Rogue's Revenge - By Gail MacMillan Page 0,22
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“I guess.” He shrugged as he reached for his beer.
“Heath, you can’t let her do it.” A strong, slender hand reached to cover his on the bottle. “You love that place. Jack loved that place. You owe it to both of you to fight back.”
“How?” He looked over at her.
“Get your own lawyer.” He saw the blaze in her brown eyes, Man, she was beautiful.
“If you hadn’t become a doctor, you could have been a model, or an actress, or…”
“Stop avoiding the subject.” She pulled her hand away and glared at him. “One of your most attractive character traits has always been your determination to keep Jack’s dream alive at the Chance. I’m not about to let you lose it simply because some Toronto businesswoman decides to give you a run for your rights.”
“I like it when you have fire in your eyes.” His lips quirked up on one corner. “Okay, I’ll give it a fight. But lawyers cost big bucks. Jack paid me a decent wage, but I didn’t get rich. The bit I put aside is for my mother’s retirement. I can’t go risking it on the outside chance I might win in a civil case against someone with the connections Allison Armstrong must have.”
“I can help.” She spoke softly, carefully. “If it’s only money that’s holding you back…”
“Hell, Jesse, as if I’d take money from you!”
“Okay, okay. Just something I wanted to throw out there. No need to take major offense.”
“Sorry.” He returned his attention to his beer.
“She’s still getting to you…even after more than twelve years.” He looked up to see her dark eyes, serious and insightful. “My God, Heath, a girl you fell in love with all that long ago…”
“I never said I fell in love with her.” The words snapped out sharper than he’d intended. “Sorry, again.” He moderated his tone. “It was a teenage thing that she killed with her spoiled brat persona. Love? I hardly think so. I’d say a lingering animosity is more descriptive of our relationship.”
“Really?” Her fingers toyed with the stem of her wine glass as she gazed down into the Chardonnay. “Hmm.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just hmm. Wondering, speculating.”
“Well, then, don’t. We’re out to enjoy the evening.”
“And maybe back to my place afterwards?”
****
He paused at the door of her house as she fumbled for the key in her purse. They’d done this many times over the years, when they both needed to share a night without commitment or morning-after guilt. She had no desire to be tied to anyone or anything aside from her medical practice, and he for some reason had never been able to get seriously involved with anyone or anything outside of the Chance.
He watched as she fitted the key in the lock, shoved open the door, clicked on the foyer light, and turned back to face him, smiling. “Well?” She held out a hand.
“Hell, Jesse…” He was stumbling, as awkward as he’d been on that rotten high school date all those years ago.
“Oh, my God. Don’t tell me. She comes back after all these years, gives you one hell of a hard time, and now we can’t be friends with benefits anymore.” Clamping her hands on her hips, she stared out at him.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. I’m just not…”
“In the mood, have a headache, need to get up early? Come on, Heath, spit out all the old clichés.”
“Jesse…”
“What am I saying?” Her words softened as she stepped back outside to stand on tiptoe and kiss his cheek. “I knew this day was coming. The day when she’d either return or you’d really and truly fall in love with someone. Not to worry, my darling. I understand.”
She turned, went inside, and closed the door. He stood on the step for a few moments. When she snapped off the porch light, he headed back to his Jeep.
Man, you’re an idiot. A gorgeous woman is willing to go to bed with you, and you blow it. That snotty little brown-haired wench from Toronto has done one hell of a job on you. You’d better get over it, and fast.
Chapter Six
Allison turned left, then right. Finally she swung all the way around and glanced back over her shoulder at her reflection in the full-length mirror of her bedroom in her parents’ house, the room she’d had growing up, the one she now slept in during visits such as this. She’d decided to stop off to talk with her mother before returning to her apartment, before