Real Men Don't Break Hearts (11 page)

“Not long to go now.” Seth glanced up as Nate entered. “See? I’ve made it this time.”

With an effort, Nate kept his irritation in check. “Look, I just came by to tell you something’s come up. It’s an emergency. I won’t be able to stay for the ceremony.”

“What emergency?”

There was no way Nate was going to tell Seth what had just happened in the marquee. He drew closer and lowered his voice. “Do you really need me at this wedding? You’re here, Paige is here, your best man is here. You don’t need me. You don’t need anyone except Paige and the minister.”

“You’re bailing on me? At the last minute? Man, that really blows.”

Oh yeah? Well, now you know what it feels like
. The retort rose temptingly to Nate’s lips. Seth was so wrapped up in himself he couldn’t even recognize the irony of the situation. Couldn’t even appreciate that at least Nate was telling him in person instead of just quitting the wedding. Over the years Seth had matured, but in many ways he was still just a selfish little boy. Maybe marrying Paige would make a man out of him.

Nate lifted his hand. “Good luck with the wedding. Don’t get too drunk.”

Ignoring the gaping stares from Seth and his best man, Nate turned on his heel and strode off.

…

Ally cast an apprehensive glance at Nate as they pulled up outside Jess’s house. Nate had followed her back to the florist shop, where she’d returned the van, and then they’d driven to Jess’s place in his pickup. In his formal pearl-gray suit with matching silk tie and polished shoes, he made her feel sloppy, what with her green-stained T-shirt, work-worn sneakers, and grubby hands, but she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have with her right at this moment.

“I have to warn you about my grandmother,” she said when he’d switched off the engine. “She’s never approved of you, so she might be a little cool.”

“I’m used to that. My neighbor, Mrs. Bennett, is quite the charmer herself.”

As she’d predicted, Nana greeted Nate with a frosty stare. Her good manners forced her to show him in, but her pursed lips and reproving posture said it all.

“Any word from Brian?” Ally asked as soon as they were inside.

“He rang to say the obstetrician’s arrived, but no word since. I don’t expect he’ll call for another hour or so.”

“You must be exhausted, looking after the twins on your own all this time. Why don’t you go lie down?”

“I’m not that tired.” But her pouched, red-rimmed eyes belied her statement even as she shot another glare in Nate’s direction.

Ally turned to Nate. “Um, why don’t you go through to the family room out the back? I’ll be with you in a moment.”

As soon as they were alone, Nana hissed at Ally, “I can’t believe you’ve brought Nate Hardy here. You of all people know what a piece of work he is.”

Ally shushed her grandma. “He’s changed, Nana. He’s not like that anymore.” Craning her neck, she caught a glimpse of Nate in the family room just down the hall. He’d taken off his jacket and had hunkered down to greet the twins who were playing with their Legos on the carpet. He looked a little awkward as he chatted to the boys. She didn’t imagine he had much experience with children, but he was trying more than she’d expected. It was kind of endearing.

“Oh, my goodness. Don’t tell me you’re getting involved with him!” Nana exploded in a furious whisper.

“Don’t be silly. Nate’s not my type, and I’m not his.”

“Any woman’s his type. And I don’t like the way you were looking at him just then.”

“Nate is going to be my landlord. He and I are…friends, just friends.”

Just
friends? Okay, she’d be lying if she said her feelings for Nate were entirely platonic, and Nate had made it clear his intentions were more than just friendly, but she wasn’t going to tell her grandma that.

“Hmpf.” Still frowning, Nana did up the buttons of her cardigan. “I don’t know what’s come over you lately, Ally. First you turn the gift shop upside down, then you run out on your date with that nice Paul fellow, and now you’re gallivanting around with Nate Hardy.”

Gallivanting? She wished she were. Gallivanting had a carefree, pleasurable sound to it.

“Nate is just here to keep me company, nothing more.”

“And what am I? Chopped liver?”

Ally sighed. “Nana…”

Her grandmother sighed, too. “Oh, I know. I’m being a grumpy old crosspatch. I have to admit the twins have run me ragged. Perhaps I will have a quick cat nap.”

“You do that. I’ll let you know as soon as Brian calls.”

Nana walked toward the spare bedroom, tossing over her shoulder, “And remember, I’m a light sleeper, so you’d better not get up to anything out there.”

“Nana!”

