Rescue My Heart (20 page)

“
Absolutely.” Hack could barely contain his excitement.
Rory!

“
Do you still want to do
dinner?” Felicia asked. She shifted her weight and looked away from
him.

Could
you make it more obvious you don’t want to have dinner?
“Not if Paul’s waiting.”

“
As a matter of
fact…”

Hack raised his hand. “Not another
word. Go, and with my blessing. I’m so glad this is working out for
you.”

“
Thanks, Hack. You’re a
doll.” She kissed his cheek and opened her front door.

“
Good luck. With the
marriage and the business.” He slung his jacket over his
shoulder.

“
Thanks. Same to you. Hope
that chubby girl is still interested.”

“
How do you know if she’s
interested in me or not?”

“
Woman’s intuition. Women
know when someone else wants their man.”

“
Didn’t think you
cared.”

“
Of course, I did. Do. You
know what I mean.”

“
Yeah, I get it. Take
care, Felicia.” Hack kissed her goodbye and left her apartment a
free man. He walked faster, feeling as if he had lost ten pounds.
His heart was singing, and he couldn’t stop smiling. He’d figure
out how to deal with his mother later. He dropped in on his
parent’s for dinner, planning on a good meal and a private
conversation with his father afterward.

He held his breath when his mother
greeted him. She didn’t ask about Felicia, and he uttered a sigh of
relief. After they finished eating, she went back to watching a
favorite television program while Hack and his father had brandy in
the study.

“
The engagement is off,
Dad.” Hack sipped his drink.

“
I thought we were going
to wait until I had a plan.”

“
It wasn’t my doing. She
left me for another guy.” Hack’s grin widened.

“
Really? Didn’t have the
brains I gave her credit for, then. Well, nothing you can do about
it. What about the other girl?”

“
I’m going over there
first thing tomorrow.”

Monty Roberts raised his glass.
“Here’s to you, Son. Best of luck with your new girl. May she soon
become your new fiancée.”

“
I’ll drink to that,” Hack
said.

* * * *

Across town, Rory and Baxter were
being admitted to The Wellington apartment building on Central Park
West by Crash, the doorman.

“
Ah, it’s Monday. I should
have known. Miss Sampson, Baxter,” he said, opening the heavy
wrought iron and glass door. “The dinner club, right?”

Rory smiled at him and headed for the
elevator. She punched the button for the fifteenth floor. When she
stepped into the hallway, Dumpling, Bess’s pug, came racing out,
barking. Baxter scooted ahead of Rory, stopping to sniff Dumpling.
The two pugs finished their greeting then trotted into the
apartment.

Bess appeared in the doorway, hands on
hips. “What’s this I hear about the return of Bruce?”

“
Shhh. Bess! You’re
broadcasting this to the entire Upper West Side.”

“
Get in here. I need
details, girl.” Bess pulled Rory inside. The buttery smell of a
something warming in the oven made Rory’s stomach jump to life.
Brooke and Miranda were already there. Brooke’s pugs, Fred and
Ginger, were wrestling with Romy and Juliet. Baxter chased Dumpling
into the back rooms, and the other dogs raced after
them.

Brooke poured a glass of Moscato for
Rory and perched on a stool at the bar. “What’s this I hear about
that slime bucket, Bruce, coming back?” She cocked an
eyebrow.

“
He’s not really a slime
bucket,” Rory began.

“
That’s not what you said
two months ago.”

“
Guess he wanted to sleep
with other women. Seems he’s changed his mind and came back for
round two with you.” Bess wiped her hands on a dish
towel.

“
Something like
that.”

“
And you took him
back?”

“
I’m on my own…it’s the
holidays…” Rory cast her gaze to the floor.

“
What happened to that
hunky vet guy?” Brooke asked.

“
Nothing. He’s still
engaged and sleeping with her.”

“
Ouch! Didn’t he put the
moves on you?” Miranda asked.

“
I don’t want to go there.
Bruce is serving a purpose. Keeping me company…”

“
Keeping your bed warm,”
Bess said, tossing an inviting salad in a large, glass
bowl.

“
Is there something wrong
with that?” Rory asked.

The women exchanged looks.

“
Not a damn thing,” Bess
piped up.

They laughed.

“
We want you to be happy,
Rory, but if this guy’s using you…he’ll break your heart again.”
Miranda said, giving her friend’s shoulders a squeeze.

“
I agree. Being alone at
the holidays sucks, but it’s a few days, and heartbreak takes
forever to get over. It’s not worth it. He’s not worth it,” Brooke
said.

“
It’s hard to turn him
down.”

“
In the meantime, you
could be out, meeting Mr. Right, instead of becoming a booty call
for sleazy Bruce,” Bess said, closing the oven door.

“
That’s true. You don’t
need him. You’re a beautiful woman. You could have any man,”
Miranda said.

Rory sighed. “But not the
one I want.”

“
Hey, you can hang out
with us. Give this Bruce guy the boot, honey. You don’t need
him.”

“
Yeah, we’re here. Hang
with us.” Brooke proposed a toast. “To booting Bruce.”

The women raised their
glasses.

Rory teared up. “I appreciate you
guys. You’re like my family. I know hooking up with Bruce isn’t
great. Can I go to the Christmas party with him?”

“
We’ll shut up. Right?”
Bess looked around. The other women nodded.

“
Do what you gotta do, but
don’t let him take you for a ride,” Brooke said, taking a swig of
her wine.

“
Thanks. I knew you’d
understand. What’s cooking?”

“
Mushroom quiche, salad,
and double-death chocolate cake,” Bess said, adding serving pieces
to the salad bowl. “We’re almost ready.”

