Susan Mallery - High-Powered, Hot-Blooded

Back. Meaning he believed she loved him in the first place? And if he did, what was he doing, letting her get away?

“Very upscale,” Annie said, hoping it sounded more like a tease than nervousness. She sat across from Tim in a comfortable wicker chair on a patio behind the rehabilitation housing where her brother was staying.

“It’s nice,” he said.

He sat across from her, relaxed and tanned, more calm than she’d seen him in years. This was the first Saturday visitors had been allowed. Annie had arrived right at ten and Tim had been waiting for her. So far their conversation had consisted of greetings and the weather.

She picked at the wicker on the arm of the chair, then glanced across the broad lawn. Judging from the uneasy body language she saw in the other visitors, she wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what to say.

“Are you…” she began.

Tim leaned toward her and smiled. “It’s okay. You did the right thing. I didn’t believe that until a few days ago, but now I know you were right. I needed help. I still need help.”

Relief rushed through her. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Yeah?”

He nodded. “I was chasing the dream, Annie. So sure that if I kept trying, I’d hit it big. It’s what you always say about kids who cheat in school. If they would put half the effort into studying, they’d get a good grade. But instead they want to play the system. I want to play the odds. The trouble is, the odds are never in my favor.”

“Which means what?” she asked.

“I have a gambling problem. I need to stay away from it. No blackjack, no Vegas, not even a raffle ticket. It’s going to take a while, but I’ll beat this, Annie.”

She stared into her brother’s blue eyes and felt relief. “I’m glad,” she whispered.

“Me, too.” He pulled free and shifted on his seat. “About what I said. I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“I can’t believe I stole that money. What an idiot. I really appreciate the deal you made with my boss. Anyone else would have let me go to jail.”

“I couldn’t do that.”

“It’s what I deserved.”

“But not what you needed.”

“I know. I’ve been in touch with Mr. Patrick. He says I can have my job back.” Tim smiled self-consciously. “Sort of. I won’t have access to any of the bank accounts. I’ll have to earn his trust again, but I will. We worked out a payment plan for me to reimburse him.”

Tim had talked to Duncan? Annie wanted to ask how he was. She missed him more than she had ever imagined, and she’d known it would be bad.

“I’m glad,” she said.

“I want to pay you back, too,” Tim told her.

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“Sure I do. Look what you did for me, Annie.”

“I went to a bunch of parties. It wasn’t work.”

She’d also fallen in love and gotten her heart broken, but that wasn’t anything Tim needed to hear right now. She would tell him later, when he was stronger.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Tim promised.

“All I need is for you to get your life back together,” she said. “Be happy. That’s enough.”

Her brother stood and pulled her to her feet, then hugged her.

“You’re the best,” he said. “Thank you.”

She hung on, willing him to heal. Because if he was all right, then this had been worth it. As for herself, and the aching emptiness inside, there was nothing to be done except hope that eventually she, too, would find her way back.

Duncan walked into the crowded Westwood restaurant. The hostess smiled at him. “Sir, do you have a reservation?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry, we’re booked. It’s Christmas Eve and we’re only having service until seven.”

“I’m not here for dinner,” he told her, looking into the dining room. “I want to see one of your servers. Jenny.” He spotted her. “Never mind. There she is.”

“Sir, you can’t disturb our guests.”

Duncan forced himself to flash her a smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

He wove through tables until he was next to Jenny. “We have to talk,” he told her.

She barely glanced at him. “No, we don’t.”

She headed for the kitchen. He followed, grabbing her arm before she could disappear behind the swinging doors.

The restaurant hummed with conversation. Christmas carols played over the speakers. In the kitchen came the call for more turkey, as waiters and cooks battled for space.

Jenny glared at him, her blue eyes so much like Annie’s. They were about the same height, too.

“I’ve been looking for her,” he said. “I’ve been everywhere I can think of. Jenny, you have to help me.”

The college student glared at him. “No way. You’re nothing but a soul-sucking bastard. Do you know she cries every night? She doesn’t want us to know, so she waits until she goes to bed. But we can hear her. She loved you and you hurt her.”

“I know. I let her go and I’ll regret that until the day I die. I was wrong. She’s amazing and beautiful and so much more than I deserve. I love her, Jenny. I swear, I just want to take care of her. So please, tell me where she is.”

Jenny hesitated, as if trying to decide.

“It’s Christmas,” he said. “A time for miracles. Can’t you believe that I’ve changed?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted.

He stared into Jenny’s eyes. “I love that she would sell her soul to save her brother. And when she’s really stressed, she goes for M &M’s. I love that she’s never quite mastered the art of walking in high heels, so sometimes she has to grab the wall to keep from stumbling. I love how she sees the best in everyone, even me, and believes that everything is possible.”

He cleared his throat. “I love how she let you and Julie and Kami live with her and that she would accept a new freezer because it would feed the three of you, but fought me on new tires that would keep just her safe. I love how she smiles at her students, how she worries about being a role model. I love how she takes care of the world. But who takes care of her? Who watches out for her and looks after her? Who takes over so she can rest? I want to be that guy, Jenny. I want to be the one.”

He stopped talking, only to realize the restaurant had gone quiet. He glanced around and saw everyone was staring, listening. A couple of the men looked embarrassed, but the women were all smiling and nodding.

Jenny drew in a breath. “I swear, if you hurt her again…”

“I won’t.” He pulled the jewelry box out of his jacket pocket. “I want to marry her.”

“Okay,” she breathed. “She’s at church. They called earlier and needed someone to help with the decorations. Apparently everyone has the flu and there’s a midnight service.” Jenny gave him the address. “Don’t screw this up,” she warned.

He kissed her cheek. “I won’t. I promise.”

Annie carried pots of poinsettias until her arms ached. When they were all in place, she adjusted the white lights, then plugged them in. The soft glow made the leaves seem to glisten. She’d already distributed the special booklets of Christmas carols, and attached beautiful sprays of roses and pine to the end of each pew. The candles were in place.

“You’ve done enough for twenty,” Mary Alice, the minister’s wife, told her. “Get along home, Annie. You need to rest a little or you’ll be nodding off during the midnight service.”

“All right. If you’re sure.”

“Thank you for answering my call for help. I hated to bother you, but I knew my old bones would keep me from getting everything done on time and Alistair is visiting with a member who’s in the hospital. Everyone else…” Mary Alice smiled. “You were a blessing. Thank you.”