by Lori Wilde
Travis frowned and tapped one hand on the steering wheel. Funny, when he said he didn't believe in love, it made sense. But it bugged him when she said it. It sounded harsh. And sad. How insane could he get? He didn't mind that he didn't believe in love, but it bothered him that she didn't?
He glanced once more at her, trying to judge if Dani really believed what she was saying. After a couple of seconds, he admitted defeat. He couldn't read her like he'd been able to when they'd been teens. She had her lawyer face on, and he had no idea if she was serious or just playing with him.
“What makes you dislike love?” he asked. “Did something happen to make you cynical?”
Dani laughed. “Okay, Trav, I'm confused. I'm agreeing with you. Love is overrated.”
Travis knew he was coming across like a lunatic, but he couldn't help it. Dani had always been an optimist in high school, so he couldn't help wondering what had happened during the last ten years to change her.
“Did you get your heart broken? Is that why you're so down on love?” he persisted.
Dani laughed again and tapped him lightly on the arm. “You need to be locked up.”
“I'm just curious. I've never been in love or thought I was in love. Plus, I was never a romantic kind of guy, so it makes sense I'd feel the way I do.”
“You need a padded room and some soft pillows,” she continued.
Yeah, she was right. He was the official poster boy for the love-is-hype camp, so he should be thrilled that Dani shared his opinion.
Man, he was really losing it.
“I can view love from an intellectual standpoint,” he said, and immediately realized his mistake.
“And I can't take an intellectual approach to a topic like love?” she asked before he could backpedal.
“Well sure. But you're a...”
Dani narrowed her eyes, and in that split second, Travis knew why she was good in court. That look could melt paint off a car. “Be really careful what you say next, Killer.”
“You're an optimist,” he said, which seemed to placate her somewhat. “You think the best about everyone and everything.”
“For starters, I'm not an optimist anymore. These days, I firmly reside in the realist camp. You don't spend your days defending corporate executives who've dipped into the company cookie jar to buy themselves expensive doodads and remain an optimist for long. And secondly, I can view love from an intellectual standpoint just like you can.”
She had a good point. It was easy to be an optimist when you were young. Still, it made him sad to think life had taken the sheen off the world for her.
“So you've never been in love?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Doesn't matter if I have.”
Travis headed toward the freeway and laughed. “Oh yes, it does. The way it works is that if you've thought you were in love at some point, you've got the virus. Once you've been bitten, you tend to have that emotional stuff running through your veins your whole life.”
Dani laughed again, the sound light and free in his small car. “It's a good thing you're not a lawyer, Travis. Your logic is so convoluted even you can't follow it.”
Knowing she was right, he chuckled. “Yeah, I am getting twisted up here, aren't I?”
“You're a regular pretzel. So why don't we both settle for agreeing that neither one of us is a big believer in happily ever after, but that we both hope things work out well for Max and his new wife.”
Travis nodded. “Yeah, Max is different. He believes in love, and I think it's kind of like those curses your grandmother hands out. If you sincerely believe in something, maybe that's enough to make it true. Max sincerely believes in what he feels for Paige, and that's probably enough for it to last.”
“I guess time will tell.”
“Guess so.”
For a while, they drove in silence, and then Dani asked, “What about Peggy? Does Peggy remember the curse?”
“No. She was happy to hear from me, but she didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I brought up the curse.”
“That could work in our favor. Here's a woman whose life hasn't been impacted a bit by what Nana said. I think our day will turn out to be a productive one.”
Travis glanced again at Dani and debated about the next question he wanted to ask. But he had to know what was going on. It bothered him that her grandmother had insisted that Dani come along. He didn't want either woman getting the wrong idea about him. He was surprised how much it bothered him that Dani might think he was clueless.
“I can do this alone,” he qualified, then frowned at his own stupidity. Way to be suave, Walker. Just blurt stuff out like a four-year-old.
Dani had been looking out the side window, but now she glanced at him. “Well, good. I'm glad you can drive by yourself,” she said slowly, obviously baffled by his statement. “I'm hoping you can also dress and feed yourself.”
He took the exit off the freeway and stopped at a red light, then said bluntly, “Even though I’m getting out of the business, I am a good investigator.”
Dani nodded slowly. “I assumed so or I wouldn't have hired you.”
Deciding to give this one last shot, he asked the question that had been bothering him since they'd spoken to Freda yesterday. “Not that I mind the company, because I don't, but could you explain why it was so important to your grandmother that you come along with me? Doesn't she trust me?”
For a second, Dani didn't say a word. Then she burst out laughing.
Okay, that wasn't quite the reaction he'd expected. He waited patiently until she got herself under control.
“Glad I amuse you,” he said dryly once her giggles had become hiccups.
She patted his arm. “Oh, Trav, you know I'm not laughing at you.”
“I do, do I?”
“Yes. Or at least you should. You met my grandmother. You know this has nothing to do with your skill as a detective, so don't pout.”
