Catch of a Lifetime: A Cricket Creek Novel (7 page)

Ty shook his head firmly. “I’m staying out of it.”

“Are you seriously going to let your pride get in the way of doing the right thing?” He angled his head toward the buffet table. “Look. He’s all over her.”

“She can take care of herself.”

“Ty, she’s out of her element.”

Ty reluctantly glanced in Jessica’s direction and then gritted his teeth when Lannigan suggestively slid his hand up Jessica’s arm. “You’re right. This is bullshit.”

“It’s about damned time,” Noah agreed with a firm nod.

“I hope I don’t regret this,” he muttered, but he scooted his chair back and made a beeline for the buffet before he knew exactly what he was going to do once he got there. A big dose of jealousy swirled around with his need to protect Jessica, and for the first time in a long while, Ty felt unsure of how to handle himself.

When Jessica looked up at him, he pretended to be interested in the food and reached for a plate. “Excuse me,” Ty said, making Lannigan have to step away from the table so that he could stand closer to Jessica. “I’d like to have some of the, uh, spinach dip.”
Damn
. He didn’t like spinach dip. . . .

“Sure, Mr. McKenna,” Lannigan said, making Ty feel like an old geezer. When a slow song came on, Lannigan turned to Jessica. “You wanna dance, birthday babe?”

The seductive Sinatra ballad had Ty gritting his teeth again. “Actually, Jessica, I need to talk to you.”

“May I ask about what?” Jessica looked at him with a slight frown.

Think fast.
“Um, it’s a business situation.”

“Does it have to be now?” Her eyebrows shot up.

“It’s a pretty pressing matter. Lannigan, do you mind?” Ty asked, but gave him a level look that suggested he had better not mind.

“No, sure, Mr. McKenna,” Logan replied. But then he leaned in close to Jessica’s ear and continued loud enough for Ty to hear, “Save the next slow one for me. Okay, baby?”

“No problem,” Jessica replied, but her smile faded when she turned to Ty. “So what’s this urgent business matter you need to speak with me about?”

Ty cupped his hand over her elbow. “Let’s get some fresh air and I’ll explain.”

Jessica hesitated, but then nodded. “All right.”

“Thanks. I won’t keep you long.” Ty put his hand on the small of her back and led her outside to the patio overlooking a bend in the river visible through the budding trees. Pete had yet to set the tables up for his summer beer garden, so they were the only two out there. “Too cold?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, but then leaned her hip against the railing and looked at him expectantly. She appeared so lovely in the light of the moon that he wanted to gather her into his arms and kiss her. “So, what’s up?”

“I was rescuing you,” he said, deciding to go for the direct approach.

“Rescuing me?” She tilted her head, making her ponytail slip over her shoulder. Ty wanted to reach out and touch it. “From what?”

Although Ty got the distinct impression this wasn’t going to go well, he was invested and continued. “From Logan Lannigan.”

“So . . .” She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. Not a good sign. “You thought I needed to be rescued from Logan?”

“I thought you might have been tired of him pawing all over you. Come on, Jessica. He was after one thing and it wasn’t birthday cake.”

“Really?” She tilted her head farther. “And what might that be?”

“Every young dude’s dream. To score with a beautiful, mature woman.”

“Mature?” She drew out the word.

Oh, boy . . .
“You know, that whole cougar thing.” His smile felt more like a wince. “Hey, I did say
beautiful
.”

“For a woman my age.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Jessica sucked in her bottom lip as if in thought, and Ty braced himself for the missile she was sure to fire. “So, it’s
perfectly acceptable for
you
to have a sweet young thing on
your
arm, but the reverse isn’t okay for me?”

Oh, this was going to hell in a handbasket at warp speed. He was going to kick Noah’s ass all the way into next week for talking him into this big mess. “Look, I didn’t want him to take advantage of you.”

“I am forty years old.
Mature.
I am beyond being taken advantage of.”

Ty cleared his throat. “Granted, but it must be flattering and—” He stopped at her quick intake of breath.

“Flattering?” Her usual sultry tone became higher pitched. “You have a lot of nerve,” she ground out, and turned on her heel. But he stopped her with a gentle grip around her arm.

“Wait, you’re taking this all wrong. I was simply looking out for your best interest.”

