With One More Look At You

by Mary J. Williams

  As if she suddenly realized how it sounded, Daphne wiped the frown from her face, dropping the disdain from her voice. "It's been a tough morning. I'm trying to sort out Mom's estate. Though calling it that is a stretch. She had almost nothing left. She and that bitch ran through most of the money Mom's father left her. The rest went toward her care. What little there is will go to my lawyer and taxes."

  "Your mother passed away?" Forbes wondered why he hadn't heard. It was the kind of juicy gossip a small town thrived on.

  "Last month." Daphne picked at her salad, pushing it around the bowl instead of eating it. "It didn't come as a shock. She had been in a nursing home for the last few years. Early-onset Alzheimer's."

  "That must have been tough for you and your family." A tragic end to a selfish woman's life.

  "The tough part was getting over Mom's initial betrayal. Dad never did. Do you know he always expected her to come back? He would have forgiven her. Welcomed her with open arms." Daphne's fingers tightened on her fork, her voice vibrating with anger. "The bitch took off when the money began to dry up. After that, Mom lived alone in Florida until she entered the nursing home. Do you know how I found out?"

  "How?"

  "After I moved home, I found a drawer full of letters in Dad's office. He and Mom had been corresponding for a long time. You should have read them, Forbes. She didn't show an ounce of remorse—not even in the early ones. All chatty and friendly. As if she was writing to a pen pal instead of her husband. Did you know they never divorced? Can you imagine? Dad loved her to the end. The stupid old fool."

  As Forbes listened while Daphne vented her anger, he couldn't help but wonder about Joy. Not because he cared what happened to her. Rotting in the lowest depths of hell would suit him just fine. But like it or not, she was Sophie's mother. Just because she hadn't been in touch, didn't mean it couldn't happen. As long as the woman lurked in some corner of Earth, the chance of her rearing her ugly head was always a possibility.

  Knowledge was power. Forbes never left on a mission until he knew everything about his target. The best way to protect Sophie from her mother would be to discover Joy's current location and what she was up to. He kicked himself for not thinking of it before. As soon as he was back in his office, he would get his best people on it. ASAP.

  "What do you think?"

  "I'm sorry?" Forbes looked across the table at Daphne's expectant expression. "I was thinking about work. What were you saying?"

  "I thought we could drive into Spokane and make a night of it. Drinks. Dinner. Dancing. I'll book us a room at the Davenport Hotel. That way we won't have to worry about driving home." Daphne placed her hand over his. With nothing suggestive about the squeeze, her intentions were as clear as a freshly washed glass. "I have some new lingerie that I can't wait for you to see—and remove."

  Deliberately, Forbes retrieved his hand. He didn't want to hurt Daphne's feelings. However, he wouldn't leave any doubt in her mind about his total lack of interest.

  "We were always friends, Daphne. Let's keep it that way."

  "Friends—and more," she reminded him.

  "It was nice. However, we aren't teenagers anymore. You deserve more than a casual hookup."

  "Is there any reason we can't be more to each other?"

  "I've already found it." Forbes knew it would sting, but Daphne would find out soon enough. It might as well come from him. "With Sophie."

  "You're kidding," Daphne laughed, obviously expecting Forbes to join her. When he didn't, his eyes cool, her mouth fell open. "Are you crazy? After what her mother did to your father?"

  "That had nothing to do with Sophie."

  "Right," Daphne scoffed. "The poor baby was blameless. Do you know how many times I've heard that? You weren't here, Forbes. Sides were taken. I was born here. I was the victim. But more often than you would believe, people defended Sophie. They actually called me a bitch for not feeling sorry for her. She was hardly an angel, you know."

  "I never thought she was." An angel was the last thing Forbes wanted. Sophie had faults and edges and could be a royal pain in his ass. He wouldn't change a thing.

  "What about your inheritance? Well?" Daphne's voice rose unconcerned with the attention she was attracting. "Sophie got half of everything. How? On her back. Like mother, like daughter. Only Sophie had the patience to stick it out until your old man kicked the bucket."

