Read Online Be My Valentine by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A

thought to ask first.
    â€œAh, yes. Sam Horton’s already invited us, but thanks.”
    â€œSam Horton,” Beth repeated and she and Shirley shared a significant look. “My, my, you are traveling in elevated circles these days. Well, more power to you. And good luck with Steve Creighton. I’ve been saying for ages that it’s time someone bagged him. I hope it’s you.”
    â€œThanks,” Dianne said, feeling more than a little confused by this unexpected turn of events. Everyone knew Steve, right down to her PTA friends. It didn’t make a lot of sense.
    Steve returned a moment later, carrying two slender flutes of champagne. “I’d like you to meet some friends of mine,” he said, leading her across the room to where several couples were standing. The circle immediately opened to include them. Dianne recognized the mayor and a couple of others.
    Dianne threw Steve a puzzled look. He certainly was a social animal, but the people he knew…Still, why should she be surprised? A tow-truck operator would have plenty of opportunity to meet community leaders. And Steve was such a likable man, who obviously made friends easily.
    A four-piece band began playing forties’ swing, and after the introductions, Dianne found her toe tapping to the music.
    â€œNext year we should make this a dinner-dance,” Steve suggested, smiling down on Dianne. He casually put his hand on her shoulder as if he’d been doing that for months.
    â€œGreat idea,” Port Blossom’s mayor said, nodding. “You might bring it up at the March committee meeting.”
    Dianne frowned, not certain she understood. It was several minutes before she had a chance to ask Steve about the comment.
    â€œI’m on the board of directors for the community center,” he explained briefly.
    â€œYou are?” Dianne took another sip of her champagne. Some of the details were beginning to get muddled in her mind, and she wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with the champagne.
    â€œDoes that surprise you?”
    â€œYes. I thought you had to be, you know, a business owner to be on the board of directors.”
    Now it was Steve’s turn to frown. “I am.”
    â€œYou are?” Dianne asked. Her hand tightened around the long stem of her glass. “What business?”
    â€œPort Blossom Towing.”
    That did it. Dianne drank what remained of her champagne in a single gulp. “You mean to say you own the company?”
    â€œYes. Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
    She glared up at him, her eyes narrowed and distrusting. “I didn’t.”

Eight
    S teve Creighton had made a fool of her.
    Dianne was so infuriated she couldn’t wait to be alone with him so she could give him a piece of her mind. Loudly.
    â€œWhat’s that got to do with anything?” Steve asked.
    Dianne continued to glare at him, unable to form any words yet. It wasn’t just that he owned the towing company or even that he was a member of the board of directors for the community center. It was the fact that he’d deceived her.
    â€œYou should’ve told me you owned the company!” she hissed.
    â€œI gave you my business card,” he said, shrugging.
    â€œYou gave me your business card,” she mimicked in a furious whisper. “The least you could’ve done was mention it. I feel like an idiot.”
    Steve was wearing a perplexed frown, as if he found her response completely unreasonable. “To be honest, I assumed you knew. I wasn’t purposely keeping it from you.”
    That wasn’t the only thing disturbing her, but the second concern was even more troubling than the first. “While I’m on the subject, what are you? Some sort of…love god?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œFrom the moment we arrived all the women I know, and even some I don’t, have been crowding around me asking all sorts of leading questions.