Putting Out Old Flames (20 page)

J
ane heard a sound in the living room, a shuffle, and she changed course from the front door and darted into the kitchen. Her fingers were wrapped around the back-door handle when Katie called out from behind her, “Morning, Janey-girl.”

Cursing under her breath, Jane turned, shoulders hunched under her ears. “Good morning. You know I only let Chance call me that. Please don't say it again.”

Katie's grin only widened. “It's five a.m. and you're sneaking out of Chance's house. It's like déjà vu.”

Jane's shoulders sagged. She hoped Katie was wrong. Jane didn't want to repeat old patterns, not when she knew the outcome. When she'd woken that morning in Chance's arms, it had felt perfect, like she'd found her own piece of heaven.

And that had made her nervous as hell.

When she couldn't calm the horde of butterflies fighting a cage match in her stomach, she'd eased out of his bed and made her escape. Or tried to.

“I'm not sneaking,” Jane said, holding her head high. “I just didn't want to wake anyone up. Especially Josh.” Kids were great. Not only was Josh a lot of fun, but he made a handy excuse for her bad behavior.

“Uh-huh.” Katie raised a mug to her mouth. The sweet aroma of brewed coffee teased Jane's nose, and she tried not to drool. She darted a glance at the half-full coffeepot on the counter. Did she want a cup, or did she want to get out of the house more?

Cocking a hip against the counter, Katie crossed one slim ankle over the other. “So what exactly is going on between you and my brother? A quick bang for old times' sake? Or are you picking up where you left off?”

Jane's spine snapped straight. She bit back what she wanted to say, that Katie should watch her damn mouth. The woman had probably been twelve years old last time Jane had seen her, and the impish smile and turned-up nose still reminded her of that little girl. Instead, with as much reserve as she could infuse in her words, she said, “That's really not your business.”

“I disagree.” Katie sipped her coffee, her dark eyes staring at Jane over the cup's rim. “Chance is my brother and he's been through a lot lately. And as you pointed out, Josh is now involved. They're my family and I protect what's mine. So if you're messing with Chance out of some perverse idea of revenge, I'm going to find out about it. And that wouldn't go well for you.”

Jane gaped. She didn't know which surprised her more. The fierceness in little Katie's voice. Who obviously wasn't so little anymore. Or the idea that she could hurt Chance. The implied threat she ignored.

“You think I'm sleeping with your brother as an act of revenge? That's kind of a weird way to go about it.”

“Not really.” Katie placed the mug on the counter. “It's what I would do. Make the man who left me fall in love with me, then dump him so he knows how it feels.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she pinned Jane with a glare. “I'd understand if you wanted that. I'll rip your spine out and clean my teeth with it if you hurt either Chance or Josh, but I get it.”

Jane blinked. She used to play Strawberry Shortcake with Chance's sister. She didn't remember her being so bloodthirsty.

“I'm not here working some plot for revenge, so take it down a notch, would you?” Jane shook her head. “You must scare the hell out of men. I bet none of them mess with you.”

Turning her back, Katie washed out her mug in the sink, but not before Jane saw a flicker of pain on her face.

Jane stepped forward, tentatively put a hand on Katie's shoulder. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you're strong, and a man would have to be an idiot to toy with you.”

“It's okay. Men
are
afraid of me.”

“Why do you say that?” Jane asked.

Katie shrugged.

“What, do you slap them around? Sit on their backs and hold their faces in a puddle of mud?”

Smiling, Katie turned around. “That was awesome. Chance sulked for weeks.”

“He didn't talk to me for months.” Jane leaned against the counter. “For the record, I did that before we started dating. He and Jason Toombey were laughing about seeing up Mary Jo Hannover's skirt when she fell on the tennis court, and it ticked me off. He deserved it.”

“He did deserve it.” Katie narrowed her eyes. “Carter deserves worse.”

“Who's Carter? Is he the reason you're awake at this ungodly hour?” Jane didn't want to think about what Chance would do if some man hurt his baby sister. She was pretty sure blood would flow.

