All Is Bright (5 page)

Libby's chuckle held a bit of unease as if she wasn't sure
Delilah wasn't going to strangle her. “He practically fell over himself in his eagerness to say yes.”

The mental image of that made Delilah choke back a laugh. “You should have talked to me first. So when did he agree to take me? I need to go right away, tomorrow.” She might be able to get out of it if Tom had plans for the next few days.

“He's coming at seven in the morning.” Libby looked smug. “You didn't think I would let any loophole develop in my plan, did you?”

Delilah slapped her palm against her forehead. “Why is everyone trying to fix me up with Tom? I mean, he's a nice man and everything. I like him, I do. Are you trying to get rid of me or something? You want to hire someone else to take my job?” The thought of someone else in this small apartment and behind the reception desk gave her pause. “I'll just let him know it's not necessary.”

“You'll do no such thing! You need a fast turnaround on those flowers, and this is the way to do it. You'll have a great time too.” Libby rose and went to throw open Delilah's closet. “What are you going to wear?”

Delilah sighed and joined her at the closet door. “Jeans and a T-shirt.” She reached in and grabbed the shirt she usually wore for painting, then held it up to her chest. “How about this one? Goes with my eyes, doesn't it?” She batted her lashes at Libby, who burst into laughter.

Libby snatched it away and stuck it back in the closet. “I think these khaki slacks with this blue-and-white sweater would look nice. And those cute red wedges you never wear.”

“I'm picking out flowers, not trying to get Tom's attention.” But she let Libby lay out the clothes on a straight-backed chair. “I can't even remember the last time I wore anything but jeans or yoga pants.”

“It's high time then.” A self-satisfied smile played around Libby's lips. “Tom won't know what hit him.”

“You're expecting way too much out of tomorrow,” Delilah warned.

“We'll see. Lunch in Kill Devil Hills would be nice. Alec has a car parked in a lot at Kitty Hawk, and you guys can use it to run around.” She dug a set of keys out of her pocket and dropped them into Delilah's palm. “Have fun.”

“Slave driver.” Delilah walked her to the door, but she couldn't help a tiny niggle of excitement.

F
IVE

D
ELILAH HADN
'
T SAID MUCH WHEN
T
OM ARRIVED AT
Tidewater Inn and escorted her to his boat at the pier. The day was around forty-five degrees, and he put her in the warmest spot he could find right next to him in the bridge. He'd brought several blankets and wrapped her in one before they got started. Only a few clouds floated in the pale-blue sky, but the sea breeze zipped right through his Windbreaker.

The boat rose and fell with the whitecaps as he turned the boat toward Kill Devil Hills. A dolphin zipped alongside the boat for a while before zooming off to join its pod. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “You okay?”

The wind lifted her dark curls as she turned her head and smiled at him. “Fine. Thanks for bringing me today. How'd you get off work?”

“Even a sheriff can use a vacation day. I haven't taken any time off this year at all. I was due.” Had Libby coerced her into coming? Asked him to bring Delilah before talking to her? He
wouldn't ask Libby that for any amount of money though. For one thing, he didn't want to know if it was true.

What would Delilah think if she knew he was looking for her brother? When running the check on her past, he found out she hadn't heard from her brother in all these years, so he'd decided to try to find Adam for her as a surprise. But the guy hadn't popped up in his search. It was better not to mention his investigation to Delilah just in case he was dead.

Homes along the shore were decked out with driftwood “trees” decorated with ornaments that shimmered in the sunlight. They should be pretty all lit up. Maybe the excursion would take long enough that their return would be after dark.

Delilah leaned forward as he docked the boat on the sound side in Kitty Hawk. “It's pretty deserted.” She pointed to a black vehicle. “There's Alec's truck.”

Was that a hint of excitement in her voice? At least she was smiling. Whatever had been eating her seemed to have left with the sight of the festive decorations. He helped her off the boat, and she handed him the truck keys.

The Chevy truck started with the first try. “Where to first?”

She consulted a note on her phone. “There are quite a few florists in the area. Let's start with one in Kill Devil Hills. I could use some coffee too.”

“I am reading your mind. Front Porch Café, right?” He headed the truck toward Highway 158.

“My mouth is already watering.”

He thought about all the things he could say. Like how pretty she looked and how perfect her skin was in the bright
morning sunshine. Or how much he liked the navy jacket against her dark curls. In the end he barely mustered up, “I like red shoes.”

Her face went a little pink, and she looked down at her red wedges. “Me, too, but I don't usually have the courage to wear them. Libby talked me into it though. She said they would feel festive and Christmassy. I've been so focused on the wedding that I've barely thought about Christmas beyond what I'm fixing for dinner.”

“What do you say we make a day of it and get your Christmas shopping finished then? I need to get a few things too.” Did he just say that? He shot her a glance to see if she was offended, but she turned her head to smile at him, and the tension in his chest released.

“A guy who offers to take a girl shopping is one of a kind.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You trying to bribe me or something?”

“Well, I wouldn't say no to a pan of your famous chocolate-and-peanut butter brownies.”

“We'll see if you deserve them. It all depends on how much you rush me in the bookstore.”

The banter between them made him grin down at her. Maybe she liked him just a little. “Bookstore?”

“I like to buy books as gifts. There's the perfect book for everyone.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “And what book would be perfect for me?”

