The Stranger: The Heroes of Heyday (Harlequin Superromance No. 1266) by Kathleen O`Brien Read Free Book Online Page B

happily and sucked down some ginger ale, clearly just to prolong the suspense.
    â€œRoddy Hartland…”
    â€œOkay, okay. So you know Doug Metzler, right?”
    Mallory frowned. “Yeah. Of course.”
    â€œAnd you know he’s an unmitigated stuffed shirt, right?”
    Mallory smiled. “Um…he holds three loans of mine, Roddy, so I’m not sure I want to call him that out loud.”
    â€œI do. He’s a pompous zebra’s ass, and I’ve decided to give him the apoplectic fit he so richly deserves.”
    Kieran began to chuckle. “He will have a fit.” He drank some of his new Scotch. “Really. When he sees you, he’ll have a fit and turn purple.”
    Mallory still didn’t understand a thing. She glowered at Roddy, who was trying so hard to hold back his laughter that he was getting a little color in his own cheeks.
    â€œOkay, look. Here’s the deal. Metzler is the current president of the country club. And frankly, the man’s got a stick up his—” Roddy wrinkled his nose guiltily. “I mean, he’s so uptight nobody can stand him. Yesterday he had the nerve to issue a dress code for the club. No sandals. No T-shirts. According to Doug-God-complex-Metzler’s official memo, you won’t be served if you aren’t wearing closed shoes and a shirt with a collar. “
    Mallory shrugged. “Well, you are wearing a shirt with a collar.”
    Kieran, who had just swallowed, choked on his expensive liquor. “Yeah, but that’s not all he’s wearing.”
    â€œWhat?” Mallory narrowed her eyes. Roddy leaned back, looking insufferably smug, delighted with his own ingenuity.
    And then she finally caught on. What else was he wearing? Scooting her chair back, she ducked her head under the tablecloth and took a peek.
    Oh, my God.
    A skirt.
    An honest-to-God, bonafide skirt, the kind the Heyday cheerleaders wore. The navy-blue pleats folded gracefully around Roddy’s tanned, athletic thighs. His muscular calves were bare and a little hairy above his sneakers.
    She started to laugh as she lifted her head, and in her helpless mirth she banged it noisily on the underside of the table. Still, she had to thank him. He had not only agreed to loan her a fortune, he had made herlaugh on a day when she hadn’t thought that was possible.
    â€œOh, Roddy,” she said. “You goof.”
    Roddy was back to looking innocent. “What? I read the official memo word for word. It didn’t say anything about skirts.” He reached out and gave her hand a tap. “But actually, sweetie, you might want to scram before Doug gets here. Things are likely to get ugly.”
    â€œHell, yeah, they will,” Kieran said to Mallory earnestly. “I’ve seen him standing up in that skirt. The man’s so bowlegged it’s tragic.”
    Still smiling, Mallory gave Roddy a hesitant glance. “But—” She tried to think of a subtle way to remind him why she was here.
    â€œGo,” he said firmly, and squeezed her hand. “I’m sure you have at least two thousand more important things to do than messing with Doug Metzler’s mind.”
    The grip was unusually firm. He was trying to tell her something. She glanced down at her purse, which, she saw, now had a bright white envelope sticking out of it.
    The money was already there. How had he done that? When had he done it? Perhaps when she and Kieran had been kissing each other hello? Roddy really was a magician. And she could use a magician right about now. If he could make a treasure appear out of nothing, maybe he could make Mindy’s past disappear…
    She smiled at him, hoping he could see her heart in her eyes. She wished she could tell him this was forMindy. But he had no idea that Mindy had been involved in the Heyday Eight, and she’d never disillusion him about the girl he silently adored.
    â€œAll right,” she said.