He watched in frustration and confusion. Just then the bell over the door jingled, allowing another patron into the already bursting room. A ripple of gasps spread through the crowd like wildfire. Chance jerked his head around to the new intrusion causing such a commotion and his heart leapt to his throat. Tessa.
Chapter 20
All the thoughts fled from his head as he stared at his gorgeous wife, huddling in her navy coat. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold and she smiled widely when she met his gaze, her green eyes sparkling in delight. He gulped hard, his nerves buzzing with electricity.
Whispers started to the right of him, and then traveled behind and to the left of him. He caught a few and his blood nearly froze.
“By the looks of them, there’s something going on.”
“I just knew it. She’s weaseling her way into the business.”
One cackle made his hair stand on end. “Her granny’s going to raise some Cain, I just know it.”
“Betcha she’s gonna shoot him. What’da say?” the scratchy voice held way too much glee.
“I’m in for fifty.”
“Me, too.”
And so it went all around him as if he were deaf and dumb to boot. With each bet Chance’s middle dipped a little more. He stopped it the only way he knew how. Twisting to a nearby patron sitting down, he said, “Let me have your chair for a minute, Percy.”
“Huh?” The half-drunk, whiskered-faced man stared dumbly up at him.
“Scoot, will ya?” He nudged the man to his feet, and then grabbed the chair. A second later, Chance climbed on top of the seat, whistling shrilly. “Yo, fellas, listen up!”
The sudden silence crashed down on the crowd, vibrating in the thick air. All eyes were pinned on Chance. Sweat gathered along his neck and he wished he could wipe it without giving himself away. With his hands on his hips, he slowly checked out the mostly angry faces staring back at him.
He settled on one face, Father Tom’s, and detected the slight negative shake, as if saying, “Don’t do it, son.”
Next, he sought out Tessa and wondered how the hell he could do what he was about to do. But he had no choice. In the end she’d thank him for it. Turning away from her stare, he focused on the large group.
Taking a deep, unsteady breath, he touched his chest, and then spread his arms wide. “Give me a break, will ya? I’m not deaf. I know you’re betting against me. Hey, I’m just trying to follow granddad’s will and get it over with in six months, all right?” Inspiration hit him over the head. “And, in order to do that, I’ve got some free help.” He waved a hand at Tessa. “She’s gonna help wait on all you drunken bums during the tournament.”
A loud boo went up at that. Chance cringed inwardly. They didn’t like it one bit and he was mighty certain she wouldn’t either, but he had to come up with a way to explain her presence. Plus, it was one way to get to spend more time with her.
“Come on. It’s only for six weeks. What harm could it do anyway?” He was asking himself more than them.
Grumbles ran through the gathered men. Some regulars were more vocal than the rest. “This place is gonna go to pot with a Warfield in it.”
Suddenly there was a movement in the crowd. Tessa shoved aside two burly men, nearly upsetting their beers.
“Hey, watch it, will ya,” one said, yanking his mug out of her way.
Frowning, Chance wondered what the hell she was up to. He didn’t have long to wait. She shooed someone out of his chair, stood on it, and then climbed on top of the table. With her coat open and her hands on her hips, her eyes snapped fire.
“You think I like having to serve the bunch of you?” She threw one evil-eyed look at Chance. He shriveled up inside, realizing what a huge blunder he’d just committed. “Hell, no!” She answered herself. “What are you, afraid of little ol me? Hah! It’s granny you have to worry about, not me. If she ever gets her hands on this place, it’s adios, amigos.”
A collective groan rose up, knowing how true Tessa’s words were.
A tight smile formed across her lips. “So, we got a deal then? I work here every Thursday night for the next six weeks and you guys cut me some slack.” Squinting, she pressed a finger to her lips, and then said, “We can even sweeten the pot for you betting fellas. Hmmm…let’s see… How about all the big tips you give me I’ll put up for stakes in a challenge against the winner of each night’s tournament. Me and him, one on one. His winnings for the night to my tips. The more tips I get, the bigger the prize. How’s that?”
