Straight Flushed (Hot Pursuit #1)(87)

I glanced down at his feet. “New shoes?”

He chuckled. “Always very perceptive. I think the old ones had arrived at their destination. It’s time to walk a new path.” He met my eyes. “Look, Miss Cain, I wanted to stop by and say thank you for all you’ve done and tell you what an exceptional young woman you are.”

“Well, I don’t know about that.” I smirked.

“Give yourself credit. If it hadn’t been for you and your partner, I’d be dead.”

“About that. Avery…” I began, although I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to say. So many things raced through my mind, but I settled on, “I’m sor—”

He held up his hand. “I’ll hear nothing of apologies. I should be the one apologizing to you. I’ve brought heartache to too many people. But even I can recognize that what happened simply wasn’t foreseeable. It wasn’t my fault, so I have to let it go.” He placed his hands on my shoulders. “I suggest you do the same. To forgive is divine, right?”

I laughed, remembering the conversation we’d had in his kitchen. “Right.”

“Now, enough of that—let’s put it behind us and look to the bright future,” he said, and I nodded. “But I have one request.”

I perked up. “What’s that?”

“I want you to rest and let this beautiful face of yours heal then stop by my house sometime soon and join me for some cake. I’ll have a slice waiting for you.”

I smiled. “That sounds nice.”

“Take care, Miss Cain.” He bowed slightly in an act of old chivalry and took my hand. “Until we meet again.” He looked up at me with a smile and winked. As he walked away, I watched his new shoes begin to wear their new path.



. . .



I kicked off my heels at the door and walked into my bedroom, unzipping my skirt. I grabbed a hanger from my closet and hung it up then wanted to grab some more card playing, lounge appropriate attire. In front of my dresser something sharp stabbed my foot. I bent down and picked it up—the shell from the parking lot outside of Maria’s restaurant. I rolled it between my fingertips. Anger and regret rose up, threatening to choke me. I huffed then tossed the shell and the memory in the trash.

I headed into the bathroom to check my face. I leaned into the mirror to reassess the damage. I wasn’t full on Rocky Balboa after going fifteen rounds with a Russian but I was close. I took a few minutes to touch up my makeup and brush my hair.

Three short knocks thumped on my door. Vance had arrived. I trotted to let him in. He stood in my hallway in a soft, gray Henley with the buttons undone. It hugged his chest and outlined his muscles. It was no wonder women loved him. He was a beautiful man in body and mind.

He dangled a jumbo-sized bag of Cheetos and a twelve pack of my favorite beer up in the air. “I know you said you had food, but I saw these and had to get them for you.”

“A man after my heart,” I said with a giggle. He shrugged matter-of-factly, and we exchanged earnest smiles. My heart began to steadily beat faster and faster, like I was slowly creeping up the first hill of an incredible rollercoaster. The funeral was continuing to bother me. “Come on in,” I said. “I still need to get the cards out. Just put everything down on the table.”

I shut the door and walked into the kitchen. He took out two beers; the hard clank of the bottles meeting the table made me jump. I opened the drawers looking for the cards. Where had I put them? My mind was blank. This was still my kitchen, right?

I dug deeply, fingers fumbling, into the only drawer in my kitchen they could have been in. I paused for a moment when I looked down at my fingers and saw they were shaking. I was nervous. Really nervous.

Vance appeared next to me. “Can’t find the cards?” he asked, brushing a strand of hair off my shoulder, exposing the side of my face in a move that didn’t feel friendly. This wasn’t my emotions running away. It wasn’t the funeral—it was more.

I froze, and the temperature in my kitchen rose several degrees. “Vance?”

“Hmm?” he asked.

“What are you doing?” I stared down into the drawer with my heart hammering against my sore ribs so hard it stole my breath.

“Offering to help you find the cards,” he said. But that wasn’t what he was saying. What he was saying scared the hell out of me. I faced him and rested my weight against the counter, sensing something huge and unspoken, something I couldn’t define. We’d reached the top of the rollercoaster and were staring down the big hill, about to take the plunge that would change our relationship forever.

He took a step toward me. “Di—”

A knock sounded and I flinched. I dropped my head and glanced quickly toward the door then back to Vance.

“I…I’ll just get that. Don’t know who it could be.” My voice quivered.

I scampered over and yanked the door open. I gasped. “Gabe?”

“Di?” His mouth fell open. “Oh my God, are you okay?” He reached forward to touch my face.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I whispered. I steadied myself on the doorknob. I couldn’t believe he was there. I touched his arm then rubbed my fingers together. Yes, he was. It was my dream come true.

“I heard about what happened,” Gabe added. “I tried to get here sooner but I was stuck in Pittsburgh. I took a redeye out the morning after I saw you in the hotel. That merger we’ve been working on was falling apart. If I’d known you’d gotten hurt, you have to know I would have been on the next flight out. I had no idea. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”