Nash. Archer Nash.
“You ready?” A different but familiar male voice stole the moment away.
Ripped from the spell her mouthwatering guardian had unknowingly cast, Cassie moved her gaze from Archer to the man who’d just joined them.
A man who’d been by her and Russ’s sides from the beginning.
“Eddie.” She opened her arms and pulled her business partner in for a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You, too.” The six-foot blond patted her back.
Her gut began to churn. She’d hugged this man more times than she could remember over the years, and not once…not ever…had it felt as cold and uncaring as it did now.
Cassie pulled back so she could look into his gray-blue eyes. “You were such a good friend to Russ. I’m so sorry for what happened.”
“Me, too.” He refused to make eye contact.
Oh, Eddie.
“Lori told me about the trouble at the firm.” She did her best to make him see she hadn’t forgotten about the business. “I promise I’ll be back in the office as soon as the state lifts the temporary suspension of my license.”
One of many,manynasty side-effects of being charged with capital murder.
“Okay.”
“He knows you will,” Lori interjected. Wrapping her arms around Cassie, she gave her a tight squeeze. “I’m sorry to rush off, but we have to run home to let the dog out before heading back to the church.”
A sliver of jealousy threatened to seep into her veins knowing the Montgomerys would welcome the other woman with smiles and kindhearted words. Barb and Alastair loved Lori. They always had.
Then again, her best friend hadn’t been the one to sully the family name. No, that had been her. In their eyes, anyway.
“Of course.” She hugged her only true friend back. “I think we’re just going to go home.” Cassie lowered her voice for Lori’s ears only before adding a hushed, “No sense in poking the bear.”
With a small snort, the other woman chuckled. “Probably smart,” Lori whispered back before dropping her arms and taking a step toward her husband.
“Eddie, I know I can’t technically practice law until this whole mess gets straightened out, but if you need anything…even legal research or someone to help return phone calls, just give me a?—”
“I’ve got it handled.” A sharp retort. Then, as if realizing how curt he was being, the man she’d considered a close friend for nearly a decade finally met her gaze. Changing his tone to one that was only slightly friendlier, he said, “From what I’ve been told, the D.A.’s case against you is airtight. So you focus on your defense and leave the rest to me.”
Cassie blinked, having only ever seen this side of her husband’s best friend in court.
The man just lost his best friend, and the business he helped build is being threatened because everyone thinks you’re the reason. It’s no wonder he’s upset.
“I’ll call you.” Lori offered an apologetic smile.
“Okay. I’ll text you my new number.”
“You got a new phone?”
“Cops took mine.” Cassie shrugged as if it were no big deal when really, every reminder of her current situation—no matter how small—was like a jagged knife twisting deep in her gut. “Ellie got me one of those pay-as-you-go phones to use until after the trial. On the plus side, the number isn’t registered, so I haven’t had to deal with harassing calls or texts.”
Archer turned his shaded eyes her way, an almost prideful expression washing over his rugged face. She thought he might be about to say something, but before he could, Lori gave her final goodbye, and she and Eddie turned and walked away.
“What?” Cassie kept her eyes on her friends as she spoke.
Heat from Archer’s sexy-as-sin body radiated to hers as he stood close to her side. “What, what?”
She turned her head in his direction. “You looked like you wanted to say something just now.”