Before she got the last out of her mouth, the crowd went wild, clapping and whistling. There were slaps all around and knowing winks. Hearty laughter filled the room. Somehow they had the foregone conclusion she’d lose.
With the obvious approval of her plan, Tessa hopped down off the table and sailed through the parting throng of men to the supply room door. Chance jumped down quickly and followed close on her heels. He knew he had a heck of a lot of explaining to do and fast.
***
Tessa stormed into the back room, her cheeks flaming hot. The nerve of that man! She threw off her coat and flung it through the air. It landed on an old cardboard box in the far corner with a dull thud, causing a cloud of dust to billow out.
With her hands fisted, she paced the small, cramped supply room, thinking that just a few weeks ago she’d sat meekly back here waiting for Chance’s granddad’s will to be read. “Hah!” she snorted. “Damn will, damn man, damn…everything.”
The door opened suddenly, allowing the noise from the bar to whoosh in. Chance entered in two strides, slamming the wood behind me. “Ah, Tessa, let me explain.”
“The hell I will, Chance Deveraux,” she said between tight lips, continuing to work off some steam. “If it’s not granny, then it’s you. Is there anyway either one of you would ever take the time to consider my feelings? No, absolutely not! Oh no, Tessa won’t do this, or Tessa will do that, I don’t even have to ask her.”
She continued to fume inwardly; she’d had it with her granny’s meddling ways this evening and had walked out on her too infuriated to tell her to her face. The harping had been unusually hurtful tonight. Why couldn’t granny let me just be happy for once? She stilled as a shockwave raced through her.
“Tessa, you all right?” Chance asked.
Squeezing her eyes tight, she shook her head. “No,” she whispered hollowly; she just realized that her granny didn’t ever want Tessa to be happy. Plopping down onto a nearby box, she dropped her head in her hands. All the signs were there, had been for years, but until now, Tessa never would admit it to herself. Granny was jealous of anyone else’s happiness.
“Oh, why didn’t I see it?”
“Ah, sunshine?”
Jerking her head up, she encountered Chance’s stare. His gray eyes held warmth and a great deal of empathy. She heaved a huge sigh, letting out her breath slowly. Sheepishly, he shrugged, saying, “I had to say something. They’d be running back to your granny in no time flat spreading stories about us just to rub it in her face. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Granny, it’s always granny,” she muttered under her breath. He was right of course and there would be hell to pay for Tessa, more so than usual. But she couldn’t let Chance think he was off the hook for putting her on the spot like that. “You owe me big time, Deveraux.”
He threw up his hands. “Sure, anything, anything at all.”
A perverse sense of power overtook her as she straightened, and then stood. With her arms akimbo, she raised an eyebrow. “Anything, huh?”
He gulped hard. “Within reason, sunshine.”
“Well, I think the punishment should fit the crime, don’t you?” He clearly grew uneasy at that and she chuckled. “Since I have to spend time with those bunch of characters,” she said, tossing her head toward the noisy outer room, “then I think you have to do the same with my grouchy granny.”
Shaking his head vigorously, he said, “Oh, no, honey, no you wouldn’t do that
to me, would you?” his voice rose on the last.
She strolled to him, stopping a few inches away. The heat from his body reached out and touched her. Patting his chest with her hands, she smiled smugly up at him. “Oh, and how.” His crestfallen look tugged at her heart.
All her superiority leaked out of her along with her anger. Grabbing onto the front of his shirt, she stared at him for long moments. Tears smarted the backs of her eyes and she tried to blink them away.
Frowning, he cupped her face in his hands, asking, “Sunshine, what is it? Tell me.”
