United States of Love: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

by Sue Fortin

  Anna felt Tex’s hand touch her hips tentatively at first, then the tension in his shoulders began to dissipate as she continued to hold him, until finally his hands slid round her waist and up her back. His lips fleetingly brushed her neck, the sensation making her catch her breath. He kissed her neck again. Without questioning herself, Anna pulled away slightly and turning her head, met his lips with hers. Just his kisses caused a total infusion of her senses. She couldn’t focus on anything, just the tingling, zinging, jingling sensation that was coursing through her like a galloping thoroughbred. A small tentative exchange of kisses, followed by a longer, more passionate, deeper one. It was almost too much. Almost.

  Groaning, Tex pulled away first. ‘I gotta stop. This is not good for my blood pressure.’ He held her tightly to him instead, caressing her hair, dropping a small kiss on the top of her head. ‘Do you want me to take you home?’ he asked at last, looking down at her.

  Anna could see the unspoken question in his eyes. Was this the moment when she abandoned all notion of not getting involved with Tex? Was this where she allowed things to go further?

  ‘Probably best if you take me home,’ she responded at last. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘It’s okay,’ he said reassuringly, before kissing her gently on the mouth.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Giving herself one last spray of perfume, Anna deemed herself ready for her date with Tex. She hadn’t been sure about the floaty dress that Zoe had encouraged her to buy, but now with her make-up done, high heels on, she was pleased with the result. Zoe was right – it certainly did soften her sometimes boyish look.

  Thinking of Zoe, Anna reflected on her mini-campaign to bring back the old, lively and outgoing sister-in-law. So far, her plan seemed quite successful. They were going regularly to the gym and Zoe was happy with the crèche for Emily. They had had a manicure, bought some new clothes and today, Zoe had had the much needed wash, cut and blow-dry. Despite Zoe’s half-hearted protests, once reassured that Nathan was paying for it and not Anna, she had been happy to go along, while Anna took Emily for a walk in Bishop Park Gardens. Yes, it had been a successful day so far.

  All Anna had to do now was negotiate leaving the house without too much interrogation from Mark. Since their argument over the photos, Anna had barely been able to bring herself to speak to him. Although she doubted he would really stoop so low and do something as despicable as he had threatened to do, she couldn’t be certain. He seemed pretty desperate, and desperate people did desperate things. Not only that, she was hurt, outraged that he could even come up with such an idea.

  ‘You look nice, Mum,’ said Luke as she came into the living room doing up her watch strap. She had arranged to meet Tex at the restaurant. He had wanted to pick her up from the house but Anna was worried about her husband, albeit estranged, and lover coming face to face.

  ‘Thanks, love, your Aunt Zoe helped choose it. I wasn’t sure but…’

  ‘It suits you,’ Luke reassured her before returning to plucking at his guitar strings.

  Mark strolled in from the kitchen, pausing in the doorway. ‘Where are you off to then?’

  ‘Just out into town,’ answered Anna.

  ‘You’re looking very glammed up for a drink down the Fish and Fly with Zoe.’ His mouth was set in a mulish line.

  She shrugged. ‘I’m going out for a meal.’

  Mark took a sip of his beer from the bottle. ‘You going on a date?’

  ‘It doesn’t really matter, does it?’

  ‘Who you going with then?’ Mark put his beer on the table and, picking up Anna’s jacket, came over to her. Holding the jacket up, he hung it around her. His hands rested on her shoulders.

  ‘I’ve got a meeting with one of my clients,’ she said with as much confidence as she could muster. It wasn’t, after all, a lie. She was aware that Luke had stopped fiddling around with his guitar and was watching them closely. She felt Mark’s fingers closing with slightly too much pressure than was necessary.

  ‘The American chef.’ It was more of a statement than a question.

  Anna nodded, shrugging his hands away. ‘That’s right. Look, I really must get going.’ She dropped a kiss on Luke’s head. ‘Bye, love.’

  ‘Yeah, bye, Mum. Have a nice…’ his voice trailed off as he glanced at his dad, who Anna could see was scowling.

