Page 17 of Dangerous Secrets
“I’ll defend anyone who’streated unjustly.”
Keeley cleared her throat.“Vance,”her smile held a feral edge, “Delaney and I are enjoying a girls’night out and you have appendages that disqualify you.Why don’tyou go play with your friend at the bar?I think he’s missingyou.”
Delaney took a hasty sip of water asshe struggled against the laughter threatening to choke her.Vance’s lips thinned as he pressed them together.She guessed hewasn’t used to being told he wasn’t welcome.
He stood and pulled a business cardfrom his wallet.Flipping it over, he wrote on the back beforehanding it to Delaney.“That’s my personal number.Call me.I’lltake you out to dinner.”
He moved to the bar and Keeleymuttered, “That man is as clueless as they come.”
Delaney began shredding the card intotiny pieces, making a little pile of confetti.“You’re right.Hedidn’t even ask if I wanted to go out to dinner with him.‘I’lltake you out to dinner,’” she mimicked.“He acts like he’sbestowing a grand favor.”
“Let’s forget him and makethe most of our girls’ night.Do you want to girl dance, or shouldI ask that hottie Shane Keller if he wants to hit the dancefloor?”
“Ask Shane.I’ll sit herefor a bit, finish my margarita, and think big thoughts.”
Shane Kellerwashot, and he andKeeley looked good dancing together.Too bad there was zerochemistry and no chance they’d move beyond the friendzone.
Delaney found her gaze drifting to theopposite end of the room for a sneak peek at Walker.It was like hehad some type of super magnet and she was caught in its pull.Hethrew back his head and laughed at something Mateo said, whiteteeth flashing, making a hot coil of lust pulse low in herbelly.
The long column of his throat made herwant to put her mouth under his jaw right where his beard gave wayto tanned skin.Then he looked over Mateo’s shoulder and his darkgaze zeroed in on hers with a challenge that had heat flooding hercheeks.The gleam in his eyes made her think he knew exactly whereher thoughts had gone.
Keeley returned to the table withShane, and the three of them chatted until Shane went to the bar.Delaney danced with Keeley, then with Ben Hurtado, the currentpresident of the Apple-Growers’ Association.But no matter who shewas talking to, or dancing with, she was always aware of Walker’sunsettling presence.
Kissing him had been amistake.
Sure, if the number of people stoppingto talk with him were an indication, the gesture had had thedesired outcome, but the unintended consequence: she couldn’t wipethe moment from her mind.
That kiss—well,kisses—had been anassault on every one of her senses and had only whetted theappetite of whatever crazy impulse she’d had that made her cravemore.
She felt like a recovering drug addictwho’d slipped up and was now desperate to score anotherhit.
It was his fault her head felt like itwas still spinning.She gave herself a mental shake.After all thistime, she ought to be a pro at ignoring Walker McGrath cravings,and be smart enough to know she couldn’t afford the emotionalanguish of getting tangled up with him again.
She’d survived living without himbefore.
She could do it again.
Despite the shadow of Walker’spresence and the knowledge James’s funeral was imminent, theevening out served its purpose of providing a diversion.Girl talkand laughing with Keeley were exactly what she’d needed.
The music was great, there were plentyof people they knew, and it was good to remember she enjoyeddancing.Vance had joined Cyndi’s table, which was then shoved upto another, and their group had swelled, getting noisier as theevening progressed.Delaney did her best to ignore Vance when hisoverly loud voice carried across the room.The band took a break,and she and Keeley returned to their table for abreather.
Keeley collapsed into her seat.“Okay,that’s it for me.”
“What, you’re done?Notpossible.You’re the night owl who can dance ’til the early hours,unlike me.”
“I’ve been forced tochange my night owl ways.I have to be up early tomorrow.Dad’sbeen waking around five in the morning, and I want to let Mom sleepin.Then I’m staying with him so Mom and Aunt Jeanie can help yourgran set up.”
“Your mom does a lot.We’re grateful for her help, but she was looking pretty frazzledlast time I saw her.”Keeley’s dad suffered from early-onsetAlzheimer’s, and her mom, Abby, insisted on keeping him home so shecould care for him even while she continued working parttime.
“She is frazzled.”Keeley’s face was set in lines of worry as she wadded a napkin andthrew it onto the table.“I’ve finally convinced her to havesomeone come in to help.She’s been so resistant, but she’sexhausting herself.Dad’s gotten worse.She can’t leave him likeshe used to.She’s able to work from home, but it’s difficultbecause she’s always worrying about what he’s up to if she can’tsee him.
“A couple weeks ago shecame home from a quick errand to find him gone.Luckily, a neighborhad seen him wandering on the street and convinced him it wasn’t agood day to go fishing, and invited him inside.It was fiftydegrees out and he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts.He’d beencarrying his fishing pole and said the trout werebiting.”
“I hadn’t heard aboutthat.”
“I hadn’t either untillast night.Mom’s been holding back because she says she doesn’twant to burden me.I contacted an agency today and they’re sendingsomeone out Monday.Dad can be really stubborn and difficult withchange, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Delaney slung an arm around herfriend’s shoulders.“I know you have professional development youneed to attend on Monday.Do you want me to be there when theperson from the agency comes?Your dad knows me.Maybe I canhelp.”
