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Her reaction caught Daniel by surprise as he watched her march off down the boardwalk. Without a glance or word to the others, he leaped out of his seat and went after her.
“Sonya.” Daniel caught up and grabbed her arm. “Wait up.”
She turned on him in anger. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He frowned. “What are you so upset about?”
“November? Or sooner?” Her angry green eyes flared at him.
Startled, he looked down into them. He never expected this, if anything the complete opposite. Thought she’d be dancing with joy the day she rid of her pathetic neighbor and his wet blanket attitude.
“Are you angry?” Well that was stupid a question, he berated himself, of course she was.
But she didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she pivoted on her heel and began to stomp back up the boardwalk once again. “How can you keep something like that a secret? I’ve told you everything there is to know about me and I just realized I know absolutely nothing about you. You are like some closed book that is off bounds from the meager folk. I bet only those in your snot-nosed circle of friends—”
“Whoa!” he declared and held up his hands, coming to an abrupt halt. “I would have gladly told you anything you wanted to know, but you have shown what I would refer to as the remotest flicker of interest in me or my life. In the past year since I’ve lived across the hall from you, your world revolves completely around yourself.”
Insulted, she stopped to glare at him, mindless of the fact they were blocking the way for others. “That is not true. Just because I am an open and friendly person does not imply I think the world of myself.”
“Oh yeah?” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You didn’t even bother to get your facts straight about Jamie. You jumped to conclusions and allowed that dirty little mind of yours to rule your thinking.”
“That was an honest mistake.” She ground out between clenched teeth.
He released a heavy breath and dropped his arms. “Why the hell are we fighting again?”
Taken aback, she shook her head and dropped it into her hands. “I don’t know. We’ve been doing a lot of that lately and I don’t know why. You’re the nicest guy I know, Daniel, and it bothers me when we get into a fight. I don’t like it.”
He didn’t offer an immediate reply at first but simply stared at her downcast head. Then, “Neither do I. So let’s try and put a curve on it by starting with this one. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that my job involves transfers. My excuse is I sincerely didn’t think you cared.”
Sonya lifted her chin and studied his eyes. He was right. She shouldn’t care. What Daniel did with his life was his business. Yet she needed to know. “Where will you go?”
His brows raised at the question. “I don’t know. I haven’t got the next assignment lined up. Is that what bothers you? I’ll leave and some other bozo will move in and maybe not be so understanding with your late parties?”
She glanced at his face to see if he was teasing. That now familiar silver glimmer from his grey depths appeared and the one corner of his mouth tilted upward. Relieved, she nodded then reached out to play with the button on his polo shirt. “What if they aren’t as helpful when it comes to choosing the right dress for an important job interview, or rid me of disgusting critters flying through my window at night?”
He grinned. “Or liberating a pair of panties snagged in the death grip of a zipper that just doesn’t want to relinquish its hold?”
Her eyes held his and a warm feeling swept over her. An uncanny urge to touch more than just his button had her dropping her hand immediately. “Something like that.”
“I’ll make sure to leave my new address with you.”
He was still teasing but this last comment knocked the humor out of Sonya’s eyes. “Will you really have to move?”
He was slow to answer, watching her expression as he did. “It might. However, the next firm may also be located right in town.”
That brought some relief to her wound up nerves, and she nodded vaguely then glanced back down the boardwalk to where they had abandoned her friends. “I suppose we should rejoin them.”
“I suppose.” He nodded.
She gave a soft chuck then took his arm and propelled them in the diner’s direction. “If I don’t improve my mood soon, Maura will have me packing and returning home before I ruin everyone’s weekend.”
He leaned closer and said, “Tell you what. Let’s make a pack. No more fighting for the rest of the weekend. Let’s simply enjoy it.”
She grinned up at him and replied, “Deal.”
Still, as they strolled back to the restaurant she couldn’t shake the disturbing feeling that nagged her insides. He didn’t give her a clear answer about his next relocation. A tiny fear plagued the back of her mind for the rest of the day. The possibility of losing Daniel was impending, and that realization left a sore spot in her chest.
She buried the disturbing thought and, as promised to Daniel, concentrated instead on having fun. That was the reason for this weekend after all. It had been a tradition with Maura and herself since they were old enough to drive and spend a weekend away from home. She loved coming down here to their favorite weekend getaway. The hopping and lively atmosphere was what she loved best.
