Read Online FLOWERS and CAGES by Mary J. Williams - Free Book Online
Authors: Mary J. Williams
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put you on speaker."
Everybody included Ashe, Zoe, and Ryder's girlfriend, Quinn Abernathy. She was new to the group, but Ryder trusted her implicitly. That was good enough for Dalton.
"How's it going?" Ashe asked after everyone had said hello.
"It started off great. The drive was relaxing. About ten miles short of Midas, my car went to shit."
Dalton explained about the smoke and how he barely made it into town before the car gave up the ghost.
"You're lucky you found a garage," Ryder said.
"What are you doing about transportation?" The question came from Zoe.
"The mechanic had a car to rent."
Dalton didn't go into detail about Colleen. Or that there even was a Colleen. At this point, what was there to say? Except that he met a sexy redhead who made him laugh. In all likelihood, that was as far as it would go. If he and Colleen became lovers—a hope, not a certainty—it was nobody's business but theirs.
As a group, Dalton and his friends shared almost everything. There were no secrets. Trust was rock solid. However, when it came to his—or anyone's—sex life, they respected each other's privacy.
"Did you speak with your sister?" Ashe asked.
"I suppose you could call it that."
It helped to share the details of his meeting with Maggie. Talking it out clarified things in his mind—at least as much as possible.
"It sounds like a muddled mess." The concern in Ryder's voice was to be expected. He took his responsibilities as leader seriously. He didn't like to be so far away and powerless.
"You know Maggie. Vague is her middle name. Unless Norris has some earthshaking revelation to impart, I plan on cutting them off for good."
"Hallelujah," Zoe called out. "It's about time. Maggie's big-eyed wounded doe routine makes me gag."
"She is my sister, Zoe." Dalton couldn't defend Maggie, but he wasn't going to trash her either.
"Anything else?"
Dalton didn't have to ask what Ryder meant.
"Nothing concrete. Tonight at dinner, it felt as though someone was watching me. But…" Someone was always watching. Fame—and all its perks—meant a certain loss of privacy. Dalton was used to it and barely noticed anymore. However, while he was in Midas, his radar was on high alert.
"What happened?" Ryder demanded.
"Nothing. I was fine until we left the restaurant. That was when my sense of unease shifted into high."
" We left the restaurant?"
Dalton sighed. Leave it to Ashe to latch onto his slip of the tongue.
"I had dinner with my mechanic. It was nice to have some company."
Dalton thought that was the end of it. He should have known better. Ashe and Ryder would have assumed the mechanic was a man. Sure, it was sexist. But even an enlightened man was allowed a slip or two. There weren't a lot of women who worked on cars. It was hard to blame his friends for their linear points of view. It took a woman—or two—to think outside that particular box.
"What's her name?" Zoe asked.
"Well, shit," Dalton muttered.
Laughing, Quinn added, "What does she look like?"
"Your mechanic is a woman?" Ashe whistled. "Maybe Midas isn't as backward as we thought."
Knowing he was stuck, Dalton took his only way out. Just the facts, ma'am.
"Her name is Colleen McNamara. She has red hair. Green eyes. The sweetest smile and fantastic legs." Dalton left out Colleen's fine ass. He considered that too much information even between best friends.
"It figures." Zoe had an expert sneer, but to her credit, the one she sent Dalton's way was toned down. "It took you less than a day to find a playmate."
"We shared one meal. No playing involved." Dalton didn't add that he hoped that would change. His friends knew him too well to assume otherwise.
"I shouldn't have to remind you what happened the last time you fooled around in Midas."
Ryder was right. Dalton didn't need reminding. However, he was older and wiser. And Colleen was neither married nor a lying, cold-hearted bitch.
"I'll be careful. Maybe too careful."
"What do you mean?"
Dalton
Everybody included Ashe, Zoe, and Ryder's girlfriend, Quinn Abernathy. She was new to the group, but Ryder trusted her implicitly. That was good enough for Dalton.
"How's it going?" Ashe asked after everyone had said hello.
"It started off great. The drive was relaxing. About ten miles short of Midas, my car went to shit."
Dalton explained about the smoke and how he barely made it into town before the car gave up the ghost.
"You're lucky you found a garage," Ryder said.
"What are you doing about transportation?" The question came from Zoe.
"The mechanic had a car to rent."
Dalton didn't go into detail about Colleen. Or that there even was a Colleen. At this point, what was there to say? Except that he met a sexy redhead who made him laugh. In all likelihood, that was as far as it would go. If he and Colleen became lovers—a hope, not a certainty—it was nobody's business but theirs.
As a group, Dalton and his friends shared almost everything. There were no secrets. Trust was rock solid. However, when it came to his—or anyone's—sex life, they respected each other's privacy.
"Did you speak with your sister?" Ashe asked.
"I suppose you could call it that."
It helped to share the details of his meeting with Maggie. Talking it out clarified things in his mind—at least as much as possible.
"It sounds like a muddled mess." The concern in Ryder's voice was to be expected. He took his responsibilities as leader seriously. He didn't like to be so far away and powerless.
"You know Maggie. Vague is her middle name. Unless Norris has some earthshaking revelation to impart, I plan on cutting them off for good."
"Hallelujah," Zoe called out. "It's about time. Maggie's big-eyed wounded doe routine makes me gag."
"She is my sister, Zoe." Dalton couldn't defend Maggie, but he wasn't going to trash her either.
"Anything else?"
Dalton didn't have to ask what Ryder meant.
"Nothing concrete. Tonight at dinner, it felt as though someone was watching me. But…" Someone was always watching. Fame—and all its perks—meant a certain loss of privacy. Dalton was used to it and barely noticed anymore. However, while he was in Midas, his radar was on high alert.
"What happened?" Ryder demanded.
"Nothing. I was fine until we left the restaurant. That was when my sense of unease shifted into high."
" We left the restaurant?"
Dalton sighed. Leave it to Ashe to latch onto his slip of the tongue.
"I had dinner with my mechanic. It was nice to have some company."
Dalton thought that was the end of it. He should have known better. Ashe and Ryder would have assumed the mechanic was a man. Sure, it was sexist. But even an enlightened man was allowed a slip or two. There weren't a lot of women who worked on cars. It was hard to blame his friends for their linear points of view. It took a woman—or two—to think outside that particular box.
"What's her name?" Zoe asked.
"Well, shit," Dalton muttered.
Laughing, Quinn added, "What does she look like?"
"Your mechanic is a woman?" Ashe whistled. "Maybe Midas isn't as backward as we thought."
Knowing he was stuck, Dalton took his only way out. Just the facts, ma'am.
"Her name is Colleen McNamara. She has red hair. Green eyes. The sweetest smile and fantastic legs." Dalton left out Colleen's fine ass. He considered that too much information even between best friends.
"It figures." Zoe had an expert sneer, but to her credit, the one she sent Dalton's way was toned down. "It took you less than a day to find a playmate."
"We shared one meal. No playing involved." Dalton didn't add that he hoped that would change. His friends knew him too well to assume otherwise.
"I shouldn't have to remind you what happened the last time you fooled around in Midas."
Ryder was right. Dalton didn't need reminding. However, he was older and wiser. And Colleen was neither married nor a lying, cold-hearted bitch.
"I'll be careful. Maybe too careful."
"What do you mean?"
Dalton
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