Stone Cold Charade (A Stone Family Novel) (21 page)

“You, lady, have one sick mind. And
kinky too, I can live with that,” he said huskily.

Reaching out Ty placed his hand behind
her head, pulling her closer to him. Showing her trust, she laid her head back
on his shoulder, letting her guard down.
Maybe she will learn to trust me
again
, he thought.

When they drove up to the house, Alex looked
worriedly at Ty.

Doing his best John Wayne impression to lighten
the mood, he drawled, “Hey, little lady, I'm not going anywhere remember? I
still have to rustle up a few outlaws.”

Alex returned his smile sheepishly. As he got
out of the truck and helped her down, he dropped a kiss on her forehead.

He pulled her under his arm protectively as
they turned to walk up the cobblestone path to the house. The moon hanging low
in the sky and the night breeze blowing softly made him want to curl up on the
front porch with her in his arms just to listen to the crickets fill the night.
The threat of the rustlers in the back of his mind, looming over his time with
her, posed the only problem. He dreaded knowing work would pull him away from
her tomorrow, but there was still tonight. He wanted to spend as much time as
possible reconnecting with her.

As Alex listened to the sound of their
footsteps falling on the cobblestones in time together, she was powerless to
shake the sensation that things were going to change for the worse. A cool
shiver ran down her spine as she spotted a gleaming red sports car parked by
the side of the house. Her stomach did a somersault as she realized things were
going to go from perfect to an episode of Dexter, and fast. Mounting the steps
with the villain’s theme music from Friday the Thirteenth blasting in her head,
picturing Jason about to strike, she prayed her eyes were just playing tricks
on her.

Ty felt her stiffen, going more rigid the
closer they got to the house. By the time they reached the front door he was
considering the possibility that she might actually bolt and was wondering why
she was acting so strangely all of a sudden. Opening the door, he felt his own
body go taut.

“Miss me Red?”

Ty was face to face with a man younger then
himself with a stupid grin plastered across his Ken doll face. He was standing
with Ridge and Parry, and he looked like something out of a fashion magazine.
His black hair and deep tan emphasized the ridiculously boyish look in his
eyes. Sizing him up, he guessed his height to be about the same as his, but it
was obvious he hadn’t met a hard day’s work in his life. He wore tan slacks and
a silk shirt that probably cost more than he made in a year.

So, this was Steven. Ty grudgingly released
Alex to close the door behind them.

“Steven?” Alex exclaimed, not wanting to
believe her eyes.

He dashed toward her, picking her up and
lifting her over his head to swing her around, laughing joyfully at Alex’s
shocked expression. Steven was so glad to see her. He had been on the ranch for
over an hour getting harassed by Parry, one of the security men Sam had
introduced him to. His insatiable questions about the band were getting on his
nerves. The other one, Ridge, hadn’t stopped shooting hostile looks his way
from the moment he walked through the door. The man looked as if he was
measuring him for a coffin. He didn’t know which one was worse, the hulk or the
freckled face inquisitor.

Steven began to bring Alex toward him to kiss
her on the lips. Glancing over her shoulder, he spied the hulk. Lips puckered,
holding her six inches from his mouth, he froze. The cowboy that Alex was with,
and the hulk, shot him looks that clearly said “Try it and you’ll find yourself
in the morgue.” Thinking twice, Steven decided to kiss her in a brotherly
fashion, on the cheek, and then turned her loose like the proverbial hot
potato. He was praying that didn’t constitute the release of his obituary and
pending funeral arrangements.
What the heck is going on?
he wondered.

Ty started toward the playboy but Ridge blocked
his path, muttering softly for his ears only, “Go easy.” Ty did not want this
American Idol wannabe anywhere near Alex. He wanted to throw him out on his Calvin
Klein butt. Ridge continued to look down at his boss, silently conveying the
message that he had no say in whom Alex could see. Judging that he had heard
him loud and clear, he stepped back to stand next to his boss, examining Steven
closely.

