Secrets on Cedar Key by Terri Dulong

at the small of my back guiding me through the door, and I stupidly almost tripped as we approached the podium to be seated.
    His hand shot out to grab my arm. “Are you okay?”
    â€œJust feeling dumb,” I said and laughed. “My heel caught on the carpet.”
    We were directed to a table outside and I was grateful for the cool air on my flushed cheeks.
    After we gave our order for wine, Worth leaned back in his chair, smiled across the table at me, and said, “This is nice.”
    He was right. Sitting across from him, just the two of us, it was nice. I returned his smile. “It is, and thank you for inviting me to dinner.”
    He leaned forward with his elbows resting on the table edge. “My pleasure. Now . . . tell me about yourself.”
    I laughed. “I have a feeling you probably know way more than you ever wanted to.”
    â€œThat’s not true, but I mean tell me about you. What you like. What you don’t like. Your favorite books or movies. Those sorts of things.”
    I was reminded of Andrew and how I always felt like I was boring him when I wanted to share any of those subjects with him.
    â€œOh . . . well.” I paused as our wine was brought to the table and Worth told the server to give us some time before we looked at the menus. “Let’s see. Favorite books? I have a variety of favorite authors, so my reading tastes are a bit eclectic. But my favorite book is probably To Kill a Mockingbird .”
    Worth nodded. “Good choice.” He lifted his glass to touch mine and said, “Here’s to a long and lasting friendship.”
    I smiled and took a sip. “And favorite movie? That would have to be Casablanca .”
    â€œAnother good choice. Favorite type of food?”
    â€œHmm, definitely French, with Italian as a close second.”
    â€œI agree. And how about flowers? What would be your favorite?”
    Without hesitating, I said, “Oh, yellow roses. I adore them. But I also love lilacs and lily of the valley. My turn—favorite book and movie?”
    â€œI’m afraid I’m not quite as decisive as you are. I read a lot of nonfiction, history, politics, and I have read all of Saxton’s mysteries. I enjoy his novels a lot. And believe it or not, my favorite movie is also Casablanca .”
    I smiled. It would have been easy for him to fib, but I knew that he hadn’t. I was beginning to realize there were a few things I definitely liked about Worth, and his genuine sincerity was one of them.
    By the time we’d ordered dinner, both of us choosing escargot and duck confit, I marveled at how comfortable I felt in his company. There had been no groping for a topic to discuss, no nodding of the head to be polite, no awkward silences. We discussed a variety of topics, and I discovered I loved listening to him, but even more surprising was that he never took his eyes from mine and he made me feel special.
    Dinner was followed with coffee as we finished off the last of the wine. I realized he hadn’t questioned me at all about speaking with the attorney on Wednesday, but I knew it wasn’t because he wasn’t interested. It was because he knew it was up to me if I wanted to share the information.
    â€œThe dinner was wonderful, Worth. Thank you again.”
    He nodded and glanced out to the water and the lights now twinkling on Dock Street. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, because I did too.”
    â€œI spoke with the attorney,” I said as I twisted the napkin in my lap.
    â€œHmm, and how did that go?”
    â€œWell, I was right. Fiona Caldwell is Andrew’s daughter.”
    He nodded but said nothing.
    â€œBut because Andrew is now dead, it’s all become a bit more complicated as far as the money in that account,” I said and started at the beginning to tell him what I had learned.
    When I finished, he reached across the table to grasp my hand. “And how are you dealing