4
Ally straightened up and rubbed her aching back.
Between painting the house and not sleeping well, her whole body
was complaining. At least the kitchen walls were a gleaming white
now, the blue tiles scrubbed, and the gray bleached out of the
grout. There was still a lot to do, but it kept her busy. She
pushed her hair out of her face. Busy was good. It gave her less
time to brood.
A knock at the back door made her turn,
and she frowned at the big brown shape through the frosted glass.
Was it Rob again? He’d said he wouldn’t be back until she asked
him, but he was so full of shit. She walked across to the door and
then hesitated. Years of living in New York had sharpened her sense
of self-preservation.
“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Jackson Smith.”
Ally brought her hand to her mouth. She
hadn’t seen Jackson since that night when she’d sought comfort in
his arms and all hell had broken loose. She took a deep breath. He
was just another obstacle she had to overcome. She’d faced Rob;
surely Jackson would be easier? He certainly was
sweeter.
Ally turned the key and opened the
door. Jackson took off his sunglasses, but he didn’t smile as he
looked down at her. His skin was the color of burnished copper,
courtesy of his Lakota father, and, as usual, his almost-black eyes
concealed his thoughts.
“Hi.”
“Hi, would you like to come in?” Ally
gestured awkwardly into the house.
“Sure.” He followed her inside and
waited by the table, his gaze roaming the kitchen as if he expected
an ambush.
Ally folded her arms over her chest and
leaned against the countertop. “You look well.”
“Thanks.” His gaze briefly connected
with hers. “You look thin.”
“Models are supposed to be thin. Don’t
you know that?”
He studied the faded linoleum. “But you
haven’t been modeling for quite a while now, have
you?”
Ally tensed. “Did Rob tell you
that?”
A brief smile flickered over his stern
face. “No. I can read.”
“All that shit on the
Internet?”
“Not just that.”
“Then what?”
“Police reports, that kind of stuff. I
worked as an NYC cop for a while before I moved back to
California.”
“Oh.” Ally felt like he’d shoved his
fist in her gut. “Then you know why I’m here.”
Again he considered her. “Not
really.”
She sighed. “To make things right for
one thing, to apologize to the people I hurt, and that definitely
includes you.”
His head came up. “Are you sure about
that?”
“Jackson, I put you in an appalling
position. I almost destroyed your friendship with Rob—and what
about Susan? I sure did ruin her life, didn’t I?”
He shrugged. “You had your
reasons.”
“What the hell does that
mean?”
His smile was gentle. “It means you
should forgive yourself.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“I’ve had plenty of time to think it
through, and the blame wasn’t all yours. I was equally to blame;
you know that.”
Ally studied him for a long moment. How
come it was so much easier to be honest with Jackson than it was
with Rob? “I know that now, but I’m still sorry,
Jackson.”
“Apology accepted.” He dug his hand
into his pocket and pulled out his keys. “Now, give me your car
keys.”
Ally’s tentative smile faded.
“What?”
He looked at her as if she’d gone nuts.
“I’m taking your truck to Vic’s shop.”
“Says who?”
“Rob said it needed fixing, so seeing
as I’m on duty and not using my truck this week, I thought we’d
swap until yours was repaired.”
“No.”
He paused. “You’re getting it done
somewhere else?”
“I haven’t even called the guy
yet!”
“So, what’s the problem?”
“The problem is
that it’s nothing to do with either of you what I do with my
truck.”
“You have to get it fixed,
right?”
Ally gritted her teeth. “I know that,
but I am not accepting help from you, or Rob, for
anything.”
“Why not?”
“Because everyone would assume I was
taking over my mother’s position as the town slut.”
Jackson put his keys back into his
pocket. “How about I get you the parts, and I help you fix it right
here?”
“How about you go home?”
He held her gaze, and she looked
desperately for some sense of what he was feeling and found
nothing. Had he always been so guarded?
He shoved a hand through his short
black hair. “Ally, just accept my help, won’t you? I’ll come around
after dark if it makes you feel better.”
Ally slumped back against the cupboard.
Why was he being so nice? It made her feel like a bitch all over
again. “I can’t afford to have the truck fixed at a shop, and I
won’t let you or anyone else pay for it. Do you
understand?”
“I hear you loud and clear.” Jackson
put his sunglasses back on and headed for the door. “Have a good
morning, Ally. I’ll see you around.”
When he shut the door, Ally closed her
eyes tight. She didn’t want his charity. She wanted—she
needed—to fix things for herself. How hard
could it be to replace a light? She’d get a book from the library
and take it from there. If she could just get a job to help her
through the worst of this financial mess, she’d be able to pay for
anything she damn well wanted.