“Hey, I'm not pouting. Just concerned. So if it's not about my skill, then what is it about? This is overkill, having both of us visit Peggy. In fact, there's really no reason for me to meet these people in person unless you want depositions. If all you want to know is if the curse changed their lives, I can ask that on the phone.”
Dani shook her head and shifted in her seat so she was half facing him. “You're looking at this all wrong. You and I are trying to accomplish one thing, and I'm pretty sure my grandmother is trying to accomplish something completely different.”
Travis frowned, not liking the sound of this. “Such as?”
“The woman is a hopeless romantic who desperately wishes her only grandchild was married with a couple of children. I think this whole scheme of insisting I go with you is just her way of matchmaking.”
Travis didn't like the sound of that, especially considering the level of attraction he felt toward Dani.
“You don't—” he started, but she laughed.
“No, I'm definitely not interested in her matchmaking plans. We've already agreed to keep things on a friends-only level.”
She sounded so adamant that Travis relaxed. “I don't remember us making that agreement, but it sounds like a good one.”
Dani nodded. “It's the only smart thing to do.”
“Yeah, and rumor has it you're very smart,” he teased as he turned onto a tree-lined street with tidy two-story houses.
“This neighborhood seems nice,” Dani said. “Peggy must be doing okay. What did Nana say to her?”
Travis parked in front of a red brick house with white shutters. “Freda said that Peggy would have love in abundance.”
“What does that mean?”
“You're asking me? She's your grandmother. I figure it means Peggy's been married and divorced a dozen times.” He shoved open his door. “Want to go find out?”
Dani nodded. “Absolutely. I have a really good feeling about this.”
EVERY OUNCE OF GOOD feeling Dani had shriveled up the second the front door opened.
Peggy stood framed in the entrance, still as tall and redheaded as she'd been in high school. That part didn't surprise Dani, nor was she surprised that Peggy still had a big smile and a loud laugh.
No, what stomped Dani's hopes into the ground were the children surrounding Peggy. Not just one or two, but a whole flock of them.
“Wow, Peggy, are all these children yours?” Dani asked, following the other woman into the house.
“Yep. Stan and I have seven. Guess he and I can't seem to figure out what's causing it,” she said, laughing at her own joke.
Dani watched as a little girl wrapped her arms around Peggy's leg and started sucking her thumb.
Dani barely kept her mouth from falling open. Seven children? Peggy had seven children?
Nana Freda's words ran through Dani's mind. She'd told Peggy she would have love in abundance. Dani surveyed the crowd of redheaded, freckled faces. Boy, this sure looked like abundance to her.
“It's so great to see you both,” Peggy said, leading the way to a living room filled with toys. She sat on a worn brown couch and smiled. “I have my hands filled, so I don't get to catch up with high school friends.”
Dani slowly sank into one of the chairs facing the couch, then glanced at Travis. He looked as stunned as she felt.
“Hey, Peggy, I didn't know you wanted so many kids,” Travis said, leaning down and straightening a toddler who was wobbling toward the wall. “Hold up there, buddy. You're about to crash.”
Peggy laughed. “Me? Want a lot of children? No way. I was going to be a career woman and conquer Madison Avenue. I never thought for a second I'd be a stay-at-home mom, let alone a stay-at-home mom with a brood this big.”
“Mama says we're her angels.” A little girl plopped onto the sofa and cuddled against her mother. “She likes angels.”
Peggy gathered the girl close and gave her several loud, smacking kisses. “Yes, I do. And angels you are. Angels sent from heaven to make me smile.”
The little girl giggled as her mother kissed her cheeks, and Dani couldn't help smiling. Peggy might not have planned to be a mom, but she sure was a great one. Although the family didn't seem to have a lot in the way of possessions, Dani literally could feel the love in this house.
She looked over at Travis, who was steering yet another youngster away from trouble. He must have sensed her gaze because he abruptly turned his head and looked at her. The sight of that handsome, virile man helping two little children made the breath catch in Dani's throat.
Just as she had yesterday, she felt attraction dance between them. Alive. Vibrant. Intense. For a moment, she simply stared at Travis, lost in his gaze, lost in the heat she saw slowly build there.
Then the sound of Peggy's laughter shattered the spell like fine crystal hitting stone.
“I've been trying to remember this whole curse thing since you called, Travis, but I keep drawing a blank,” Peggy said. “All I vaguely remember is making Dani's grandmother mad one night when we brought Dani home late and made a lot of noise dropping her off. Her grandmother yelled something out the window, but I haven't a clue what.”
Dani hated what she had to say, but she felt she owed it to Peggy. “My grandmother said you would have love in abundance.”
“Love in abundance,” Peggy repeated slowly.
The words seemed to hover in the room, and despite the number of rowdy children, the air felt heavy.
Peggy sat perfectly still for a moment as her children played around her. Dani watched as the other woman scanned the living room, almost as if she were seeing it for the first time. Tension coiled within Dani as she waited for Peggy's reaction.
No one could look around this house and not realize the curse had indeed come true.
“Think how sad your life would be if you didn't have your children,” Travis said softly. “Think how empty you'd feel.”
