“I see.” She bent down and hesitated when she felt Cole’s gaze linger on her legs. “How is Heidi?”
“I’m told she’s awake,” he said gruffly. “I can’t get much information because I’m not a friend or next of kin.”
Angie grabbed her foot with one hand and slowly raised her leg behind her. She immediately realized her mistake. She wanted to stretch her quadriceps, but it required her to thrust her chest out. Her nipples tightened and her breasts felt full and heavy. She glanced at Cole just as he dragged his gaze from her breasts to her face. She abruptly looked away.
“Why are you here?” she asked as she dropped her leg. She could skip her cooling-down routine for today. “You’re not dressed for a run.”
“I need your help.” He reached out and offered her the water bottle she had placed next to the gate. “Heidi’s family in California hired me to track her down. I’ve done that and I informed my clients about what happened.”
“What does that have to do with me?” she asked. She grabbed the water bottle, careful not to graze her fingers against his.
“I have to find out what caused the accident. She had a wild lifestyle a while back. Her family wants to know if she’s still into that. If they need to get her some help.”
“I don’t know anything about Heidi,” she reminded him as she took a sip. Her throat didn’t seem to want to cooperate as Cole watched her drink. She wiped the water away from her mouth with the back of her hand. “I don’t think I can help.”
“You have access,” he pointed out.
She glared at him. “Is this about you going to the wedding? I already said no.” She didn’t even have to think about it. The word had fallen from her lips. She had been stunned by his request. How could he ask her on a date—even a fake one—when he had broken her heart? Didn’t he have any feelings?
“I need more than a wedding invite,” he explained. “I need total access. The rehearsal dinner. Behind the scenes.”
“It’s not necessary.” Angie shook her head and started for her car. “Heidi may be out of the wedding, period. She has a head injury.”
“But the people at the bachelorette party would be there,” he said softly.
She stopped and turned. “You don’t think it was an accident.”
“It could be an accident. The police think so, and I haven’t seen any information about her blood alcohol level,” he admitted. “I think someone may have tried to hurt Heidi. It probably had something to do with her private life. I just don’t know how they did it.”
“Private life?” She thought that was an odd choice of words and she thought about the other comments he’d made about Heidi. She lifted her chin when she realized what he was trying not to say. “You mean drugs. That’s why you asked if she was on something.”
His eyes widened with admiration. “Good catch. I don’t know if she’s still using.”
She pursed her lips as she tried to remember how Heidi had acted over the past few days. “I haven’t seen any signs of it.”
“You weren’t looking for signs, but maybe if I hung around while you were preparing for the wedding...” he said hopefully as he let his words trail off.
Angie sighed and crossed her arms. “Why do you have to drag me into this?”
“Why won’t you let me be your date?” he countered.
“I think it’s obvious.” It didn’t matter if it was a pretend date. Spending a day with Cole would remind her of what she once had with him. What she had lost.
Cole’s jaw tightened. “Are you taking someone else?”
She went still. Angie would love to lie and avoid any discussion on her nonexistent love life. But it wouldn’t take much for him to find out the truth. “No.”
His blue eyes darkened. “Will someone get jealous if you take me?” he asked stiffly.
She wanted to scoff at the suggestion. “No.”
He spread his arms out. “Then what’s the problem?”
He didn’t get it. How was that possible? For a private detective, Cole Foster was oblivious. “I don’t have to give you a reason.” She turned and marched to her car.
“Come on, Angie,” he said right behind her.
“After all,” she said, “you didn’t give me a reason why you broke up with me.”
“Is that what this is all about?” His voice rose with incredulity. “I told you why I needed to break up with you.”