“Tom, I heard your wife’s good news.” Sofia Sanchez joined them, stunning in a black sheath that outlined her every curve and left a lot of leg uncovered. “Does it bother you?”
Tom frowned. “Why would it bother me?”
“Oh, no reason, I guess.” She shrugged. “But not all men could handle having a famous wife. So much will change.”
“Tom will do just fine,” Luisa insisted. “He loves Ava. He’s been her biggest supporter.”
“You’re right, I’m sure.” But Sofia’s skepticism lingered. “Tom would be the exception, even though he’s accustomed to being the breadwinner and the better-known of the two.”
“Thank you, I think.” Tom sketched a tiny bow, uneasy at the antagonism between the two women. “Concern is misplaced, however. We’ve been together a long time.”
“I do apologize, Tom. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I’ll leave you two to talk.” Sofia leaned closer to kiss his cheek, pressing her full breasts against him and filling his nostrils with her rich, heady scent. Lingering only slightly too long, at last she pulled back. “Please give my best wishes to your wife. And Merry Christmas, Tom.”
“Merry Christmas, Sofia.” He watched her walk away, all curves and slow, sinuous moves. “Whew.”
He’d thought to make Luisa laugh, but she turned toward him, eyes filled with temper. “Don’t pay her any attention, Tom. She’s—” Luisa snapped off her words with obvious effort.
“Whoa, Luisa.” He held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just a man. Simply looking, that’s all. You know I love Ava.”
Her anger receded slowly, then she nodded. “I know you do. But Sofia is—”
“She’s a sexy woman, but I have one at home, and Ava means everything. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Does it bother you, what she said? About everything changing?”
“I’m trying not to think about it. But we’ll deal with it, whatever comes.”
“Will it be hard for you if Ava becomes famous?”
“She put all her energy behind me and the kids all these years. How could I deny her this chance?”
“That’s not what I asked you, Tom.” Her tone was grim.
He looked down at his wife’s diminutive friend, trying not to get angry at her lack of faith. “Truth? I don’t know. I hope not. But I’m not Ramon, Luisa. I don’t need to hold her down to feel good about myself.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Now I’m saying a few more hellos, then I’m going to celebrate a big day in the life of the woman I love.” He could feel her gaze on his back as he left but didn’t turn around. Everything was going to be fine, damn it. He wasn’t threatened by Ava’s success, but time would have to prove it to some people, he guessed.
A few minutes later as he worked his way toward the door, Sofia stepped in front of him. Tom halted abruptly.
“Tom, I’m sorry.” Her eyes cast down, she placed one hand flat against his chest. The contact burned right through his shirt front. With exquisite slowness, those long eyelashes swept upward. “I had no right. I was simply worried about you.”
“I’m a grown man. I deal with successful women all the time.”
“But not when it’s—” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you’ll do fine, and I’m happy for your wife. Just—” She slid her open palm down his chest a few inches, then patted it once lightly. “I just wanted you to know that I’m here if you need someone to talk to, that’s all.”
Firmly, he pulled her hand away. With scant inches between them, her scent surrounded him. He put more distance between them. “That’s a generous offer, but I’m sure I won’t need it. Merry Christmas, Sofia.”
Her dark eyes were huge in her face, something vulnerable in them surprising him. “I’m sorry. I’m handling this badly. I didn’t mean to offend you. Just…don’t forget, all right?”
Confused by the softness of her unguarded look, Tom frowned. “You didn’t offend me. And thank you. But I really have to go now.”
“I understand. Friends?” One more time, she stood on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his cheek.
Tom fought the urge to shove her away. “Yes, friends. Goodbye now.” He stepped around her and made a quick exit.
Chapter Two
‡
“A toast to Miss Soon-To-Be-Too-Big-For-Her-Britches,” Laken lifted the flute of champagne, rising to her feet.
The rest of them followed, heedless of the well-heeled and sedate diners all around them at their favorite restaurant. Ava’s delight was mixed with equal parts of love and a furious desire to prove Laken wrong.