Katie ducked her head. “I wasn't feeling well,” she mumbled. “I had to come down and eat a piece of fruit.”

“Did you test your glucose levels?”

“Yes.” Heaving a sigh, Katie rolled her eyes. “Before and after the apple. I'm fine now.” She hunched her shoulders. “I can take care of myself. I don't need you, or Chance, or Carter”—she spit his name out—“telling me how to live.”

Ah. Now they were getting to it. “Carter's the man you were out with last night?”

Katie nodded.

“And he doesn't like some of your lifestyle choices?”

“Lifestyle choices.” Katie snorted. “As if I have choices anymore. He told me, told
me
, that I was tired and that it was time to go home. Even after I said I was fine.” Picking up a sponge, she scrubbed viciously at the counter. “So I told him fine, but I wasn't going home with him. Not ever again.”

Jane cocked her head. “And a couple of hours later you were sick. Maybe he saw something you didn't.”

“I know my body better than anyone,” she said hotly.

“And most guys your age would believe that. Would have agreed just to keep spending time with you.” Jane plucked the sponge from her hand, tossed it in the sink. “It sounds like Carter really cares about you.”

Katie chewed on her lip.

“And it definitely sounds like he isn't scared of you,” Jane added.

“No.” Katie was silent a moment. “He's the first guy who didn't get all bug-eyed when I told him about what me and my girls did to the one and only boyfriend who cheated on me.” She shot Jane a look. “That's sort of a test I have for guys. It lets them know that if they treat me badly, I'll make them pay. But Carter . . .” Worrying the hem of her shirt between her fingers, Katie sighed. “Carter just smiled and took my hand and walked me to his car.”

“You really like this guy.”

“Do you think I was too hard on him?” Katie asked.

Jane shrugged. “Only you can know that. But if you got mad because he was concerned about your well-being, then, yeah, probably. It's okay to let someone else take care of you.”

The ceiling above them creaked, as if two large feet had just plopped onto the floor above.

Digging in her pocket, Jane made sure she had her keys. “Well, gotta go. Don't want to be late for work.”

Katie arched an eyebrow. “Your shift starts this early?”

“Well, I have to shower and eat and all that.” Jane took a backward step toward the door, reached behind her for the handle, and grabbed air. “By the time I get my coffee, I'll practically be late.” Cool metal finally met her hand, and the tight vise around her lungs eased the smallest bit. She didn't want to face Chance right now, have him plop a casual kiss on her cheek, like they might be nothing more than friends with benefits.

She couldn't take that, not after last night.

“We've got coffee here,” Katie said. “Chance will be down for his morning cup any minute now.”

“Josh—”

“Sleeps till seven.” The edges of Katie's lips tilted, making her look every bit as mischievous as Josh. Jane's heart squeezed. The resemblance among the family was uncanny.

A foot landed at the top of the stairs.

Jane pulled the door open. “Cyclops needs me. My cat,” she explained, backing out. “He gets grumpy when I don't feed him on time. I'll see you around, Katie.” She fled, praying Chance wouldn't see her through the windows as she circled his house and ran for her car.

The man had her all knotted up. Feeling high on love one minute and terrified the next. Sliding behind the steering wheel, she rested a hand on her stomach. He was going to give her an ulcer. She put the car in drive and fishtailed onto the street.

Rolling her shoulders, Jane slowed down and forced herself to take deep breaths. She glanced in the rearview mirror, half expecting to see Chance running after her car. Of course, he wasn't.

She'd made it out of his house without having to talk with him. She should be relieved. Slumping in the seat, she leaned against the headrest. Relief wasn't what she felt. Shame was more like it. She was acting like a coward. A fool. She'd just spent a wonderful evening with Chance and run away the next morning.

She had no right giving Katie any dating advice. The woman she needed to work on was herself.