“What are you doing here?” Alex asked
breathlessly. She couldn’t believe fate could be so cruel. She and Ty were just
starting to iron thing out and the proverbial joker had to show up.

“I got your call? You said it was imperative
that I get in touch with you. So here I am. Did I come at a bad time, or what?”
Steven asked straight-faced.

Alex glared angrily at him, narrowing her eyes
and crossing her arms over her chest. “I meant for you to call me not just show
up, you moron,” she groaned.

Ty could see that she was not exactly ecstatic
about his arrival, which made him relax somewhat. He was glad she was going to
send him on his merry way.

Steven concluded from her face that something
was definitely up, and turned to study the other faces around him. From the
unwanted looks shot his way from everyone except the freckled one, he surmised
that maybe he should have called first?
Oh well, too late now,
he
decided.

Rotating back to Alex, Steven got down on his
hands and knees directly in front of her and started to bow to her over and
over again, to the shock and amazement of everyone, including Alex.

“Forgive this poor insolent fool, who loves you
more than life itself, for disturbing you, oh great one!” he pleaded,
continuing to bow repeatedly at her feet.

Ty spotted Ridge turn away at the last possible
moment to stop himself from losing it and laughing aloud at the man’s antics.
Parry didn’t even try to control himself as he doubled over laughing and had to
fumble for the railing to help him sit down on the stairs.

Ty, however, was not amused. He wanted to kick
Steven in the rear every time he salaamed Alex.

“Great, another one!” Martha said, advancing
down the hall from the kitchen. “I see Mr. G.Q. has arrived. Just march your
sorry butt back out that door!” she said, waving her dishtowel at Steven.

Ty knew there was a reason he liked Martha. She
had just become his hero. He hoped he would take her advice and leave quickly,
before he was forced to break his glass jaw.

“Martha, come on, tell me you missed me! It’s
been almost a year since I last saw you.” Steven ambled up from the floor and
moved to give Martha a fat kiss, puckering his lips at her, and holding open
his arms for a hug. She hit him with her dishtowel square in the face before
placing her fingers together to form a cross and pointing it accusingly at him.

“Stay back you peacock!” she warned
unenthusiastically as Steven drew her into his embrace, giving her a loud kiss
on the cheek, despite Martha’s grimace.

“Martha! Stop it!” Alex said starting to laugh
at the absurdity of it all as she scrubbed at her face with the dishtowel.
Glancing at Ty, she could see his eyes storming over. She had seen the
dangerous looks he and Ridge had sent Steven from the moment they’d gotten
back. He was jealous of him! Alex was awestruck by that revelation.

“Are you going to let that… thing stay here, in
the main house, with the civilized people?” Martha exclaimed, gesturing to
Steven with her dishtowel while raising her eyebrow questioningly.

Everyone turned to Alex, waiting for her reply.

“I can’t throw him out! There are poor
defenseless babies out there!” she stated, then compressed her lips to stop
herself from giving into the overwhelming need to double over in merriment at
the sour expression her statement caused.

“I give up!!” She threw up her hands and headed
for the kitchen. “Your meals are all packed and ready for you people in the
kitchen. I even made some snacks and put them in separate bags. Tennessee
already went out an hour ago, and you girls are on your own, I believe there
are a couple frozen dinners in the freezer...” she halted, turning enough to
look meaningfully at Alex and Steven. “Sam’s already in bed so you two can have
those.” Martha informed them, punishment for letting Steven stay. Heading back
to the kitchen while shaking her head, she mumbled to herself about the
ungrateful generation she had helped raise.

“Ridge, double check the gear with Parry. I’ll
meet you out back in a minute,” Ty said coldly.

Alex felt her heart stop as Ty’s voice
registered, remembering from his frosty tone that he believed she was in love
with Steven, and was even considering marring him. Seeing the look in his eyes,
she knew she had made a horrible mistake in allowing Steven to stay. It was too
late to tell him the truth. There was nothing going on between them and there
never had been. If she told him she’d lied, he would want to know why. Did she
want him to know she was still harboring feelings for him? She wasn’t ready to
open herself up that much.

