When A Man Loves A Woman(13)

“She’s pretty,” Mac acknowledged.

“She’s more than pretty,” Parker said. “If I lived here in town I might make a play for her.”

Mac laughed. Parker had always had an eye for the ladies. He liked to boast that no woman had ever owned his heart. Mac knew for a fact that wasn’t true, but he never challenged his cousin on it. As a PI, the main love in his cousin’s life at the moment was his job.

Parker’s comment about Delilah forced Mac to consider whether he’d ever really stopped to look at her. Had he made a mistake in shooting down the idea of going out on a date with her? Was it right to make a judgment about her based on who she’d dated in the past?

“So, Parker, how about we have dinner later on at the Cove and talk about me hiring you to find my sister?”

Parker clapped him on the shoulder. “Sounds good, Mac.” He flashed him a pearly grin. “And if you play your cards right, I might charge you my family and friends rate.”

“Aren’t I lucky?” Mac cracked as Parker headed toward the exit with a wave. Mac shook his head and let out a low chuckle as his cousin sailed out the front door. Having Parker in town was a blessing. Suddenly, he felt more hopeful about finding Callie than he’d ever felt before.

**

“The best laid plans often go astray,” Delilah muttered as she stood next to her beat-up Chevy and surveyed the smoke emanating from under the hood.

Every day when she started her car she’d wondered whether this might be the day when Betty broke down on her. Betty had been with her for almost eleven years. Four years too long according to Sarah. Although she loved being a social worker, her salary was fairly modest. Hanging on to Betty for as long as possible had been her game plan for quite some time. New cars were expensive.

A trickle of fear slivered down her back. This stretch of road was heavily traveled during the day but fairly isolated during the evening hours. So much for enjoying the soothing view of Breezy Beach. After a quick bite on Main Street with some girlfriends, Delilah had made the impulsive decision to take a drive alongside the beach road with her windows down with the wind whipping in her hair.

Riding in her car with the top down reminded her of all those summer nights when she’d been a dreamy-eyed teen-ager. Back then her heart had been wide open and innocent. Believing in true love had been as natural as breathing. It hurt her soul to realize how those dreams had been crushed time after time. At seventeen, Delilah had been a hopeless romantic. She’d read romance novels in her spare time. Her head had been filled with dreams of being swept off her feet by a handsome stranger. Although she had never lacked for boyfriends over the years, not a single one had treated her well. And because of those relationships, her self-esteem had plummeted. When her ex-boyfriend, Tim, had made comments questioning her weight she’d restricted her calories and thrown out anything that made her look heavy. Never before in her life had she ever questioned her looks. She’d always been happy just as God made her. Sometimes, even now, she had to remind herself that she was worthy of love. She was a good person.

Love yourself. Her mother’s words buzzed in her ears. When the doubts washed over her she recited the words over and over again. If she couldn’t love herself, how could she expect a man to love her? As a result, she was taking it slow on the dating front. The next man who entered her life would have to be someone very special. A man who didn’t just spout Bible verses. He would have to be a man who lived those principles each and every day.

Heaving a tremendous sigh, Delilah fished her cell phone out of her purse and dialed the number for Rusty’s Auto Shop. She let out a groan as an automated message came on announcing that the shop was closed until eight a.m. the next morning.

The bright lights of an oncoming car momentarily blinded her. The car—which appeared to be a truck—slowed down a few feet from where her car was parked. Although part of her wanted the car to stop and provide her assistance, another part of her felt a trickle of nervousness about being alone with a stranger on a darkened road. Breeze Point was a tight-knit, safe community, but it was never wise to let one’s guard down. Bad things happened everywhere.

The driver cut off his lights, which allowed Delilah to get a better look. As the truck door opened, Delilah felt her heart hammering inside her chest. The sound of it was pulsing in her ears. A familiar, brawny figure came into view. Although there was only a dim light illuminating the area, she was able to make out the driver’s identity. Mac! She knew him instantly by his broad shoulders, the strong tilt of his head and the way he swaggered toward her. There weren’t many men in town who looked like him. She placed her hand over her stomach as butterflies began to swirl around inside.