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“Yes.” She rubbed her big belly, stroking her hands lovingly over the very cute bump.
“Is he a lawyer?” Darcy hadn’t lived in a small town for a long time, and she’d forgotten how everyone was connected.
“Yes, that’s him,” Maddie said, her expression turned questioning. “Why?”
Darcy dug the card Griffin had given her out of her purse and showed it to Maddie. “Griffin Strong gave me his card. The city is trying to steal my mom’s house from her, and Griffin told me to contact Mitch so he could explain to me how it’s perfectly legal.”
Gracie, Harmony, and Maddie all glanced at one another.
Maddie picked up a napkin and twisted the paper around her finger. “I’m sure he’d be happy to talk to you.”
“I’m sorry your mom is suffering.” Gracie cleared her throat. “But it will be good for the town.”
Darcy could tell by the women’s expressions that they weren’t sympathetic to her plight, but she attempted to appeal to their obvious sense of family. “I know it’s not much, but my mom’s family has lived there for generations. She doesn’t want to sell.”
Maddie frowned. “I heard she’s the last holdout.”
“She is.” Darcy straightened her shoulders. “She asked me for help, and I’m going to help her. And Griffin Strong is not going to stop me.”
The three women looked at one another again, and then Gracie nibbled her bottom lip. “You guys were pretty serious back in high school.”
“That was a long time ago,” Darcy said, waving her hand in dismissal even as her heart sped at the thought of him. “We’ve moved on. And I’m not letting him steal my mother’s house.”
Gracie went to speak again, but Maddie stopped her with a slight touch on the hand, before beaming at Darcy. “How about this? It’s poker night. Why don’t you join us? Mitch is with the state’s attorney’s office now, but he knows everything about the law, and will be happy to fill you in and tell you if you have any options.”
Gracie’s expression brightened. “That’s a great idea.”
“Totally.” Harmony glanced back and forth between Maddie and Gracie. “Although, it’s going to be a bit crowded for poker.”
“It will be fine,” Maddie assured her.
The fine hairs on the back of Darcy’s neck rose, and suspicion settled into the pit of her stomach. “Who will be there?”
Maddie beamed. “Just us.”
That revealed nothing. Darcy pressed. “Who’s us?”
Gracie shrugged, her expression far too innocent. “The usual, and you can meet my fiancé, James, and see Sam. It will be fun, like old times.”
“There will be food and lots of liquor.” Maddie pointed at her belly. “You can drink for me, and I promise Mitch will answer any questions you have.”
They were all a bit too eager, and that could only mean one thing. Darcy narrowed her eyes. “Will Griffin be there?”
Harmony covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
Gracie waved a hand. “Maybe, who knows, it’s an open invite so we never quite know who will show up.”
Maddie put her hands together in prayer. “Oh, please, please, please come.”
“It will be fun,” Harmony said, her voice light and lyrical. “I promise.”
Darcy chewed on her inner cheek. She could get the information she needed tonight from Mitch Riley, which meant she could start a full-blown investigation as early as tomorrow morning. If she didn’t talk to Mitch now, she’d have to wait to get on his schedule next week. Who knew how long that would take? And the sooner she learned her options, the faster she could get out of this godforsaken town.
The price being a night with Griffin. Because she was positive he’d be there. Which was fine. She could handle him. Her heart gave a hard thump.
Really, she could.
