The Patriot Girl (8 page)

Her mother and Maggie disappeared behind the counter in the kitchen while MaKayla followed the three men into the living room.

“So, Little Mackey…” Buck puffed on his smoke. Hearing the nickname he branded her with the morning he had chased her around the house with a snake made her smile. He’d been more of an uncle to her than a friend. “Tell me about this business of yours.”

How ironic to be sitting on the sofa with the one man whose brain she needed to pick. As a country music singer, he’d been promoting himself most of his life. If anyone could give her a few marketing ideas on Dustin’s nightclub, Buck was the man.

“Well, I’m meeting a client tomorrow night to discuss a grand opening for his business. I’m hoping he likes my plan and will sign a contract.”

“Grand opening? For what kind of business?”

“He owns a country nightclub near my house.”

Buck puffed his cigar several times. “I have an idea for your PR business.”

Advice from Buck was sure to be worth its weight in gold. She gave him her undivided attention. “I’m listening.”

He flicked the ashes into the ashtray. “How about a two-for-one deal?”

“What do you mean?”

“My recording company is doing a greatest hits CD and they want me to start promotions by the end of October. If you get this guy’s contract, how would you feel about me making my first appearance at your grand opening?”

A butterfly feeling tickled the inside of MaKayla’s belly. This could mean the difference of falling flat on her face or reaching for the stars.

It would only give her about six weeks to plan the biggest party Dalton had ever seen. But aside from the eight hours a day she had to spend at the bank during the week, she’d have nights and weekends to work on the promotions.

She could do this. She
had
to do this. As her father would say,
sleep would come when she died
.

“Yes!” Her lips spilled out the answer before her mind had time to process his request. No way could she pass up this offer. This would surely seal the deal tomorrow night, not to mention giving Dustin a good impression about her work ethics. “I’d love to.”

“Good.” He handed her a business card. “I’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Buck!” MaKayla wrapped her arms around his neck.

She couldn’t wait to tell Dustin the news. She’d landed her ace-in-the-hole to get both No Bulls and M & M Public Relations off the ground.

****

Dustin glanced at the gold lettering on the business card MaKayla had handed him yesterday. Was it possible that he had kissed Paul Adams’ widow after dinner last night? If it were true, how was he supposed to break this news to her?
By the way, I’m the reason your husband’s dead.
No way would a dozen French roses smooth over this news.

She was no longer the woman he met during a robbery, or the publicist he planned to hire. She was a woman he was beginning to care for.

Dana! She’d know what to say. The last thing he wanted was to send the wrong words flying out of his mouth and slap MaKayla across the face with them. He needed words that would ease the blow, and at the same time express how sorry he was the accident had occurred.

He sat behind his desk and gripped the cordless phone with a shaky hand. It was a good thing his sister was on speed dial because he couldn’t remember his own phone number at the moment. C
alm down.
His guilt had to be making too much out of the information on the business card.

The police had told his family the accident wasn’t anyone’s fault. Paul Adams had slid through the red light because of the wet street that evening. MaKayla had nothing to blame him for. She was a reasonable woman. She wouldn’t go ballistic on him as long as he confessed.

He had to be able to assure her that his dream-making decision was based solely on mutual needs, and not out of guilt or pity because of their shared past. And he also had to avow that his kisses were inspired from pure attraction, and nothing more.

This sucked. He had to get in touch with his sister.

Dana would help him get his head straight.

Chapter Six

Still dressed in the same clothes from the night before, Dustin sat behind his office desk. He’d fallen asleep in his recliner waiting for his sister, who had never returned the message he’d left on her cellular. He pressed number two on his speed dial.

“Hello?” Dana screamed in his ear.

“Dana.” Even with his yelling he hoped she’d hear him through all the background laughter and loud music coming from her end.

“Where are you, Dustin?”

“At the club. If…hello?” He cursed when the phone went dead. He stormed out of his office, went behind the bar, and made a pot of coffee. Now that his sister knew he needed her, she’d get in touch with him soon.

