Page 95 of No Headlines Please

I just liked her, that's all.

When another thirty minutes passed with no Delaney, I told myself this meant nothing.

Her delivery might've been delayed. Maybe she'd gotten a phone call. Maybe she'd lost track of time.

Still, when my gaze drifted to the door, I couldn't help but frown. Maybe she wasn't coming back at all.

By the time ninety minutes had passed, I was running out of excuses.

But then, a knock sounded – three quick raps, sharper than last time and twice as loud.

I strode to the door and pulled it open, only to find Delaney glaring up at me, looking like an entirely different person – and not only because she was wearing a different outfit.

A pink sundress.

Huh.

But it wasn't the change of clothes that made me pause.

It was the change in her expression. The dress was bright and cheerful. Her expression was not.

She made no move to come in.

Still, I was so glad to see her that I almost smiled. "You changed your clothes."

"Yeah, I know," she snapped. "But it wasn't because I wanted to." Before I could ask what that meant, she demanded, "And how long were you planning to keep it up?"

It?

Well, if that wasn't a loaded question.

I just looked at her.

Her face blanched, and she blurted out, "And before you say something crude, that's not what I meant."

I said nothing in response. Why? Because I wasn't a dumb-ass, that's why.

She sighed. "You know what? Dive in the gutter if you want. I'm so not going there."

I felt like I was walking on eggshells. Still, I had to say it. "Except you already did."

She glowered up at me. "Are you freaking serious?"

Forget eggshells. This was a minefield. Carefully, I asked, "About what?"

"As if you don't know." She gave a hard scoff. "What, you thought I'd never hear what you did?"

My stomach sank. Shit.

This shouldn't have been a surprise. Hell, I'd suspected it from the moment those elevator doors had slid shut.

But Delaney's reaction? Yeah, it was surprising alright, and not in a good way. Her eyes were flashing with anger, like she was one pitchfork away from leading the mob herself.

Too late for that. If anything, she'd be bringing up the rear.

I crossed my arms. "You were gone what? Ninety minutes?"

"Maybe." Her chin lifted. "But I'm not gonna apologize. I think I've done enough of that already."