A Hard Man to Forget by Kerry Connor

dead.”
    Something in the unflinching certainty she heard in the woman’s
voice put Laura on edge. “You seem awfully sure of that.”
    “It’s the only explanation.”
    “Simon thinks she left him.”
    Aimee rolled her eyes and released an extravagant sigh. “Meredith
didn’t have the guts to leave him. God knows she probably
should have. She wasn’t cut out to live out here with him.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Simon’s a serious man. He broods. He spends a lot of
time by himself thinking. He spends most of his time on all those
computers he has. I respect that. The last thing he needed was Little
Meredith Sunshine running around here, distracting him with her
smiling and her chirping.”
    Laura couldn’t hide her disgust. “I thought you were her
friend.”
    Aimee rolled her eyes. “I was. I was always nice to her.”
    “And behind her back?”
    Aimee’s smile was sly. “I kept my options open. I’ve
always known I would be a better match for him.”
    Laura had never thought it was possible to utterly hate someone she’d
only known for five minutes. Now she knew better. “Why? Because
you’d be better at spending his money?”
    “Isn’t that what you plan to do when you step into
Meredith’s shoes?”
    Anger rolled through her. “I am nothing like you. For someone
you claim to care about, you don’t seem to give a damn that
he’s in a lot of pain. And based on the way he looked at you in
there, you’re not fooling Simon one bit.”
    Aimee blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing, startling them
both. “Now I know you’re not her.”
    “And why’s that?”
    “Because you seem to have a backbone. And that is one quality
poor Meredith was sorely lacking.”
    Laura was not amused. “People change. I’ve gone through a
lot the last two years and fought hard to be where I am today. No
matter who I might have been, the person I am now isn’t going
to put up with a vulture like you hovering around my husband.”
    Cold hatred burned in Aimee’s eyes. She stepped close, possibly
trying to intimidate with her height. The tactic was too obvious to
work. Laura stood her ground.
    “I don’t know who you really are and I don’t care.
You just need to know one thing. Simon is mine. I’ve waited
long enough.”
    “It’s been three years and he hasn’t given you a
second glance. Why don’t you take a hint?”
    For a moment, Laura was sure Aimee was going to lunge at her and
shove her in the lake. “Because Simon and I were meant to be
together. I understand him. Not every woman could put up with the
kind of life he lives. Look at Meredith. She killed herself to get
away from him. I, on the other hand, can be the kind of wife he
needs. As soon as he takes care of this Meredith business, he’ll
realize it.”
    Something in Aimee’s words set off warning bells in the back of
her mind. “What do you mean, ‘take care of this Meredith
business?’ How do you know we won’t stay together?”
    “Why would he want to do that?” Aimee laughed at the
stunned look on her face. “You don’t think he still loves
her, do you?”
    Laura recalled the anger in his voice, the bitterness he’d
thrown at her yesterday. Definitely not the actions of a man in love.
But that kiss...
    That was desire , a doubting voice inside her said. Not love.
She didn’t like the distinction. “You’re saying he
doesn’t?”
    Aimee snorted. “Of course not.”
    “Then why would he bring me here?”
    “I have no idea.” Aimee tipped her head to one side and
surveyed her through hooded lids. Laura’s skin crawled. “Maybe
he’s trying to prove his innocence once and for all.”
    Unease slithered through Laura’s system. “What do you
mean?”
    A malicious grin curled Aimee’s mouth. “Not everyone
believed she killed herself, you know. When she disappeared, some
people thought he killed her. Not the sheriff, of course. As far as
he was concerned, Meredith went off the deep end—literally. But
it was a