by Amy Knupp
“Gee, I don’t know,” she said sarcastically. “I happen to understand how brothers work, Joe.”
He nodded noncommittally. “Anything else?”
“It’s better than a stranger, right? We know he’s okay.”
The rage started its slow build up once more, like water beginning to boil. “That proves you don’t understand a thing about how brothers work. I’ll see you at the station.”
Joe headed toward the long hallway that would take him to the lot he’d parked in, congratulating himself for not losing his cool in public. He couldn’t make any promises about the next time he saw Troy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME yet where we’re having dinner?” Faith asked Troy, trying not to sound rude or ungrateful. He’d been secretive the entire drive, even when he’d taken the exit to Corpus Christi.
“At my stepmom’s house. We’re celebrating her birthday tonight. It was a couple weeks ago, but she was in the hospital. Now that she’s been home a few days, we thought she’d be up for it.”
Unease churned in Faith’s gut as he pulled in front of a large adobe home with a grand-looking entrance. It wasn’t the near estate status of the house that worried her, it was that Joe’s 4Runner was parked in the driveway.
Before she could say anything, Troy was out of the silver BMW and opening her door for her.
“Troy,” she said quietly, stepping onto the curb. “Joe’s here.”
“Uh, yeah. Look, Faith, I’ll take the heat for this. I know you don’t know me from Adam, but trust me, okay? He might blow up when he sees you, but it’ll be all right in the end. I didn’t do this to hurt him.”
She studied him, wondering what the hell she’d gotten herself into. Maybe a creepy stranger winning a date with her would’ve been better, after all.
She saw nothing creepy in Troy’s eyes, though, and nothing that hinted at anything but friendship. What she did see was the blinds in the front window of the house moving, as if someone was looking out. “If you say so,” she said, wanting to get whatever scene was going to ensue over with. Get the night over with, actually.
They walked side by side up the front steps. The door opened before they got to it, and Ryan appeared with a big grin. “You are one crazy bastard,” he said to his brother. “Everyone’s in the kitchen.”
“Nice to see you, too.” Troy brushed by Ryan, leading Faith inside with his hand at the small of her back. “Kitchen’s this way.”
Faith braced herself for their entrance. Just as she’d expected, Joe stood there, leaning against the counter with a bottle of beer in his hand. He was laughing with the woman filling wineglasses next to him. Ryan’s wife, Faith realized, when he came in and put a subtle but territorial arm around her.
When Joe saw Faith, his smile disappeared and he swallowed. “Hello, Faith,” he said evenly.
Hello, awkwardness. “Hi.”
Joe’s jaw ticked as he completely ignored Troy.
“Faith, this is my wife, Shelly,” Ryan said.
The woman turned to smile at Faith and shake her hand.
“Welcome to the Vargas-Mendoza testosterone well,” Shelly said, eyeing Troy and Joe. “It’s nice to meet you. And to have another female here.”
“Good to meet you,” Faith said, trying to ignore the thick tension in the air. “What can I do to help?”
“Have some wine,” Shelly said, holding out glasses for her and for Troy. “The cook has everything under control. The salads are in the refrigerator and the hot stuff is being kept warm in the oven. Why don’t we go out to the sunroom, where Carmen is? Troy, do you want to introduce Faith to your stepmother?”
The fire that flashed in Joe’s eyes made Faith shudder. This was going to be ugly.
“Why don’t you, Shelly?” Troy answered. “I need to talk to Joe first.”
Shelly looked surprised, leading Faith to believe she didn’t have a clue what, exactly, was transpiring in front of her.
“Sure. Come on, Faith. She’ll be thrilled to meet you.”
Faith glanced at Joe, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze. Fantastic. She hadn’t asked for any of this. He must know she wasn’t interested in Troy. Joe’s stepbrother was a nice enough guy but…he was a lawyer, for God’s sake.
JOE EYED HIS STEPBROTHER as the women walked out to the sunroom.