Rory took a gulp of Moscato and helped
set the table. When Bess pulled the quiche out of the oven, they
all sat down.

“
Let me get his straight,
Rory. You’ve taken Bruce back, though you’re in love with Hack?”
Brooke asked.

“
Sorta. Yeah.”

“
Why?” Miranda asked,
stabbing a piece of lettuce with her fork.

“
Because Hack is engaged.
I can’t have him. So, Bruce is the next best thing.”

“
Nice he realizes how
great you are,” Bess put in, taking a bit of salad.

“
It doesn’t feel like
that. Feels like he came back for sex.”

There was an audible grunt from the
women.

“
Hmm, I hate men who do
that. Users,” Miranda muttered.

“
Yeah. You’re great when
they’re horny, but when you need something, they’re busy,” Brooke
said.

“
Rory?” Bess
asked.

“
He’s definitely second
best. I mean, after Hack, well, there’s no comparison. But it’s a
bad time to be alone.”

“
Like there’s ever a great
time to be alone?” Brooke said, laughing.

“
Right. That’s it. If I
can’t have Hack, I might as well take Bruce. He’s better than
nothing.”

“
Damning with faint
praise,” Miranda muttered.

“
I get that bit about
being alone. I’ve spent a few nights with guys who were less than
great.” Brooke said.

“
Who hasn’t?” Bess
agreed.

“
Don’t fall for him.
You’ll only get hurt with this creep,” Miranda said.

Rory
grinned.
Three best friends in the world.
The best of family without the worst.
A
great meal and her fabulous friends buoyed Rory up. A new strength
surged through her, and she straightened up in her chair. Then, a
text arrived.
When am I going to stop
hoping I’ll hear from Hack? When am I going to give up on him?
Nothing is happening there, and it only makes me miserable to think
about him.

Miss you. Can I spend the
night 2night?

Bruce

Rory
messaged him back, giving him the green light.
Better to spend the night with horny Bruce than alone with
Baxter.
After three glasses of Moscato,
Rory was feeling no pain. She left Bess’s house at nine, singing
Christmas carol after Christmas carol, starting with
Deck the
Halls, with
Baxter trotting along in front of her. Bruce was waiting outside
her building, rubbing his hands together to ward off the
cold.

“
Sorry to be late. Hope
you’re not frozen,” she said, shoving her key in the
lock.

“
I know someplace I can
warm them real fast.”

She grinned. “Come on, horn dog.” She
opened the front door, and they trudged up the stairs. Rory began
singing again, and Bruce joined in. He wasn’t drunk, or even high.
But Rory was buzzed. When they got inside, she fell into his arms.
He set to work undressing her. Baxter went into his bed and zonked
out, exhausted from nonstop play with the Dinner Club
pugs.

Bruce’s lovemaking was okay, but once
she had had the gold standard of loving with Hack, nothing less
would satisfy. Still, Bruce was affectionate and someone to keep
the bed warm. It had been an emotional few months, and Rory was
reeling. She cuddled up to him and fell asleep.

In the
morning, he wolfed down a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee before
making a quick escape. Rory didn’t kid herself that this was a
grand, everlasting love. But he helped to fill a void, at least for
a little while. In her heart of hearts, she was certain no one
could ever take Hack Roberts’ place. She sighed.
Life goes on. Get over
yourself.

Chapter Ten

Hack
awoke early.
Today’s the day. Declare
myself and claim Rory.
Through his shower,
quick breakfast, and morning coffee, he couldn’t stop smiling.
Humming “Jingle Bells”
as he strolled down
the street, he planned what he’d get her for Christmas. He
desperately wanted Rory to have a pile of presents this year, to
make up for the skimpy Christmas’s of the past.

Hack
knew it was love because all he could think about were ways to make
her happy.
I’ll take her to Radio City.
Theater tickets, too.
He wondered how
Alfred was faring, but was afraid to call her and ask. Each night,
he prayed the pug would survive a little longer.

He
stopped at shop windows displaying all sorts of gorgeous
merchandise. Hack looked at a few tony boutiques for beautiful
things for Rory. Lingerie caught his eye more than once.
Sexy black or girly pink? Don’t buy anything
until you’re sure she’s yours.
A certain
ring in a jewelry store window seduced him.
It’s perfect.

He caved, planning to hit
the place right after it opened, before anyone else could grab that
ring from under his nose. It had a large diamond in the center with
a smaller diamond on either side. The band was white gold. He
didn’t care how much it cost. He had to have it.

He was early, arriving at the clinic
at seven forty-five. Mary was hanging up her coat when he blew
in.

“
Wow, never seen you here
this early, Doctor.”

“
Felicia and I broke up.
I’m going to visit Rory today, Mary.”

“
Oh, goody. I was
wondering, once the The Wicked Witch of the West was gone, if you’d
take up with that sweet, young woman.”

“
Never knew you disliked
Felicia so much.”

“
I used to act in
college,” she sniffed, then smiled.

Hack checked his watch. “I’d better
get going before she leaves to walk Baxter.” He waved at Mary and
breezed through the front door.

Hack
didn’t even notice the chill on his back as he walked briskly down
the street. The warmth in his heart was hot enough to insulate his
body against any icy wind. Humming
O
Tanenbaum
as he walked with long, lean
strides, he made short work of the three blocks to her house. Once
there, Hack leaned against Rory’s building, stopping to catch his
breath.

As he approached the railing, the door
opened, and another man came flying down the stairs, practically
colliding with Hack. A well-groomed guy with a familiar face
screeched to a halt.

“
Don’t I know you?” Hack
said.

“
Hmm. Let’s see…yes! I
remember. You’re the crazy vet who ran down Rory and her
dog.”