His soft plea was her undoing. Sniffing, she tried to explain, “She’s so mean sometimes. It hurts.” Swallowing hard, she went on, “Like tonight, she went and fired the nurse just because I talked to her behind granny’s back. The poor woman rushed out in tears after granny ripped her apart. Then, she turned on me…”
He groaned softly. “Come here,” he whispered, gathering her in his strong arms and depositing a gentle kiss to her temple.
Wearily, she dropped her head to rest on his shoulder for a few minutes. Warmth and comfort seeped through her body, spreading through the cold regions of her core. How much longer could she endure this double life, she wondered?
“I became her target,” she went on dully. “She didn’t spare me anything either, starting from the day I was born and how I ruined her life.” The last caught in the back of her throat.
“Miserable old biddy,” Chance bit out, rubbing her now shivering body.
“You can say that again.”
“Miserable old biddy.”
She chuckled, a raw, strangled sound, and then nudged him in the ribs. “Why is it, you always make me feel better?”
“No way. That’s your job for me, remember?”
Sighing heavily, she snuggled closer. “Chance, please help me out. You’re the only one who can handle her.”
“You’re asking a hell of a lot, aren’t you?”
“No more than your granddad did in the will,” she countered, pulling back to look him in the eye. “It’s one way to end the feud.”
“Or start World War three,” he said, raising his eyebrow.
She smiled at that, knowing deep down he’d do it. “We got some life, huh? Keeping mum to everyone, especially granny, me thrown into the wolf den,” she jerked her head to the bar, “you having to get to know granny. Pretty scary, huh?”
He laughed. “Yeah, pretty scary.” He paused for a moment, growing somber. “You know, you gave me a good idea.”
“I did?”
“Yep. There may be a way to end the feud without you suffering by pitting you against your granny. That way you don’t have to make a choice. Go back to the beginning of it, where it all started.” He seemed to be speaking his thoughts out loud. “If I could pry that little piece of information from your granny, maybe, just maybe, I can figure out a way to defuse it all.”
“Oh really,” she said, heavy skepticism lacing her words. “And just how in the world do you suppose you can do that, Mr. Deveraux?”
Grinning cockily, his eyes danced with mischief. “Magic, Mrs. Deveraux, isn’t that what you always say? Magic.”
***
“Tell me you know something about playing pool.” Chance had a knot the size of his fist sitting in his belly.
She covered her eyes with her hands and peeked through her fingers. “A little,” she squeaked out.
His heart dropped to his knees. “How little?”
She held up her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “That much.”
He groaned. “Damn, girl, those guys out there will eat you alive.” He paced the small, cramped room.
“I know,” she said, bowing her head. “How close is it to playing pool on the computer?”
“The computer?” He cursed under his breath.
“Well, Sean and I play all the time on his computer. His dad got him a bunch of games and we go at it whenever we have a chance. I’m pretty good, too.”
He looked up at the ceiling, asking, “Why me?”
It was her turn to groan. “I guess that means it’s not close at all.”
“You got it, sunshine.” He blew out a breath, and then knelt down before her. “Why did you issue that challenge anyway?”
Raising her head so her gaze was level with his, he saw the consternation shining there. She lifted a shoulder, and then dropped it. “They made me mad. And on top of granny getting to me tonight, I just went off, I guess.” Her lips trembled as she forced a smile.
His heart tumbled over in his chest. Gently, he rubbed her arms. “You sure know how to jump into the deep end, don’t you?”
An actual grin broke through and she said, “I learned everything I know from you.”
Chance laughed outright at that. “Smartass.”
“Yep, you taught me that, too.”
He shook his head at her, and then pressed his forehead against hers. “Damn, girl, what am I going to do with you? I’ve got sixty or more fired up men out there wanting to see you shoot pool at the end of the night. They’re not going to be happy if you wind up a lousy player.”
She pulled back a few inches to look him square in the eye. “Why shouldn’t they? They’ll win my tip money.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, they want to win, but they want a little fight to go with it.”
“No pushovers allowed, right?”
“Got it in one again.”
