When You Dare
Page 110

They were still in the parking lot, so Molly asked, “Do we need to leave quickly?”
He looked at her curiously. “No, why?”
So he wasn’t going to tell her whatever he’d seen across the street, either? She rolled her eyes and handed him the letter.
“What is it?”
“From my most critical reader.”
Brows lifted, he opened the envelope and read the scrawling text with a judicious eye. “Interesting.”
“Repetitive,” she countered.
“You didn’t read it yet.”
Shrugging, she again looked across the street—and noticed a shadow in the front driver’s seat of a black car. “It’s always the same thing from that reader,” she said without really thinking. All her attention focused on that shadow.
Were they being followed? Was there any immediate danger involved?
Uneasiness raced up her spine.
“Let’s go.”
“Just a minute.” He turned over the envelope to check the front.
“There’s no return address.” There never was. And she really wanted to go.
Still Dare studied it. Without a word he folded the envelope, put it in his pocket and finally started the SUV.
Molly hooked her seat belt. Striving for some sense of normalcy, resenting the return intrusion of fear, she turned to Dare. “Is there a reason you’re keeping my mail?”
“There’s always a reason for the things I do.” He checked behind him, then backed out of the lot and steered into traffic. “Any other stops?”
Oh, she could play this game if that was what he wanted to do. “I wouldn’t mind stopping somewhere to buy a wallet. Maybe if we get the phone at a mall, I could find a wallet then.”
“No malls. But you’re a quick shopper, so I’m sure we can work it out.” He pulled out his cell and put in a call. While it rang, he said, “Let’s get into Kentucky first, though. I’ll feel better about it then.”
“That’s fine. As long as I get to call my editor and agent before it’s too late.” Molly didn’t know who he had on the phone, but she went silent when she knew the call had been answered.
“How are my girls?” Dare asked first.
Ah, so he’d called Chris. While she continually peeked out the side-view mirror, watching for that black car, she half listened to Dare. He caught up with Chris and told him that they’d be back before dark. It’d be a relief to settle into Dare’s home with him again. She felt calmer there, less expectant.
But Kathi was right; that could be a problem.
While Dare and her father had talked in the library, Kathi had used the time to whisper warnings to her, all in the name of stepmotherly concern. But she had made one very valid point.
As the one who had rescued her, Dare held responsibility for her continued well-being. But when would his sense of obligation end? As long as she remained in his home, would there ever come a point when he would be comfortable in ending their relationship? How, Kathi had asked, could Molly ever know Dare’s true feelings as long as he was saddled with the task of caring for her?
Molly glanced over at Dare and noticed him watching the rearview mirror. Her stomach knotted.
“No, I’ll take care of that once I’m home,” Dare said into the phone. He listened again for a few minutes and then said, “Thanks. Call Trace back for me. Ask him if he and Alani want to meet for dinner tonight. Yeah. Tell him anywhere along I-75, from Cincinnati down, would work. He can pick the place, but get back to me soon on what he has to say.” He nodded. “Appreciate it. Tell my girls I’ll be home soon.” Dare ended the call.
She couldn’t keep the frown at bay. He’d made dinner plans for them without conferring with her. She had no say in his decision.
And why should she? She reminded herself that she was a guest of Dare’s hospitality; of course he had to maintain a regular schedule, and he couldn’t do that by completely putting his life on hold for her.
Dare held out his phone to her. “If you want to make any calls right now, you can use my phone.”
She thought about it and decided she wanted to get it out of the way. “Thanks.” Right now, any routine normalcy, like talking business, would be welcome.
She called her agent first. As it worked out, once she’d explained to her that she’d been “caught in circumstances beyond my control, which left me incapable of calling,” her agent was very understanding and offered to get hold of the editor for her. She also had several things she needed to fax to Molly for immediate signatures.
Molly checked with Dare, got his fax number and shared it with her agent. Using the excuse of being under the gun on time, Molly promised to talk more when she could, and she told her agent that she’d explain in more detail when she was able.
After she handed the phone back to Dare, he asked, “Everything okay?”
Molly nodded. In the beginning, she’d been so excited about the movie, so flattered and so proud. Now, it seemed almost insignificant in the scheme of things. Her priorities had shifted in a big way.
“She was far more understanding than I thought she’d be.”
“No big questions?”
“No, thank God. She just said that she hopes I’m okay and to let her know if she can do anything.”
Dare grinned. “You’re making her a lot of money.”
Molly shrugged. “Sure. But she’s also a very nice, warm woman with loads of good business sense.”