by Ann Whitaker
After Nick dropped me off at the airport in Abilene, I’d make sure Philip was doing okay, then drive my own car back to Waco the next day.
“Here we are,” he said, as we began our final approach. I looked out the window at the flat, dry terrain below. People wondered how anyone could love a place with hard-packed clay soil and the horizon visible from almost any vantage point. Abilene might be as hard and dry as an old rancher, but it was home.
When we landed, I realized the flight hadn’t caused the usual quivers, not even during takeoff. As the wheels touched down, I got the same feeling I always did when returning from a long trip. Safe.
Nick helped me out of the plane. “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate your flying me home. Maybe I’ll see you back in Waco next time you’re there.”
He tilted his head and gave me that slow, smoldering grin, just like the first day we’d met. “You aren’t getting rid of me that easy. Besides, what would you think of me if I just left you here?” His eyes were warm with sympathy.
“Look, Nick. That’s nice of you, but I can handle this. My sister’s picking me up. I have my own house, my own car. And I’m sure you have work to do.”
“Sorry. Carmen’s orders.”
I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but I couldn’t stand around debating it. I turned away from him and stalked from the hangar to the lower deck of the terminal at a quick clip. Surely he’d get the idea.
When I caught sight of Sarah’s short blond hair, I felt a burst of gratitude and love that immediately dissipated my irritation with Nick.
“Julie!” she squealed as we hugged. “I’ve missed you! Now don’t worry. Philip just got out of surgery, and he’s doing fine. He’ll be able to come home late this afternoon, as soon as he’s fully awake.”
“I really appreciate all you’ve done while I’ve been gone.”
She elbowed me lightly. “No problem at all. Your house is clean. Your fish are fed. Your yard mowed.”
That was Sarah. Always the efficient one. “And how’s Mother?”
“Oh, you know Mother. She wants to take us to the club for dinner tonight. I told her you might want to stay with Philip, but she insisted. She—holy moley, would you look at that!” Her big blue eyes opened wide as she stared at something over my shoulder. “And he’s headed this way.”
I knew who it was without having to look. Two worlds were about to collide, and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
Chapter Ten
When Nick wasn’t looking, Sarah mouthed to me, “He’s gorgeous.”
I made a face at her and crossed my eyes. Around my big sister, I always felt about ten years old—and managed to act accordingly. Nick introduced himself, and before I could stop her, Sarah invited him to join us. Next thing I knew, the three of us were in her SUV headed toward town, Nick in back, me riding bitch.
Where my interests ran to dogs and their welfare, my sister had inherited the business acumen of our father. She had a law degree and her own business: The One-Stop Shop. She could plan your estate, set up investments, and figure your income tax. Needless to say, I was proud of my big sister, though we were nothing alike. Sarah was at ease with everyone.
While she drove, she and Nick chatted like old friends about the price of fuel and its effect on the airline business. I kept mum, not wanting to cause a scene—Sarah hated it when I did that—but I managed to give Nick a few hostile looks.
When their conversation turned to politics, I interrupted, turning around in my seat and giving him a fakey sweet smile. “So which motel are you staying in?” My intentions were to drop him off as soon as we could and let him fend for himself in Big A.
Sarah twisted toward me, raised her sunglasses to the top of her head, and narrowed her eyes. “Ju-lie. We can’t let him stay in some motel.” She glanced back toward Nick and gave him one of her bright and perky trademark smiles. “Don’t mind her. We’ve got lots of room. Julie doesn’t always mind her manners.”
Nick sounded serious, but the gleam in his eyes gave him away. “Oh, I hadn’t noticed.”
He did notice when I unloaded a couple of eye-bullets into him.
At the next red light, Sarah looked back at Nick. “Tell you what. I’ve got an appointment, and we can’t pick Philip up till four. I’ll just drop the two of you off at Julie’s house, since it’s on the way. After my appointment, I’ll swing by, pick up Philip, and bring him home.”
That was Sarah, always trying to organize everyone’s life. The light turned green, and soon we were passing a strip of motels. Somehow, I had to get Nick into one of them.
