She let her keys slide from her fingertips and hit the counter with a clatter. Simon’s head jerked up, his eyes flashing in surprise. “Toni…”
“Am I interrupting anything?” she asked acidly, not moving from the bar.
Starla turned red-rimmed eyes to Toni, then looked away, refusing to meet her gaze any longer. “I have to go,” she mumbled, breaking away from Simon and shuffling past Toni.
Toni stared at the door until she heard Starla’s car drive away. She swiveled back to Simon who was still standing in the living room wearing a grim expression. What the hell was going on?
He looked at her, his expression bleak, then he walked over and slid an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry you came home to that.”
“Was that you giving her the brush off?” she asked, daring to hope.
He shook his head, quickly dashing her enthusiasm. “She’s sick, Toni.”
She lifted an eyebrow waiting for him to expound.
“Cancer.”
“Oh.” Her mouth rounded in shock. “Really?”
He squeezed her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. “Yeah. Cervical cancer. Her last visit to the gynecologist was her first clue. The tests just came back positive.”
Realization dawned on Toni. “Was that what the trip to Houston was about?”
He nodded and suddenly Toni felt about an inch tall. “But why didn’t you just say so? Why did you let me think…”
“That I was getting back with her?” he finished.