Borrowed Bride by Patricia Coughlin Page A

is skewed.”
    â€œLook,” he said, leaning forward with sudden animation, “do you really think I like the idea that Adam has been double-crossing us all this time? That he betrayed Joel and might have even been involved in his death?” The sunglasses hid his eyes from her, but his outrage was unmistakable in the rigid set of his jaw.
    It was her turn to shrug. “I really have no idea what you like or don’t like.”
    He stared at her, his expression gradually relaxing into the familiar lazy smile. “Don’t you, now?” he asked as he settled back in his chair once again. “Well, maybe one of these days I’ll get around to telling you. For now why don’t we just call a truce and put the whole subject of Adam and the explosion off-limits for the time being?”
    â€œSure. And while we’re at it, why don’t you just wave your magic wand and zap me back home and we’ll forget this whole thing ever happened?”
    He sighed, his head bent slightly forward as he rubbed one temple with the tips of his fingers. “Lord, Gabrielle, you don’t know how I wish I could.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “Today is Sunday. Just give me until Friday. By then the detectives the state police have working the case should have come up with something one way or the other.”
    â€œAnd if they don’t?”
    â€œIf they don’t,” he repeated slowly, as if weighing the options, “then I’ll bring you home anyway if that’s what you want. I’ll just have to figure out some other way to keep an eye on you.”
    â€œFine,” she agreed.
    Friday was five days away. It seemed like a lifetime, but at least it was something definite she could cling to. As for his intention to keep an eye on her, she would agree to anything to get back home to Toby. Once she was free, she planned to scream so loudly to the police and to file so many charges against him that Connor DeWolfe wouldn’t have time to hang around pestering her or anyone else for a long time.
    â€œNow will you sit and talk with me for a while?” he asked.
    Gaby hesitated before deciding he was right, after all. It wasn’t as if she had anything else to do, and the thought of spending more time shut up alone in her bedroom held no appeal at all. Pulling the chair back a few inches to give herself more legroom, she sat facing him.
    Connor immediately reclaimed part of her seat as a footrest, propping one foot up beside her. When she quickly slid over a few inches so they weren’t touching, he simply took the space she created as an invitation to prop his other foot there, as well.
    â€œComfy?” she inquired, regarding him from beneath arched brows.
    â€œVery. Thanks.”
    Sighing, Gaby resigned herself to sharing the seat with him. “So, what would you like to talk about?” she asked.
    â€œWhy don’t you tell me about Toby?”
    Her eyes flashed warily. “Why?”
    Connor appeared startled by the sharpness of her response. “No particular reason. It just struck me that he would be a safe topic for us to discuss... something we don’t seem to share a whole lot of,” he reminded her in a dry tone. “I figured that since he’s someone we both love, we...” He stopped and stared at her, one side of his mouth curving upward in a humorless smile. “Does that come as a shock to you, Gaby? It shouldn’t.”
    â€œWell, it does. Oh, I know that one of us loves him. I am his mother, after all.”
    â€œRight. And I’m...”
    â€œYes, do go on,” she urged when he hesitated. “You’re what, Connor?”
    â€œI’m...” He paused again, looking out at the still lake, then finally back to her. “I was his father’s best friend. It’s only natural I take an interest in Joel’s son.”
    â€œIt may be natural,” she agreed, “but if you don’t