Ridge did not like leaving the boss, but he
followed orders. He grabbed Parry by the collar and shoved him out of the room
ahead of him.

“Wait a minute! Did you see the two of them? I
never noticed it before but Ty and that guy cou...”

Alex couldn’t register the rest of what Parry was
babbling because Ridge slapped him in the back of the head, stopping him mid
sentence.

“Ty?” Alex looked at his hard, hostile face,
not knowing what to say.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a job to do, remember?
Visit with your friend,” he said, mockingly. “I’ll see you in a few days,” he
added coldly.

Ty didn’t want Alex anywhere near Steven, but
he knew his hands were tied. He couldn’t stop her.

“A few days?” Alex exclaimed.

She was stunned to realize Ty wasn’t going to
be around for that length of time.

“Yes, I’m on graveyard. It’s the rotation.” He
didn’t wait for her reply. Watching him stride angrily toward the kitchen, she
felt deflated.

Staring at Steven, she felt so lost knowing he
was shutting her out. She had wanted the chance to explore what they had found
again and where it would lead. Just when it had seemed they could actually
start over and have something, it was all crashing down around her. They were
back where they’d started; only he was angry with her! She started to cry,
tears falling silently down her face.

Steven was flabbergasted by her tears. The
woman never cried. In all the years he had known her he had only witnessed it
once. It horrified him. He didn’t know what to do. Cringing inwardly, but
knowing he had to do something to stop the waterworks, he stepped in front of
her. Reluctantly, he pulled her toward him, pushing her head to his shoulder to
let her cry while awkwardly patting her back to calm her.

After taking a calming breath Steven looked
over her shoulder and spotted the den. He pulled Alex into it knowing that he,
at least, would feel more comfortable with her falling apart somewhere private.
He placed her on the couch and moved hastily back as if she had a disease he
didn’t want to catch. Reaching out for a box of tissue he found on the end
table, he placed it in her lap as if it held nuclear waste. Spying the liquor
cabinet in the room, he raced toward it, fumbling as he poured straight bourbon
into two crystal glasses.

“I don’t need a drink, Steven!” Alex cried out,
watching his movements.

“Are you kidding? They’re for me, my nerves are
shot!” he informed her, draining them in quick succession. The whole thing was
upsetting his equilibrium. He had a feeling he was going to need the whole
bottle before this was over. He moved quickly to pour himself another double
even as his hands shook. He turned, a full glass in hand, and took the chair
next to the sofa. He narrowed his eyes on her trying to piece together what in
Hades was going on around here.

Sobering quickly from her tears, Alex wondered
if he was joking around with her again or if he really needed a drink. But
then, Steven seemed to only love Steven so taking care of himself first
shouldn’t be such a surprise. That was one of the main factors in why she just
could not see herself as anything other than his friend. God knows, she had
thought he would grow up someday, but he just seemed to be waiting for
something, or someone, to wake him up to the fact that the world did not
revolve around him alone.

“Okay Red, give it to me straight.” Steven
prepared himself as he placed his forearms out along the arms of the chair,
grabbing one in a death grip and holding his glass with the other. Looking
straight ahead, and not at Alex, he waited stiffly in the chair as if she was a
judge charged with sentencing him to life in prison or parole. Alex held back
her laughter at the picture he made.

“It’s nothing. I’m just so glad to see you.”
Alex peeked up at him through her tears.

“Bull!” he screeched, flailing around in the
chair almost dumping his drink in his lap before pointing an accusatory finger
right in her face. “You never cry, Red! And the guy you walked in that door
with is a dead ringer for me, we could be cousins, or God forbid, brothers! The
freckled geek, Parry, saw it. So did everyone else!” He threw back his drink
and looked poignantly at Alex. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a
second, he switched tactics and said calmly, “Alex, I can’t help you unless you
tell me what’s going on.” He said it to encourage her as he leaned forward,
looking openly at her face.