RILEY WATCHED closely as Gracie reacted to his statement. Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth twisted and her shoulders slumped. Obviously this was not the topic she’d hoped they would discuss. But did that mean she was guilty of setting him up in more ways than one?
He couldn’t decide, and he hadn’t been able to come to a decision all day. He wanted to say he knew Gracie, but did he? She was funny and smart and led with her heart and her chin, but he’d been used by women before. Was she any different or was she just better at it?
“Come on in,” she said, and led the way into the house.
He followed her into the kitchen where she put down her purse and turned toward him. She folded her arms over her chest.
“It was just one time,” she said, sounding more defensive than angry. “The odds of anything happening are really, really slim.”
What he didn’t understand was how it had happened at all. Ever since he’d been a kid and thought he’d gotten Pam pregnant, he’d been obsessively careful. But last night…
“I agree it’s unlikely,” he said. “But I want to know.”
She nodded and walked to the large calendar on the wall. Stickers of cakes had been placed on various dates with the names and locations next to them in black felt pen. She counted out the days twice, then sighed.
“My period is due in twelve days.”
Riley figured he knew as much or as little about the inner workings of the female reproductive system as the next guy. He prided himself on being good in bed, but the baby-making stuff was more of a mystery. Information reluctantly learned in high school sex-ed drifted through his brain. If he remembered correctly, midcycle was the most dangerous time. Well, shit.
“How long after that can you find out if you’re pregnant?” he asked.
She winced. “I don’t know. A couple of days. I’ve never used a pregnancy test myself, but I’ve heard they’re fast and you don’t need to be very late.”
She turned to face him. Her eyes were wide and troubled. “Don’t you think it’s a tiny bit premature to be having this conversation? Can’t we just wait and see what happens?”
“Sure.”
He had the information he needed now. He would bide his time until she either got her period or he had proof she was pregnant. While he didn’t want a repeat of Pam’s performance, he also wasn’t willing to walk away from his responsibilities. His father had walked out twenty-one years ago, but Riley still remembered everything about the day. He wouldn’t do that to any kid of his.
“It’s just the odds are so against me being…you know.” She swallowed. “Honestly, I can’t take on one more thing. I’ve got wedding cakes, my family, you, whoever is following one of us, the newspaper pictures. I just can’t deal with any more.”
As she spoke, she reached for her purse, then dug out her bottle of antacids. After popping two and chewing them, she sighed.
“I’m such a rock, huh?” she asked softly.
“You do okay.”
“I’m not so sure. I thought coming back here would be easy, but it’s not. Who was that guy last night? Is he after me or you? I’m guessing you, because of the election. Plus you have the debate in a couple of days. But it’s creepy. And I hate the newspaper thing. The picture. I feel so bad about it, but it wasn’t my fault. Still…”
She pulled up a bar stool and sat down. She rested her elbows on the counter and her head in her hands.
“I’m being a lousy hostess,” she said. “There’s cake in the cupboard and stuff to drink in the refrigerator. Help yourself.”
She didn’t look like someone planning his demise, he thought. If he had to put money on it right now, he would say Gracie wasn’t involved. But was that his gut talking or his dick? Because even now he wanted her. Slumped shoulders and pouty expression, it didn’t matter.
“Don’t you have any real food?” he asked.
She turned her head so she could stare at him. “What?”
“You’re always offering me cake. What about a sandwich or meat loaf?”
She straightened. “I don’t keep bread in the house. What kind of insanity would that be?”
“But you have cake.”
“I make cakes. It’s tough not to have them in the house when I actually bake them. But I don’t really cook, so you’re not going to find meat loaf ever. I think I have a few cans of soup. And my tuna salad. That’s a staple in my life.”
“Do you eat anything other than cake and tuna?”
“Sure. Salads. Fruit. I have some soy-based granola in the cupboard.”
He grimaced and claimed the stool next to hers. “No thanks.”
“It’s really good.”
“You’re really lying.”
“A little.” She turned so she faced him. “You still mad at me?”
“I was never mad.”
She sighed. “Yeah, you were. When I first got here. Are you thinking…” She shrugged. “I guess I don’t know what you were thinking, but it can’t have been good. I didn’t… I’m not the one doing all this.”
“I know,” he said, because he wanted to believe her. “I hired a private detective from L.A. He’s coming up in the morning and he’ll find the photographer. Once we know who’s taking the pictures, we’ll find the person behind it.”
He watched her as he spoke, looking for hints of panic or concern. Instead she held his gaze and when he’d finished said, “I can’t wait to get to the bottom of this. We’ll both feel better with some answers.”
