“I found the letters they sent when I was a teenager. They’d never been opened. I guess when they didn’t receive a response, they figured I didn’t want anything to do with them. By the time I tried, they’d died.”
Her bastard father had used her like a pawn, Jessie mused, and had ignored her for the better part of her life, excluding her from the only family she had. “So I take it you don’t have the best relationship with your father?”
She laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. “No. I’ve always been nothing more than a burden to him, unless he tries to use our so-called relationship to his advantage.”
Jesse had stopped eating while she talked. He continued, hoping to encourage Angelita. She hadn’t touched her food since the first bite. “How?”
She shook her head, picked up her spoon. “No, I’m officially done talking about my family.” After a bite, she looked up from her plate and smiled. “I met your son today. He’s adorable. As handsome as you and your father both are, I believe he’ll be even more so.”
Jesse reveled at the compliment. Ty had inherited the best of him and Kerri Ann, both physically and in temperament. “He’ll be pleased you noticed. You’re all he talked about on the ride home.”
She raised her brows in amusement. “Does he live with you?”
“No, he lives with Kerri Ann.” Jesse took two pieces of bread and handed the basket to Angelita. She placed it untouched on the table beside her.
“He seems to have come away from your situation relatively unscathed,” she said and then looked at him sheepishly. “Sorry, but Cal told me about your divorce.”
“No worries. I’m familiar with Cal’s loose lips. And no, Ty doesn’t have any baggage from our divorce or my time away. He’s an incredible kid.”
She was watching him and those chocolate eyes made him feel like he was under a spell.
“You love him very much,” she said.
“More than anything. It took me a long time to get around to being the parent he deserved. I’m still trying.” He didn’t want to discuss his rocky marriage and the time he spent away from his family. Not tonight. It shocked him, though, when he realized he would discuss it with her, eventually, if she stuck around long enough. Maybe it was because Cal had already burst the dam, but he typically didn’t open himself up to a woman and the thought of doing so made him uneasy. He motioned to the bowl of stew, hoping to distract her. “You mind if I have seconds?”
“Of course not.” She passed him the bowl. “Save room for dessert.”
“Dessert too? It’s definitely my lucky night.”
“We’ll see about that.” Even in the candlelight, Jesse could see the flush in her cheeks. “Tell me about this rafting business of yours.”
“Well, when I came back, I knew I wanted to try something a little different. There was an outfitting operation that’d shut down years ago. They still had the best spot on the river. I don’t know how someone hadn’t gobbled it up before, but I’m damn glad they didn’t.”
“Did you go away for college?”
“No, I went to Western Carolina University and worked at the local bank for a few years.” A few years too many. “I was…young and made some bad decisions. I moved to Atlanta for awhile and worked for a brokerage firm down there.”
“Atlanta?” Her face was a mask of concern. “Did you know my father? Davi Barros?”
Jesse chuckled. Surely she didn’t expect him to know everyone in a city of millions. “No.”
“Anyone from Brazil?”
“You’re the first, although I did know some guys who spent a few memorable vacation days in Rio.” Did she think his interest in her had something to do with her father? “Look, Angelita, I’ve never even heard of your father. In fact, I didn’t even know Atlanta had a Brazilian consulate and I don’t have a clue what a consulate does.”
“I’m sorry. It’s my own neurosis at work.” She pushed her plate away, sat back in her chair, and aimed those killer eyes at him again. “He’s…trying to get back into my life and I’ve become incredibly paranoid.” She took a deep breath. “The Brazilian consulate works to promote trade between the state and Brazil. For my father, the consul is a way to live in the States and fulfill a coveted role in his government.”
She’d answered him by rote, with little inflection or emotion in her voice. “Well, now I know what the consulate does. But what do you do?”
“I’m a shoe designer.”
Jesse smirked. “It’s all coming together for me now. All those pairs of incredibly sexy, yet highly impractical shoes you’ve been sporting?”
“Practicality should have nothing to do with a woman’s choice of footwear,” she said smugly. “And I appreciate the compliment. They’re intended to be sexy.”
“You’re succeeding beyond your wildest dreams, and mine.”
The look they shared after his last comment left him damn near breathless. If he didn’t touch her soon, he might convulse. He leaned against the table and watched the candlelight dance in her eyes. “Who do you work for?”
“Myself. My friend and business partner and I opened Angelita Feet ten years ago.”
“Retail?”
