If We Never Met (Whisper Lake #5) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,12
find out more about him as soon as possible since her mother seemed to be getting more involved with him by the minute.
And then there was the hotter-than-hot Dante, who had stirred all her senses in a very significant way. But he was taken. And even if he wasn't taken, he probably thought she was crazy after she'd sat down at his table at Micky's, then tracked him down at the inn, capping off the night by unloading her personal problems on him. She inwardly groaned at the embarrassing memories. She needed coffee and a fresh start.
When she entered the kitchen, she saw her mom standing at the counter, cutting up strawberries and bananas. She wore tan slacks and a sleeveless top, and her short brown hair curled around her face as she hummed a happy tune under her breath.
"Good morning," her mother said, looking up with a smile. "Coffee is ready."
"Great." She poured herself a cup of coffee. "You're up early for a Saturday. Are you going somewhere?"
"No. It's so lovely out. I thought I'd work in the garden before it gets too hot. Are you working at the store today, or do I even need to ask?"
"I'm working." She sipped her coffee, then added, "Did you have fun last night?"
"I did." Her mom set down her knife and gave her a pointed look. "Even though you tried to stop that from happening. What got into you, Keira? Why were you so rude to Mark?"
"I was surprised to see you at the inn. You didn't tell me you were going out last night."
"Mark called late in the day on the off chance I might be free, and I was. You were on a date. I didn't want to bother you."
"But if I’d come home, and you weren't here, I would have been worried."
"I left you a note on the fridge. It's still there." She tipped her head to the refrigerator, where they often left notes for each other.
She had actually seen the note when she'd gotten home. "I did see it," she muttered. "But I still think you should have texted me."
"Keira, what is wrong with me seeing an old friend?"
"This man came out of nowhere. He seems to be very pushy. I think you should be careful."
"Careful…that's a funny word. I was being careful when a car ran a red light and smashed into me. I wasn't even moving. I wasn't going over the speed limit. I had my seat belt on, and I still almost died. But I didn't die, and it has taken me a long time to feel even marginally like myself again." She paused. "You are the reason I'm doing as well as I am. I can never thank you enough for taking care of me the way you have."
"The way I always will. It's been the two of us against the world forever."
"I know. And I love you so much, honey, but I am doing better. You don't have to watch me every second. I may not feel comfortable driving, and I don't always remember every little thing, but I feel like I have most of my wits about me."
"You didn't remember Mark until he showed you the picture in the yearbook."
"Well, goodness, it's been forty-five years. And his hair was brown when I knew him. But the memories came back quickly when we started talking."
"So, what do you know about him? Give me some details."
"Let's see. He was married for thirteen years. He and his wife, Valerie, had a son, Richard. They got divorced when Richard was nine. He's twenty-four now, so Mark has been single for about fifteen years. His son lives in Los Angeles. Mark has moved around for his job. He was most recently in Las Vegas working for a hospital when he decided to trade the desert for the mountains." Her mom smiled. "He's not a criminal, Keira. He's just a man I used to know…I used to like, actually."
Her stomach curled at the new light in her mother's eyes. Her mother had dated a few men over the years, but not a lot. She didn't have a great track record when it came to relationships. The men she had picked to date had never seemed that great to Keira. In fact, the one she'd been seeing when she got in the accident had vanished before she was out of the hospital.