Key Of Valor Read Free Page B

“Master,” he said with great satisfaction, out of the corner of his mouth.
    Rowena’s lover matched her in looks. His powerful warrior’s build was garbed in an elegant dark suit. His mane of black hair swept back from a strong face where the bones seemed carved under the flesh. His eyes, a brilliant blue, studied Simon as he lifted one elegant brow and extended a hand.
    â€œGood evening, Mr. McCourt. And what can I offer you to drink?”
    â€œCan I have a Coke?”
    â€œCertainly.”
    â€œPlease, be at home.” Rowena gestured.
    Dana had already risen to cross the room. “Hey, Simon. How’s it going?”
    â€œFine. Except I lost a buck because that guy and Brad are wearing suits.”
    â€œBad luck.”
    â€œI’m going to go talk to Brad, okay, Mom?”
    â€œAll right, but—” She sighed as he dashed off. “Don’t touch anything,” she added under her breath.
    â€œHe’ll be fine. How about you?”
    â€œI don’t know.” She looked at her friend, one of the people she’d come to trust completely. The dark brown eyes looked back at hers with an understanding that only one other person could have. “I guess I’m a little wound up. Let’s not think about it yet. You look great.”
    It was perfectly true. The dense brown hair fell in a sleek, swinging bell two inches below Dana’s strong chin. It was a good look for her, if Zoe, who’d styled it, said so herself.
    It relieved her that Dana had chosen a brick-colored jacket over the more formal black.
    â€œEven better,” she added, “you look happy.” She lifted Dana’s left hand to admire the square-cut ruby. “Jordan has great taste in jewelry, and in fiancées.”
    â€œCan’t argue with that.” Dana glanced back toward the sofa, where Jordan and Pitte were talking.
    They looked, she thought, very much like the warriors who flanked the gates. “I got me a big, handsome guy.”
    They looked wonderful together, Zoe thought. Dana’s sexy amazon build, Jordan’s tall, muscled frame. Whatever happened, or didn’t, Zoe was glad they’d found each other again.
    â€œI thought you would enjoy a glass of champagne.” Rowena stepped over, offering Zoe bubbling wine in a carved crystal flute.
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œYour son is beautiful.”
    Nerves took a backseat to pride. “Yes, he is. The most beautiful thing in my life.”
    â€œThat makes you a wealthy woman.” Rowena touched a hand to her arm and smiled. “He and Bradley appear to be fast friends.”
    â€œThey hit it off,” Zoe agreed.
    She didn’t know what to think about it; it seemed so unlikely. Yet there they were, huddled together across the room, obviously in some deep discussion. The man in the elegant slate-gray suit and the boy in his dark brown one that was already—God—a smidgeon too small for him.
    It seemed odd that Simon should be so easy with the man while she was so uneasy with him. She and her son were usually in tandem.
    Then Brad glanced over and his eyes, nearly the exact color of his suit, met hers.
    Oh, yeah, she thought, there was the reason. This was the only person of her and Simon’s acquaintance who could have bats doing cartwheels in her stomach with just one look.
    He was too handsome, he was too rich, he was too everything . Way, way out of your league, Zoe, and we’ve already been there once.
    Bradley Charles Vane IV made James Marshall look like a yokel, in every possible way. The Vane fortune, built with lumber, spreading its commerce across the country with its top-rated HomeMakers chain of stores, made Brad a powerful and privileged man.
    His looks—the dark gold hair, the sooty eyes and sorcerer’s mouth—made him, in her opinion, a dangerous one. He had the toned, rangy build made for those designer suits. Long legs that she imagined could