Free The Good Luck Charm (The Good Luck Series) by Leanne Tyler Page A

scenes later when Mag Wildwood fell like a tree, he heard Keely’s laugh again. Paying closer attention to the direction the sound came from, he realized Keely was the lone figure two rows ahead of him.
    Again, he wanted to move closer but hesitated unsure how she’d react to him joining her. Instead, he spent the rest of the film watching her reaction and longing to have her beside him. When the houselights came up, Darren didn’t know whether he should get up and leave quickly or hang around, letting Keely spot him.
    Her face glowed, evidence that she’d enjoyed the film. However, the moment she laid eyes on him all joy drained from her features and annoyance replaced it.
    “What are you doing here?”
    “The same as you.”
    She crossed her arms and a black scarf dangled near her elbow. “You came here alone to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s ? I find that hard to believe. Did you enjoy it?”
    “I know you did.”
    His statement caught her off guard. He watched her shift her weight from one foot to the other before speaking again.
    “If you’ll excuse me, I need to leave.”
    “Retreating won’t solve anything.” His words stopped her in her tracks.
    She swung around and he was glad for the space between them. The look in her eyes told him he didn’t want to mess with her tonight. But that didn’t stop him from speaking.
    “Look, Keely, I know you’re angry. You have every right. If I were in your position I’d be livid. All I ask is for you to give me the chance to explain why I didn’t tell you right away that I was Jama Wright’s brother.”
    She swallowed and tapped her foot. “You mean you’ll tell me why you lied? I’ll give you two minutes.”
    Not long, but he’d make use of every second.
    He took a deep breath, and closed the space between them. “I didn’t know who you were at first, not until Litton’s as you’ve figured out. And I could have told you then, but we were just getting to know each other. I really didn’t want to risk you walking out on me, especially since it had taken some doing to get you to say yes to dinner in the first place.”
    “And telling you I was going to come clean last Friday after our date will no doubt sound like a good story, but it’s true. I was going to. I knew keeping my identity a secret could backfire. Which it did.
    “I had other opportunities, sure, but I still didn’t know if you’d believe me when I said I wanted to get to know you because I like you, not because you work for Jackson and Jackson. I like you Keely Jones. I like you.”
    Keely listened to him speak, feeling her heart beat faster and faster with each word. Moisture threatened to spill forth from her eyes when he said he liked her. Could she honestly believe him? Deep inside she wanted to, but words were words. He could easily be trying to ease his guilty conscience.
    “Do you realize what position you put me in at work by not telling me who you were? You lied by omission and it made me look incompetent. I’ve lost credibility with my employer. I’m being watched because they don’t trust me. Edward believes I lost the McDaniel account on purpose.”
    Darren nodded. “For that I’m truly sorry. You were totally caught off guard. I know the rumors have been brutal.”
    Keely blinked, taking a deep breath. “The rumors have been bad, but losing my boss’s confidence is worse, Darren. Any promotion I might have received is now beyond my grasp.”
    “I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but I truly mean it.”
    She could see the sincerity in his blue eyes. Still, one other thing nagged at her. “Did you put Jama up to calling me?”
    “What?”
    “Jama called me. Wanted to have lunch. Obviously from your reaction, you knew nothing about this.”
    “No. I didn’t know.”
    She nodded, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth.
    “Do you forgive me, Keely? Will you still at least be my…friend?”
    A pregnant silence fell between them. She wasn’t in a