Tin Angel

by Raine English

  As if reading her mind, he slipped her shirt off her shoulders. Goose bumps covered her skin as he let it drop to the floor. With trembling fingers, she undid his shirt, exposing his muscular chest. He pulled her closer so that she could feel the beating of his heart.

  She ran her hands over his skin. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she let out a soft moan as he kissed the base of her neck, then moved his mouth down to the curve of her breasts. When the doorbell rang, she wanted to scream.

  Jack leveled his gaze to meet hers. “Are you expecting someone?” he asked, his eyes full of disappointment.

  Oh Lord! She’d lost all track of time. It must be Ross. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she slipped on her blouse. “I meant to tell you earlier. I invited a friend over for dinner.”

  * * *

  Jack could barely believe what he’d just heard. Ally had invited someone over for dinner? On Christmas. And she’d forgotten to tell him. Who could it possibly be? He didn’t think she even knew anyone in Silvercreek. While he buttoned up his shirt, he tried to read her expression. There was no doubt she was embarrassed, but he wondered if there was more to it than just her omission of another dinner guest.

  “Seems like we’re not destined to make love,” he said as he followed her into the foyer.

  “You had your chance last night, and you blew it,” she shot back sarcastically before swinging open the front door.

  On the porch stood a man as good looking as Brad Pitt and as suave as George Clooney. He held a poinsettia plant whose leaves were curling, and Jack got the impression he’d just picked it up at a roadside stand on his way over.

  “Merry Christmas,” he said, handing the plant to Ally, but his gaze was fixed on Jack. It looked like he too was surprised to find he wasn’t Ally’s only dinner guest.

  “Thank you. Please come in.” Ally quickly stepped aside, letting him enter the foyer, then said, “Ross, this is Jack Billings. He lives upstairs. And Jack, this is Ross Saunders. We met the other day while I was shopping.”

  Jack raised a brow. Really? Come on, who invited a complete stranger over for Christmas dinner—a dinner that Jack was preparing—and then forgot to mention it? How big a fool did she take him for? No, he didn’t buy one word of it. His guess was that Ally had known this joker for some time. He could even be her boyfriend from upstate New York. Or worse yet, Ross could be a grifter and her partner in crime. A terrible sense of bitterness swept over him. He was getting tired of playing this game with Ally. He wished, just once, she would tell him the truth. Instead, she continued to lie, bringing him close to his breaking point.

  Jack bit back an angry retort and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.” Ross shook it but tightened his grip before letting go as if to say Ally was his, confirming Jack’s suspicions.

  “Let’s go have dinner.” Ally led the way down the hall and into the dining room.

  Jack frowned as he looked at the beautiful table he’d languished over in the hopes of having a romantic dinner for two. Ross also stared at the table. He had to be wondering why there weren’t three place settings. Talk about awkward moments. Jack was tempted to let Ally come up with an explanation, but when he saw her cheeks go pale, his heart softened. She would have a lot of making up to do later, that was for sure.

  He took another place setting from the china cabinet and set it on the table. “I was just finishing up when the doorbell rang.”

  Ally smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you, Jack. The table looks lovely.” She turned to Ross. “Why don’t you two get to know each other while I serve dinner?” Before either of them could answer, she headed toward the kitchen.

  After she left, an awkward silence fell over the room. Jack eyed Ross suspiciously and said, “So you just met Ally the other day?”

  “Yes. At Miller’s. She dropped some money, and I returned it to her.”

  “Really? That was very nice of you.” Jack reached across the table for the bottle of wine, never shifting his gaze off the man.

  Ross returned the stare with an icy glint in his eyes and said coolly, “I’m sure you would have done the same.”

  “Of course. Any honest man would.” He studied Ross, waiting for a reaction, but his face was as expressionless as a mask. Why was this guy really here? Was it to help Ally steal more of Alice’s belongings? Well, whatever they were up to, he was going to get to the bottom of it.

  Jack popped the cork on the wine and poured them each a glass. He took a sip, then asked, “I don’t recall ever seeing you around Silvercreek.”

  Ross pulled out a chair and sat across from him. “I don’t live in town. Just here on business until after the New Year.”

  Of course. Just like Ally. “What’s your line of work?” Thief? Grifter?

  “Life insurance. Wills. I help people invest their money.”

  I’ll bet you do. The guy was a shady character, no doubt about it. “Actually, I could use some insurance.” Jack watched carefully for his response, hoping he could break the creep’s poker face, but Ross didn’t react.

  “Sure. We’ll talk later.” He took a long drink of wine, then leaned back in the chair and stretched out his legs in front of him, looking way too comfortable for Jack’s liking. “You know Ally a long time?”

  Nice way of changing the subject. “Long enough to know she’s a good person and deserves an equally good guy,” Jack said smugly.

  “And would that be you?” There was an edge to his voice, and his eyes darkened dangerously.

  Jack wasn’t intimidated. “If I have my way, yes.” He smiled widely, knowing full well that he was inviting a challenge from someone who could be a formidable opponent.

