Man Shy (5 page)

Unfortunately, he didn
’
t have a chance to find out, because his beeper went off.
“
May I use your phone?
”

She nodded and handed him the portable.

“
GI Joe?
”
Her voice shook.

“
Either him or the damn burglary ring,
”
he muttered as he punched in the number for the police department.

“
I read about them in the
Gazette
. They
’
ve hit a dozen places in the last few months.
”

“
Yeah, the robberies started right after I moved down here.
”
The dispatcher answered and transferred him to Officer Armstrong.

“
Got another one for you, Detective.
”

Regan Armstrong always made
detective
sound like a dirty word. From what he
’
d observed, she was a good cop, but no one would nominate her for Miss Congeniality.

“
Big house at 1508 Chisholm Drive. Owner
’
s been out of town on business. Just got back tonight to find he
’
d been robbed. They took jewelry, cash, guns, electronic equipment. The usual.
”

“
I
’
ll be right there.
”

Mallory munched at the slice of cold pizza Brody had left behind and indulged in a little introspection, an activity she normally avoided as assiduously as she avoided Mrs. Gooding, her proselytizing next-door neighbor.

Brody Hunter confused her, something men usually didn
’
t do. If they were
“
safe
”
men like her dad or Kyle or Evan, she treated them pretty much the same way she did women. And if they were
“
dangerous
”
men like a couple of the oversexed testosterone factories who hung out at Aerobics Plus, she simply kept her distance. No confusion there.

But Brody was different. He acted safe, but she reacted as if he were dangerous, and she couldn
’
t figure out why. She knew he wasn
’
t going to make a move on her, yet for a second, when she was shaking his hand and thanking him for his help, she
’
d thought he was about to kiss her, a prospect that should have terrified her. But didn
’
t. And that was the most confusing part of all.

“
Rise and shine!
”
Kyle, the morning person.

Mallory grunted into the phone.

“
That
’
s your imitation of a pig, right?
”

“
Good grief, Kyle. How can you be so cheerful at
”—
she peered nearsightedly at the digital alarm clock on her bedside table
—“
six-oh-seven in the morning?
”

“
You don
’
t want to be late, do you?
”

“
Late for what?
”
she asked, her voice heavy with suspicion.

“
I took the liberty of scheduling some appointments for you.
”

Great. After two days of conferencing with parents at school, all she needed were a few more appointments.
“
What kind of appointments?
”

“
For starters, you
’
re going to get your hair and nails done at Mr. Edouard
’
s. Then a facial, a session in the tanning booth, and a bikini wax at Kiki
’
s.
”

“
Nix the bikini wax. I
’
m going to a wedding, not posing for the swimsuit issue of
Sports Illustrated
.
”

“
But it
’
s free. Kiki tossed it in as a bonus. With summer coming, her girls need the practice.
”

“
Let them practice on somebody else!
”

“
Okay, okay. If you
’
re adamant, we
’
ll scratch the bikini wax.
”

“
Great. Mr. Edouard followed by Kiki. That
’
s going to take all morning.
”

“
Pretty much. We can shop this afternoon.
”

“
Shop?
”

“
For a dress. You don
’
t intend to wear pants to the rehearsal dinner, do you?
”

Actually, she had planned to do just that.
“
What
’
s wrong with pants?
”

“
They don
’
t show off your legs, and your legs are one of your best assets.
”

“
They are?
”
Mallory flipped the covers aside and examined the appendages in question. They were okay. No cellulite and only a few stubbly patches she
’
d missed with her razor.

“
So? What do you say?
”

“
I don
’
t know, Kyle. I haven
’
t bought a dress in a while. No need for one. Slacks are more practical for work, especially when I have playground duty.
”

“
Come on, Mallory. Be impractical for once in your life.
”

She grinned at the telephone receiver. Kyle didn
’
t have a clue how truly impractical she could be. He
’
d never seen the contents of her underwear drawer.
“
Okay, you
’
re on.
”

“
You won
’
t regret it, Cinderella. By the way, did I mention we
’
re meeting Brody for lunch so you two can iron out the final details of your dates?
”

Lunch with Brody. Suddenly Mallory wasn
’
t sleepy anymore.

Brody was saving a booth for them. She spotted him through the window of the diner as Kyle pulled into a parking spot.
The man is gay
. Funny how she had to keep reminding herself.

His broad shoulders and muscular arms showed to advantage in a blue knit shirt. Add to that a killer smile and he was enough to set any woman
’
s heart aflutter.

