Chapter Seven
While his tone remained pleasant,
Vance’s eyes iced over. “That’s a little dramatic. With James
McGrath gone, there’s too much work for you and your grandmother.
With the cash I can offer, you’ll both be free of the burden of
running that place. Land prices won’t go up forever so now’s a good
time to sell.”
“Interesting way of
offering condolences, Vance. James isn’t even buried yet. More to
the point, Gran and I will decide whether anything is too much for
us.” Over Vance’s shoulder she noticed Mateo had moved down the bar
to sit on the stool next to Walker. Walker seemed to have given up
on watching the game and had turned on his stool. Her table was in
his field of vision, but since he was talking to Mateo and didn’t
appear to be paying her any attention, she decided his move wasn’t
intentional.
Vance caught the direction of her gaze
and shot a quick look over his shoulder. “I see the ex-con McGrath
is back.”
She jerked her attention back to the
man in front of her. The insult felt like a jab in the eye.
“Walker’s not an ex-con.”
“He served time in prison.
That makes him an ex-con.”
“Not if his record has
been completely cleared. Which it has.”
“Always defending him,
aren’t you, Delaney.”
“I’ll defend anyone who’s
treated 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’t
you go play with your friend at the bar? I think he’s missing
you.”
Delaney took a hasty sip of water as
she struggled against the laughter threatening to choke her.
Vance’s lips thinned as he pressed them together. She guessed he
wasn’t used to being told he wasn’t welcome.
He stood and pulled a business card
from his wallet. Flipping it over, he wrote on the back before
handing it to Delaney. “That’s my personal number. Call me. I’ll
take you out to dinner.”
He moved to the bar and Keeley
muttered, “That man is as clueless as they come.”
Delaney began shredding the card into
tiny pieces, making a little pile of confetti. “You’re right. He
didn’t even ask if I wanted to go out to dinner with him. ‘I’ll
take you out to dinner,’” she mimicked. “He acts like he’s
bestowing a grand favor.”
“Let’s forget him and make
the most of our girls’ night. Do you want to girl dance, or should
I ask that hottie Shane Keller if he wants to hit the dance
floor?”
“Ask Shane. I’ll sit here
for a bit, finish my margarita, and think big thoughts.”
Shane Keller
was hot, and he and
Keeley looked good dancing together. Too bad there was zero
chemistry and no chance they’d move beyond the friend
zone.
Delaney found her gaze drifting to the
opposite end of the room for a sneak peek at Walker. It was like he
had some type of super magnet and she was caught in its pull. He
threw back his head and laughed at something Mateo said, white
teeth flashing, making a hot coil of lust pulse low in her
belly.
The long column of his throat made her
want to put her mouth under his jaw right where his beard gave way
to tanned skin. Then he looked over Mateo’s shoulder and his dark
gaze zeroed in on hers with a challenge that had heat flooding her
cheeks. The gleam in his eyes made her think he knew exactly where
her thoughts had gone.
Keeley returned to the table with
Shane, and the three of them chatted until Shane went to the bar.
Delaney danced with Keeley, then with Ben Hurtado, the current
president of the Apple-Growers’ Association. But no matter who she
was talking to, or dancing with, she was always aware of Walker’s
unsettling presence.
Kissing him had been a
mistake.
Sure, if the number of people stopping
to talk with him were an indication, the gesture had had the
desired outcome, but the unintended consequence: she couldn’t wipe
the moment from her mind.
That kiss—well,
kisses—had been an
assault on every one of her senses and had only whetted the
appetite of whatever crazy impulse she’d had that made her crave
more.
She felt like a recovering drug addict
who’d slipped up and was now desperate to score another
hit.
It was his fault her head felt like it
was still spinning. She gave herself a mental shake. After all this
time, she ought to be a pro at ignoring Walker McGrath cravings,
and be smart enough to know she couldn’t afford the emotional
anguish of getting tangled up with him again.
She’d survived living without him
before.
She could do it again.
Despite the shadow of Walker’s
presence and the knowledge James’s funeral was imminent, the
evening out served its purpose of providing a diversion. Girl talk
and laughing with Keeley were exactly what she’d needed.
The music was great, there were plenty
of people they knew, and it was good to remember she enjoyed
dancing. Vance had joined Cyndi’s table, which was then shoved up
to another, and their group had swelled, getting noisier as the
evening progressed. Delaney did her best to ignore Vance when his
overly loud voice carried across the room. The band took a break,
and she and Keeley returned to their table for a
breather.