He’d seen them, too. His eyes met Sarah’s in the rearview mirror. “Julie’s right. I should stay in a motel. I don’t want to put anyone out. I doubt Philip wants me underfoot.”
Sarah laughed. “Philip won’t mind. He loves company.”
“But in his condition, I’d think—”
Sarah waved her hand toward the backseat and said, “Trust me. He’ll like you.”
I cleared my throat loudly, but she ignored me.
Nick shrugged and held his palms up. “If you say so, but I don’t want to be in the way. Actually, I figured Julie would want to go to the hospital to see Philip first thing.”
Sarah frowned. “The hos—?”
I stopped her by picking up some papers lying between us and poking her with them as hard as I could. Instead of taking my hint, she leaned toward her door and grimaced. “Ouch! What?”
I lowered my voice. “Philip will sleep for several hours, and he needs his rest. Let’s not bother him now.”
Sarah opened her mouth to speak, then thought again and closed it. But she gave me a sidelong glance, one full of question marks.
I was trapped. Sarah did not stop at a motel. Nick did not protest further. I did not think of a way to get rid of him.
When she pulled up in front of my two-story Tudor in Pheasant Place Estates, I braced myself for Nick’s reaction. I’d kept the Shields’ family jewels a secret, even from the Espositos. As far as Carmen knew, the trust fund was a pittance. Though the big money belonged to my mother, people assumed I was rich because I’d been brought up that way. Finding a man who loved me for myself was a hurdle I’d yet to clear. Though Nick wasn’t on the prospective husband list, if he thought I had money, he’d probably turn up the charm, and I was feeling needy. My celibacy vow had begun to encroach on my nocturnal dreams as well as my daytime fantasies, with Nick playing the starring role.
As we got out of the SUV, Sarah called out to us. “See you around four!” With a quick wave, she was off.
She’d done a good job making sure the lawn got watered and mowed. Though I’d been gone only two weeks, grass turned yellow from the heat this time of year without constant watering. Normally, I tried to conserve, but if I was going to sell the property, I needed it looking well-cared for. I’d opted out of a “For Sale” sign in the front yard until I returned for good. No need signaling the house might be empty.
“Nice place,” Nick said, looking up at the ivy-decked walls. “Balcony over the sunroom—I like that.”
“Thanks.” I kept walking. Nick stayed where he was, shading his eyes with his hand as he examined the house and landscaping. “When you said Philip had a private income, I never expected anything like this.”
Of course. It hadn’t occurred to me Nick would think the house was Philip’s. “He does okay.” Now all I had to do was figure out some way to get rid of Nick before Sarah got back with the little guy.
I opened the front door and breathed in the comforting smell of home, but I didn’t have time to enjoy it. I had to think. And to do that, I needed to be alone. As soon as I got Nick situated in the guest room downstairs, I told him I was going upstairs to rest.
What to do? How could I get Nick out of the house and into a motel? Sarah had already said Philip wouldn’t mind if Nick stayed with us, so I couldn’t use that as an excuse. Everything had happened so quickly. If I’d known Nick would t
ag along, I could have warned Sarah, but now…
I looked at my watch. Two o’clock. I had a little over two hours to come up with a solution. I paced. I sat. I paced some more. I flopped on the bed and tried to think. Three o’clock came and went. Time was running out.
Then it hit me. I’d simply tell Nick I wanted to be alone with Philip. Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner? My car was in the garage. All I had to do was load Nick into it and haul his good-looking butt off to the nearest Holiday Inn.
As I started downstairs to tell him, the doorbell rang. Damn. The last thing I needed was more company. I glanced at the clock. Three-thirty. God, I prayed. Please don’t let it be my mother. It was worse.
“Yoo hoo! Julie! I’m back!”
My heart gave a thump. Sarah.
