Lies of the Heart (7 page)

“Forever,” she answered in a breathy tone that sent shivers down his spine.

“And then some.”

Closing her eyes, her lashes cast dusky shadows on her alabaster skin. Chance’s middle tightened and heat blazed through his bloodstream. Only a few inches separated him from her now.
Just a little more and I can taste those sweet lips of hers.

Suddenly the door behind Tessa was yanked open and she nearly tumbled out. He jumped in alarm at the unwelcome intrusion and grabbed for her as she fell backward yelling. Her friend Jewel swiftly caught her. Between his pulling and Jewel’s pushing they got Tessa back in the truck safely.

“Geez, are you trying to kill me?” Tessa asked, twisting to look at her friend.

“Scoot over,” Jewel commanded. Turning, she said, “Bree, you go around to the other side, okay.”

A minute later Chance was cramped in his truck cab. Bree sat beside him while he held Tessa flush to his side with Jewel stuffed into the passenger seat. Mentally he swore, thinking by marrying Tessa he not only took on her granny but these two as well.

“What in the world is going on?” Tessa asked, glancing around him to blink wide-eyed at Bree. The warmth of her body pressed against his stole through him and her lavender scent lingered all around him. He swallowed a groan, thinking he’d been so close to her soft, full lips.
Just another minute and I’d have tasted her.

He intervened, saying, “They’re going to put their two cents in, sunshine.” Weary acceptance colored his words; he knew there wasn’t any way out of this one either. He rubbed her tense shoulder to give her his support.

“Well, at least he’s smart,” Jewel said with an edge to her tone. “We don’t approve, but we talked to your granny and she seemed resigned to the fact.”

“You mean,
condemned
to the fact,” Chance muttered under his breath.

The ladies must have heard him; they all burst out laughing. With that the two women flanking Tessa and him appeared to relax, the aggression leaking out of them.

“You’re right about that,” Bree said. “Listen, we of all people know what it’s like to be forced into marriage.”

Chance jerked around to face her, puzzled at her admission. “How’s that?”

“Never mind that now,” she said, waving it aside. “Tessa can explain our situations later. The thing is, we want what’s best for Tessa.”

“We don’t want her to end up hurt,” Jewel piped up, causing him to swivel his head to look at her. The frosty glare spoke of retribution.

He glanced down at Tessa shrinking beside him and covering her face with her hand. “Oh, brother,” she mumbled.

A blast of anger shot through him and he lashed out. “Oh and you think her granny hasn’t been doing that to her all these years.” He looked from one to the other. “If you’re such good friends where the hell have you been? Why didn’t you help her?”

The air crackled, shooting sparks. Stunned silence reigned. Then he spotted the guilty expressions on both women’s faces.

Tessa broke through the growing tension, saying softly, “They’ve tried all along, Chance.”

“But not enough,” Jewel admitted.

“Especially lately.” Bree reached over and briefly squeezed Tessa’s clasped hands. “We’re sorry, honey. We’ve been so wrapped up in our own lives that…” she trailed off.

“It’s all right, really,” Tessa said. “Granny’s been a little better and I’ve been working a lot of hours, so it helps.”

Inwardly, Chance ached for her. No way was he going to let her suffer any more at the hands of her own grandmother.
Nor at mine.
He’d keep his promise to stop baiting old lady Warfield, even if he had to choke on it.

“All right, sunshine, we’ve got a deal, right? We’re a team.”

Turning to him, she gifted him with a radiant smile that had his middle doing flip-flops. Holding out her hand, she said, “Deal!”

Her warm tiny hand fit in his perfectly. Thrills raced through his veins at the feel of her flesh touching his. Her long fingers wrapped around his skin as well as his heart. Somehow he realized that this wasn’t going to be easy at all. Six months with her may very well unravel all his cleverly wrapped up feelings and emotions. A sliver of fear poked his gut, but he stayed focused on the way she glowed, happiness written in every feature.

“Stop looking goo-goo eyed, you two,” Jewel said, bringing Chance out of his reverie. “We’ve got a wedding to plan.”

“A wedding? But it’s just going to be something simple, right?” Chance looked at each one of their beaming faces and knew he couldn’t compete. He threw up his hand in defeat.

