Page 62 of V is for Valentine
While it stung to be suspected of something she hadn’t done—especially when she’d been so careful to never mention Danny’s enterprise, even to her sisters—this might be exactly what she needed to cool things down between them. Being distant hadn’t worked because Danny hadn’t taken her seriously, but if he was angry with her, then distance would work.
But what if he never discovered the truth? What if he always believed she’d betrayed his trust?
When they were firmly ensconced in their normal lives and not spending hours together, they could discuss the matter, set things straight. All she had to do was to hang on for the next little while and finish the project without falling in love.
Because, heaven help her, she was tipping in that direction.
She tried to picture two and a half years of a long-term relationship, with Danny managing properties and running his repair shop in Holly while she put in her time in Seattle. Had she ever known a long-distance relationship that had worked?
Tipping her head back against the headrest, she plowed through the list of people she knew who’d tried and failed. A rift now meant that she and Danny could eventually go back to their old relationship after a cooling-off period.
But a rift after a long-distance romance was forever.
She wasn’t ready for that. Danny had been a constant in her life since she was four. How could she risk losing him forever?
The answer is to not tip over. To not fall in love.
It would be an awkward three days refusing to deny that she hadn’t been the one to rat him out, but her sisters would be in the building during the weekend, providing a buffer, and once the project was done, she could retreat to Seattle where sanity would take over and she would no longer have dreams about her annoying former neighbor.
Feeling stronger, she moved the gearshift into drive and started for home. The situation sucked, but maybe this was how things needed to be.
It stood to reason that the February 14thdinner at Pizza Bob’s would not happen.
That was good, because her willpower with Danny sucked.
Now they had a nice fat wedge between them, and she was going to keep it there for as long as she was in Holly.
*
What was thename of that movie? Danny adjusted the air pressure on the spray gun and gave a practice spritz.
The Longest Day? The Longest Friday?
Whatever it was, he was living it.
He’d made a mistake with Felicity, insinuating that she’d let slip about his business venture, and her total refusal to defend herself convinced him that he’d been wrong. No one else knew about Fork Horn, except for the company reps themselves, but somehow word had leaked. He needed to set matters straight with her, but they had an unexpected full house that day.
Bud Pratt had rehired one of his former employees, allowing him to volunteer his services painting, and since Pete insisted on using rollers instead of sprayers, they needed every warm body they could get. Deke the city maintenance guy returned for some more quality time with Bertha the furnace, and Mr. Klein from the city council had stopped by in the late afternoon. Thankfully his son, Cade, hadn’t tagged along. Felicity might think they were only former study buddies, but Danny had seen the way Cade looked at her when they’d helped him push his car out of the snowbank.
Meanwhile, Felicity maintained her role as project foreman, lining out Bud, asking Danny about the timeframe for the remaining texture work, and escorting Mr. Klein through the building for a quick tour. But instead of stopping by his work area to mention that Mr. Klein seemed less than thrilled that the project was on schedule, and that his business rival and fellow councilman Bud Pratt was helping, she went straight upstairs and resumed painting.
She was angry. Politely, coldly, devastatingly angry.
Too angry, which made him wonder what was going on. The Felicity he’d grown up with would have set him straight for making a bogus accusation after a cooling-off period. She’d had plenty of time to cool, yet the setting straight had yet to occur.
“I’d like to talk,” he said in a low voice when they passed on the staircase shortly before quitting time, when they were finally alone in the building. Given the big push that was about to commence as they hurled toward deadline, he might not get another easy opportunity like this to set things straight.
“I’m not ready to talk.” She continued on her way, the stairs echoing beneath her heavy boots.
“I’m sorry that I insinuated instead of asking,” Danny called after her. “I made a mistake, Felicity.”
She looked back when he used her full name. He hadn’t meant to shoot out an apology then and there, but it had launched of its own accord.
She considered him for a long moment. “Apology accepted. No grudges. I just want to get this project done.”
He had a sneaking suspicion that she was holding a grudge and was about to point it out when she said, “By the way, you can go home.”
His eyebrows lifted.
