Free All She Ever Wanted by Barbara Freethy Page B

object of her memories, the St. Francis Yacht Club. She saw Cole glance toward the building. For a split second, she wondered if he, too, remembered that day. No, she couldn't let herself go there. Cole didn't like her, love her, or want her anymore. He hadn't in a long time.
    She didn't give the building another glance as she sprinted past Cole, leading the way to the end of the path that stopped under the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge was actually red, not gold, but it was awesome and inspiring in its construction. The Pacific Ocean flowed under the bridge and into the bay, the gateway to the west.
    The wind whipped her hair out of its ponytail as she bent over to catch her breath and stretch out her legs. Cole stopped just a few feet away from her, his own breath steaming up the morning air. She hadn't beat him, and she hadn't lost him. What was she supposed to do with him now?
    She straightened up, and said, "Why are we together?" the words bursting out of her mouth before she could stop them.
    His gaze was steady. "Because of the book. I need to know what happened."
    "I can't tell you what happened."
    "You can help me find out."
    "Believe me, I want to know as much as you do, but I don't think we're ever going to find out. No one was with Emily when she fell. No one saw her fall. The police asked everyone who was there those very questions."
    His gaze didn't waver. "But there was someone there. There had to be. Malone mentions a number of people talking to Emily that night, people who claimed the opposite."
    Natalie had noticed that, too, but since so much of what she was accused of was false, she didn't know what to believe. "He could have made it up like the other things he made up."
    "Or someone didn't tell the truth. Did Laura say anything after I left yesterday?"
    "No. She seems as confused as I am."
    "What about Drew?"
    "Laura said she hadn't had a chance to tell him about the book yet."
    "Maybe he already knows. Drew was there. He wasn't just dating Laura; he was friends with you and Emily. Think about it, Natalie. Was there anyone who knew as much about the four of you as Drew did?"
    "I guess not," she said slowly. "I've never given it much thought."
    "Well, think about it. Drew was at the party that night. He was privy to a lot of personal conversations and information."
    "That's true. Emily and I actually met Drew first. We were all in a chemistry class together freshman year. We worked on some group projects."
    "So he knew you from the beginning, when you lived in the dorm."
    "Yes, but I was never that close to him. There was something fake about him. I didn't really trust him."
    Cole nodded. "I thought the same thing the few times I met him. What about Emily? What did she think of him?"
    "She liked him. He made her laugh. They were good friends, at least until Drew and Laura hooked up our sophomore year." Natalie paused, thinking about the equation Cole was putting together. "It doesn't make sense, though. Why would Drew help someone write a book about us and call it fiction? He's married to Laura. And she's not happy about being in the story. She also said Drew is a lawyer now with an eye on a political career. I can't see how he could possibly be involved in this."
    "All good points. None of it makes sense," Cole replied. "But we have to start somewhere. I think we should pay Laura and Drew a visit today."
    There was that we again. Natalie didn't want to spend more time with Cole, but she also didn't want him talking to Laura and Drew without her. If Drew had something to do with the book, Natalie wanted to be there to ask him about it. "All right. I'll call Laura when we get back."
    "I have a better idea. Don't call. It's always better to catch your enemies off guard."
    "Laura and Drew aren't my enemies."
    "Well, someone is, Natalie, otherwise you wouldn't be the villain of this book."
    He had a point. "True."
    "Ready to head back now?"
    "Let's go a different way," Natalie said, preferring to avoid any