Keeley collapsed into her seat. “Okay,
that’s it for me.”
“What, you’re done? Not
possible. You’re the night owl who can dance ’til the early hours,
unlike me.”
“I’ve been forced to
change my night owl ways. I have to be up early tomorrow. Dad’s
been waking around five in the morning, and I want to let Mom sleep
in. Then I’m staying with him so Mom and Aunt Jeanie can help your
gran set up.”
“Your mom does a lot.
We’re grateful for her help, but she was looking pretty frazzled
last time I saw her.” Keeley’s dad suffered from early-onset
Alzheimer’s, and her mom, Abby, insisted on keeping him home so she
could care for him even while she continued working part
time.
“She is frazzled.”
Keeley’s face was set in lines of worry as she wadded a napkin and
threw it onto the table. “I’ve finally convinced her to have
someone come in to help. She’s been so resistant, but she’s
exhausting herself. Dad’s gotten worse. She can’t leave him like
she used to. She’s able to work from home, but it’s difficult
because she’s always worrying about what he’s up to if she can’t
see him.
“A couple weeks ago she
came home from a quick errand to find him gone. Luckily, a neighbor
had seen him wandering on the street and convinced him it wasn’t a
good day to go fishing, and invited him inside. It was fifty
degrees out and he was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. He’d been
carrying his fishing pole and said the trout were
biting.”
“I hadn’t heard about
that.”
“I hadn’t either until
last night. Mom’s been holding back because she says she doesn’t
want to burden me. I contacted an agency today and they’re sending
someone out Monday. Dad can be really stubborn and difficult with
change, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Delaney slung an arm around her
friend’s shoulders. “I know you have professional development you
need to attend on Monday. Do you want me to be there when the
person from the agency comes? Your dad knows me. Maybe I can
help.”
Keeley tipped her head to Delaney’s.
“Thanks, friend. You’re the best. I’ll let Mom know you
offered.”
Hearing the continued worry in
Keeley’s voice, Delaney said, “This is a positive move, Keel. For
all of you. It’s been hard for your mom, but it’s been hard for you
too.” Keeley drove from her apartment in Sacramento several times a
month to help with her dad, and between that and teaching middle
school special ed, Delaney thought Abby wasn’t the only one
exhausting herself. “You go ahead and head home. I want to talk to
Blue Moon while they’re still on break and see if I can schedule
them to perform at the farm.”
Keeley’s brows drew down. “I’ll wait.
Friends don’t abandon friends at a bar.”
“You’re not abandoning me.
We’re in Sisters, not Sacramento. There are a dozen people I know
here. Go on. I’ll be leaving in a bit myself.”
She shooed Keeley out the door and
went to the booth where the band was relaxing on their break. A
short time later, Delaney let herself out the back door, pleased
the members of Blue Moon were eager to play at the farm.
She intended to check her calendar and
email the lead vocalist to cement the dates. If they worked out as
she thought they would, she’d book them for opening day and for
several consecutive Saturdays. She was nearly to her truck parked
under a lamppost when the back door of the bar opened, letting out
the sound of the band beginning its next set.
“Delaney, wait
up.”
She groaned. She
did not want to
talk with Vance. She turned and gave a slight wave but kept
walking. “Later, Vance.”
Footsteps sounded behind her. “Hey, I
said wait up.”
“I’m ready to go home,
I—”
He grabbed her arm and pulled her
around. She wrenched her arm free. He let go, swaying on his feet,
and gave her what he must have thought was a charming grin, but she
knew better. It seemed calculating.
“Hold on there, sugar. I
just wanna talk to you.” His words slurred and the stench of
alcohol hung in the air.
“You’re drunk, Vance. I
don’t want to talk to you. Make sure someone drives you home.” She
reached for the door handle of her SUV. He grabbed her arm again,
his fingers tight on her wrist as he pulled her close.
His lips curled in a
sneer. “You think you’re too good for me? I can buy a dozen
properties better than your shitty farm without breaking a sweat.”
He leaned forward, his breath foul. “Offering to take that place
off your hands, I’d be doing you a favor.”
“I don’t want any favors
from you. Leave me alone.”
She twisted in his hold, wincing when
she was finally free and could rub her arm where she was sure a
bruise would form. A crash came from the rear of the building.
Vance turned to look, overbalanced and stumbled, catching himself
sloppily against her. Her purse slipped off her shoulder and onto