Ask Anyone by Sherryl Woods Page B

Pennington’s—out of guilt over divorcing Nick. She had paid and paid and paid.Well, no more. It hadn’t done any good that she could see, anyway.
    Astonishingly, the shift in her thinking had happened after she’d had her first encounter with the impossible Bobby Spencer. He had solidified every ounce of resolve she’d ever possessed. Someday, when he stopped annoying her, she would thank him for that.
    â€œI don’t like it,” Darcy said, pouting.
    Jenna grinned at her. “No, I imagine you don’t, but get used to it, because this is the way it’s going to be from now on. We’re turning over a new leaf while we’re in Trinity Harbor.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Darcy asked suspiciously.
    â€œIt means you don’t run the show, I do,” Jenna told her. “It’ll be a new experience for both of us.”
    Just then a waitress approached and asked to take their orders. Jenna looked at Darcy. “Are you just having water, or have you reconsidered?”
    â€œI’ll have a hamburger,” Darcy said meekly. “And French fries.”
    Jenna hid a smile, then ordered the shrimp scampi for herself along with a salad of arugula, endive, blue cheese and walnuts. “I’ll have water to drink for now and coffee after dinner.” She glanced at Darcy. “What would you like to drink?”
    â€œA soda,” Darcy said at once, regarding Jenna with a defiant look.
    Since she’d won the earlier battle over the food, Jenna gave in on the soda. Normally, she restricted her daughter’s intake of sodas to one a day, and Darcy wasalready well over that limit; she’d begged to stop for a drink three times en route to Trinity Harbor.
    â€œSince this is the first night of our vacation, you can have it,” Jenna agreed. “But don’t press your luck tomorrow.”
    As soon as the waitress had brought the drinks, Jenna spotted a woman heading straight toward them, a man and boy in tow. Belatedly she realized the man was the same sheriff’s deputy she’d met on Sunday at Bobby Spencer’s. He nodded at Jenna.
    â€œMs. Kennedy, I don’t know if you remember me,” he said.
    â€œOf course, I do. It’s Walker Ames, isn’t it?”
    â€œGood memory.”
    â€œIt was a memorable occasion,” she said dryly.
    His grin transformed his somber face. “That it was. The impatient woman beside me is my wife, Daisy. And this is our son, Tommy.”
    As Jenna was about to acknowledge the introduction, Walker held up a silencing hand. “And just so you know, Daisy is a Spencer. She’s Bobby’s sister.”
    Daisy frowned at her husband. “You didn’t have to say that like she needs to be warned.”
    â€œOh, yes, I did,” Walker said with a sympathetic look at Jenna. “Prepare yourself. Daisy has questions.”
    â€œA million of them,” Daisy agreed. “Will you be in town long?”
    â€œFor as long as it takes,” Jenna told her.
    â€œHave you considered buying a house and thinking ahead toward retirement?” Daisy said wryly. “My brother can be difficult.”
    â€œSo I’ve gathered,” Jenna said, her tone just as dry.
    Tommy was eyeing Darcy with evident fascination. “Cool haircut,” he said admiringly.
    â€œDon’t even think about it,” Walker said emphatically.
    Daisy rolled her eyes. “Long story, but Tommy is actually Walker’s nephew. Walker is still adapting to his new role as Tommy’s father. He hasn’t quite grasped the concept that forbidding something only makes it more alluring.”
    Jenna laughed and gestured at Darcy. “Sweetheart, tell Deputy Ames what I told you right before you dyed your hair green.”
    â€œShe told me I couldn’t dye it purple,” Darcy said, then added with a proud lift of her chin, “and I didn’t.”
    Daisy bit back a