Tracie Peterson - [Desert Roses 01] (7 page)

Michaela chattered on and on as if she’d only been away a few hours instead of months. Alex felt the tension drain from her shoulders and neck as her friend entertained her with stories of her trip.

“I went to Niagara Falls,” Michaela said as she pulled on her black cotton stockings. “What a place. You wouldn’t believe it. It was simply marvelous. You have this lovely river that moves along quite rapidly. Pretty soon there are boulders and rocks and rapids, and then the water just seems to
disappear from sight and there it goes! Over the rocks and down to the river below. It was incredible.”

Alex laughed. “I can tell. You sound as though the trip did you a world of good. How is your family? Did you get a chance to visit with them in Boston?”

“We had a chance to argue and screech at each other,” Michaela replied, tying her shoes. “That’s as close to visiting as we get.”

Alex knew from past discussions that Michaela’s three older sisters, all married with children, had no understanding of their younger sister’s desire to be footloose and fancy-free. Her father, an elder in the church, felt that his daughter was committing a terrible sin by heading west to become a Harvey Girl. For years, the family hadn’t even spoken to Michaela. Only during the last year and a half had they finally come around to being civil.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Michaela said, standing up ready for work, “I’m glad we had some time together. I got to see my nieces and nephews, and my mother was actually quite interested in what I do here and what the canyon looked like.”

“That’s a real change,” Alex commented. “But I’m ready to get back in the saddle, so to speak,” her friend replied. “I’m glad you didn’t rent out the room.”

Alex laughed. She’d told Mrs. Godfrey from the very start of Michaela’s vacation that she hated the idea of rooming with anyone else. Mrs. Godfrey had been good to put the replacement girls elsewhere. It had worked out that Alex had kept the room to herself, a sort of perk for being Mrs. Godfrey’s top waitress.

“No one else would want to room with me,” Alex said laughing. “That’s the only reason the room is empty.”

“I can bet there’s one poor cowboy who’d like to share your room,” Michaela teased.

“What are you talking about?”

“Luke Toland,” Michaela replied. “He’s been sweet on you for years. Is he still here?”

“Yes, he’s still here, but we’re just good friends. You know that.”

Michaela shrugged and headed out the door. “You may be just good friends, but I’m thinking Luke would like to be more than friends.”

Alex shook her head and pulled the door closed behind her. “If Luke felt that way, he’d just tell me.”

Harvey Girls always had more chores than just serving the customers, and one of the chores Alex enjoyed the most was polishing the silver. She usually found a quiet corner and went to work without interruption. Here, she could take time to think through her problems and spend time in prayer.

Rubbing the cloth against a large silver serving tray, Alex tried not to be overcome by her father’s infidelity and her mother’s misery. She couldn’t fix this problem or make it go away, and knowing that made it all that much harder to deal with.

“You look lonely.”

Alex looked up in annoyance. Joel Harper had sought her out in her moment of solitude.

“I assure you, I’m not,” she answered with a smile. “Miss Keegan, I get the distinct impression that you’re avoiding me.”

“How could that be, Mr. Harper? I’m in your company each and every day.”

“Yes, but you won’t come away with me so that I might get to know you better.”

Alex put down the polishing cloth momentarily. “I’m sure my father has told you all about me. Let that suffice. Now, if you’ll excuse me . . .”

“But I can’t do that,” Joel said, reaching out to take hold of her gloved hand. “Come walk with me.”

“Now I’m the one who must refuse. I have duties to perform and in a few short hours I will be serving your party
in the private dining room. So you see, there is no time for such distractions.”

Joel eyed her seriously for a moment, then let go of her. “I’m sorry for the way your father has treated you.”

Alex wasn’t expecting this change of topic. She wasn’t about to let Joel Harper quiz her on the intimate details of her life. “I’m sorry about it too.” She took up the polishing cloth and went back to work on the tray.

“I know he’s hurt you greatly.” His voice was smooth and low; his manner was all charm and concern.

“It’s not my feelings I’m concerned with, Mr. Harper. It’s my mother.” Alex didn’t know why she’d shared that bit of information. Now the man would no doubt take her comment as an invitation to discuss the matter more thoroughly.

“I’ve been concerned for her—the senator has too. In fact, he had me wire her a dozen roses with his compliments.”

“How kind.”

“You say that like you don’t believe me.”

Alex sighed. “I believe you, Mr. Harper. I simply do not trust you, nor do I care.”

“How can you be so heartless and cold? Your father told me you fancied yourself a Christian woman.”

Guilty as charged
, Alex thought. “Mr. Harper . . .”

“Please call me Joel.”

“That would be inappropriate. You are a guest in this hotel and I am a staff member. I would be reprimanded by my superiors if I were to call you by your first name.”

“I won’t tell a soul,” Joel teased.

“Mr. Harper, I’m sorry that my demeanor appears heartless and cold. I hold certain values dear, and among those are my beliefs in Christianity. My father, however, does not hold such beliefs and in fact mocks me at every turn. To trust someone in his company is difficult, especially when you’ve proven that your values are no different than his.”

“How so?” he asked, moving closer.

