Page 57 of A Matter of Time

“I know they should, but, Jory, he won’t even see me, let alone them.”

“And you told him all this?”

“Yes.”

“And what’d he say?”

“He thanked me for coming and told me he wished me and my family well.”

Ouch. “That sounds like him.” I forced a smile. “He can be a bit cold at times.”

“Yeah, but even if he’s pissed at my mom…my dad didn’t even know about him. He should at least want to see my dad.”

“Again, you don’t know Dane. He’s just not real…” I searched for the best word, thinking. “Inviting. He doesn’t allow others in. He’s private, and he doesn’t trust very many people, and to him this would be something that’s done and over.”

“That’s not normal. Most people would want to meet them and talk.”

“I don’t think that’s true at all. Everyone’s different, and however you think most people would react, Dane’s different.”

“But that creates a problem for me.”

I nodded. “’Cause your folks really wanna see him, huh?”

“Exactly. I mean, they’re eventually going to get sick of me stalling them, and then they’ll just hop on a plane and come confront him.”

“That’d be bad.”

“I know. If my reception is any indication of theirs…it would be very bad.”

I sighed heavily. “So what’s your plan?”

He leaned forward on the table. “You’re my plan.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Jory, I have spent the last two weeks watching Dane Harcourt, and I can say with certainty that, beyond a small circle of close friends, you are the only person he allows access to his life.”

“His girlfriend is⁠—”

“I see him dating a lot of women, but I did not see a girlfriend.”

I shrugged.

“And like I said, he’s got a super-tight circle, but trying to talk to the bank manager or the lawyer or the CEO… I mean, forget it. No one but you is gonna give me the time of day.”

I stared into his pale blue eyes.

“But you… I see the way he looks at you, and he cares about what you think.”

“You’re confused. He does exactly as he wants.”

“I followed you guys down to the Miracle Mile last week.”

“So?”

“All he did was follow you around.”

“That’s ’cause shopping’s my deal, not his.”