Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger (18 page)

Read Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger Online

Authors: Lori Copeland

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Contemporary, #Westerns, #test

BOOK: Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger
12.24Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
 
Page 132
letting a few wispy tendrils hang down the sides and back. Satisfied with her work, she picked up the keys to the Lincoln from the basket that was lying on the kitchen counter and let herself out the back door.
She cruised to the market slowly in the elegant luxury of Jason's air-conditioned car, listening dreamily to the elaborate stereo system playing her favorite tape, ''Hooked on Classics." She parked the classy gray Continental in front of Mr. Sweeney's store and jumped out onto the hot pavement, grabbing a cart as she entered the store and started down the aisles, fighting the overwhelming temptation to squeeze the Charmin. She paused before the meat counter, selecting the hamburger that looked as if it had the most suet in it. She wanted her meatloaf to be just right . . . with enough grease to float a battleship. Continuing down the aisle, she handpicked the vegetables to go into the meatloaf. The green pepper was so limp and tough she was going to have to use the electric carving knife to chop it up. A cart of discarded lettuce sat next to the produce departmentheads of brown wilted lettuce ready to be taken to the back to be dumped. She stopped her cart next to it and casually selected the sickest-looking head in the basket, smiling smugly as she plunked it into her cart.
When she came to the check-out stand, Mr. Sweeney greeted her warmly and started to remove the items from Jessica's cart. He reached for the head of lettuce and his face paled. "Jessica, my goodness," he exclaimed, "let me get you another head." He left his register and started for the produce counter.
"No, Mr. Sweeney, that one will do just fine."
Mr. Sweeney looked puzzled and tried to persuade her one more time. "But this was going to be thrown away. Let me just run and get you a nice fresh crisp head that we have just unpacked," he pleaded. "It won't take a minute."
"No." Jessica stood firm. "That's the one I want."
 
Page 133
Mr. Sweeney looked helpless. ''Well," he relented, "I'm certainly not going to charge you for it!" He proceeded to finish ringing up the items in her cart.
Leaving the store feeling satisfied, Jessica drove home humming under her breath. "This will
definitely
be a meal they won't forget, Jason!" she muttered tightly to herself.
Arriving home, she unloaded her groceries and brought them in, setting the brown paper bags on the kitchen counter. After she put the perishables in the refrigerator and the canned goods in the cabinet, she tore around the living room disarranging throw pillows, draping various items of their clothing over chairs, throwing newspapers haphazardly around on the floor. She sprinkled a sack of popcorn on the floor and threw a couple of pairs of Jason's boots, covered with cow dung, next to his chair. She set several glasses full of ice around on the end tables, hoping the ice would be melted by the time the guests arrived. Standing back and looking at the mess she'd created, she decided it would do and went into the kitchen. She spent the rest of the afternoon working on the meal itself, not bothering to wash up any of the dishes she was using, leaving them sitting around on the cabinet to grow dry and crusty. The floor looked like it had snowed, from all the flour she had scattered around baking her cake. She was having a great time, humming under her breath, working as hard as a beaver.
When Jason opened the door that evening, he wasn't sure if the predicted approaching storm hadn't already hit. His eyes widened in astonishment before he pulled a calm mask over his face. He stepped lightly into the room, calling over his shoulder, "Come on in, Eric. Jessie must be in the kitchen."
Jason's younger brother, Eric, followed him through the door, talking as he walked. "I can't wait to see her after all these years. I bet she'll be surprised. She doesn't know I'm here, does she?" he asked, his eyes mirroring surprise as he surveyed the living room.
 
