Susan Mallery - Hot On Her Heels

DANA PERCHED ON THE EDGE of the guest-room bed and told herself she would be amazed. Enchanted, even. Delighted. Skye hung the long dress on a hook on the inside of the closet door, then pulled away the protective plastic covering.

“What do you think?” Skye asked anxiously.

The dress, actually it was a gown, glimmered in the afternoon light. It was ivory, silk-a fact Izzy had shared-and lightly beaded. The style was simple, an empire waist, with long sleeves and a full skirt. Dana could see Skye in it. The gown was totally her.

“You’ll be beautiful,” she said honestly. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay to see you try it on.”

“Don’t worry. You can suffer through the fittings I’ll have later this month,” Skye teased. “And I appreciate you were willing to be there for part of the shopping experience. I know it’s not your thing.”

“I still feel bad,” Dana said. “I was distracted and I shouldn’t have been. It was your time.”

Skye finished putting the cover back on the dress. “You can make it up to me.”

“How?” Dana was cautious. More than cautious. She was worried. Wedding details were not her thing.

“I need help addressing the invitations.”

Dana winced. “Why do I know this means more than putting on return address labels or stamps?”

“Calligraphy.”

“That fancy writing?” Dana’s stomach began to hurt. “You know I can’t do that, right?”

Skye grinned, her green eyes dancing with laughter. “Don’t panic. I’m not going to ask you.”

“Good, because I don’t want to learn how.”

“It’s pretty easy.” Skye led the way out of the guest room. “There are special pens that help.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

They walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Dana sniffed the air. Something delicious and spicy simmered on the stove.

“Do I want to know?” she asked.

“Carnitas.”

“Am I invited to stay for dinner?”

“If you want. It would mean being away from Garth for a few hours.”

Dana sighed. “For carnitas, I would suffer through the pain.”

“I’m not sure Garth wants to hear that.” Skye poured them each a cup of coffee.

Dana sat across from her at the kitchen table. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “You’re not glowing with happiness. Shouldn’t you be?”

“I’m glowing on the inside,” Skye said, then sighed. “I’m happy about Mitch. I love him more than I can say. Marrying him and being with him is everything I’ve ever wanted. But…”

“But?” Dana prompted. There was more. She could see it in the shadows behind the smile.

“I hate what’s happening with Jed. He’s our father. He should be here with us. We should be working together. Instead we’re trying to bring him down because he nearly killed his own daughter. Why does it have to be like this?”

“Because Jed wants to win at any cost, although if it helps, I don’t think he was trying to kill Izzy.” She told Skye what Jed had said at the party a few weeks ago.

Skye listened, then sighed. “So he might not have been trying to kill her, but it was okay if she or anyone else got hurt? What a guy.”

She frowned. “And what he did to Garth and Kathy? I still can’t wrap my mind around it.”

“I know.” Dana hesitated. “But maybe there’s more to it than what Garth told us.”

“I’m not sure we’ll ever find out,” Skye said. “Jed confirmed the facts, but won’t give us any details and Kathy can’t.”

“I’m sorry this is all such a mess.”

“Don’t be. You’re one of the few things keeping me sane-knowing I can count on you means a lot.

“I’m getting married,” Skye whispered. “I want to tell my father. I want him to be happy for me. But that’s never going to happen. He doesn’t care.” Tears filled her green eyes. “I thought my dad would walk me down the aisle. I was wrong.”

Dana wanted to writhe in her seat. She hated seeing anyone she cared about suffering, especially when she couldn’t fix the problem. While she would never want to see her father again, she understood Skye’s ambivalence. Knowing Jed was the bad guy was one thing-putting that thought into practice was another.

She remembered Skye’s first marriage. It had been a huge society event, with half a dozen bridesmaids and a horse-drawn carriage. The ceremony had been held in a big church in town, followed by a reception at Glory’s Gate. Over half a dozen senators had attended, along with a former president. People had talked about the party for weeks.

This time was different. This time Skye was marrying out of love rather than duty. This time everything was the way she wanted it and not because of how it would play in the papers. But not having Jed walk her down the aisle would still leave a hole in the day.

“Ask Garth,” she said without thinking.

Skye blinked at her. “What?”

Second thoughts crowded in, but Dana ignored them. “Ask Garth to walk you down the aisle. He’s your older brother. Doesn’t that count?”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think he’d do it?”

What Dana thought was that he was so going to want to kill her. She refused to feel the least bit of apprehension. He owed her for being so understanding about Fawn’s visit. “I think he’d have a hard time telling you no,” she said honestly.

“Not exactly a rousing endorsement,” Skye said with a laugh. “But good enough. I’ll call and ask him.”

“You should.”

Skye’s humor faded. “How did we get here?” she asked, tears returning to her eyes. “He’s our father. He’s supposed to love us.”

“A lot of people don’t like following the rules,” Dana said, thinking of her own father. “Jed’s one of them.”

“We have to do this. We have to put him in jail. He can’t be trusted. Who knows who he’ll come after next. Erin, maybe. Or Lexi’s baby.” She held on to the coffee mug with both hands, but didn’t drink. “I never wanted it to be like this. What happens when Mitch and I have a baby? He or she will never know who Jed is. He’ll just be a name, not a grandfather.”

“Do you think he cares about that?” Dana asked gently.

“No. He doesn’t. But knowing that doesn’t make me hurt any less.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your rock, as Fidelia would say. It’s mine.” She shrugged. “So much that has happened over the past few months has been unexpected. Lexi meeting Cruz, Izzy meeting Nick. Me falling in love with Mitch all over again. And Garth.”

