Haunting Danielle 27 The Ghost and the Mountain Man by Bobbi Holmes (great novels to read TXT) 📕

“Nothing.”

Joe glanced over at Brian, a filled coffee mug in hand, and said, “Kelly and I had dinner out last night.”

“Yeah, I figured that,” Brian said.

“Oh, so you saw us at Beach Taco?” Joe asked.

“Beach Taco? No, were you there? I was talking about Kelly wanting me to join you last night for dinner with that friend of hers.”

“Oh…” Joe sat down at the table with Brian.

“So you guys went to Beach Taco too? I picked some food up for dinner. Is Kelly mad at me for not going out with you last night?”

“No. Of course not. I understand not wanting to find yourself on a blind date with someone you may not even be interested in,” Joe said. “I told Kelly it’s better to introduce two people on neutral territory, with no prior commitment, and then let them decide if they want to take it farther.”

“Like speed dating?” Brian laughed.

“Have you tried speed dating?” Joe asked.

Brian laughed again. “No. And I’m not into internet dating either. But the fact is, my little time in the mountains helped me see things differently.”

“What do you mean? What things?” Joe asked.

“How we see people, how we want them to be—or judge them by preconceived notions. Take Walt, for example, you’ve never really liked him. But I suspect your feelings for Danielle had something to do with that.”

“I have no feelings for Danielle,” Joe insisted. “At least not those feelings.”

“I’m talking about the feelings you had for her back then. And I misjudged him, so it wasn’t just you.”

“You like Walt?” Joe asked.

“Yes, surprisingly, I do. He’s been through things you could never imagine. But I also learned something about myself.”

“What was that?” Joe asked.

“The women I’ve gotten involved with over the years. The type of women I found attractive. They were women who went out of their way to please me. They wanted me to find them attractive.”

Joe laughed. “And that is a bad thing?”

“I didn’t think so. But they weren’t doing it because they really cared about me. They were doing it to get something from me,” Brian said.

“You’re talking about manipulation?” Joe asked.

Brian let out a sigh. “Yeah, I guess I am. Looking back, I was pretty good at finding the manipulative ones.”

“Well, what did he say?” Kelly asked. She sat at her desk in her home office, talking on the phone to Joe.

“He isn’t interested in going on a date with a stranger. And I totally get that,” Joe said.

“But they really would be perfect for each other,” Kelly insisted.

Joe recounted Brian’s observation regarding his past poor choices.

“Then I know she would be just what he’s looking for,” Kelly said.

“I don’t think he’s currently looking. That’s sort of the point.”

“Come on, Joe. You know what I mean.”

“Like I suggested last night, it would be better if he met her without being obligated to spend a few hours with her, and then leave it up to him if he wants to ask her out,” Joe said. “And who knows, maybe Ginny wouldn’t be interested in him once she meets him.”

“Does that mean you’ll bring him by the museum today?” Kelly asked.

“Okay. But I’m doing this because it’s the only way you’ll stop bugging me. You know, Kelly, you can be damn persistent,” Joe said.

“But it is one of my endearing qualities,” she cooed.

“Not sure about that. But okay, when we go to lunch today, I’ll tell him I need to stop at the museum. But after he meets her, then you need to back off. Agreed?”

“I promise, Joe.”

When Danielle and Walt entered the museum on Sunday afternoon, Kelly and a woman neither of them recognized greeted them.

“Hi, Kelly, surprised to see you here. Doing some research?” Danielle asked.

“Hi, Danielle, Walt,” Kelly returned, the woman at her side silently observing the new arrivals. “I just stopped by to talk with Ginny. Have you guys met?” She glanced at the woman at her side.

“You aren’t Ginny Thomas, are you?” Danielle asked. “The one who donated the newspapers?”

“You listened to my podcast!” Kelly beamed.

“Yes, I am.” Ginny smiled. “Kelly said Walt and Danielle? Would that be Walt and Danielle Marlow?”

“Yes, and it’s nice to meet you. In fact, we were hoping the newspapers might be here,” Danielle said.

“I’m afraid not,” Ginny said. “The museum sent them out to the bindery. I don’t think they’ll be back for a couple of weeks.”

“I mentioned that in the podcast,” Kelly said.

Danielle looked at Kelly and smiled. “I confess, I haven’t listened to your podcast—but I intend to. The chief told me about it—and about the donation to the museum.”

Ginny looked at Walt and said, “Apparently, our families were friends.”

“The chief mentioned Thomas is your married name. What was your family’s name who lived in Frederickport?” While Walt remembered the family who owned the livery stable, he wondered which branch of the family Ginny came from.

Kelly chuckled. “I doubt you’ll recognize it.” She looked at Ginny and said, “Walt is actually a very distant cousin of the Marlows, who were friends with your family. He’s been in Frederickport for just a couple of years.”

“I’m not sure how distant,” Ginny noted, “considering he looks like the spitting image of the Walt Marlow who knew my ancestors. That is, of course, if the portrait the museum has is an accurate depiction.”

“It is,” Danielle said. “I credit the uncanny resemblance to the fact they are both descended from double cousins of twins.”

“What do you mean?” Ginny asked.

“It’s when a pair of identical twins marry another set of identical twins, and their children are biological siblings,” Danielle explained.

“Interesting.” Ginny looked from Danielle to Walt and said, “I find it terribly romantic Walt Marlow’s portrait is here with Eva Thorndike, although I imagine it gets a little crowded since his wife is in there too.”

“Romantic?” Danielle frowned.

Ginny turned to Danielle. “Yes, considering how madly in love he was with the woman.”

“I think they were just good friends,” Danielle said. “They knew each other since