Love is Lovelier

by Donna Simonetta

  Joyce smiled at her in the mirror. “Hi, honey. I wasn’t sure when you’d get in, knowing Chase, I figured y’all would be going to some party at one of those after-hours club he always seems to know about.”

  Heather shut the door behind her, and slipped out of her strappy silver sandals. “There was something like that happening, but I wasn’t up for it. Jason went with Chase.” She grinned at her mom. “I doubt he’ll be much help at the farm tomorrow.”

  Her mother laughed and turned to face Heather. She leaned her backside against the dresser. “We didn’t schedule any riding lessons tomorrow, for just that reason. Hank and I can take care of the animals without Jason for one day, but my charming son is in heavy demand as a riding teacher, and oddly all his students are single, young women.”

  Heather tried to beat her blues to smile at her mother’s joke, which was funny, but she knew there was a great deal of truth to it. Girls all over the county wanted to be the one to tame wild Jason Braden, but as his sister, she sincerely doubted anyone ever would.

  Joyce cocked her head as she regarded Heather with her lips turned down. “You know I try to mind my own business, but I’ve got to ask. When, precisely, did your life turn into a soap opera?”

  Heather could see her own reflection in the mirror behind her mother, so she knew she resembled a fish on the dock, mouth open, eyes wide. She turned her back on that unlovely image, and tossed her evening clutch on the turned-down bed. She reached for the chocolate on the pillow and unwrapped it. “I love when they leave candy for you. I wish someone would slip into my apartment and do it for me every night.”

  Her mother crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes. “Turn-down service is nice, but you should know me well enough to know I’m not so easily distracted. What’s going on with you and Mick? And Mick and Gloria? And you and Chase?”

  When she put it that way, it did make it seem like the plot of a telenovela. She popped the candy into her mouth to stall for time. She closed her eyes briefly in bliss as she relished the chocolaty-minty goodness.

  “After four kids and three grandkids, I’m onto that trick too. As soon as your mouth isn’t full, I’m just going to ask again, and we’re out of chocolates, so you’ll have to answer me then.”

  Heather swallowed with a gulp. “What do you mean?”

  Her mother sighed. “You’re really going to make me do this the hard way, huh? Okay, will do, the gossip all over town was Mick had thrown over Gloria to bring you to meet his family, but then Chase was your date tonight, and Mick was with G.G. again.”

  “G.G.?”

  “Ghastly Gloria.”

  Heather giggled.

  Her mother’s features softened from her hard-ass inquisitor mode. “And you both may have been here with other people, but Mick spent all night glowering at Chase, and I’ve never know you to pass up a party, yet, here you are, in a hotel room with your mother, while your little brother is out partying with your date.”

  “It’s been a long week. Work was crazy, and I’m getting ready for finals. I’m beat.” She worried at her bottom lip with her teeth and peeked at her mother through her bangs. “So…Mick was glowering?”

  “Yes. You would have noticed it yourself if you hadn’t been so studiously avoiding looking at him all night.”

  As Heather protested, her mother held up her hands. “Stop. Don’t even try to tell me I’m wrong, I know my kids like the back of my hand. Plus, Mick and G.G. sat at my table, so I got a first-hand look at Mick’s reaction to you and Chase. That boy gives good glower, and G.G. did not look at all pleased to have her date staring at you all evening.”

  Heather rolled her neck to relieve some of the stress that had taken up residence there over the last few days. “Well, G.G. is getting all of his attention now. She made it crystal clear to me they were spending the night together in Baltimore tonight, and then they’re meeting her sister tomorrow morning for breakfast. A fancy hotel room followed by a meet-the-family meal sounds pretty darned serious to me.”

  Her mother frowned. “Nothing like that came up at dinner.”

  “I don’t think Mick would bring up his sexcapades with G.G. at a charity dinner,” Heather snapped.

