“Is that so? How did you two meet?”

    Latoya flushed again. “He used to spend money here often. Said he needed jewelry for someone else, but always insisted I try them on to see how they looked. Back and forth, and then he said he liked me…i” /i

    Her voice dropped to a near whisper.

    “What kind of jewelry did he buy?”

    “Earrings, nes… The standard pieces we carry. He bought most of them.”

    Rosalind nodded. “Those are for women. You don’t think he was buying them for someone else?”

    Latoya’s hand jerked as she adjusted an earring. The hook snagged Rosalind’s earlobe painfully. “Ow!”

    Rosalind touched her ear. Blood oozed.

    “Oh my god! I’m so sorry, Ms. Johansen! I didn’t mean to!” Latoya fumbled for tissues, trying to dab at the wound. “What are you doing?”

    A powerful force shoved Latoya aside. She crashed into a disy bcase /bwith a heavy thud.

    Rosalind barely registered themotion before warmth enveloped her bneck/b.

    Someone touched her injured ear.

    “Are you alright?”

    Rosalind blinked, focusing on the neer: Eugene.“What are you doing here?”

    His face was tight, his jaw clenched. He gestured curtly at her ear.“Came to see the show. Looks like it cost you an earlobe.”

    Rosalind pulled tissues from her bag, pressing them to her ear.

    White quickly soaked through with bright red. It was bleeding more than she’d thought.

    Latoya looked shaken.“Sir, I’m terribly sorry! It was an ident with your wife! I’ll run and get antiseptic and cotton swabs…”

    “Don’t bother!” Eugene cut her off coldly. “I’m taking her to the hospital.”

    He took Rosalind’s wrist and dragged her towards the exit.“Come on. Infection risk.”

    The drive felt like flying.

    Rosalind wasn’t sure her seatbelt was holding her down.

    “Mr. Benitez, if you ever quitw, you might consider professional racing.”

    He shot her an irritated nce.“Not hurt badly enough, apparently.”

    “It’s not that bad. I could clean it at home. No need for rushing to the hospital.”

    Eugene scoffed.“Want mismatched earlobes when it heals?”

    19:53

    14.39

    b /bChapter 16.

    Rosalind managed a weakugh. “Then I’ll just stretch the other one.”

    They went to the hospital anyway.

    A doctor cleaned the wound, applied an antiseptic, and gave her instructions for home care.

    Eugene crossed his arms rigidly, face stormy the whole time.

    As they were leaving, he finally spoke up.“Should she get a tetanus shot?”

    The doctor shook his head.“The earring was gold. No rust, low risk.”

    “But tetanus bacteria are airborne, right? Maybe just to be safe? Give her the shot.”

    Rosalind rolled her eyes. “Rabies is airborne, too. Why not give me that vine while you’re at it?”

    The doctor chuckled. “You two are a hoot. Bet life’s never dull.”

    Rosalind took a cab home.

    Eugene offered a ride, but she declined.

    The idea of him driving her home after years of hostility felt wrong.

    Until the divorce was final, she couldn’t risk Christopher noticing any closeness with Eugene.

    It was past midnight when she arrived.

    Liza was long gone. The house was dark.

    But she’d seen it from the driveway: the master bedroom light was on. Christopher was still iawake/i.

    And there, in the foyer, was a familiar pair of ck patent leather heels.

    She knew those heels.

    They were Latoya’s, paired neatly with Christopher’s.

     Chapter 17.

    bChapter /bb17/b.