“Easy,” Troy said. “There’s smoke coming out of your ears.”
“Not too bright,” Ryan interjected, shaking his head. “Like waving a scarf at a bull, man.”
Troy glared at his brother. “What the hell are you doing in here, anyway?”
“Think I’m going to miss this?” Ryan took a swig from his beer bottle and stood back, crossing his arms. “You might need a referee.”
“We don’t need a referee,” Joe said.
“I’m not interested in Faith,” Troy stated.
“Save it. I’m not going into this with you.”
“There is no ‘this’ to go into. I’m not an idiot, and even though we’re not brothers by blood, I wouldn’t home in on your woman.”
Joe glanced toward the French doors to the sunroom. “She’s not my woman. She works for me. Take her out if you want to.”
Ryan hoisted himself up on the counter as if the NBA playoffs were starting up in the kitchen.
Troy laughed. “Yeah. I took her out tonight to the tune of a very nice donation to the Burn Foundation. You don’t seem to be handling it too well.”
Joe pushed himself off the counter and headed toward the formal living room at the front of the house.
“Wrong thing to say, man,” he heard Ryan tell Troy as he walked off.
Joe paced to the front window and looked out at the neighborhood of impressive homes. Though it was an upper income area, there were lots of young families. Obviously not a place too many firefighters called home. A group of grade school kids ran through a sprinkler a few yards down, and two teenage boys were shooting hoops across the street. Joe heard someone enter the room behind him, but didn’t bother to turn around.
“Will you hear me out?” Troy said.
“Say whatever you want to say.”
“I brought Faith here for you.”
Joe scoffed—he couldn’t help it. “Why the hell would you do that? I told you we work together.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re her senior officer,” Troy said in a singsong voice. “Which translates to you refusing to take her out.”
“It’s not an issue.”
“This is me, here. I don’t give a shit if you’re sleeping with one of your coworkers or underlings or whatever she is to you.”
Joe turned sharply toward him. “Who said I was sleeping with her?”
“I don’t know if you are, and frankly, I don’t care. But that night at the hospital your feelings were obvious.”
“Faith and I can’t be together, Troy.”
His brother laughed, and Joe tightened his fists at his sides.
“I get that,” Troy said. “More than you know.”
Something in his voice made Joe look at him again, more closely, beyond the remnants of the grin. He waited for him to spill the rest, whatever he was so intent on saying.
Troy lowered his voice and turned to make sure Ryan was out of earshot. “I’m seeing Betsy Wellington.”
Joe stared at him blankly.
“Wellington. Of Smith, Vargas and Wellington. The daughter of the firm’s president.”
“Congratulations,” Joe said, still unable to admit anything about Faith. For all he knew, Troy was playing him.
“Not looking for congratulations. All I’m saying is I know it’s a bitch to want someone who’s off-limits. And if you’re going to continue to stand there and act as if you don’t care about Faith Peligni, then suit yourself. I’m not the bad guy you’d like me to be.”
Joe studied him pensively. “So you’re telling me you dropped more than six thousand dollars just for me to have a good time for a night?”
“I dropped six thousand dollars to support Carmen’s pet charity. It just so happened I found a way to try to give you some time with Faith, no questions asked.”
“I didn’t know you were the selfless type,” Joe said after a moment.
“Sometimes I’m not,” Troy said, sticking his hand in the pocket of his dress pants and rattling his keys. “I’ll admit it was fun watching you get your hackles up during the bidding.”
“Asshole.”
“But an asshole you owe a favor to.”
“You really have no interest in her?” Joe asked, finally starting to believe that Troy’s motives were just what he’d said.
“None. Hey, she’s hot. Don’t get me wrong. But I don’t go for the type of woman who could kick my ass if I piss her off.”
Joe nodded, thinking about the women he’d seen Troy with. Always a different one. Always blonde. Always the type who would cry over a broken fingernail. “Yeah, Faith could take you.”
“In your dreams.”