“Yes. We have a boutique in Midtown and a small Web presence. We’re doing quite well.” Her whole expression changed when she talked about her business. The haunted look in her eyes had disappeared and in its place was a proud glitter. “We’re thinking of expanding.”
“Wow.” Jesse sat back and patted his fully belly. “I’m impressed and incredibly full. That was delicious.”
“You shouldn’t be impressed, but thank you.” She stood to gather the plates.
“I’ll get these.” He rose and took the plates from her hands. “You cook, I clean.” When she looked at him skeptically, he said, “Sit and relax.” He carried the dishes to the sink and began loading the dishwasher.
“I can’t have you doing the dishes after you changed my tire. This dinner is my way of saying thank you.”
“Angelita, just pour yourself another glass of wine and watch how quickly I tackle this chore. If you remember correctly, I’m not exactly a stranger here.”
“As if I could forget.” She carried the breadbasket to the counter. No, he wasn’t likely to forget her reaction when he’d come out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. He hadn’t been able to think of much else besides her ever since. And after tonight, he was likely to go on thinking about her even more.
Jesse swung the dishwasher closed, wiped his hands on a dishtowel, and topped off Angelita’s glass where she’d left it on the counter. “If you really want to do something for me, you can design some men’s shoes.”
She laughed, grabbed her glass, and headed back out to the porch. “That’s exactly what Bryce said.”
They took their places in the chairs they’d sat in earlier, minus the cats. She looked beautiful in the soft glow from the moon and Cal’s discretely placed landscape lighting. She seemed relaxed and happy and she had to ruin Jesse’s mood by bringing up Jenson. “Bryce, huh? You like him?”
“Bryce?” She sipped her wine, threw her hair behind her shoulder revealing the long line of her bronzed neck. “What’s not to like? He’s such a southern gentleman.”
“Yeah, that’s Bryce for you.”
“You don’t like him?”
Jesse leaned back in his chair, studied the cocky look on her face. “I like him. I just think you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“What does that mean?”
Jesse knew he’d made Bryce sound gay and he felt a twinge of guilt. But, hey, if it kept Bryce out of the picture, it had to be done. “He’s not interested in you, Angelita. Nothing personal, he’s just…not.”
“You mean because he’s in love with Kerri Ann?” Her cocky grin changed into a full-blown smile.
“Figured that out, did you?”
“Hard to miss.” She shifted in her chair, crossed her ankles. “How do you feel about that?”
Guilty, remorseful, if he were honest. “Bryce’s had a thing for Kerri Ann for,” he blew out a breath, “going on twenty years now. He’s one very patient man.”
“She’s in love with him too.”
“Still?” There was a time, years ago, when he thought she was. She hadn’t had a chance to tell Bryce before they found out about the baby. He hadn’t considered Kerri Ann’s feelings for Bryce in a long time. “You think so?”
“Oh yes.”
He sat up in his chair. For a newcomer, she sure made her way around the town gossip. “How can you be so sure?”
“I’m a woman and I’m very familiar with the signs.” As if to emphasize her femininity, she shook her hair behind her shoulders and ran her long fingers around the hoops at her ears. “I heard them arguing the other day. My business partner, Sophie, she denied her attraction to her husband for months. He was bothering her, she didn’t like the way he wore his hair or the way he dressed. There was always something wrong with him. Classic signs.” She groaned when the cats jumped on the deck and the gray and brown began rubbing her ankles. “You didn’t realize she loved him?”
“I guess I’m not as adept at reading the signs.” She’d certainly described Kerri Ann’s reaction to Bryce lately, and to him. Truth be told, he hadn’t given much thought to Kerri Ann’s personal life in the last few years. They tiptoed around each other’s private lives. “You’d think they’d have found a way to get together after all this time if what you say is true.”
Angelita let out a whoop when the cat jumped on her lap. “Oh, these cats are starved for attention.” She gently patted the cat’s head like someone would a dog. “Their hair gets everywhere.”
It was like watching a mermaid adjust to life outside the water. Jesse couldn’t figure why her behavior was so appealing, especially when he’d spent three years in Atlanta with a flock of good-looking women. But, from their earlier conversation, he now knew she was more than just a pretty face. “You’ve never had pets?”
“I was enough of a problem for my father without adding a real pet to the mix.” She shooed the cat off her lap. “How about dessert?”
Jesse groaned. “Is it small?”