The muffled voices behind the double oak doors rose in volume, making Tessa cringe. Sitting on the floor in the small foyer, she leaned her head back against the sturdy barriers. The wreath of flowers atop her crown slipped and she quickly righted the drooping headpiece. The white satin and lace wedding gown rustled softly at her slight movements. Looking up at her two dearest friends, she asked, “You’d think two old women would know how to act in church, wouldn’t you?”

The pair, in their matching tea-length, rose silk dresses, shot her varying degrees of sympathy. Bree shifted her bouquet of pastel pink roses and baby’s breath from one hand to the other, saying, “Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry. I thought they’d have gotten it out of their systems this last week.”

Tessa blinked back tears. Sniffing, she said, “Hah! They’ve been going at it for most of their lives, or hadn’t you heard?”

“Don’t cry, Auntie Tessa,” Sydney, Bree’s little girl, said, squatting down to her level and placing the child-size basket filled with multi-colored flower petals by her side. Her favorite white tulle dress she wore spread around her and skimmed the floor. Her blonde hair shone like a halo in the stream of bright sunlight coming through the fanned window from behind her. And her big cobalt blue eyes looked at Tessa solemnly. “Grownups always act silly when they want their own way.”

Gasping, Tessa could only stare at her little flower girl. “Out of the mouths of babes, huh?” she asked Jewel, who’s increasing frown only proved the situation was getting completely out of hand.

Making up her mind, she shifted forward, kissed Sydney on the forehead and hugged her tight. The sweet scent of baby powder and green apple shampoo tickled her senses. Pulling away and cupping the precious child’s round face in her palms, she said, “Okay, kiddo, it’s time to stop this nonsense and get on with the wedding.”

With that she rose, bent down and gathered up the train of her wedding dress, and then flipped the excess material over her left arm. “You guys coming, or what?” she tossed over her shoulder as she grabbed ahold of the door handle and twisted hard. The loud click rent the air.

She didn’t wait for their answers or to see if they’d follow. Tessa threw open the door. The sight that greeted her should have stopped her cold. But it didn’t. In the center of the aisle near the altar, granny stood toe-to-toe with Chance’s grandmother. Tessa faltered in her steps as she realized in stunning disbelief the two wore the same dove gray suit with matching silk blouse and a creamy-white strand of pearls.

She blinked twice as the eerie resemblance struck her. Very little differed between the two women. Even their hand bags, the handle looped on a forearm, had to have been the same. Mrs. Deveraux’s silvery hair, wrapped in an elegant twist, made her seem the more sophisticated of the two. But granny’s expertly styled gathered curls in a bun gave her a more youthful appearance. Other than that their mutant facial expressions, stances, and height they were too similar.
Lord, they could be related.

Shaking her head to dislodge the impression of the strange sight, Tessa marched up the long aisle way. Her ballet slippers whispered across the red carpet as she grew closer.

“I can’t believe you’d say such a thing,” Mrs. Deveraux said, narrowing her gaze.

“I did say it and I’ll say it again.” Granny pointed her finger and glared at the other woman. “You’re a thief! What more are you going to steal from me? My granddaughter next? Is that what you’re after?”

“Now, why would I want the likes of her? It’s Chance that I’m trying to protect here.”

“How? By forcing them to live with you? Hah!”

With one last step, Tessa reached the two ladies. “That’s enough!”

Stunned silence followed as the older women snapped their heads around to stare open-mouthed and wide-eyed at her.

Her granny was the first to speak. “What did you say, young lady?”

Meeting the dark eyes bravely, Tessa raised her chin a notch. “I said, that’s enough. This is my wedding day and I won’t have either of you ruin it, do you understand?”

Her bottom lip quivered and she bit it to stop the trembling. Swinging her gaze to Mrs. Deveraux she faced her, looking her squarely in the eye. Hers were darker than granny’s, almost black, and filled with something akin to hate. Tessa gulped hard.

Repeating herself, she asked, “Do you understand?” A thread of steel edged her tone, surprising herself at how forceful she could be at times.

“Of course they do, sunshine,” Chance said, lazily rising from the steps where he sat. But there was a stiffness to him, as if he held onto his shimmering anger. Jerking her head to see him, she witnessed the message in the depths of his gray eyes. He’d had more than enough of the constant bickering.

