"She's the manager at my restaurant and also a friend. She's worked for me for a couple years, starting as a bartender and working her way up. Not sure how I ever ran the place without her."
I located two rocks glasses and began pouring the drinks, pausing to take a quick peek in the refrigerator. Aha. There was a small vegetable tray on the second shelf that might entice her to eat. I grabbed it along with our glasses, balancing one glass precariously atop the tray on my way back to the living room. "So, Gina is taking care of the restaurant while you... I mean, in your absence? Ali mentioned that you hadn't been in for a couple of days."
She reached up and snagged her glass from the tray, avoiding my gaze. "Yeah. I told her that I needed her to take over. I assume Ali has talked to her by now if she knows how long I've been out."
There was guilt in her posture and her tone. I didn't like that. She was obviously hurting, regardless of the source, and no one was judging her for that. "Ali's just worried about you. She doesn't care how long you've been away from work. She's more concerned with the idea that you're going through something and she can't be here to help."
Talia's shoulders dropped and she took a long swallow of Scotch, saying nothing.
Maybe if she knew just how worried Ali was, she would give in and call her. "You know, she was going to blow off the rest of her contract to come back and check on you."
Her head jerked up and she stared at me, wide-eyed, as she swayed slightly in her seat. "She can't do that. That's a dream job for her. She's wanted a gig like that all her life."
"I'm sure that's true, but she has also been your friend all her life and that takes precedence." I didn't want Talia feeling guilty, but she needed to know that people cared about her and just how much they cared. Especially Ali.
"Do you think she would really do that? I don't want her to lose out on this opportunity because of me." Her expression had shifted from desolate to fearful in the blink of an eye. She'd never do anything to Ali's detriment, that much was clear.
I shook my head, placing a hand on her forearm to soothe her. "She absolutely would have, had I not agreed to come here to look in on you. For now she's staying put, but if she doesn't hear from one of us very soon, I have no doubt that she will be beating down that door." I pointed at it for emphasis.
She let out a relieved breath. "Okay." After taking another sip of her drink, she eyed me warily. "So, you were basically blackmailed into coming here, huh? That sounds like Ali," she scoffed. "I'm sorry you got roped into this. Not the best way to spend a Friday night is it?" Her brow crinkled as she looked around, momentarily confused. "It is Friday, right?"
The lost expression on her face was so cute, I had to chuckle. "Yes, ma'am. It sure is." I reached out and offered her the vegetable tray, thankful when she scooped up a few carrots. "And I didn't have anything planned, so it was really no trouble. Though I would feel better about coming if I thought I had helped you in some way."
"You did. You got me a drink." She smirked as she drained the last of the amber liquid. "And you're about to get me another."
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FLAWLESSLY BROKEN
Ella James, Murder
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