The truth of Travis’ words was obvious to all of them, and Dani wanted to kiss him for pointing out what was so blatantly right. Peggy did belong here with these children.
A big smile formed on the other woman's face. “I would be miserable without my children. My life would be nothing.”
“We're her angels,” the little girl repeated.
“Absolutely.” Turning to Dani, Peggy added, “I don't know if my family has anything to do with your grandmother and what she said to me, but if so, then it wasn't a curse. It was a blessing.”
Dani returned Peggy's smile. Although finding Peggy like this wouldn't help their case, Dani was glad she was happy.
“I honestly don't think what my grandmother said all those years ago has anything to do with your family, but I'll tell her just the same. She likes to believe her little romantic suggestions come true, so it will make her happy to think it made you happy.”
“And we are happy. These kids may be a handful, but I wouldn't trade them for all the high-powered New York City jobs in the world.” Peggy kissed her daughter's head. “Stan and I are truly lucky, and it seems like we may have your grandmother to thank.”
TRAVIS GLANCED AT HIS watch as they headed back to his truck. They'd ended up spending almost two hours visiting with Peggy and her children. It had been fun, but man, seven kids sure could wear you out. He had no idea how Peggy and her husband kept up with them.
“Well, we certainly can't use her,” Dani said as she snapped her seat belt shut. “Talk about a curse that came true.”
“She's happy. Maybe you could use that in your favor. You know, point out that even though what your grandmother said would happen did happen, Peggy is delighted.”
“And living a life that may be the direct result of my grandmother's romantic suggestion.” Dani sighed. “I'll get laughed at if I bring in Peggy.”
Yeah, she probably had a point there. Peggy did seem to make a great case for the other side.
“It's a coincidence,” he said. “She didn't even remember what your grandmother said, so it's not like the power of suggestion was at work.”
“I think that makes it worse. If I could use the power-of-suggestion defense, then I could say Carl didn't have to believe what Nana said would happen. But Peggy didn't even hear her, so there's no way the power of suggestion was at work.”
Left with no clue what to say that might make her feel better, Travis suggested, “Since there's nothing we can do about it right now, let's go to dinner. I bet you haven't been to the cute Honey Café for dinner. It’s the highlight of the town.”
That cheered her up. Dani immediately smiled. “A cafe?”
“Yep. It’s a fun place. Max and Paige fell in love there. It’s great. We'll be lucky if we can find a place to sit.”
“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes. “Honey is a small town. I doubt it's going to be so busy that they can’t find room for us.”
“Want to bet?” he teased.
Dani took him up on it. “Absolutely. I'll bet you that we'll have no problem getting a place to sit at this cafe. Loser pays for dinner.”
“Sounds good,” he said and bit back a grin.
Then he didn't say another word. Not as he drove to Honey and parked in the lot for the Honey Cafe. Not as they stood in the long line to get seated and the equally long to get waited on. Not as Dani scanned the menu and refused to make eye contact with him.
“Fine. I’ll pay,” she said finally without moving the menu. “This place is popular.”
Rather than gloat, he did the gentlemanly thing and didn't point out to Dani that he'd been right, and she'd been wrong.
“You can stop smirking now,” she said, handing her menu to the waitress after ordering. After thanking the woman, Dani looked around. “This place is mobbed.”
Travis grinned. “Some things are happily unexpected. This town is one of them. It’s the main reason I’m considering changing jobs. I’d like to live here. It’s a small, close-knit town with a lot of history.”
With a glance at their surroundings, Dani said dryly, “I imagine it's the ambiance that pulls them in.
”
Travis chuckled. “Don't be a snob. The food is great. The place is fun. People come here with their friends to hang out, just like we did in high school.”
“So you do you come here often?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes. Not as often as I’d like, but since I hate to cook, I stop in fairly often.” He took a bite of his hamburger once it arrived. Dani did the same, and her blissful expression made it clear she was another fan of the food.
“This is amazing,” she said once she'd swallowed. “I can see why you like the place.”
He loved the happy look on her face. At this moment, looking at the happy expression on Dani's face, Travis felt young again. He felt like the eighteen-year-old kid who loved to spend time with his friends, just laughing and joking and being alive.
“You don't get a chance to relax often, do you?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“Does anyone once they're grown up and having to scramble to build a career?” She took another bite of burger and made a blissful noise that really set Travis’ blood pounding hard through his body.
To distract himself, he said, “I try to enjoy life, too. I make sure I leave myself downtime.”
“If you give yourself too much downtime, you won't have much of a career,” she pointed out.
“But you'll be happy.”
“Not if being successful is what you really want out of life.”
“Touché. You've got me there.” He flashed her a grin. “Guess I'm still a lazy kid at heart. I'll leave conquering the world to you.”
“I don't want to conquer the world,” she said, but the tiny smile she had belied her words. When he raised one eyebrow and gave her a dubious look, she laughed. “Okay, maybe I want to conquer a small part of it. But not all of it.”
“Oh, well, in that case, you're practically a lazy kid, too.”
She laughed and put her hand on his arm. He liked the feel of her touching him, and once again, he felt desire flare within him.