in front of Ruby’s at ten-thirty.
“Thanks again,” he said as she got out of the car. “I’m really sorry about having to call you today and ruin your plans.”
“Stop apologizing. I told you it wasn’t a problem.”
“Then why have you spent the entire evening looking as if you lost your best friend? You and Sean had a fight about this, didn’t you? I know how upset he gets over the long hours you put in.”
Typical of Joey to develop insight and sensitivity when she had something she didn’t want to discuss.
“I’ll talk to him,” Joey offered when Deanna kept silent. “I can explain.”
“No, you’ll stay out of it,” she countered.
“But he’s a good guy. I like him. So does Paulie. She’ll kill me if she thinks I did anything to mess up your relationship with the guy. And since all this happened because she was out sick, she’ll be even more upset.”
“Sean and I don’t have a relationship,” she said, not entirely sure how to describe what they did have. It seemed to be evolving from day to day.
Or at least it had been. She sighed.
Joey frowned. “I really think I’d better talk to him.”
“No, absolutely not. Now stop worrying and go home and check on your wife. Give her my love.”
“I’ll wait till you get inside,” Joey insisted. “Blink the lights like always, so I’ll know you’re safe.”
Deanna leaned down and kissed his cheek. “You are such a worrywort. Good night.”
As soon as she reached Ruby’s apartment, she blinked the lights, then turned and looked directly into Sean’s solemn face. Her heart leaped into her throat. She wasn’t entirely sure whether it was because he’d just scared the daylights out of her or because she was overjoyed to see him. She decided to go with the fear factor.
“What on earth are you doing inside my apartment lurking in the shadows? You scared me half to death,” she said.
“Sorry.”
He didn’t seem very sorry. “How long have you been here?” she asked.
“About an hour.” He’d been sitting on the edge of the sofa, but he stood up now, took a step toward her, then stopped as if he was uncertain what to do next.
“Where’s Ruby?”
“She went out with Hank. Kevin’s asleep in the bedroom.”
Deanna tried to process the fact that Ruby had left her son with Sean without checking with her first. Not that it was a problem, other than the fact that it was one more thing Sean could hold over her head. She recognized the reason for his knee-jerk reaction to anything he considered neglectful, but it always hurt when the accusation surfaced—spoken or unspoken.
“You’re pretty high-priced for a baby-sitter. What am I paying you?”
He frowned at her attempt at levity. “Don’t even go there.”
Something in his tone warned her he wasn’t in a joking mood. She bit back another jibe and said simply, “I’m amazed Kevin went to bed knowing you’re here.”
He grinned at that. “He was already asleep when I got here.”
“Ah, that explains it.”
He jammed his hands in his pockets in a gesture she’d come to realize meant he was uncomfortable. “So,” he said, not quite meeting her gaze. “You want some coffee? I made a pot. I had a feeling it might be a long night.”
“Oh?”
“I figure we’ve got a few things to hash out.”
She studied him curiously. “Such as?”
“Why you get so uptight just because I’m concerned about you. Why I insist on acting like a horse’s behind when you don’t fall in with my plans.”
Deanna bit back a grin. “You’re right. I’ll take that coffee. If we’ve got all that to discuss, it could be a long night.”
She led the way into the kitchen, took two mugs from the cupboard and poured the coffee. “I brought home a couple of pieces of Joey’s lemon meringue pie,” she said, holding up a takeout box from the restaurant. “You interested?”
His expression brightened. “Sure.”
Deanna set one piece in front of him but put the second piece in the refrigerator.
“You’re not eating any?” he asked.
“Just a bite of yours,” she said, pulling two forks out of the drawer. “I’m not that hungry. Do you mind?”
“Of course not,” he said.
He leaned back and watched while she proceeded to eat most of the slice. A few minutes later Deanna stared at the empty plate with chagrin. “Why on earth didn’t you stop me?”
“There’s something kind of erotic about a woman with a healthy appetite,” he said.
“Even when she’s stealing the food off your plate?”
He leaned forward and wiped a