Diane (The Town of Pearl 6)

rned out to set Mark up. We were lucky he didn’t die. But this is his profession. How many tours did we do in the military, and the special assignments we took on despite nearly dying? Retiring is his decision to make, not ours.”

“Lucas, what the fuck?”

Lucas looked out of the window and thought about how his own life and perception of things had changed since moving to Pearl and meeting Diane.

“Maybe this will be his last case.”

“I have a bad feeling about this. I feel like all our plans, all the things we talked about like falling in love and sharing the same woman, are going to turn to shit. I won’t let Diane get hurt. If Mark still has feelings for Brenda—”

“He doesn’t. He told you that. But they did work together, he considered her a friend, and they did have sex. He’s got his reasons for getting involved with her case. Let him do what he does best. Who is to say that Mark is wrong about pursuing this investigating and getting concrete information to confirm Brenda’s involvement with treason and this terrorist asshole? Let him do his job. He cares for Diane. He’ll work it out like always.”

Drake mumbled something just as they pulled into town. They were getting closer to the parking area across the street from the boutique when they saw the crowd.

“What the hell is going on?” Lucas asked.

“I don’t know, but I think we’re about to find out.”

* * * *

Diane, Melissa, and Amanda, who they’d called in to the boutique to help out, were crazy busy. People had been coming in since they opened up this morning. They wanted to get Diane’s autograph and purchase the lingerie she wore for the fashion show. Melissa was on the phone with Elvira, and Amanda was helping a group of ladies order specific items and sizes they wanted. Diane was assisting three men from town who were single and decided they wanted to ask her out on a date.

She was declining their offers as the bell above the entry to the boutique rung again. She rolled her eyes and turned to see who it was and nearly gasped at seeing Drake and Lucas. One of the men she was talking to placed his hand on her waist as he leaned closer to whisper to her. Her eyes never left Lucas’s until the words the man said sunk in.

“Darlin’, what do you say we grab us one of these sexy little outfits and you come along with us back to our place? We’ll have some lunch, and maybe you for dessert?”

“Sorry, I already have a lunch date.”

“With who?” he asked. But Lucas and Drake were right there, towering over the other three men.

“Is there a problem here, Diane?” Drake asked.

“Nope. These gentlemen were just leaving.”

“Actually, we’re still looking.” The man gently ran his thumb down Diane’s arm.

“There are a lot of things that interest us in this boutique,” the other one added.

Lucas pulled Diane closer to him and stared at the three men.

“Everything in this boutique is off-limits. Especially our woman. Take a hike,” he said.

Diane thought they were going to argue or fight, but the look in Lucas’s eyes must have warned the men that they were in trouble, because they immediately headed out of the boutique.

That was when Diane realized that most of the other people who were looking had already headed out.

“Well, now we know how to get rid of customers real fast when we’re overwhelmed,” Melissa said and then chuckled as she walked behind the counter to sit down.

“I’ve never seen the place like this. I wonder if it has to do with those pictures on the Internet of you?” Amanda said toward Diane. Diane widened her eyes and tried to walk away from Lucas but the man snagged her around the waist.

“What pictures on the Internet?” Drake asked before Lucas could.

“Diane, honey, why don’t you take that lunch date you were going to have with Drake and Lucas? Hey, where is Mark?” Melissa asked.

“Working. He’ll come by later to pick Diane up for dinner,” Drake added.

“Dinner?” Diane asked.

“We’ll talk about it over lunch,” Drake said, and then they ushered her through the boutique. She glanced at Melissa and could see the regretful expression on her face and on Amanda’s. There went keeping the photos of her in lingerie out of the discussion with Drake and Lucas.