Free Dangerously In Love by Allison Hobbs

understanding. I thought I was helping him to maintain his self-respect. Now I realize that trying to help him caused me to lose my self-esteem.” Dayna gave Cecily a sad smile. “Anyway, it’s over now. I just have to figure out how to get him out of the house and get his name off the deed.”
    “Have you seen an attorney?”
    “Not yet.”
    “What are you waiting for? You can’t figure this legal mess out on your own. You need to let your father know you’re in trouble; he can solve this problem quickly.”
    Dayna ignored the mention of her father. “It’s going to be a bitter battle and I’m just not up for it yet.” Dayna sighed and then suddenly brightened. Changing the subject, Dayna said, “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve lost three pounds.”
    Cecily, who’d been a size six her entire adult life and couldn’t fathom being encumbered by a weight problem, gave Dayna a blank look. “Good for you,” she said with a shrug and then leaned in close. “Walk to the restroom with me; I want to check out that hottie sitting at the bar.”
    Dayna turned her head in the direction of the bar.
    “Don’t be obvious!” Cecily scolded as she slid out of her seat. “Come on, you can get a look at him on the way to the restroom.”
    Somewhere along the walk from their table to the restroom, Cecily trailed off into another direction without giving Dayna any warning. Dayna spotted Cecily smiling into the face of the hottie. Cecily didn’t play when she was on a manhunt. Social amenities went out the window. Dayna shrugged and went to the restroom alone.
    She left the stall and peered into the lighted mirror as she washed her hands. Her face looked smaller. The three-pound loss really made a difference. All the green salads she’d consumed and the gallons of water she’d drunk during the past two weeks was finally paying off.
    Dayna left the bathroom beaming, walking with the confidence she’d had when she was a size eight. She cut her eye toward the bar looking for Cecily.
    Now seated on the bar stool next to Mr. Hottie, Cecily was in full-flirtation mode, chatting enthusiastically, fingers fluttering to her exposed cleavage and lashes batting away like crazy. Dayna smiled and shook her head. Cecily was seriously putting her thing down.
    Despite all the light-hearted fun she seemed to be having, Dayna knew Cecily was desperate for a committed relationship. She hoped this encounter worked out for her.
    As she approached the bar with the intention of discreetly telling Cecily she was going to head on home, Dayna had the distinct impression that someone was watching her. Her eyes darted away from Cecily and locked on to the hazel eyes of a brown-skinned man standing behind the bar. Whoa! She felt herself flush. Bronze-colored skin contrasted with hazel-colored eyes was an unusual, and well…lethal combination.
    Beautiful locks brushed his shoulders and added to his physical attractiveness. Dayna felt slightly woozy and gripped the side of the bar as she quickly averted her gaze. She inched up to Cecily, who didn’t see her coming, and placed a hand on her shoulder.
    “Sorry to interrupt,” Dayna said breathlessly.
    “Hey,” Cecily said, twirling around on the barstool. “I want you to meet my new friend, Kendrick. Dayna, this is Kendrick.”
    “Hi. Nice meeting you, Kendrick,” Dayna said politely, and then addressed Cecily. “Look, I’m going to head home; I totally forgot I have to grade some papers. Oh, and I have to work on an IEP for one of my students. It feels like our workload has doubled since the state took over the school district, don’t you think?” Dayna rambled. The handsome bartender had rattled her nerves and she couldn’t understand why she felt the urge to run away. It wasn’t as if he’d spoken to her. They’d simply shared a moment; eye contact, that’s all.
    Unable to figure out why Dayna was going on and on about nothing in the midst of her love connection, Cecily began a