Leanne's possible infidelity, had been so agonizing, it had been hard to look too closely at him.
She wished there was something she could do to help him.
She knew what it was like to be betrayed by someone you loved, someone you thought you knew as well as you knew yourself.
After Paul had taken her money, she'd realized that she'd ignored a lot of red flags in their relationship. Had Burke done the same thing with Leanne?
When the water ran cold, she got out, dried off, dressed and dried her hair. Then she went back out to the living room and debated her next move. She had a key to Burke's apartment. She had some cash from the bank. And she was invited to a potluck that evening. She wasn't sure Burke would want to go after the news he'd just received, but she did want to see Nicole. It would probably be better for Burke to be surrounded by family tonight than to sit at home and stew about what Mitch had told him. Hopefully, his run would bring some peace and he'd be willing to go out later.
Grabbing her bag, she decided to run out to the market she'd spied a block away. Nicole had told her not to bring anything, but she'd feel better showing up with a dish to contribute.
When she left the building, she couldn't help looking around for Mitch. She didn't see him anywhere, but that didn't mean he wasn't lurking in the shadows somewhere. As she walked to the market, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her, but it was probably just her imagination. Mitch didn't care about her.
But Paul did. Or at least he cared about her money and the possibility of her helping him.
Sighing, she realized she should be focusing on her own problems. Paul's earlier phone call had disturbed her, but she reminded herself that Paul didn't know where she was staying in the city. Even if he somehow tracked her to the apartment she'd sublet, she wasn't there anymore. Her parents were safely out of town for a few more days, so there was no way Paul could reach them. And they didn't know where she was, either.
Despite all those reminders, she felt a little better when she stepped into the market.
It was a gourmet market with organic vegetables and meats and local wines from the nearby Sonoma and Napa vineyards. It was expensive, but it was convenient. She grabbed some vegetables, deciding to make some vegetable tarts to take as an appetizer. They were usually a big hit at parties.
After checking out, she walked quickly back to the apartment. The sun was going down, the late afternoon shadows getting longer and once again goose bumps ran unexpectedly down her arms as she moved toward Burke's apartment building.
She was not ordinarily a fearful person. She'd been all over the world. She'd traveled in dangerous areas by herself. There was nothing to fear on this residential block in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood.
Still, she quickened her pace. When she got to the front door, she juggled the bags in her hand so she could get her key out.
Steps came up behind her, and her heart leapt into her throat as a hand came down on her shoulder. She gasped, whirling around to see…Burke.
"You scared me," she said breathlessly.
"Sorry. I saw you struggling to get the key out." His gaze narrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just had a bad feeling walking to the market and back."
Burke glanced around. "I don't see anyone."
"It was just a feeling. Probably my imagination." She stepped back as Burke opened the door for her. He grabbed one of her grocery bags from her as they headed up the stairs.
"What's all this?" he asked.
"Just a few things. I thought I'd make something to take to Nicole's potluck, if you still want to go."
"I'm not really in the mood for my family."
"They might take your mind off things. How was your run?" she asked, as he let her into the apartment.
"It was good. I feel better now."
"You seem calmer." She set her groceries on the kitchen counter.
"I don't know about calm, but I do know that
She wished there was something she could do to help him.
She knew what it was like to be betrayed by someone you loved, someone you thought you knew as well as you knew yourself.
After Paul had taken her money, she'd realized that she'd ignored a lot of red flags in their relationship. Had Burke done the same thing with Leanne?
When the water ran cold, she got out, dried off, dressed and dried her hair. Then she went back out to the living room and debated her next move. She had a key to Burke's apartment. She had some cash from the bank. And she was invited to a potluck that evening. She wasn't sure Burke would want to go after the news he'd just received, but she did want to see Nicole. It would probably be better for Burke to be surrounded by family tonight than to sit at home and stew about what Mitch had told him. Hopefully, his run would bring some peace and he'd be willing to go out later.
Grabbing her bag, she decided to run out to the market she'd spied a block away. Nicole had told her not to bring anything, but she'd feel better showing up with a dish to contribute.
When she left the building, she couldn't help looking around for Mitch. She didn't see him anywhere, but that didn't mean he wasn't lurking in the shadows somewhere. As she walked to the market, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her, but it was probably just her imagination. Mitch didn't care about her.
But Paul did. Or at least he cared about her money and the possibility of her helping him.
Sighing, she realized she should be focusing on her own problems. Paul's earlier phone call had disturbed her, but she reminded herself that Paul didn't know where she was staying in the city. Even if he somehow tracked her to the apartment she'd sublet, she wasn't there anymore. Her parents were safely out of town for a few more days, so there was no way Paul could reach them. And they didn't know where she was, either.
Despite all those reminders, she felt a little better when she stepped into the market.
It was a gourmet market with organic vegetables and meats and local wines from the nearby Sonoma and Napa vineyards. It was expensive, but it was convenient. She grabbed some vegetables, deciding to make some vegetable tarts to take as an appetizer. They were usually a big hit at parties.
After checking out, she walked quickly back to the apartment. The sun was going down, the late afternoon shadows getting longer and once again goose bumps ran unexpectedly down her arms as she moved toward Burke's apartment building.
She was not ordinarily a fearful person. She'd been all over the world. She'd traveled in dangerous areas by herself. There was nothing to fear on this residential block in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood.
Still, she quickened her pace. When she got to the front door, she juggled the bags in her hand so she could get her key out.
Steps came up behind her, and her heart leapt into her throat as a hand came down on her shoulder. She gasped, whirling around to see…Burke.
"You scared me," she said breathlessly.
"Sorry. I saw you struggling to get the key out." His gaze narrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. I just had a bad feeling walking to the market and back."
Burke glanced around. "I don't see anyone."
"It was just a feeling. Probably my imagination." She stepped back as Burke opened the door for her. He grabbed one of her grocery bags from her as they headed up the stairs.
"What's all this?" he asked.
"Just a few things. I thought I'd make something to take to Nicole's potluck, if you still want to go."
"I'm not really in the mood for my family."
"They might take your mind off things. How was your run?" she asked, as he let her into the apartment.
"It was good. I feel better now."
"You seem calmer." She set her groceries on the kitchen counter.
"I don't know about calm, but I do know that
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