Kathie DeNosky - The Illegitimate Heirs - Caleb, Nick & Hunter - Engagement between Enemies

“What’s going on?” Caleb threw back the sheet and sat up on the side of the bed. “Give me the phone.”

Alyssa held up her finger to silence him, but it was too late. Clarence had already heard Caleb’s voice.

“I-Is that Mr. Walker?” From the tone of his voice, the security guard was shocked right down to his big flat feet.

With Caleb reaching for the receiver and Clarence stammering on the other end of the line, she surrendered the phone without another word.

Her worst nightmare had just been realized. Clarence Norton was the biggest gossip in Albuquerque. By the time she and Caleb returned to the office the day after tomorrow, everyone at Skerritt and Crowe would know that they’d spent the night together.

Caleb set the cruise control, then glanced over at the silent woman seated on the passenger side of the truck cab. Other than answering direct questions, Alyssa hadn’t said more than a handful of words to him since the kiss they’d shared the night before. She’d been congenial and outgoing enough when she’d discussed financial options and outlined plans for the two potential clients they’d met with in Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences. But whenever they found themselves alone, she clammed up.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve picked up Mr. Sanchez and Mrs. Bailey as clients,” he said, trying once more to draw her out.

She nodded. “It looks that way.”

“Are you going to handle their accounts personally or turn them over to someone else?”

“I’ll probably turn them over to Richard Henshaw or Marla Davis.”

When she let the discussion drop once again, he released a frustrated breath. “Talk to me, Alyssa. Tell me why I’m getting the silent treatment. Is it because of what happened last night?”

Nodding, she stared straight ahead. “I can’t stop thinking about Clarence’s phone call and the rumors that I’m sure were being passed around the office today.”

“You’re worried about what’s being said at the office?” he asked incredulously. He hadn’t given much, if any, thought to the phone call. His mind had been occupied with that kiss. To say she’d damned near knocked his socks off was an understatement.

“Aren’t you concerned?” She looked at him like he’d sprouted horns and a tail. “Clarence Norton is the biggest gossip this side of the Mississippi and he’s not going to let something like my being in your room at two in the morning go by without putting his spin on it. By now, I’m sure he’s told everyone who will listen that we slept together last night.”

“Technically, we did sleep together,” Caleb said, grinning. “Just not in the same bed.” The cab of the truck was dark, but he’d bet every last dime he had that her cheeks had colored a pretty pink. He wished like hell he could see them.

“I suppose that’s true. But do you honestly think anyone will believe that?” she asked.

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But the way I see it, our only option is to tell the truth. After we explain things, it’ll be up to everyone else to draw their own conclusions.”

“You know what that will be.” She glared at him like she thought he might be a little simpleminded.

“We can’t control what others think or say about us, Alyssa.” He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “But even if they are talking about us now, this time next week someone else will be the topic of conversation around the water cooler.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I’m sure—”

He stopped short when he noticed steam rolling out from under the truck’s hood. Glancing at the temperature gauge on the dash, he said a word that would have had his mother washing his mouth out with soap if she’d heard. It was a dark, moonless night and they were miles away from the last gas station.

“Why is your truck smoking?” she asked, clearly alarmed.

“It’s my guess we have radiator problems.”

“That’s not good.” She pushed her owlish glasses up her nose with a brush of her hand—a gesture he’d come to recognize as a sign of her nervousness. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll have to find a place to pull over so I can check it out.” He’d no sooner gotten the words out than they passed a sign indicating a rest area less than a mile ahead. “Looks like we’re in luck. At least it will be well lit and I can see what I’m doing.”

Ten minutes later, Caleb stood in the parking lot of the rest area with Alyssa peering around his arm at the truck’s steaming engine. “The radiator hose is busted,” he said when he noticed her questioning expression.

“Do you think you can fix it?”

He shook his head, stepped back and slammed the hood. “I’ll have to call roadside assistance.” Pulling his cell phone from the clip on his belt, he asked, “Is there another town between here and Socorro?”

She looked anything but happy. “No. This rest area is about halfway between Socorro and Truth or Consequences. And I’m sure that everything in either direction is closed by now.”

Pushing the button with the auto club’s preprogrammed number, Caleb gave their location and the nature of the problem, then waited for the customerservice representative, identifying himself as Jason, to contact the nearest associate. When the man came back on the line, the news wasn’t what Caleb wanted to hear.

“What do you mean they can’t get to us until tomorrow morning?” he demanded.

Alyssa cringed. “They won’t be here until morning?”

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, sir. We have only one associate garage in that area and the mechanic is out on a call,” Jason apologized. “After that he has three more to take care of before he can get to you.”

Thinking fast, Caleb asked, “Could you send someone with a rental car?”

“Just a moment, please.”

“What did he say?” she asked anxiously.

“He’s checking.” Caleb smiled. “I’m sure we’ll have a car here in no time.” At least, he hoped they would.

“Sir, your rental car will be delivered to your location by four in the morning,” Jason said, sounding as if he’d accomplished something wonderful.

“Four!” Caleb checked his watch, then shook his head. “Five hours is unacceptable, Jason. Even if the car is coming from Albuquerque, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” Jason said, beginning to sound like a broken record. “The agencies in both Truth or Consequences and Socorro are closed, the one in Las Cruces has all of its cars rented right now and the one in Albuquerque is having to call someone in to drive the car down to you.”

Caleb glanced over at Alyssa. She looked fit to be tied.

“So that’s the best you can do?” he asked the young man.

“I’m afraid so, sir,” Jason answered. “If there’s any-thing else we can do for you, please let us know.”

Caleb snapped the phone shut as he turned to Alyssa. “I guess you’ve figured out by now that we aren’t going anywhere until around four tomorrow morning.”

Looking more pale than she had a few minutes ago, she nodded and started for the passenger door. “I think one of us must be related to Murphy.”

“Who the hell’s Murphy?”

“I’m not sure, but his law has plagued us throughout this trip.”

“Ah, yes. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the worst possible moment.” He helped her into the truck. “Well, things could be worse.”

She looked at him like he had spit for brains. “How on earth could things be any worse?”

He grinned. “We could have broken down before or after we got to the rest area.”

“Small consolation,” she said, settling herself on the bench seat. “We’re still stranded.”