Restore My Heart by Cheryl Norman Page B

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    “I went to dinner with Joe Desalvo.”
    “A date? Honey, that’s great.”
    “No, Uncle Sal, it was business. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
    “You’re still open Saturdays, aren’t you?”
    Sally postponed telling her uncle about the fire at Mustang Sally’s. Tomorrow would be soon enough. “Yes, we’re open. Why?”
    “There’s a guy here who needs work on a sixty-seven Corvette. Should I send him over tomorrow?”
    “Sure. A complete overhaul?” Visions of dollar bills danced in her head.
    “Most likely. Says he has low compression and smoke coming out of the oil filler.”
    “Probably blow by.” Lost compression from the upstroke of the piston around the rings produced smoke, requiring an engine rebuild or a replacement engine block and components. “Depending on the wear, it may require a long block.”
    “At the very least. Don’t worry. He can afford it. Hang on a sec.”
    Sally rubbed the skin on her leg, still warm and tingling from Joe’s touch, and waited for Uncle Sal. Pushing aside thoughts of the fire, her mind replayed the scene with Joe. Recalling his invitation to go to his mother’s for dinner, she wondered how she could refuse such a gentle, compassionate man. She didn’t want to offend him. But the more she was with him, the closer he got to her heart.
    “See you tomorrow?” Uncle Sal asked when he came back on the line.
    “After rehab and work. You tending bar?”
    “All afternoon. Gotta go now, sweetie.”
    “Okay. And thanks for drumming up business.”
    After she’d disconnected, she lay across the bed, her thoughts returning to Joe. He’d seen her scars, touched them. He’d looked at her with acceptance, not revulsion. Her cheeks warmed, remembering how his heated gaze filled her with longing she couldn’t conceal. He had to know she’d yearned for his kiss.
    He’d been so close, a whisper away. The desire in his eyes had matched hers. Would she have let him kiss her? Who was she kidding? Would she have had the strength to turn away? She didn’t want to question why a super guy like Joe would want to kiss her when he could have his pick of women—whole, healthy women. Nor would she think about her mission for the FBI, the success of which might revive her business.
    Tonight Sally would pretend she was a normal, attractive woman who’d had a guy want to kiss her. She seriously doubted she’d get much sleep.

    A steady rain greeted Joe when he woke up Saturday morning. He quickly dressed, dashed across the driveway, then let himself into his mother’s house to bum a cup of coffee. Even if she wasn’t awake, she’d have coffee set up to brew automatically.
    “Good morning, Joe.” His mother breezed into the kitchen, in full makeup and dress.
    “You’re the chipper early bird, Mom.”
    Joe looked closely at his mother as she poured a cup before joining him at the table. Dark crescents beneath her eyes told a different story. His mother was neither chipper nor rested.
    “Mom, are you all right?”
    Her answering smile collapsed. “I’m surviving.”
    “Did you get a chance to go through Dad’s desk yesterday?”
    She sighed. “I don’t think I’m ready to do that yet. Maybe next week.”
    “I could do it.”
    Her eyes brightened. “Oh, would you?”
    “If it’ll help, you know I will.”
    “I’m looking for any clue—” Her uplifted hand made a swiping motion. “Oh, you know. Anything that will help us understand what happened.”
    Joe hesitated. His mom wanted clues pointing to a murder. What if his father’s papers and files supported the case for suicide? “You may not like what I find.”
    “Don’t keep anything from me. I can stand the truth.”
    Steel was back in her voice, determination back in her eyes. Joe finished his coffee, accepted a refill, while he debated telling her about the counterfeit engine in the Darrin. Another glimpse at the rigid set of her jaw, the eyes that missed very little, and he knew he