Page 34 of Moonlit Colorado

They were all hundreds. Alotof them.

By the time I finished double-checking my math, that stack of bills alone came to five thousand dollars, more than enough to cover the rest of the funding for the toy library. And I knew exactly who must’ve put these in the jar.

When I looked up and glanced in Dane’s direction, he was studying his bingo card.

“Hey, Grace,” Teller murmured. The microphone dangled from his hand, and he was staring intently at me. “Mrs. Stuckey has a bingo.”

I jumped up. Crap, I hadn’t even heard her yell it out. “Whoops, sorry. Got a little distracted. Bring your card up, Mrs. Stuckey.”

Teller eyed me like he could guess where my mind had been. But what was I supposed to do?

Any time Dane Knightly appeared, I wasn’t able to focus on anything else.

TEN

Grace

After bingo endedand the prizes were distributed, we usually had a bunch of people chip in to help break down the tables and chairs and clean everything up.

Today, Dane was among them. He and Teller seemed to have an unspoken competition going for who could carry more tables at once. Then I was about to make a trip outside to load up my car, but the two men grabbed everything and did it for me.

At least they were efficient.

Finally, the space was clear and most of the participants had trickled outside. Dane waited for me over by the exit door.

“Want me to stick around?” Teller asked quietly.

“I really don’t. You have better things to do.”

“Better than looking out for family? I disagree.”

I smiled and said, “Go,” giving Teller a push toward the door. I had little chance of moving his bulky frame if he’d really intended to stay, but he did as I asked, up-nodding at Dane as he passed.

Dane narrowed his eyes as his gaze flicked between me and Teller. Which, now that I thought about it, was one of the few times I’d seen Dane portray anything except complete confidence.

Could he really be jealous? Aboutme?

“I need to lock up,” I said, pulling the keys from my pocket.

We stepped outside, and I closed the door. Teller’s SUV slowly pulled out of the parking lot, and he gave me a final wave as he left.

Dane leaned against the brick exterior of the building as he watched me lock up. “What’s the story with you and the police chief?”

“He’s Piper’s older brother. They lived across the street when we were kids. He’s protective.”

“But is that because you and he…”

“Teller and I are friends.” I stuck the keys in my pocket and crossed my arms. “Why do you care so much?”

Dane’s lips quirked. “Just curious. Looking out for my best friend’s little sister.”

I lifted my eyebrow skeptically, and he shrugged.

“That was a very generous donation you gave to the toy library,” I said.

“There were a lot of donations. You don’t know which was mine.”

“Yeah, I do. Nobody else in Silver Ridge would stick thousands of dollars in that jar.”

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