Page 108 of See You There

“Nothing really. He tried to kiss me, and when I pushed him off, he got nasty. Then his mother called. Whatever she said made him even more angry, but not at me. That’s when he told me.” Dahlia could see Luke was struggling to hold on to his temper. “He dropped me off, and I didn’t see him again until the night of the robbery. It’s not a big—”

“It is averybig deal, Dahlia,” Luke exclaimed. “I don’t care ifthat’s how things are done. It’s wrong!”

“I don’t disagree with you.”

They stared at each other across the fire. Luke’s jaw worked back and forth, but she could see he was trying to calm himself.

“Do you want to hear what he said about Courtney?”

Luke closed his eyes and took two deep breaths before opening them again. “Yes.”

“It was after the kiss,” Dahlia rushed on when Luke’s expression hardened again. “He was saying things like I owed him… The usual crap men say. Then his mother called. He didn’t say much, but I could tell she was letting him have it. Matt finally told her he was with someone and hung up. He was furious, and if he hadn’t been drinking so much, I don’t think he would have said anything. Whatever she said had him livid, though. I don’t remember the exact words.”

In fact, Dahlia had been terrified to be trapped in the car with Matt when he was so angry, but she wasn’t about to tell Luke that.

“It was along the lines of women are terrible, we just use men—that part was about me. Then he started ranting about how she, meaning his mom, thought she knew everything, and how she might have money now, but she couldn’t erase her past. And, if all of her new, fancy friends found out she used to be a stripper and a madam, it wouldn’t matter how much money she had, no one would talk to her.”

By the time she finished, Luke’s mouth was hanging open. “When she was Crystal.” Luke’s eyes widened even farther. “The women in Declan’s car! Dr. Keller referred to them as ‘her girls,’ but I didn’t understand what he meant.” He exhaled the words.

“You’ve lost me.”

Luke stared past her into the trees for a second, his brow furrowed.

“Luke? What women in the car?”

Luke’s eyes snapped back to hers, and she could see he was trying to make a decision.

“Recently, we discovered some photos that were manipulated to appear as if Declan had been involved in a fatal car accident. The women in the car were escorts. We think Courtney was behind it, and that’s how she coerced our father into marrying him. I wonder if they worked for her? It would explain how she knew about it.” Luke was out of his seat, heading for the cabin. He stopped and looked back. “I’m coming back. I just need to make a call.”

Dahlia watched him disappear into the house. Luke’s family might just be even more messed up than hers. She was surprised when Luke returned only ten minutes later.

“Back already? I expected you to be on the phone for a long time.”

There was a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there before, as he retook his seat.

“There’s nothing else to do right now. I’ve passed on the information, and Brady is going to look into it.” His eyes gleamed when he reached for a beer. “I feel like celebrating! You just gave us the best lead we’ve had in a long time!”

Dahlia looked at him dubiously. “I’m not sure about that, but I’m glad you are happy.”

“Very.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Dahlia assumed he was dwelling on what she’d told him, so his question caught her by surprise.

“Why did you never get into another relationship after Scott?”

“You mean besides the fact that I am still married, and Victor had me on lockdown?” she asked dryly.

Dahlia could tell he wanted to ask something else. She sighed and turned her body in the chair to face him.

“I did my own research,” Luke admitted, and Dahlia felt herself tense before she remembered she had already told him about her past. “You’ve never dated anyone long-term except for Chandler. That was for publicity. I don’t get it. You’re smart, talented, and sexy as hell… Are all the men you meet blind?”

It was like Luke had handed her the opportunity on a platter. It’s now or never Dahlia, she told herself.

“I think we’ve become friends,” Dahlia hesitated. “Right?”

Luke’s brows came together like he was trying to guess where her thoughts were going. He inclined his head. It wasn’t the ringing endorsement Dahlia had hoped for, but it wasn’t a no. She’d seen his physical reactions to her. He wanted her.

Dahlia squared her shoulders in her seat. If she was going to start taking chances…