Sean's Reckoning by Sherryl Woods Page A

ended things with Hank?”
    “I just thought…”
    “You thought I’d dumped him because I figured out that he’s a big flirt.”
    “To be honest, yes.”
    Ruby patted his cheek. “Honey, that just makes him a challenge,” she said.
    Shaking his head, Sean watched her as she sashayed off toward the kitchen in search of Kevin. He had to give her credit. She understood Hank probably better than Hank understood himself, which raised an interesting point. Did she understand him, too? Was he avoiding Deanna because he was a coward?
    Yep, no question about it. With his reputation on the line, he picked up the phone on the wall, took a slip of wrinkled paper from his pocket and dialed her number at the restaurant. He was relieved when Deanna was the one who answered on the first ring.
    “Ruby, is that you?”
    “No, it’s Sean.”
    “Oh.”
    “I thought maybe we could go out for dinner sometime. Are you interested?”
    Silence greeted the blunt question, then she finally demanded, “Did Ruby put you up to this?”
    Sean chuckled. “Sweetheart, Ruby may be able to manipulate your pal Joey, but she doesn’t get to me.”
    “That doesn’t mean she didn’t try. I know she and Kevin are over there.”
    “Look, leave Ruby out of this. It’s a simple question. Would you like to have dinner with me sometime or not? Yes or no?”
    “You could come by Joey’s,” she conceded eventually. “We could eat together when I take my break.”
    Sean bit back a grin at her attempt to avoid being on a real date with him. “As attractive as that offer is, I think I’d prefer a time and place when I can have your undivided attention.”
    “Why?”
    Sean barely smothered a laugh. He was tempted to suggest that she must not date much if she couldn’t figure out the answer to that one herself, but he decided that would probably just infuriate her. If Ruby was telling him the truth, she really didn’t date much.
    “So we’ll have time to talk,” he said instead.
    “About what?” she asked suspiciously.
    This time he did laugh. “The weather. Kevin. Hank and Ruby. The Red Sox. Whatever we decide we want to talk about. We’re adults. We have varied backgrounds. The possibilities are endless.”
    “Oh.”
    “Deanna, this isn’t a trap,” he said gently. “I just thought you might enjoy a night out with somebody waiting on you for a change. There’s no hidden agenda.” He hesitated, then, unable to resist teasing her just a bit, he added, “I won’t even kiss you again unless you ask me to.”
    He waited for a response, but she remained perfectly quiet. “Would you be more interested if I said I would kiss you?” he asked.
    She laughed, although it sounded to him as if her laughter was a little choked.
    “That’s what I was waiting to hear, of course,” she said gamely. She drew in a deep breath. “This invitation of yours—it’s not very specific. Are you just testing the waters, or did you have a particular night in mind?”
    “First night we’re both free,” he said at once, ridiculously pleased that she was considering the invitation. “I’m off tonight and tomorrow night, then again over the weekend. How’s your schedule?”
    “I’m working tonight and tomorrow night and over the weekend,” she said.
    “Including Sunday night?”
    “No. Actually I’m off by three on Sunday afternoon, but I’m usually pretty beat. I don’t know what kind of company I’d be. And that’s usually the time I reserve for Kevin.”
    “Then bring him along,” Sean said, seizing on theexcuse to avoid risking another one of those sizzling kisses. “I don’t mind.”
    “You don’t?”
    “Of course not,” he said with total sincerity. “He’s a terrific kid. Besides, you know I’d be the last person to want to steal some of your time with him.”
    “Then Sunday sounds good,” she said.
    “I’ll pick you up at five. We’ll make it an early evening, since Kevin has school the next day.” It also meant