“Really? You weren’t paying much attention to me until Logan showed up. I guess it’s all about the chase, huh? Once a player, always a player, and I’m the only game in this town.”

“Fine. Think whatever you want of me. I don’t care,” he lied. “But, Jessica, he’s doing his damnedest to try to get you into bed,” he stated bluntly.

“So?” Jessica recklessly tossed back. “Again, what concern is that of yours?”

I care about you.

He wanted to say it, but he had spent so many years avoiding such sentiments that the words died on his lips. As his heart pounded and he felt both anger and confusion, it hit him that this damned drama was another reason he avoided relationships at all costs. “You’re right,” he said tightly. “It’s not my concern.”

“Exactly.” Her chin came up, but those amber eyes got to him. He felt unwanted emotion stab at his gut, and he longed to pull her into his arms and hold her tightly. “In fact, I owe him a dance.”

“Fine,” Ty responded curtly. He dropped his hand and stepped back, but when she turned to go once more, his heart overruled his brain and his arm shot out. He pulled her closer.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded hotly, but the slight quaver in her voice gave her away. He gazed at that perfect mouth that had been driving him crazy for weeks. She wore barely there nude gloss that made her lips appear moist and kissable.

“Do you have your phone on you?”

She swallowed and nodded.

“Give it to me.”

“Why?” After stepping back, she reached in her pocket and handed it to him. “Do you need to make a call?”

“No, I’m punching my number in for you,” he replied, and after doing so, he gave it back to her. “If Lannigan gets out of line, just give me a call and I’ll kick his ass.” He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Or anybody else’s, for that matter,” he added gruffly.

“It’s not your business or your concern. Remember?” There went her chin again, but her voice had turned soft, yielding.

“I’m making it my concern.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her full bottom lip. “Call me if you need me. Okay?” He wanted to kiss her so badly that he ached with need, but when she finally nodded, he dropped his hand.

“Evidently, Madison has another surprise up her sleeve. I should get back in there.” A heartbeat of silence went by while neither of them moved.

Kiss her!
He inched closer and her eyes widened a fraction, and he stopped just short of drawing her into his arms. “Okay, but remember what I said,” he reminded, surprised when she nodded instead of giving a short retort back.

“I will,” she replied softly. And when she turned away, Ty felt such a sense of loss that he almost reached for her again. He shoved his hands in his pockets instead. He
watched her walk away, but she paused at the door, and when she looked over her shoulder, his damned heart lurched in his chest. “Oh, and, Ty?”

“Yeah?”

“That whole caveman thing about kicking somebody’s ass on my behalf?”

“Yeah?” he asked again, but with uncertainty. She was going to slam him for sure. He swallowed and braced himself.

“It was hot.”

Ty’s jaw dropped, and he watched her open the door with a quick
whoosh
. “Well, damn,” he murmured, and then stood there blinking like an idiot. “That was unexpected.” After a moment, he leaned against the railing and then smiled while shaking his head slowly. Jessica Robinson had him so tied in knots that he didn’t know what the hell to think.

Ty stood there and let the cool breeze clear his head. He couldn’t believe he had the nerve to stick his nose in and say the things he had just said to Jessica. Where she was concerned, his good sense took a flying leap out the window. But the thought of a young hotshot like Logan Lannigan taking advantage of her set his teeth on edge. Baseball and babes were all players Logan’s age thought about. He should know; he had seen enough of it.

But her comments hit home. He must have really looked like a jackass to her, coming into Chicago Blue with a different woman on his arm each time, most of them several years younger than he. His past was over, but would Jessica ever believe it?

Hearing the music thumping through the windows reminded him that Jessica had been going inside to dance with Lannigan, and Ty didn’t know how he would handle seeing her swaying in the young man’s arms. This jealousy thing was new territory for him, and it got his blood pumping. Should he beat Lannigan to the punch and ask Jessica
to dance first? Cut in? Ask someone else in an effort to make her jealous? Would she even get jealous? He shook his head, unable to decide, and then chuckled softly. “Wow. Noah was right. I’ve got it bad for her.” Instead of the usual urge to retreat, Ty wanted to get closer, and not just physically. He really enjoyed talking to her about food when he ate at Wine and Diner. He loved the passion in her voice, because he understood. Baseball was like that for him—it was his world. But for the first time, he longed for something more in his life than just baseball.

