“Damn it, Goldie, I don’t want you involved.”
Her laugh held little humor. “I’m already involved. You just needed the date of Arnie’s grand opening.”
He already knew. The same day as the armored car delivery to the bank. “I appreciate that you gave me this. I’ll take it from here. I don’t want you taking any unnecessary chances. Now that you know he’s working for Mandeville, you being anywhere near Donovan is too dangerous.”
“I know Donovan,” she said. “He doesn’t want any part of this. Once I know what they’re planning I’ll—”
“I already know what they’re planning, if that’s what you’re thinking you’re going to find out by staying close to the man,” Max said. “They’re going to hit the bank.” Her blue eyes widened in the lamplight. “I even know when. Tuesday. I suspect they plan to breach the basement wall between the café and the bank, but I can’t do anything until they do. You need to get away from this man, from this town. You need to—”
She rose from the chair. “I know what I need to do. You should go now.”
“Goldie, I love you. I should never have let it get to this point, but I—”
“Max, don’t. I’ve waited months to hear you admit that you still love me and want to be with me, but so much has happened I don’t know what I want anymore.” He started to argue that once this was all over, she’d feel differently, but she stopped him. “We shouldn’t meet again unless it’s urgent. If so, send a message through Josie. I’ll do the same.” She snapped off the light.
He couldn’t see her in the darkness of the room. He didn’t need to see the determined expression on her face to know she’d meant every word. He swallowed, the pain in his chest making it hard to breathe. “Thank you for getting me this note.” He almost started to beg her to leave town, to leave this up to him, but saved his breath. She had no reason to listen to anything he said. He’d put her in this dangerous place. “Be safe. Please.”
With that, he went back out the window, his heart breaking as he feared he would be unable to protect her. He’d thought distancing himself from her was the answer. She’d proven how wrong he’d been.
GOLDIE WAS DISTRACTEDall the next day. She kept remembering Max in her bedroom at her cousin’s house, the scent of him, the sound of his voice. It had been worse once she’d snapped off the lamp. She could sense him just inches away before he headed for the open window. She had ached to touch him. The two of them alone in that bedroom, how easy it would have been to fall into his arms only to fall back into the same place they’d been before.
“Are you all right?” Donovan asked. She could feel him studying her, just as he had at breakfast downstairs in the hotel, just as he had when they’d reached his room on the excuse he needed to talk to her. “He’s trying to get you back, isn’t he?”
Donovan had seen her and Max talking on the street yesterday. She had a feeling that the last thing he and his boss wanted was for her to go back to the sheriff. Were they hoping to use her as leverage if needed?
“I was thinking about the café,” she lied. “Do you know when Arnie plans to hold his grand opening?”
He studied her openly for a few moments before shaking his head. “Why would you think I might know?”
She shrugged. “I want to go to the opening of the diner so the townspeople see that I’m supporting the new owner and that there are no hard feelings.”
“You care that much about what people think?” he asked as he stepped to her. “You didn’t seem to care the day we almost made love on the hill behind the hotel. I will regret not taking you up on it as long as I live.”
She knew he was joking and stepped aside as he reached for her. Walking over to the window, she looked out on the work being done on the pools and buildings behind the hotel, wondering if she really could pull this off. Both Josie and Max had their doubts. She couldn’t blame them for being worried about her, but she’d brought this man to Dry Gulch.
Goldie didn’t doubt that Max was right about Mandeville planning a bank robbery. But she had to know what part the crime boss had planned for Donovan. She couldn’t walk away now. Staying close to him was the only way she’d be able to help Max before it was too late. No matter what she’d said, she still loved Max and would do anything to help him even if he couldn’t give her what she needed.
“After the opening, I’m planning to leave town,” she said. “There’s nothing keeping me here.” She turned to face Donovan in time to see him frown. “There’s nothing keeping you here either, is there?” She had to know how important it was for her to be here and keep up this ruse.
There was no doubt that Donovan had lied to her. She remembered the day he’d asked her about Arnie. He’d pretended he didn’t know him, but she’d seen the recognition. She’d also seen the fear. From the note, she knew he was now involved, but she suspected it wasn’t what he wanted. If there was a weak link in Mandeville’s plan for Dry Gulch, then Goldie felt it was Donovan.
“What, you’re going to give up now?” he said. “I thought you wanted the sheriff back?” He was still frowning at her. “What’s changed?”
“I’ve changed,” she said, moving away from the window. “I thought I wanted Max. Now I’m not so sure.”
Donovan grinned. “Does that mean—”
“I’m not ready for another relationship. I think I proved that yesterday in this room.” She took a breath and let it out before she said, “I see that your girlfriend is still staying here at the hotel.” She lifted a brow at him.
“Lolly is just a friend. I have no idea why she’s still here.”
Goldie doubted that was true. “Maybe she’s waiting for the café’s grand opening just like I am.” He seemed to grimace at the idea. “After all, she knows Arnie too, right?”
He’d never admitted that he knew Arnie exactly. “I doubt she knows him any better than I do. He’d only cooked back in the kitchen at the ranch a short while before I left to come up here and be with you.”
“You lived on the ranch with Malcolm Mandeville.” She hadn’t meant for it to sound so much like an accusation. “What is he like?” she asked as she took a chair to wait for his answer.
Donovan shrugged. “I hardly ever saw him. He’s not a real friendly guy.”
