Dallas reached for her hand, a trace of anger taking possession of his mouth, snapping in his eyes. Laura squeezed his hand.
“Good, we’re agreed.”
“No.”
“No?”
Laura almost gave a watery chuckle at his astonishment. In that moment, she’d have given anything to witness his expression. “I’m spending the weekend down the coast with a friend. I’ll move the last of my stuff out of the apartment as soon as I return to Napier.”
“I’ll notify the accountant to stop your allowance. Don’t contact us until you come to your senses.” The phone clicked in her ear.
“Wow,” she said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Dad is stopping my allowance. He also said he’d make sure I lose my job at the charity. They don’t even know I haven’t worked there for ages.”
Dallas turned her to face him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m stunned my parents want to control me so much they’re willing to use blackmail.”
“You can move in with me.”
“Thanks, I hoped you’d suggest that. As long as I budget, I’m fine for money and can contribute to the household expenses. Did I tell you every temp job I’ve had so far has offered full time employment? I’m waiting for the perfect job, one that presents a challenge. The owner of the temp agency told me she’s pleased with her decision to take me on and wishes she could clone me.”
“You’re doing a great job with the pub accounts.”
“Thanks.” She shoved her phone back into her pocket. “I wish I’d never brought my phone.”
“At least you know where your phone is. I hope my cell phone is at the house. It’s either there or at the pub.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure your brothers will take care of any problems. We’ll panic ifO’Grady’smakes the news headlines tonight. Otherwise, I’m sure everything is fine.”
“Good point,” he said, snatching a kiss.
“Race you to the outcrop. Loser buys the winner an ice cream cone,” Laura said and started running.
Half an hour later, they sat in the corner booth of a café. A waitress arrived and they decided on coffee and a blueberry muffin, fresh from the oven, instead of ice cream. Dallas’s hard thigh crowded hers, and his arm was slung along the back of the booth. She cuddled up to him while they waited for their coffee to arrive.
“I think I might buy a T-shirt.” Her chin angled in the direction of the connected gift shop. “A souvenir to remind me of this weekend and to commemorate the true start of my independence.”
“Let me buy it for you.”
“Thanks, but I’d prefer to pay for it myself. You can pay for the coffee. After all, you did lose our race.”
He reached for her hand, laced their fingers. “I’m proud of you.”
The owner of the café arrived with their coffee and muffins, interrupting their talk, but Laura reveled in his soft words. Her parents never gave compliments, never encouraged their children. They were about doing the right thing and keeping up with the offspring of their friends and acquaintances. A part of her envied the easy relationship Dallas had with his siblings and parents. While she hadn’t met any of them, it was easy to hear the threads of love weaving through their banter, at least from Dallas’s side of the conversation. His parents rang or contacted Dallas via computer most days.
Her parents called her when she displeased them.
Almost as if she’d summoned them, her phone rang. Her mother, she saw with a quick glance at the screen. She might as well get this over now, then she’d switch off her cell and relax for the rest of the weekend.
“Hello, Mother.”
“How could you?”
Laura scowled and moved her phone farther from her ear. “I don’t want to argue, Mother.”