“Stand up, Ava, and take your bow,” Ellie urged.
Ava stood up and tried to pretend that every eye in the room wasn’t on them. They were always the loudest table at their annual Christmas dinner, but she wasn’t used to being in the spotlight. She lifted her glass, her gaze moving from face to beloved face. “Here’s to the four people who, after Tom, gave me the most…and endured the most. I love you crazy women.”
“Hear, hear,” chimed Sylvie, her face livelier than Ava had seen her in a while. “God knows we endured a lot, darling. All that reading about randy men and lusty women. Thank heavens it was for a worthy cause.”
“You will remember the little people, right?” Laken asked.
“And you know, of course, that I’m the best guide you could have when you make that research trip to Paris,” Sylvie offered.
Everyone laughed. Everyone but Luisa. “Tom will go with her,” Luisa insisted. Her face was drawn with disquiet.
“Of course he will, darling. But just in case he breaks a leg or something, I have dibs.”
“You’re all full of it, and I refuse to listen to any more of this crap about me changing. I’m too old to change,” Ava insisted, grinning. “Now sit down before they make us leave.”
Excited chatter broke out, giving Ava the chance to lean toward Luisa, who still looked uneasy. “Are you all right?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
But she almost looked guilty. How odd. “Is it Carlos?”
Luisa’s expression shifted. She pressed her fingers over her lips, eyes suspiciously shiny. “He came in past curfew Saturday night. I can’t be sure, but I think he was drinking.”
Ava squeezed her arm. “Oh, Luisa, I’m so sorry. What did you do?”
Luisa looked around the room with a furtive glance. “I—I’d rather not talk about it now.”
“You want to come over afterward?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.”
“You know Tom and I are here for you.”
Luisa squeezed her hand back and straightened. “I know. But let’s don’t spoil your celebration.”
“It’s not my—” But Ava stopped herself, knowing that Luisa would hate being the center of attention over an unruly child. She tried to tune in to the other conversation.
“The man has put conditions on the blasted dog. I’m on call as dog sitter, for heaven’s sake. And he’s always showing up to teach me something. He’s driving me insane.”
“Who is?” Ava asked. She was riveted by the sight of Laken’s cheeks high with color.
“Michael,” Ellie offered.
“Who’s Michael?” And why did Laken’s eyes sparkle if she couldn’t stand the man?
“Michael Cavanaugh, the gorgeous vet who’s filling in for Leonard Ramsey. He’s staying at Ramsey’s place next door to us,” Ellie volunteered. “They met at Thanksgiving when Laken found an injured puppy, and Michael came to her rescue.” She smiled. “There was a definite zing in the air.”
“No zing. He’s absolutely not my type.” Laken glared at Ellie. “And he’s bossy. Insufferable.”
“But how is he in bed, darling?” Sylvie asked.
Laken fell unusually quiet.
The rest of them followed suit, uncertain what to do. Even Ava, accustomed as she was to ribbing Laken, could not bring herself to push for more details. Could it be possible that Lake
n and the hot vet hadn’t been to bed yet?
Oh, my. Curiouser and curiouser.
“Well, uh…” Luisa ventured.
Laken snapped back. “Oh, all right. I don’t know—what of it? He looks at me, but he doesn’t make a move.”
“Is he married? Or involved?”
“No. Not that he lacks for female attention,” she muttered. “I swear that practice’s patient count has doubled since he showed up. Even his sappy receptionist drools over him.”
“You’re visiting a vet’s office? But you don’t own a pet. You’ve always said you don’t want one, that you don’t have time for one,” Ava reminded.
“I don’t want one. I live above a club right by a very busy major street. I have no yard. And I like my life just fine. But I can’t let that sweet little guy go to some shelter.”
Ava blinked. “The vet?”
“Ajax. The puppy.”
“How is he?” Ellie asked. “Sarah said she saw him outside with Michael when she was on the bus, headed to school. Michael’s keeping him?”
“He says no.” Laken frowned. “He says he’s fostering the dog until he finds the right home, but it’s easy to tell he’s in love with the little guy.”