  “No, he wouldn’t. You’re right, he’s a real gentleman, and a gentleman doesn’t talk like that in front of people, but I really thought something was starting between you two, and I was happy about it! What happened?”

  Her mother’s gentle concern brought a lump to Heather’s throat. She blinked at the sting of tears behind her eyes, as she bent over her suitcase to dig out her nightshirt.

  “And that Snoopy nightshirt tells me you never planned on a romantic evening with Chase…”

  “Mother, please! I do not want to discuss romantic evenings with you.”

  “Then let’s leave Chase for the moment and get back to Mick.”

  “You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

  “No.”

  “Mick has some personal issues he needs to work through.”

  “Don’t we all?”

  Heather shrugged. “Sure, but he needs to come to terms with where he comes from, and to learn to love himself before he’s ready to love someone else.”

  “That sounds reasonable.”

  “You have ‘but’ written all over your face.”

  Her mother flashed a brief grin. “But, I worry you’re just making an excuse to get out before you can get hurt.”

  “Why is everyone saying that to me?”

  “Because it’s what you do.”

  “I do not!” Heather scrunched up her nose. “Do I?”

  Her mother wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into her side. Her warmth and her familiar powdery scent enveloped Heather, and she remembered feeling this comfort from her mom her whole life—from little hurts, like skinning her knees, to big ones, like losing her dad.

  As if she read her mind, her mother said, “I know how hard it was for you to lose your dad. You were always a real Daddy’s girl.”

  “It was hardest for you.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. You were so young; I had his love for a long time, and I wouldn’t trade those years with him for anything. I want you to experience the same sort of love one day.”

  “I will. Maybe Mick’s just not the right man for me.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.”

  Heather smiled. “Is that your phrase of the day?”

  They laughed and spoke together, “Maybe, maybe not.”

  “Just don’t close yourself off from possibilities in a misguided effort to guard your heart. Not everyone leaves, and some things, some people, are worth the risk. Maybe Mick is one of them.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Heather tried to keep her face solemn, but couldn’t hold back a smile.

  “Cheeky girl!” Her mom swatted at Heather’s arm. “Why do I even bother?”

  Heather hugged her. “Because you’re the best mom ever.”

  ****

  Gloria squirmed a little in her seat, and whined, “This is not the type of car I imagined you driving.”

  Mick gripped the steering wheel and focused on the stretch of highway in front of him, which glowed orange in the streetlights. He fought back a yawn. It probably would have been better to spend the night in Baltimore, but he knew he would’ve spent what remained of the night fighting off Gloria’s unsubtle advances.

  “No? What did you think I’d drive?”

  “Something more luxurious and elegant seems like it would be more your speed. Not some sort of high-powered muscle car.”

  The engine roared as he pressed down on the gas pedal, and he bit back a smile as Gloria fell against the seat back at the sudden acceleration. “Funny you mentioned speed; it’s one of the things I like best about Lola.”

  “Lola? You named your car?”

  “Heather did, after the showgirl.”

  “Showgirl?”

  “You know…from that old song?”

  Gloria lifted one shoulder, an
d sighed as she examined her manicure. “Must be before my time.”

  “Heather’s younger than you and she knew the song.”

  He realized he was poking the lioness, but Mick thought it might be the way to finally disenchant Gloria. She had him in her scopes, and she wasn’t giving up, no matter how many ‘thanks, but no thanks’ signals he sent her way. Maybe out and out rudeness would succeed in getting her to back the hell off; he regretted not heeding Jeff’s advice and keeping his distance from this woman in the first place.

  She made a moue of displeasure. “Heather and I are around the same age.”

  He glanced at her, before turning back to focus on the traffic whizzing by. Rivers Bend had already turned him back into a real country boy, and this city traffic was unnerving him a bit. “Really? Then you must’ve been young when you had your daughter.”

  Gloria took a deep breath and turned her head to look out the passenger side window, but not fast enough he didn’t see her thoroughly pissed off scowl. “I’m a little bored with the topic of Heather Braden, and I’m still angry with you over last weekend. The whole town has been buzzing about how you chose the little farm girl over me.”

  “Little? Heather is 5’9”, and you’re what—five foot nothing?”

  “Don’t try to chance the subject, you made me a laughingstock!”

  “I’m sorry, Gloria, it wasn’t my intention.” His words were sincere. He never meant for Gloria to get dragged into the middle of his current mess of a life. He didn’t want to be with her, but it didn’t mean he wanted her hurt by his actions.

  She nestled into the seat, and looked like a fancy, pampered cat at his apology. “That’s all right. I feel better about it now.”

  “Now?”

  “Sure, seeing her with that musician tonight cleared things up for me. He’s not really my type, but he has a certain sex appeal. And they’re clearly a couple, which means you’re available again.”

  “A couple? You think they’re together?”

  She narrowed her eyes and smiled. “We’ve been over this, Michael, they are staying together in Baltimore tonight. What do you think?”

  Mick wasn’t sure what was going to crack under the pressure first—the steering wheel, which he clutched in a death grip, or his teeth, where he ground them together. He still couldn’t believe Heather was sleeping with another man less than a week after he’d made love to her, because if he was going to be honest with himself, he knew making love was what he’d done for the first time in his life. Being with Heather had been more than getting off and getting gone, and now she was spending the night in another man’s bed. He didn’t believe it about Heather. She was the female version of a stand-up guy, and he couldn’t see her jumping into bed with Chase so soon after what they’d shared. Maybe Gloria was lying.

  “Heather told you that herself?”

  Gloria glanced at him out the corner of her slanted eyes, and the reflection of the orange streetlights on her raven-colored hair, made her look demonic. He wasn’t sure he would believe this woman if she told him the grass was green, but it seemed like she was telling the truth about Heather and Chase.

  “Yes, although anyone with eyes could see they were going to end up horizontal. Did you see the way they moved together on the dance floor? It’s always a good indication of what a couple is like between the sheets, but, to answer your question, yes, your precious Heather told me they were spending the night together.”

  Mick couldn’t loosen his jaw enough to respond. Luckily, Gloria didn’t seem to mind the silence and they made the rest of the drive in almost complete silence. It was a far cry from his laugh-filled road trip with Heather last weekend.

  After what felt like a three-month trek, rather than an hour and a half drive, Gloria pointed to a driveway, guarded by a massive wrought-iron gate. “There’s the turn into my drive.”

  He stopped at the box. “What’s the code?”

  Gloria rattled off four numbers, and when he entered them into the keypad, the gate swung open with a loud creak. Thank God they were almost to her house. The news about Heather and Chase had him ready to explode, and he didn’t want Gloria to see how much her words had affected him.

  Just when he thought the long, tree-lined driveway would never end, they reached her huge Georgian style mansion. He pulled around the circular drive to the front door, and killed the engine. Much as he would like just to slow down and shove Gloria out, his inner southern gentleman forced him to see her to the door. He caught a glimmer of triumph in her eyes, as he got out to open her car door.

  She held out one limp-wristed hand, and he reached down to help her out of the low-slung car. The slit in her black dress exposed a lot of Pilates-toned leg as she arose, but all Mick could think of was Heather with Chase, and her mile-long legs wrapped around the other man.

  Gloria stood between the car and him and was pressed way too close for comfort. She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and Mick wondered if they were fake. They seemed improbable, almost like big, black moths perched on her eyelids. He thought of Heather and her natural beauty, and held back a wince.

  “I was hoping I could persuade you to come in for…” she paused and licked her lips before continuing, “…a nightcap.”

  Mick cleared his throat and took a step back. “Sorry, Gloria, it’s late.”

  She slid one hand up his arm and squeezed his bicep, and for one moment he thought she actually purred. “So what? You’ll turn into a pumpkin? Come in.”

  Mick didn’t think she only meant for him to come into her house, the glint in her eyes told him she really wanted him in her bed and in her body. “I’ll have to take a rain check.”