She chuckled as she stood and grabbed his hand, urging him up. “It’s ice cream. You can’t say no to ice cream.”
Jesse indulged in a double-decker sundae, while Angelita had a modest scoop. With a decidedly full belly and much regret, he rinsed off their dishes and leaned against the counter. “Well, as much as I hate to, I’d better head home. I’ve got a group coming up for a day trip tomorrow.”
“Rafting? In this weather?”
“You can raft in any weather. Should be nice, maybe a little chilly in the morning. We have wet suits if it’s too cold.”
Angelita leaned against the counter next to him. They were so close her arm brushed his and he could smell the coconut he’d discovered earlier in her hair. “I find it fascinating that people pay money to risk their life.”
Jesse turned to face her. “They pay money for a good time. It’s a rush. You should try it.”
“I’ve driven my car over that river enough times to know I don’t want to raft in it.”
He couldn’t understand her hesitation. Was it him or was she afraid of the water? “What do you do for fun?”
“I…” she stopped and furrowed her brow. “I can’t remember doing anything just for fun. Shop, I guess.”
“Shop? C’mon, Angelita. Let me take you down the river. I’ll start you off real slow, class one.”
“Why do you want to get me in the water so badly?”
Honestly, he didn’t know. Did he want her to experience the joy he found in surrendering to the wild rush of the water? Or did he want to share another afternoon with her? She was teetering, he could see it as her teeth dug into her bottom lip, and those eyes of hers were killing him. He’d do anything to get her defenses down and see her enjoy herself for the pure hell of it in a raft. “Because it’ll be one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life. It’s just you and the water, man against beast, and with you, conquering your fear. There’s nothing more empowering.”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Then let me take you.” He stepped closer, faced her, and lightly grasped her shoulders. “Please?”
“Jesse…” She cocked her head, bit her lip. “I’ll think about it.”
The breathy way she said his name, the warm feel of her skin beneath his fingers made him wonder what she would be thinking about. “Okay.” He let his hands run down her arms and clasped her hands in his. “Thank you for dinner.”
She was looking up at him, her chocolate eyes a little bit wary. “You’re welcome.”
His desire to kiss her almost overwhelmed his common sense. He wanted to kiss her, she was expecting him to, he could see by the look on her face. But the last thing he wanted to do was what she expected. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to her forehead. “Good night, Angelita.”
He had the door open when he heard her call his name.
“Lita,” she said. “My friends call me Lita.”
He turned back and looked her in the eye. “I like your name, the way it sounds, the way it rolls off my tongue.” Her body straightened as he spoke, as if to brace herself for what she knew what he was going to say. “And because I intend for us to be more than friends, I’ll call you Angelita.”
Chapter 8
Kerri Ann wandered into the general store and absently sniffed a candle she’d picked up from the display by the dressing room. By the deep green color, she wasn’t surprised it carried the scent of pine. She considered getting it for Ty’s room, where the stench of dirty clothes and puberty created an overwhelmingly noxious odor.
Mrs. Collins interrupted her thoughts with a hacking cough that thirty years of smoking hadn’t helped. “You okay, Min?” Kerri Ann asked.
Minnie Collins gave a final bark and popped a cherry lozenge in her throat. “Oh, it’s these darn allergies. They get worse every year.”
Allergies my ass, thought Kerri Ann with a sympathetic grin. “‘Tis the season.” She meandered around and had to think about why she’d come by in the first place. She’d been restless after picking up some supplies at the hardware store and thought maybe an impulse purchase would lift her spirits. But other than the candle, nothing had sparked her attention.
She’d turned around at the back of the store and was heading past the wall of fishing lures when she saw the woman Bryce had lunched with saunter in, her gorgeous hair bouncing in unison with the sway of her hips. Kerri Ann glanced down at her own boyishly narrow figure in the faded jeans she wore at least twice a week and felt an instant dislike for the woman.
Her clothes were outrageous: skin-tight cropped paints paired with a silk cami barely encasing her buoyant breasts. It was all covered with a bright orange trench jacket. Her earrings, huge matching tangerine hoops, and high wooden-heeled slides completed the most fashionable outfit Kerri Ann had ever seen in person. It only grated on her nerves that she’d envied a nearly identical ensemble in the pages of In Style magazine at the dentist’s office last week. There was a time, many years ago, when Kerri Ann thought she’d spend her days wearing fashionable outfits like hers. Those days, those dreams, were long gone.
Shoe Strings Page 9