“He has a three-legged dog already,” Ellie told them. “He obviously has a big heart. And a friend of mine said he saved her horse from foundering.” She grinned. “And no question he’s hot—I’m not surprised Leonard’s practice has grown in his absence. Has Michael said how Leonard’s father is doing and when he’ll be back?”
“The sooner the better,” Laken muttered. “The man is trying to teach me to cook.”
“That bastard.” Ava grinned. “The nerve of the man.”
Laken’s eyes went to slits. “It’s not funny. He’s driving me insane, and he hasn’t even—” Her mouth clamped shut.
If Ava didn’t love Laken so much, she’d be thrilled at seeing her friend this unsettled. Laken had held the whip hand too long when it came to the opposite sex. “Hasn’t…?”
“Oh for Pete’s sake, he looks at me like he’s starving and I’m a juicy steak, but he never makes a move. Not even a stupid kiss. Are you happy?”
“No, dear heart,” Ava recovered. “We are not happy if you’re not happy. But it’s also none of our business.”
“Laken, do you want me to have Wyatt talk to him?” Ellie queried.
“No, I do not,” Laken snapped. “The man I can’t handle hasn’t been born. He’s just…different. Not good different, annoying different. I don’t know what his game is, but either I’ll take him to bed soon or Leonard will be back and he’ll move on. Either way, I’ll be done with him.”
Ellie stiffened. “I wouldn’t want to see you hurt him, Laken. He seems to be a wonderful man.”
“How could I hurt someone who has the hide of a buffalo and the sensitivity of a rock?” But Laken’s eyes caught her in the lie. They sparkled in a way Ava had never witnessed in her friend before, her usual ennui altogether missing.
Well, well… Ava shot a look over at Ellie. Ellie grinned back, lifting one eyebrow.
“Just stop it, you two. This isn’t funny.”
Sylvie’s peal of laughter was a welcome sound. It had been a long time since they’d heard her make it. “But darling, it is funny, don’t you see? I’ve never seen a man fluster you before.”
Laken tossed her head. “I’m not flustered. I’m pissed.”
This time, Ava couldn’t hold back her own laughter. Then she spotted Laken’s glare. “I’m sorry,” Ava choked. “Swallowed wrong.” She quickly buried her face behind her napkin, turning the laugh into a cough.
Across the table, Sylvie winked. Laken’s goose was cooked and she didn’t even see it.
What fun.
Ava cleared her throat, deciding upon mercy. “So has everyone got her Christmas shopping finished?”
A chorus of groans echoed around the table.
She turned to Ellie. “Not much longer until Christy is home for Christmas.”
Faint unease slipped over Ellie’s expression, quickly smothered by her bright smile. “I can hardly wait. It was so hard to let her go back to school at Thanksgiving.”
“But she’s happy, isn’t she?” Laken asked. “At least, when she quit drooling over Saxon long enough to answer my questions, she sounded like she’s adapting well.”
If Ava hadn’t been looking at Ellie instead of Laken, she might have missed the fleeting glimpse of—what? Something she’d never seen on Ellie’s face before. Then her heart sank. Oh please, no. Surely she was mistaken. Ellie wouldn’t be jealous. Not of her daughter.
Ellie’s voice was just a little thin, a little high. Ava hoped no one but her could hear the falseness in her quick laugh.
“She was taken with him, wasn’t she?” But Ellie’s fair skin and easy blush gave her away.
Oh God. Not Ellie. Not Saxon.
“Taken with him? She was practically an appendage. Not that I blame her,” Laken continued. “Saxon Gaillard is a whole lot of man.” She grinned at the rest of them. “If you like glowering sex symbols, that is.”
Everyone else laughed, but Ellie’s face went very red. Her laugh was much fainter.
Ava wanted to hear more, but not here. Not making Ellie squirm. “So how does your Michael compare to Saxon?”
Laken flushed and shot her a glare. “He’s not my Michael,” she muttered. “I said he’s not my type.”
“You know they say that the things you fight hardest are the things you want the most.”
Ellie assumed her peacemaker role. “Settle down, you two, or I’ll send you to your rooms.”
“Ask Ava about the hottie at the gym, the one who likes her buns,” Laken countered.
That sure switched the topic. Ava had to admire Laken’s quick wit.
“Oh, do tell all, darling,” Sylvie prompted.
“He’s half my age,” Ava protested.
“But he said he didn’t care that she would break his heart.”
Whoops and whistles disrupted the table. Heads swiveled from nearby tables.
“I will pay you back for this, Laken Foster.”
“Not until we hear more details, I hope,” Luisa spoke up.
They all laughed. Ava refused to speak, daring Laken with a look to say one more word.
Laken swirled her last sip of champagne, then downed it. “I think I’d better retire from the field. You know what they say: writers always get the last word.”
Ava laughed. “And don’t you forget it. I never use people I know in my books, but I could make an exception, Ms. Foster.”
Oohs and catcalls sounded around the table. Laken nodded slowly. “But just remember that sometimes he and I work out at the same time and you’re not there.”
Ava had to smile, even as her stomach tightened. It had been awhile since she and Laken had gone toe-to-toe. But it was Christmas, and she wasn’t going to ruin everyone’s fun. She retired gracefully. “Touché.”
Time to move on. “So what’s Santa Claus bringing you, Ellie?”
* * *
“Luisa,” Ava called out as the group dispersed after Christmas greetings. “Wait—let me walk you to your car.”
Luisa huddled against the chill wind, turning up the collar of her coat. They began to walk across the parking lot together.
“Do you want to talk about Carlos?”
Luisa shook her head. “No. There’s nothing you can do.”
“I can listen.”
“I’m ashamed. Your kids never gave you any trouble.”
“Hah—shows how much you know. We weren’t friends when Siobhan was that age.”
“Truly?”
“For a few years there, I despaired of ever having a kind word between us. She thought I was a fool, and I felt like I was beating my head against a wall trying to talk to her. She didn’t want to hear anything I had to say.”
“She never came home smelling of liquor.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die. I can’t say it was often or that it lasted too long—thank heavens, she never really went off the deep end. But defiance? You better believe it. She didn’t want anything to do with our standards or our dreams for her.”
“So what did you do?”
“Besides cry myself to sleep at night, alternating with wanting to ship her off to Outer Mongolia?” Ava smiled ruefully, still able to feel the anguish of those days. “I don’t have a magic remedy, Luisa. I wish I did. I think it was as much her growing up as us figuring out the answer. They’re all just so different—different from each other and different from us. I’m convinced that a good part of who they are comes with them when we get them. It’s easy to take credit for a great kid, but I’m not sure it’s deserved. If it was, we’d have to assume whatever awful things they did were our fault, and sometimes it’s just not true.”
She turned to her friend. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t spend a lot of days with my stomach tied in knots, trying to figure out the key to fixing it. What I mostly learned is that at this age, you have to rely upon the lessons you taught when they were much younger. Those are still somewhere inside them—but sometimes it takes a while to see the lessons take hold. Right now, Carlos isn’t listening to you over the noise inside his head.”
“He told me he hated me the other night.” Luisa’s voice was thick with tears.
Ava slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Look at me. You know that’s not true, don’t you? He’s just striking out in pain.”
“From what? What have I done to him?”
Ava sighed inwardly. Was it her right to reveal what Carlos had told Tom? No, but she had to help somehow. “Despite your best efforts—and they’ve been amazing, Luisa, don’t ever doubt it—at this age, Carlos has to measure himself against his father. He has to break away from you to mature emotionally. But it complicates things that you and Ramon don’t get along. Carlos feels love and loyalty to you, but it confuses him, I think. Can you see that? He has to wonder what it says about him if the person he loves most in the world hates the other half of his composition. Every young man looks to his father as an example, right or wrong. He’s bound to be confused if what he’s hearing is that half of him is worthless.”
The Book Babes Boxed Set (Texas Ties/Texas Troubles/Texas Together) Page 13