  He tried to back up one step, but Gloria tightened her grip on his arm, and she was a freakishly strong little thing.

  Before he realized what was happening, and could take measures to stop it, Gloria wound her hand around his neck and yanked his head down to lay a kiss on him.

  Not too long ago, Mick might’ve gone for it, but now it left him cold. Running in his mind like a movie, were his memories of Heather’s kisses, and how Chase was the no doubt overjoyed recipient of them at this very minute.

  He held himself very still, and didn’t respond at all. Finally, Gloria pulled back, and her eyes were stormy, but her voice was deadly calm, “Guess you weren’t kidding about the turning into a pumpkin thing. I would’ve gotten more response from a gourd.” She smoothed her hair, before pulling her house key out of her evening bag. “Thanks for a lovely evening, Michael.”

  Funny how Gloria was the only person in the whole town who called him by his full name, the name he preferred, but it managed to get on his last nerve. He was Mick to the rest of the population of Rivers Bend, and he wondered why it was starting to feel so right to him.

  God damn it! It shouldn’t feel right to him. Gloria was the type of woman he needed. She was adept in social situations, and made it as clear as the crystal from which she sipped her champagne she would be a firecracker in bed. Maybe most important of all, he was pretty sure she was hard enough under her pretty veneer he’d never be able to break her, the way his father broke his mother’s spirit.

  Maybe the best way to protect Heather, and ensure she led the happy life she deserved, was for him to move on with someone less likely to be hurt by him. Someone he didn’t care as much about, who didn’t care as much about him. Someone like Gloria.

  He ran a hand through his hair as he forced himself to say, “I’m sorry tonight wasn’t what you were hoping for. How about dinner tomorrow night to make up for it?”

  Chapter 16

  Mick was uncomfortable in the formal country club dining room, where Gloria had chosen to have dinner, the way he always was in this type of environment. He shot his sleeve under the tailor made suit he wore like armor, or like camouflage, to blend into the rarified atmosphere.

  He lifted his chin and looked around; it was like every other snooty club he’d ever set foot in, plush carpet under his Ita
lian leather shoes, white tablecloths, the tinkle of fine china and silver, and a muted version of an old standard being played on a grand piano.

  He froze in his surveillance of the room, as his eyes landed on the last person he expected to see—Heather. She was with a man, a man who was not Chase. What the hell? How many guys was she seeing?

  This man was attractive, with brown hair and an easy smile, but Mick was happy to note he was a lot more ordinary looking than Chase.

  He dragged his eyes away when he realized Gloria had begun her procession to their table. As he trailed in her wake, it felt as though she knew everyone here, and they stopped at each table so she could introduce him to her friends.

  He was saying all the right things, but a good portion of his attention was still on Heather and her mystery date.

  ****

  Heather squirmed a little on the plush cushioned seat.

  Ty grinned at her across the table. “You hate it here.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I’m not super-comfortable here, no. When you said you’d take me out to dinner as a study break, I thought you meant a pizza from Mancini’s. If you’d told me you wanted to go to the country club, I wouldn’t have said yes.”

  “I know, why do you think I didn’t tell you until I picked you up? And I wouldn’t have even told you then if you weren’t wearing sweats. I had to ’fess up since I needed to tell you to change clothes.” He paled under the blaze of Heather’s ferocious scowl. “Look, it’s not my favorite place either, but I have a membership here for professional reasons, and I appreciate you coming to help me make an appearance, and to use up my food and beverage minimum for this month.”

  Heather smiled at her best friend’s brother, who over the years had become a good friend to her also. Especially since Bethanne and Cisco got married, Ty and she spent even more time together. “You sweet talker, you! Way to make a girl feel special.”

  “Making girls feel special is not my forté.” He winked at her.

  A woman’s tinkling laughter broke the buzz of muted conversation around them, and Ty and Heather both turned their heads to locate the source.