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Dead Giveaway
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David Hadley was busy at his mortgage company in Tempe — DH Home Loans — when Gabrielle called. But he thought she or Allie might need him, so he asked Peter Vaughn at Sunrise Bank and Loan if he could call him back about the Coopers' refinance and switched to the other line. "Hi, Gabby. What's up?"

"I'm planning a Christmas party," she said brightly.

"In this heat?"

"It's still Christmastime."

True, but you just moved in. Aren't you exhausted?"

"Not really. We only came from Florence, and we're nearly settled. I'm using this as an excuse to invite my new neighbors over. Because of all the publicity surrounding the murder of Randall's first wife, I think they might be a little leery of having us live so close."

"I already know Tucker," he said. "You don't have to convince me he's an upstanding citizen."

"I'm inviting you for moral support."

David didn't think Gabby needed moral support. She was happier now than he'd ever seen her. More likely, she was trying to throw him and Tucker together again. She cared about them both, so she wanted them to care about each other. But David doubted that was ever going to happen. A man didn't lose the love of his life to another man and get over it that easily.

But it was wiser to dodge the issue than try to explain. "I'm pretty busy," he said.

"I haven't given you the date."

"If it's a Christmas party, you're having it this month, right? I'm busy throughout December."

"You're not planning to see Allie for the next several weeks?" she asked skeptically.

She had him and he knew it. Of course he was planning to see his daughter. He took Allie every chance he got. But going to Gabrielle's party was different. There, he and Tucker would have to hang out and pretend to be friends. And —

A thought crossed David's mind that made him even more reluctant. "Is Lindy going to be there?"

"Probably," she replied. "But that's not a problem, is it? Lindy's great. You told me yourself that you think she's attractive."

She was attractive. But he'd had too much to drink when they went out and wound up using Lindy to drown his sorrows over Gabrielle. That night wasn't something he was proud of, which meant seeing Lindy again wasn't going to make him any more comfortable than buddying up with Tucker. "When?" he asked, so he could come up with a more specific excuse.

"This coming Friday."

"It's already Monday. That's not a lot of notice."

"I'm just having an open house. You come, you eat, you go. You can be in and out in twenty minutes or less. And you can take Allie home with you."

"But that isn't my weekend."

"I know."

"I'll be there," he said.

To be continued...



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