Ten minutes later, he jumped at the pounding on the front door. Who could that be at seven o’clock on a Friday morning? Jesse, maybe, but he had a key. Dustin turned the lock and before he could open the door fully his sister pushed past him.

“Shh. Are you in trouble?”

Being an FBI agent, Dana’s mind was always “on duty.” She scouted the room to make sure the coast was clear. And when she whipped off her leather jacket and sat on a barstool, Dustin was free to breathe without being hushed.

“So what is it, bro? I just listened to your message. Why the panic?”

He placed his hand under her chin. “You look worse than I feel, Dana. Were you on a stakeout last night?” Breaking his touch, he turned around and poured two cups of coffee, setting Dana’s in front of her.

“Thanks.” She took a sip. “I wasn’t on a stakeout. Bulldog got married yesterday. You know the reception will last until Sunday night. What’s up with you?”

Even after clearing his throat twice, Dustin could barely get the words out. “I met her, Dana.” He punched the bar with a closed fist.

“Dustin, calm down. Who are you talking about? Who did you meet?”

“Remember the woman at the club last Sunday night?” His knuckles dropped to the bar as he leaned forward to meet Dana’s eyes. “I’m pretty sure she’s Paul Adams’ widow.”

“The Patriot Girl? The one from the bank robbery?” She squeezed his arm. “Does she know who you are?”

“No. I didn’t know until
after
I promised to help her out with her PR business. I’m planning on hiring her to help get this place off the ground. She’s coming here tonight to sign a contract. What am I going to do?”

“Are you sure that’s all you’re hiring her for? Because if this is only business, you wouldn’t be this upset and hurt.”

Dana was right. If he had to be honest with himself, his plan to hire MaKayla was mostly to get to know her better. The publicity was a bonus.

“Dustin, you’re hot for this chick, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am. The first time I set eyes on her, I knew she’d be trouble. But I never expected something like this. I can’t face her again without telling her the truth. But how do I tell her without her freaking out, or worse, without her walking out?”

“How does she feel about the accident?”

“How the hell am I supposed to know? It didn’t make its way into the conversation.”

“Whoa, I don’t know the chick either. You said you’re ‘pretty sure.’ What makes you think she’s his widow?”

“I’m sorry.” He gripped his hair. “Well, besides the last name, Paul’s son was fourteen at the time of the accident. MaKayla’s son is leaving for college. The timing adds up. Plus, no man in his right mind would leave a woman like her unless he had too.”

He shouldn’t be so surprised this was happening. Actually, he should be laughing at himself for thinking something so great could have been a piece of cake.

This would have been the easiest business hook-up he’d ever made, but nothing he ever wanted in life came easy. From having to prove himself to Liz’s family before he could marry her, right down to losing Liz because he had wanted a child. How could he even expect being with an intelligent, beautiful, woman would be a walk in the park?

He’d be damned if he’d let MaKayla get away without a fight. There wasn’t much in life he asked for, but when he wanted something why did he have to go through all the bullshit to get it?

Dana broke into his thoughts. “You need to be the one to break the news to her, Dustin, before someone else tells her. Even if she doesn’t blame you for the accident, she’ll be pissed you didn’t come clean the minute you found out.”

He hated when his sister was right. He did have to be the one to tell MaKayla, but how and when were the questions.

It was hard to believe that just a week ago he hadn’t wanted the aggravation of being mixed up with the opposite sex. Now he found himself in deeper than he could ever have imagined.

If he told her the truth, he risked losing any chance he had with her; but if he didn’t tell her the truth, he’d blow any chance of her ever trusting him.

Shit.
He’d sat through poker games and eighteen holes-of-hell on the golf course during his legal career for more worthless gain than this.

If a romantic relationship were not in his future with this woman, he’d at least gain a mutual business relationship and finally be able to apologize to the Adams family for their loss.

He could do this. He had to do this. He’d just be thankful if she accepted his apology for his being mixed up in the whole mess.

