about you. Tell me about your family. I vaguely remember hearing something about a Walsh in the past few days… Was it on TV? A relation of yours?”
“My father.” Oh, boy. If Jake hadn’t run off screaming after learning she’d been a tubby all her life, finding out about her father was sure to do it.
“What happened to him?”
“They found his body. Someone murdered him.” Funny, but over the years she’d gotten used to saying that word. Murdered. It had taken almost fifteen years, but the sound of it no longer seemed nearly as horrific as it once did.
“How awful for you. Were you two close?”
What could she say that wouldn’t chase him off? Again, she had little choice but tell the truth. He was bound to find out sooner or later anyway.
“Not at all. In fact, I…everyone…thought that he’d died already. There’s a fellow in the state prison doing time for murdering him fifteen years ago.”
Jake sat back, but stayed in his seat. “That’s…uh…unusual. Where’s your father been all this time?”
She rolled her eyes and shrugged one shoulder. “Your guess would be as good as anyone’s. And before you ask, I don’t have a clue why he would pretend to be dead.”
Probably because he was a lying playboy bastard, she thought grimly, but refused to say so. No doubt quite a few women would’ve been happy to see him suffer and die. Running from any of those women might’ve been an excellent reason for her father pretending to be dead.
Mary took a huge slug and finished off the wine. Jake motioned to the waitress again.
“I shouldn’t have any more. I’m still dieting and didn’t eat much today. I’m here at the librarians’ conference and we’ve been in meetings all day.” Not to mention that she normally didn’t drink.
Tonight would be the first for many things, she hoped.
Jake sat back and studied her while he played with his beer mug. “You’re embarrassed about your father being a murder victim. Don’t be. Not unless you killed him.”
“Me? I can’t even step on a spider.” Not that she hadn’t dreamed about killing her father many times over the years. Even after she felt convinced he was already dead.
The waitress brought her another glass of wine and Mary only stared at it as though it was a bug. Finally, she shook her head to break through her fog and picked it up. This was the start of her new life. What twenty-nine-year-old woman couldn’t manage a few glasses of wine?
“My old man embarrassed the hell out of me, too, while I was growing up,” Jake said, and Mary felt the tension between them easing. “He was an overbearing bastard. Bound and determined his son would grow up to be just like him—despite knowing damned well that I didn’t want any part of who he was.”
Mary reached out and laid a gentle hand on Jake’s arm. “I’m sorry. That’s hard. Who was he?”
“A survivalist. One of those crazed individuals who lives in the backwoods and stockpiles weapons, waiting for the day when the big, bad government will arrive for a showdown.”
“Oh, my gosh. Sounds like an awful way to grow up.” Mary’s heart turned a somersault in sympathy.
“He did teach me how to handle weapons. And I can survive on my own without the trappings of civilization.” Jake sounded as if he thought those things weren’t any big deal.
“But that wasn’t what you wanted. Was it?”
He took a swallow of what had to be by now warm beer, and then gazed at her as if she was the only person on the planet who mattered.
“Not me.” With a hollow-sounding laugh, he added, “I wanted to be involved in one of civilization’s biggest accomplishments—electronics. I wanted to learn how things work. How computers run. Why cell phones sometimes get signals and sometimes don’t. I thought engineering was magic and I was desperate to learn all those kinds of tricks.”
“Whoo boy. I bet your father hated that.” Their stories weren’t the same, but Mary was feeling connected to this man. A connection through their overbearing fathers.
“Yeah, he did. I got out from under his control at the first opportunity.”
She took a slow sip from her glass while trying to clear her head. “So, why are you in real estate and not electronics? “
Had she slurred a couple of those words? Maybe it was time for her to give up the wine. She set the glass back down on the table and tried to focus her eyes on Jake.
He wiped his hand across his forehead and then put his palm out as if he was unable to explain himself.
After a moment he said, “Commercial real estate is more lucrative. Electronics makes a better hobby.”
He’d opted for the money. Of course. She could certainly understand that. She was considering a change of jobs for the very same reason.
“You’re not married?” Jeez. She must be drunk.
“I’ve never had the pleasure.” His whole expression changed and he smiled as if she’d just handed him the moon—or a new BlackBerry. “So far, I haven’t found anyone who could love me.”
Think of that. They were like two nuts off the same branch. Mary felt as if she’d known him all her life.
The waitress arrived at the table. “Sorry. It’s closing time. The bartender says you can have one more round. But you’ll need to drink up.”
Jake turned to Mary and inclined his head as though it were totally up to her.
“No, thanks. I think I’ve had my limit.”
After the waitress took Jake’s money and left, Mary began to rise from her seat and said, “I can’t believe it’s 1:00 a.m. already. I…wish we had more time to talk.”
Talking wasn’t what she wanted, but she didn’t have the foggiest notion of how to ask him back to her room.
Jake jumped up from the table and helped her to her feet. “Let’s take our time going back to your room. We can talk on the way.”
Trying her best to keep the wide-eyed look of wonder off her face, she knew she was failing miserably. But she couldn’t help it. Everything she had ever wanted—ever dreamed about—was right here beside her.
And he was walking her back to her room.
Chapter 2
Jake’s mission couldn’t have been going any better if he’d written his target’s lines himself. After a couple of hours and several glasses of wine, he’d already piqued Mary’s interest enough that she’d allowed him to walk her back to her room. This night would be a great start to his plan—of becoming Mary’s boyfriend.
When she weaved from side to side down the hall, he slid
