“Go on.” Ramon handed the tray over and pushed her in her date’s direction. “You’ve spent so much time with me you’re being rude.”
“And about Tuesday?”
“Tell Cain I’ll be glad to follow her lead.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Dallas, it was great seeing you again,” Cain said as they came down the stairs of the club. Shelby was still sitting on her stool, but Claire was nowhere in sight. “Have a good night.” She shook hands with Remi before accepting a friendly embrace.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Remi told her before she stepped back.
“Whenever you like, we’ll be home.”
Remi and Cain stood back as Emma and Dallas said their good-byes. They hadn’t known each other long, but Remi could see they were becoming good friends. The conversation she’d had with her father returned to her, and suddenly the possibility of Dallas not being who she said she was hit her in the gut. If there was even a remote chance, Dallas would be betraying not only her family and her—she would also get to Cain via her partner.
Taking her aside, Cain asked, “You all right?”
“I need your help.” Remi hoped her father was right about Cain’s creativity. “My father and Mano are working on something, but they haven’t had much luck.”
“Remi,” Cain said, winking at Emma when she took a step toward them, “we’ve known each other a long time. If you need anything, just ask. It’s that simple.”
“This has nothing to do with business.” She glanced at Dallas before giving Cain her full attention. “But until we talk, please tell Emma to be careful on any future lunch dates.”
“You know how I feel about Emma. Give me a hint so I can sleep tonight.”
“Not here, not now, but I promise first thing in the morning.” Remi pointed to Shelby, not caring if she could see her. “I have your word it’ll stay between us if I’m wrong?”
“You’ve got no worries, no matter what it is. Go on and get Dallas home, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
Emma kissed Remi’s cheek before following Cain out to the car. “Anything wrong?” she asked when the door closed, leaving them alone in the back.
“If there is we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. You had lunch with Dallas, right?”
“I told you about it, remember?”
Lou headed out of the Quarter but wasn’t driving them to Jarvis’s. They were going to their house. “Did she ask any strange questions? Anything on the verge of snooping?” Cain asked, not questioning their direction.
“You mean more about business and less about girl talk?”
“I’m not asking to be insulting.”
“I know. You’re asking because of that serious and sudden talk you just had with Remi. What’s the problem?”
“I don’t know if there is one, but it sounds like Remi’s trying to find out some information on Dallas, or she has Ramon working on it.”
“How romantic,” Emma said, clearly being sarcastic.
“Something must’ve prompted it, lass. Don’t go crucifying her yet.”
“Did you do that to me?”
“I didn’t have to.” Cain laughed at the menacing glare Emma had plastered on her face.
“Why’s that?”
“After our first date, I knew all I had to about you, and I was right.”
“So I didn’t send off warning bells in your head?” Emma moved closer and lifted Cain’s arm around her shoulder.
“In my head and in other parts of my anatomy,” Cain teased. “I saw past the clumsy waitress and into my future and the mother of my children. I had no reason to question what was in my heart.”
“You,” Emma ran her hand up Cain’s leg until she reached her crotch, “are a very romantic soul, but I think you took a little longer to see all that in me. The night we met was more of a question of whether to fire the hayseed or not.”
“And give someone else a shot at you? Not on your life,” Cain said, then tapped on the window. “Are we going to study more paint swatches?”
“We’re going to study something, and eventually it’ll require more painting, but it’s more to rev you up for a threat I made today.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this, Mrs. Casey?”
“Trust me, baby, you can’t be any madder about the situation than I am. I wanted to show you something, then I want you to talk to our contractor in the morning. However you decide to handle the situation I’ll gladly back you, but it needs your unique persuasive charms.”
They drove through the new gate and Cain spotted the van across the street already in place. The guards