  * * *

  Alice loaded a silver tray with food. Everything looked delicious. Jack had worked so hard on the meal, thinking they were going to have a romantic dinner together. And she had ruined it by inviting Ross. How stupid could she be? Her plan to make Jack jealous would probably backfire and result in him not speaking to her. And she wouldn’t blame him. He hadn’t done anything wrong. She’d overreacted to his leaving last night, and now she was going to pay the price. Unless she could think of a way to make it up to him. The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of her mouth.

  She carried the tray into the dining room. The first thing she noticed as she set it on the table was the silence in the room. The second was that both men were drinking wine. Things weren’t going well already. “Jack, would you help me with the turkey?”

  “Sure.” He pushed back his chair and crossed the room in three long strides.

  When they were in the kitchen, he said, “Something’s off with that guy.”

  She raised her brows in surprise. “Really? In what way?” She’d hoped to make Jack jealous, but she’d never expected him to dislike Ross.

  He leaned against the counter and folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t know. He just seems dishonest to me.”

  She stared at him in disbelief. “How can you say that? You don’t even know him.”

  He stared back at her. “You’re right. And I have no desire to know him better. What I am wondering, however, is just how well you know him.”

  She couldn’t help herself. Her mouth twitched with amusement. “Why, Jack Billings, are you jealous?”

  “Is that what you think? Wow!” He drew his dark brows together in a straight line and pulled his lips tightly over his teeth. It was obvious he didn’t find this funny.

  “If that’s not it, then what’s the problem?” she asked, confused.

  After a long pause, he said, “I don’t trust him, and I get the feeling that you’re not telling me the whole truth.”

  Alice planted her hands firmly on her hips. “About Ross?”

  He nodded. “Yes.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He leaned in toward her, and his voice was tinged with bitterness when he said, “You can play games with me all you want, Ally, but I will get to the bottom of what’s going on b
etween you two.”

  She was so startled by his accusation that she was at a loss for words. She’d never seen Jack this angry. He quickly carved the turkey, then picked up the platter and carried it into the dining room.

  This day had not turned out at all as she’d hoped. And she was afraid it was about to get worse.

  Chapter Seven

  Cassandra dropped her fork on the dinner plate and sent food flying. Maybe ordering room service hadn’t been such a good idea. She’d had it with spending Christmas alone in her hotel room. What she needed was a drink. Or two. Or three. She picked up her purse and headed down to the Ginger House.

  The bar was nearly empty. There was an elderly man with thinning hair and a long beard who looked like he was about to fall asleep in his beer, and a few stools down was a young couple who could have been newlyweds, judging from the way they were all over each other. Watching them only made Cassandra feel worse, and it reminded her that Daryn should be with her, not another woman. She’d believed him when he said he was doing this scam for her, but that didn’t make the hollow feeling inside her go away.

  She chose a seat at the far end of the bar and slid onto the stool.

  The bartender, who looked to be barely over twenty-one, set a coaster in front of her. “What can I get for ya?”

  “A martini,” she said without hesitation.

  “You got it.”

  A moment later, he returned with her drink. She guzzled down half of it. It wasn’t long before she felt the effects of the alcohol and her mood brightened. “What’s a good-looking guy like you doing working on Christmas? Shouldn’t you be with your girlfriend?” she asked him.

  “Workin’ my way through college. And there’s no girlfriend. Not one anyway.” He smiled at her, exposing his perfect teeth. “What’s a gorgeous woman like you doin’ drinkin’ alone?”

  She shrugged and took another gulp of her drink. “My fiancé’s working. I guess you could say he’s a workaholic… Work, work, work. That’s all he wants to do. Well, mostly.” A slow smile curved her lips. She had no doubt the bartender knew what she meant.

  “That’s not right to leave you alone,” he said sympathetically.

  “Not right at all.” She finished the martini, and before she set her glass down, he brought her another one.

  Resting his elbows on the bar, he leaned in toward her. “I get off in about an hour, and we could… Um…celebrate the holiday together, if you get my meaning.”

  Cassie’s cheeks grew warm but not from embarrassment. From anger. Did he think she was some cheap tramp? Was that the impression she gave people? Was that the way Daryn viewed her?

  “I’m not like that. I’m faithful to my man.” She quickly downed her drink, after which she reached into her purse and pulled out two crinkled bills. She slapped the money on the bar, not bothering to see how much she’d left, then stormed out.

  As she walked back to her hotel room, she tried concentrating on each step so that she wouldn’t stumble, but that only worked until her heel caught on a tear in the hall carpet, and she fell on her hands and knees. Thankfully, no one witnessed her embarrassing tumble. She pulled herself up and made it the rest of the way without another incident. Before she opened her door, she prayed that Daryn would be inside waiting for her. But her room was empty. Damn! What was taking him so long? She flopped down on the bed, and a war of emotions raged within her. She hated this part of her life. The part that left her lonely, angry, and confused. She wanted to scream, or, better yet, break something. The statue of Venus sat on the nightstand next to the bed. She reached over and grabbed it, desperately wanting to hurl it against the wall and see it shatter into a million pieces. But she fought for self-control. Her temper combined with alcohol was a deadly combination. If she crossed the line and let her feelings overcome common sense, she would surely regret it.

