“I thought they were friends.

“They are. If you go out with Nick, he lets you know right up front its not marriage hes interested in. Lonna doesnt really mind, but Gails trying to get in the house.

“Get in the house? What do you mean?

“Lonna says Nick never takes women to his house for sex. They go to motels or wherever. Gail thinks if she can get him to make love to her in his house, than shell get him to do other things too. Like buy her a big diamond and walk down the aisle.

“Nick must have a huge motel bill.

“Probably. Lanna laughed.

“Doesnt that bother you?

“Me? Maybe if I were the one going out with him, but Im not. Me and my sister never date the same men.

Delaney felt relieved, and she really didnt know why she should care if Nick had kinky group sex with a pair of beautiful twins. “Well, doesnt it bother your sister?

“Not really. Shes not looking for a husband. Not like Gail. Gail thinks shell change his mind, but she wont. When Lonna saw you and Nick dancing the other night, she wondered if you were another of his women.

Delaney turned the chair and let down the last section. “Did you really come here to get your hair cut, or are you here to get information for your sister?

“Both, Lanna laughed. “But I liked your hair the first time I saw it.

“Thank you. Have you ever thought of getting yours cut short? she asked, again purposely changing the subject from Nick. “Really short, like Halle Berry in The Flintstones ?

“I dont think Id look good in short hair.

“Believe me, youd look awesome. Youve got big eyes and the perfect shaped head. Mines kind of narrow so I need lots of volume.

“Id have to think about it for a really long time.

Delaney put down her scissors and reached for a can of mousse. She wrapped the ends of Lannas hair around a large round brush and blew it dry. When she was finished, she handed her an oval mirror. “What do you think? she asked, knowing full well that it looked damn good.

“I think, Lanna answered slowly as she studied the back of her hair, “that I dont need to drive the hundred and fifty miles to Boise just to get my hair cut anymore.

After Lanna left, Delaney swept up the hair and rinsed the shampoo sink. She thought about the old rumor that had her leaving town ten years ago because she carried Nicks child. She wondered what other gossip had circulated when shed left town and been stuck in a dormitory at the University of Idaho. Maybe she would ask her mother tonight when she drove out there for dinner.

But she didnt get the chance to ask. Max Harrison answered the door with a highball in his hand and a welcoming smile on his face.

“Gwen is in the kitchen doing something to the lamb, he said as he shut the door behind her. “I hope you dont mind that your mother invited me tonight.

“Of course not. The wonderful smells of her mothers cooking filled Delaneys head and made her mouth water. No one cooked a leg of lamb like Gwen, and the scents from the kitchen wrapped Delaney in warm memories of special occasions at the Shaw house, like Easters or her birthday when shed been allowed to choose her favorite meal.

“Hows that salon of yours working out? Max asked as he helped her out of her long wool coat, then hung it on the hall tree.

“Okay. Lately, it seemed that Gwen was spending quite a bit of time with Max, and Delaney wondered what was going on between her mother and Henrys estate lawyer. She just couldnt picture her mother as any mans lover. She was too uptight, and Delaney figured it couldnt be anything but friendship. “You should come in and let me cut your hair.

His quiet laughter made Delaney smile. “I just might do that, he said as they walked toward the back of the house.

When they entered the kitchen, Gwen looked up from the bag of baby carrots she held in her hand. An almost imperceptible frown narrowed Gwens eyes a fraction, and Delaney knew something was wrong.

Shit ! Someone was in trouble, and she doubted it was Max. “Whats the special occasion?

“No special occasion. I wanted to make you your favorite. Gwen looked at Max and told him, “Every birthday, Laney always requested my lamb. Other children would have wanted pizza or burgers, but not her.

Maybe she wasnt in trouble, but she pushed up a cheerful smile just in case. “How can I help you?

“You can get the salad out of the refrigerator and dress it, please.

Delaney did as she was asked, then carried the bowls into the dining room. The table was set with beautiful roses, beeswax candles, Royal Doulton, and fine damask. It looked like a special occasion to her. Which could mean two completely different things. That she should worry, or that she was worrying about nothing. Either her mother simply wanted to enjoy a nice meal, or she was covering for a crack in the facade.

Delaney knew within moments of sitting down that the latter was the case. There was something wrong with the perfect picture. The conversation during dinner was pleasant on the surface, but a current of tension hid just beneath. Max didnt seem to notice, but Delaney felt it at the base of her skull. She felt it during the first course and while she ate her mothers lamb with mint. She smiled and laughed and entertained Max with stories of all the places shed lived. She knew how to keep up a good front, but by the time she helped carry the dinner plates to the kitchen, her headache had moved to her eyebrows. Maybe with Max there, she could make a quick escape before her head exploded. “Well, she said as she set the plates next to the sink, “I hate to eat and run, but—

“Max, Gwen interrupted, “could you leave us girls alone for a few moments?

Damn.

“Sure, Ill go examine those contracts you wanted me to take a look at.

“Thank you. I wont be long.

Gwen waited until she heard the doors of Henrys office slide closed before she said, “I need to talk to you about your scandalous behavior.

“What scandalous behavior?

“Trudie Duran called me this afternoon to inform me that you and Tommy Markham were getting drunk together while his wife was out of town. According to Trudie, everyone at the Shop-n-Kart was talking about it.

“Whos Trudie Duran? Delaney asked, her skull tightening.

“That doesnt matter! Is it true?

She folded her arms across her breasts and frowned. “No. I ran into Tommy at Henneseys the other night, and we talked for a little bit. Lisa was there most of the time.

“Well, Im relieved. Gwen grabbed a roll of tinfoil and ripped off a long piece. “And then, if that werent bad enough, she told me her daughter Gina saw you kissing Nick Allegrezza out on the dance floor. She calmly set the roll of foil on the counter. “I told her she must be mistaken, because Im sure you would never do anything so stupid. Tell me she was mistaken.

“Okay, she was mistaken.

“Is that the truth?

Delaney thought about her answer but knew sooner or later the lie would catch up to her. Besides, she wasnt a little girl who had to fear punishment, and she wasnt going to allow her mother to treat her like a kid. “No.

“What where you thinking? My God, that boy and his whole entire family have meant nothing but trouble for us since the moment we arrived in this town. They are rude and jealous. Especially toward you, although Benita has certainly shown me her ugly side on more than one occasion. Have you forgotten what happened ten years ago? Have you forgotten what Nick did? What pain and humiliation he caused all of us?

“It wasnt all of us. It was me, and no, I havent forgotten. But youre making a big deal out of absolutely nothing, she assured her mother, but it hadnt felt like nothing. “ Nothing happened. It was so nothing, I dont want to talk about it. I dont even want to think about it either.

“Well, you better think about it. You know how the people of this town love to gossip, especially about us.