Page 50 of Heating Up (Nugget)
“What’s going on over there?” Brady asked him.
“They’re talking real estate and asking Dana how much money she makes.”
Brady chuckled. “It’s a weird little town. Want a burger?”
“I want a burger and a hot dog. Here, let me take over.”
“I got it,” Brady said. “This is what I do.”
“Is the cop who’s talking to Hutch and Kurtis with Darla?” They’d come together, but Aidan couldn’t see them as a couple. The cop had a buzz cut that reminded Aidan of a marine. Despite the patriotic flag hair, Darla struck him as . . . out there.
“Yep.” Brady flipped three burgers in a row and topped them with cheese slices more deftly than any short-order cook. “She’s a character, Darla. But good people. Both of them.”
Aidan called to the crowd that they should start lining up for burgers and dogs hot off the grill and proceeded to watch Dana with the group of women he’d left her with. She seemed to be holding her own and even looked like she was enjoying herself. She had on one of those sundresses he liked, her legs long and shapely—and ghostly white. The lady needed a tan. She must’ve sensed him observing her because she offered up a shy smile and waved. He waved back, and something indefinable but intimate passed between them, something that made his heart move in his chest.
Chapter 10
Harlee had more clothes than a department store. Every time Dana found a skirt or blazer she liked, Harlee threw another one on the bed just to confuse her.
“You can have them all if you want,” Harlee said. “Don’t worry about offending me if there’s stuff you don’t like. I don’t know why I bought some of these pieces in the first place. I used to have a shopping problem. If I saw something I wanted, I had to get it in every color. Thank goodness Colin built this house with big closets. But I need to get rid of a lot of these clothes before they overtake the house.”
At the barbecue Harlee had once again insisted that Dana come over to her house to look through her clothes. It would’ve been insulting to turn her down, and Dana had always wanted a friend to play dress up with.
Harlee went into the hallway and wheeled another rolling rack into the bedroom. “I have so much that I’m forced to keep clothes in the garage.” She pulled a red shift dress from the stand. “This color goes good with your hair and skin tone. Try it on.”
“I don’t feel right about taking all this.” Dana looked at her growing pile of pantsuits, dresses, skirts, blouses, and jackets. “Even if you’re trying to get rid of stuff, you could sell these clothes.”
“Used clothes don’t exactly fetch a fortune. I’d rather give them away.”
“What about Darla?” Dana knew the two women were best friends.
“She’s already picked what she wants, which wasn’t much. The two of us don’t exactly have the same taste. I would say you and I are closer in style.”
Dana was stunned. “Are you kidding me? You look like a fashion plate. I’m just happy to look professional.”
“You have . . . had . . . some nice pieces before the fire. Quality and very classic. But . . . and don’t take this the wrong way . . . you dress a little too conservatively, in my opinion. I think the clothes from Farm Supply suit you better.”
“It was so kind of Grace.” Dana went in Harlee’s big master bathroom to try the shift dress on but kept the door open a crack so she could still carry on a conversation. “She saved me from having to go out in public in a see-through nightgown the day after the fire, and everything is so cute. But it’s all a little more fitted than I usually wear.”
“That’s why it looks good on you. Hey, just saying. And Aidan certainly seems to appreciate it.”
“Huh, what do you mean?” Dana popped her head out of the bathroom.
“He can’t keep his eyes off of you. I seriously think he’s into you.”
Dana came out in the dress. “No, he’s going through a bad breakup.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
Dana didn’t think she was betraying any confidences. Other than to tell her that Sue was getting married, Aidan hadn’t disclosed much about his past relationship. “His ex dumped him for someone else.”
“When?” Harlee wanted to know.
“About seven months ago. But the ex just got married.”
Harlee appeared sympathetic at first but then shrugged. “Well, if you ask me, he seems pretty over it.”
“I’m sure it’s just an act. Men are good at not wearing their emotions on their sleeves.” Especially an alpha male like Aidan.