“I’m just saying…”

Ally shook her head. She walked into the family room where the twins were crowing at the towering stack of Legos they’d built with Nate’s help.

“Hey.” Nate leaned back on his heels and grinned at her. “Everything okay back there?”

“Oh, sure.” At his smile her insides turned to marshmallow. Even though she told herself she was just following in the footsteps of countless other women, she couldn’t help herself. Nate at his charming best was irresistible, and today she wanted to give in and bask in the warmth of his smile.

“Mum…” Ethan, the older twin, glanced about the room, an anxious frown pleating his forehead. “Mum-ma…” he wailed, plopping himself down on the floor. “Ma…” Right on cue, his brother, Danny, stuck a fist into his mouth and started wailing, too.

“They like to cry in stereo,” Ally explained to Nate as she scooped Ethan up, sat on the floor with him, and began to rock the little boy.

Nate leaned toward Danny. “Uh, hey, little fella. Your mum’s going to be back soon.” He tentatively lifted the blubbering boy. For a moment Nate seemed at a loss what to do next before he started making comical faces at Danny.

Ally smothered a giggle. Danny stopped crying to stare wide-eyed at Nate, one finger in his mouth, before he withdrew his finger and wiped it down Nate’s cheek. “Gargh!”

“Oh, boy,” Nate said.

Ally winced. “I’m sorry. It’s a very tactile age. I’m sure he doesn’t have too many germs.”

“It’s fine— Oh, thank you,” Nate said to Danny as the boy offered him a mushy piece of banana. He pretended to eat it, making loud munching noises. “Yum-yum.”

Danny chortled, and Ethan toddled toward Nate.

“You’re a big hit,” Ally said.

“I’m just a novelty.” He beckoned toward Ethan and sat him on one knee while Danny clung to the other, banana still clutched in his small fist.

“Your beautiful suit.” Ally groaned as she noticed the banana smear on his trousers.

“Will you quit worrying? I wouldn’t have offered to come here with you if I wasn’t prepared to get a little grubby.”

Ethan decided to go back to Ally, and Danny followed suit. “Come here, you little monkeys.” She rolled around on the carpet with them, blowing raspberries on their stomachs, and soon her jeans were also smeared with banana pulp. “They’re exhausting,” she panted after the boys had tired of the game and toddled off to the box of toys on the other side of the room. She pushed herself up to lean against the couch. “But wonderful. Jess is so lucky to have these two.” She exhaled a long breath.

“I’m sure she’s going to be fine. Whatever the outcome.”

Ally shot him a curious look. “I wonder what she’d say if she knew you were sitting in her house.” Jess and Nate had been classmates, but that was where the similarities ended.

He uttered a deprecating laugh. “Yeah, she’d be surprised. But it’s nice that you and she are so close.”

“Jess has always seemed more than four years older than me, especially after our parents died. I suppose she felt a big responsibility toward me, and I needed the support. Sometimes she was more like a mother than a sister. It’s only recently that the gap’s closed a little, although she still can’t help herself sometimes.”

He nodded. “Relationships change as you get older.”

“Mm, don’t I know it. My best friend from high school lives far away now. It sounds silly, but I used to imagine the two of us being maids of honor at each other’s weddings, and then having children together and meeting down at the park every morning.”

“It doesn’t sound silly. I can just imagine you with a brood of children running around.”

Her cheeks warmed. “You think so?”

“I know so.” He gazed at her steadily. “You want to be a mother, don’t you?”

She pushed the curls away from her moist brow, unnerved by his scrutiny. She could have feigned indifference but chose not to. “Yes, I do. But it’s not something I necessarily want to advertise. Tends to frighten men away.”

“You think?”

“It doesn’t frighten you?”

“Nope. Any sane woman would know I’m not father material.” He looked at her as if they were alone in the room. His gaze felt like warm chocolate as it slid over her, lingering on her cheeks, her mouth, before flowing slowly south. She shifted as an answering warmth licked her veins, tingling every nerve ending. “You’ll have to try harder to put me off.”

She attempted a deprecating snort. “Oh, so you think I won’t be able to resist you despite knowing all the pitfalls?”

His smile grew sensual. “Well, I didn’t want to say anything, but I’m still picking up the same vibes from you.”

It wasn’t fair how dashingly handsome he was. She lifted a Lego piece and flicked it at him, trying to suppress a smile. “You’re impossible. You don’t know when to stop.”