In four long strides he reached them. Tessa took in everything about him. It looked as if he’d been born to wear his wedding attire; the suit fit him like a glove, all six feet of him. His rugged features should have been at odds with the crisp white shirt and formal wear. But somehow Chance pulled it off as he did with everything else he did.

The little tilt of his mouth made her middle dip and perform flip-flops. His heavy-lidded survey of her brought heat up her neck and into her cheeks. She felt the warmth of his caress with just that one look. Meeting her gaze once again, he winked. “Beautiful,” he murmured. Tiny thrills danced along her veins.

“Now, ladies,” he said, his whisky-husky voice soft and soothing. “There’s no need to hash this out, since it’s a foregone conclusion already.”

“Huh?” Tessa asked.

“Whatever do you mean, Chance?” his grandmother asked.

“Why, Gran, there’s no way in hell Tessa or I are going to live with either one of you.” The steely-hardness in his tone gave no leeway for discussion.

“We’re not?” Tessa hadn’t given the matter two seconds of her time since she’d accepted his proposal. Why, she’d had more important things to think of, like what it would be like to kiss him, hold him, and to make love to him.

He leaned close, and then tapped her gently on the nose. “Nope, we’ll get our own place and leave the two of them to declare war on each other from across the street.”

“Why, you can’t do that! I need Tessa to care for me. She’s all I have…” Granny clutched at her neckline.

His gaze turned to steel as he pinned granny with a look. “Get over it, Mrs. W. She can visit any time she wants, but, as far as sleeping, she’s doing that with me in
my
bed at
my
place. Got it?”

A collective gasp rose among Tessa and the two older women. Taken aback at his possessive declaration, she could only stare at him. When he met her gaze, her knees shook. Steel changed to liquid heat, blazing along her bloodstream. This time it was her heart that did flip-flops. With that one look she knew she’d never be safe ever again.

Quickly and efficiently, Chance took control of the situation. “Let’s get this show on the road. Gran, you sit over here.” He directed her to the left, seating her in the front row. Coming back, he said, “Mrs. W. you’re over here.” He guided her to her place in the right hand front row.

Tessa nearly giggled at the dumbfounded expressions on both women’s faces. When he returned to her, he winked and grinned. “Take charge. It works every time.”

“I’ll remember that one.”

He held out his crooked arm to her, saying, “Shall we?”

A few minutes later, with her friends surrounding her and their families in attendance, Reverend Duffy cleared his throat and began the ceremony. The usual jovial man snuck quick anxious looks at both pews where the elderly women sat.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Granny muttered none too softly.

Tessa glanced over her shoulder and caught the fire in granny’s eyes. “Uh oh,” she whispered to Chance, “looks like trouble is brewing.”

“Did you hear mine?” he asked, jerking his chin in his grandmother’s direction.

Shaking her head, she glanced up at him. Being this close, inhaling that outdoorsy scent of his, made her forget what she was going to say. Mesmerized by the width and breadth of his shoulders in the formal suit jacket, she sucked in her breath. Reluctantly, she yanked herself away from the sight of him and instead focused on the minister.

Reverend Duffy droned on while his balding head began to shine with perspiration. Digging in his front pocket, he extracted a red, checkered handkerchief and mopped up his brow.

“Who do you think you are calling me a thief, anyway?” Mrs. Deveraux asked rather loudly, her voice echoing in the high-ceilinged chambers.

Granny shot back, saying, “Because you are and he’s nothing but a no-good drunk.”

Beside her Tessa felt Chance stiffen. Sneaking a quick peek up at him, she watched the muscle along his clenched jaw jump. She reached for his balled up hand. At the touch of her, he relaxed his grip, and then laced his long, warm fingers through hers. Squeezing tight, she whispered out of the side of her mouth, “She’s just crabby today.”

“Better make that
always
,” he said with a hint of a smile in his voice. She looked up again. This time he caught and held her stare for a moment, and then winked. A fluttering sensation rippled through her middle.

“He’s the best mechanic on the whole East Coast, and don’t you forget it,” Mrs. Deveraux snapped out.

“Hah!” Granny snorted. “He’s a grease monkey!”

His grandmother’s loud gasp bounced off the church’s walls. “How dare you! Why, his first wife could run circles around your lap dog granddaughter.”