Page 33 of The Talk Around Town

Emma gave in, knowing that if she didn’t soon, Darby might make good on her threat. “I have a date.”

Darby laid the knife back down on the table beside her plate. “This I know. Can we get to the point?”

“Before I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone who it is. Please.”

A sigh of epic proportions blew out of Darby’s mouth. “Fine. I promise.”

Emma sat back in her chair to watch the widescreen version of Darby’s reaction. “Pete.”

Frown lines creased Darby’s forehead as she thought hard. “Pete who? Pete Duncan?”

Emma had no idea who Pete Duncan was. She shook her head, thoroughly amused. “No, Pete Hammond.”

“Hammond?”

Emma could almost see the cogs turning in Darby’s head.

“Old Pete?As in,eighty-sixyears old, Old Pete?”

Laughter spurted from Emma’s lips at the stunned expression on Darby’s face. She nodded. “Yep. Pete.”

Darby sat back in her chair, total disbelief etched into her features. “How… Why? I-I don’t…”

Emma lifted one shoulder, the open neckline of Gabe’s shirt sliding down her arm. She shrugged it back into place as she answered.

“Because he asked me. No one else has. You know, I would’ve thought these guys would have a little more nous. They make a list to wager who dates a girl—you’d think one of them would actually ask me out.”

Darby’s laughter joined hers, and the strain of trying to hold back sent tears rolling down her friend’s cheeks. “Oh boy. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when you walk in with Pete. Can you imagine?”

Emma picked up her pastry and took a bite, her eyes almost rolling back in her head with the explosion of flavours. Mary Jameson was certainly a talent when it came to baking. A flake of pastry fell from the corner of Emma’s mouth. She picked it up on the pad of one finger and popped the crumb in with the rest of her mouthful.

“Pete said his odds are a little high—the profits should make for a very nice meal.”

A wicked glint reflected off Darby’s eyes. “You are plain evil, you know that?”

Emma shrugged, beaming at her. “It wasn’t my idea. Pete thought it all up. He’s on that stupid list, so why the hell not?”

Darby sat back in the chair and wagged a finger at her. “Ryan is going to be heartbroken. He was positive you would go out with him when he asked you.”

Emma snorted, then laughed when Ralph jumped and bounced, twisting to the side and jigging around the table.

“Sorry, buddy. I’m sure he’ll get over it. He’s just in it for the thrill of the chase. He doesn’t want to go out with me. At least, not how I’m thinking.”

A wistful twist tilted Darby’s full lips.

Well, now.Emma looked at her more closely. Darby glanced away, her cheeks staining a faint pink as she played with her mug.

So. Darby’s thing for Ryan is stronger than I thought.Emma wondered if either Ryan or Gabe had picked up on that.

“You’d be surprised. Oh sure, there is that, the wholeI got her, boys!thing. But I do think he likes you, and not just for a romp in bed.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m not interested in him. He’s nice, but not my type.”

Ralph laid his head on Darby’s lap and was rewarded with her absently scratching his ears. “Who is your type? I know it’s not Old Pete.” At the wry look Emma sent her, Darby continued. “If it’s not Ryan, that only leaves about a dozen young guys around town. Gabe’s one of them. Or do you have one stashed somewhere we don’t know about?”

Emma shook her head. She looked away when the silence after her statement went on too long. “No. There’s no one. Gabe’s just a friend, like we agreed.” She plucked at the loose shirt he’d lent her. “See? This proves it. He helped me today and gave me his own shirt so I wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of all the others.”

Darby popped the last of her pastry into her mouth and chewed, a thoughtful look gracing her features.

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