Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [94]
"Tell me about it." She set her cue back in the rack. "What's up with you?"
"Actually, I'm thinking about moving on. I have a job offer, if you can believe it."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. I know that surprises you but I don't want to tend bar forever."
"What kind of job is it?"
"Computer programming. It's in Seattle. And I've always wanted to live in the Pacific Northwest."
She frowned. "Since when?"
"For a while," he said with a shrug.
"It rains all the time in Seattle."
"I like the rain."
She snapped her fingers. "That's not it. There's a girl there."
His freckled face flushed at her statement. "Maybe," he conceded.
"No maybe about it. Is it serious?"
"There's some of the emotional stuff, as you called it, involved."
She threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug. "I'm so happy for you."
"All right, don't get mushy."
She felt mushy. She felt like crying. She was happy for Jerry, but it seemed like everyone was moving on except her. Why was she stuck in one place?
"I need a drink," she said as she let him go.
"I'll get you one."
"Don't bother; I've got it covered," Riley said. He walked into the back room with a beer in one hand, a diet Coke in the other.
Her jaw dropped at the sight of him. "Did you follow me again?"
"Actually, I came on a hunch. Couldn't find you at home, at the hospital, or at work. Process of elimination."
"You went to all those places?" she asked, amazed at his persistence.
"I called around."
"Oh." So he hadn't tried that hard; but he had tried a little. And here he was, looking even better than he had the day before. And she wanted ... she wanted a thousand things that all had to do with kissing and touching him and getting really, really close. She was still kicking herself for not making love to him when she'd had the chance. Maybe she should have thrown caution to the wind instead of playing it safe the way she always did.
"I don't think you two need me anymore," Jerry said with a laugh, since Paige seemed unable to do anything but stare at Riley. "And, Paige, I don't think you're going to need to play as much pool as you think."
"What did he mean by that?" Riley asked when they were alone.
"Nothing. What's up?"
"How's your father?" Riley asked.
"Getting better. He's coming home tomorrow. He still has no memory of what happened, though." She paused. "You don't think he's faking, do you?"
"You know him better than I do," he said, his expression carefully neutral.
Did she know her father? She used to think so. Now she wasn't nearly as sure. "I suppose if he was trying to cover up going to Jasmine's apartment, he might claim a memory loss. I'm not sure. I'll ask him about it when he gets stronger. I don't want to put too much pressure on him too soon."
"That's understandable. Why don't we sit down?" he suggested as a group of men came back to play pool. He chose a table by the window. "I think we need to talk."
"Yes," she said, joining him at the table. "I spoke to my grandfather today. I asked him if he'd met your grandfather."
"And his reply?"
"He said the name sounded familiar. Then he pointed out to me that he's eighty-two years old, and he's met a lot of people in his life. He also said that he's sold thousands of statues in his time and none stand out as the one we're looking for."
"That sounds about as productive as my conversation with my grandfather." Riley took a sip of his beer. "Although, he did ramble on about someone named Wally. I wondered if Wally was short for Wallace, but my grandmother said she didn't think so."
"I don't either," she said with a shake of her head. "I can't imagine my grandfather allowing anyone to call him Wally."
"My grandmother did mention that Ned worked at Hathaway's when they were first married, which would explain the photograph."
"Yes. And it might also explain where your grandfather got the statue," she said.
His gaze narrowed. "What are you talking about? You think that statue was owned by your family?"
"It's a possibility, isn't it? I mean, think about it. Where