  "That's enough!" Forbes was only willing to give so much leeway. Daphne hadn't crossed the line. She obliterated it. "Sophie doesn't need me to defend her. But my father is another matter. He made his share of mistakes, but he thought of Sophie as a daughter. Suggesting otherwise is sick and malicious."

  Forbes took out his wallet, tossing enough money on the table to cover the check and a healthy tip. Getting to his feet, he pinned Daphne with a withering stare. When he spoke, he made certain his voice carried to every person in the diner. He didn't want anybody to have the slightest doubt of his opinion on the subject. "As for my inheritance. I wouldn't have one if it weren't for Sophie. She convinced my father to enter rehab. She kept the ranch running with a combination of brains and hard work. Still does. She deserves half of it. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, Dad should have left her everything."

  Forbes didn't stomp from the diner. Or rush out in an angry huff. He walked with an easy swagger. Like a man who knew the truth and didn't give damn about anybody else's opinion.

  Stopping outside the diner, Forbes breathed deeply, lifting his face toward the sun. After taking in Daphne's crap for the past hour, the fresh air was a relief. Sliding on his sunglasses, he jogged across the street.

  How much of that had Sophie heard over the years? Daphne came right out and said what she thought, but most people hid behind whispers and innuendo. No matter how strong she was, words could hurt. And folks were bound to talk once word spread about the two of them.

  Taking out his phone, Forbes pulled up Sophie's number. For some crazy reason, he felt a surge of pleasure when she answered after the first ring—as if she were anxious to hear his voice.

  "Hello," Sophie said. Forbes pictured her smiling.

  "Do you care what people say about you?"

  "I used to. Right after Joy took off. But not anymore." Sophie paused. "Do you?"

  "Nope. I care about what you think. The rest of the world can go to hell."

  "Well, then." Sounding pleased, Sophie laughed. "That would put us firmly on the same page."

  "I can't think of anyplace I'd rather be."

  Saying goodbye, Forbes' expression grew pensive. Hitting a couple of keys, he raised the phone to his ear.

  "Kia. I need you to find somebody."

  "Got a name?" The woman on the other end didn't ask Forbes for an explanation.

  "Joy Branson." Just saying her name left a bad taste in his mouth. "The bitch used to be my stepmother. At this point, she could be going by any name. Last known location, Florida."

  "Got it. What's the priority?"

  "Top of the list. I want all the information you can find. Her location. Activities. Associates. You know the drill."

  "Anything and everything. You'll know the second I do."

  "One more thing." Walking through the police station doors, Forbes glanced at the diner. "Dig up all you can find on Daphne Parks."

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  SOPHIE LAY ON her side watching the bathroom door. Or rather, the light under the door. Finding herself in Forbes' bed felt strange enough. Anxiously waiting for him to join her was… Well, it simply wasn't like her.

  Not that she didn't like the changes in her life since Forbes' return. Just the opposite. Sophie embraced them wholeheartedly. However, finding herself waiting for a man—any man—was a new experience. It would take some time to get used to it.

  The light turned off just as the door opened. Sophie smiled when Forbes exited. Freshly showered. And naked. No need to adjust her thinking there.

  "A beautiful woman in
my bed. Smiling. How lucky am I?"

  "That depends," Sophie said, laughing as Forbes stopped her from scooting over by lying on top of her. "Would you be happy with any beautiful woman—as long as she was smiling?"

  "At one time? Sure." Forbes kissed her shoulder before settling himself at her side, pulling her close. "Quite recently, my taste has become more discerning. I want your beautiful face and your welcoming smile."

  "If that were a pick-up line, you would score—big time."

  Forbes grinned. Sophie sighed. The man wasn't short on ego. Or charm. Or sex appeal. And he was smart. Kind. Gentle—with just the right amount of edginess to prevent any chance of boredom. What chance did she have against a man who was the total package? No. Check that. The question was, why was she wasting time worrying about it? She liked where she was. Where they were. The last thing she wanted was the past to ruin the here and now.

  "I don't want you to look for Joy." Since Forbes had filled her in on what he was doing, Sophie had felt a growing sense of unease. She remembered it well. The feeling had been her constant companion back in the days when Joy dragged her from pillar to post. "She's been out of our lives for a long time. Poking around, whether she finds out or not—is just courting trouble."

