Meredith smiled when he waved at her. She lifted her hand in response. Divorcée Woman would cruise the room, her eyes heavy-lidded, her mouth pouty. She threw a wiggle into her hips as she followed Jill through the crowd.
Suddenly Larry appeared by her side and pressed a hand on her shoulder. “Jill, you don’t mind if I borrow Meredith for a second, do you?” he asked.
When Jill nodded, Larry guided her away. She returned her sister’s finger-fluttering wave.
“Look, I wanted to see if you wanted to go out sometime,” he said, edging closer, making her feel a little crowded. “I’m sure it’s hard to get back out there after your divorce. I can help.”
When he pressed his hips against her sand-colored skirt, she got a pretty good idea what he meant by “help.” Whoa. “That’s kind of you, Larry.” God, nice girl genes.
He rubbed his finger along her throat. “When I see something I want, I go for it.”
His pushiness was off-putting and then some. Any comparison to a Nora cop hero went up in smoke. “That’s good to know.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her neck. She tried to move. He wouldn’t let go.
“Let’s get out of here. I have a hankering to see the Big Apple.”
Whatever he meant by that didn’t bear contemplating. “Please, let go of me.”
His beer breath fanned her face. So, he’d already been drinking.
“There’s no need to pretend. I know you want it.”
She pushed harder when she couldn’t dislodge his grip. She tried to tell herself she was safe in public. His mouth skimmed her neck again.
“When I say, ‘let me go,’ I mean it, Officer.”
He finally let her wrench back, but he kept his meaty hand on her shoulder. “The cool ones always fight the hardest. Makes it all the sweeter. Come on, Meredith. Let’s go someplace.”
Just then, Jill materialized from the crowd. “Excuse me, Larry,” she said, “but my best friend just arrived and wants to see Meredith.” Pulling Meredith away, she gave him a bright smile over her shoulder. “We’ll catch you later.”
Meredith heaved out a breath. “I could have handled it.”
Jill pushed through the crowd. “I don’t give a damn. He was all over you. You looked scared.”
“I was. Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
“You’re not alone anymore, Mere. Besides, Jemma really does want to see you.”
“It’s been way too long.”
When they reached Jemma, Meredith gave her a big hug. She hadn’t seen her since her visit home right after her dad’s heart attack. “My God, look at you! I love what you’ve done with your hair.”
Her short black hair was curled close to her head, and with her big, dark eyes, she looked like a modern-day flapper.
“I cut it all off when Pete dumped me.”
Meredith nodded. Jill had told her about Pete Collins and Jemma breaking up. They’d been cozy since high school and everyone had thought were headed for marriage.
“I told her she looks hot.” Jill put her arm around her.
“She’s the best, isn’t she, Meredith?” Jemma cried. “I’m so glad you’re back. I love your hair too, by the way.”
Meredith flicked a red curl. “Back to eau natural.”
“Looks good on you.”
“Thanks. How’ve you been?”
“Besides Pete breaking my heart? There’s not much else. Got any pointers for getting over worthless men?”
It was depressing to see Jemma so muted over a man. She and Jill were usually two peas in a pod. Loud, energetic, and affable.
“Sorry, no great wisdom. Eat lots of chocolate.”
“Already tried. And ice cream. I only gain weight.” She slapped her hip.
Jill threw up her hands. “Okay, enough moping. We’re here to help Mere get back in the saddle. We need to erase the Larry episode from her mind, so let’s troll.”
“Jillie, please don’t use that word.”
Her sister only winked bawdily in response. “Follow me.”
Two hours later with Jill and Jemma guiding her through the room as the perfect wingwomen, Meredith had three more numbers. Jill was right about Hairy’s being the right place to go to on a Friday night. Her arms felt tenderized from all the flirtatious squeezes she’d received. Divorcée Woman would consider it a badge certifying her hotness.
Robbie the fireman didn’t have a card. When he wrote his number on the inside of her wrist, her skin tingled, and she was instantly transported back to college. Who wrote on people anymore? He was cute in a hulky way. His offer to take her for a ride in his fire truck was one of the worst attempts at flirtation she’d experienced in a long time. He clearly didn’t know their family was close friends with Ernie, the long-time fire chief, who’d given her and Jill rides growing up. She’d agreed anyway.