by Snow, Nicole
Gary trails off as his wife turns her snake eyes on him. He picks up his fork, fiddling with his own reflection.
“He’s right. Jonah had his issues toward the end. He was a smart man, knew his own limits, knew he was getting older and his hourglass was running thin.” I look at Molly, trying to choose my words carefully so I don’t upset Bella. “I did my job. Looked after him and his old place as best I could. While we’re at it, what’s got you so interested? Never showed much interest in me or your father-in-law till now.”
My question catches her off guard. Her startled expression soon turns scrunched and snarly again.
“You seem awfully friendly with all women,” she snarls.
“It’s his charm,” Bella says, oozing mock affection with very real effects below the belt. “It’s irresistible.”
“How bad were you hurt last night, Annabelle?” Gary asks, looking up from his fork.
His question surprises me, and Molly.
Or does it? No, it’s the fact that he opened his mouth again. That’s what pisses her off.
“Not bad at all, Dad. Drake helped me back into the house and bandaged me up. I’m a little sore, but good as new,” Bella answers carefully before looking at her ma. “Years, Mom, in case you’re wondering. Years of loyal service. That’s what Drake gave Gramps. He remodeled, painted, and cleaned up the entire place. You should see the bathrooms; they’ve all been redone, and they’re totally gorgeous. I couldn’t have imagined anything better myself in a magazine. Even the barn’s been spruced up. Edison is in his glory.”
“Shouldn’t you be checked out by a doctor?” her father asks.
It’s my turn to cock my head in surprise. For once, this asshole actually sounds like he cares. I start to answer, but Bella squeezes my leg under the table. There’s no mistaking what she means. I’ll handle this.
“No need. I kinda did.” She flashes me another one of those sinful smiles and leans closer. “Drake was trained as a medic while he was in the Army. He knew what to do with a few scrapes and a little cut on my knee.” Her smile remains as she turns to her parents. “That’s why Gramps called him an old Army buddy, I guess. They’d both been in the Army, all right. Just not at the same time. But neither of them ever lost the skill they’d learned there.”
“Nonsense. Your father’s right.” Molly plucks several napkins out of the chrome holder and uses them to wipe at the table in front of her. “As soon as we’re done eating, we’ll drive you to the hospital a few towns over.”
“Save your gas,” I growl, harsher than I intend and right at Molly. “She wants a doctor, I’ll drive her. Jonah left me to take care of her, and I’ll do a damn good job of it. You worry after your health. I’ve got Bella.”
Erin returns just as we’re in the middle of a stare down.
Setting down two glasses of ice-cold lemonade, one in front of me, the other for Bella, and then a bowl of lemon slices near Gary, she says, “Your meals should be out shortly. Hope you’re all still hungry!” She pats my shoulder knowingly before walking away.
“It’s okay. I don’t need a doctor, Mom,” Bella says. “Did I mention all the kitchen appliances are new? Stainless steel.” Her hand is still on my thigh, and her fingers dig a little deeper. “And you should see the tile work in the showers.” She looks up at me. “It’s amazing. No exaggeration.”
Fuck.
I’m not sure if she wants me to call a truce or not. Not till I glance at her.
Then I get those eyes again, big and green and mischievous. She’s really playing this up. Wants her folks to believe there’s more going on between us than a weird roommate arrangement from me being on a dead man’s payroll.
Fine. Two can play at this game, and there’s no reason I shouldn’t since I’m half a breath away from telling Molly Reed to fuck off back home, and let the adults handle this mess.
Having her parents out of the way will make dealing with Briar and Jupiter easier. One less nuisance up in Bella’s face, distracting us from the real danger.
Dropping my hand to her shoulder, I spread my fingers, staking my claim. “Had you in mind the entire time I was tiling it, darlin’. Jonah insisted.”
That part’s true. He’d openly mentioned every change was made with her in mind. He wanted his place updated and comfortable for his granddaughter, however long she chooses to stay. He loved her that much, the kind of love people like Molly will never get because it doesn’t involve dollar signs or barking commands at the sad, beaten down poodle of a husband crammed into the seat next to her.
