What Lies Beneath: Romantic Suspense Read Online Free PDF Page B

good to be out in the open air. I breathed in deeply. After walking for a few minutes, Theo pulled up beside me in his car. He kept pace with me as I walked.
    “Will you please get in the car?” he said from his rolled down window. I ignored him and kept walking. “Sabine, we’re miles away from town. You can’t walk back home.”
    I stared straight ahead.
    “Don’t be stubborn.”
    I stopped in my tracks and turned on him. “Who do you think you are? I never asked for any of this. I didn’t ask you to take me out, or for your advice, or for my husband to die.”
    I stopped speaking and turned away. I couldn’t bear to see the look on Theo’s face. Why had I said that? My husband had nothing to do with this. I wanted to die from embarrassment.
    I heard the car door open. Theo wrapped his arms around me from behind. I leaned against him and felt his strong chest against my back. I closed my eyes and let the warmth of his body wash over me. I’m not sure how long we stood like that.
    The sound of a car honking broke the spell.
    Wordlessly, I stepped away from Theo and got into his car. We drove home silently. 
    I couldn’t look at Theo. I exited his car, keeping my eyes on my house. Neither of us spoke. I was grateful. I didn’t want to fight, or hear anymore advice.
    I got out of the car, walked inside my house and stared at the bare living room. I’d lost the desire to paint and I didn’t have the energy to bring all the furniture back inside. I went to my bedroom, laid down and pulled the covers over my head, shutting out the world around me.

6
     
     
     
     
    I could have stayed in the bed for the rest of my life, but I had to pick Aiden up from school. I picked up my car keys and purse. My cell phone showed a missed call. I groaned. I knew it was Theo. To my surprise, it was Maddie. She’d called three times. There were no calls from anyone else. She hadn’t called me in months. What could she possibly want now? Letting her talk me into having a coffee had been a mistake. Now she wanted to be friends again. I just wanted to left alone.
    I started to put my phone in my purse when it rang. It was Maddie. I hit Ignore. The phone rang again almost immediately. Again, it was Maddie. I started to worry. What if there had been an emergency? What if something had happened to Aiden? I answered the phone fearing the worst. I was greeted by Maddie’s cheerful voice.
    “What’s up? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for a few hours now.”
    “I was taking a nap. Is everything alright?”
    “Yeah, fine. I just wanted to call and see how you are.”
    I was relieved Aiden was okay, but I didn’t feel like talking. Besides, there was something probing in her voice that I didn’t like. I frowned.
    “I’m fine,” I said. “Look, I was just on my way out the door to pick up Aiden from school. I’ll call you back later.”
    I started to hang up.
    “Wait!” she protested. “I have something to confess.”
    “What?” I was intrigued, but Maddie’s confessions usually amounted to nothing. Nearly in hysterics, she once called me to confess how she’d forgotten to pay for an item at the grocery store. It was on the bottom of her cart and she didn’t notice it until she was loading her car. She was convinced the police were going to arrest her and send her to jail. I assured her it happened all the time; it was an innocent mistake.
    At the time, I’d found it amusing. But I didn’t have the patience for her made-up crises today.
    “I know about what happened today,” she said.
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Well, Alison’s husband was at the same bar as you this afternoon. They saw you arguing with Theo. They said you took off down the street alone. Is that true?”
    I shook my head and considered hanging up. It was none of her business and I didn’t appreciate be gossiped about.
    “Look,” Maddie said after her question was met with silence, “I’m just worried. I told Alison it