And I was lying alone in a hospital bed after heart surgery, crying so hard my new valve hurt, because my children decided I wasn’t worth another day of parking.
That’s when I heard footsteps in the hallway.
Heavy, unhurried steps. They stopped right outside my door.
A tall man in a dark suit appeared in the doorway. He had salt-and-pepper hair, cut short. Wire-rimmed glasses. A leather briefcase in one hand. He stood very straight, with the kind of quiet authority that made Kayla immediately stand up straighter and tuck a loose hair behind her ear.
“Excuse me,” he said. His voice was deep and gentle. “Is this Adrienne Davis?”
I wiped my face with the back of my hand. I must have looked terrible. Red eyes. Hair flat on one side. Hospital gown.
“Yes,” I said. “That’s me.”
Chapter Two: The Lunch Card
He stepped into the room. When he got close enough to really see me, his expression changed. Something softened behind his glasses.
