Free A Man's Promise by Brenda Jackson Page A

the wall. In a few hours, she had an appointment with Nannette Gaither, the woman coordinating Charlottesville’s annual Live-It-Up Ball to benefit cancer research. Shiloh was on the committee that met every two weeks, but since the event was next month, they were getting together more regularly.
    She and Nannette had attended high school together, and instead of moving away for college, Nannette had remained in Charlottesville and attended college here. She was engaged to marry Vance Clayburn, a wealthy businessman who’d moved to town a few years ago. Shiloh had never met the man, but it was rumored that he was old enough to be Nannette’s father.
    Deciding she had been held up in her office long enough, Shiloh stood and was headed toward the door to go check on things below when the phone on her desk rang. Tess was transferring a call that had come in through the boutique.
    She went back to her desk and picked up the phone. “Yes, Tess?”
    “A Mr. Caden Granger is on the line and wants to speak with you.”
    Shiloh drew in a deep breath. She should take the call and at least thank him for the flowers, but then she thought better of it. The last thing she wanted to do was encourage Caden. If he thought he was breaking down her defenses, he would continue with this, and she preferred that he didn’t.
    “Tell Mr. Granger that I’m busy, Tess.”
    “Okay, I’ll tell him.”
    Tess hung up on her end, and Shiloh hung up on hers. If Caden thought he would get close to her with a bouquet of flowers, he was sadly mistaken.
    * * *
    Caden held the phone in his hand a full minute before hanging it up. Shiloh had told her employee to tell him she was busy. That was fine. He wouldn’t push for now, but he damn well wouldn’t give up. He knew all about the grand opening of her boutique next weekend, and he intended to attend.
    He glanced toward the door when he heard the knock. “Come in,” he called out and then wished he hadn’t when Dalton walked in. “What do you want, Dalton?”
    Dalton smiled as he plopped down on the chair across from his desk. “Still in a bad mood, I see.”
    “What do you want, Dalton? Some of us have work to do.”
    “So do I,” Dalton countered. “I just came from that meeting with those Security guys, and you wouldn’t believe some of the technical shit they have now. Trying it out, I felt like a regular James Bond. And just so you know, you don’t have to tell me why you were in the historical district yesterday.”
    “I don’t?” Caden asked, staring hard at his brother.
    “No, you don’t. I was able to backtrack all the places you went yesterday with the tracker I put on your phone.” A huge smile spread across Dalton’s lips. “Why didn’t you tell me Shiloh owns a wine shop?”
    “Does she?”
    “I’m sure you know that she does. So tell me, what’s the real deal with you and Shiloh? And don’t tell me there isn’t one. All it will do is keep me digging.”
    Caden leaned back in his chair and built a steeple with his fingers while staring at his brother. “Has it ever occurred to you that it’s not any of your business?”
    Dalton continued to smile. “Yes, that did occur to me, but I dismissed it as a crazy idea.”
    “And why would you do that?”
    “Because you’re the middle child, and I promised Dad I would keep an eye out for you, so everything you do is my business, Caden.”
    “Bullshit. But two can play your silly little game. Where were you yesterday? On the way out, I asked Brandy to let you know I was leaving the office, and she mentioned you hadn’t returned from your appointment with a private investigator. Why were you meeting with a P.I.?”
    Caden watched the expression on his brother’s face, and it was apparent he didn’t like being the one in the hot seat. In fact, Caden noticed that Dalton actually seemed to be squirming.
    “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
    No doubt it will be damned interesting, Caden thought, keeping an