Her perfectly shaped dark brows lifted, and she looked him
over. “Hmm. You're a man's man. You'd charge hell with a water pistol, but you have a softer side you don't like to show. I didn't quite see it myself until you offered to go shopping. I mean, what man does that?” Her laughter rang out, and her eyes sparkled. “So I'll have to think about that book for you.”

“Does that mean I'm invited for Christmas dinner?” He navigated the traffic as he watched for mile marker six.

“Aren't you always?” She turned away to look out the window. “There's the café. I can almost taste that Morning Glory Muffin.”

His elation burst like an overfilled water balloon. Maybe her banter was because she viewed him as one of the family. He needed to be careful or he'd get hurt.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Doggone it, no. Protecting himself was his usual reaction. Delilah was special and he'd always known it. He was going for broke on this, and he'd let the chips fall where they may. If she ended up trampling his heart, at least he would go down knowing he'd given it his all.

This was the fourth florist, and Tom was beginning to think no one would be able to help them. Once again they were told that the lilies of the valley Elin wanted were hard to find even in season, let alone at Christmastime. Several offered white baby's breath instead, but they thanked them and continued the search.

They exited the shop, and Tom blinked in the sunshine and stepped to Delilah's side so his bulk shielded her from the worst of the wind. “We're beginning to run out of florists. We could go on up to Richmond maybe.”

Delilah nibbled on her lip, a trait he found endearing. “I'm beginning to think I need to tell Elin what's going on.”

“You're Wonder Woman, but there's a limit to even what you can do. You can't fabricate flowers out of thin air.”

“I would if I could. I so hate to disappoint Elin.” She sighed and pulled out her phone. “I'm going to call her.”

Tom listened to her side of the conversation and saw her shoulders relax. When she ended the call, he took her arm and steered her toward the street. “She's okay with baby's breath?”

“Yes, thank goodness. Elin is not a bridezilla in any way. She was a lot less stressed about it than I am.” She stepped off the curb and into the parking lot to cross to the truck, parked on the far side of the lot.

The hair on the back of Tom's neck prickled, and he looked around at the people hurrying to and from the shops in the small strip mall. His intuition told him they were being watched, but no one appeared to be taking undue note of them. In an apartment above a card shop, a curtain twitched, and he shaded his eyes to stare at the window.

“Something wrong?” Delilah's voice held alarm.

“A goose walked over my grave, I guess.” He never dialed down his situational awareness, not even during social occasions. No sense in worrying her though.

He guided her to the truck and opened her door. A white
envelope lay on the passenger seat with her name scrawled across it in bold lettering. “Hold on.”

She craned her neck to look around him. “A card?”

“Looks like it. I had a feeling someone might be watching us, but I'd hoped it was my imagination. Guess not.” He pulled latex gloves out of his pocket and put them on before picking up the envelope by one corner.

It wasn't sealed, so he opened the flap and pulled out the card. The handmade card cover was a picture of Tidewater Inn taken by the shore. His gut tightened, and he flipped it open to read the message inside.

I'll be here when you least expect me.

Delilah gasped. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “He's just trying to scare you.”

“He's doing a good job.” Her voice shook and she bit her lip. “I wish I knew who was doing this and why. I don't have a single enemy. It makes no sense.”

“There are a lot of disturbed people out there. I want you to continue to go through every relationship you've ever had, every exchange in the grocery store or parking lot. Maybe something will come to mind that will help us figure this out.”

“Okay.” She blew out a shaky breath. “I think I need sustenance. The smell of those enchiladas is making me hungry. And I need more coffee if I'm going to face any more rejections by florists.”

He grinned at the way she was able to push away her fear and soldier on. “Bad Bean Baja Grill it is! They make the best mahimahi tacos on the planet.”

“And their Baja salad has jicama in it. I love it.”

They walked toward the street, and he found himself taking her hand. She didn't pull away but, instead, curled her fingers around his in a companionable way as if they'd done it a million times. Once they were seated side by side in a booth inside the brightly decorated restaurant, he smoothed the card again and looked it over.

Her shoulder brushed his. “The guy made it himself out of card stock.”

“Yeah.” He studied the bold lettering. “Clearly a man's handwriting.”

“Something about it seems familiar. When I get back to the inn, I think I'll go over the guest registry and see if anyone's signature looks like this guy's lettering.”

“Good idea. And I'll hang on to this for evidence.”

The server took their orders and brought their drinks, iced tea for both of them. “I thought you wanted coffee,” he said when the server departed.

She wrinkled her nose. “Not restaurant coffee, coffee shop coffee. I'm picky.”

“I used to be, before I worked in law enforcement. Now I'll even take day-old coffee if I have to.”

She shuddered. “You're my hero.”

He plucked her hand off the table. “I'd like to be.” Staring into her blue eyes, he felt something shift between them. Awareness sparked in her eyes, but she didn't look away. Since she probably wasn't going to answer his statement, he felt the need to fill the silence somehow and cleared his throat.

“I'm going to court you, Delilah. That's an old-fashioned word, but I'm an old-fashioned guy. If nothing else, this situation you've found yourself in has shown me clearly I have feelings for you. Feelings I've buried for the past couple of years, but I won't do it anymore. You can tell me to go away if you want, but I'll keep knocking on your door until you give us a chance.”

She caught her breath, and her fingers tightened on his. “What if one of us gets hurt?”

He put on his best Westley impression. “ ‘Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.'”