  "There's no harm in knowing where she is, Sophie."

  "I don't want to know," Sophie insisted. "She's a plague. Getting rid of her the last time was hard enough. Once I convinced Newt to file for divorce, it took five years for it to become final. Joy refused to sign. Undoubtedly, she thought she would keep her claws in the ranch as a nest egg for her old age."

  Five years. That was how long it took to legalize the divorce on the grounds of abandonment. Or the Washington state equivalent. Finding Joy. Trying to serve her with the papers. It had been a nightmare. Eventually, the court ruled in Newt's favor without the need for Joy to sign on the dotted line. Because the time they lived together as man and wife had been blessedly brief—and the fact that she left of her own free will, there had been no alimony or settlement. Joy received nothing.

  "I understand what you're saying. If it weren't for you, I don't think Dad would have filed for divorce. You saved his ass—all our asses—as usual. Because you pushed him to follow through and stick with it, there is nothing for Joy here."

  "Exactly."

  "Nothing except you." Forbes sounded grim. "She can't hurt us, Sophie. Unless we let her. Discovering where she is. Knowing what she's doing. Think of it as another layer of security."

  Sophie didn't like it, but for now, she would bow to Forbes' expertise on the subject.

  "What about Daphne?"

  "She pissed me off. And again, better safe than sorry."

  Forbes had shared his run in with Daphne Parks. Sophie couldn't say she was surprised. Not by Daphne's remarks about her, or the fact that the woman made a play for Forbes. They had a history. Both were single. And Forbes was freaking gorgeous. Finding a man like him wasn't easy in any part of the world. In a small town like Cloverdale, it was a miracle.

  Too bad he was already taken. To herself, Sophie smiled smugly.

  "I haven't had very much interaction with Daphne since she's been back. Not that I would expect to. I'm not her favorite person. That's hardly news."

  "A rational person would have gotten over it by now," Forbes reasoned. "Daphne doesn't have to be your best buddy."

  "Thank the Lord for that."

  Forbes chuckled. "The bitterness in her voice wasn't normal, Sophie."

  "Do you really think she set the fire? Or spray painted the house?"

  "No. I'm certain the person I chased was a man. By his build and the way he ran. It wasn't Daphne."

  "Then…?"

  "It's a feeling." Forbes shrugged. "I've learned to trust my gut. There may be a connection to Daphne. Maybe not. I'd like to know—one way or the other."

  "Another layer of security?"

  "Something like that."

  Sophie kissed Forbes' flat stomach. "I like your gut. But I hope it's wrong."

  "So do I. Daphne and I were friends once. I wouldn't hesitate to do it, but I'd hate to have to put her in jail."

  "Maybe because once upon a time, the two of you were more than just friends?"

  Sophie remembered the time she overheard Forbes and Daphne's encounter in the barn and Daphne ended up on her knees. With her mouth on his... The idea hadn't bothered Sophie at the time. Darn. She shouldn't have brought it up.

  "We fooled around a little. But—" Forbes frowned, shooting Sophie a puzzled look. "How do you know what Daphne and I did—or didn't do?"

  "I made a good guess?" And had a big mouth.

  "Try again."

  Sophie decided to go on the offensive. It was a lot less embarrassing than confessing the truth. "You were no choirboy. Chances are in my favor that Daphne was one of your teenage conquests."

  "You're keeping something from me," Forbes said, his eyes narrowing. "No more secrets, Sophie."

  Well, crap. Sophie sighed. "It isn't a secret—exactly."

  Forbes simply raised an eyebrow and waited.

  "Fine. It's silly. Ridiculous, even."

  "Good. I could use a laugh."

  Like a dog with a bone. Forbes just wouldn't let it go. With a huff, Sophie told the story. Careful to point out that she hadn't been spying. She innocently stopped by the barn to enjoy the shade. By the time she realized something intimate was about to happen, it was too late.

  "I snuck away as soon as I could. It wasn't a big deal. At least not for me. Bailey looked a little embarrassed."