“Oof,” he mock groaned as the plastic piece hit him in the chest. He massaged his sternum. “I’m deeply wounded.”

“You’ll survive. You always do.”

“Perhaps, but you’ll never know the scars I carry inside.”

Despite his flippant smile, something in his tone made her sit forward. “Seems to me you know a few of my scars,” she said, “but I know precious little about yours.”

“Women.” He shook his head. “Why do you like turning an ordinary conversation into the
Oprah Winfrey Show
?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I like knowing what makes a person tick?”

“Cogs and gears, sweetheart. That’s all you’d find if you opened me up.”

She caught her breath, her heart tripping over at the casual endearment he’d dropped in the middle of his answer. He was just being facetious, she told herself. “You’re not a machine,” she said. “Your actions are rooted in motivations. For instance, why do you think you were such a troublemaker when you were young?”

“Well jeez, you don’t have to be Freud to work that one out. Because my stepfather was a shithead who never lost a chance to belt the crap out of me, that’s why.”

Even as she glanced to check the twins were out of earshot, her insides contracted at his caustic tone. She remembered the rumors about Nate’s stepfather, but she hadn’t realized how true they were. Nate’s rock-like jaw made her flinch inside, but she couldn’t retreat, not now she’d unexpectedly breached his armor. “But what about your mother? Did she stand by and let your stepfather abuse you?” It seemed appalling to voice the question, but she really needed to know.

He picked up a yellow plastic figurine and spun it between his fingers. “My mother wasn’t interested in much. As long as she had her vodka bottle within reach, that’s all she cared about.” His voice was devoid of any emotion. No anger, bitterness, or even sadness, as if he were just stating a fact.
The Earth is round. My mother was an alcoholic
.

“I’m so sorry, Nate. I didn’t know about your mother.”

“Don’t waste your sympathies on me. I cut loose on her when I was fourteen. Went to live with Robbie.”

Ally couldn’t help grimacing. Robbie Hardy had been a notorious womanizer. She remembered all the whispering among her grandmother’s friends, the gossip drying up when she entered the room, as if she were too young and pure to have her ears sullied by tales of Robbie’s sexploits. She couldn’t imagine what kind of role model he’d been for Nate, but at least he’d given Nate a home. She admired him for that.

“Robbie was hopeless at disciplining me.” Nate stretched his legs, his face relaxing. “He didn’t make me do chores or set a curfew or put any limits on me. He let me drink beer, drive unlicensed, stay out all night.”

“So how did you go from that to financial whiz in just a few years?”

“I went a step too far. I took the principal’s car for a joyride and ended up in a ditch. He hauled in Robbie and me, said it was my last chance or he was going to expel me and press charges. I was all for quitting school and joining Robbie’s business, but he didn’t think that was a good idea.” Nate rubbed his chin, his expression rueful. “He sided with the principal. Agreed that he would make me go to school every day until I graduated. No excuses, no exceptions. And boy, did he make me stick to the rule.”

“That was a good one. If he hadn’t made you finish school, I guess you wouldn’t have gotten into finance.”

“Mmm. I didn’t study much, but I was a bit of a freak at math.”

“You must miss your brother a lot,” she said softly.

His eyelids dropped, veiling his expression. He played with the plastic figurine in his hands, glanced at the twins, looked everywhere but at her. “Yeah…”

Had she said the wrong thing? She didn’t understand it. He’d spoken so freely about Robbie just a minute ago. Why was he withdrawing now?

“You know, you really could give Oprah a run for her money. You’re not half bad at making a guy open up against his best intentions.” His casual tone didn’t fool her—his barriers had gone up. Not surprising, given his wretched childhood with his abusive stepfather and alcoholic mother. If only he hadn’t shut her out so quickly. For the first time, she felt she was getting to know the Nate few people—maybe no one—saw. He’d spoken about his brother with a mixture of affection and misgiving, and she wished he hadn’t clammed up.

The phone rang and Ally jumped to her feet. As she snatched up the receiver, Nana came hurrying in from the bedroom. Brian’s voice crackled over the line, but for a few seconds her brain couldn’t process his words properly.

“I—I’m sorry, Brian, can you repeat that, please?”

Nana stood in front of her, her face wrinkled with concern. Ally sensed Nate come and stand behind her, and his presence was like a fleecy blanket around her, warming the frozen cogs of her brain. She took in Brian’s news and eventually put down the phone.