“He’s a stunner,” Dana said dryly.

“Now you’re being sarcastic.”

“I don’t mean to be.”

“Then tell me what you really think about him.”

Trapped, Dana thought grimly. Trapped with nowhere to go. “I think he’s complicated.”

“And?”

“And he looks good in a suit.”

Skye wrinkled her nose. “That’s not an answer. Are you in love with him?”

Dana wanted to throw herself out of the nearest window. “Do you have to ask it like that? Don’t you want to at least lead up to the question?”

Skye smiled. “Are you?”

“I don’t know,” she yelled, pushing back her chair and coming to her feet. “I don’t know what I think about him. Being with him is hard-maybe the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Not because I question him, although I do that plenty, but mostly because I question myself. Am I good enough? Am I different enough? Am I too different? I hate feeling like I have to be worthy.”

“You’re plenty worthy. Garth is lucky to have you.”

Loyal words spoken by a loyal friend.

“Is he?” Dana asked, sitting down again. “What do I bring to the table?”

“You’re wonderful. Funny and smart and caring. You’re brave and feisty.”

“Feisty isn’t always a good thing.”

“Why not?”

“Because it requires effort and from what I’ve seen, most people don’t bother with anything that’s too hard.”

Skye sipped her coffee. “Loving Mitch is easy,” she admitted. “Although being with him can be a challenge. Is loving Garth easy?”

“Do you think you’re being subtle?” Dana asked. “Because you’re not.”

“Yeah, yeah. You don’t impress me. Answer the question.”

Was loving Garth easy? The implication being she did love him.

“Loving him would take me places I don’t want to go,” she admitted.

“Meaning?”

“I would have to let him in.”

“But haven’t you already? You live with him, Dana.”

Dana held her breath. Was Garth already inside of her, making a place for himself in her heart?

She’d always been so careful not to get involved with someone who could really touch her, really hurt her. She didn’t want that. Not the pain or the risk. She wanted to be safe, even if that meant always being alone.

But while she wasn’t looking, something else had happened. Something significant. Something that made her want to take a chance and try flying-as if love really had given her wings.

“Maybe,” she whispered. “Maybe I do love him.”

Skye didn’t say anything.

Dana turned the words over in her mind. She wasn’t running screaming from the room. That was something. Did she love Garth? Was it possible? A few days ago, with Izzy and Lexi, she hadn’t known, but now, everything was different. Clearer, somehow.

“I love him,” she said slowly. “I love Garth.”

Skye grinned. “Wow. I never thought I’d hear you say those words.”

“Then we’re even, because I never thought I’d say them.”

“When are you going to tell him?” Skye asked.

“When hell freezes over.”

“Why? You should tell him.”

“No, thanks. I like my disappointment in small doses.”

“Because you think he doesn’t love you back?”

“Well, duh.”

“He does. Dana, you’re amazing.”

“You have to say that. You love me.”

“And it’s very possible Garth does, too. Someone has to be the one to risk it all. Someone has to be the first one to put it on the line.”

“That someone can be him.”

Skye shook her head. “I thought you were strong.”

“There’s a big difference between strong and foolish. I like to keep on the right side of that line.”

“You’re really not going to say anything?”

“Isn’t it enough that I’m willing to tell you?”

“That is something,” Skye admitted. “But it would be better if you’d tell him.”

“Better for everyone but me.”

“At least think about it.”

Dana groaned. “For about sixteen seconds. Then I’ll be done.”

“It’s a start.” Skye grinned again. “Soon we’ll have you caring about your shoes.”

“Did I mention the hell freezing over part?”

“Yes, but I wasn’t listening.”

GARTH PACED THE LENGTH of Lexi’s office, but walking didn’t make him any more comfortable. Part of the reason was the space itself. Her office was in her day spa. It was done in rich colors and textured fabric. While it was a functional space, it was way too fussy for him. And there were bowls of stuff that smelled everywhere.

But it wasn’t just being in a totally female space that had him feeling ready to jump out of his skin. It was the material Lexi was reading. Or rather her reaction to it.

“This is everything?” she asked, looking up from the list he’d detailed.

He’d barely spent an hour putting the list together, but it had taken him the better part of a week to decide if he was going to give it to her. Talk about handing over the last weapon to the enemy. Except Lexi wasn’t his enemy and she wouldn’t use the information as a weapon. Something he kept telling himself but wasn’t sure he believed.

“Impressive,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “Are you going to keep pacing or do you plan to sit somewhere?”

“I’ll be pacing for a while.”

She smiled. “Because you’re nervous.”

“You could hang me with that.”

She touched the paper. On it he’d listed everything he’d done to the Titan family. From the callable note he’d offered to her, to the false tip about Skye’s foundation being a front for money laundering. Some of the things on the list had come from facts he’d dug up-like Jed being involved in illegal arms shipments. But for every fact, there were dozens of rumors. Acts designed to hurt.

“I won’t take this to the police,” she said.

“I know.”

“Then why won’t you sit down?”

He shrugged. “Trust doesn’t come easy to me.”

She pulled out her own list of what had happened, then handed both to him. “You look them over,” she said. “By comparing them, we can figure out what Jed has done. I’m going to guess it’s a lot more than we think.”

“But you asked me to prepare the list,” he said, not sure what she was doing. “Don’t you want to keep it?”

“No. I wanted you to put it together, but it doesn’t matter who does the comparison. Obviously you’d be more comfortable if it was you.” She smiled. “I’m not out to get you, Garth. Not anymore.”

He moved toward her desk, then took a seat opposite. “Okay.”