Causing Havoc (9 page)

Lorna said,
"Do not—"

"Too late." With al the poise of a woman facing the gal ows, Cam straightened and turned toward Dean. "I didn't plan to do this right now, but there's no time like the present, and I'm tired of dreading it." She stared right at him and said, "We're probably going to have to sel the house."

Detesting al the theatrics, Dean narrowed his eyes at her. "Yeah, so?" He agreed with Lorna: It had nothing to do with him. Unless ... did she expect him to bail her out? Had she invited him here to take

care of her financial woes? Like hel .

"So it's part yours."

An eerie dread crawled up his spine. "How do you figure that?"

Jacki laughed. "This is great." When Dean glanced at her, she laughed some more. "Hate to tel you, Cam, but he's not only untouched by the gesture, he almost looks offended."

Touched? What was there to be touched about? More annoyed by the second, Dean said, "Forget

it. I've got my own house. Make that plural:
houses.
I don't want or need yours."

Impressed, Jacki asked, "You've got property? Cool. Where at?"

Before he could answer, Lorna huffed.

Cam sent her an evil look that silenced her. She turned back to Dean. "Whether you need the house

or not isn't the point. It's as much yours as it is ours. One third of the monetary value belongs to you.

The thing is, there's not any equity in it."

Dean didn't want anything from her, but the businessman in him had to know. "Why's that?"

She cleared her throat. "It had to be used to keep us afloat. I'm afraid that, even after the sale, I won't be able to give you your share of the house's value."

Teeth locked, Dean said, "I wouldn't have taken a dime anyway."

"So you said." Cam's fleeting smile went flat. "Stil , it didn't seem right to even consider sel ing it without contacting you first. Legal y and moral y, it's your inheritance, too."

Dean started to speak, but she quickly cut him off.

"
However,
I now realize that.you don't want anything from the sale." She reached out to touch his forearm. "I'l accept that—for now. But that stil leaves some memorabilia. Perhaps something of

sentimental value that you'd like? I've decided, and Jacki agreed with me—"

Jacki laughed. "Like I had a choice."

Ignoring her, Cam continued, "—that you should have anything from the house that you want."

Dean closed his eyes. God. this was getting worse and worse. He could feel the cut of Lorna's

glare. Her dislike of him was almost as strong as Cam's warped need for justice.

He had no intention of accepting a single thing from the house—but he wasn't quite heartless

enough to tel Cam that.

"Not that there's much," Jacki suddenly pointed out. "Some of mom's jewelry. Dad's coin col ection.

A bedroom set. Some knickknacks." She shrugged. "Anything real y valuable is already gone."

Lorna slammed down her napkin. "It's obscene that you're airing our private business to him."

Oh, he understood Lorna's objections. Because somewhere along the way, she'd squandered a lot

of money. Dean couldn't put the responsibility of fucked finances on Cam or Jacki. He doubted they

even knew how much had been left to Lorna for their care.

Certainly there'd been enough to send both his sisters through col ege. Had Lorna blown it al ? And if

so, on what?

Fed up with the intrigue of it al , Dean waved the table to silence. "Business can wait. Are we ready to order? I'm starved." He raised his hand for a waiter, who hurried to the table. "Lorna, would you like to start?"

CAM watched Dean devour his food. The awful silence at the table didn't bother his appetite at al .

Whereas he'd already eaten a plateful of pasta and two garnished chicken breasts with a salad and

breadsticks, she'd barely touched her salad at al . She envied his confidence, his bearing.

His independence.

Her brother was an amazing man, and she was so proud of him. Nothing rattled him. He'd walked

into the unknown with them and presented himself admirably.

She, on the other hand, tended to chatter, fret, or lose her temper. There was so much to explain to

him, but how could she when al she real y wanted to do was hug him and tel him she'd missed him,

when she hadn't even known about him? Truth be told, she wanted to lean on him.

She had no one else.

But that'd be grossly unfair to him. Dean hadn't asked for any of this. And now she knew how badly

he'd been cheated.
Rejected from his own home.
God, it hurt her to even think of it. She and Jacki had been young enough that they'd quickly adjusted to the life-altering changes. She'd never known

anything else and hadn't understood the difference in what she had compared to other kids until she

was older.

