with a startled movement to see a tall, heavily built, middle-aged man
standing beside the table. He was accompanied by an exquisitely dressed woman who appeared to be a
few years younger. She smiled warmly at Heather while she waited for her husband to finish greeting
Flynn. Heather knew at once the older woman hadn’t missed the way Flynn’s hand had been covering hers
on the snowy tablecloth. She probably hadn’t missed the intensity of his expression, either. Heather found
herself vastly relieved by the interruption. Matters had been building to a climax and Heather wasn’t sure
how to stop the forces that had been set in motion.
Flynn recovered from his initial irritated surprise and quickly made introductions. „Heather, I want you to
meet Carolyn and Harold Salisbury. Friends of mine. This is Heather Devaney.“
„How do you do, Heather,“ Carolyn Salisbury said with charming grace. „It’s good to see Flynn resum-
ing his social life. He’s been quite busy since he returned from Saudi Arabia a month and a half ago.“
Harold Salisbury chuckled expansively, eyeing Heather with a knowing look. „Looks like Rammage is
well on his way toward finding a mother for that boy of his, Carolyn. What do you think? Interested in the
job, Heather?“
Heather didn’t look at Flynn. She didn’t dare. She sensed his utter stillness on the other side of the table,
but she had her hands full trying to maintain a polite facade in front of his friends.
„I’ve never met Flynn’s son,“ she murmured. „In fact, Flynn and I have never discussed children very
much at all.“
„That’s because there were other things that had to be gotten out of the way first.“ Flynn’s voice cut
through the small silence like a knife. „Heather and I are still getting to know each other. We have a lot to
talk about.“
Harold Salisbury chuckled again. „And if that’s not a hint, I don’t know what is. Come on, Carolyn, let’s
leave these two alone. Give me a call one of these days, Rammage. We really should get together soon. I
want to hear what you think of that new redevelopment project some idiot politician is proposing for down-
town.“
„Sure, Harold. I’ll give you a call. Good night, Carolyn.“ Flynn was on his feet, his manner stiff but
polite.
„Good night, Flynn. Nice to see you again. And nice to meet you, Heather.“ Carolyn Salisbury smiled
benignly, a trace of amused understanding in her eyes as she allowed her husband to lead her off. Flynn sat
down slowly, his eyes never leaving Heather’s face.
„You already knew, didn’t you,“ he finally said. It was a statement, not a question. „That’s what all this
was about tonight.“
Heather stared down at her wineglass as she twisted the stem in her fingers. She suddenly wished the
entire evening would simply disappear, but she knew it wouldn’t. She’d never been that lucky around Flynn
Rammage. „All what was about?“
„The bright clothes, the bright chatter, all that nonsense about dating divorced men who have kids. You
were setting me up.“
Her eyes jerked upward to meet his grim gaze. „I wanted you to tell me the truth. I was infuriated that
you hadn’t.“
Flynn continued to contemplate her as though he had never quite seen her before. „How long have you
known?“
„About your son? Since this afternoon. One of the women at lunch had heard her boss mention you and
the fact that you’d recently gotten custody of the boy.“
„His name is Jeremy.“ Flynn’s tone was a little rough.
„Jeremy.“ Heather repeated the name softly to herself as the waiter materialized out of nowhere,
carrying their dinner entrees. She tried to concentrate on the beautifully prepared tortellini in basil sauce that
was being placed in front of her, but all she could think about was that now there was a name to go with
Flynn’s son. Jeremy.
„He’s almost four years old,“ Flynn went on coolly as his prime rib
standing beside the table. He was accompanied by an exquisitely dressed woman who appeared to be a
few years younger. She smiled warmly at Heather while she waited for her husband to finish greeting
Flynn. Heather knew at once the older woman hadn’t missed the way Flynn’s hand had been covering hers
on the snowy tablecloth. She probably hadn’t missed the intensity of his expression, either. Heather found
herself vastly relieved by the interruption. Matters had been building to a climax and Heather wasn’t sure
how to stop the forces that had been set in motion.
Flynn recovered from his initial irritated surprise and quickly made introductions. „Heather, I want you to
meet Carolyn and Harold Salisbury. Friends of mine. This is Heather Devaney.“
„How do you do, Heather,“ Carolyn Salisbury said with charming grace. „It’s good to see Flynn resum-
ing his social life. He’s been quite busy since he returned from Saudi Arabia a month and a half ago.“
Harold Salisbury chuckled expansively, eyeing Heather with a knowing look. „Looks like Rammage is
well on his way toward finding a mother for that boy of his, Carolyn. What do you think? Interested in the
job, Heather?“
Heather didn’t look at Flynn. She didn’t dare. She sensed his utter stillness on the other side of the table,
but she had her hands full trying to maintain a polite facade in front of his friends.
„I’ve never met Flynn’s son,“ she murmured. „In fact, Flynn and I have never discussed children very
much at all.“
„That’s because there were other things that had to be gotten out of the way first.“ Flynn’s voice cut
through the small silence like a knife. „Heather and I are still getting to know each other. We have a lot to
talk about.“
Harold Salisbury chuckled again. „And if that’s not a hint, I don’t know what is. Come on, Carolyn, let’s
leave these two alone. Give me a call one of these days, Rammage. We really should get together soon. I
want to hear what you think of that new redevelopment project some idiot politician is proposing for down-
town.“
„Sure, Harold. I’ll give you a call. Good night, Carolyn.“ Flynn was on his feet, his manner stiff but
polite.
„Good night, Flynn. Nice to see you again. And nice to meet you, Heather.“ Carolyn Salisbury smiled
benignly, a trace of amused understanding in her eyes as she allowed her husband to lead her off. Flynn sat
down slowly, his eyes never leaving Heather’s face.
„You already knew, didn’t you,“ he finally said. It was a statement, not a question. „That’s what all this
was about tonight.“
Heather stared down at her wineglass as she twisted the stem in her fingers. She suddenly wished the
entire evening would simply disappear, but she knew it wouldn’t. She’d never been that lucky around Flynn
Rammage. „All what was about?“
„The bright clothes, the bright chatter, all that nonsense about dating divorced men who have kids. You
were setting me up.“
Her eyes jerked upward to meet his grim gaze. „I wanted you to tell me the truth. I was infuriated that
you hadn’t.“
Flynn continued to contemplate her as though he had never quite seen her before. „How long have you
known?“
„About your son? Since this afternoon. One of the women at lunch had heard her boss mention you and
the fact that you’d recently gotten custody of the boy.“
„His name is Jeremy.“ Flynn’s tone was a little rough.
„Jeremy.“ Heather repeated the name softly to herself as the waiter materialized out of nowhere,
carrying their dinner entrees. She tried to concentrate on the beautifully prepared tortellini in basil sauce that
was being placed in front of her, but all she could think about was that now there was a name to go with
Flynn’s son. Jeremy.
„He’s almost four years old,“ Flynn went on coolly as his prime rib
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