He gathered her in his arms, intuitively giving her all the comfort and reassurance she needed. “That’s… sad.”
She had thought so, too…until now. “Not really.” Ally had a brand-new way of looking at things. She lifted her chin. “Not when you consider how much joy these little trinkets brought me.”
Tenderly, he drew a knuckle across the bow of her lips. “So there is a heart inside that Grinch exterior, after all.”
Ally grinned and wound her arms about his neck. Playfully, she went up on tiptoe. “Just don’t tell anyone about it.”
He regarded her in a way that left no doubt they would be making love again very soon. “Not to worry,” he whispered. “Your secret is safe with me.” As if to prove it, he captured her lips in a kiss that was so unbearably tender it had her melting against him. “Although,” Hank drawled finally, smoothing a palm down her spine, “you may not be able to keep it secret much longer…”
Ally chuckled and splayed her hands across the warmth of his chest. “Just decorate the tree!”
An hour later, they had all the remnants from their youth hanging next to the beautiful glass ornaments from Dallas’s top department store. It was an eclectic tree, rife with meaning. Ally knew she had never seen anything more beautiful.
Hank stepped back to admire the pine. He braced his hands on his hips. “All we need now is something for the top.”
Suddenly, Ally wanted to do more than just be dragged into participating. “Why don’t you let me handle that?”
“Sure?” Hank teased her with a kiss to the brow. “Wouldn’t want to ruin your rep as a holiday curmudgeon.”
She rolled her eyes. “Trust me, there’s very little chance of that!”
“I don’t know…you’re looking awfully happy right now.”
Her heart pounded against her ribs. “I’m feeling awfully happy.” Which was odd, given the fact that she was about to lose the puppy and the mama dog she had fallen in love with. Closer still to unwillingly forfeiting her job and selling the home she’d had since birth. By all rights, she ought to be flat-out miserable tonight, and crying her eyes out. She wasn’t. There was only one reason for that.
He knew it. And was coming closer once again, to claim her. Fully, this time. Hank took her into his arms, lowered his mouth to hers. Their lips were just about to touch when his cell phone rang.
Hank grimaced, looking very much like he didn’t want to answer the call. Then again, it was late, and generally people didn’t phone at eleven at night unless it was important…
He let her go reluctantly. “This will just take a second. Hank McCabe…” He listened intently, frowned some more. “You want to meet
“Let me guess.” The words were out before Ally could stop them. “Lulu again?”
To his credit, Hank didn’t back away from the facts. “She’s an integral part of my plan to buy Mesquite Ridge.”
Ally’s heart sank. “I heard she got a lot of money in her divorce settlement.”
Hank acknowledged that with a brief nod, but did not comment, before once again glancing at his watch. “I’ve got to go.” He paused, the inscrutable look coming back into his deep blue eyes. “I’m not sure how long this will take.”
Jealousy and anger twisted inside her. “Don’t worry.” Ally flashed the most nonchalant smile she could manage. “I won’t wait up.”
HANK WAS OUT THE DOOR a few minutes later.
Ally paced the room. The tree that had seemed so festive moments earlier appeared flat and unexciting now.
She guessed the old saying was right-beauty was in the eye of the beholder. The question was, how did Hank see Lulu? As his savior?
Ally didn’t have a big bank account. If she did…
But she didn’t. She might not even have a job.
She glanced at the clock again. It was late, but chances were, Porter was still up. She went to get her phone. Seconds later, her call went through, and her colleague answered on the first ring. “Hey, stranger,” he said. “About time you returned any one of the half-dozen calls or email messages I left for you.”
“Sorry. I’ve been a little busy. How are things with you?”
“Glum. The current job market in Houston is bleak. I might have to go back to Phoenix, where I grew up.”
“Do you have a lead?”
“On several things, as a matter of fact. With all the retirees still moving to the Sun Belt for their golden years, the demand for financial analysts and advisers is growing every day. I can give you the name of the recruiting firm I’m using. It might not be so bad if we both got jobs and moved there at the same time.”
“Look. You don’t have to decide anything tonight. Just send in your resume and a cover letter to the contact I emailed you this morning. Think of it as insurance. Chances are, if a firm in Arizona gives you an offer, you won’t lose your job in Houston.”
Chances for success were definitely better if they had multiple options, instead of just the one. Ally forced herself to be practical. “I like the way you think.”
Porter chuckled. “Thank you.”
She paced back and forth. “Any further word on the layoffs?” Unlike her, Porter always had his ear to the ground for workplace gossip. If there was something to know, her friend would be aware of it.
“Nope. Just that the new management intends to keep a skeleton crew on to manage the transition, and the rest of the cuts are going to be massive, and brutal.”
Which meant, Ally told herself sternly, she
She thanked Porter for the info. They chatted some more and then hung up. Restless, she took care of Duchess and the puppies. By the time she had finished, it was well after midnight, and there was still no sign of Hank.
He was not off making love with Lulu. Or looking for a liaison. Lulu was probably just using her connections to help Hank find the additional financing he needed to be able to make an offer on Mesquite Ridge.
But on the off-off chance that Hank was out doing something that would signal the end of Ally and him… She figured she better do as Porter advised and develop a much better plan B.
HANK TIPTOED IN AT 3:00 A.M. Ally had said she wouldn’t wait up, and she hadn’t. She was fast asleep on the living room sofa, an angelically peaceful look on her face-and what appeared to be a half-finished quilted Christmas stocking in her hands.
Hank considered picking her up and carrying her to bed, but knew he’d wake her, and then he’d want to make to love to her. Trouble was, given the time and where he’d been, it was unlikely that Ally would welcome his advances.
So, he figured, as he went upstairs and got one of the blankets off her bed and covered her up, this would have to do.
Kissing her would have to come later.
In the meantime, he needed a little shut-eye himself. He had a lot to accomplish and a short amount of time to get it all done, if he were to make Ally’s dreams come true and give her a truly merry Christmas, to boot.
Chapter Thirteen