The lethal smile put in a sudden appearance as he caught sight of them, and Mallory
’
s heart shifted into overdrive.

“
Brody
’
s here already,
”
she told Kyle, then blinked in surprise at the rush she felt just saying his name.
“
I thought you said he was habitually late.
”

Kyle grunted.
“
He is. That
’
s why I told him to meet us at a quarter to twelve.
”

Mallory got out on the passenger
’
s side.
“
But it
’
s a quarter after.
”

“
Right. Listen, I
’
ve got to run a quick errand. Just order me a BLT and coffee, would you?
”

She hung on to the door handle as if it were a lifeline.
“
You
’
re not coming in?
”
Mallory was proud of the fact that her panic wasn
’
t reflected in her voice.

“
I
’
ll be right back. I have to drop off some stuff at the cleaners.
”

She wanted to offer to accompany Kyle just so she didn
’
t have to face Brody alone. He
’
s no threat, she told herself. Intellectually, she acknowledged the fact, but emotionally
c

Not all men were boy-next-door types. And just because a man looked dangerous, it didn
’
t mean he was. Mallory took one deep, calming breath. Then she slammed the door shut, waved Kyle off, and turned toward the diner.

Porky
’
s had been a fixture in Brunswick since before Mallory was born. Though it was popular nowadays with all age groups, it had started in the fifties as a teen hangout.

Mallory felt a little like a teenager herself, as insecure as if she were on her first date.
The guy is doing you a favor, Mallory. He has no expectations. Zero. So relax
.

“
Hi.
”
He met her at the door, looking so pleased to see her that her heart did a couple of cartwheels.

“
Hi, yourself.
”
She smiled slowly, her nervousness forgotten as their gazes met and held for a long moment.
“
Kyle will be here in a minute. He had an errand to run.

“
I saved us a booth. This way.
”
He ushered her down the narrow aisle, one hand at the small of her back.

Her skin tingled at the contact.

They had barely taken their places on the red plastic benches across from one another when a hair-netted middle-aged waitress showed up, a stub of a pencil poised above her order pad.

“
There will be three of us altogether,
”
Mallory told her.
“
Another friend will be joining us shortly.
”

“
Separate checks?
”

Mallory looked at Brody.

He grinned.
“
Nah. The friend invited us. We
’
ll stick him with the bill.
”

Mallory laughed.
“
Sounds fair to me.
”

They placed their orders and the waitress moved on.

Mallory took a sip of water, a stalling tactic while she tried to think of something to say.
“
Did you catch the burglars last night?
”

He made a disgusted noise.
“
I wish.
”

“
No leads?
”

“
Not a one. I didn
’
t honestly expect any. These guys are slick operators. Fourteen robberies to date, but we don
’
t have a clue who
’
s pulling the jobs. No fingerprints, no eyewitnesses. We can
’
t even figure how they
’
re fencing the stuff. And as if that weren
’
t enough to run us ragged, we
’
ve got that damn rapist to nail. Five victims we know of. And probably twice that many who haven
’
t come forward.
”
He broke off abruptly.
“
But enough of my frustrations. What
’
s happening at school these days?
”

Mallory struggled to keep her face calm, her voice even.
“
Not much. We
’
re on spring break.
”

Brody
’
s pager went off, and a rueful expression crossed his face.
“
Wish cops got spring breaks.
”
He stood.
“
I
’
ll be right back. I
’
ve got to call in.
”

The diner was filling up rapidly. The murmur of the customers
’
voices competed with Travis Tritt on the jukebox and the frequent call of
“
Order up!
”
from the kitchen.

Sipping her water, Mallory studied her reflection in the stainless-steel napkin holder. She looked fine. Reassuringly normal. Gradually, her heart rate slowed and the panic subsided.

In fact, if you discounted the distortions caused by the slight curve of the metal surface, she looked better than normal, which was good news since she
’
d been a little dubious about the notoriously scissor-happy Mr. Edouard. But between him and Kiki, she
’
d turned out all right. At least no one had screamed and run at the sight of her yet.

“
Mallory?
”

She whipped her head around at the sound of a familiar voice.
Evan
, She hadn
’
t talked to him face-to-face once since he and Lindsey had announced their engagement. She wasn
’
t prepared for this. Not now. Apprehension was a cold knot in her chest. Where the heck were Kyle and Brody?

