Free Borrowed Baby by Marie Ferrarella Page B

mascara wouldn't really be missed just this once. Two strokes of her lip gloss and she was ready.
    She came out of her bedroom to find Vinnie frowning to himself.
    "Wish I could find a woman to say that."
    "Say what?" With practiced hands, Liz straightened his bow tie.
    Vinnie kept his chin raised as she worked. "That she appreciated everything about me."
    Throwing a thin wrap about her shoulders, she hoped the evening wouldn't turn too cold. "I just did."
    Vinnie looked wistful. "I mean a real woman—"
    She patted his cheek. "Keep going, Vinnie, you've still got one foot left to go."
    Vinnie looked at her, the myopic eyes behind the large-rimmed glasses suddenly appearing to focus on her and the impact of his words. "I meant one who isn't my best friend."
    She was used to Vinnie's tongue getting hopelessly entangled. How he managed to turn out succinct, cryptic theater reviews for the local paper was one of life's little mysteries. "Nice save, Vinnie."
    "Say." Vinnie stopped rambling long enough to look at her closely. "You look a little flushed."
    Automatically, she raised her hand to her cheek. She felt a little flushed. But getting ready for the concert was only the superficial reason. She glossed over it. "That comes from rushing around. Let's go or we'll be more than fashionably late."
    She dragged him by the arm to the front door. Though he acquiesced physically, he didn't seem ready to let the subject drop.
    He peered at her face. "Are you coming down with something?"
    The door clicked shut behind them, and they headed toward his car. She thought of the churning sensations in the pit of her stomach that had been there ever since Griff had kissed her. "Maybe."
    "If you don't feel well, I can always go alone." In an instant, his face fell and he looked like a woeful child who had just been informed that his trip to Disneyland was canceled. Vinnie pushed his sliding glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "It won't be the first time I've gone by myself to review a concert."
    He did have a flair for the dramatic, she thought. A painful flair. "Oh, Vinnie, don't sound so mournful." She opened the door to his gray sedan. "I'll go with you. I have nothing that's contagious." Unfortunately. Griff certainly hadn't acted as if he had been afflicted the way she was.
    Vinnie got in next to her on the driver's side, but he was still apparently unsatisfied with her answer. "Then it's nothing serious?"
    "The ignition, Vinnie. Put the key into the ignition." She watched him jab the key in, jiggle it and then turn on the engine.
    Was it serious? she mused to herself. She didn't know yet. Aloud, she said, "That, only time will tell."
    Vinnie began to drive toward The Performing Arts Center. "Have you seen a doctor?"
    She smiled. Maybe she should. Someone who'd examine her head. Officer Griffin Foster gave her the impression, at times, that he was going into this relationship kicking and screaming. And that if he had his druthers, there wasn't going to be any sort of a personal relationship. So why was she bent on beating her head against the wall? Why did she want to be involved with a man who had to be cajoled into smiling?
    "They haven't invented a serum for this yet, I'm afraid."
    Vinnie swallowed. His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "Is it—is it inoperable?"
    She realized that he was genuinely concerned and that they were talking about two very different things. She laughed softly, putting her hand on his arm. "Only if they cut out my heart." He stared at her, obviously utterly confused. "Vinnie, Vinnie," she said with great affection, "I think I'm falling in love, or like, or something in that family."
    He let out a long, loud sigh. Behind him, car horns sounded impatiently.
    "The light's green," Liz prompted.
    The car began to move again. "You had me scared to death, Liz."
    She nodded and grew serious for a moment. What would the consequences be if she did let herself fall in love with Griff? Let. Did she really have that much