A fiery blush blooms on Bella’s cheek, but she’s committed to carrying on. She stretches her neck, so our faces are so close I feel her breath on my lips. “Honestly, that’s so sweet. So considerate. You helping Gramps carry out his last wishes...for me.”
“Annabelle,” her mother snaps, flashing her teeth just a second too long.
But Bella’s eyes linger. Goddamn, she’s an incredible actor.
It’s not just my eyes falling for this wild prank. She’s so alluring, so determined, so damn good at this.
The more Bella manages to twist old Molly into bitter little knots, the more I want to haul her out of there, slam her into the nearest wall, and show her how fucking much I can up the ante with the realest kiss of her life.
Smiling, I lean in, shifting into my role. “Nothing’s too good for you, Bella.” I whisper. “Jonah wanted the very best, and so did I. He showed me pictures long before you came, said a pretty lady expected pretty places to be. I agreed. Told him you were plenty sweet, and you needed a sweet ass kitchen for making sweet stuff. Next time we bet on food, it’s payback for the enchiladas.”
She bursts out laughing, not acting at all. A spark flares in her eyes before she leans forward and plants a quick kiss on my lips.
Shit.
“Annabelle Amelia Reed.” Molly’s voice is like a thunderclap.
I don’t even know what the fuck just hit me.
The kiss was just a split second, so quick it may not have happened at all.
Except I know it did because my lips burn to give it back. Return fire hard and real and hot, my tongue chasing hers, my teeth in her soft little lip, my hands up under her shirt, going straight for those –
“Bella, please,” Gary whispers, leaning in, shifting his eyes to his side. “Enough. You’re upsetting your mother.”
“Sorry, Dad. I hadn’t noticed.” Bella’s grin grows as she pulls her eyes off me, lowering her face and turning her gaze toward the table. “Oh, here comes our food,” she says. “I’m starving.”
It’s no joke. They don’t tell you round after round of awkward insanity works up one hell of an appetite.
I have a new reason to smile when two salads appear in front of her parents. Gary’s looks okay, but Erin must’ve hand-picked each piece of lettuce for Molly. Hers is older, slightly wilted, slathered in oily vinaigrette.
Molly stabs her fork through a piece, holds it up, and sneers.
Erin just grins oh-so-politely. “Your burgers are being taken off the grill right now. I’ll go get ’em while they’re still sizzling hot.”
The burgers aren’t the only thing sizzling. Neither is Molly Reed’s fuse drawing shorter every second she spends glaring at that dressing drenched lettuce, trying to set it on fire.
This game with Bella has gotten too real. Too dangerous, maybe.
Making her parents have a conniption fit is one thing. But if we keep this going, the other people in the diner will talk. Gossip gets around Dallas so fast it might as well be transmitted telepathically rather than by word of mouth.
I’ll pull Molly’s tail all day, but the town? It’s too risky. All too possible the wrong thing could make it back to the wrong ears, opening new vulnerabilities that’ll only detract from my mission.
Bella’s shoulder gently bumps mine. She’s gnawing on her bottom lip as she stares at her mother.
Molly’s face is beet red as she glares across the room to th
e spot where Erin pulls two plates off the serving shelf attached to the open window joining the kitchen.
Erin’s smile is as bright as ever as she carries the plates over and sets them down in front of me and Bella. “Two big, juicy Mack burgers! You folks need anything else?” she asks.
“Yes, actually,” Molly says. “I’d love a word with the manag—”
“No,” Gary interrupts. “This is fine. Thank you.” He slides his salad to Molly and takes hers.
My own balls want to crawl up my guts. Talk about sad, watching a grown man reduced to a peacemaker fucking puppet on a string.
Molly throws her napkin on the table the second Erin walks away. “You know what? I’m not eating this crap, and neither are you, Gary. I’ve had just about enough of this hideous diner and it’s entertainment.”
“Molly—” Gary raises his hands, imploring.
She shoves his shoulder angrily with both hands. “Now, Gary. Get your ass up. We’re going.”
With a heavy sigh, he stands.
Satisfied, she turns her death glare our way while sliding out of the booth. “Annabelle?”
Bella pauses mid-ketchup squirt, her hands poised over her burger. “Um, now? But we just got our food.”
I take the top bun off and nod at her when she holds the ketchup bottle over my burger.
“No point in wasting good food,” I say, pulling a fry off the plate and popping it into my mouth. “I’ve got a better idea, Molly. How ’bout you take a nice long drink of water, swallow whatever bug crawled up your ass, and have lunch with us like civilized people?”
Bella jerks the ketchup back just in time before I’ve got a ketchup massacre on my burger, her eyes bigger than the moon.
Molly’s jaw damn near hits the floor. She stands there like that, mouth hanging open, while I take a big bite off my Mack burger, chew, savor, and swallow.
Bitch doesn’t say it, but she’s hoping I’ll choke.
Snarling, she grabs the billfold Gary started pulling out of his pocket, nervously flipping through credit cards. “We aren’t paying for this trash, or the trashy company.”
“Mom?” Bella’s voice is just a squeak. Like she’s been hollowed out. “Wait, I didn’t mean–”
“We’ll speak to you later, Annabelle,” the Ice Queen’s calm voice is back, her tone numb and arctic. “After you’ve come to your senses, without your...companion clouding your better judgment.”
A twinge of empathy rises inside me, but it doesn’t stay. I wonder if we went too far.
Then I see the look she shoots her daughter over her shoulder. Then I wish I’d sucked so much face with Bella Reed right under Molly’s nose that she would’ve needed the trip to the hospital.
Plus, I really want to tell Gary to man the fuck up. Either grow some balls or some brains.
Or just cut those puppet strings.
A shred of self-respect would work wonders. Just like I told Bella this morning, he gives Molly way too much control. She needs to be knocked off her high horse, and they need to haul ass to whatever Ivy League educated marriage counselor can un-fuck eccentric millionaires’ warped marriages, assuming the shrink exists for something like this.
I glance down at Bella as her father follows her ma toward the door. She looks unaffected, thank God, but I wonder if that’s a cover up.
She’d tried to cut in. Maybe apologize.
Internally, she’s hurting. Bruised and embarrassed. No thanks to my tongue reaching its limit for an impetuous witch who treats her little girl worse than a glob of gum stuck to her Louboutin’s.
She picks up her Mack burger and gives me a brave little smile. “So that went well, don’t you think?”
There’s no longer a glimmer in her eyes. I’m not sure if that’s due to her mother, or if she’s just as jarred as I am, reaching the end of our little game.
Heat still throbs in my veins. “Don’t know, Bella. You tell me.”
She takes a bite and chews. “Oh, it could’ve been worse. Much worse. I meant to mess with her, but I didn’t expect Erin to join in.”
“Yeah. Seems she’s got a soft spot for your old man.”
“God. I thought Mom was going to launch herself out of her seat and put her in a headlock. As painful as it is, maybe a little jealousy will be good for her. Remind her Dad had other options, once upon a time.”
“You hate her that much? Wishing they’d divorce?” I tilt my head, wondering how deep this family mess goes.
“No, not really. I mean...Mom needs a real come to Jesus moment if she’s ever going to grow into anything besides a selfish, thin-skinned control freak. Dad needs a spine. I don’t want to destroy my parents, or destroy us, but...I feel like I’m dealing with the scarecrow and the cowardly lion. They just need more to be whole, to become decent people.”
“To lay the hell off your life and what Jonah left, you mean,” I tell her, stuffing a fry into my mouth. “I’ve always been partial to Tin Man myself, Dorothy.”
Smiling, she reaches over and plucks a fry off my plate. I hold up a hand.
“Just checking to see if they’re warm.” That teasing glint returns to her eyes as she bites the end off a fry.
I pluck one off her plate. “Me, too.”
She laughs, and I’m relieved at her tenacity. If she’s hurting or embarrassed, it doesn’t show, but I can tell she’s no longer putting on a show for her parents.
Just being her normal, friendly self. A whimsical young thing who looks too damn good to make this job simple or easy.
Sudden disappointment washes over me then.
Fuck.
I can’t be getting this deep. I can’t be looking at her like that.
My job begins and ends with her safety. The proxy marriage was a necessity in case she needs a safety net. I’d agreed because I knew it wouldn’t get to that point and we’d be able to end the marriage before anybody else found out about it.
Erin arrives at our table a minute later. Regret haunts her face as she looks at Bella. “Sorry about all that, Bella.” She lifts the salad bowls off the table. “I shouldn’t have been so spiteful.”
“Forget it. Wouldn’t be the first time my mother drags out the ugly side of people.” Bella shakes her head and sets her burger down on her plate. “So you dated my dad in high school?”
Erin gives a quick nod. For a second, there’s a hint of sadness in her eyes as she glances toward the door. “For three years. We were as friendly as the two of you. Then Molly got her claws in. I know she’s your momma, so I shouldn’t say this, but...she was a huge bitch back then, and I guess some things never change.”
Truer words were never spoken. Still, I glance at Bella slowly, wondering how she’ll take it.
“I know,” Bella says quietly. “Better than anyone else. Believe me, Erin, I’m working on it. Call it crazy, maybe, but I’d still like to believe she can be more, someday.”
That someday sounds so hollow it stings.
Damn. A sharp desire to grab her and comfort her fills me.
That’s even weirder than the hard-on I’ve been battling all day. What sorcery is this?
I’ve always been able to separate myself from my own thoughts, my own feelings, for years. Had to during every mission overseas.
It was a rule drilled in by Uncle Sam, and then by life.
First Angie and the kids and Dad.
Then Winnie, gone without a trace till it was too late.
All the people I failed and left behind, the ones I couldn’t help because I wasn’t quick enough or focused enough or...
Fuck. I’m doing it again.
Something about being this close to Bella Reed makes good rules fly right out of my head. So I suck in a slow, quiet breath and try to remember.
Never get too close.
Never fraternize.
Never care.
I ball my hand into a fist to keep from touching her. “You okay, darlin’?”
She smiles. “I’m fine, Drake. And you sho
uld really finish before your burger gets cold. It’s pretty tasty.”
“Yeah!” Erin says. “Eat up. It’s on the house for the scene today. I’m truly sorry I ruined your lunch.”
“You didn’t ruin a thing,” Bella tells her, shaking her head. “She was wound up at me before she turned on you. The idea that I might have a—” She glances at me. “A boyfriend, upset her more than anything with you and Dad.”
Erin blinks.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because she didn’t give me permission.” She pops a fry into her mouth and bites down hard. “Mom thrives on control. Always has. That’s what’s really driving her insane in all this. Gramps laid out everything in a will she can’t just overturn...and me, I’m not going along with anything she wants.”
That part was obvious, but the fact that Bella accepts this control freak shit so readily it almost sounds mundane just pisses me off.
No one deserves to be treated the way Molly treats her.
“Sooo,” Erin cuts in, her smile returning. “I couldn’t help noticing the other part...the two of you are boyfriend and girlfriend? That’s amazing! Jonah must be doing the two-step wherever he is, knowing his two favorite people are...” She lifts a brow. “Will there be an engagement soon? Or better yet, a wedding?”
Shit.
So much for keeping up our cover. If Erin knows, I give it ten hours at most before that spreads to two thirds of the town.
Bella shrugs. “You never know.” Then she holds the fry out for me to take a bite.
Damn her. The glimmer in her eyes is another challenge, and she knows I don’t back down.
But I can’t let this get dangerous, either. Can’t have any news about us being a couple reach the wrong ears.
I bite off half the fry, mulling what else to say to keep everything from unraveling.
Bella pops the rest of the fry in her mouth and then says to Erin. “Just between us...it may have already happened.”
“What?” Erin, wide-eyed, glances between us. “What’s happened? The engagement or the wedding?”
In a blur, she sets down a salad bowl, reaches across the table, and snatches Bella’s hand. “Where’s the ring?”