material things anymore” really meant they were broke and couldn’t afford a high-maintenance woman. Well, Vanity didn’t need a man to take care of her. She did that herself.
“Have dinner with me.”
She blinked, at first having trouble separating his question from her mental tirade. “We spent all day together.”
When she turned to walk away, he caught her hand and held it as he moved alongside her. Goose bumps broke out on Vanity’s arms. She didn’t like her attraction to him. Her lovers always had some major flaw, something that would keep her heart from getting involved, and they never lasted long, as a double defense.
“It’s not enough.” He stepped aside so she could move ahead of him in the line to pay for their selected items. Maybe his issues were better hidden. So far he appeared to be a nice guy. “I want to get to know you.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
He grinned. “You keep saying that, but I disagree.”
She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “The way Aunt Ella gossips, she probably already told you my life story, so you know all there is to know.”
He stepped nearer, his gaze unfocused as if he considered what he had learned of her. “In other words, you’re afraid of having dinner with me because you’re attracted to me, and that might lead you down a path you don’t want to take.”
“Get over yourself.” Vanity flounced away, her heart hammering. How the hell did he nail it like that? Wait, she’d answered her own question. Aunt Ella didn’t mind sharing her own business and figured no one else’s was off-limits either. Funny how she had never mentioned Owen. Then again, whenever they spoke on the phone Vanity pretended to be absorbed in work with limited time to talk.
They left the store and walked to Owen’s car. The vehicle, a Volvo, was decent but didn’t scream money. The model, not more than a year old, didn’t say he was one up from broke either.
While Owen packed their purchases in the trunk, she watched him in the rearview mirror. His expression remained open, even happy. How did a person take life with such a casual attitude, as he seemed to do? Maybe underneath was the real man, a manipulator and a liar. He wanted to get to know her better, but from her experience men—and even women—desired it most when they had selfish motives. Okay, I’m jaded. I’m not pretending to be someone else. Am I?
Her cell phone buzzed, and she dug it from her purse’s side pocket. Her mouth went dry, chest constricting. She clenched her teeth together and hit the button to silence the phone.
“Old boyfriend?” Owen queried, behind the steering wheel now.
She looked up at him. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you went all tense and angry.”
“Oh…um, yeah.”
He didn’t need to know it was the yearly call from her mother. Not even on Christmas, but a week or so early as if she missed the day on purpose. Vanity had never answered, yet the emotions that gripped her when the call came through always threw her off center. She hated that Aunt Ella had given her cell number to her mother in the first place, and she always intended to get her number changed and forbid Aunt Ella from giving it out. She hadn’t done it yet.
“Okay, I’ll go.”
Owen chuckled. “Must it sound like you’re giving in to a sentencing? I promise not to pass judgment. We will have a nice dinner at whatever restaurant you like and talk about anything you like. How’s that?”
“Fine.”
When she arrived at her aunt’s place, Vanity made an excuse to spend the rest of the day going through her bag for an appropriate outfit. She told herself it didn’t matter. This was just Owen, and she wasn’t looking for something to develop between the two of them. When the holiday ended, she would return home and never see him again.
“Vanity, darling,” her aunt called from down the hall.
Vanity sighed and cracked her door open. “Yes?”
“My cards are going to be
Steve Miller, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller