“You think?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “You should’ve seen him fifteen years ago when I met him in the Pitt dorm. The soles of his sneakers were worn through. He and Luke came from one of the poorest neighborhoods in Philly. I’ve seen shacks that were mansions compared to their homes. His old man gambled away every last dime his family had—and then some.”
Tyler had told her his family couldn’t afford his college tuition. However, she hadn’t realized he’d grown up dirt poor or that he’d had such a terrible childhood. Suddenly so much about him made sense. “I don’t understand why you went to a state college. Why not Harvard or Yale?”
“I’d had my fill of elite prep schools. And I had aspirations of becoming a professional football player. For a change, I wanted to rub elbows with some regular guys whose daddies didn’t make eight figures a year.”
Glancing back toward the house, he smiled. “I hit the jackpot with those two characters as roommates. Luke and I tolerated each other, but Tyler hated me on sight.”
In the last month, Annie had thought Tyler had been telling her about himself. In reality, he’d simply been telling her about who he’d worked to become. She was everything he despised.
“Tyler told me he and Luke gave you a hard time at first.”
“Those two were like a pair of socks—never apart and useless without each other. Luke went right along with Tyler’s plans to torture me. The problem between us was that we each had what the other one had always wanted.”
“Wait.” Annie held up one hand. “I understand why Tyler was jealous of you. But you had everything. What could he possibly have had that you wanted?”
“Luke. I’d never had a friend who would watch my back the way they did each other’s. I saw the way Tyler worried about Luke every time he did something risky and how Luke gave him his last few bucks to take some girl out even though he had to skip dinner to do it. I wanted that kind of loyalty more than I ever wanted anything in my life.”
“Tyler also told me how you changed his mind about you.”
“He’s got a big mouth.” Ben smiled. “I simply proved they were my friends even if I wasn’t theirs.” The little squeeze he gave her hand said he was offering her the same deal.
“Thank you for telling me about all of this.”
He stood and helped her to her feet. “It’s gotten pretty quiet. I think they must be done cleaning up.”
“I’m afraid to go see how badly the carpet is stained. I bet it’s going to need to be replaced.”
“Don’t worry. Tyler can afford it. He’s getting very rich off of me.”
“Well, it was nice of you to hire him as your lawyer.”
“No, you have it all wrong, Annie. I don’t use my buddy’s professional services for any reason other than because he’s the best at what he does. I wouldn’t be where I am without him.” Ben tugged her toward the house. “Come on, I’m starving. Let’s go heat that lasagna back up. It smelled great.”
Annie tipped her head back and smiled up at him. “I take back what I said before, Ben.” Standing on her tiptoes, she pulled his head down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I do like you—very much.”
~*~
Tyler stared out of the solarium window while Luke and Sabrina finished putting the carpet shampooer away. When he’d started to follow Annie, Ben had held him back and convinced him she wouldn’t have run out if she’d wanted to face him. His friend had insisted Tyler should let him talk to her instead.
As Annie kissed Ben’s cheek, jealousy churned in Tyler’s gut like beans in a coffee grinder. Erica had flirted outrageously with every man she’d met, yet he’d never experienced this kind of all-consuming attack of the green-eyed monster.
He clenched his hands at his sides. Deep down, he knew very well his friend would never betray him, so why did he feel this insane compulsion to storm out there and feed his buddy his fist?
He yanked open the storm door and met them halfway as they strolled back toward the house. Annie nibbled on her lip and, without meeting his eyes, murmured, “Is the carpet ruined?”
“No. It’s stain resistant and treated with Scotch-Guard. So every drop of wine came out.”
When she released the breath she’d been holding but still avoided his gaze, he knew.
He turned and glared at his friend. “Now I know why you insisted I let you talk to her. You couldn’t keep your fat mouth shut, could you?”
Ben glanced down at Tyler’s fists and grinned. “Nope. Wanna take a swing at me?”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Annie’s anxious gaze bounced back and forth between them.