She picked up her coffee mug and washed
it out in the sink. Jackson had accepted her apology and seemed
disinclined to discuss the past with her at all. She wasn’t sure if
that was a good or a bad thing. Behind his calm façade, she’d
sensed something different in him, something far harder and darker
than he wanted the world to see.
The alarm on her cheap plastic watch
beeped and Ally opened the fridge. She didn’t feel like eating, but
she had to. That bit of wisdom was one of the hard-earned lessons
from rehab about having a healthy body to go with a happy, healthy
mind. She made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with
“wholesome” brown bread, and opened the free local paper she’d
picked up at the store the previous night.
Of course, there was nothing in the
jobs section that a washed-up supermodel could do. Ally finished
her sandwich and then put her head down on the table. Sometimes it
felt as if she’d just climbed one mountain to be faced with
another. She forced herself to be positive. She wasn’t in debt
anymore, and she didn’t want to go back there. So she’d wait until
she got a job and would fix the truck then. The walk into town
would be good for her too.
With a groan, she got up and stretched
out her tired muscles. Next up was stripping the ancient linoleum
from the floor and checking the state of the wood beneath. With a
deep breath, Ally reached for her gloves. It was time to search out
the vermin that probably lurked under the linoleum. She’d spent
years around vermin of the human kind, so a few bugs really
shouldn’t bother her.
“Ally wouldn’t give me the keys to her
truck.” Jackson came into Rob’s office and shut the door firmly
behind him.
Rob looked up from the report he was
completing. “She wouldn’t? Why not?”
“Because apparently, she doesn’t like
you interfering in her life.”
Rob sighed. “I was trying to help. She
needs to get that light fixed.”
“Yeah, I get that, but she wants to do
it herself.” Jackson leaned against the closed door and shoved his
hands into his pockets. “You might’ve told me you hadn’t agreed
about anything with her.”
“I suppose I’m so used to looking out
for her that I forgot she’s changed.”
“Rob, she left you. You hate her guts.
Why would you still be looking out for her?”
“Because I don’t hate her, and I’m an
idiot?”
Jackson studied him for a long moment,
and a sick feeling twisted his gut. “You’ve already gotten into her
pants again, haven’t you? What are you? Fucking
stupid?”
“I haven’t, it’s just that
she—”
“Wrestled you to the ground and took
advantage of you?”
“No!” Rob pushed his chair away from
the desk and stood up. “It was all me and she was . . .” He
hesitated. “She’s like a drug. I can’t seem to get her out of my
head.”
“Jeez, man!” Jackson shook his head.
“You need to stay away from her until you get your brain out of
your dick. Mess around with her and then try and build your stupid
case against her mother. She’ll have your ass in court before you
can count to five.”
“Give me a break. I have no intention
of involving Ally in anything.” Rob sat down, but Jackson didn’t
move from his position by the door. Eventually, Rob had to look up
at him. “What?”
“How about you give Ally a break, Rob?
Let her get on with whatever it is she has to do here and
leave.”
Jackson turned to go and Rob stared
down at his report. “I don’t know if I can let her go
again.”
“Then talk to her before you fuck her. Find out what’s really going on in
her head and then decide what you’re going to have to do to make
her want to stay.”
Rob looked up at him. “Do you want her
to stay?”
Jackson paused, the door half open, and
addressed his answer over his shoulder to Rob’s desk. “Of course I
do. I like her. I always have.”
“You more than like her,
Jackson.”
“What’s that supposed to
mean?”
“I’ve always suspected you want her as
much as I do.”
“And she wanted you, Rob. She made her choice.”
“But Ally’s not a scared
eighteen-year-old anymore. Maybe she doesn’t have to choose between
us.”
Jackson’s gut tightened even more.
“What are you trying to say?”
Rob shrugged. “Just that I wouldn’t
make the same mistake again. If she wanted us both, I’d be happy to
go along with it.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” Rob held his gaze. “I
am.”
Jackson struggled to think of a reply
as his cock thickened in his pants. The thought of sharing a bed
with Ally and Rob was something he’d consigned to his deepest,
darkest fantasies. His fingers tightened on the door
handle.
“You’re doing it again, buddy. Making
decisions for Ally that aren’t yours to make.”
“Jeez, Jackson, give me a chance here.
I’m just asking how you feel. It’s not like I’m going to spring the
decision on Ally and just assume she’ll go along with
it.”
Desperately, Jackson tried to change
the subject. “If you want Ally to stick around, finding her a job
might help. Have you asked Lauren?”
“Lauren hates her guts.”
“Everyone hates Ally in this town.
Imagine how that feels and yet she’s back here facing it, dealing
with it.”
