Leaving Annalise (Katie & Annalise Book 2) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins Page A

felt like I was forgetting something. I patted my pockets. No keys. I went to my bedside table and grabbed the spares.
    My phone dinged with a text. Nick. “Ready when you are. Hurry back.” My heart fluttered like a new butterfly with wings heavy and wet, hopeful, vulnerable. I prayed we were done with the sister-mama drama as I stuffed my bathroom case in the top of my bag and slung the straps over my shoulder.
    Ava stood in the doorway and studied her long French-manicured nails. “Try not to run into Bart. He may be more upset than I tell you earlier.”
    I stood at the door with my suitcase and my dog. “Be a pal. Let me live in denial.”
    “All right. Hey, before you go, I met a man last night. He a big-shot music producer, new on island. I invite him to our gig this weekend. So don’t bail on me.”
    “We be gigging. I be seeing you later.”
    She narrowed her eyes and jutted her chin. “Be careful, now.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    I gave her a smacky kiss on the cheek and headed out the door. I stuffed my bag into the toolbox then got inside to un-hotwire the truck.
    After I reconnected the wires and steering column cover and turned the spare key, the truck started with a powerful roar. I kind of hated using keys anymore. It felt so safe and boring, although it occurred to me that Ava and I really should change our locks if my house keys didn’t show up soon. I’d have to call Rashidi later and ask him to keep an eye out for them. I hit speed dial for Emily, and drove as fast as I dared.
    “Hello?” A three-syllable word, ending in oh-oh. So Emily.
    “He’s here.”
    “You’re gonna have to do better than that.” Emily’s voice was so loud that I moved the phone an inch away from my ear.
    “He’s here and it’s awesome.”
    “Thank GAWD,” she said. “I was having second thoughts, but the horse was already out of the barn.”
    “It’s going to be OK. Bart is pissed, though.”
    “I expect he is. But I wouldn’t have told Nick where you were if I didn’t think he was for real. Still, you be careful.”
    Ava first, and now Emily? I needed a sign around my neck that said, “I have it together, really.”
    “Love you, Emily. Gotta go.”
    “Love you, too.”
    We hung up. I really missed that woman. Ava was my best on-island friend, but Emily was my bestest best friend in the world.
    I pulled into the Reef’s parking lot and found a spot outside Nick’s oceanside room, right up next to the hibiscus and under one of the coconut palms that ringed the pink stucco hotel. Pink stucco against blue ocean always works.
    I strolled toward Nick’s room, trying for nonchalance, but my heart was jackhammering. Less than twenty-four hours ago I had thought I’d never see this man again, and that he liked it that way. Was I supposed to play it cool now, or give in to my urge to leap into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist?
    Nick opened the door. I smiled, but it felt stiff on my face. I tried again.
    “Hi,” I said.
    “Hey, beautiful,” he replied. He leaned toward me and kissed my cheek. “And you smell good.”
    “You do, too.” I huffed his scent. Heady stuff. “You really, really do.”
    I’m not sure how it started, but at some point I realized that I was totally making out with Nick in broad daylight, and that my hands were desperately seeking skin. My God, I was a cat in heat.
    Suddenly my peripheral vision caught unexpected movement in the parking lot and prickles raced up my neck. I peeled myself off of Nick over his mumbled protests and searched out the source. Nick followed my gaze and our eyes settled on a black Pathfinder.
    “Looks like your boyfriend’s car,” he said.
    It was definitely Bart’s car. He wasn’t in it, but the movement I’d seen had come from that direction.
    “Ex- sort-of -boyfriend,” I said. I tried not to move my head as I cast panicked glances far and wide. I didn’t see him. Maybe he was here on restaurant business. A girl could hope.
    And