“She had a right to know more than you’ve been telling her.”
“Maybe so, but it should’ve been my decision.”
Sabrina and Luke sauntered out to the yard and stood back to watch, their arms crossed over their chests.
Ben pulled himself up to his full height, which topped Tyler by at least four inches. “Go ahead. Take your best shot, pal.”
Annie dashed over to Luke and yanked on his arm. “Aren’t you gonna stop them?”
Luke grinned and shook his head. “Nope. The day wouldn’t be complete if two of us didn’t threaten to pound each other. I figure since it’s my birthday, I should get to watch this time.”
As Ben and Tyler circled each other, Sabrina smiled at Annie. “You have a son, get used to it. For some reason guys don’t think they’ve bonded until they’ve wrestled with each other.” She patted Annie’s arm. “Relax. They’re all talk. They never actually hurt each other.”
Luke tipped his head and grinned at his buddies. “So what’s it about this time, Tyler? Did Ben reveal your dirty little secret and tell Annie all about your humble roots and that you married a total slut?”
Precisely. Tyler couldn’t stand sanctimonious snobs who lorded their success over those less fortunate. He didn’t ever want Annie to think because he’d managed to claw his way out of the poverty she lived in that he looked down on her at all. He scowled at Luke. “Just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean I can’t whup your ass, too.”
“Ben, please.” Annie stepped between them. “I thought you were hungry.”
Ben lowered his fists. “That’s right, I forgot.” He punched Tyler’s shoulder. “I already told Annie I’d have some lasagna with her, so you’ll have to wait until later to take a poke at me.”
~*~
During the meal, the undercurrents between Tyler and his guests fascinated Annie as much as her enlightening conversation with Ben had.
Ben stared at Sabrina, who in turn gazed longingly at Luke, who studied Tyler all the while flirting outrageously with Annie.
Tyler finally erupted at Luke halfway through the meal. “Knock it off,” he growled and shoved his friend’s shoulder, pushing him into Sabrina and, as a result, squishing her into Ben’s side.
“Okay.” Luke chuckled, straightening in his chair while Ben helped Sabrina right herself. “I think I made my point.”
Annie bounced her gaze between them, completely confused. “I don’t understand.”
“This idiot,” Sabrina explained, jerking her thumb toward Luke, “is simply trying to get my brother to admit he’s crazy about you.”
“So, Sabrina, how do you like working as a school nurse?” Luke asked, promptly changing the subject.
Sabrina visibly melted under Luke’s smile. “It doesn’t have the excitement and drama that working at the hospital had.”
“Is that the upside or the down?” Tyler slanted a smiled at her.
“I guess it’s a little of both. Since you’ve got Annie to help you now, I may go back to the hospital after the school term ends.”
“When Mandy’s mother was killed, Sabrina quit her job in the pediatric ward so she could take care of Tyler’s daughter for the summer,” Ben explained to Annie.
“Oh, really?” Tyler peered at his sister. “You told me you quit because you were burnt out from the stress.”
&
nbsp; “Right.” Luke snorted. “Like you would’ve let her do it if she hadn’t lied to you.”
“My brother thinks he’s the only one who’s allowed to sacrifice for the people he loves,” Sabrina told her. “I bet he never told you how he used all the money he made cutting lawns as a teenager to buy me school clothes and give me lunch mon—”
“That’s enough,” Tyler cut his sister off. “Everyone, just be quiet and eat.” He smiled at Annie. “The lasagna is delicious.”
A chorus echoing his praise resounded around the table. And the watching resumed.
~*~
As soon as they finished eating and cleaned up, Luke stepped into the garage and returned a second later, spinning a basketball on the tip of his finger. He looked at Ben and Tyler, jerking his head toward the door. “Let’s go, you two. We can settle your dispute with a little two-on-one. Ben and me against Tyler and the kids.”
As the fellows trouped out the back door followed by Mandy and Noah, Annie looked at Sabrina. “That’s like pitting a Great Dane and a Newfoundland against a golden retriever with puppies.”