But Dean had been at an age to suffer each loss and rejection.

And stil , despite that, he'd grown into a man so strong and kind, she wanted to tel everyone about

him.
Her brother.

Already she loved him. But then she'd started loving him the second she found out about him.

Somewhere deep inside her was a kernel of memory, a hint of closeness that had never died.

More than once she'd heard Lorna talk about their Uncle Grover. By al accounts, the man was

crude, irresponsible, and without concern for others.

Yet he'd raised Dean.

Had his life been horrible? Had he thought of her, of Jacki, and missed them? Had he wished to

come home, but known he wasn't welcome?

The questions ate her up, and final y, she couldn't take it any more. "Dean?"

"Hmm?" He looked up from his plate. "'Would you like dessert?"

"No." She wanted, needed, to talk. She had to explain the inexplicable. If Aunt Lorna had deliberately kept them apart, she wanted to know and somehow apologize.

"I'm going to order tiramisu." He laid his fork on his plate and folded his hands over his hard

abdomen. "Love the stuff, and what the hel , tonight is special right? I can indulge. Jacki, how about you?"

To Cam's surprise, Jacki nodded. "I'm partial to the zabaglione, but it's pricey so we can't usual y

afford it."

He flashed her a fat smile. "I can afford it."

She laughed. "Hey, if you're buying, I'm eating."

"Knock yourself out." He winked at her, then turned to Lorna. "What about you, Lorna? You up for something sweet?"

"Thank you, no."

"Watching the figure, huh?"

Lorna looked ready to leap across the table to cut out Dean's heart. Why was there so much

animosity there? Okay, so Cam knew Lorna was a man-hater. Early disappointments in romantic

involvements had left her very bitter. She and Grover had never gotten along because their

personalities were too dissimilar. But that shouldn't include Dean. He'd done nothing to her.

Knowing things had gotten way out of hand, Cam gave him a light kick under the table.

Incredulous at her audacity, he said, "Was that to get my attention?"

"Yes." Cam could feel her face heating, but she wouldn't let him rile her. She sat a little straighter.

"We have more to talk about, and it'l be better accomplished if you aren't baiting Aunt Lorna."

"Why don't I just cut to the chase?"

Uh oh. Had he been stewing the whole time he ate? It looked like it. "Okay."

"I don't want your house. Do whatever you want with it; it's not my concern. I don't want anything in the house. Divide it up, sel it, throw it in the trash."

Jacki said, "Wel that's harsh."

"Sentiment clutters the closets. Who needs it?"

"I'l take his share."

Cam glared at her and Jacki said, "What? You're not seriously going to trash it, right?"

Dean paid no attention to her. "It's just one more thing to store, to move when I move—and I move a

lot. Believe me when I tel you, there's absolutely nothing of the past or the present that I want. Let it go."

He couldn't mean that, Cam thought.

But he looked like he did.

"Now, with that settled, you sure you don't want dessert?"

Jacki elbowed her. "Come on. Cam. Eat the dessert."

Head pounding, Cam declined. If she put a single bite in her mouth, she'd gag. "No, thank you. I'l

take a coffee though."

"You got it."

The waiter had just departed with their orders when Dean looked up—and his gaze became fixed on

something across the room.

Seeing him so enrapt, Cam turned in her seat to look, too. and found Eve and a man at the bar.

They were both dressed nicely, shoulders touching, in close conversation.

Oops.

Gone was Dean's expression of careless disregard. He looked . . . She didn't know. Not happy. But

then, she hadn't seen him look happy, yet. Distant, that she'd seen. Polite, amused, even a little wary

once or twice. But excesses of emotion were not his forte.

"Probably a client," Cam told him.

He narrowed his eyes but didn't look away. And when Cam twisted around again, she saw Eve

suddenly stiffen and slowly pivot on the stool to look in their direction. Her gaze locked on Dean's and

even from the distance separating them, Cam could have sworn she saw sparks snapping in the air.

Interesting.

