smile hung there, red and large, urging me to join it. All I could muster was a pale smile in return. I had to tell her, and I had to do it now.
“Lila,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “you know I haven’t been happy these past few years.”
This sent Lila into another flurry of vociferous nods and exclamations. “Of course you haven’t been happy! Who would have been happy with a lying, evil, vile murderer of a husband? Who?”
I nodded and tried to take a measured tone. “That’s true, but it’s not just that. I’ve never worked; I’ve never left New Jersey. I hardly even know who I am.”
Again, a series of nods and exclamations. “Boy am I glad to finally hear you say all that. This is what I’ve been getting at for years! You need time by yourself, time to explore, to live! Let’s go to Costa Rica!”
“Lila,” I said gently, “I like it here.”
Her smile inverted, contorted into a scowl.
“You like it here?” she asked. Then, jabbing her orange-nailed thumb at Blake, she said, “Or you like him?”