He twirled her hair around his finger. 'I noticed there's no Christmas tree in your apartment.'
Now that he mentioned it, she'd noticed the same about his condo. 'I didn't want to put one up alone.' Jake would probably kill her when he arrived and discovered she'd neglected their favorite family tradition, but she hadn't wanted to go tree shopping solo.
'Tsk, tsk,' he said jokingly. 'Don't you think Norton deserves a festive holiday?'
'Norton!' She had to get inside and let him out. Reaching for the handle, she jumped out of the car and ran up the back stairs.
Once outside her apartment, she paused. A pair of women's slippers sat by the welcome mat in the hall. A pair of wet women's slippers with gold embroidery that could only belong to one person. Rina crinkled her nose, recognizing that Norton had done his business yet again, this time on Emma's shoes. Though what Emma would be doing here, she hadn't any idea.
'Oh, no. Emma? Emma, is that you?'
Colin's footsteps sounded behind her as he followed her inside. 'Emma's here?'
Rina pointed to the damp slippers. 'No self-respecting prowler would wear these or leave them as evidence. Frankie must have let her in.' She ran a hand through her still-damp hair. Colin, macho guy that he was, didn't have a blow-dryer. 'I wonder what she wants.'
He groaned. 'Does it matter? We get to be interrogated by the matchmaker the morning after. That's fun I wouldn't mind missing.'
'Chicken.' She grinned, grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, surprised when Norton didn't come bounding toward her. 'Emma?' she called once more.
'I'm in the kitchen.'
Rina stepped into the room and found Emma, the sleeves of her silk blouse rolled up to her elbows as she rinsed what looked like a pair of panty hose in the sink.
Norton had obviously ruined them, as well as her shoes. Rina winced. 'Hi, Emma.'
'Hello, dear. Your friend Francesca let me in. Lovely girl. Bad date last night and I'm coming up with a list of possible men to help her out.' Emma shut off the faucet and wrung out the damp hose.
'I see you met Norton?' Rina asked carefully.
'Oh yes.' Emma smiled.
'And you aren't angry?'
She shook her head. 'What can you expect when the poor thing's been left alone
Rina rolled her eyes. Norton was perfectly capable of holding himself for the time she'd been gone. He had an extraordinary bladder. 'What happened?'
'He got so excited when I rang your bell. It was about the same time Francesca had come upstairs to walk him, and while she was looking for the leash, he…uh…well, suffice it to say he didn't quite make it this time.' She lifted her shoulder in the delicate shrug Rina had come to know well. 'Anyway, Frankie took him for a walk and she said she'd keep him downstairs for a while. Just in case he had any ideas about repeating himself.'
Rina shook her head. 'I'll pay for your shoes and panty hose.' Knowing Emma's expensive taste, replacing them would probably set her back a fair penny. But somebody had to pay Norton's debts.
'Never mind that.' Emma lay her stockings over one of Rina's kitchen chairs as if she lived there and walked into the living room, expecting them to follow.
Of course, they did.
'You two have some explaining to do,' she said as she turned around and seated herself in the club chair in the corner, holding court in Rina's house.
Colin walked by and knelt down beside Emma. As he passed, Rina inhaled his masculine scent and her body heated up all over again. The timing was all wrong, of course. As much as Rina enjoyed Emma's company, the older woman seemed to have taken up residence, hadn't told Rina what she wanted and didn't seem inclined to leave anytime soon.
After lifting Emma's hand in his, Colin placed a kiss on her hand. 'You know I adore you.'
Was it Rina's imagination or did Emma actually blush?
'Of course you do, you charmer, you. It still doesn't mean you don't have some explaining to do, keeping Rina out all night.'
'How do you know we didn't just go for breakfast?' Rina asked.
'Because you're dressed like a hot number in wrinkled clothing, which leads me to believe you've been out all night. You can't pull the wool over my eyes. I'm too old and I've been around. Now, young man, what do you have to say for yourself?'
Colin laughed. 'Only that I adore you.'
Rina walked closer to the chair. 'Not that you aren't welcome anytime, but what are you doing here now?'
'That's a good question.' Colin rose to his feet and thrust his hands into his back pockets waiting for an answer.
'Honestly?'
Rina threw her hands in the air in pure frustration. 'Of course!' she said on an exasperated breath.
'I came to snoop.'
That took Rina off guard. 'What?' Last time Emma nosed around, she'd found Stan's card. This time Rina had nothing to hide.
'I came to have tea, make small talk, excuse myself to go to the ladies' room and see what evidence you'd left around. Then I realized that you're my dear friend and such behavior is inexcusable.
Rina's head was swimming. 'I don't know what you're talking about.' Turning to Colin, she asked, 'What is she talking about?'
He merely shrugged, one eyebrow raised as he, too, waited for an explanation.
'Did you know she's two-timing you, Colin?'
'What!' Rina and Colin both asked at the same time.
Emma nodded. 'She's giving me competition for my dear Stan.'
Rina blinked. 'You said the man's a lecher. Now he's your dear Stan? Come on, Emma. What gives?'
'First he sends you flowers.' She sniffed, pulling a handkerchief out of the cuff of her sleeve. 'Then he asks you out.'
'He did no such thing,' Rina said, outraged.
Colin coughed, lifting his hand to cover his obvious laughter. The traitor. Rina would deal with him later, but first there was the matter of an outlandish eighty-year-old storyteller to deal with. 'Prove it, Emma.'
'Stan showed me a copy of the letter he penned asking you out. Flowery language and written in his own hand.'
Rina rubbed her temples. 'He's playing you. He never sent any letter. But he wants you jealous and you are. You're interested in the man. Just admit it and go out with him, for heaven's sake.' She shot an imploring glance at Colin.
'Emma?' Colin prodded.
Old, wise eyes met Rina's. 'I'm afraid.'
'Logan won't allow the Judge to put you in an old-age home, Emma.'
Colin spoke the words Rina had tried to convince Emma of already. But hearing him say it, Rina believed. She trusted Colin's instincts. His judgment. And that meant her feelings for this man went deeper than she'd ever imagined.
She shivered, forcing herself to focus on Emma. 'Isn't that the same thing I told you the other day?'
The older woman nodded.
'Life is short,' Rina said, speaking from experience. 'Please trust me on this and live every day to its fullest. If Stan wants to be your companion, then get to know him. Trust your own instincts.'
'I know you're right. I just wish it was easy.'
Rina didn't miss the irony in Emma's life. She had no problem trusting her instincts when giving advice to
