Carly Phillips - Lucky Charm

She squealed and ran, but he was faster. Catching up to her with the hose, he gave her a thorough dousing before releasing the makeshift weapon and letting it drop to the grass.

She was bent over, panting and laughing, while from behind them, Holly was giggling like he’d never heard before.

Gabrielle raised her head and glared at him, but he saw the beginnings of a grin on her face.

“I couldn’t help myself,” he said.

“I bet.” She stood up straight and pushed her wet hair off her face.

He took in her gym shorts and the T-shirt she’d borrowed from him for the occasion. The white T-shirt, which was now sheer. Her breasts rose and fell beneath the flimsy material, her nipples rosy and hard, pressing through the light cotton.

He swallowed a groan, unable to think of anything except wrapping her in his arms, pulling her to the ground and making love to her right here, right now. And from the sultry look in her eyes, she knew exactly what he was thinking.

“Dad!”

Holly’s voice brought him to his senses.

“Yeah?” he asked, his gaze still focused on Gabrielle.

“Fred’s dry and he’s trying to get free. Can I let him go?” she asked.

He turned his gaze toward his daughter. “Why don’t you take him to Grandpa’s house, so he won’t get into any more trouble out here?” he suggested.

“Good idea. Then I’ll take my shower so we can go shopping!” She pulled on Fred’s collar and somehow got the dog to follow her toward the house.

Derek picked up a dry towel from the table and tossed it to Gabrielle, then grabbed one for himself.

Neither of the adults spoke on the way back to Derek’s. They didn’t need to. Holly did all the chatting for them. His daughter was happy and still laughing over Fred’s bath and her father’s unexpected fun side.

He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts. They’d all been comfortable with one another. They’d had fun. Holly was happy.

Somehow Fred’s hosing had become a family affair.

TO DEREK, IT WAS OBVIOUS Gabrielle loved Target. She insisted they could find everything they wanted in one place, including food. They didn’t, however, which necessitated a trip to the local supermarket. But this was only after they’d loaded up the trunk with all the new clothes, hair accessories and DVDs Gabrielle and Holly had chosen.

Derek marveled at how quickly the time had passed in the store. Even more, how much fun he’d had shopping with Holly and Gabrielle. How often had Marlene asked him to join her on a shopping trip? Too often to count, and she hadn’t always been referring to sitting around the women’s department while she tried on clothes. As he’d made more and more money, she’d asked for his opinion on items for their new apartment, for Christmas presents for Holly, her parents and his. He’d always rejected the idea outright.

He’d thought his time could be better spent working, even on the weekends. In his job, he’d found an escape from reality-he hadn’t had to face the truth of his life. He’d abandoned the woman he loved, married a woman he didn’t and he wasn’t happy. All because of that damn curse. More than once today, he found himself struck by a twinge of guilt when he found himself enjoying the day.

The three of them strode to his SUV, Holly climbing into the backseat behind Derek, who was seating himself in the driver’s seat.

Gabrielle opened the door just as someone tapped her on the shoulder.

She gasped in surprise, then turned.

A young woman with her hair in a ponytail, wearing sunglasses, beige pants and a cream top stood before her.

“Yes?”

“Can I talk to you a minute?”

“Do I know you?” Gabrielle asked.

“Who is it?” Derek asked from inside the SUV.

She held up one finger to stall his question.

The young woman shook her head. “No, you don’t know me. I used to be Mary Perkins’s assistant before I quit. You’re Gabrielle Donovan, the author, right?”

Gabrielle nodded. She was glad she’d already opened the door and Derek was within hearing distance if she had to yell for help.

“How did you know I was here?” Gabrielle asked.

The woman glanced around warily. “I’ve been following you since you left the house this morning. I was just waiting for the right time to approach you.”

A chill raced through her and Gabrielle rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms. “What can I do for you?” This woman didn’t strike Gabrielle as a stalker, nor did Gabrielle think the woman wanted an autograph.

“It’s more what I can do for you. Here. Take this.” She held an envelope out to Gabrielle.

She accepted it warily. “What is it?”

The woman shook her head. “You’ll see. I only ask one favor.”

Gabrielle tipped her head to one side. “What is it?”

“Forget you ever met me.” She started to walk away, then turned. “Good luck,” she whispered, then crossed the parking lot and disappeared behind a row of cars.

Gabrielle climbed into the SUV, shut her door and hit the door-lock button as quickly as possible.

“What was that all about?” Derek asked.

She inhaled a deep breath. “Just a fan,” she said pointedly to Derek, wanting to wait until Holly was out of earshot.

He nodded.

Meanwhile, she opened the note, but the only thing on the paper inside was a name.

A name she didn’t recognize.

SHARON TWISTED HER HANDS together. The closer she and Richard got to Tony’s apartment, the more nervous she became. It was one thing for her to stalk Tony from a distance. It was another to confront him, face-to-face, with her fiancé by her side.

And that was Richard’s plan.

They still weren’t on the best of terms. His disappointment about what he called her lack of faith in him was clear. At the same time, she’d called their sex life and compatibility into question. Their issues were now, officially, out in the open.

But before they did anything else, they had to get to the bottom of the blackmail threat first. They could worry about whether they still had a relationship to save later.

When they got to the apartment and found nobody home, a neighbor helped them out by informing them she’d just seen the entire family depart for the playground behind the building. Sharon and Richard headed there next.

