Chapter Four

 

Danielle woke early, lying back in the large unfamiliar bed and blinking up and around at the room. She closed her eyes, turned to the window and stared into the early morning darkness. The ground and hills were all coated a pretty white with humans too busy this morning to get out and enjoy it.

She dragged the blanket from the bed, wrapped around her and went down the hallway to the living area. Danielle found the remote, studied it a minute and brought the television on, lowering the volume before sinking onto the sofa and finding what she wanted to see. Bright colorful floats, precision marching groups and musical bands filled the screen and a place in her memory with her mother.

Brady wasn’t used to noise in the large apartment, unless he was the one making it. Two hands raked the longish black hair from his forehead, bare feet moving quietly over the thick carpeting toward the living area. The TV was on, the remote had fallen to the floor and she lay curled against one corner, sound asleep. Long dark brown hair fell in waves over the arm of the sofa, her hands beneath her face. He glanced at the parade performing on the screen, his head shaking for about the hundredth time since he opened the back door of the car.

Slightly smudged dark lashes rose slowly, blinking and focusing on the man with a bare chest and low riding pajamas.

“G’morning,” Danielle stretched and sat up slowly. “I hope I didn’t wake you…it was parade time on the east coast.”

“It’s a little earlier than I like,” he admitted. “But I’ll adjust. I’ll hit the shower and then see about breakfast. I’m sure someplace is open…”

Danielle stared after him with a frown, leaving the blanket on the sofa and striding to the bedroom she had used. She found the band she wanted in the pocket of her jeans, using her fingers as combs and binding her hair into a long ponytail before pulling things from the fridge. By the time he appeared in jeans and a warm sweater, the house smelled like coffee, toast and scrambled eggs with ham and cheese melted inside. She was perched on one of the high stools, legs bare as she watched the latest float come across the screen, a tall glass of juice in her hands.

“I made breakfast. People shouldn’t work on Christmas. I refuse to patronize shops that are open on holidays,” she told him firmly.

“My stomach and demeanor appreciate it,” he replied honestly, pouring a large mug of coffee and pulling a stool to him, leaning back and watching the smile on her face as she watched the parade. He gave into the growling stomach, piling the eggs and toast onto his plate, covering them with pepper before digging in, a pleasant tasty creamy mix with the ham and cheese scrambled into them.

“You have some interesting philosophies, Danielle,” Brady said when his stomach finally stopped complaining, reaching for more eggs with a frown. “You didn’t eat?”

“Sure I did…I munch as I cook,” she answered vaguely, glancing back with a small frown. “Do I? Interesting philosophies? Hadn’t given it much thought…they just are.”

“What about people traveling and needing gas?”

“Not my fault you didn’t plan ahead and fill up the day before. Just like cell phones, somehow when things all closed down on Christmas, people survived, amazing, don’t you think?”

“Amazing is a good word,” he agreed with a chuckle. “Have dinner with me after the recital, Danielle.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, drained the juice in her glass and carried it to the sink, rinsing it and setting it in the drain. “I can’t…my philosophy, remember? Restaurants should be closed today. Even the casino and restaurants are closed at the resort to give people time with their families. The hotel part is open,” she sighed. “So I guess there is a slight flaw in my philosophy.”

“Your philosophy is safe. I have an old friend who asked me to dine with him and I, in turn, asked if I could invite a friend. His employees make an incredible holiday spread,” Brady confided with a grin. “And it would be a shame to let it go to waste.”

“I could wear my recital dress,” she said thoughtfully, nodding at him with a smile. “Yes, thank you. I’d like that, Brady. I’m going to get dressed, excuse me.”

He watched the long legs striding down the hall, leaning slightly to get the last view of what was betrayed by his tee shirt. Brady cleaned up the kitchen, idly thinking of the research he’d done the night before, sitting at his computer and searching data banks for information.

She was using her mother’s maiden name and had been since she died five years ago. He’d found her birth certificate, not surprised that the name of the father had been boldly filled in. Jasper admitted he’d been a jackass when his son died in a training accident with the military. And he’d spent the last thirty-four years paying for it, Brady thought with another shake of his head.

He heard her boots echoing in the hall, her hands fastening the belt at her waist as she entered and lifted her coat, pulling the fuzzy yellow cap over her head and ears. She looked at him expectantly, her face freshly scrubbed and minus all make-up this morning. A few freckles dotted her nose, but the rest of her face was clear and creamy looking.

“Can you take me back to the resort now? Please?” Danielle was buttoning her coat when he nodded and moved to gather his jacket, his hands lifting a set of keys from the hook near the kitchen. She waited while he went to his bedroom, coming out tucking his wallet into his pocket and gesturing to the door.

“Ready,” Brady told her, striding alongside her to the elevator.

“There aren’t many people in this unit,” she noted as they rode down, watching him use glove covered hands to sweep the thick snow from the windows of the SUV she had been hiding behind the night before.

“It just opened up a few weeks ago. Two apartments on each floor,” he opened the door and went around to the driver’s side.

“Hmm…it’s nice…a little…sterile…but nice,” she said, gazing around as he drove through the mid-morning streets.

Brady found himself answering her questions about his business, glancing at her now and then when she brought up a question he’d never thought of before. He shifted the topic to her job as he entered the empty parking lot of the massive resort.

Slim fingers waved in the air. “Data entry. I’m very good with numbers and balancing them on the computer and an adding machine. It looks so empty…”

“I was surprised when they posted it on the sign about being closed for the day,” Brady pulled to the side where she pointed, going carefully around to the employee dorms.

“I think it’s good. Very good,” she said, nodding and pushing the door open at the gated entrance. “Thank you.”

“I’ll meet you after the recital, Danielle,” he reminded her, a smile and nod offered before she closed the door and ran for the gate, her thumb opening the entrance for her.