“Okay. So how do I tell her? What do I say?”

“Tell her the truth.” Dana finished her coffee. “But don’t come right out and tell her you were the one involved in her husband’s accident. Just tell her your full name. She’ll figure out the rest.”

“Good idea.” He drank his coffee. Dana never disappointed him when he needed a plan. “She does have to hear this from me. Tonight. I’ll tell her tonight.”

****

“Good luck tonight with Dustin.” Jodi crossed her fingers. “Show him a little cleavage and he’ll sign your contract, no questions asked.”

MaKayla didn’t want to use animal magnetism to get her business off the ground. Flaunting a little because Dustin enjoyed the view was a different story. His admiration powered her libido, reminding her that she was more than a boring mother with no life. The way he looked at her with those bedroom eyes made her want to tear off all her clothes and give him what he wanted. Dreaming about him sent a warm rush of passion through her veins.

“I won’t be showing him anything. I need a business. Nothing more, remember?”

She kissed Jodi and Duke goodbye and then waited outside until their plane and her pity-shopping plans lifted off into the clear blue sky.

What was she going to do when Alex left in the morning? No one pity-shopped alone. Going to the mall meant having someone to talk and laugh with, being able to forget about her worries, and enjoying a hot dog she didn’t have to cook.

She headed toward her car in the parking lot. The day’s heat now made her wish she’d worn something other than sweatpants and a t-shirt, but her plans for the rest of the day involved cleaning. There had been no reason to get dressed up to take her friends to the airport.

She was looking forward to her meeting tonight with Dustin. Hopefully, she’d read him wrong in the parking lot Wednesday evening. Maybe his faded smile and wide eyes had nothing to do with him having a change of heart about their business deal.

She gripped the steering wheel. Oh, gosh. Could his regret have been for their shared kisses?

****

While MaKayla waited for Alex to join her at the kitchen table, she sat and fumbled with her fork. After Paul’s passing, the enjoying of the meal and talking about their day during dinner hadn’t changed. It was a ritual she
normally
looked forward to. Why was she so nervous about telling Alex she had a meeting with Dustin tonight?

Maybe it was the guilt about her attraction toward Dustin that caused her heart to pound and her knees to shake. Telling her son she was doing this for the business, when her heart whispered her intentions were more, made her feel as though at some level she were lying.

Dustin’s kisses still lingered on her lips as well as on her mind. She wasn’t sure if she was looking forward to seeing him tonight for business or pleasure.

If it was the latter, she couldn’t share those feelings with the number-one man in her life these last seventeen years. She couldn’t have Alex disliking Dustin for taking his place, before he’d even met the man.

“Hey, Mom.”

MaKayla jumped when her son approached from behind and kissed her cheek. “Hey, honey. How was your last night of work?” She transferred a pork chop, some chicken rice, and applesauce from the center bowls onto his plate.

“Great. Joe said he’d mail my last check here. They threw a party for me.”

“How nice.” Maybe she should wait to find out how tonight went before she brought Dustin into the conversation. She began to eat. “What are you doing tonight?”

“I’m going to the movies with Tammy and a few couples from the recreation center.” Alex stared at her. “Okay, spill it, Mom. I know something’s on your mind.”

Her stomach filled with a circus of clowns doing back flips and summersaults. She had never been any good at keeping secrets. She set her fork down and took a deep breath. “What do you mean?”

“You and Dad were always open and honest with me because you wanted me to be able to come to you with my problems, right?”

“Right.”

“That’s how I know when something’s bothering you. You would always get this shaky, speedy voice, then Dad had to take your hand to calm you down before you could speak.” He took her hand into his. “Will this help?”

“Thank you.” She smiled and stared at their grasped hands. He
was
Paul’s son. When had he started to pick up on her physical tells? “Remember I told you about the PR business I was starting?”

“Of course.”

“Well, I’m hoping to land my first client tonight.”

He set his fork down and pushed his plate forward. “That’s great, Mom. Good luck.”