“All right. I
get it. I’ll ask Lauren.”
For the first time, Jackson managed to
smile. “Thanks.”
Rob waved him away. “Don’t thank me
yet. My little sister is a hard nut to crack.”
“Don’t I know it. Appeal to her
mercenary side. Tell her that everyone in town will be by to take a
look at Ally, and that will increase her business.”
“Yeah, that might just do
it.”
Jackson retreated, leaving Rob staring
at the wall. He deserved Jackson’s wrath. He was behaving like an
asshole. But he’d never been able to be cool around Ally; the fire
between them, the closeness, the sense that they were meant to be
together made that impossible. And it seemed that heat was still
there.
And Jackson’s reaction to his admission
that he wouldn’t object if they both got to fuck Ally hadn’t been
quite as enthusiastic as he’d hoped either. But then Jackson always
kept his emotions to himself, and he hadn’t exactly said
no.
If Rob wanted to clear up the mysteries
of the past, he had to stop leading with his dick and start using
his supposedly firstclass brain. The least he could do was try and
help Ally get a job. Then she might stick around until they sorted
everything out.
He put on his jacket and checked to
make sure his radio was on. Midmorning, before the lunch rush, was
a good time to call on Lauren at the diner. He shied away from the
thought of what Lauren would make of his asking for a favor—for
Ally of all people.
When Rob came into the hallway,
Jackson’s door was closed and he went past without knocking. He’d
tell the front desk where he was going on his way out. It occurred
to him that Jackson had spoken more this morning than he had in the
last six months, and all on Ally’s behalf. Shit. Had Jackson realized that Ally was the woman he
wanted? Was that why he’d been less than enthusiastic about Rob’s
confession?
Rob paused to consider. After he’d
punched Jackson in the face, they’d ended up apologizing to each
other and eventually had resumed their old relationship. But what
if Jackson now wanted Ally all for himself?
Rob found himself retracing his steps
and knocking on Jackson’s door.
“Yeah?”
He went in and shut the door. Jackson
looked up from the report he was reading.
“What’s up?”
“When I talked about us both having
Ally”—Rob paused and Jackson groaned—“I should’ve asked you if you
wanted her just for yourself.”
“Jeez, Rob. You’re making it sound like
a done deal. She’s her own person. You’re not fucking God. Don’t
you have to talk to Ally about this first?”
Rob set his jaw. “I’m just trying to
make sure we’re clear with each other.” He hesitated. “Do you want
me to butt out?”
“Like Ally would agree to
that?”
“Hell, you’re the person she turned to
when I let her down.” God, it was hard to say that, and impossible
to look at Jackson.
“Rob.” Jackson sounded incredibly
gentle. “If Ally wants us both, I’m more than okay with it. After
the way I fucked up, it’s more than I ever imagined having a shot
at. But it’s her decision, buddy, and let’s get real here—she’s
unlikely to want to shack up with anyone in this town, especially
you and me.”
Rob nodded and turned to leave. For
some reason, speaking at that point was not an option. With a sense
that his life was getting way too complicated, Rob walked the short
distance across town to Lauren’s diner and went in the back to the
kitchen.
Lauren was leaning against a
countertop, eating an egg sandwich, her face flushed, her blond
hair escaping the confines of her regulation hat. She was about a
foot shorter than Rob and a lot curvier than Ally. He loved her to
bits and she knew it.
Her gorgeous smile flashed out. “Rob?
What’s up?”
He removed his sunglasses. “Can’t I
just stop in to see my lovely sister without a
reason?”
She finished off her sandwich and
washed it down with a gulp of soda. “Now I’m really worried. What
do you want?”
“A favor.” He took up a position
opposite her, trying to keep his expression relaxed and friendly.
“For an old friend.”
Her smile disappeared. “What old
friend?”
“Someone you used to be best buddies
with.”
“Ally Kendal?”
“So you know she’s back?”
“Everyone knows she’s back.” Lauren
pursed her lips. “What I want to know is what it has to do with
you.”
Rob glanced around, but everyone else
in the small kitchen appeared to be occupied. “She needs a
job.”
“So?”
“I was hoping you had an
opening.”
“Even if I did, why would I give it to
her?”
“As a favor to me?”
Lauren’s brown eyes flashed fire. “Ally
dumped you. Why the hell would I want to help her?”
He met her furious gaze. “Because I
need her to stay around for a while.”
“So you can what? Make things right
with her?”
Rob thought quickly. “No, so that I can
clear up something that’s been bothering me about Susan’s
death.”
“Susan Evans?” Lauren studied him for a
long moment. “Like I believe that.”
“It’s part of the reason. Ally was
there that night, and no one got to talk to her. She might have
evidence that will help me solve the case.”
