Page 24 of A Tangled Web

Long enough to have potentially destroyed the best relationship she’d ever had for a few kisses and life-changing orgasms. Long enough for her to wish they could go back to cuddling on the couch, taking care of each other and talking the way they used to, for hours about everything. Could any of that happen again without one or both of them thinking about what they’d done and how good it felt?

She didn’t think so. At least, she wasn’t sure she could. It might not have meant as much to him.

What would happen when Liam moved back to Texas and got caught up in his life again? Would they lose touch? Would he miss her? The only outcome that might be worse would be him staying in Sedona, giving in and making beautiful babies with Gillian.

He’d be blissfully happy, and look back and laugh about that one night when his drunk friend threw herself at him over pie. It was too painful to contemplate.

There really was no way for this to end well for her. Even if Liam wasn’t intentionally cruel—and it wasn’t in him to be—she would still get hurt.

Maybe he feels the same way you do.

But hoping for something like that was asking for disappointment. He’d already done more for her than she’d ever expected. That had to be enough. If she were smart, she’d already be working on her Life After Liam Plan. She could really use Kaya’s advice. Along with needing to share her dream, it was one of the reasons she’d come here. But Dani wasn’t such a bad friend that she couldn’t see that Kaya was the one who needed help right now, so she forced herself to shift gears.

“For future reference, Bailey is a bad influence and you shouldn’t leave me alone with her again. But I’m here now and my head is still attached, so how can I help?”

Kaya glanced over her shoulder before lowering her voice. “The phone call I got last night? It was my aunt, who never calls me, letting me know my grandfather had gone missing. I came home to change and go out to look for him but… He was already here.”

She shook her head as though she still couldn’t believe it. “He walked here from the reservation. It takes nearly three hours to drive that route, and he walked it. Alone. I can’t believe he got this far without someone noticing.”

Dani couldn’t either. That was one hell of a walk. She got out of breath struggling up the beginner trails in Boynton Canyon. “Is he all right? Does he need to go to the hospital?”

“I don’t know.” Kaya ran a hand over her loosely braided hair, her expression troubled. “He’s one of the few people I’ve never been able to read. But he hasn’t gotten up from the couch since he woke up this morning, he’s refusing to let me take him home, and the Divine Darla has the flu.”

“What does Darla have to do with anything?”

“There’s no one to cover for her but me, and she has a zillion appointments today. It’s decent money, and if I don’t go in, I could lose my job for not being a team player.”

Without hesitation, Dani slipped an arm around her friend. “Good thing I showed up when I did, my fellow butterfly. You can go to work and I’ll stay with your grandfather until you get home.”

She shook her head, staring at Dani with hope in her eyes. “I couldn’t ask you to do that. He’s got health issues and you were starting your job hunt today. Besides, you haven’t even met hi—”

“Elder Sister, is that your bahana friend?” The old male voice quavered with what sounded like exhaustion and weakness.

“Elder sister?” Dani asked softly. “Is he dehydrated? Confused?”

Kaya’s smile was rueful. “Kaya means elder sister and bahana, well, that basically means white.”

Dani’s lips twitched. “He doesn’t sound that confused to me.”

“Bring her inside.”

Kaya gestured toward the living room and Dani walked over to the man reclining on the couch, holding out her hand to greet him. “It’s nice to meet you, sir. I’m Dani.”

He nodded without reaching out and, after an awkward moment, she adjusted her purse strap before letting her hand drop back down to her side.

His face seemed carved out of the same material as the rocks outside. Deep lines framed his lips and eyes, and his white hair was short but wild around his head. She liked him on sight.

He glanced up at Kaya. “She’ll stay. You can go now.”

Kaya hesitated, worrying the ties on her blouse until Dany put her hand on her shoulder. “You heard the man. If we have any issues, I’ll call you right away. But I think we’ll be fine here.”

“Okay.” She went to kiss her grandfather’s weathered cheek, only to hesitate at the last minute, stopping before she could touch him. “Be nice to her. She’s the best person I know. A good one.”

“I’m not blind yet.”

Kaya’s soft muttering response made Dani smile. It was easy to see she loved her grandfather. Not as clear was why his arrival had startled her more than his means of getting here. Had he never come for a visit before?

Dani had never really had a family of her own, but Liam had flown out several times this year to spend a few days with his parents, and he’d assured her they would visit once a month if his mother’s bad back would allow it. And they lived in a different state.

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