Willow Smoke (67 page)

“You’ll
be
back?”

“Yes,
I
have
to
work
things
out
with
Nick.
I’m
perfectly safe in my own place.”

“Maybe
not.”

“What
has
Nick
told
you?”

“Don’t
be
cross
with
him.
He
only
told
me
enough
so
I
would
call
the
police
if
a
Mr.
Reggie
Lassiter
shows
up
on
our
doorstep.”

Daisy’s
shoulders
sagged.
“I
hope
my
coming
here
hasn’t
put
you
in
danger,
too.
Nick
wasn’t
supposed
to
find
out
about
my
family.”

Shrugging
her
shoulders,
Mrs.
Brown
replied,
“It don’t matter. I’ve probably
seen
worse
than
your
brother-in-law.
And
Nick
would’ve found out sooner or later. It
won’t matter to him.”

“It does to me.”

“Shouldn’t.
You’re
strong.
You’ve
got
street sense,
girl.
You
can
handle
whatever
comes
your
way.
Even
Nicholas
Underwood.”

“How
can
you
tell?”
Daisy
wanted
to
believe.

“Your
eyes.
You
have
honest
eyes
that
see
much.
And
the
way
you
carry
yourself.
Like
a
cat
ready
to
pounce
or
flee,
depending
on
what
she
sees.”

Laughing,
Daisy
said,
“I
hope
you’re
right.
You
sure
pay
a
lot
of
attention
to
how
people
walk.”

“Yes, I do. I’ve spent
many more years than you watching and scheming to protect
myself
and
what’s
mine.”

“So
your
sister
didn’t
come
around
today?”

Daisy
shook
her
head
at
Nick,
who
sat
beside
her
on
the
leather
couch
before
a
small
fire
in
the
marble
fireplace.
It
was
unseasonably
cool,
and
the
fire
warmed
her
chilled
bones.
She’d
just
returned
to
the
Kenwood
house
after
spending
the
day
being
sentry
at
her
sister’s
bedside.

“No. Doctor Anderson
thinks maybe tomorrow, but it’s hard to predict.” Daisy
tucked
a
leg
under
a
thigh
and
rocked
forward.
“He
says
she’s
resting
comfortably
and
healing
and
that’s
what’s
important.”

“Any
sign
of
Reggie?”

“Hardly,”
she
replied,
placing
a
hand
on
his
arm.
“I
don’t
think
we’ll
see
his
face
until
his
nose
recovers.”

Nick
grunted.
“Just
don’t
count
on
it.
He’s
going
to
be
a
problem.”

“He
always
has
been.”

“Did you meet Mrs. B.?”

Daisy
brightened.
“Oh
yes,
early
this
morning.
Well, not so early, I’m afraid. She’s
quite
the
woman.
Sounds
like
she
came
with
the
house.”

“She
did.
The
seller
almost
made
it
a
condition
of
the
contract.
Keeping
her
on
was
one
of
the
best
choices
I
ever
made.
This
place
functions
because
she
knows
what
to
do.
I
dread
thinking
of
the
day
when
she
won’t
be
around
any
longer.”

Gazing
at
the
fire,
Daisy
nodded.
“We
seemed
to
hit it off right
away. So you don’t
bring
women
here.”

“Ms.
B.
also
likes
to
gab.”
Nick
patted
Daisy’s
thigh. “Yes, you’re the first woman to
sleep
in
my
bed
since
I
split
with
my
ex.”

“So
why
me?”

“Can’t
explain
that
entirely.
You
delight
me in ways I never dreamed off. Maybe it’s
your youthful enthusiasm.”

“Did
you
take
advantage
of
my
vulnerability
yesterday
to
bring
me
here?”
Daisy
eyed
Nick
without
accusing.

Taking
a
deep
breath
before
responding,
Nick
replied,
“Yeah,
I
imagine
I
did
a
little.
I’ve
wanted
to
bring
you
here
for
a
while
now.
But
you
seemed
so
put
off
by
my money, I waited. With your safety in question, it was a no-brainer.
Oh, you
could
have
gone
to
the
Travers
farm,
but
that’s
a
long
commute.
I
could
have
put
you
in
a
hotel,
but
bringing
you
to
my
home seemed right at the moment.
I hope it
doesn’t
bother
you
too
much.”

“Oh, I’m adjusting;
maybe too well.
It’s
a
beautiful
house.
I
love
the
hardwood
floors
and
the
French
doors
and
the
built
in
cupboards.
It’s
so
spacious
a
person
could
get
lost
here.
And
Mrs.
Brown
is
a
real
card.
And
it’s
good
to
know
more
about
who
you
are.”

“Good.
I’m
glad
you
like
it.
Then
you’ll
stay.”

Daisy
crossed
her
arms.
“Only
until
my
sister
can
get
on
her
feet.
I’ll
need
to
be
with
her
as
she
recovers.
Then
I’ll
go
back
to
my
place.
I
admit
that
Reggie
unsettled
me
yesterday,
and
I
do
like
your
support,
but
eventually
I
have
to
stand
on
my
own.”
A
harshness
had
crept
into
her
voice
that
she
couldn’t
explain.

Nick
slid
his
glasses
up
his
nose
and
glanced
over
at
the
fire.
“That’s
good
enough
for
now.
Let’s
take
it
a
day
at
a
time
and
see
what
develops.”

Daisy
snuggled
into
his
outstretched
arm.
It
was
going
to
be
difficult
to
keep
her
guard
up—her
emotional
guard.
She
could
get
used
to
his
lifestyle
and
his
constant
presence
if
she
wasn’t
careful.
And
then
what
would
she
do
when
he
was
ready
to
move on to some other woman, or to some
other toy? Wasn’t that how Mrs. Brown
described
the
horses?
His
latest
toys?