Alex turned the tray over to continue her work. “You are
engaged to Miss Winthrop, are you not? Yet you pursue me. How is that?”

“Val and I are very progressive. Surely you’ve noticed the turn of the world toward more liberty and freedom between men and women. It’s no longer the 1800s, Miss Keegan. We needn’t surround ourselves with outdated values and restrictions. Women have the vote and may make their choices. Val is exercising her rights, as am I. We may be promised to each other, but it doesn’t mean we can’t entertain ourselves for the moment.”

“So you want to entertain yourself with me? Is that it?” Alex asked.

“Of course. You’re a beautiful woman with an amazing charm. I’d find it a sheer delight to spend time with you. And I believe you’d feel the same in regard to me.”

Alex finished polishing the tray and got to her feet. Clutching the heavy silver close, she shook her head. “I find you rather despicable and quite undesirable. You are no different than my father or any other man, for that matter.”

Joel stood and reached out to take hold of Alex. The action surprised her—so much so that she froze in place.

“You don’t know me well enough to call me undesirable. I think once you’ve tasted of my charms, you’ll be glad for my company.” Without warning he pulled her against him in a steel-like embrace. He held her head tight and kissed her hard. As he attempted to deepen the kiss, Alex dropped the silver tray on his highly polished shoes.

Joel let out a yell as he jumped away from Alex. “You did that on purpose.”

Alex narrowed her eyes. “Just as you did. I would advise you to never attempt that again. I don’t appreciate being manhandled, and I certainly have no interest in a man who would force himself upon a woman.”

She took that moment to hurry away, barely stopping long enough to retrieve the tray. She hoped the heavy silver had broken his foot.

Joel watched Alexandria Keegan flee his presence, even as fiery pain shot up his leg. “Devil woman!” he muttered.

Limping out of the hotel, Joel glanced at his watch. He’d nearly let the time get away from him. He had a meeting in less than ten minutes.

Hurrying down the path as best he could, Joel pushed Alex from his mind. He’d deal with her later, for now he had plans to arrange. There was nothing and no one he would let come between himself and success. Right now his success depended on seeing Winston Winthrop in the White House.

Spying his man ahead, Joel slowed his pace. The man pushed his hat back and nodded as Joel approached.

“What’s the news?”

“He’s going to be heading to San Francisco and plans to stay at the Palace Hotel. I have a friend who works there. I can get in . . . no problem.”

“Good,” Joel said, trying to organize his thoughts. “The sooner we eliminate the competition, the better.”

“It shouldn’t be all that hard. I’ll send you a wire when it’s done.”

“No! No further contact.” Joel reached into his coat, glancing around him as he did. “Drop your hat.”

“What?”

“Just do it. Drop your hat on the ground and I’ll pick it up.”

The man did as Joel instructed and watched in confusion as Joel bent to retrieve it. “This is the second third of your payment. The last third will be wired to your account upon my hearing the news. The papers will cover it, and that will let me know without any threat of our being discovered. There can be nothing—understand me—nothing that links us together.”

The man nodded. “I know that.”

Joel slipped the envelope into the hat and handed the hat back to him. “If I need you again, I’ll know where to find you.”

The man slipped the envelope from the hat and into his pocket. “Yeah, sure. I’ll be around.”

Joel watched him walk away as if bored with the entire affair. Hired assassins always seemed so easily distracted when killing wasn’t the actual focus of their actions.

Glancing back toward El Tovar, Joel smiled. With any luck at all, he’d have Winthrop at the forefront of the race for president by the end of the week. And with that accomplished, he could turn his attention to more pleasurable things.

Alex’s image came to mind. Perhaps he’d handled her all wrong. Perhaps there was another way to get to her. She’d obviously do anything for her mother. Maybe that was the way to a woman’s heart.

Alex ignored Joel’s knowing glances as she served braised duck on fine china. Risotto and buttered asparagus rounded out the entrée, and the aroma was simply heaven. Alex worried her stomach’s rumblings of protest could be heard as she worked the room. She hadn’t eaten supper after her upsetting scene with Joel Harper and now she regretted her decision.

The minutes ticked by amidst discussions of Washington, D.C.’s political arena. Alex listened as her father made suggestions for how he might benefit the senator. It was disgusting the way he played the room.

“I can offer a great deal to the right man,” her father droned on. “I have resources to benefit the party, that will in turn benefit me.”

Alex saw the men nod knowingly as if her father had spoken some great truth.

Valerie Winthrop, dressed in a gown of silver and blue, was the only female, other than Alex, present. Alex had a feeling this was probably the way things usually were laid out, whether at the Grand Canyon or elsewhere. Miss Winthrop liked being the belle of the ball and tonight was no exception. She wore her bobbed hair slicked back under a headband of
rhinestones. At least Alex presumed they were rhinestones. For all she knew, they could be real jewels. Miss Winthrop certainly wore an abundance of those, as well. Tonight her throat dripped with diamonds and emeralds and her ears were sparkling with smaller settings of the same. The glittering of her rhinestone-encrusted spaghetti straps and neckline reflected with the other stones off the highly polished paneling of the private dining room.