Was Dan flirting with him?
Terry was stunned enough by the idea to not reply. He filled his mouth with food instead. Mostly because he didn't know what to say, but partly because he was tickled down to his toes. Dan Wilson was a handsome man.
He seemed to go out of his way to stand at the edge of everyone's attention—which Terry assumed came from being a DEA agent—but Terry noticed Dan every time he walked into a room. How could he miss him? Dan stood several inches taller than Terry's own five foot ten and had enough muscles to show he took good care of himself and worked out regularly without being over the top.
The pale green eyes didn't hurt either.
"This is really good, Dan," Terry said after several bites.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Where'd you learn to cook?"
"It was kind of a desperation thing. Since my mother died when I was young, and my father was always working, I had to fend for myself most nights. I learned early on that I really hated processed stuff, so I started visiting the library. I've probably read more cookbooks than you've seen in your lifetime."
Terry raised an eyebrow. "You can cook more than this?"
Dan nodded. "I thought about becoming a chef for a while, but I love cooking and didn't want it to turn into a chore."
"So, you went into law enforcement instead?" The two fields seemed miles apart.
"My dad is a cop. He wanted me to be a cop. I went through the academy, but after I graduated, I decided I didn't want to walk a beat, so I applied to the DEA instead."
"How does your dad feel about that?"
Dan snorted. "He's still not speaking to me."
Terry frowned at the slight edge of hurt he could hear in Dan's voice. "How long has it been?"
"Going on seven years now."
"You haven't spoken to your father in seven years?" Terry would give his left foot to speak to his father again. He couldn't understand how someone could go so long without saying something.
"I tried to talk to him for the first few years. I called home once a week and left a message on the answering machine. I sent letters and emails. I even went home a few times. When it became apparent he wasn't going to speak to me, I eventually gave up."
Terry set his fork down and wiped his mouth. He took a sip of his wine as he tried to figure out what to say without offending Dan. That was the last thing he wanted. "Is there any way things could have changed?"
"I suppose anything is possible, but I don't really see it happening." Dan set his own fork down then rested his arms on the table. "You need to understand. My father is not someone who bends. Ever. Never once have I seen him go back on something he's said."
"Did he actually say he wanted nothing to do with you?"
"No." Dan sighed. It was a heavy sound. "He just told me how disappointed he was in me, and then he stopped talking to me. Wouldn't even wish me good luck when I went off Quantico."
"I'm sorry, Dan."
Dan waved his hand before picking his fork back up. "Nothing to be sorry for. It is what it is." The smile he gave Terry didn't quite reach his pale green eyes. "Now, finish eating. I have tiramisu in the fridge."
Terry grinned then dug into the rest of his food. He couldn't ever remember having tiramisu, but if it was anywhere as good as the pasta dish it would taste fantastic. He couldn't wait.
He'd think about Dan's family issues later.
"I talked to the sheriff today," Dan said. "He received word that Keith was spotted trying to hock some stuff at one of the pawnshops in the city. They couldn't pursue him at the time because of the case they were working on, but at least now we have an idea why he hasn't been spotted in Cade Creek."
"Was he hocking my mother's jewelry?"
"The sheriff is sending one of his deputies in with pictures of your mother's stuff to check it out. We should hear back in a few days."
Terry smiled weakly. "Thank you for letting me know."