By the time I got to the bottom of the stairs, she’d already let herself in with her key. Philip was cradled in her arms, his injured leg shaved several inches above and below his knee with only bloody, jagged stitches holding the skin together. I’d seen it countless times on other dogs, but this was my own little Philip. Tears stung my eyes. His tiny leg trembled from the trauma, and when he saw me, he emitted a soft, high-pitched whine.
Sarah’s face was flushed from the heat and the effort of holding Philip without hurting him further. “I hope you don’t mind. My appointment fell through, so I picked him up early. The vet said he’s doing fine, and I knew you’d be eager to see him.”
A rush of love filled my heart as I looked into Philip’s tiny brown eyes. For a moment, I forgot all about Nick. When Sarah gently handed over my little blond fur ball, I buried my face in his neck and kissed him. “My poor baby. I’m so sorry you had to go through this. Mommy’s going to take good care of you now.”
I looked up to see Nick staring at the three of us, his eyes wide. “Philip is a dog?”
****
One look at Nick’s face alerted Sarah she needed to hit the road, and I followed her out to her car, not ready to face the inevitable.
“He didn’t know?” She shook her head in disbelief. “Julie, what on earth have you told this man?”
“Nothing,” I muttered. “He just assumed.”
She opened the car door for me. “Here. Get in. It’s too hot to stand out here and talk.” I did as she said and sat immobile as she walked to her side, slipped behind the wheel, and started the engine to get some cool air flowing. “What kinds of games have you been playing in Waco? Who did he think Philip was?”
I leaned forward and put my face against one of the vents. “I sort of let him think he was my live-in lover.”
Sarah leaned her head back against the seat. “Why, for heaven’s sake?”
“You know why. Because he’s the kind of man who’s always meant trouble. How many times have I let the Nick Worthingtons of the world trample on my heart, then kick it a few more times? I vowed never to let that happen again. So, yeah. I let him think I was attached.”
“Julie, Julie,” she moaned. “You’re my sister and I love you, but I’ve got to tell you, when it comes to men, you have a lot to learn. Can’t you see it?”
“See what?”
“How he feels about you?”
“Oh, yeah. Well, I know he’s attracted to me, if that’s what you mean. And yes, I know he’s tall, dark, and hunky. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Listen to your big sister for a minute. That’s not what I mean.”
“It’s not? You mean he’s not attracted to me?”
Sarah beat her hands against the steering wheel a couple of times. “Of course he’s attracted to you. But any fool could tell it’s more than attraction by the way he looks at you. My dear little sister, that incredibly tall, dark, and hunky man in there is crazy about you.”
“You think?”
“More than think. I know.”
I moved away from vent, put my hands over my face, and let out a deep breath. “I don’t know. You could be wrong.”
“Wasn’t I the one who told you Brett was after your money when you thought you’d finally found the perfect man?”
I sat up straighter. “Yes, but—”
“Remember Dave? You thought he was madly in love with you till you found out he was screwing around with his secretary? I knew right off he was a loser, something about his eyes.”
“But—”
She continued, counting them off on her fingers. All the times I’d been wrong and she’d been right about men. “No buts about it. I know these things. Now get in there and apologize and try to be nice to the guy.” She glanced at her watch. “Time for me to go. Don’t forget. Mother expects us for dinner at the club tonight. Just the three of us. John’s out of town on business.”
Sarah had met and married John in law school and had since provided my parents with two grandchildren. When I failed to do the same, Daddy stipulated I wasn’t to receive a penny of my trust fund until I married. In my family, marriage was up there with finding the Holy Grail.
“Mother said six, and don’t be late. She expects Nick, too.”
“Please,” I moaned. “Not the club. Nick doesn’t know.”
“Now what doesn’t he know?” Sarah asked.
“Anything. He thinks I’m a vet tech.”
“You are a vet tech.”
“He doesn’t know about the family money, and I don’t want him to know. Try to talk Mother into eating at Texas Roadhouse or Luby’s, would you? For meeee?”
Sarah burst out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding. Mother? Eating at Texas Roadhouse? Or Luby’s? Besides, he’s already seen where you live. How are you going to explain that?”
“He thinks it belongs to Philip…uh-oh.”
