Wedlocked?!. Pamela Toth

      “Feel free to ask me anything,” Lily insisted. “I think you and my son will make a great team. Are you seeing him again soon?”

      “We’re only working together on this one case,” Annie pointed out quickly. “I’m not certain just when I’ll be talking to him next, but rest assured that I’ll keep him informed of any developments.”

      “Of course,” Lily murmured.

      “Cole told me he’d be going back to Denver as soon as the trial is over,” Annie felt compelled to add, hoping she wasn’t dashing the other woman’s expectations that he would stick around.

      “Texas has always been his real home,” Lily insisted. “Maybe he’ll change his mind about leaving.”

      Where Cole lived meant nothing to Annie, and she nearly said as much. Then she felt a pang of pity for the woman facing her with such a brave front. If she wanted to pretend her son might stay in Texas, who was Annie to disillusion her? “Wouldn’t that be nice,” she said.

      “I’m glad you think so.” Lily’s tone was bland, her expression innocent. Surely, in the midst of everything else she was going through, she wouldn’t be contemplating anything as ridiculous as a little matchmaking on the side, would she?

      There was no way Annie could ask without looking like a complete fool. Frustrated, she bid Lily goodbye and climbed into her car. The interior was like an oven, the vinyl seat burning through the thin cotton of her slacks. At least the sudden discomfort was enough to distract her from the awkward and potentially humiliating idea of Cole’s mother playing Cupid.

      Considering the circumstances, that would have been a real recipe for disaster.