The seconds ticked by and they continued to eye each other. Never before had Cam seen her

friend so instantly enamored with a man. Eve was the original free spirit. She did not get infatuations

and she couldn't be charmed. She spoke her mind and disregarded polite flattery or practiced come-

ons.

But even so, Cam could see the flush climbing Eve's face. Embarrassment?

Cam didn't think so.

Eve turned to say one last thing to her companion. Al smiles, they shook hands, apparently sealing

a deal, and the man took his leave. After watching him go, Eve knocked back the rest of a mixed drink

and left her stool.

Dressed in a satiny white camisole with a black skirt and very high heels, Eve started toward their

table.

Dean didn't so much as blink. He tracked Eve's every step. Right before she reached them, he

pushed back his chair and stood.

In static silence, they stared at each other.

Taking up the chal enge, Cam smiled. "Eve, hel o. I didn't realize you were here tonight."

Watching Dean, Eve said, "A business meeting, that's al ." She final y drew her gaze away from him to greet everyone else. "This is nice. A family outing. Wish I had my camera."

Jacki snickered.

"Since your meeting is over, why don't you join us?" Cam looked at Dean with encouragement. "You could get another chair."

"She has plans."

Smile tight, Eve agreed with Dean. "Yes, I do. My family's waiting dinner on me. I only wanted to stop by and say hel o."

Dean murmured, "Hel o," and he sounded dark and sinful as he looked down at Eve.

Eve's color increased. "Hi."

With so much sexual chemistry clogging the room, Cam wanted to fan herself.

Tucking in her chin, Jacki said, "Jesus. Turn it down a little, Dean. I'm too young to see this."

Lorna swatted at her with her napkin. "You have absolutely no decorum at al ."

"Me? Dean's the one seducing Eve right at the dinner table. Why aren't you bludgeoning him with

your linens?"

Eve smirked. "Trust me, Jacki, I'm not seduced. But I am late, so I'l be on my way. Enjoy

yourselves."

As Eve started to turn away, Dean caught her hand, drew her back, and planted a soft, quick, oh-so-

familiar kiss right on her open mouth. "See ya in a bit."

Again flushed, Eve nodded. "Right." She licked her lips. "See ya."

She was barely out of hearing range when Lorna started in on her. "As usual, that girl has shown

disgusting behavior."

Jacki propped both elbows on the table and stared toward Dean as he reseated himself. "I'd have

cal ed it educational."

"'It was a lewd public display likely brought on by too many drinks." Lorna was so pinched, she

looked in pain. "Eve is a bad influence on you and your sister."

Praying Dean wouldn't feel the need to defend Eve, Cam nodded. "So you've often said. Aunt

Lorna." To the point that Cam was sick of hearing it. Lorna disliked anyone and everyone who wasn't

of her own choosing. Sure, Eve was different. She was
free
. That's what Cam loved most about her.

Rather than get defensive. Dean pointed out, "She's hardly a girl. She's what? Midtwenties?"

"Twenty-five," Jacki told him. "And good thing or you'd be labeled a perv for thinking what you're thinking."

Exasperated, Lorna tossed her napkin into her plate. "That's it. I've had enough. There's no

control ing you these days."

"What?" Jacki asked. "What'd I do now?"

Ignoring Lorna, Dean smiled crookedly. "Now Jacki, you real y are too young to have any idea of my

thoughts, perverted or otherwise."

"The desserts are here," Cam announced. Perfect timing, too, she thought. While Lorna looked

ready to storm out, Dean and Jacki seemed to be bonding more outrageously by the moment. They

shared a similar wit and irreverence that Cam envied.

On the one hand, Cam didn't want to deliberately irritate her aunt. Lorna hadn't been perfect, God

knew, but she had altered her life to raise two girls that weren't her own. She'd made sacrifices, and

Cam honestly believed that she'd done the best she knew how to do.

She couldn't help it that she wasn't maternal.

On the other hand, it was nice to see Jacki relating so easily to Dean. Once, not that long ago, she

and Jacki had been very close. But lately Jacki had changed so much, growing dreary and sarcastic.

Her cheerful smiling baby sister was long gone, and Cam didn't know what to do to help her find her