Free Betrayed by REBECCA YORK Page B

part?
    He’d asked her to lunch. What if he asked her to dinner?
    Would she go with him? Or make it clear that there wasn’t going to be anything personal between them?

Chapter 9
    Elena called a car-repair service the next morning, took a cab to work, and met the auto mechanic in the S&D parking lot. She’d expected that he’d have to tow the car away, but after looking under the hood, he fiddled with some stuff and told her to try and start the car.
    It started right up, and she was grateful that the problem had been easy to solve.
    â€œYou had a couple of loose spark plugs,” he said.
    Not knowing much about cars, she answered with a small nod.
    â€œKind of an uncommon problem.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œIt doesn’t usually happen spontaneously.”
    When she didn’t answer, he asked, “Could anyone have fooled with your vehicle?”
    She felt the hair at the back of her neck bristle. Why would anyone fool with her car? But she only answered, “I don’t think so.”
    Of course, Shane had fiddled with her car, she reminded herself. But that was only after it wouldn’t start.
    Still, the mechanic’s assessment was unsettling.
    Could someone have arranged the incident? And why?
    She flashed back to a few days ago when she’d thought she’d seen a car following her. Was this related? And were there security tapes that showed what was happening in the parking lot? It crossed her mind to ask Shane—or was that a good idea?
    She hadn’t intended to get involved with him again. In fact, she’d intended to stay away from him for a lot of reasons, including last night’s talk with her brother, which she was trying to push to the back of her mind.
    But her life had a way of changing rapidly these days, starting with the hostage situation in the personnel department. That had thrown her into contact with Shane. The next day he’d asked her to lunch. And today he came to her office again.
    She looked up in surprise when she saw him.
    â€œI was wondering what happened with your car,” he said in the deep voice that set her nerve endings tingling.
    â€œIt’s okay.”
    â€œWhat was wrong?”
    â€œThe mechanic said it was loose spark plugs. He said that was unusual.”
    He kept his gaze on her. “Do you have any reason to think someone could have…tampered with your vehicle?”
    She’d wondered the same thing, but she only said, “I hope not.”
    â€œI’ve been thinking about you,” he said. “Not just because of the car.”
    â€œI have, too,” she heard herself say, then blushed furiously. “I mean—about you.”
    â€œI was hoping we could go out to dinner,” he said.
    She had wondered if he was going to make another move. She’d thought she’d make up an excuse if he did, but she heard herself saying, “All right.”
    â€œAre you free tonight?”
    â€œYes.”
    His face lit up like he’d been worried about her answer, and she had the feeling that this wasn’t all that easy for him, either.
    â€œWhat’s a good time for you?”
    â€œMaybe seven.”
    â€œI’ll pick you up at your apartment.”
    As soon as he walked away, she had the impulse to call him back and say she’d changed her mind. But she didn’t do it. What was she supposed to say—that she’d remembered a previous engagement?
    Besides, she was in a mood that felt strange. Perhaps even unique. She’d focused on her career goals for so long that maybe she’d forgotten the reason for them. What was the point of getting ahead in the world if your life was all work and no play? Hadn’t she imagined that she’d get married some day and start a family? And raise her children differently from the way her parents had raised her.
    She pulled herself up short. Shane Gallagher had asked her out to dinner—and she