Which meant what? That she wasn’t the one setting him up? He wanted Gracie to be innocent, which bugged the hell out of him. He didn’t get involved-not ever. He’d yet to see the purpose of anything longer than a night with a woman. Keeping his distance meant he didn’t get betrayed. So why was he still here?
“My sisters had an intervention today,” she said. “It was pretty horrible. Alexis thinks I’m obsessing about you. She seems to have completely forgotten that I only got involved because of her. Vivian is convinced I had a completely horrible time in high school, that I was a social misfit with no friends and no boyfriend. Where do they get that? I was normal. I was a cheerleader.”
“Yeah. I can see that shallow perkiness in you.”
Her gaze narrowed. “I’m not shallow and I’m not especially perky.”
“You’re a little offbeat.”
“I can accept that. My world view is slightly skewed, but I like that about me.” Her shoulders slumped again. “Pam is confusing.”
“Pam? My ex-wife?”
“That would be her. I’ve been using her kitchen at the bed-and-breakfast, which means I run into her. She’s been really…nice.”
He’d expected a lot of words, but that wasn’t one of them. “Are we talking about the same Pam?”
“Sure. Tall, skinny, blond. Great clothes.” Gracie leaned back on the bar stool. “It’s annoying, let me tell you. But the thing is, she’s been really sweet. Saying nice stuff about you, even.”
“What a humanitarian.”
“It’s kind of creepy. I almost want to like her, but I can’t. Still, I don’t know why she’s acting this way. Jill told me she was still really bitchy, but she hasn’t been to me. You think she’s up to something?”
“You don’t want to take her at face value?”
“I should, huh? I mean it’s totally horrible of me to judge her, but I can’t help it. I want to like her but every time I try a little voice in my head starts screaming. Which means either she’s faking me out or I’m a really bad person.”
“You’re not a bad person.”
“You don’t know me well enough to decide.”
“Sure I do.”
He stood and reached for her hand, then pulled her to her feet and drew her into his arms.
“It’s okay not to like Pam,” he said, his lips pressing against her forehead. “I won’t tell.”
“Thanks.” She snuggled closer, pressing her body against his.
She felt good, he thought. Warm. Soft.
“You’re not supposed to be doing this,” she told him. “What about the three F’s?”
He stared into her blue eyes. At that moment he would swear he could see down to her soul. There weren’t any secrets, any dark places. Which meant one of two things-either he was a complete sap and she was a great actress, or he was messing where he didn’t belong.
“I already told you, I can’t forget you,” he said.
Her gaze held his. “We didn’t do the other F either. You know that, right? We made love last night.”
It wasn’t something he liked to think about, but he nodded in agreement. “Yes, Gracie, we made love.”
The words came from a place deep inside. He wasn’t sure he’d ever said them before and he knew he’d never meant them. Until Gracie.
What the hell was he doing?
He released her and stepped back. “I gotta run,” he said.
“Okay. Thanks for stopping by.”
He waved, then turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
Priorities, he told himself. He had them and he couldn’t forget them. He didn’t get involved, he didn’t care, he didn’t stick around. Nothing was going to change that. Not this town and certainly not Gracie.
RILEY SPENT the morning of the debate in his office at the bank. The loan department had just sent up its weekly report, which Diane handed to him.
“Business is up,” she said as he flipped through the file. “A lot of home loan refinancing.”
“I can see that,” he said, aware she was making a point that he was just as determined to ignore.
“Those people-the customers-are going to expect to have the thirty years to repay. What’s going to happen to them?”
Riley didn’t answer. They both knew what would happen. If he closed the bank, the loans would be recalled. Every single customer would have less than three months to secure new financing. If they couldn’t, they would lose their house.
“I know you think your uncle was a bastard, Riley, but are you sure you’re making the right person pay for that?”
The soft words couldn’t have been more shocking if Diane had written them in blood. He stared at his secretary, wondering which was more surprising-that she’d called him by his first name or that she’d used foul language.
“You’re walking a thin line,” he told her.
She smiled. “Are you going to fire me?”
“No.”
“Then I fail to see the danger.” Her smile faded. “You could do some good here,” she told him. “You’ve taken to the work. You like it. This is much bigger than your grandfather. This is about the community.”
“Want to know that I don’t give a rat’s ass?”
She stared at him for a long time. “Then expecting more from you was my mistake.”
She left without saying anything else. When he was alone again, Riley turned in his chair and stared at the portrait of his uncle.
“Sorry, big guy,” he said. “I’m not interested in saving your town. You thought you’d won this round-that I would do what you said to get the money. But things aren’t going to turn out the way you expected. I’m going to win-my only regret is that you’re not alive to watch me screw you.”
