That Touch of Pink by Teresa Southwick

knew, she asked, “How did that go over?”
    â€œLike a fly in your consommé,” Roy confirmed. “But that’s too darn bad. She’s our little girl. Whether she likes it or not, she’s stuck with Sam Brimstone. If he can’t get to the bottom of what’s going on, we’ll figure something else out. One way or another, we’re going to make sure nothing happens to her.”
    â€œGood.” Abby sipped her wine. “I’m concerned about her, too. I thought she looked too thin. Not good advertising for you two restaurant owners, I can tell you.”
    â€œDon’t we know it,” Louise agreed. “I feel better knowing Sam is watching over her. But what about you, young lady? What’s with the hunk you bought at the auction?”
    â€œWhich hunk would that be, honey?” Roy asked, the sparkle back in his eyes. “She bought two. Remember?”
    Apparently it was too much to hope no one remembered, Abby thought, cringing. “Only one was for me,” she explained.
    â€œWho’s the other for?” Louise asked, a cagey look in her dark eyes.
    â€œI’m sworn to secrecy.”
    â€œWe already know you bought Des O’Donnell for Molly Preston. Don’t look so surprised. We were there, remember?” Louise patted her arm. “Not to worry. We’ll never tell. Des is certainly a good-looking young man.”
    Abby followed the other woman’s gaze to the center of the crowded room where Riley was talking to Des O’Donnell, who’d recently assumed control of the family construction company after his father’s death. “I have no idea why Molly wants to keep him under wraps.”
    â€œI’m disappointed in you, Abby. You’re divorced, not dead,” Louise said. “Use your imagination, dear.”
    â€œMrs. Gibson!” Abby stared at her, surprised.
    The older woman looked unrepentant. “What? I’m old, not blind. The one you bought isn’t bad, either. What are you doing with him?”
    â€œI don’t have him under wraps.” Not for lack of imagination, she thought. “He’s helping Kimmie get her hiking and survival badges for the scouting group she belongs to,” Abby explained.
    â€œSo you bought him for Kimmie?” Roy asked.
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œThen how come you’re his date tonight?” Louise raised one eyebrow.
    Date? Why did there have to be a label? Why couldn’t they just be two friends attending a dinner together? Her gaze swung back to Riley, standing slightly taller than the other men in the group. He wore a navy, double-breasted suit and red tie. His dark hair was neatly combed and he had a beer in his hand while he listened to something Jack Wentworth was saying.
    Her heart stuttered, a sensation that was becoming all too familiar at the sight of Riley Dixon. But tonight it was even more so. He cleaned up good, really good, darn her luck. His familiar, rugged look—the only way she’d seen him until now—was enough to give females the world over heart palpitations. But this classy side of him was disconcerting, to say the least.
    As the three men stood there, a flash went off, and Jack took the brunt of it. He grimaced and automatically raised his hand to block out the light. Although, of course, it was too late.
    â€œThat Mackenzie Andrews,” Louise tsked. “She’s been doing that to Black Jack Wentworth all night. If you ask me, she’s using her position as society reporter for the Charity City Chatter to take shots at Jack. No pun intended. I think she’s got something against him. He’ll be lucky if he can see straight when she’s finished with him.”
    â€œThere’s some history between those two,” Roy agreed. “You know anything about it, Abby?”
    â€œHmm?” She’d been too focused on Riley to pay close attention to the conversation around