3 Dime If I Know by Maggie Toussaint

sparkling with joy. “I’m ready for my driving lesson. Can we take your car?”
    Charlie took a long look at me. “No, we’ll borrow your mother’s car. That’s the car she wants you to drive once you have your license. I want you to be comfortable driving it.”
    My daughter’s face fell. “Can’t we take your car?”
    “Nope. From now on, we take the Gray Beast.” He turned to me, handing me the warm keys from his pocket. “If you need transportation while we’re gone, feel free to use my car.”
    I took the keys. Dazed, I watched them drive away. Temptation reared its ugly head. My relationship with Rafe was a certifiable mess. Charlie was right here, doing exactly what I expected him to do and more. He claimed to have turned over a new leaf.
    It was wrong to trust him.
    Wrong, wrong, wrong.
    But I did.

C HAPTER 14
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    Charla and Lexy had insisted Jonette decorate the Tavern with streamers and balloons for her mayoral fundraiser. Looking at the bright clusters of red, white, and blue in the crowded room, I realized they’d been absolutely right. The decorations helped the bar look more like a campaign headquarters and less like a lonely hearts gathering hole.
    Jonette glowed in a crisp white blouse and pressed navy slacks, conservative clothes by her liberal standards, but she carried the polished look off to perfection. Her jaunty brown bob was styled away from her face, and she’d ramped back the mascara about fifty percent. All in all, she looked like a credible public servant.
    Which pleasantly surprised me.
    Jonette had entered the race because Darnell had made her mad one time too many. Judging from the size of this crowd and the donations I’d collected this evening, she had a good shot at winning the office. Darnell must be sweating in his mayoral boots.
    “What’s our bottom line?” Jonette asked an hour into the event.
    I patted the wooden donation box. “We’ve done quite well so far. Enough to purchase that radio spot you wanted and more.”
    “Cool.” Jonette surveyed the crowd. “I don’t even know some of these people. Isn’t this amazing?”
    “Let’s hope they turn out on election day. You need these votes and more to become mayor.”
    Jonette nodded, her gaze sweeping the room once more. She tugged my sleeve. “Looky there. Another miracle.”
    I followed her gaze to the lanky man with strawberry blond hair filling the doorway. Rafe. He’d come after all. My spirits brightened. I held still, almost afraid to breathe as he scanned the crowded room. When his gaze landed on me, his expression softened, and he started toward me.
    “I didn’t think he’d come,” I whispered to Jonette. My hand strayed to my hair, smoothing it back from my brow. I tugged my blouse down, sucked in my tummy.
    “He’s here, and he’s loaded.” Jonette leaned close. “Make sure you squeeze a campaign contribution out of him before you hit the sheets.” With that, she sauntered toward Esther Wilcox and greeted her like it was old home week.
    My thoughts turned to the determined man headed my way. Rafe seemed happy to see me. I sipped chardonnay and wished I’d worn my new lingerie.
    Rafe’s red golf shirt reminded me of a famous golfer who wore red shirts on the last day of the tournament, the day he expected to win. Had Rafe’s wardrobe choice been deliberate? Was he here to officially patch things up between us? The possibility tantalized me even though I was irritated with him for shutting me out of his life.
    He stood before me and reached for my hand. Sparks flew up my arm, igniting the fire smoldering in my belly. Oh, yes, the chemistry between us hadn’t changed. A small sigh of welcome hummed in my throat.
    “Hey, you,” he rumbled in his deep voice.
    Overcome with emotion, I tugged him close for a kiss. To my delight, he obliged, putting his mind to it. My toes curled as the noisy din of the room receded. “I’ve missed you,” I said.
    “I’m doing my best to keep you