  She set the statue back on the nightstand and then went into the bathroom for a glass of water. As she took a sip, she stared at herself in the mirror over the sink. She looked pretty good. She’d expected her eyes to be bloodshot, but they were bright and clear. No one would even know that she’d been drinking, except maybe Daryn. And he wasn’t here. What the hell is taking him so long anyway? Her temper flared again. Well, she would just have to pay him a little visit.

  * * *

  Daryn pushed his food around his plate. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it. He just didn’t like being a third wheel. He hadn’t anticipated there would be another man at dinner. Talk about a big surprise. And to top it off, the connection Ally had with Jack had the same high voltage as a live wire in a lightning storm. He was going to have to come up with a plan to get her alone, or this dinner date would have been for nothing. When the doorbell rang, he balled his hands into fists under the table. Shit. Another guest.

  Ally excused herself but returned alone a few minutes later. “Ross, there’s someone here to see you.”

  “What the—” He caught himself before he used an expletive. He took the napkin off his lap and placed it next to his plate. Who could want to see him? His mind raced while his body stiffened with dread. The police? Could they be on to him?

  Jack was staring at him with a smug look of satisfaction, almost as if he had the same thought.

  “I’m so sorry,” Ally said.

  Damn. It looked like he was about to spend the rest of the holiday in a jail cell.

  “I had no idea you had a sister,” she continued. “I feel so bad that Taryn wasn’t invited to dinner. But at least she’s in time for dessert.”

  His relief that he wasn’t about to be taken away in handcuffs soon turned to rage. He gripped the table as he stood, his knuckles turning white. “Where is she?”

  “She’s in the foyer. I asked her to come back here, but she said she needed to speak with you in private first.”

  “Excuse me.” He ground his teeth as he walked. This was turning into a nightmare. How dare Cassie not follow his orders?

  When he reached the foyer, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her outside. “What’s wrong with you? You could have blown everything by coming here.”

  “Is that all you care about, another scam? I thought I was important to you. It’s Christmas, and I’ve been alone long enough.” She swayed and grabbed the post on the front porch to steady herself.

  “You’ve been drinking,” he hissed.

  “No kidding.”

  “Don’t push me, Cass, or you’ll regret it.”

  “I’m so tired of you telling me what I can and can’t do. I’m here because I missed you.” Her full lips turned down in a pout, and her shoulders sagged against the pole.

  He shouldn’t have left her alone. “Look, I know it’s tough on you. I’m sorry.” He tilted her chin up so that she met his gaze. “Am I forgiven?”

  A small tight smile began to form on her mouth. “I guess.”

  “Why don’t you come inside and have some dessert?”

  Cassie shrugged. “You sure?”

  “Yeah, just promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “Be on your best behavior. I mean it. No messing up,” he said sternly.

  She looked up at him, her gorgeous eyes wide. “I promise.”

  “And one more thing,” he went on.

  “What is it?”

  “Ally has another dinner guest over. That tenant. I need you to turn on the charm. Keep him preoccupied so I can get her alone, or this will have been a waste of time.”

  Cassie groaned. “Oh no. I don’t want to do that.”

  “Come on, baby. You said you’d do anything. And it’s not like I asked you to sleep with him. I just want you to flirt a little. You can do it. I know you can. Think of the payoff. Imagine that beautiful glittering diamond on your finger.” He turned away from her without waiting for a reply and opened the front door.

  She came up behind him and whispered, “The things I have to do for you.”

  “For us,” he corrected. “Now come
on. Act happy.”

  * * *

  Alice had been trying to make light conversation with Jack while Ross was gone, but it hadn’t been easy. He was still upset with her for inviting Ross over, and now he was going to have to contend with Ross’s sister as well. No doubt that was adding to his displeasure. This day had turned into a disaster, and she couldn’t wait for it to end. She wanted them all to leave so that she could be alone. Yesterday, she couldn’t have imagined ever wanting that, as she’d spent most of her adult life alone. However, the way she felt now, it would be a huge relief. But she had to finish playing hostess first.

  “Are you looking forward to the rummage sale tomorrow?” she asked Jack, again trying to engage him in small talk.

  It took a moment for him to respond. “Actually I am. It’s for a good cause. I think you’ll enjoy it too.”

  “I’m a little nervous. All those strange people. I hope I don’t feel out of place.”

  He leaned back in his chair and looked at her quizzically. “You sounded just like Alice—afraid to go out in public and meet new people.”

  She shrugged. “I guess we have more in common than I knew.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

  That’s exactly what she feared—that he’d parade her around. She’d have to explain a million times that she was Alice’s niece and deal with all those skeptical glances.

  She was grateful when Ross and his sister entered the dining room, until Taryn sat across from Jack. The way she smiled at him and batted her eyelashes spiked Alice’s blood pressure.