“The case was solved, Rob. Susan
committed suicide.” Lauren turned on her heel and headed into the
tiny cramped back office. Rob followed her and waited until she
swung around to face him. “I still don’t believe you.”
“I can’t help that. But Ally really
does need a job.” He met her gaze. “Hell, I never ask you for
anything, sis. Will you do this for me?”
She folded her arms over her chest.
“That bitch hurt you, Rob. She almost destroyed you.”
He shrugged. “It was a long time ago.
I’ve gotten over her.”
“Don’t lie to me. Sure, you date lots
of women, but you’ve never allowed any of them to get close. I know
because they come and complain to me about it all the
time.”
“Okay. Part of
me wants to have it out with her, make her tell me why the fuck she
did what she did.”
She nodded slowly. “I’d like to hear
Ally try and explain herself as well. I’ll give her a job. I need a
new busboy since Joe left.”
Rob frowned and stood up. “If you’re
going to treat her like shit, I’ll go and find someone else to
ask.”
“I’ll treat her the same as any other
new employee. I swear.”
Rob considered her carefully. “You
promise?”
Lauren smiled way too brightly.
“Sure.”
He wasn’t convinced, but what else
could he do? If Ally hated the job, she’d quit soon enough. “Now,
how am I going to get Ally to find out about the job without
telling her?”
“Easy, put a flyer in her mailbox.
She’ll assume everyone got one with their junk mail and she’ll come
over.”
“You are a genius.”
Lauren sat down at her desk and typed
away on her computer. “I already had something drafted for the ad,
so here you go.” The printer rumbled into action, and she leaned
across to retrieve the single sheet from the mouth of the printer
and handed it to Rob.
The paper smelled like fried chicken,
but Rob was okay with that. He’d gotten used to his sister smelling
the same way since she’d taken over the diner three years earlier.
“Thanks, doll.”
She grimaced at him. “I’m not going out
of my way to be nice to her, and if she gives me any trouble, she’s
out, just like anyone else.”
“Totally.” Rob hesitated. “But give her
a chance, Lauren, won’t you?”
“God, Rob, what does that woman have to
do to you to make you stop caring about her?”
“I don’t—”
“Yeah, right, don’t even try that crap
with me.” Lauren got up and headed back to the kitchen. “I’ll let
you know if she takes the job, okay?”
“And you won’t tell her it was my
idea?”
“Of course not! I don’t want her
getting ideas about you again, do I? Although that’s probably why
she’s back here anyway.”
Rob smiled down at her and resisted the
impulse to smooth a hand over her obviously raised hackles. “That’s
not the impression I got. She came back to sort out her mother’s
stuff.”
Lauren grabbed a clean apron and tied
it around her waist. “That place is a dump. I wonder why she just
didn’t send some of her ‘people’ down to sort it all out for
her.”
“I guess she doesn’t have ‘people’
anymore.” And that was another mystery. What had happened to make
her return?
“Good. She deserves to have to come and
face us and sort out all that crap.”
“As I said, I’m quite looking forward
to hearing her side of the story.”
Lauren wagged a finger under his nose.
“You keep away from her. She’s trouble.”
Rob could only nod, knowing he’d
already gone too far along that particular road to ever find the
courage to turn back. All he could do was go forward, sort out his
personal shit, and hope Ally did the same.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,
Lauren.”
“Sure. Now let me start on lunch.” She
paused and brandished an onion at him. “Do you want a
sandwich?”
He declined and headed back to the
station. Ever since their parents had retired to Florida, she’d
tried to feed him and take care of him, and she was younger than
him. Did everyone think he needed to be babied because of what had
happened between him and Ally? It was an interesting thought and
one of many Ally’s return had stirred in his brain.
Rob took out the flyer Lauren had given
him and approached Jeff Stevens, who was manning the desk. “On your
way home, can you do me a favor and stick this in the Kendals’
mailbox near your street?”
Jeff didn’t bother to look up but held
out his hand. “Sure.”
Luckily Jeff was new to the area and
had no idea of the past scandal, which suited Rob just fine.
“Thanks.”
Rob returned to his office and shut the
door. He sighed as he viewed the pile of paperwork cluttering up
his inbox. So much for the computer age; he was still stuck in
paper world. He considered the problem with Ally’s truck and
wondered exactly how Jackson had left it.
Tomorrow evening, he’d take a trip by
Ally’s house and see how things were. His body stirred at the
thought of seeing her again, even as he tried to suppress it. She
had already reeled him in without even trying, and he was
determined not to be caught out. But this time he’d be trying
damned hard not to direct their relationship. It was way past time
for some honest conversation.