She related the tale of overhearing the men, thinking that their conversation was nefarious. “Their voices sounded angry, or at least frustrated with each other.” Ending her tale with the pizza deliveryman and her being offered a slice, she laughed. “Maybe they were just joking and talking about sharing a pizza. I thought I was overhearing some deal to keep one of them quiet, but then considering it was Perkins Electrical men, who knows!”
Expecting Rory to join in her laughter, he remained quiet, his expression serious. Holding her gaze, he said, “Babe, I’m not sure that’s as innocent as you’re trying to convince yourself it was.”
“But the pizza was there, Rory. I saw it. When they mentioned taking a slice, and then they offered the same to me when we were downstairs, they had to be talking about the pizza. Right?”
“What about the threat for someone to stay quiet? What about someone saying they knew what they were doing? What about the fact that two of the men were from Perkins Electrical?”
Now, nibbling on her bottom lip, she rolled the men’s conversation back to her mind. “I don’t know. I fully admit that at first, I thought someone was hiding something and they got caught. And when the elevator door opened and I saw Dave, I knew he was going to be looking over the work that the electricians were doing. But then, when the pizza delivery man showed up, I assumed that’s what they were talking about.”
“I don’t know, Sandy. I’ve gotta tell you that I don’t have a good feeling about it. Maybe it’s because it was getting dark and you were in the building with just a few other men. Maybe it’s because a couple of those men were from a company that you don’t trust, and at least one of their employees has already been openly rude to you. Maybe it’s because Dave is supposed to be checking up on them and yet sounded like he was part of it.” He leaned back in his chair and sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “I know it’s not my place to tell you what to do and how to do it, but I really would prefer you to not be in that building by yourself anymore. Please, tell me that you’ll be more aware of your surroundings.”
“A lady doesn’t argue with a man even when he tries to tell her what to do. She simply agrees, and then does what she wants to anyway.” She looked at Rory, seeing his furrowed brow and blue eyes holding concern. No, Grandmother, you’re wrong.
“That was sweet of you to not try to insist that I would put myself at risk by being in a supposedly empty building at night. You’re right, I really shouldn’t have been there. It would be nice to think that I could go where I wanted when I wanted, but I know more than many people that’s not how the world works. I truly did let time get away from me. Barbara had caught a cab back to the office. I promise I won’t be there late by myself again. I’ll at least have Todd with me.”
Rory’s brows leaped to his hairline. “I’m not trying to be disrespectful to your coworker, but I’m not sure Todd would be able to handle himself or protect you if a couple of guys were around.”
A giggle burst forth, lightening the mood. “Don’t be so sure. He has a black belt in karate. That probably works well for him—it not only protects him, but I think he found his boyfriend in his karate class.”
Throwing his head back, Rory laughed. “Okay, I admit I didn’t see that coming.” After his mirth settled, he kept his eyes pinned on her. “I do trust you, Sandy. But I sure as hell don’t trust others. And everything you’ve told me about what might be going on in that building concerns me.”
Standing, she walked around the small table as he scooted his chair back. Straddling his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed tightly against him. Kissing him lightly, she whispered, “And that’s why I’m falling for you.”
She allowed him to take over the kiss, luxuriating in the feel of his embrace. He stood, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Leaving the dishes on the table, he carried her upstairs where he set her gently on the bed. Her hands reached up to his shirt, but he captured her fingers in his own. She tilted her head slightly to see what he wanted to say.
A slow smile curved his lips as he confessed, “You may be falling, Sandy. But sweetheart, I’ve already fallen.”
She fell back on the bed and he crawled next to her. And with kisses and touches, they made love long into the night.
21
“What do you mean you’re having dinner with her parents?”
Driving to work the next morning, Rory battled rush-hour traffic while trying to talk on the phone to his mother. “I mean exactly that. Her parents have invited me to have dinner with them tonight.”
“What about us? When were you going to consider us?”
“What I want to know is how you found out about this,” he argued in return.
“He should know he can’t keep a secret around here.”
If he hadn’t needed to keep his eyes on the road, he would’ve rolled them. He recognized Hannah King’s voice in the background and had no problem imagining her sitting in his mother’s kitchen, sharing a cup of coffee as they divulged all the secrets of their adult children’s lives—and probably picking them apart like vultures on a carcass. He’d never met two women who loved their families so fiercely and yet still managed to be up on all the latest gossip, haranguing them until all privacy was exposed. And he had no doubt that Hannah had ferreted out his dinner with Sandy
