If We Never Met (Whisper Lake #5) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,74

friend. They met once for ten minutes like eight years ago. Nikki didn't even remember her until Keira mentioned it."

"But you do like Keira. Nikki must have picked up on that."

"Maybe she did. I don't know. I just want her to move on and for the tabloids to leave me alone."

"You generate a lot of clicks, Dante. I wouldn't expect this to end anytime soon."

He shrugged. "I talked to the reporters today. We'll see if they are happy enough with what I said to leave us alone."

"What did you say?"

"I defended Keira. I told them I was here to rehab, and my plan was to be back to my team when I was done. Whether they believe it or not, I don't know, but I had to say it."

"Is that the plan? Is your shoulder going to be ready for the pressure you want to put on it?"

"I sure as hell hope so. I don't know who I am without the game. It's been a part of me since I was six years old."

"Well, to me, you'll still be a pain in the ass."

"Nice," he said dryly.

Micah leaned forward, his gaze turning more serious. "You know what I've always admired about you, Dante?"

"What?"

"You never quit, even when the odds are long. You push on. This is just another challenge for you. You'll figure your way through it. You always do."

He appreciated his brother's words. "I won't give up, but ultimately my body has to be as strong as my desire."

"What does the doctor say?"

"That he'll be able to tell me more when he sees me next week. Until then, I just have to do the work to get better. Now, tell me what's going on with you and the food truck."

Micah sighed. "That's a conversation for another time. Did you know that Dad is hooking up with Valentina?"

"Valentina from next door?" he asked in shock. Valentina had been friends with his mother.

"Yes. I saw her leaving his condo early one morning. He said she was there to drop something off, but I don't think that was the truth. She was all flushed and there was a guilty look in her eyes."

"Damn. Why did you have to put that picture in my head? I don't want to think of Valentina being flushed and guilty."

"Because I wanted to get it out of my head," Micah returned. "It's better that he's dating her than some girl who's our age, right?"

"I'd prefer if he wasn't dating anyone." He realized as he finished the statement that he was sounding a lot like Keira. "Although, Dad has a right to be happy."

"Sure," Micah agreed. "But I like Valentina. She made us so many cookies after Mom died. In the long run, I don't think Dad will make her happy. He just doesn't seem to have the ability to see beyond himself."

"No, he doesn't. Valentina should know that about him. Or maybe he's different with her."

"Possibly. I just have to say that I'm glad I had you, Danny, and Paul around. Because growing up with him alone would have been horrible."

"We were lucky to have each other."

"You know you still have us, right? Because you've been pushing us away since you got hurt."

"I know," he admitted. "I just haven't felt like I could talk about anything."

"You don't have to talk. Just let us be there for you."

"I'm doing better now. Not just the arm, but mentally. I even watched a kid's softball game today."

Micah raised a brow. "Seriously? You went to a ballgame?"

"Yes. I thought the memories would make me feel worse. They'd remind me of what I might be losing, but they didn't. They just reminded me of good times." He paused. "I can't really explain it."

"The game was always your escape. Now your escape might be cut off. It's not surprising that would bother you, but it sounds like you've got a handle on it." Micah gave him a speculative look. "Does your new outlook have anything to do with Keira?"

"Possibly. But enough about me. Are you seeing anyone? What about that girl—Carly? Is she still around?"

Micah let out another sigh. "That relationship died about the same time as the food truck."

"Then we better get another round of beers," he said, motioning for the waitress.

Chapter Twenty

Keira got up early on Sunday, dropped her mother at church, and then headed to her boutique. Her mother's friend, Lois, would bring her home after their Sunday brunch, so she had a few hours on her own. After that,