Free The Delacourt Scandal by Sherryl Woods Page B

you?”
    “Doesn’t tip as if she is. Surprised me the first night she was in here. She’s not what you would call a heavy drinker. Didn’t order a bite of food, either, but she left a hefty tip just the same.” He regarded Tyler with amusement. “Of course, now that you’ve started paying for the drinks, the tips aren’t nearly as good.”
    “Watch it or I’ll stiff you completely.”
    “You do and I’ll introduce you to my bouncer.”
    “Seriously, Kevin, you’re a good judge of human nature. What do you think of her?”
    “Nice kid. A little nosy. Asks too blasted many questions.” He shrugged. “That’s about it.”
    “What kind of things was she asking you about?” Tyler asked, wondering if they’d gotten a similar third degree.
    “Mostly about you,” Kevin said at once.
    “You mean after the night she and I met?”
    Kevin hesitated, his expression thoughtful, then shook his head. “No, it was before. In fact, she asked me to point you out if you came in.”
    Tyler’s heart sank. Their first meeting hadn’t been a chance encounter at all. She had planned it. But why? What was she after? All of those initial suspicions he’d had about her—the ones he’d conveniently squelched—came roaring back.
    But rather than warning him away, they simply made him more determined than ever to figure out what Maddie Kent was all about. While taking her home to meet his parents was risky, it was also the ideal opportunity to gather more information. His mother knew how to ferret out every little detail about someone in the guise of friendly chitchat. She’d had years to hone her technique. Maddie’s reticence wouldn’t stand a chance against his mother’s skill.
    “Speak of the devil,” Kevin said with a gesture toward the door.
    Maddie hesitated just inside, probably to let her eyes adjust to the bar’s dim interior. Then, as if she felt his gaze, she looked in Tyler’s direction. A smile spread slowly across her face.
    “Hey, you,” she said, sliding onto the stool next to him. “You’re here early.”
    “Looking for you, actually. You really have to tell me how I can get in touch with you without sittingon a barstool all afternoon. Kevin’s worried I’m turning into a lush.”
    She laughed. “On one beer? I doubt that.”
    “How do you know I haven’t had ten?”
    “You never do,” she said simply. “Now tell me why you were looking for me.”
    “I wanted to invite you to Sunday dinner with the folks.”
    For an instant her expression faltered. “Your parents?” she said. “You want me to meet your parents?”
    “Sure. They don’t bite. Are you game? Besides, I need cover. If you don’t show up, Mother intends to matchmake. Her only consideration tends to be blood-lines, as if she were breeding a prize Thoroughbred.”
    “How did you explain me?”
    “I just said I had my own woman, thank you very much.”
    “Then if I don’t come, I make a liar out of you,” she said, her expression thoughtful, but her eyes glinting with merriment.
    “Something like that.”
    “Who’s the alternative candidate?”
    “As I remember her, she had bad teeth, bad hair and a nasty temper. Of course, she wasn’t much more than twelve the last time I saw her.”
    “That type usually turns into a ravishing beauty. Are you sure you don’t want to take a chance on her?”
    “No way. It’s you or a quick trip out of state.”
    “Then I’ll come, by all means.”
    “You’re a lifesaver.”
    “Which means you’ll owe me one, right?”
    “Absolutely. Anything you want.”
    She grinned. “I’ll have to give that some real thought. I’m sure I can come up with something that will make you regret not going with the alternative.”
    “It’ll never happen. I’ll pick you up on Sunday at eleven-thirty. Where do you live?”
    “Why don’t I just meet you here? It’s convenient for both of us.”
    Tyler regarded her curiously. “Is there some reason you don’t want me to know where