“So what do you think I’m going to do with this ‘favor’? It doesn’t change a damn thing for Faith and me…if I was interested in her. And if she was interested in me.”
Troy shrugged. “That’s your problem. I’ve done my part.” He sat on a couch that looked as if it had never been touched before. “Tell me this. What’s holding you back? Is it against policy in the department?”
“Not officially.”
“Then what the hell?”
“Why do you keep your girlfriend a secret?” Joe asked.
“She works for the firm. Receptionist pool. There’s a rule against it.”
Joe nodded. “Have you seen the fire chief?”
“Big guy? Looks like he could kill someone with his pinkie finger?”
“That’s him. He’s her father.”
Troy swore. “Good guy? Bad?”
“My dad was his mentor. He’s acted as mine since Dad died.”
“Ouch.”
“Like I said, Faith and I can’t be together. If she even wanted to.”
“Seems like she wants to, from where I’m standing. So, what, you’re worried about disappointing the chief?”
Joe chuckled without feeling any real humor. “Worried about getting a promotion. Keeping my job. Chief doesn’t want his little girl with a firefighter.”
“His little girl is a firefighter.”
“He’s made it clear on numerous occasions he would not be supportive.”
“So you choose the job.”
“I’ve known where I was going professionally since I was twelve. Everybody’s known.”
“Things change, dude.”
Joe stood. “Let’s go see Mom.”
“And Faith. You better see plenty of Faith tonight. It cost me a pretty penny to get you two in the same room.”
“You’re not going to let me forget that anytime soon, are you?”
“Not damn likely.”
“Hey,” Joe said, pausing before they opened the door to the sunroom. “Could we not tell my mom anything? I don’t want her to get her hopes up for Faith and me.”
Troy frowned and shook his head. “Your call. You know, you’re too much of a damn people pleaser. I reckon you ought to try worrying about what you want instead of what everyone else wants for you all the time.”
Joe told him where he could go as he opened the door and they joined Ryan, Jorge and the women.
TROY WASN’T AS DUMB as Joe had thought.
His stepbrother had made a point of keeping his distance from Faith. Being courteous and polite but not too friendly. Not goddamn touching her.
Apparently he liked living.
They’d just sung a painful rendition of “Happy Birthday” and Shelly was cutting the cake—chocolate with white frosting, with purple and yellow pansies on top. No candles. Though his mom was feeling much better, she was still weak and her lungs weren’t back to normal yet. She was such a fighter, though….
Joe’s throat swelled up as he looked at her and recalled how puny she’d been in the ICU. Tonight her cheeks were pink and her spirits high.
“Biggest slice goes to the birthday girl,” Faith said, coaching Shelly.
“Carmen gets this one. Two big sugary flowers.”
Faith took the plate, grabbed a plastic fork and carried it to Joe’s mom. She helped Carmen prop herself up again so she could eat, and then she perched on the arm of the couch, watching Carmen closely in case she needed help.
Joe tried to act nonchalant, sitting on a folding chair on the other side of the room, but he wanted nothing more than to take Faith in his arms and kiss her in gratitude. Gratitude and other stuff, as well.
She’d dressed casually tonight, in dark blue jeans so tight they looked like leggings, a Kelly-green silk tank top and killer silver heels. Her ears, wrist and neck were adorned with trendy silver jewelry that jingled when she moved. He was dying to hold her.
Troy’s phone rang and he excused himself to the kitchen.
“Here’s a piece with extra frosting for you, Joe,” Shelly said. “You need something to sweeten you up. You’re quiet tonight.”
“He’ll try to tell you it’s a deep intellectual quiet, no doubt,” Ryan said, grabbing his own slice of cake and digging into it as if he hadn’t just eaten enough slow-cooked ribs for a football team.
“No need for me to say it.” Joe took a bite of cake, and once again, his eyes went to Faith. He couldn’t keep them off her. He didn’t know how this night was going to end, but he had to get her alone somehow.
