Free Queen of His Heart by Adrianne Byrd Page B

sky was a beautiful palette of indigo, lilac and dusty rose with flecks of gold.
    â€œIt looks like a painting,” Jalila whispered, gazing up at the sky. “I love this time of day.”
    â€œMe, too,” he said.
    She glanced over and they shared a smile. “Usually I’m too busy to stop and just appreciate the setting sun, but the times that I do, I just feel this wonderful calm.”
    â€œI know what you mean.”
    For a long while, the two of them, Cujo at their feet, remained silent, watching as the sun disappeared and the night fell like a curtain, leaving only the patio light to shine on them.
    â€œMind if I ask you a question?” she asked.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œHow did you get into the television business?”
    He shrugged. “Well, I’ve always loved movies and television. Who didn’t, living in this town, right?”
    She nodded.
    â€œBut growing up, I first thought that I was going to become a car dealer like my father.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œYeah.” He nodded. “It’s probably where I inherited my salesmanship skills. It comes in handy in this business. But then, somewhere in high school, I liked the idea of becoming a lawyer, then in college I got this chance to intern at NBC—even got to work on The Late Show with Jay Leno in the early nineties. Once you’re around it, it’s easy to get bitten by the bug.”
    â€œDo you still like what you do?”
    â€œI love it,” he admitted honestly. “Despite the long hours, the headaches, the ulcers and the prima donnas. There’s a certain energy in this business, wheeling and dealing and whatnot. It can consume you.”
    â€œIt doesn’t sound like you have much time for a love life.”
    He frowned.
    â€œI mean—personal life.”
    He cocked a grin at her. “No, you’re right—on both counts. At least, that’s what my ex-wife thought, too.”
    Jalila waited, not daring to speak for fear that he wouldn’t continue. Something flickered across his handsome face. Had his marriage dissolved from more than them simply outgrowing each other as he’d previously claimed? Had he been hurt?
    â€œAnyway, I don’t want to bore you.”
    â€œNooo,” she said eagerly, and then realized that she needed to tone it down a bit. “I mean, you’re not boring me at all.”
    Still he remained quiet.
    â€œIn fact,” she added, “my friends say that I’m a pretty good listener.”
    He nodded. “I agree with them.”
    Jalila was flattered by the off-hand compliment, but knew that he wanted to move on. “We’re out of margaritas.”
    Keenan glanced down at his empty glass. “So it appears.”
    Just then the Fugees’s “Killing Me Softly,” the extended instrumental version, began to play. The song triggered a memory and Jalila closed her eyes and smiled to herself.
    â€œAhh,” Keenan said.
    She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. “What?”
    â€œThat’s what I want to know. What’s that smile about?”
    She shook her head, embarrassed to share.
    â€œNo, no. Give it up. When a woman smiles like that she is definitely remembering something good.”
    â€œWell…” Jalila’s face warmed with embarrassment. “It’s just that…my high-school sweetheart and I danced to this song at our prom.”
    â€œWas this the gay guy?”
    She drew a deep breath. Of course, he’d know about that. “Unfortunately.”
    Keenan stood and then held out his hand.
    Confused, she glanced up.
    â€œC’mon. Let’s dance. Who knows, maybe after tonight you’ll think of me whenever you hear this song.”
    There was a look on his face that said he was just as surprised by his words as she was, but still she placed her hand in his and stood. He draped one arm around her waist, creating a sphere around them