Page 25 of No Way Forward

Her dad came to mind, and she pulled away. To her disappointment, he let her go. A breeze stirred, raising goose bumps on her bare arms. She rubbed her skin. He took his jacket off and set it across her shoulders.

“Thanks.” She buried her nose in the material as she held onto both sides of the jacket. His familiar scent teased her senses.

“You’re as good, even better a person than all of those people at the party.”

She smiled. “Thanks, and I know you feel that way. But I don’t want to discuss it anymore.”

“Okay.”

“Zaid.” She hesitated because a part of her didn’t want to know the answer to the question she intended to ask. “What do you know about my dad and Azalie?”

Chapter 12

Novette’s question startled Zaid. He expected her to ask about the two of them and where he saw things going after that kiss. He wasn’t ready to answer, so the fact that she didn’t ask relieved him. On the other hand, her actual question filled him with trepidation.

“What do you mean?”

Clouds covering the moon drifted away, brightening the entire area. He made out the frown on her beautiful face as she looked up at him. Looking into the big brown eyes took his breath away. He resisted the urge to stroke her cheek and enjoy the soft cocoa brown skin.

Richard had paid for her to have her hair done. He thought it looked nice, hanging in a silky black sheet on both sides of her sweet face. But he’d liked it natural as well, before the perm.

She must think he pretended he didn’t understand what she was getting at. He wouldn’t assume, so he pushed for her to elaborate.

“You know what I mean. Don’t play dumb. From what I hear, Azalie has been spending more time here at the mansion than at her own house. All these years I’ve been gone, she’s been spending the night.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but a chorus of laughter broke out nearby. Someone else had left the party and was headed their way. Zaid took Novette’s arm and led her deeper into the maze. He knew the landscape well and was sure she did too. They wouldn’t get lost even if not much light illuminated the path.

At the next turn, they found a bench, and he led her to it to sit down. Sure enough, the laughter and voices faded as the group headed in a different direction. They were alone again.

“No one can tell Azalie what to do. Her mother can’t seem to control her, and your father gives her nearly the same freedoms as he gives you.”

“Freedoms? You’ve got to be joking.”

“I mean having the run of his home.”

“Hmm.”

“Is something worrying you about her?” He could guess, but he continued to push her to speak her thoughts.

“Other than…no never mind that.” She chewed her lip, and he guessed she had curtailed one line of thinking to follow another. “I’m just going to say it. Is Azalie having an affair with my dad? Tell me the truth.”

He widened his eyes. “What?”

“You heard my question. Azalie is a ho and everyone knows it.”

He winced, and she laughed.

“She is. Every other day she has a new boyfriend. She’s never been faithful to any one of them. She can’t help herself. That woman loves being admired and spoiled. The more she can get it, the better. It would be the ultimate for her if she gets my dad to eat out of her hand.”

“You have a dim view of your friend.”

“Oh, I’ve never had illusions about Azalie. If I met her after we grew up, I probably wouldn’t have given her the time of day. Because I knew her when she was sweeter, I take the good and the bad. I hoped she would mature and change while I was gone, but I can see she hasn’t. Still, she had lines she wouldn’t cross back then. If she’s seeing my dad... Oh God, it makes me ill to think about.”

“I don’t believe they’re intimate. Not for want of trying on her part, I’m sure.”

He kept his expression impassive but was sure she couldn’t see him well enough to know if he was lying. Of course, he spoke the truth as he knew it.

“You’ve lived here all this time. You’re trying to tell me you haven’t noticed anything?”

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