Page 95 of Renewal After Dark

She started to leave, but then turned back. “I know she’s Rosemary’s granddaughter, and you feel loyal to her for being such a good friend to you. But you don’t owe her granddaughter anything. Be careful.”

With that, she walked out the door, leaving Duke wondering what the hell she was warning him about. He’d reached out to McKenzie before he’d known she was Rosemary’s granddaughter. He’d invited her to use the apartment for as long as she needed. Before he’d gone to see her at Tiffany’s, McKenzie hadn’t known he existed or that he was a friend of her grandmother’s. What sort of nefarious plot did Sierra think McKenzie had hatched?

She just needed to get to know McKenzie, and then she’d see what he did. That McKenzie was a good person, like her grandmother had been. She was also a wonderful mother and had been nothing but honest and open with him about her past. What did he have to fear from her other than a broken heart if things didn’t work out between them?

He lost himself in the work, the way he always did, but Sierra’s doubts crept in to make him question everything. He’d known her for years and had developed a brother-and-sister bond with her, or at least that’s how he’d always thought of it.

Had she viewed their relationship differently? Was she interested in him herself but had never said so? Not once in more than twelve years of close friendship had that possibility ever occurred to him.

Ace came back from lunch, bringing takeout for Duke. He was bald, muscular and, according to several women on the island, sexy as hell. Ace was the only person Duke had ever met who had more tattoos than he did.

“Thanks, man.”

“No prob.” He leaned in for a closer look at the tattoo Duke was working on. “Looks great. How’s it going?”

“Slow but steady.”

“Funny how some of them sleep through it and others whimper like babies the whole time.”

“I know.” Since the question was eating at him, he looked up at Ace. “You ever pick up a vibe from Sierra toward me?”

“What kind of vibe?”

“The interested kind.”

“Nah, not really. Always thought you two were buddies more than anything.”

“Me, too, but she said something just now…”

Before he could tell Ace the rest, McKenzie came through the door with Jax in his seat. “Hi there.”

“Hey, come in.”

“Am I catching you at a bad time?”

“Nope. I was just about to take a break to eat some lunch.”

Ace gave him a curious look.

“Ace, this is McKenzie and her son, Jax. MK, this is Ace.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said.

“You, too.”

“She’s staying in my garage apartment while her place is rebuilt after the storm.”

“Oh, cool.”

Duke took the bag Ace had brought to the sofa and sat next to her. “Hungry?”

“No, thanks. I had a PBJ at home.”

He’d ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and fries. After squeezing ketchup packs into a corner of the container, he nudged it toward her. “Have some fries.”

“Maybe one.”

“Have as many as you want.”

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