“Fred! Go!” Cassidy ordered firmly over Darlene’s words. She did not want to hear Darlene and Mac discuss what they did or didn’t do together.
At the same time, Mac warned, “That’s enough, Dar.”
Fred moved back toward Mac in hesitation, the dog sensing her distress and unwilling to leave. She insisted, “Go!” Glancing from his distraught expression to Mac, she said, “Take him.”
Mac let out a low staccato whistle Fred responded uncertainly. Mac reached down and took the dog’s collar for added incentive, exchanging a look—Mac’s one of momentary appreciation that her dog couldn’t be easily persuaded from her side. Giving her a last, assessing once-over, he led Fred away.
Darlene fell back against the wall outside the office door, watching the corner Mac and Fred had disappeared around, as though expecting them both to reappear. After a few minutes, when they didn’t, she turned toward Cassidy, who was still standing in the office. “What the fuck, baby girl? You two fucking?”
Cassidy sucked in a surprised breath at Darlene’s interpretation of the dynamic between her and Mac. “No.”
“Let me rephrase.Wereyou two fucking?”
Her cheeks blazed; the curse of the redhead—every emotion on display. Cassidy shook her head, ducking down behind the bill.
“Then I do not understand how there’s so much… angst… between you two over a damn dog!”
Angst. It was a good word. Cassidy was momentarily distracted by being impressed that Darlene knew it. She looked into the hallway to ensure no one was lurking before she said quietly, “He wouldn’t.”
Darlene shrugged. “Wouldn’t what?”
Cassidy peered from beneath the rim. “Wouldn’t.He said no.”
Darlene frowned as though she wasn’t following the conversation.
“To me. He said no to me.”
Darlene stared at her in shock for a few heartbeats before she pushed off the wall and entered the office, closing the door behind herself.
Cassidy pointed to the door. “No one’s out front.”
“Fuck it for a minute,” Darlene said. “Are you telling me Mac Boyer turned you down?”
Cassidy flinched. “Make me feel even worse about it, Darlene.”
Darlene’s face fell. “My damn mouth. Oh, he’s right. Damn it, Cassie, I had no idea. I’d never have said something like that if I knew.”
“I know.”
“Now, I understand why you don’t want to have anything to do with him. How embarrassing.”
“Thank you, keep rubbing it in.”
Darlene tilted her head with a frustrated sigh. “Did he say why?”
Cassidy headed toward the door, ignoring her question. “You aren’t going to have beer or cash left if we don’t get out there.”
Darlene stopped her, a hand on her arm, saying sincerely, “He’s a prick, everyone knows that. But consider for a second he was trying to do you a favor.”
Cassidy scoffed. “He doesn’t do favors.”
“He just did.”
Opening the door, she pointed out, “That was for Fred, not me. He didn’t want Fred stuck out in a storm.” She walked out.
Darlene said behind her, “Oh, baby girl.”
Chapter nineteen