Free Putting Out Old Flames by Allyson Charles Page A

information that he was still married, either. He’d had too much fun flirting with Jane.
    He pushed open the door to the hallway and followed the signs to the ballroom, quickening his step. It was strange, hurrying to see Jane again. Planning this fundraiser with her was causing déjà vu to crash upon him in waves. He used to trip all over his feet just to reach her side, a physical ache gripping his chest if he spent too long away from her.
    As a teenager, everything had been life or death, a roller coaster of emotion from who’d win the Friday-night football game to what college he was going to apply to. But he wasn’t a boy anymore, and he wouldn’t die if he didn’t see his girlfriend.
    He hurried down the hall just the same.
    And found an empty ballroom.
    Frowning, he made his way back to reception. “Do you know where the manager is? He was supposed to be showing my friend and me the ballroom.”
    She smiled brightly. “Oh, they finished with that. Your friend left about five minutes ago.”
    â€œLeft?” His voice rose above the soft classical music playing in the lobby.
    The blinding smile dimmed. “Yes. Uh . . . maybe she’s waiting for you in the parking lot?”
    Nodding tersely, Chance strode to the spot where Jane had parked.
    The empty spot.
    Chance cursed, dug in his pocket for his phone. Scrolling through his contacts, his thumb hovered over Jane’s picture. He’d snapped it without her knowledge, and it only captured about three-quarters of her face. The smile that had struck him as so sweet now looked devilish. Evil danced in those eyes.
    He smacked his finger down on her smiling face.
    The call went straight to voicemail, and Chance hung up, dialed another number.
    â€œWhat can I do you for?” Chief Finnegan’s hint of Irish met Chance’s ear.
    â€œCan you give me the name of a taxi service?” Chance asked. “I’m stranded at the Regency.”
    One quality Chance had come to appreciate from his new chief was that the man didn’t ask unnecessary questions. “I’ll come get you. I only live about ten minutes away.”
    â€œThat’s not necessary,” Chance said.
    â€œI’m off today. Got nothing better to do.” Keys jingled over the line, a door shut. “Be there in a bit.”
    Chance ended the call and leaned against a minivan, settling in for the wait. Striking red cardinals flitted among the trees dotting the parking lot, but Chance couldn’t appreciate their beauty. He was still too pissed off. Jane had no right to be that angry, to leave him without a ride simply because he hadn’t mentioned his wife. His very soon to be ex-wife.
    Jane always had been prone to overreacting.
    Chance’s shoulders were marginally less tense by the time the chief rolled into the lot. It was hard to stay angry when the sun was shining and a cool breeze was blowing. Chance thought about Jane ditching him again. Nope. Still ticked off.
    â€œThanks,” Chance said, climbing into the passenger seat.
    Finnegan grunted. “Where to?”
    â€œMy SUV’s downtown at the Pantry, but Josh is at Edith Willoughby’s apartment. Can you drop me there? Josh and I will walk to where I’m parked.” If Josh wasn’t going to be in the vehicle with him, he’d have tracked Jane down, expressing to her just how juvenile her actions had been. Demanded an apology.
    Even his fantasy-self laughed at that. She wouldn’t be apologizing anytime soon.
    The chief pulled to the curb in front of the Apothic Gardens, climbed out with Chance. Chance raised an eyebrow.
    â€œThought I’d say hi to Josh,” Finnegan said.
    Chance shrugged. The chief hadn’t seemed like he was a big fan of kids, but whatever. Finnegan’s motives could remain his own. Chance had bigger fish to fry.
    The door to the store was locked, and a little faux-clock in the window said the store would