AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I am," she said, just now realizing she couldn't remember when she'd last eaten. She glanced at her watch. "But it's late by Merritt's standards. I don't know what's open."
"I do."
"Hi, Grace."
"Hi, Dodge."
The bartender's smile dimmed a bit when she saw that he had Berry with him. "This is Berry Malone."
"We met once," Berry said, smiling at the other woman.
"You must be awfully relieved that that Starks character has been caught."
"I am."
"Is he still alive?"
"Hanging on by a thread," Dodge said. "Are you serving food this time of night?"
She nodded toward a row of booths along the far wall. "Claim a table. I'll bring menus over. What would you like to drink?"
Dodge ordered a bottled beer. Berry said that sounded good and ordered the same. They sat opposite each other on faux leather benches. The tabletop between them was made of heavily shellacked wood. Providing light was a red glass holder with a flickering candle inside. Grace brought their drinks. After a quick review of the laminated menu, they both ordered cheeseburgers and fries.
Grace returned to the bar. They were alone. Dodge watched Berry take a sip from her bottle of beer. He chuckled.
"What?" she said.
"Nothing."
"You're surprised that I'm drinking beer from the bottle."
That was precisely what he'd found amusing, but he remained noncommittal.
"Mother wouldn't be caught dead," Berry said. "She thinks it's unladylike." She took another drink, watching him down the length of the chilled bottle. When she lowered it to the table, she said quietly, "But you know that, don't you, Dodge?"
He leaned back against the tufted leather and studied her for a moment, knew that she knew. Gruffly, he said, "That's just one of your mother's prissy taboos."
"But you loved her in spite of them."
He reached for his own bottle, but, although his mouth had gone dry, he found he no longer had a thirst for the beer. He rubbed the condensation between his fingers as his gaze stayed fixed on the familiar beer label. "So you know. About me. Us." Although it took all the courage he had, he lifted his eyes to those of his daughter.
She nodded.
"When Caroline finds out, she'll be furious."
"She knows."
"She does? Since when?"
"Last night. I had figured it out. She confirmed it."
"She didn't want you to know."
She gave him an arch look. "Oh no? Then why did she involve you in this?"
Grace brought their burgers. After serving them and asking if they needed anything else, she left them to their meal. Berry wasn't shy. She dug in. Dodge had lost his appetite.
"How'd you guess? I treated you no differently than--"