Sharon slowed as they approached the chain-link fence that surrounded a swing set. Mothers gathered around their toddlers, and a couple sat together on the bench by the sandbox.

“Tony,” she whispered, pointing to the bench.

“That’s him?”

She nodded.

Richard started forward, but Sharon placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Wait.”

“Don’t you want to confront him?” Richard asked, appearing confused.

“Of course I do. But I want to do it. If you just start asking him questions, he’s bound to get defensive. Then we won’t find out anything.”

Richard nodded. “Fine. Let’s go. I’ll let you do the talking.”

She drew in a deep breath. “Okay.” She’d already given a great deal of thought as to how she’d handle Tony when she finally confronted him. She’d had plenty of time while she’d been secretly watching him.

At first, she’d been nervous at the thought of facing him again. Now she was petrified, though it helped to know she had Richard by her side.

She closed her eyes and counted to ten. “Okay.”

She stepped forward, but this time he stopped her. “Sharon.”

“What?”

“I’m proud of you,” Richard said. “It’s nice to see some of that spunk return. I was beginning to think all the progress you’d made for yourself had disappeared when the pictures showed up.”

She smiled grimly. “I appreciate you saying that.” Maybe he really loved her for who she was, after all. “I’m just sorry this is touching your life, your campaign. So. Let’s go.” She shrugged his hand off, needing all her composure to face Tony.

He inclined his head and together they approached the couple on the bench. Tony wore faded jeans and a red T-shirt. The woman beside him seemed relaxed and happy.

Sharon wondered if she was about to upset the balance in Tony’s relationship the way he’d upset hers.

Tony knelt down in front of the young boy Sharon had seen the other day.

She leaned against the chain-link fence separating the road from the playground and cleared her throat. “Tony?”

At the sound of his name, the man’s head whipped around fast. She wondered if he recognized her voice, then called herself silly.

He rose to his feet, staring at her as his gaze narrowed in recognition. “Sharon?”

She nodded.

From behind her, she felt Richard slip his hand into hers. She appreciated the silent support.

Warily he approached her. “Watch him?” he said to the woman she assumed was his wife, pointing to the child.

Warily, the other woman nodded. She seated herself on the edge of the sandbox, but her gaze remained firmly on Tony’s back.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you.” He stepped closer.

Although rationally she knew she was safe, she was glad to have the fence between them. “Because my friends were here first.”

“They grilled me.”

“And you lied to them.”

He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and shrugged. “I have a family to protect now.”

“Look, it’s because you have a family that I’m hoping I can appeal to your sense of decency. You’ll notice I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt by assuming you’ve developed one.”

She studied him. He was still handsome, although his features were more hardened than she remembered, his attitude gruffer. She supposed prison could do that to a man, and she shivered.

Richard released her hand and slid his arm around her back.

“Who’s the suit?” Tony gestured to Richard.

Sharon squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze. If he was her blackmailer, he already knew that not only did she plan to marry Richard, but also that he was running for mayor. “My fiancé,” she said, still giving him some leeway.

“Well, I’ll tell you what I told your friends. I didn’t keep the photographs. The cops took them all and there’s no way you’re pinning any trouble you have now on me.”

Sharon hated herself for thinking it, but she almost believed him. The arrogant man she remembered was gone. In his place stood a beaten man who appeared content to live his life simply. He looked too scared of being connected to the photographs to have taken the risk again. Then again, he’d been a good liar once before.

“I hope you realize they’re harsher on repeat offenders if you’re lying,” Richard said.

“Hey, don’t make assumptions you can’t prove.”

Sharon glanced over. A muscle throbbed in Richard’s temple, a sure sign he was holding back his anger and disgust at Tony. This time she squeezed his hand to calm him down.

“Listen, all I want to know is how someone could have gotten ahold of one of the photos,” Richard asked in a controlled voice.

“And I’m telling you the police have them all.”

Sharon gripped the fence harder. “Tony, you have a family you want to protect. I understand that. But if I don’t find out who’s blackmailing me, I won’t ever have a family. Don’t I deserve that chance? Don’t you think you owe me at least that?” she asked, her voice rising.

Tony exhaled hard.

“Honey, don’t you think you should tell her?” The woman from the sandbox walked up beside him, holding the child in her arms.

Tony stiffened.

“Tell me what?”

The brunette put her hand on his shoulder. “A few months ago, Tony got an anonymous phone call.”

“What did they want?” Richard asked before Sharon could.

Tony groaned. “The same thing you do. The person wanted to know if I had copies of the pictures.”

“All the pictures?” Sharon asked. “Of all the women?”

He shook his head. “Just you.”

She winced. “And what did you say?”

He slung an arm over the fence. “Again, I told them what I told the rest of you. I have no damn photos. The cops took everything.”

“Why keep this to yourself?” Richard asked. “Why didn’t you just admit it to us when we asked?”

He rolled his eyes. “For one thing, I didn’t know those friends of yours from Adam, so I wasn’t telling them anything.”

“And me? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because…” He leaned closer to them, whispering the rest. “The person who called me was an ex-con I’d met in prison. He was trying to make a buck by getting his hands on those pictures for someone and selling them. I’m not supposed to have contact with anyone I met in the joint. And I don’t intend to violate my parole and screw up my life again.”