Jill Shalvis - The Detective’s Undoing

“Are you?” Maddie’s look was long and knowing. “Because I thought maybe Cade had put that look there.”

Delia, who’d just taken a sip from the can of soda, choked. Coughing and sputtering, she glared at Maddie.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Maddie said innocently. “I forgot how you react whenever you hear his name.”

“Whose name?” Zoe asked as she entered the kitchen, looking tired but happy. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Maddie said. “Other than that Delia seems to have a problem drinking and hearing Cade’s name. Or breathing and hearing Cade’s name. Or just existing and hearing-”

“You know, until a second ago, you were my favorite sister,” Delia said to Maddie.

“Hey, I thought I was your favorite sister.” Zoe feigned a sulk. “You said so last week when I took over the cleaning of- Wait a minute. Cade?” Her eyes narrowed speculatively as she studied Delia with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. “You mean to tell me you have a thing for Cade?”

“Say it again and you’ll be scrubbing the floor with that mouth, instead of kissing Ty with it.”

“You know, you can take the girl out of the city,” Zoe said, grinning broadly, “but you sure as hell can’t take the city out of the girl. You got a thing for that hot-looking investigator of ours? Really?”

“You’re getting married,” Delia said through her teeth. “I doubt Ty would appreciate your thinking Cade is hot.”

“He’s really something, isn’t he?” the usually man shy Maddie interjected. “And my, oh my, can he fill out a pair of jeans.”

Zoe hooted at this, practically rolling on the floor with mirth. Delia stood still and waited for the moment to pass. “Since I’m the only one with a brain left, I’ll go make sure our guests are all comfortable.” She sent her sisters a look of disgust. “You two stay here and giggle like idiots.”

“You really have a thing for Cade,” Zoe repeated with marvel. “Oh, just wait until Ty-”

Delia made a grab for Zoe, but experienced with her two hot-tempered sisters, Maddie quickly stepped between them, her eyes still laughing. “Hey. No brawling. I think we should charge extra if you’re going to give the clients a show.”

“Fine,” Delia said, throwing up her hands. “But tell her to be quiet. I don’t want to hear-”

“Does Cade know you think he’s hot?”

“-that name,” Delia ground out.

“Cade, Cade, Cade,” Zoe sang, sticking her tongue out at Delia.

“Behave, Zoe,” Maddie said mildly. “We can’t afford to have Delia kill you. We have too much to do.”

“Okay.” But Zoe was still grinning as she lifted the soda from Delia’s hands and took a good long swallow. “But can I tease her later?”

“At your peril,” Maddie said, and Delia sighed.

“Can’t we talk about something else, anything else?”

“Oh, all right, fine,” Zoe said with her own sigh. “Don’t admit you have a healthy lust for an absolutely gorgeous man. Deprive yourself-see if I care.” She turned to Maddie. “Do you need any help with dinner? You’re going to have your hands full.”

At the mention of dinner, Maddie’s entire face lit up. “No, of course not. Actually, I almost feel guilty these people are paying us, since I’d do this for free.”

“Well, let’s be thankful you don’t have to.” Delia grabbed her soda back from Zoe and finished it off. Just insisting she didn’t find Cade attractive had her mouth dry as cotton. “I’m off to make sure everyone’s settled.” She sent Zoe a withering look. “And if you have so much time on your hands, you can come help me.”

Zoe smiled. “Sure, no problem.” The minute Delia turned her back to walk down the hall, Zoe whispered the name that sent shivers up her spine. “Cade.”

Delia stopped short and drew in a careful breath. “You’re cruising.”

Zoe laughed uproariously, then slipped an arm around Delia’s waist. “You’re so easy, Dee.”

“You’re going to tell Ty, aren’t you,” she said with dread.

“Oh, yeah.”

“And he’ll tell… God, this is bad. How much to keep your trap shut?”

“Such sisterly affection.” Zoe tsked, then grinned. “Take my chores tonight so I can be alone with Ty.”

“You mean-” Delia tried not to grimace “-take care of the animals?”

“Uh-huh.”

Both of them knew Delia had never been an animal lover. When they were in Los Angeles, it had never mattered, but out here, where they were now responsible for many animals every day, it’d been quite an adjustment.

Now, thanks to her own stupidity, she’d have to feed and water all of them, on her own, and she knew damn well there were huge spiders lurking everywhere in that barn. While she would have liked to grimace, it would show her fear, which Delia hated to do. “I’m truly going to kick your butt, Zoe,” she said, instead.

“Tomorrow. I’m busy tonight.” Her sister lifted her brows suggestively.

“And you’ll keep your mouth shut, right?”

“Right.” She grinned at Delia. “I love you, you know.”

“I’m still going to kick your butt.”

Zoe sighed fondly. “You love me, too.”

They survived their first day. It had taken them a while to get into their stride, but they’d done it. To settle herself down after supper, Delia worked on Zoe’s wedding dress for a time, enjoying the physical work and mental freedom as she stitched the fine lace and ivory silk dress from the pattern she’d created.

Eventually she had to set it aside because she had to do Zoe’s chores, which made her shudder in distaste. She entered the barn, prepared to hate the duty, even though secretly she was glad for the opportunity to help Zoe, who worked far too hard.

Delia worked hard, too, but her work was different, and while she wanted-needed-to do her fair share, she’d always felt her contribution to the ranch was negligible.

Guilt gnawed at her, it always did, because she’d have given anything to be needed here.

Thinking about being needed led her to worrying about Jacob and custody, which of course led her to think about the Triple M and its hopeful success, which led her to thinking about her future.

And that, for some ridiculous reason, brought her full circle to Cade. It was ridiculous because he had no intention of ever being part of anyone’s future, much less hers.

Delia sighed and turned on the lights. Just as she imagined, a huge black spider scurried from its resting place on the lightswitch and she nearly fell in her haste to back up. Shuddering, she wiped her fingers on her jeans, even though she hadn’t touched it. “Yuck,” she muttered. “There aren’t spiders that gross in the city, that’s for certain.”

Maybe not, but at least here, she had a shot of owning something for the first time in her life.

It was thrilling. Yes, each of the three sisters had wanted to be heir. It would give the deserted foster children they’d once been a heritage. A name. But it had nothing to do with greed, for no matter which of them inherited, the three of them would share equally.

Equally.

However, that wouldn’t get her Jacob.

Delia hated her lack of security; she always had. It had nothing to do with money. No, that would make her little better than her own mother had been.

It definitely had nothing to do with money.

And everything to do with worth. Self-worth. Confidence. Two things she could pretend to have fairly well but had never sincerely experienced.

And speaking of confidence… Nervously she moved from the barn door and stared at the double row of horses. “At least Zoe and Ty put you all up for the night,” she said, and several curious heads peered over the stall doors.