Beauty in Flight, #1 by Robin Patchen

Author:Robin Patchen [Patchen, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JDO Publishing

Chapter Sixteen

Back in her bedroom, Harper changed out of her party clothes and scrubbed her face. Before she climbed into bed, she perched her ratty old suitcase against the door. If anybody opened it, the thing would topple over.

At least she’d have a moment’s notice before anybody got in. If she’d brought her keys, she’d have pulled out the little keychain/knife Estelle had given her. Like a fool, she’d left her keys on the bureau in her bedroom at Red’s.

She couldn’t get back home fast enough. The sooner she put this night behind her, the happier she’d be.

Not that she’d be able to sleep after Constantine’s proposition. The disgusting creep.

She was reading while the party raged downstairs when she heard a soft knock on her door.

“Who is it?”

Derrick called, “You came upstairs without saying good-night.”

She’d seen him once after the incident with Constantine. He’d been across the room, dripping rainwater and talking to someone she hadn’t met. He’d laughed as if his walk in the rain had been a lark.

He hadn’t noticed her, and she hadn’t gone to him.

Now, she crossed the room and moved the suitcase to open the door. He stood on the other side in his green shirt and khakis. At least they were dry. He looked… defeated. “You all right?”

He stepped past her and sat on the end of her bed. He was silent a moment too long. When he spoke, his words were measured. “I just need to ask you…”

When his voice trailed off, she cocked her head to the side. “What?”

“Did you think of me at all when you told Jenny she should leave?”

“Oh.” She hadn’t. She didn’t realize Derrick knew anything about that. She closed the bedroom door and stood in front of him. “What did Constantine tell you?”

Derrick swallowed, and his lips flattened. He took a deep breath. “He said you talked Jenny into leaving him, and she did. He was laughing when he said it, like it was all so funny, so we all laughed with him. But I could tell by the way he looked at me… He didn’t think it was funny. And he blames you.”

“It’s not my fault he treats his girlfriend like dirt.”

“So you did tell her—?”

“I suggested that he’d never respect her if she didn’t respect herself.”

Derrick smoothed the bedspread, nodded slowly.

She thought about telling him about Constantine’s proposition. Maybe he’d be angry. Maybe he’d be indignant that the man would dare. But she feared there’d be a little spark of something else in his response. Hope, maybe. As if he wouldn’t mind trading her for a solution to all his troubles.

She kept her conversation with Constantine to herself. Her opinion of Derrick had fallen enough this weekend. The wrong reaction from him would make that opinion plummet beyond repair. Besides, she had something more pressing to say.

“What were you and Keith arguing about?”

He blinked, looked up, then back at the blankets. “Nothing, really. Nothing important.”

“Looked important from where I stood.”

He met her gaze with narrowed eyes.

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