Jared shook his head as he said gravely, “You have it bad. I don’t think there’s any woman in the world worth getting this worked up about.”
Dante looked at Jared, but his younger brother wouldn’t meet his eyes. What the hell had happened to him? When they were boys, Jared had been the more sensitive, artistic brother. Now he was jaded, almost like he was bored with life. Okay, maybe he wasn’t bored, but he was definitely cynical. Dante wondered if there was more to Jared acting like a man-whore than just apathy. He seemed almost bitter, and he hadn’t always been that way.
From his seat on the couch, Dante could see Coco waiting patiently at his feet. The damn dog actually liked him. He wasn’t sure why, but he had a feeling it had to do with the fact that he snuck Coco human food occasionally, when Sarah wasn’t looking. The dog really was kind of pathetic, and Dante hated seeing that expectant look on the mutt’s face. He patted his thigh, and Coco sprang onto his lap almost immediately. She circled twice and then settled into his lap, laying her head on his thigh with a contented sigh like she belonged there. “Damn dog,” he grumbled, but his statement had very little conviction. He stroked her silky head as he looked over at Grady.
“I have to agree. You do have it bad. But I obviously disagree that no woman is worth it,” Grady stated flatly. “Emily was worth it. She changed my entire life, accepted me exactly as I was. I realized that the world hadn’t shut me out; I had shut out life. It took meeting Emily to make me realize there was so much more than just work, and that not everybody was like our father.”
At that moment, Dante hated himself for not staying closer to his brothers and his sister, Hope. He didn’t know what had happened to Jared, and he hadn’t realized that Grady had isolated himself so much. “What happened to us?” Dante asked in a harsh, loud whisper. “We were all close as kids. What happened? I can count on one hand the times we’ve actually all been together since we left for college. ”
“We were all self-involved assholes?” Jared suggested. “Well . . . except for Hope.”
“We were all involved in our careers. But we still could have been there for each other,” Dante responded angrily.
“We’re here now, Dante,” Grady mentioned soberly. “I think that you almost getting yourself killed was a slap in the face to all of us. Hope and Evan call me almost every single day.”
“They call me, too,” Dante answered.
“And Jared has no business here in Amesport, but he’s still around,” Grady added, looking over at Jared and holding up a silencing hand. “Don’t give me your crap about not having anything else to do. You have a business to run. You were worried and you still are.”
Jared shrugged. “Nothing that needs my immediate attention. Now that Dante’s playing the hero again, I just want to make sure he doesn’t get himself killed.”
Dante smirked, knowing Jared was completely full of shit. “I think I can handle myself if you need to go.”
“I’m staying,” Jared grunted, grabbing his beer and taking a large gulp.
“I could tell you not to mess with Sarah, but I don’t think it will sink into your thick head right now,” Grady told Dante. “I think you’re too far gone.”
“What do you mean?” Dante frowned at Grady.
“How would you feel if another man took Sarah out on a date?” Grady questioned sedately.
“I’d kill the bastard. She’s mine,” Dante growled. “Who is he?”
Grady grinned. “It was a hypothetical question. I haven’t seen her date anyone since she got to Amesport. And I just got my answer.”
Dante’s body had gone rigid and the little dog on his lap looked up at him in alarm, as though sensing he was pissed off. The tension in his body drained away, but he glared at Grady. “That wasn’t amusing.”
“I thought it was hilarious,” Jared drawled.
“You would,” Dante snarled at Jared.
“So what is Joe doing about catching Sarah’s attacker?” Grady asked, changing the subject.
“He’s done everything he can do,” Dante explained. “Nobody has sighted him.” Dante had made damn sure that the police were doing everything they could, but they couldn’t produce a suspect who was hiding out. “We just have to wait. I don’t think for a minute that he’s left the area. He’s biding his time, waiting for an opportunity.”
“Eventually, you may have to give him one or you’ll never catch him,” Jared said thoughtfully.
“No,” Dante said emphatically. “I’m not putting Sarah out there as bait.” He couldn’t stand the thought of her being in harm’s way. Joe had suggested the same thing, but Dante couldn’t stomach it.
“Is that what we need to do? I’ll do it.” Sarah’s voice was close. “I’d rather take the risk than live afraid forever.”
Dante’s head jerked to the right to look at her standing at the bottom of the stairs. “Not happening,” he insisted as his eyes devoured her. He gaped as he took in the minuscule dress she was wearing. It was a nautical blue-and-white-striped dress with a halter top and was fitted to her body like a glove. Her long, slender legs were revealed to her upper thighs. “New dress?” he croaked, his eyes narrowing as he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. In that dress, the halter bodice made it impossible for Sarah to wear one.
“Yes.” She smiled at him, turning in a circle so he could see the dress. “I love it. It’s so comfortable.”