Free Beyond Innocence by Carsen Taite Page A

view her brother’s cause. She started to tell Cory exactly what she could do with her uninformed opinion, but stopped short when Cory added, “I get that he couldn’t see his way through to them.”
    She reined in her anger. “I made excuses for him for years. It wore on me. Wore on everyone around me.” The late night phone calls—she’d braced herself with every ring. Was he arrested or was he dead? Either was dreaded. Either could be a relief. How could she explain the roller coaster of emotions to a total stranger, especially one who’d probably never experienced what she and Eric had?
    “It sounds like you’ve had a really hard time. But look at you.” Cory paused to do just that. “You started out with nothing, and you’ve obviously done well for yourself. And you’re here now to help your brother. And you’re not alone. You have lots of smart, capable people working on his case.”
    Did Cory include herself among the smart and capable? Did she really care about her, about Eric? The doorbell interrupted her thoughts.
    Cory stood, her expression puzzled. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
    Serena waited a few seconds, but discomfort settled in. She paced the kitchen while she waited. She’d spent the day with Cory, but hardly knew a thing about her. And she wanted to. She wanted to know all about her. Severe restraint kept her from glancing through the stack of mail scattered across the kitchen counter. The return address on the top envelope read “State Bar of Texas.” Of course. Cory was a lawyer. That much she knew. But she was also a woman with a big kitchen, and seemingly a big heart, even if she kept sections of it closed off. Probably to keep herself from being hurt. Now that was something she could relate to. She would do well to keep a cooler head, guard her emotions. Eric’s case was going to sorely test her abilities. She should start by leaving her, or his, lawyer’s home. As much as she enjoyed the connection between them, she had no business in Cory’s personal space.
    Serena grabbed her purse and left the kitchen. She found Cory standing in the entryway with a wallet in her hand. An enormous vase loaded with red roses rested precariously on her hip. Cory looked up and Serena read chagrin in her expression.
    “Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting. I was trying to find a tip. For the guy. He just left. The flower guy.” Cory stopped talking, but the fluster didn’t leave her face. Roses, fluster. Serena couldn’t help a quick glance at the card perched on a plastic fork in the forest of roses. Of course it was in an envelope. Didn’t matter what the card said, only one kind of relationship merited red roses. Wasn’t any of her business anyway. Time to leave.
    “Let me set these down and then we can talk some more.”
    “You put those in a vase. I’m going back to my hotel.”
    “I’m sorry; you must have had an exhausting day. I forgot you flew in this morning.”
    “Long day.” Serena kept the words short so she wouldn’t say what she really felt. She preferred Cory’s home to the drab motel, Cory’s company to the solitude she normally enjoyed. Her changing preferences confused her. As long as she was in Cory’s presence, she didn’t need to examine them. So why was she leaving? She shelved the introspection and opened the door. “Thanks for the coffee. For everything. I appreciate your kindness.”
    She didn’t wait for Cory’s response before she shut the door behind her and walked to the car. As she drove away, the image foremost in her mind was the huge bouquet of deep red roses and Cory’s reaction to them. There were layers to Cory she may never see.
    But she wanted to.

Chapter Seven
     
    Cory called a cab the next morning. She’d be glad when her car was out of the shop and she had more freedom. Dallas wasn’t a city designed for those without wheels.
    While she waited for the cab she filled a travel mug with a third cup of coffee. She needed at least that