Free Hidden Hearts by Ann Roberts Page B

interest. We might have come off better with Kraft.”
    “She didn’t know I was on the other side,” Alicia explained. “Dusty Morgan just changed firms.” Blanca looked skeptical until she added, “You know I saw your closing argument in the Swanson case. It was amazing.”
    Her stony demeanor cracked. “You were there?”
    She nodded. “I was waiting for a hearing to start and I slipped into the courtroom. You were just hitting your stride.”
    “That was my first closing. Thanks for noticing.” She dropped the report on CC’s desk. “Please rewrite this.” Before she left she said to Alicia, “Good play with the photos today, especially dropping them on the table. Very smooth. Too bad we didn’t know our client was a user.”
    After she left Alicia looked at CC the way she used to when they were having a serious conversation in bed. “You need to learn how to suck up, babe. Bitches like that.”
    “But I’m not good at it,” she whined. “You were always the persuasive one.”
    “Yeah, remember the time I convinced the neighbor’s cable guy to hook us up for free?” She went to the door. “I’ve got to get back. I really am sorry I didn’t tell you. Kinkaid’s at eight?”
    She knew there was a fifty-fifty chance Alicia was lying and had deliberately surprised her to throw her off her already shaky game.
    “Please?” she pleaded. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
    “Sure.”
    ****
    Kinkaid’s was a two-story office building in its previous life, but a young upstart chef had seen the potential to convert it into a pub and restaurant with a loft. The exposed red brick walls created an edgy feel and a large metal garage front door allowed for indoor and outdoor seating. Cars cruising down busy Camelback Road could see all the action inside. It was the premier Phoenix happy hour spot for the younger generation, and CC had been propositioned there more than once but had never said yes.
    When she saw Alicia sitting at a pub table outside she felt unbalanced again. She disguised her sexiness in lawyer attire every day, but now her bun was gone and her hair flowed suggestively around her face. CC was sure she’d reapplied her makeup with much bolder colors and her suit jacket was nowhere in sight. She’d undone an extra two buttons of her purple silk blouse exposing deep cleavage and her breasts cradled a gold pendant.
    Alicia glanced her way and when their eyes met, Alicia remained expressionless. She picked up her Cosmo and took a sip, her gaze still locked on CC, who didn’t know if she should join her or run out of the restaurant. Then Alicia flashed a killer smile that nearly knocked her over. This wasn’t the same woman who’d sat on her desk just a few hours ago.
    “Hey,” she said, and CC breathed in a lovely jasmine scent she’d never smelled on her before.
    “Is that new? The perfume?”
    “Yeah. Nadia picked it out. I already ordered you a martini,” she said.
    “Oh, thanks, but I’ve actually switched to vodka tonics.”
    “Really?” Alicia asked in a clearly disapproving tone. “Thanks for the FYI.”
    She slid the CD across the table. “Here you go. Listen to it in good health.”
    She held it up. “You know, I lied,” she said, still not looking at her. “You didn’t give this to me for our anniversary.”
    She was stunned, but she held her response until the busy waiter delivered her martini and left. “I didn’t think I did. Why did you lie?”
    Ding!
    She checked her phone as another alert for her personal ad appeared.
    Alicia leaned forward seductively. “Because I wanted to see you and I was testing you.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I miss you, babe. I don’t know what I want to do about that yet, but I acknowledge that I miss you and I still have feelings for you. But you failed the test.”
    “Oh?”
    “The test was to see if you’d give me the CD if I badgered you for it. And you did. You let me run over you just like I always did during our