  She had just reached the gate when the front door flew open and, slamming it shut behind him, Mark jogged down the path. ‘I’ll give you a lift.’ He jangled the keys as he spoke.

  ‘You’re all right, thanks. I need a bit of fresh air. I’d sooner walk.’

  ‘Anna, let me give you a lift. I want to talk to you.’ Mark ran in front of her and began walking backwards as he spoke.

  ‘After the other day, I don’t actually want to talk to you.’ She spoke tritely, purposefully striding out.

  ‘Just listen to me. You don’t have to talk.’

  Anna stopped walking and sighed. ‘Hurry up then.’

  ‘I know you’re upset with me but I wouldn’t be forced into this position if you would just go along with the sale. I really need the money, Anna. Things are desperate. I’m getting calls all the time from the bank in the States and I don’t know how much longer I can stall them for.’

  Despite her intention to just listen, Anna couldn’t help herself speak up. ‘What you’re doing is despicable, Mark. You know what? The more I think about it, the more I’m upset that you would threaten to do such a thing. How can you think so little of me? I was your wife. I’m the mother of your son. How can you betray me with something so personal and intimate as those photos?’

  ‘All you have to do is agree to the sale of the house, Anna. It’s not difficult.’

  ‘But that will leave me and Luke with nothing. No security, just uncertainty. And I still want a divorce.’

  ‘And I want the house sale!’

  ‘See, this is a totally pointless conversation, it’s going nowhere, we’re just going round and round in circles.’ She began to walk away. ‘I’m going to be late.’

  He ran to catch up with her again, spinning her round to face him. ‘Now listen here. I’ve got to go back to the States for a couple of weeks. Whilst I’m gone, you have a good think about all this because when I get back, I want to you to agree to the house sale. I’m not messing around, Anna. You stand in my way, and I will send out those photos. Understood?’

  As the maître d’ escorted Anna towards the table, Tex rose to greet her. Her smile to him was mesmerising. She looked devastatingly beautiful tonight, and the soft floaty dress showed off her petite frame. He felt a stirring inside him as his body involuntarily responded to both the sight and the thought of her. He kissed her gently on each cheek, lingering as he took in the scent of her perfume and the softness of her skin against his.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ he said as they sat down.

  It irritated him when the waiter appeared with the menu, and in offering it to him, Tex was forced to look away from Anna for a moment. Any waiter worth his money, and certainly any waiter he employed, would know to wait a minute or two for the guests to settle themselves and exchange pleasantries, especially if they were a couple on a dinner date.

  Anna was still smiling at Tex as she took her menu. ‘Thank you. You look very nice too.’

  It was nice that she noticed, thought Tex.

  Anna seemed to take a genuine interest in the new restaurant and how the refurbishment was coming along, the conversation never drying up during the meal. Something which he pleasantly noted. He was about to ask her about her work with Jamie when he noticed her face cloud over and she fiddled with her napkin.

  ‘Is something wrong, Anna?’ He couldn’t think what had suddenly troubled her.

  She looked up at him. ‘I’m not really one for raking over past loves,’ she began. ‘It’s just that… well… Christine.’

  ‘What do you wanna know?’ He hadn’t expected this and it wasn’t something he particularly wanted to
discuss; however, he was also aware of some deeply buried desire to reassure Anna.

  ‘The other night at the pub, she gave me the impression that… you and her… you know… had some sort of relationship. I know you said there had been, once. I just need to be sure that it is in the past. I’ve been through all this before and I can’t do it again.’

  Automatically, Tex reached across the table and took her hand in both of his. ‘I promise you, it is definitely all over between myself and Christine. It was over before I even met you.’ He didn’t take his eyes away from hers as he spoke, he really wanted her to believe him, to trust him.

  She studied him for a few moments, her gaze intent, as if she was searching the very soul of his eyes. Then she nodded. ‘Okay,’ she smiled. ‘So do you think you will settle into the quieter way of life that is Arundel?’