  "Bailey was with you? Of course, he was," Forbes said, answering his own question. "I suppose I should be grateful you kept it to yourself at the time."

  "As if I would have said anything." Sophie was horrified at the thought. Then she thought about why Daphne had been with him in the first place, and her insides turned slightly mushy. "If I had said something, it would have been to thank you. You asked Daphne to smooth my way at school. It was a terribly sweet thing to do."

  "It was my attempt at an unselfish act." Touching Sophie's cheek, Forbes' eyes were a warm, melting blue. "You weren't supposed to know."

  "I know."

  Forbes, flat on his back, pulled Sophie onto his chest, her long body stretched over his. "You weren't traumatized by the experience?" he teased.

  "I rolled my eyes, lamented how easy men were, and pretty much forgot about it until tonight."

  "Me too. Forgot about it, that is."

  "I'm glad to hear it." Sophie kissed Forbes. More and more, she found herself craving his lips against hers. Indulging her need, she savored every second. Reluctantly, she lifted her head. "I have an idea."

  Slowly, Forbes smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

  "Start with my mouth here." Sophie brushed a kiss across Forbes' chin. She moved to his neck. Then his chest. "Are you following my progress?" she asked, looking up. Before Forbes could answer, she swiped her tongue over his nipple.

  "Jesus, Sophie," Forbes groaned. Sliding his hands into her hair, he followed her progress with his eyes.

  With a lingering detour to the nicely healed wound on Forbes' side, she continued her journey. Lower. Lower.

  "I can stop if you want," she said, her breath caressing him as her mouth hovered.

  "Do I look like a crazy man?" Fingers flexing against her scalp, it was clear Forbes neared the end of his rope. "I'm not proud. Do you want me to beg?"

  Sophie bit her lip. It was that or laugh with delight. She didn't want Forbes to beg. Knowing he wanted her enough to do so was all she needed to hear.

  "Just lie back." Sophie's voice lowered provocatively. "We're about to make a memory neither one of us will forget."

  SOPHIE RARELY CUSSED. But at that moment, she could have spewed enough curse words to make a sailor blush.

  They were finishing breakfast. Ham and eggs with wheat toast. When she noticed that Forbes wouldn't finish his piece, Sop
hie snatched it before he could take his plate to the dishwasher. As she swallowed her last bite, the phone buzzed, signaling an incoming text. As she read, anger coursed through her body.

  "Trouble?" Forbes asked when he heard Sophie's muffled growl.

  "Mike and some of the guys were planning to clear a bunch of dead trees from the edge of the lower field first thing this morning. The tractor was already down there. When they arrived, ready to get to work, they found the tires had been slashed."

  "What?" Forbes slammed shut the dishwasher.

  Sophie handed Forbes her phone, not happy to find her hand shaking. "Mike is waiting for instructions. Since it's now a crime scene, I figured you'd want to tell him what to do."

  "Shit." Jabbing the screen with his index finger, Forbes held the phone to his ear. "Mike? Tell me what happened."

  "Like I said in the text. The tractor tires are slashed. I checked the rest of the tractor. The son of a bitch did a number on the engine. And the inside of the cab is trashed."

  "Don't let anybody move or touch anything. I'll be right there."

  "I'm coming with you."

  Ready for an argument, Forbes surprised Sophie by nodding. "I need to make a call. And grab my gun."

  "I need to brush my teeth. What?" Sophie asked when she saw the look on Forbes' face. "I brush after every meal. Why should I let some idiot vandal change my routine? If my teeth rot, I'll have to live on oatmeal. And soggy bread."

  "You could get dentures," Forbes said as they walked up the stairs.

  The thought made Sophie shudder. "Nope. Not going to happen. I like my teeth, and I plan on keeping them."

  Forbes stopped by Sophie's door, taking her into his arms.

  "I love the fact that, in a blink, you can go from royally pissed to worrying about your oral hygiene."

  Sophie tipped her head, meeting Forbes' gaze. "I'm still angry. But I can't change what happened."

  "It's my fault." With a sigh, Forbes laid his chin on the top of her head. "Whoever is behind this wouldn't stop. I blocked the house and the barn. He moved to a different part of the ranch."