Page 134
''Yes, I bet she
will
be surprised," Jason agreed. "I tried to call her this morning when I found out you were flying in, but I couldn't reach her."
"Well, I sure wish Rena could have made the trip, but Scottie had a summer cold, so she thought she had better stay home with him this time," he explained, trailing Jason on into the room.
Eric had the same good looks as the other Rawlings boys. He was not as tall as Jason, but he had the same golden-brown hair and luscious green eyes, his not quite as vivid as Jason's but nonetheless very attractive.
"Maybe the next trip," Jason offered, pitching the cat's bowl out of his chair. He motioned to Eric to take a seat.
"Want a cold beer, Eric?" he offered.
"No, I'll hold off till supper," he answered distractedly, his eyes roaming around the room with a puzzled look.
"Jessie has changed things quite a bit," Jason was saying as he stretched out in his chair, relaxing for a minute. "You wouldn't recognize this old house," he added tiredly.
Eric looked around warily again. "No, I sure wouldn't," he agreed.
The door opened from the kitchen, and Jessica stuck her head out. "Are our guests here yet, Jason?"
"Part of them, Angel," Jason called sweetly. "Why don't you come on out here. I've got a surprise for you."
"In a minute, Jason," she responded just as sweetly. "Let me check my meat one more time first. I want everything to be perfect!"
"Well, hurry, Angel. We're waiting!" Jason snickered under his breath.
A moment later the door swung open, and Jessica stopped dead in her tracks. "Eric?"
"None other, sweetheart." Jason beamed.
Eric jumped up from his chair, crossed the room, swooped her off her feet in a tremendous bear hug, and swung her around the room.
 
Page 135
''My Lord, you're prettier than ever." He was grinning from ear to ear.
Eric had always been the biggest tease of all the boys and usually said the first thing that popped into his head, regardless of decorum.
"Why in the world would you want to get hooked up with this bum again?" He was pointing at Jason and grinning broadly.
Jessica looked at Jason and replied gaily, "Oh, we still hate each other. I'm only working for him now. It's strictly a 'business agreement'!"
Jason gave her a big grin and a mock salute with his hand. "Touché!" he acknowledged.
"Well, if I had known you weren't too particular who you worked for, I would have been down here trying for you myself," he stated boldly.
"What would Rena think about that?" Jason responded dryly.
"Rena who?" Eric asked innocently.
"Rena who?" Jessica echoed, puzzled.
"My sexy little wife"Eric grinned"and she's a mean woman when she gets her hackles up!"
Jessica gave him one big hug before letting go of his neck. "I am so happy to see you," she exclaimed. "I had no idea you would be here tonight." She shot Jason a dirty look.
Jason held up both hands in mock surrender. "I tried to call you this morning, but you weren't home," he chided.
"Didn't know I was coming myself until the last minute," Eric soothed as he seated himself on the sofa once again. "I had some papers that needed Jason's signature, so I just hopped a plane and flew down this afternoon."
"Well, Eric, how have you been?" Jessica asked, nonchalantly trying to stuff a pair of Jason's dirty socks under the cushion of the chair she was sitting in.
 
Page 136
''Can't complain," he replied, leaning forward, his puzzled eyes roaming the cluttered room once again.
Jason pushed himself back up out of his chair. "Come on, Eric. You can wash up before dinner if you'd like. Just put your bags in the guest room." He turned to Jessica. "Eric's going to spend the night here and take the early flight out tomorrow morning."
"That's fine," Jessica replied, her heart sinking as she thought of poor Eric's reaction to the house and the coming dinner.
Eric stood, picked up his suitcase, and followed Jason down, the hall. "Your cat not trained?" he asked innocently as his eyes took in all the newspapers lying on the floor.
"No, it's trained," she heard Jason's deep voice say as they reached the guest room. "Just put your things in there, and we'll let you know when dinner's ready.
The peal of the doorbell brought Jessica back to her feet, scurrying for the kitchen at a run.
"I'll get it, Angel," Jason called sweetly.
"Thank you, Jason," she responded in the same sweet tone as she slammed through the kitchen door.
"Ms. Vogue" and her "brown shoe" were smiling brightly as Jason opened the door and let them into the cluttered room. Marcy's eyebrow rose immediately in distaste, but she tactfully recovered her composure. Willis was obviously just along for the ride. Judging by the expression on his face, all was as it should be.
"Jason, darling," Marcy was saying, clutching his arm, "how nice of you to have us in your home!"
"I'm glad you could come this evening, Marcy, Willis," he was saying. "Come in and sit down. I think dinner's almost ready."
Marcy started to seat herself in a chair beside Jason, but discovering the seat full of cookie crumbs, she immediately moved to the sofa.
Willis sat down in the pile of cookie crumbs.
 