  Letting go of her hand and sitting back, Tex returned her smiled. ‘Actually, I’ve found it rather more busy than even I anticipated,’ he confessed, glad she seemed to believe him about Christine. ‘Of course, I did plenty of market research before investing in the restaurant but Arundel has an amazing nightlife. People seem to love the ambiance of the town.’

  ‘I’m sure the restaurant will be very popular.’

  ‘I hope it will be popular with the customers, at least,’ replied Tex, frowning slightly, thinking back to the damage and graffiti incident.

  ‘You haven’t had any more trouble, have you?’

  ‘Nothing more since the vandalism.’ Tex signalled for the bill.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Anna, looking embarrassed.

  Tex looked at her quizzically. ‘Why are you sorry?’

  ‘Well, it’s embarrassing when other English people behave like that. We’re not all that way inclined but it gives us a bad name.’

  Tex let out a laugh, and then when she looked alarmed, he managed to control himself. ‘You are very sweet, Anna, but you don’t have to apologise for ignorant vandals and I know they are in the minority. I mean, take yourself for example. I know you don’t hate me or wish me to go home. At least not alone.’ He smiled at the embarrassed flush to her face.

  ‘About that – you going home alone…’ Anna began, before she was interrupted by the waiter returning with the bill.

  Tex didn’t press her any further, he kind of got the message, she wasn’t coming back to his place. Not tonight anyway. After paying the bill, he helped Anna on with her coat, and with his hand resting in the small of her back, shepherded her outside. The anxious look on her face told him what she hadn’t been able to say back in the restaurant.

  ‘At least let me drive you home,’ he said, saving her the awkwardness of having to say anything.

  ‘I could call a taxi,’ she answered, letting him draw her towards him.

  ‘I’ll drive you.’ He kissed her, groaning inwardly, knowing this was as close to her as he would get tonight.

  The shrill of his iPhone bursting into life forced him to stop kissing her. Still holding her round the waist against him, Tex answered his phone.

  ‘Yeah, hello,’ he spoke, before giving Anna another kiss. She grinned and tapped his arm, as if to reprimand him.

  ‘Mr Garcia?’ the voice on the other end of the phone queried.

  ‘Yes. Speaking.’ He grinned at Anna and kissed her again. Trying not to giggle, she clamped a hand over her mouth and half-heartedly tried to wriggle free. Tex raised his eyebrows and shook his head at her, only half listening to the woman on the other end of the call.

  ‘Mr Garcia, proprietor of the United Reformed Church, Tarrant Street, Arundel?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right,’ replied Tex, taking slightly more interest in the call now. This sounded official.

  ‘It’s Sussex Police here. I’m afraid we’ve got some bad news for you.’

  Chapter Eighteen

  Bad news was something of an understatement, thought Tex as he stood alongside the Chief Fire Officer outside the business premises, waiting for the firemen to emerge from the building. He had come straight over, after insisting that he take Anna home first. What a way to end the night!

  The fire had been put out relatively quickly and Tex found himself saying a silent prayer that there wasn’t much damage. It was difficult to tell in the dark. From the front, everything looked okay, the fire had been at the back of the building, in the kitchen area. He dreaded to think how much it would cost him to replace all the new stainless steel state-of-the-art appliances that had only gone in that week.

  ‘It could be an electrical fault,’ said the Fire Officer, turning to him. ‘You say you’ve just had a new kitchen put in. Could well be some bad wiring.’ He paused to listen to his radio as it crackled into life. Tex couldn’t make out what was being said. ‘Right, well it seems the fire started at the rear door.’

  ‘The door?’ Tex puzzled.

  ‘Hmm, it’s hard to tell until we have a proper look in daylight but there’s the possibility it could have been started deliberately.’

  ‘Shit, this is bad. I’m so sorry, mate. Is it as bad as it looks?’ said Jamie as he surveyed the blackened kitchen. Ash and soot covered every surface, the floor by the rear door housed a sludgy pile from the foam that had been used to extinguish the flames. Jamie had rushed down to offer some moral support as soon as Tex had phoned him with the news.

  ‘I’ve no idea. I have the loss adjuster coming out tomorrow,’ sighed Tex.