With that in mind, he decided to go for it and snag Jessica for a dance before Lannigan got the chance. But just when he headed across the deck, he heard a car door slam, followed by a hot curse from a cool female voice. “Gravel parking lot? Are you kidding me?” she grumbled, and then leaned over and shook a rock from her shoe.

Ty halted in his tracks.
Wait. Don’t I know that voice?
He walked over and looked around the corner of the building into the parking lot and nodded. “Arabella Diamante . . . ,” he murmured when he spotted the young hostess from Chicago Blue Bistro. The little spitfire kept first and second seating running with smooth efficiency—no easy task in the popular, posh restaurant. Lucky for him, Bella loved baseball and always hooked him up with a good table. Ty grinned, remembering that Bella could be hell on wheels and didn’t take any guff from anyone, no matter who. Giving her attitude was sure to get you a seat next to the kitchen. He heard her curse again and chuckled. “Oh, boy. I do believe the extra surprise has arrived.”

B
ella bent over and groaned when another pesky pebble slipped inside her peekaboo, studded sling-back sandal. When she shook the pebble out, her hair fell across her face. “Whoa!” She managed to lose her balance, landing her bare foot on a sharp rock. “Ouch! Damn!” She dropped the decorative pink bag holding Jessica’s birthday gift and glared down at the gray gravel as if it were to blame for all of the problems leading up to this very moment in her twenty-five years of life.

“Stupid rocks!” She blinked back hot tears and then tried to get her sorry-ass self under control. “Okay.
O-kay
. Just chill!” She swallowed hard. After all, the first twenty-four years were pretty darned good. It was only the past few months that had sucked, especially this past week.

Bella slipped her sandal back on, picked up her present once more, and flipped her hair over her shoulder. But instead of walking over to the front door, she stood there and contemplated getting into her Lexus and leaving. She glanced left and right without moving her head, not wanting anyone who might happen to be watching to think she was passing judgment, but come on. . . . Except for a sleek silver Audi, a white van with
grammar’s bakery
painted
on the side, and a shiny red corvette, the rest of the parking lot was pretty much filled with pickup trucks and motorcycles. Not exactly her kind of place.

Bella looked down at her now-dusty sandals and sighed.

When Madison had said
casual attire
, Bella had chosen the plain black sheath and added a deep red shrug for a pop of color. The studded sling-backs added a bit of a funky flair and height to her mere five-foot-three-inch stature. By looking at the neon Budweiser beer sign, Bella guessed that she was way over-the-top for Sully’s Tavern, but she was already late, so digging through her suitcase for jeans wasn’t an option.

“Damn,” she grumbled, and swallowed hard. She was clearly overdressed and out of her element. It wasn’t that she was intimidated or scared. Bella was pretty much fearless when it came to handling herself, and even when she was afraid, she could put on a pretty good show of pretending otherwise. But she was tired from the five-hour drive from Chicago that had turned into more than six, due to getting lost twice, even with the GPS her mother had forced her to use. Ironically, it was her mother’s fault for calling her every single hour to ask how she was doing, causing her to miss a turn twice, causing the snooty, know-it-all GPS voice to implore, “If possible, make a legal U-turn.”

Oh, and how was she doing?

Well, she was doing crappy!

Discovering her sous-chef boyfriend was cheating right under her nose with a waitress at Chicago Blue had resulted in a dessert-tray food fight that had gotten Bella fired. Not that she cared. A cherry tart smashed in the face of her cheating ex held a certain amount of satisfying irony. Plus, the nut-job head chef who replaced Jessica Robinson had turned the menu into an overpriced, pretentious hot mess that created a very real hell’s kitchen. They could have seriously been a reality show. Oh, and since she lived with Dastardly Ex-boyfriend David, she was now officially jobless and homeless. Wasn’t that just peachy?

“Fun times,” Bella muttered under her breath while staring at the front door of Sully’s Tavern. Her mother, who’d never liked David anyway, said this was the perfect opportunity for Bella to use her marketing degree to help her mother take her online jewelry business, Designs by Diamante, to the next level and open a real brick-and-mortar store, but Bella was afraid that in this tough economy, the timing might be off.