Page 137
''Well, Willis," Jason said pleasantly, "could I get you something to drink?"
"No, Jason, thank you, I'm fine, really. Yes," he assured him again, "I'm finereally, just fine. I don't drink too much. It gives me a sour stomach." Jason looked at him and nodded, a small look of annoyance on his face.
"Nothing for me, darling," Marcy piped up. "I still have to watch my figure, you know. I was just telling Willis on the drive over here, just because I have children now doesn't mean I can let myself go. No, most people are
shocked
when they find out I have children. Isn't that what I was telling you, sweetie?" She turned to Willis.
"Yes, dear. She
was
telling me that, Jason, she really was. But I told her she looks just fine to me, don't you think? I mean really fine?"
"Yes, she looks just fine." Jason could have kicked himself. They sounded like a room full of parrots.
As the men stood Jessica came through the kitchen door. Jason took her arm, pulling her over next to him. "Everything going all right, Angel?" he asked. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?"
"No, I can handle things just
fine
, thank you. Good evening, Marcy. Willis."
"Good evening, Jessica," Willis was saying. "Jason certainly has a lovely home." He reached out to shake her hand. Jessica felt like she was squeezing a nerf ball. "It's just so homey-looking," he said sincerely.
Their eyes took in the disarray in the living room.
"Yes, that's what I told Jessie," Jason piped up. "Now, this is a room a man can really be at home in!"
Jessica couldn't believe her ears. He was actually enjoying this!
Willis had always had the annoying habit of sucking on his front teeth. It drove Jessica crazy, that sucking, squeaky noise. Many was the time when she could have cheerfully strangled him. He was beginning to do just that as they stood talking while waiting for Eric to join them.
 
Page 138
Jessica was never so relieved as to hear Eric's voice booming out.
''I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving. I've had to put up with Jason's bragging all afternoon about what a hell of a cook hisuh, housekeeper is. Now I'm ready to be convinced!" he finished loudly. "When do we eat?"
Jessica smiled weakly. "Everything's ready now. We can eat anytime."
"Then, madam, if I may?" Eric held out his arm gallantly to Jessica and led her into the dining room.
Jason escorted a chattering Marcy, with Willis trailing along behind, sucking on his teeth.
The table was lovely in its simplicity. A fresh bouquet of late-summer flowers nestled elegantly in a peanut-butter jar in the center of the table, gaily flower-patterned Melmac was placed lovingly in front of each chair, with sparkling clean jelly glasses catching the light from the glittering chandelier, waiting to be filled with the cherry Kool-Aid Jessica had made to complement the meal. Two candle stubs were in the brass holders sitting next to the flower centerpiece.
Jason seated Marcy and dramatically lit the candle stubs before Jessica brought in the food. "The table looks lovely, Jessie."
How do I get myself in these messes?
she thought while slamming pots and pans around in the kitchen with such force she was sure the people in the other room thought there was a war going on in there.
Eric thinks I'm an absolute basket case,
shewailed to herself. Why did everything have to backfire on her like this? She was so mad at herself!
She began dishing up the vegetables and potatoes in all the mismatched bowls she could drag out of the cabinet. Defiantly she marched back to the dining room, slamming bowls down on the table, going back for more in a militant mood.

Other books

(1987) The Celestial Bed by Irving Wallace
Obsession by Tori Carrington
Hogs #2: Hog Down by DeFelice, Jim
Sandman by Morgan Hannah MacDonald
Carol's Mate by Zena Wynn
Crossing Purgatory by Gary Schanbacher
Dazed by Kim Karr
No Regrets by Claire Kent
The Erotic Dark by Nina Lane