Lucky Charm by Carly Phillips Page A

didn’t want her to speak about curses,” he said, pointedly looking at his father.
    â€œHey, I resent the implication. I’ve got a temper but I’d never threaten a lady.”
    Derek didn’t bring up the shotgun Hank had planned to take to the library. He wanted to believe his father. Besides, he couldn’t see Hank deliberately destroying someone’s property or threatening anyone.
    â€œJust watch yourself,” Derek warned him. “If anyone but me had seen you with that gun, you’d be answering to someone other than me—someone with a badge.”
    â€œYou need to show some faith in your own family. Holly, are you coming?” Hank called upstairs.
    She ran down the stairs and rounded the corner, a baseball cap on her head and another in her hand.
    â€œIs that for me?” Hank asked.
    â€œNo, it’s for Fred.” She walked over to the oversize sausage roll they called a dog and plopped the cap down on his head.
    Derek laughed. “How do you expect him to see where he’s going?”
    â€œHe has me, silly! Ready, Grandpa!” She clipped Fred’s leash on just like Derek had taught her and grabbed Hank’s hand.
    Together they walked out, Fred lumbering along with them.
    Alone, Derek let out a sigh and turned back toward the kitchen. He’d left the burned pan soaking and he needed to try to clean it, but the telephone rang, interrupting him.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œDerek?” Gabrielle asked in that breathless way she had.
    Just hearing her voice sent tremors of awareness rocketing through him. “Hey there.” He tightened his grip on the receiver.
    â€œI only have a minute,” she said, talking low. “I came home to pick up a few things and Sharon’s in the other room. I need to see you tonight. It’s important.”
    He didn’t hesitate. “Sure. Do you want to come here?”
    â€œI don’t want Holly to hear what I have to say. Could you come by my room? Say around seven?”
    â€œSure thing. Can you give me a clue what it’s about?”
    She laughed. “Wish I could, but you’ll have to wait until tonight. It’s serious, though.”
    His body tensed immediately. “Did you receive another threat?”
    â€œNot exactly. I promise I’ll explain everything when I see you, okay? Hang on.”
    He heard her say something to Sharon in the other room.
    â€œI’m back. Oh, one more thing. Can we get dinner? There’s nothing to eat at Mrs. Rhodes’s inn and I’ll be starving, ” she said, drawing out the word.
    â€œNot a problem.”
    â€œThanks!” She disconnected the line.
    Dinner with Gabrielle tonight.
    He’d heard the urgency in her voice, so he knew she had something big on her mind. But he’d also been intimately acquainted with the seductress side of Gabrielle and he was certain dinner had nothing to do with her needing to speak to him—and everything to do with a need of another kind.
    Â 
    D EREK ARRIVED AT G ABRIELLE’S room to find her waiting with a picnic basket in hand. He decided not to question her intentions and drove them in his SUV to the public beach as she’d asked. Although there were still people enjoying the end of the day, they managed to find a quiet spot.
    From the minute he’d picked her up, he couldn’t tear his eyes off the strapless sundress she wore—or rather the bare skin she revealed. She was more tanned than he’d realized, and her shoulders glistened beneath the setting sun. Despite all his good intentions, he was all wrapped up in her again. He was finding it damned hard to say he minded.
    They ate the chicken-salad sandwiches she’d picked up at the café in town and made small talk.
    Once they’d finished, he asked, “So what did you need to talk to me about?”
    At the same time, she said, “I really need to talk to you.”
    They both