Page 148 of No Headlines Please

She wasn't hard or jaded. She was nothing like Sloane, who'd once asked if we could recreate a kiss because the cameras had missed it.

I nodded. "Yeah. Her."

Delaney gave me a funny look. "What about her?"

Even now, I could see the disgust on the woman's face when she'd spotted me with Delaney. "When you came back angry, I thought she told you who I was."

Delaney blinked. "Really?"

"So, she didn't?"

Delaney shook her head. "She just said you were trouble – and that we deserved each other."

Huh. Maybe the woman wasn't all bad.

But then Delaney added, "What I remember most is that she thought I was turning tricks in the building."

I felt myself go very still. "What?"

"I wasn't, if that's what you're thinking."

The idea was ridiculous, but I didn't smile. "I know you weren't. But why would she say that?"

Delaney shrugged like it was no big deal. "Apparently, because her husband was gone, and she was bored."

"You're joking."

"I wish," Delaney said. "But Herb goes fly-fishing every summer, and apparently, Mrs. Stelter goes full mall-cop on the whole building. According to Walt, it happens every year."

I didn't care about fly-fishing. Or the building. Or mall cops of any variety. What I cared about was Delaney.

I resisted the urge to reach for her hand. "Listen, I've got a confession."

She snorted. "Only one?"

"Hell no." I smiled in spite of myself. "But I want to explain something."

"Oh, yeah? What?"

"That lady – Mrs. Stelter – I figured she told you who I was – and that's why you suddenly hated me."

Her expression softened. "I never said I hated you."

"You sure acted like it."

Delaney was quiet for a long moment before softly saying, "Maybe. But not because of her. Why would you even think that?"

"Because you were gone an hour longer than you said. I figured she gave you an earful."

"Well, she did – but not about you. Okay, not all about you. But the reason I was gone so long was because I dropped by Walt's place and he told me you were flashing my picture and handing out business cards with somebody else's name. And I guess I freaked out."

Unable to resist, I held up the same finger as before. "One business card."

Delaney scoffed. "Do you realize I had to dig that stupid card out of the trash?"

Holy hell. So that's why she'd changed her clothes. I asked, "But why?"

"Because Walt threw it out, and he couldn't remember the last name."