Evan Corby, handsome as ever, smiled his winsome, little-boy smile.
“
How have you been? Haven
’
t seen much of you lately.
”

What did he expect? She sighed.
“
Have a seat.
”

Instead of sliding into the booth on Brody
’
s side, he squeezed in next to her, capturing her hands between his own.
“
You
’
re coming to the rehearsal dinner, aren
’
t you?
”

She nodded.
“
Lindsey would put out a contract on me if I tried to skip out.
”

“
Good.
”
He gave her hands a little squeeze, smiling tenderly.
“
I
’
ve missed you.
”

Confused, Mallory studied their entwined hands. They
’
d never held hands before. Why start now? Lindsey was right. He was acting strangely.
“
Evan,
”
she started uncertainly,
“
what
’
s going on?
”

“
Nothing. I
’
m just happy to see you.
”

Mallory tried to tug her hands free, but he tightened his grip. She frowned.
“
I, on the other hand, am not particularly happy to see you. Have you forgotten the fact that you dumped me flat after eleven years? That you didn
’
t even have the decency to tell me yourself? That I had to hear the news of your engagement from my mother?
”

“
Mallory,
”
he coaxed, employing the same smile he
’
d used to con her into cleaning his apartment, walking his dog, and picking out his mother
’
s Christmas present.
“
Don
’
t be angry. I couldn
’
t help falling in love with Lindsey. I didn
’
t plan it. In fact, I
’
d always assumed that someday we
’
d
c”
He let it trail off, then sighed deeply.
“
A part of me will always love you.
”

Right. The same way she loved her comfy old blue sweats with the hole in the knee.

Evan
’
s gaze probed hers.
“
Friends?
”

“
Gee golly, I hope so,
”
drawled Brody.

Mallory glanced up in surprise at the sound of his voice. He was smiling, but his eyes held a glint of steel.

“
Otherwise I
’
m going to have to beat the living daylights out of you, mister. Hands off.
”
This time the menace was unmistakable.

Evan dropped her fingers as if they
’
d burned him and smiled at Brody like a man who was auditioning for a toothpaste commercial.
“
I
—
uh
c”
For once, the silver-tongued anchorman was at a loss for words.

Ignoring him, Brody slid into the booth and reached across the Formica table to trace the line of her cheekbone with his thumb.
“
Sorry I took so long, honey.
”

Damn, he was good
. She glanced at Evan to see if he was buying it, but she couldn
’
t tell for sure. His face was frozen in the ingratiating-smile position. Either he didn
’
t know quite what to make of Brody Hunter or he was scared spitless. Maybe both.

“
Was your call bad news?
”

“
The worst, dammit. I
’
ve got to run.
”
Cupping her jaw, Brody rubbed the pad of his thumb across her lower lip.
“
Will you miss me?
”

Even though she knew the whole thing was part of an act put on for Evan
’
s benefit, she trembled in reaction.
“
Desperately.
”

“
I
’
ll miss you too.
”
He smiled into her eyes, kissed the tip of his index finger, and pressed it against her mouth.

Mallory sighed. Good? He was great.

After one last lingering look, Brody stood, then turned to Evan, offering a hand.
“
Brody Hunter. Don
’
t believe I caught your name.
”

Evan blinked.
“
Corby. Evan Corby.
”

“
Right. You
’
re the one who
’
s engaged to Mallory
’
s sister.
”

“
And you
’
re Hunter, you say? Then that makes you Mallory
’
s
c”
He paused as if he weren
’
t quite sure how to fill in the blank. Boyfriend? Date? Lover?

“
Yeah.
”
Brody
’
s voice was husky.
“
Mallory
’
s. All Mallory
’
s.
”
He captured her hand, pressing a kiss to her wrist.

Mallory
’
s eyelids fluttered shut and she gave an involuntary shiver. Great? He was flat out incredible.

Evan muttered something she didn
’
t quite catch, still preoccupied as she was with Brody
’
s amazing technique.

“
Mallory?
”
Brody
’
s voice was a raspy whisper, as intimate as a caress.

She shivered again.
“
Hmm?
”

“
He
’
s gone.
”

“
Gone?
”
Mallory lifted her heavy eyelids to see Evan disappearing through the archway that led to the dining room.

“
Yes, and I
’
ve got to go too. But we still have things to discuss. What say we get together again tonight?
”

Was he asking her out on a real date? More important, did she want him to ask her out on a real date? She did. Unfortunately
c
“
I can
’
t. I promised my mother I
’
d show up there for dinner. She
’
s having some of the relatives over.
”

He raised an eyebrow.
“
To honor the happy couple?
”