“Everything okay?” Clay asked.
“Everything is fine,” Daniel replied. He didn’t intend to share with his buddies what Dominique had said to him.
As he drove back to the station, Dominique’s words whirled around and around in his head. Did he have the emotionalstamina to keep telling Angelique he loved her? Even knowing she might deny loving him over and over again?
With his heart still badly broken from his last encounter with her, he wasn’t sure he had the answer to that.
THURSDAY EVENINGANGELIQUEpicked at the salad she’d made herself for dinner. Nothing tasted good to her. She hadn’t had much of an appetite since last Saturday night when Daniel had professed his love for her.
Could she trust him to love her through thick and thin? Could she believe that he would never lie to her or cheat? She knew without a doubt that he was a stand-up kind of guy. So, what was she so afraid of?
Heartache? She felt that already. As usual she’d missed him through the past week. She had no idea what to expect from him on Saturday night. There was no question that things had changed between them with his vows of his love for her. So, how uncomfortable would things be between them now.
She wished they could go back in time, and she wouldn’t have had to examine her emotions where Daniel was concerned. She wished she didn’t know about his love for her. More importantly she wished she didn’t know about her love for him. Things would be so much less complicated then.
She finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen then went into the living room and sank down on the sofa. Between her work and getting things together for the shop, at least she’d managed to stay busy and that had helped keep thoughts of Daniel away.
However, each time there was a moment of silence, every time her mind wasn’t occupied with other things, her thoughts filled with the man she’d fallen in love with. Was he really the hero she’d once yearned to find?
A knock fell on her door and quickened her heartbeat. Was it Daniel? Had there been a break in the case? Why else would he be here on a Thursday when they’d agreed to Saturday night check-ins? She jumped up off the sofa and hurried to answer the door. She paused before opening it. Normally Daniel yelled out to her that it was him.
She grabbed her knife. “Who is it?” she called out.
“Angelique, it’s Desiree,” the feminine voice answered.
Desiree? Angelique put her knife back on the end table and then opened the door.
“Desiree,” she said, surprised to see the tall, beautiful woman there.
“Hi, Angelique. I was wondering if I could come in and have a quick chat with you,” Desiree said with a smile.
“Of course.” Angelique opened her door wider to allow her entry. What on earth could George’s girlfriend need to talk about with her?
“Please, have a seat.” Angelique gestured toward the sofa. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No thanks, I’m good.” Desiree sat on the sofa and Angelique sat in a chair facing her.
“What’s going on?” she asked curiously.
“I wanted to talk to you about George,” Desiree said.
“George? What about him?”
Desiree leaned forward. “You know his birthday is coming up real soon and I’m planning a surprise party for him.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll love that,” Angelique replied.
“I was just wondering if maybe you could help me with a guest list,” Desiree said.
“I’ll certainly try, although I imagine you know more of George’s friends than I do. George and I haven’t exactly stayed in touch.”
Desiree leaned forward even more. “I am so in love with that man.” Her dark eyes blazed with emotion. “George is the man I want in my life forever.”
“From what I’ve seen, George appears to be deeply in love with you, too,” Angelique replied. What did any of this have to do with her? Why was Desiree really here? Desiree didn’t need Angelique to help with any guest list for a birthday party. So, what was really going on here?
“Yes, I believe George loves me, but he won’t completely be mine until you’re out of the way.”
Angelique’s heart stepped up its rhythm. “I don’t understand,” she replied. “George and I don’t have any kind of a relationship.”