“Yeah, uh-oh. Now what story are you going to tell him? That Philip made his money acting in TV commercials?”
“That might work.” I drummed my fingers on the console between the seats. “I’ll think of something.” But what I was really wondering was what I was going to say to Nick when I went back inside. Crow was not my favorite dish.
****
That incredibly tall, dark, and hunky man in there is crazy about you. Crazy about you, crazy about you. Was Sarah right? Why couldn’t I see it? I’d automatically written him off from day one because he was incredibly tall, dark, and hunky. But if Nick really cared about me, it changed everything. I thought about how I trembled at his slightest touch, the kiss in the moonlight, and that morning at the New Orleans airport. I couldn’t deny the way my body responded when he merely looked at me. But how did I really feel? I’d tried to block my own feelings under that born-again virgin business, but deep down…
I opened my front door and peeked in, trying to assess the damage. Nick sat in a blue Queen Anne chair, his back to me. Philip snoozed contentedly on the sofa where I’d left him. When he saw me, he opened his eyes and wagged his tail. Poor little guy.
I walked past Nick, unable to look at him. Lowering myself to the floor next to Philip, I reached out and gently stroked his head.
The silence dragged by slower than a long funeral procession until Nick finally spoke. “So. Philip. Somehow he’s not quite like I pictured him.”
I forced myself to look up at Nick. His eyes were steely gray and hard like his voice. “The intelligent, handsome, educated Philip with a private income is a dog. A poodle.” Nick’s lips tightened to a thin line. “You must think I’m really stupid—”
“No, Nick. I don’t think—”
“Then why did you lie to me? Why did you make a fool out of me? All this time I thought you were in love with some guy named Philip.” He laughed, the sound low and mirthless. “I thought I was doing you a favor, flying you to Abilene to be with the man you love, while all the time you were laughing at me. I guess Carmen thinks it’s funny, too.”
“No, she doesn’t know. Like you, she assumed. I didn’t lie. I never said Philip was a man.”
Nick stood up and walked to the fireplace, turning his back to me. Philip whimpered in his sleep.
I eased up off the floor and inched my way over till I stood behind Nick, wishing he’d turn around, say something, anything. Yelling at me would be better than this silence. Nick didn’t move. I reached out and gingerly touched his back. He jerked away as if I’d burned him, then turned around and grabbed my arms. “You. You accused me of telling half-truths. Well what the hell do you think you’ve been doing? What was it you said? Trust works both ways? Lot of room you have to talk.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I had…reasons.”
“What kinds of reasons could you have for making me feel like an idiot?” He threw his arms over his head, then let them fall limply to his sides.
“I never intended for you to find out. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again when the job in Waco ended. I’d been hurt—”
“Oh, and that’s supposed to make me feel better? You think you’re the only person who’s ever been hurt?”
“I’m sorry.” A sob caught in my throat, and I turned away.
“What about this house? Philip must be one hell of a show dog to make this kind of money.”
I hung my head. “No, the house is mine. I inherited it. It made sense to live here.”
“So what else have you lied about? I suppose you aren’t really a vet tech. Let me guess. You’re an internationally famous movie star, and you’ve changed your appearance to come and mix with the mortals of Waco. You’ve been doing research for your next role. You’re playing the part of a woman who gets back at all the men who’ve wronged her by making fools of the one who…who—”
“I’m sorry. I really am.” When I reached up and hugged him, his body went rigid. “Can you forgive me?” I waited, but he didn’t answer. Finally, I could bear it no longer. “Please, say something.”
His face was expressionless. “I don’t know.” He left me standing there and retreated to his room.
I sat on the floor next to Philip and stroked his soft little body, hoping it would make us both feel better. My stomach let out a long, low growl, reminding me I’d had nothing to eat all day except a piece of toast on the run. I hadn’t forgotten my mother’s summons. Might as well kill two birds. I called a dog sitter I’d used before, who said she’d be glad to stay with Philip a few hours. I didn’t want him left alone so soon after surgery.