Shadow of Suspicion (Haunted by the Past) by Danielle Rose-West Page A

sat
back. As far as he was concerned, the discussion was at an end. “Now, do you
want to order dinner?”
    He grabbed a menu from the stand at
the side of the table, without waiting for a reply. Lucinda snatched it from
his hands. “You can’t think to leave it like that. I deserve better.”
    He slowly picked up a second menu,
his gaze never leaving her furious face. “If you are serious about us living
together, show me. Make a considerable effort with my sister and I will
reconsider.”
    “And what about her? Are you going to
say the same thing to her?” Lucinda’s mouth had gone white around the edges.
The fury in her eyes didn’t stir him in the slightest.
    “Fay is only fifteen. I expect her to
behave childishly at times.” Lucinda grabbed her bag and jumped up from the
table. “Where are you going?”
    “To powder my nose! What do you
care?” He grabbed her wrist as she passed him.
    “Do you still want dinner?”
    She stuck her face into his. “I’ll
think about it while I’m in the ladies.”
    She twisted her wrist out of his grip
and stomped through the crowd. Jason sighed. He kind of hoped this evening
would simply come to an end. He’d bet anything that Lucinda had left the table
to call Sue. Whatever the poison gnome advised her, Lucinda would do.
    Jason ran a hand through his hair and
sipped at his beer. He hated the fact that his relationship now had three
people in it. Things had been so much better before Sue moved to the area. When
he’d first met Lucinda, he’d been in a dark place. She’d brought fun back into
his life. Her company had lifted his depression and helped him move past the
disintegration of his family and his brother’s death.
    He tapped his finger against the rim
of his glass, lost in distant memories. Things had changed so much since
Lucinda hooked up with Sue. He no longer enjoyed her company the same way that
he once had. He wondered if they still fitted each other. Was it enough to
stick with someone, just because they were familiar? The answer eluded him.
    Lucinda swept past him and slid into
her seat. She glared down her nose at him. “I bumped into Andrew Cunningham on
the way to the Ladies. I’ve asked him to join us for dinner.” She stared at him
stonily, a warning glinting in her eyes. “He is on the brink of offering me a
really great new job. I want you to be nice to him. It’s the least you can do.”
    “Shouldn’t we settle things between
us?” Guilt tugged at his heart as he observed the slight redness around
Lucinda’s eyes.
    She sniffed and dabbed at her nose
with a tissue. “I think you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” She gazed over
his shoulder with a bright, false smile and waved her hand. “Over here, Andy!”
    Jason turned to see Andrew Cunningham
gliding through the pub. The crowd seemed to part as if they were the red sea
before Moses. Cunningham grinned with arrogant confidence, nodding his head
here and there in thanks as he passed people. Behind him, a glass of wine in
hand, followed Callie Price. Her gaze collided with Jason’s and she tripped.
Jason bit back a smile as she caught herself and muttered something under her
breath.
    Her lips pursed and a glint of
displeasure lit her features before she resumed her path to their table. A
small frisson of disappointment niggled at Jason. Gone was the drowned rat he’d
left at the B&B and in her place was the sophisticated, city business woman.
He had to admit, he’d liked the messed up version of Callie better. She’d
seemed more human and approachable.
    “So nice of you to ask us to join you
for dinner.” Cunningham swept his suit jacket off and placed it on the back of
the chair beside Lucinda. He hiked up his trousers slightly and sat down.
    Callie stared at the chair beside
Jason for several seconds before she gingerly settled herself next to him. She
placed her wine on the table and flicked a glance in his direction.
    “Nice to see you again, Miss Price.
You seem well