“You can’t just give up, Triss,” I tell her.
She lifts her hand. “Can we just stop talking about this? Please?”
I see the same plea written in her amber eyes and I give in.
“Sorry. I won’t bring it up anymore.”
It seems there’s nothing I can do to help her anyway. I really am useless.
Triss picks up the ice pack without saying anything. I lie down so she can put it back on my abdomen but I keep my head up.
“And I’m sorry for getting you in trouble tonight,” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Still, I feel bad, especially as I gaze at her in her green dress, that dress that she dazzled everyone in.
Sally’s right. It looks perfect on her. The dress wraps tightly around her firm breasts, drawing attention to them without exposing them. It accentuates her figure, too – her slender shoulders, her lean arms, her delicate wrists, her long legs. I can even catch a peek of a silken, shapely thigh through the slit of her skirt. What I like most about the dress, though, is how well the fabric seems to move with her body. Maybe that’s why I wanted to dance with her.
But look how that ended up. Maybe if I’d gone straight inside the truck and driven us home, none of that ruckus tonight would have happened and Triss’s wonderful dress wouldn’t have gone to waste.
I take the ice pack from her. “I’m fine, Triss. You should rest.”
She doesn’t protest. “Okay.”
She gets up, grabs her crutches and heads to the door. As soon as she’s out of the room, I let out a sigh.
It’s been a day of good intentions with disastrous consequences. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.
~
“You still look terrible,” Bernie tells me the next day as I hand him a mug of coffee on the front porch.
Blunt as always. Diplomacy and charm are Diane’s strong points, not his.
“Thanks,” I tell him. “But I’m fine. There’s no need to check on me.”
“What kind of mayor would I be if I didn’t check on the victim of a crime in my town, not to mention our beloved doctor?”
He means the only doctor.
Bernie clicks his tongue disapprovingly. “That Otto. He’s never going to change, is he?”
I shrug. “He outgrew his asthma and his allergies. He may yet outgrow his recklessness and violent tendencies.”
At least, that’s what I’d like to believe.
“Hmm.”
Bernie lifts his mug to his lips and takes a sip. I do the same.
“And the woman you were with last night?” he asks as he lowers his mug. “How is she? She was with you when you were attacked, right?”
“She’s fine,” I answer. “She wasn’t hurt at all.”
“Because you protected her. Am I right?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You make it sound like I did something bad.”
“Not something bad. Just… unwise.”
My eyebrows furrow. “It’s unwise to protect an innocent woman?”
“Innocent?” Bernie gives me a puzzled look. “Isn’t she the reason for all the trouble last night?”
“What do you mean?”
He takes another sip from his mug. “I spoke to Otto in jail. He said he went into a rage because you were cheating on Maggie.”
Unbelievable.
“And you believed him even though he was clearly on drugs? What did he have in his system? LSD? Meth?”
Bernie ignores my question. “Were you or were you not cheating on Maggie?”
“Bernie,” I answer him in a tone of frustration, “Maggie and I aren’t even in a relationship.”
“I see.” He taps his fingers on his knee. “And this Triss who’s living in your home right now?” He glances at the front door. “Are you in a relationship with her?”
I don’t answer. I don’t feel like continuing this pointless conversation any longer.
“Are you the father of her baby?” Bernie asks next.
I nearly spill my coffee. “I beg your pardon?”
“People say the baby has brown hair and blue eyes just like you,” Bernie points out. “Are you her father?”
“No. And whoever thought of that is out of their damn mind. Triss has never been to Summerset before.”
“But you welcomed her and her baby into your home so readily. And the two of you seemed to be getting along very well last night.”
“And those are crimes?” I ask indignantly.
“Those are everyone’s observations. And it’s not good for your reputation, Antonio.”
“If people are concerned about my reputation, maybe they should stop spreading lies and rumors about me.”
Bernie places his hand on my shoulder. “Antonio, the people of Summerset are merely concerned about you. They don’t want you being deceived and taken advantage of by any stranger.”
Deceived and taken advantage of? What am I? Twelve?
“Don’t worry,” I tell Bernie as I shrug off his hand. “That isn’t what’s happening.”
“Are you sure?” Bernie asks me. “I’ve heard that she has a husband.”
I frown. Who on earth did he hear that from?
“That’s not true. Even if it were, it’s none of your business, Bernie.”