Page 50 of Rescued Dreams

“I need to go.” Amelia eased toward the door. “It’s late.”

“We could talk about what just happened.”

She shrugged, sliding her hands in her pockets. “I’m not saying I regret it, but it isn’t like it can happen again. That was the problem I had last time. Sneaking around, thinking it was exciting breaking the rules.”

“I’m not him.”

Amelia hadn’t even thought that. “That might be theonlything I’m certain of right now.”

Relief washed over his face. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Their shift wasn’t until six in the morning the day after. “If you wanna do something, text me. Or call. We could meet up.” She needed to do laundry and clean up in the big house. He had twin teenage girls to deal with. “Hopefully everything goes all right with the girls.”

“They’ll be fine.”

If they weren’t, he seemed not to want her to worry about it. Which Amelia didn’t have time for anyway, with everything else swirling around, so that was fine.

She went to the door, but he opened it for her and held it, standing near her while she stepped out. Amelia vacillated on the doorstep. Maybe she should have told him that the kiss had been a mistake.

“Let’s just talk tomorrow.”

She nodded.

Ridge leaned down and touched his lips to hers, just a quick press and it was over. “Good night.”

Yeah, that was going to get her in trouble. “Good night.”

She turned away, her cheeks warm as she walked to her car. No looking back. She was going to take tonight for what it was and not wonder what was next. Or if things were a good idea. He’d kissed her, and it had been nice. More than nice.

A long time coming.

About time.

In fact, she didn’t think a kiss had ever been like that for her. It was just…Ridge.

Amelia called Meg from her car. It rang a couple of times, then connected, and she heard Meg say a breathy, “Hello?”

“I woke you up.” Amelia winced, pulling out of the town-house complex. “Sorry, I didn’t think what time it was.” Or the fact Meg ran a coffee shop that opened early, so she got up at four on a workday. “I’ll call back later.”

“Tell me what you’re calling about first, or I’ll lie awake wondering.” Meg let out a moan, stretching and shifting in the covers, creating a rustle across the line.

Amelia would make it quick so her friend could go back to bed. “I went to Ridge’s house. Wait, that’s not what happened first. Nicholas’s pregnant girlfriend showed up. She left him and found me on her way south. Also, she’s out of money. I put her up in a hotel for a couple of nights and gave her some cash so she’s not destitute.”

“Whoa.” More shuffling over the line. “That’s big.”

“Yeah.”

“Considering…”

Amelia gripped the wheel. “I’ve been trying not to think about that.”

“And you went to Ridge?”

“I just…she’s me. But she’s wrong, we aren’t connected. I don’t owe her anything. We’re not sisters in any way. She’s a stranger, and I don’t want anything to do with anything about Nicholas.”

“Isn’t there a women’s shelter across town?”

Amelia said, “Right. I heard about that, but I don’t know where it is.”