Page 106 of First Date: Divorce
Would he be right?
Then her brain caught up with another word Cully used, one that previously would have been the first she heard.That repeating habit hit again.“Investigating?”
As if he hadn’t heard her — except crinkles at the corners of his eyes said he had — Cully continued, “Wouldn’t be full-time investigating.We’re not exactly a crime capital, thank heavens.There’d be patrol and traffic and community work and all the regular duties.If you’re interested.”
“I’m interested.”
*
Pauline stood in the doorway of his office again.
Eric intended to continue ignoring her.
It was Saturday and she couldn’t have anything work-related to tell him.
He’d been busy fielding phone calls since yesterday when the success of the investigation became known.Not all the details were public knowledge, but Cully’s news conference made it clear Eric and K.D.played the role of a couple helping expose the scheme.
Cully insisted they go to lunch in town yesterday, along with Jessa and Grif.They’d barely had a chance to eat because of the curious locals stopping by.
He’d been glad to get home afterward.But it turned out home wasn’t much of a sanctuary.Pauline announced she was taking a half-day off and the phone never quit ringing with more people wanting all the details.He’d set it to voice mail by three-thirty — it was Friday afternoon and he was entitled to call it quits early.
No reason he should answer on a weekend, either.
If there happened to be a call in there from K.D.… well, she could wait, too.
Now his assistant stood in his doorway and emitted a classic Pauline snort, informing him that ignoring her wouldn’t work.
He looked up from his screen.“What?”
“Back when you said there’d be rejoicing in Bardville about you and K.D.breaking up — you meant for the sake of this investigation, but the reality of your relationship is another—”
“The only reality was a cover story.”
“So you say.The women around here who’re interested in you know better, because they can see how you’re reacting and there’s not one who’s stupid enough to get near that long face of yours.Nobody wants to be a rebound, especially when your rebound from K.D.would bounce maybe an inch if it got off the ground at all.”
“You’re full of—”
She interrupted him without compunction.“It’s time to get ready for the party at Far Hills Ranch.”
“What party—?”He remembered then.Engagement party for Bexley and Kiernan.“I’m not going.”
“You are going.Because you want to wish them well—”
“I’ll call them.”
“—and because if you don’t go, the gossip about you and K.D.will pick up speed like a runaway truck coming down the Rocky Mountains.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Eric leaned against the corner of a wall in the Far Hills Ranch main house.
He’d wished Bexley and Kiernan happiness — though they clearly had that covered.
He’d eaten three of Ellyn’s special pigs-in-a-blanket, though they didn’t taste as great as he remembered.
He’d said hello to dozens of people.From Bardville, from here at Far Hills Ranch, from the Knighton area.The last group included a conversation with Dave Currick about a lawyer they both knew who’d been in an accident.
Their lawyer-talk conversation ended when another ranch owner claimed Dave.In addition to Dave’s law practice, his family owned the Slash-C ranch and he ran it.