GRACIE ARRIVED at the community center just before three. She had a lot of memories of the old building-many school events had been held there, along with her Girl Scout meetings. There were smaller classroom-size spaces on the second floor and a larger open area on the first. She knew the debate would be held in the largest space, but she didn’t head in that direction. Instead she circled around back and came in a rear entrance, so as not to cause a stir. She found Jill hovering by the heavy door. Her friend waved her in.
“I saved us a couple of seats,” Jill said in a low voice. “Hurry. They’re about to start.”
Gracie followed her inside. The lights over the audience had dimmed a little, leaving the two candidates in bright light up on stage. People were still settling and talking.
Jill led her to two seats on the far right side, three rows from the back. Gracie let Jill go in first, so she could be on the end and duck out quickly if she had to.
“It’s a big crowd,” Jill said quietly as she glanced around. “I doubt anyone will notice you’re here.”
“That’s the plan,” Gracie said. “I didn’t expect this many people.”
“Me, either. They’re broadcasting the debate live on the radio.”
Gracie slumped down in her seat and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. “I probably should have stayed home and listened to it there.”
It would have been the sensible decision, but in truth, she’d really wanted to see Riley. Being around him seemed to set her world back on its axis. She supposed she should be upset about them making love, but she wasn’t. It had felt too right to be in his arms. And last night…when he’d held her…she couldn’t help wanting him to never let go.
She did her best to ignore the red flashing Danger signs in her head. Yeah, yeah, she knew the drill. Getting involved with Riley was a mistake on too many levels to count. Even if she was willing to ignore the humiliation of falling for a guy she’d once stalked, there was the whole two different lives thing. His idea of a long-term relationship was one that lasted two nights. She wanted forever. Until recently he’d lived on an oil rig and traveled the world and she rarely left her neighborhood. They had nothing in common and…
She frowned. Except for his seeming inability to commit to a woman for more than twenty-four hours, what was the problem? He was a great guy, she liked him, they had fun together. Was she overanalyzing this? Was there-
“So what’s going on with you?” Jill asked, keeping her voice low. “How’s the cake business?”
“Good. Busy. It’s that time of year. The Pam thing is difficult.”
Jill grinned. “Are the cakes taking one look at her and falling?”
Gracie chuckled. “Actually not. It’s more creepy than that. She’s…nice.”
Jill raised her eyebrows. “Not possible.”
“I know. That’s my feeling, too. But it’s true-she’s pleasant and friendly and accommodating. She even said nice stuff about Riley. I can’t decide if I should just accept her at face value or continue to be wary.”
“You know what my vote would be.”
“Yeah. To keep my distance and carry a cross at all times.”
“Exactly. Everything else okay?”
Gracie nodded. As much as she would like to talk about her family, this wasn’t the place. Nor could she tell Jill what had happened with Riley. Eventually she would come clean, but not in a crowd.
Maybe she should regret what had happened, she thought. But she couldn’t. The pregnancy thing was a little troubling. She pressed a hand to her stomach and told herself it wasn’t possible. Statistically, the odds were seriously against it. Although she had to respect the irony of the situation if she was pregnant, what with Pam faking her pregnancy all those years ago so Riley would marry her.
Gracie had a feeling that even if she turned up pregnant, he wouldn’t be making an honest woman of her. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. While she’d never planned to be a single mother, she wouldn’t turn her back on her baby. If Riley wasn’t willing to participate, that was okay. But it made her sad to think he would walk way from his own child. Still, getting married just because of a pregnancy seemed like a recipe for disaster. She didn’t want a relationship based on “have to.” She wanted heart-stopping, bone-melting, forever and till death do us part love.
“What are you thinking about?” Jill asked. “You have the strangest look on your face.”
“How did you know Mac was the one?”
Jill sighed. “I just did. At first we were just friends.” She smiled. “Okay, he was just friends and I was crazy about him. He’s so sexy. Anyway, we spent time together and it was always great. The more I got to know him, the more I wanted to know him. One thing led to another and then I was in love with him. Why do you ask?” Her gaze narrowed. “Are you-”
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” the moderator said. “Welcome to our first and only mayoral debate between our current mayor, Franklin Yardley, and his opponent, Riley Whitefield.”
“Don’t think I’m going to forget what we were talking about,” Jill murmured in her ear as she turned her attention to the front of the room.
Gracie figured she would simply appreciate the interruption and deal with her friend later. She listened to the introduction of both candidates. Franklin Yardley looked as slick and polished as ever, but he was much older than his rival. Riley had the advantage of youth, size and mystery. There was something very appealing about the dark-haired stranger sitting on the mayor’s left. Gracie had a feeling she wasn’t the only woman in the audience who felt the pull.