She released a breath, the hot air caressing him. He stomped down on a moan. “You could always teach me.”
He reared back, as much from her words as trying to protect himself from succumbing to the sexy lady. “What? In a few practice runs? Hell, woman, you think I’m some kind of miracle worker or something?”
“Well…you did convince granny to let me marry you. If anyone can work miracles it’s you, Chance.”
The way she looked at him had his heart sinking. He was done in for. “All right, but we’re going to plan your escape if they get rowdy, okay?”
***
“Easy now,” Chance breathed in her ear as she clutched the stick in her hands. He was a distraction she couldn’t very well afford. “Let it slide.”
She twisted her head, gazing into his eyes, only inches away. Her breathing grew heavy. She whispered, “Chance Deveraux, if you don’t stop that I’m going to throw you down on top of this table and have my way with you.”
A cocky grin tugged at the corner of his lips and his eyes sparkled. “Oh, really? They’ll just love that.”
Pulling herself out of her trance, she glanced back at the table, well aware of the many male eyes on the exchange. The heavy, suffocating silence seemed to vibrate in the air. They’d crowded around at the start of the game only minutes ago. She’d gone first. Now, she needed to sink that yellow ball in the corner pocket. It was so much easier on the computer screen than in real life.
Reviewing Chance’s many quickly spoken instructions during her practice set, she concentrated on breathing slowly and aiming for her target. She shoved the stick forward. The end connected with the ball, making a cracking sound. She followed the ball’s movement across the green expanse and into the pocket. A chorus of disbelief sang around her, echoing her own sentiments.
“Damn,” Chance muttered. “You did it.”
The tightness in her middle eased a tad as she got into position for the next shot. When she missed, the sighs could be heard around the room.
Nearly an hour later, she still held on. Her opponent’s smirk from earlier was erased and in its place was a pained expression. The older, more experienced man looked at her closely, almost wondering out loud how she could have done so well.
Up again, Tessa had one ball to go and then the eight ball. Howard had only the eight ball to sink. The long stretch pulled at every muscle in her body, but she didn’t even grunt. The men watching would surely snicker if she did. Crack. The moment she released the stick she knew she’d missed. She’d hit too hard and the ball bounced off the edge o
f the pocket just a hair shy. This time the audience groaned along with her.
The relief on Howard’s face was almost laughable, but she shrugged it off. He took his shot and easily sunk the eight ball. Cheers went up all around. He shook hands with many of the men and they patted him on the back.
Tessa made her way around the table and headed toward him, his back facing her. Someone must have said something; he turned her way. Surprise crossed his features as she stuck out her hand. “Good game, Howard.”
He looked down at her hand, and then up at all the men surrounding him. Gallantly, he shook her hand, smiling at her. “Good game.”
“Hey, how about I buy you a beer?” She smiled at him as indecision chased across his eyes. She shrugged, saying, “My tip jar’s at the bar anyway, so what do you say?”
“Sure. Why not?”
The men clapped and parted the way for Tessa to lead the way. Some patted her shoulder while others acknowledged her gamesmanship. All the while Tessa beamed inwardly. She hadn’t thought she had it in her at all. But, tonight, she proved she could stand up for herself and take a risk at falling on her face in front of her enemies. She’d lost, but felt she’d won something much more important.
At the bar, she lifted her cola in a toast. “To the best dag-gone pool player at Gabe’s.”
The men shouted and went wild at that. The room shook with the noise. In the crowd, Tessa sought, and then found Chance. He was in the back, leaning against the beam between the pool area and the main bar with his arms crossed over his chest and smiling proudly at her. She raised her glass to him in a silent salute.
In turn he bowed slightly, indicating his hats off to her. Warmth rushed through her. She’d won his approval. That meant the world to her. Still looking at him, something shifted inside of her. She sucked in a sharp breath. Dear God, she’d gone and fallen in love with him all over again.
Lies of the Heart (Heart Romance #3) Page 17