She looked up at him then, laughing at something his mom had said, something he’d missed because he was lost in fantasies of Faith. Her gaze met his and the heat in it made his body react.
“Ryan never quite mastered the ‘stay quiet to keep them wondering’ philosophy,” Jorge said. “We never wonder what’s on his mind.”
“We sometimes wonder if anything is on his mind,” Joe said. He ducked when Ryan tossed his fork at him with a howl.
“You men are too loud—your mother needs peace,” Shelly said, scraping some extra frosting off the knife and licking her finger. She carried a slice of cake to Faith and sat on the chair next to the couch with her own piece.
Joe’s mom shook her head. “It’s wonderful to have the noise. This place gets so quiet sometimes. I hope Faith doesn’t run away scared, though.”
Carmen smiled warmly at her, and not for the first time, Joe was relieved he wasn’t the one who’d brought her here. His mom seemed to like Faith, and he didn’t want to disappoint her when things couldn’t work out between them. Better that she never know there was any kind of attraction between them. The whole family held few expectations for Troy to ever settle down, so having him bring in a woman was a whole different ball game.
Troy ambled back in then. He went over to Faith. “I’m afraid I have to take off unexpectedly,” he said, mostly to her. “Got a client who’s in trouble. I’m sorry to bail on you, Faith, but I’m hoping my honorable stepbrother can take you home to the island for me.” He shot Joe a look, and Joe instantly understood. It was a ruse. Troy’s way of stepping aside.
Faith looked alarmed as she glanced from Joe to Troy.
“I’m really sorry,” Troy said. “I’ll owe you one.”
Joe held his tongue to keep from saying the hell he would.
“It’s okay,” Faith said. “As long as Joe doesn’t mind.”
“I don’t mind,” Joe said. At all.
“Thanks, bro. I’d say I owe you a favor, too, but…”
“Get out of here,” Joe muttered, checking his watch.
It was almost ten o’clock. Getting late for his mom. They should be able to say good-night soon without letting on that he couldn’t wait to get Faith alone.
He sat back to wait—impatiently—for the moment they could leave.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“THIS WAS ONE OF the strangest nights of my life,” Faith said as Joe led her down the front steps of his mo
m and stepfather’s house after telling them good-night. The others had left a few minutes earlier, and the quiet of the evening took over. There weren’t a lot of Vargases, but they were a loud bunch. They reminded Faith of her own family in a lot of ways.
“Want to make it a little stranger?” Joe took her hand in his.
The simple gesture sent a thrill through her. They hadn’t touched all night. Being with him in a casual nonwork setting without letting on they were anything other than coworkers—for several hours… God, she’d longed to touch him. Her fingers had itched with the relentless urge.
They’d never held hands like this before, just walking along, side by side, hanging on to each other as if it was the most natural thing in the world. As if they didn’t have to dance around their attraction. His hand was big, like the rest of him. Rough. Strong. Multitalented, she thought, pursing her lips to repress a private grin.
“What’s stranger than starting the evening with one man and ending it being ditched by him and rescued by his stepbrother?”
“Don’t forget being thrown in with the crazy Mendoza-Vargas family.”
“Trust me, your family’s got nothing on mine when it comes to crazy.”
“Troy orchestrated the whole night so we could be together, you know?”
Faith paused, touched. “Really?”
“It’s why he’s still breathing.”
She laughed and they continued walking. “That’s really sweet of him. Where are we going?”
“Not that sweet.”
Instead of continuing to the foot of the driveway where his SUV was parked, they’d taken a brick path around the side of the house. Wide steps led downward, presumably to the backyard.
“To my secret hideaway.” She could hear his smile. There was no light back here and the moon was buried by clouds, cloaking them in relative darkness under looming trees.
A secret hideaway sounded…promising.
She hadn’t planned to see Joe tonight, but now that they were together, she could think of all kinds of ways she’d like the evening to end. When he took out his keys and unlocked the basement door, though, she felt slightly disappointed.