The moderator explained the format. Each candidate would make an opening statement, then they would answer questions from the panel of newspaper reporters and professors from U.C. Santa Barbara. Finally, there would be a four-minute closing statement. Before the debate, the two men had drawn straws and Riley would be going first in the opening and closing statements.
He stood as he was introduced. Gracie found herself leaning forward, as if anticipating what he was going to say. He looked good, she thought. The dark suit flattered his strong, hard body. He wore his hair relatively short and brushed away from his face. His diamond stud glittered in the harsh overhead lighting.
Would the good citizens elect a man with an earring? Gracie wondered.
“Mayor Yardley has served our community for sixteen years,” Riley began with a smile. “That’s half my life. He’s seen Los Lobos through good times and bad, strong tourist seasons and weak ones. He’s learned the ins and outs of the job. I would guess after this many years, there aren’t any surprises. He’s a professional and a man of many talents.”
He looked around the room. For a second, Gracie would have sworn their eyes met, but she was pretty sure she was sitting too far back for him to see her.
“I’ve spent the last fourteen years traveling around the world,” he continued, “but in the end, there was only one place I could call home. While the sentimental side of me appreciates that Los Lobos has barely changed in all that time, the businessman inside of me wonders if that’s really for the best. If we want our children to have a superior education that allows them to have a better standard of living, we need money to pay for schools. If we want a community that can stand on its own and not always be at the mercy of the tourist dollar, we have to come up with a thoughtful, innovative plan that will take us forward without forcing us to lose touch with the very values and philosophies that make us what we are.”
“He’s good,” Jill whispered. “I’m impressed.”
“Me, too.”
Riley might have started his bid for mayor because it was a condition of his uncle’s will, but he’d obviously embraced the idea and made it his own.
Riley finished his opening statement to the sound of loud applause. Mayor Yardley spoke, outlining his accomplishments in office. Next to Riley, he looked uncomfortable and out of place-as if he’d overstayed his welcome at a party.
The trend continued through the questions. Riley seemed to have a fresh take on every issue, while Yardley reiterated what he’d done before. Even from the back of the room, Gracie could see the older man starting to sweat.
“Riley’s going to win this,” Jill murmured. “He’s really going to pull it off.”
Gracie felt a fierce flush of pride, as if she had something to do with Riley’s success. When he finished his closing statement, everyone in the room rose and cheered. It took several minutes for the crowd to settle down enough for Franklin Yardley to speak.
“You seem taken with my opponent,” the mayor said slowly. “I can see why. He’s new and shiny. Lots of big ideas. But it takes more than ideas to keep a city running smoothly. It takes practice and experience. And it takes character. You all know me. You’re my neighbors, my friends. You’ve served on committees with my wife, gone to school with my children, played golf with me.”
Yardley stared out at the crowd and smiled. “You know my secrets-the good and the bad about me.”
A few people chuckled. “You’re lousy at poker, Franklin,” someone yelled.
The mayor nodded. “That I am. I’ve never had a good face for it. I can’t tell a lie to save my soul. Things matter to me. My family. This town. I’ve been here all my life. Four generations of Yardleys have served in Los Lobos.”
He paused and drew in a deep breath. “Maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe I’ve done all I can do. But is Riley Whitefield really the man you want? He’s young. Inexperienced. He’s been traipsing all over the world when he had business right here in town. Most of you know he took off to make his fortune while his own mother lay dying of cancer. Never even came back to see her. Not the example I want set for my children.”
Gracie stiffened. “That’s not what happened,” she whispered to Jill as people began to stir in their seats. “He didn’t know.”
“You think Yardley cares about that?” Jill asked.
Gracie stared at the stage, looking for some reaction from Riley. He remained seated, his expression calm.
But the mayor wasn’t finished. He leaned forward at the podium. “Riley was just a boy then. Barely eighteen. He’d had a difficult time, getting a local girl pregnant, marrying her, then divorcing her. But people grow up. The boy becomes a man. They change. Well, some do. I’m not so sure about Riley.”
Gracie felt her stomach start to churn. She had a feeling this was going to be very, very bad.
Mayor Yardley glanced at Riley, then at the crowd. “Who do you want as the leader of your community? A man you know and trust? A man who has never lied or misled you? Or Riley Whitefield who is a stranger to us all? Not only did he walk out on his dying mother, he’s returned to take advantage of our own Gracie Landon. She has loved him faithfully for years and he has repaid her with betrayal and scorn. Not only is she pregnant right this minute, but Riley is refusing to make an honest woman of her.”