  ‘And it’s definitely arson?’

  Tex nodded. ‘Apparently. It was started from the outside of the back door. The wheelie bin was moved behind it and some of the cardboard in it was soaked in petrol before being set alight.’

  ‘What have the police said?’

  ‘They are going to make some inquiries. They’ve asked me all the usual questions, like do I know anyone who has a grudge against me or would want to harm the business? Usual stuff.’

  ‘And you said yes, the tea rooms down the road, the curator at the castle, and not forgetting the husband of the latest member to your fan club.’

  Tex looked evenly at his friend. ‘No, I said nothing.’

  ‘What! Are you mad? Jesus, Tex. A bit of graffiti is one thing, but this…’ – he gestured to the blackened kitchen – ‘…this is taking it to a whole new level.’

  ‘It may just antagonise the situation if the cops start asking questions,’ explained Tex. ‘I will go and speak to the coffee shop owner and the curator myself.’

  ‘And the husband? What about him?’

  ‘I would if it wasn’t for Anna. I don’t want to make things more difficult for her.’

  Jamie looked at him, lips pursed.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Jamie began. ‘Just that at this point I would expect you to be ditching Anna because of all the trouble it’s causing. Yet for some reason, you’re not. Wouldn’t be because she might mean something to you?’

  Tex frowned at his friend. ‘You chat shit sometimes, man.’ As he went back into the main hall, Tex tried to push down the feeling that there might be some truth in what Jamie had said. No way. He didn’t do relationships.

  ‘Thanks for giving me a lift, Mum,’ said Luke as he hauled his guitar and rucksack out to the car.

  ‘That’s okay,’ smiled Anna. ‘Here, I’ll just unlock it.’ Lifting the boot open, Anna was met by the distinct whiff of petrol. ‘Ooh, yuk! It really smells in here for some reason.’

  Luke lifted out the petrol can. ‘It’s this. Didn’t Dad tell you?’

  Anna looked blankly at her son. ‘Tell me what?’

  ‘He borrowed your car last night to go and get a Chinese, and ran out of petrol.’

  ‘Ran out of petrol? Where did he go for the Chinese for God’s sake?’

  Luke looked a bit uncomfortable. ‘I dunno. He went out to meet some friends first and got the Chinese on the way home. Maybe it wasn’t that local.’

  Anna tutted. ‘At least he could have taken the can out.’ As she spoke something gripped the inside of her
stomach and twisted. She stared at the petrol can and thought of the fire at Tex’s restaurant. Suspicion snaked its way into her mind. ‘What time did he go out?’ she finally managed to ask.

  Luke shrugged. ‘What’s wrong, Mum? Look, I didn’t mean to drop Dad in it or anything. I didn’t think you’d mind if he borrowed your car. I don’t want to cause a big row.’

  Anna sighed. The last thing she wanted was for Luke to feel guilty for telling her. ‘Hey, it’s not a problem. Let’s put your stuff on the back seat, you don’t want your bag smelling of petrol. I’ll just put the can inside the front gate.’ She smiled, feigning cheerfulness. ‘Come on, let’s get you to Jacob’s and then I must get on to Nathan’s for babysitting duties.’ She would have to think about the implications of the petrol can when she was alone. Now wasn’t the time.

  That morning Anna had been up before Mark and Luke and had been over to Zoe's house by nine thirty. She had taken the three boys and Emily out to give Zoe a break, and had offered to babysit, hoping that a night out together would go some way to mending bridges between Nathan and Zoe. Perhaps naively, Anna had thought they would be delighted at the chance of having some time together, just the two of them. However, she now had the distinct feeling that they were going out just to please her. There was definitely an uneasy atmosphere between them. Anna wondered if they had had an argument or maybe the children had been playing up. Having said that, Emily and Henry were already tucked up in bed fast asleep and the twins were behaving themselves. She was none the wiser.

  ‘I hear you were out on a date last night,’ said Nathan, coming into the room. ‘Zoe mentioned it.’

  ‘I was going to tell you but I haven't seen you much lately.’