loves herself. If it came to a choice between what she wanted and what Kevin needed—Damn, would you listen to me bad-mouthing a woman who’s battling breast cancer and could die. You must think I’m a real jerk.”
Bernie lifted her hand from Jim’s shoulder and without thinking about what she was doing, caressed his cheek. “I think you’re human. Your ex-wife hurt you, then undermined your relationship with your son. You have every right to resent the way she’s treated you.”
“I want you to know that I’ve never said anything against Mary Lee to Kevin. I wouldn’t do that.”
“No, you wouldn’t, because you love your son.”
Jim cleared his throat. Bernie laid her hand back on Jim’s shoulder.
“You know what, Sheriff Granger? I’m beginning to agree with what my son said about you.”
Her heartbeat accelerated with excitement. “What did he say?”
“He said, ‘Bernie’s a really super lady.’ He was right. You are.”
Oh, God. Oh, God. How should she respond? Don’t gush and goo and go all fluttering female on him. “Well, for the record—I think you and Kevin are pretty super, too.”
The band ended one romantic jazz number and began another. Jim released Bernie in the interval. “Ready to hit the buffet tables?”
She placed her open palms over her stomach. “I am so ready I may eat a gallon of boiled shrimp all by myself.”
Jim slipped his arm around her waist and escorted her off the dance floor. Bernie felt as if she were floating on air. The words to an old song flitted through her mind. Something about this being the night and him being the one.
Jim hated big parties like this one. He hated wearing a tie and being sociable. He was a blue jeans, beer and chips, kicking-back-with-his-buddies kind of guy. He’d much rather be over at the King Kone wolfing down burgers and fries with Kevin and Bernie than eating gourmet food and drinking champagne with hundreds of people, most of whom he didn’t know. But putting in an appearance tonight had been mandatory. After all, Bernie was not only his friend, but his boss. And God knew he owed Brenda and R.B. Granger big time for the way they’d practically adopted Kevin as their grandson.
Jim flushed the urinal, then went over to the sink, turned on the faucets and lathered his hands. He had escaped the music, laughter, loud chatter, and requests to dance from countless women by taking the back stairs to use the second floor men’s restroom. The second floor was practically deserted and there had been only one man in the restroom when he arrived. He was alone now and a part of him wished he could hide out in here until it was time to leave. After drying his hands, he checked his watch. Ten till ten. He’d promised himself that he’d stay until eleven, then use Kevin as an excuse to leave.
After dancing with Amy Simms, the DA’s wife, and with Deputy Holly Burcham, he’d lost track of Bernie. Then just as he headed out of the ballroom, he’d caught a glimpse of her talking to Reverend Donaldson and couldn’t help wondering if Bernie found the new minister more interesting than her sister had. Surely not. The good reverend wasn’t the right guy for Bernie any more than Raymond Long was.
When Jim reached out to open the restroom door, it flew open, nearly knocking him down. On the verge of saying something rude and crude to the numbskull coming into the restroom, Jim did a double take when he got a good look at the person.
“This is the men’s room,” he told Robyn Granger.
She grinned from ear to ear. “I know that, silly.” She pointed her index finger into the center of his chest and eased into the room, closing the door behind her. “I followed you up here. I’ve been trying to get a minute alone with you all evening.”
“This is hardly the place for a private conversation.”
“The door’s closed and we’re all alone.”
He eyed the door. “Somebody could walk in at any minute. How would you explain being in the men’s room?”
She shrugged. “I like to take chances. Live dangerously.”
“I don’t.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself intimately against him.
“Liar.” She kissed him.
He clamped his hands down on her shoulders, then put some distance between them by pushing her back a few inches. “Why me? You can have your pick of just about any guy here tonight.”
“Then aren’t you lucky.” She gave him a sultry, I-want-tofuck-you look.
“Robyn …”
Brenda Granger grabbed Bernie’s arm and led her out of the ballroom and into a quiet corner in the massive foyer.
“What’s going on?” Bernie asked, startled by her mother’s sudden request of “We need to talk” seconds before she grabbed her.
“Tell me something,” Brenda said. “And I want the truth.”
Bernie nodded.
“Are you involved with Jim Norton?”
“What?”
“I said are you—?”
“Jim and I are friends.”
“Nothing more?”
Bernie shook her head.
“Oh, sweetie, you’ve fallen for the guy, haven’t you?” Brenda gazed sympathetically at Bernie. “You should have told me. You should have told Robyn.”
“My personal relationships aren’t any of your business. Besides, you’re wrong. I’m not—”
“Bernadette Granger, do not lie to me. I’ve watched you with Jim all evening. The way you look at him … Oh, my sweet girl, it’s obvious that you adore him.”
“Jim and I are friends. That’s all.”
“But you want more.”
“Mom!”
“We have to tell Robyn how you feel. She’s set her sights on Jim and she’s determined to… well, you know. But if she had any idea that you were in love with him, she’d back off in a heartbeat.”
“Don’t you dare say anything to Robyn!”
“But if she doesn’t know how you feel, she won’t realize that if she and Jim become”—Brenda struggled for the correct word—“close, it will break your heart.”
“You’re being melodramatic, Mother.”
“Your father and I have become very fond of Kevin and we both like Jim very much. We approve of him as potential son-in-law material.” Brenda patted Bernie’s cheek. “You and he looked so good together on the dance floor. You were practically glowing, and I couldn’t help noticing how close he held you.”
“Jim and I are just friends.”
Brenda opened her mouth to respond, but before she uttered a word, another voice interrupted them.
“Hey, Bernie,” Kevin called to her from across the foyer. “Have you seen my dad?”
“No, not recently,” Bernie told him as he came toward her and her mother.
“I overheard him ask R.B. if there was a men’s room upstairs,” Brenda said.
“Oh, okay, thanks, Miss Brenda. Can you tell me exactly where the bathroom is?” Kevin asked.
“I’m sure he’ll be back down any minute,” Brenda said. “It isn’t urgent that you find him, is it?”
“Not exactly urgent. It’s just that J.D. Simms asked me to sleep over tonight. Since he’s been coming