All three were big beautiful dogs, but it was pretty obvious which ones would end up with the bone at the end of a scuffle.
“Don’t worry. Tyler played varsity basketball in high school and jumps like a jackrabbit. Luke and Ben might have a small advantage in height, but my brother makes up for the difference with speed. Those two hulks played football and don’t stand a chance against Tyler on a basketball court unless they join forces and handicap him by putting the kids on his team.”
Annie filled the coffee carafe with cold water and glanced sideways at Sabrina. “You know, Ben never took his eyes off you the entire time we were eating. I think he might be interested in you.”
“I know.” Sabrina sighed. “The problem is, I’m crazy about my brother’s other friend.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
“Unfortunately, Luke has blinders on. He’s seen me as Tyler’s little sister for so long I don’t think he can allow himself to feel any other way about me.”
She could be right. All afternoon, Luke had treated Sabrina with brotherly affection. However, Annie sensed something much deeper simmering beneath the surface of Detective Luke Marino. Despite his constant teasing and permanent smile, his eyes frequently had a haunting sadness.
“It really doesn’t matter why he refuses to see me as a woman.” Sabrina shrugged. “Luke’s sworn he’s never getting married. He never dates anyone for more than a few weeks.” As she stuck thirty-three candles on his birthday cake, her mouth curled in a dreamy smile. “I’d give anything to be one of those women.”
Annie froze and turned to her. “You’d be content with being his girlfriend for only a few weeks?”
“No.” Sabrina shrugged. “But it’s better than never.”
“I think it would hurt an awful lot after it was over.”
Sabrina stared at her with a pensive twist to her mouth. “Is that why you refuse to be more than friends with Tyler?”
“Did he tell—”
“No, Annie. It’s obvious he’d jump at the chance to have more of a relationship with you—and that you’re the one putting on the brakes. He watches you as closely as he does the Dow Jones average.”
“I know he does. But I have Noah to consider. If I get involved with your brother and it doesn’t work out, my son will be the loser. He’s crazy about Tyler.”
“I understand you need to put your son’s welfare first, however, it’s a whole other thing to entirely ignore your own needs. Noah isn’t going to be a little boy forever. In ten years when he has a girlfriend and a driver’s license and is never home, what will you have?” Sabrina shook her head. “My brother would never cut Noah out of his life, regardless of where his relationship with you goes.”
“It would never last between us. Tyler’s way out of my league. And today I found out my life is everything he hates.”
“That may be true, but don’t you see? Refusing to take a chance with him is like”—Sabrina shoved the cake plate toward her—“turning down this dessert because there will only be crumbs left tomorrow. That’s a ridiculous reason not to savor this rich cream cheese frosting now. You know the old saying—it’s better to enjoy some carrot cake today, while we have it, and diet tomorrow, when it’s gone, than never to eat cake at all.”
“Why do I have the feeling you aren’t talking about dessert?”
“Oh, but I am.” Sabrina smiled. “I intend to eat an extra large slice, because after Luke blows out his candles, he’ll make damn sure there’s none left.”
Tyler’s sister was right. If Annie had known she would lose her parents so young, would she have passed up loving them to avoid the pain later on?
What joy was there sitting on the sidelines, watching life go by? There wasn’t a doubt in her mind Tyler was a man of his word and would always care for Noah. Was she using her son as a convenient excuse to protect herself?
Maybe it could work between Tyler and her. And even if it didn’t and she lost in the end, wasn’t it better to have had the chance to have love life for at least a little while?
Ever since she’d met Tyler, he’d been looking out for Noah and her and giving them everything she couldn’t afford. And what had she given him in return outside of doing the job she was paid to do?
Zip, zero, zilch. She’d refused to open her heart to him all because she was scared spitless.
What was she so terrified of? She’d already had plenty of pain in her life and survived it. For once, she wanted some happiness to offset her heartbreak. Tyler was just the man to give it to her. And from what she’d learned about his marriage today, he was due for a little joy himself.
She raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, you win, Sabrina. Let’s say I want to take my relationship with Tyler to a romantic level. Exactly how do you propose I do that? Our two six-year-old chaperones aren’t going to let that happen spontaneously.”
His sister laughed. “No, that’s for sure.”
“I certainly don’t feel comfortable blurting out as I pass the potatoes one evening, Oh, by the way, I’ve decided I’d like to hook up with you after all.”
“No, don’t do that! You’ll end up doing the Heimlich maneuver on him.”
Annie breathed in the coffee’s aroma and sighed. “You’re probably right. I need to find a way to ask him out on a romantic date and just let it happen. I wish I could afford to treat him to something totally fabulous.”
Mischief twinkled in his sister’s eyes. “Do you mean that? Because if you’re ready to take this from hypothetical to reality,” she whispered, glancing at Ben as he ambled in the back door behind Tyler and Luke, “I know just the guy I can ask to help you do it.”
Sabrina dragged Ben into the dining room, and when he returned from chatting with her several moments later, his conspiratorial grin made Annie wish she were invisible. The whole time they ate their cake, Ben kept glancing between Tyler and her with a look of amusement.
A short while later Tyler wandered out to the terrace with Luke to check on the kids playing in the backyard. Ben crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at Annie. “So you want to get romantic with my buddy, huh?”
She jerked her gaze to Tyler’s sister. “Sabrina! What’d you say to him? Maybe you misunderstood what—”
“Relax.” He held up a hand. “All she told me was you wanted to give Tyler a romantic night he’d never forget.”
Ben slung his arms over Sabrina’s and Annie’s shoulders and drew them into a huddle. “Now, ladies, here’s what I suggest....”
~*~
“So? What do you think?” Tyler jerked his head toward the family room as they walked back into the solarium from the yard.
Luke peered through French doors at Annie chatting with Sabrina and Ben. “She’s a looker all right, and she certainly seems to love Mandy. And you did say she likes baseball. What else is there to worry about?”
“Plenty. Sh
e’s totally intimidated by my lifestyle. I know if I suggested entering the couples’ golf tournament with her next month or taking her to the country club dinner dance afterward she would freak out and refuse to go.”
“So would I.” Luke grinned. “So I think you’re asking the wrong one of your friends for advice on this. What does Ben say?”
“You know him. He can afford to march to his own beat. Hell, he sets the tempo for the world. He’d marry a bag lady if he thought she really loved him.”
Luke shrugged his shoulders. “There you go.”
A lot of help his friends were. Luke’s job as a detective didn’t require him to wine and dine anyone, so he would never understand how much appearances and socializing were involved in negotiating a merger or buying a corporation.
“Since you were absolutely no help with that problem, I need a giant favor from you in a professional capacity.”
Luke’s eyes turned to two slits. “Oh?”
Tyler explained what had happened to Annie’s dad. “I was hoping you could do a little poking around at the Redemption police department. Maybe ask to see the files and evidence.”
“I don’t know, Tyler. Most police forces don’t take kindly to outsiders questioning their investigations.”
“It’s a cold case, so will they really care? I’d think they would appreciate the help. If nothing else, as a fellow cop, couldn’t you ask them to take a second look to make sure they didn’t miss something?”
“I think you’re tilting at windmills, Don Quixote.”
“Maybe. But I’ve seen what her father’s murder did to Annie’s life. I have to at least try. It’s not fair the bastard who caused her so much pain is running around free.” He jabbed Luke in the arm. “Come on, Sancho Panza, you know you’re going to help me.”
“Yeah.” Luke heaved a resigned sigh. “I don’t think it’ll do any good, but I’ll try to perform a miracle for you.”
“Thanks. I knew you wouldn’t let me down.” As Luke turned toward the house, Tyler stopped him and added, “Don’t say anything to Annie. I don’t want to get her hopes up and then disappoint her.”
The Parent Pact (Book Three of The Return to Redemption Series) Page 13