* * *

Jane listened with half an ear to her mother's chatter over lunch. They were at the Pantry noshing on items from Allison Stuart's proposed catering menu. That was definitely one of the better perks of organizing the fundraiser. The café was packed, the little bell above the door dinging every couple of minutes. A girl next to her at the counter slurped at the remains of her strawberry shake, trying to lift the cherry at the bottom of the large glass with suction power.

She should have invited Chance to join them, wasn't quite sure why she hadn't. The past couple hours had given Jane some perspective. She'd texted an apology to Chance for rushing out that morning, and promised herself that she'd stop being so scared.

Chance was in her life again, and everything was good. Memories of last night drifted through her mind. Life was very good.

The amazing food also helped buoy her mood. The spicy orange glaze that coated her chicken skewer was delicious. She licked a dab off her lip. Imagined licking it off of Chance's rock-hard stomach. Or his biceps. She loved his biceps. Could really sink her teeth into—

“I swear, you haven't heard one word in ten of what I'm saying.” Edith poked Jane in the sleeve with her fork. “While I'm all for encouraging daydreaming, it should only be to escape the tedium of work or bad company, not when you're having lunch with your mother.”

“Sorry,” Jane said sheepishly. Her mom was right. Not only was she being rude, it was completely inappropriate to be having the kind of daydreams she was having while sitting next to her mother. It was like having naughty fantasies in church. Just not done.

“This appetizer is delicious,” she said, trying to get the lunch meeting back on track. “I definitely want it at the ball.”

“I agree.” Edith made a note on her small spiral notepad. “And I can't wait to try that dessert Allison was talking about. The one with the fudge sauce. Might be too messy for a cocktail party, but I still want to try it.”

Fudge sauce. Jane bit her lip. If she trailed a bit down her neck, she'd bet she could get Chance to do that wicked thing he did with his mouth that she loved so much. Jane shifted on her seat.

“You're doing it again!” Edith clucked in that disapproving way all mothers seemed to know.

“Doing what again?” Allison lowered a tray of food to the counter, the scents of rosemary and lemon making Jane's mouth water. Mini–pot pies with lattice tops made with delicate strands of pastry beckoned.

“Daydreaming about sex,” her mother said. In her normally brash voice.

“Could you say that any louder?” Jane darted a glance at the table next to them. The four older women didn't look her way, but Jane didn't think it was her imagination that they all leaned closer to the counter where she and her mother sat. “And I was not,” she lied.

Allison ignored that. “Who are you having sex dreams about? That singer you like? Or that actor we were talking about last week?”

Edith shook her head. “Not fantasies. A real man. Someone she was seen with just last night having a pizza date.”

Picking up one of her pastries, Allison took a bite and stared at Jane speculatively. “You and Leon finally getting serious?” The distaste in her voice should have offended Jane. Leon was a perfectly nice man. But the idea of getting serious with Leon left a bitter taste in her mouth, too. “And you're daydreaming about sleeping with him?” Allison asked. “Does Leon have a hidden wild side I'm not seeing?”

“Eew, and no.” Jane picked up a pastry before dropping it on her plate and blowing on her fingers. “Jesus, that's hot. How can you eat it?”

Allison shrugged. “I'm a chef. You get used to it. So who are you dating?”

Dating. That word seemed weird to describe what she and Chance were doing. Mainly because she didn't know what she and Chance were doing. Besides taking every opportunity they could find to screw like bunnies. Chance had made it clear early that morning, sometime between her second and third orgasm, that tearing up the sheets with her was high on his list of priorities. She hadn't been in a position to argue.

Her face got hot just thinking about the position she'd been in.

“Whoo hoo.” Her mother pushed her glass of water Jane's way. “There she goes again. Come Fourth of July, we won't need firecrackers. We can just light you up.”

Allison bounced on her toes, her ample breasts jiggling. “
Who
is lighting Jane up? You guys are killing me.”

“Only Pineville's newest fireman, Chance McGovern.” Edith took a bite of pastry and moaned. “This is fabulous, Allison.”