Touch Me and Tango (16 page)

His ears caught the sound of a car burning rubber at the end
of the block. In the darkness all he could see was the rear taillights fading
in the distance.

Jesse Peterson. It has
to be
.

On the streets, slashing a man’s tires was a declaration of
war. Was this simply a case of random vandalism? Or had Jesse Peterson just
announced himself?

***

After rehearsing with Julio for this week’s hospital event,
Tanya made a pit stop at Natalie’s Coffee Cove to buy apple turnovers for her
mother and began strolling back to Eva’s aging Mercedes that was parked in the
next block. But she stopped short when she saw Parker standing on the sidewalk
with a squarely built woman and five dogs, all looking like shelter mutts.

She hadn’t seen or talked to Parker in ten days. He’d called
Eva a couple times to tell her he had been to Rubikoff Island, but that was it.
Tanya had stopped trying to reach him, since he never responded. Seeing him now
on the street, a horrible longing sprang up inside her. She couldn’t look at
him without thinking,
Mine. He’s mine
.

She almost turned away. But aside from the fact that he drew
her like a mega-ton magnet, she decided this might be her last chance to
reconnect with him before Mark returned for her decision on the marriage proposal.

“Hey, Parker.”

When he looked at her she was glad she’d worn a sleek and
short cotton sheath. He nodded a sober hello. She could tell her presence
disturbed him. Hopefully in the right way.

The woman with him smiled at her. A small beagle on a leash
padded up to her. Its right ear and left leg were bandaged. A patch of hair had
been shaved along its flanks where a row of stitches indicated some surgical
repairs.
Aha. The veterinarian
.

“Who do we have here?” Tanya asked, squatting down for a
closer look.

“This is Vinnie,” the woman said.

She scratched Vinnie behind the ear and glanced up at
Parker, who seemed either unable or unwilling to speak.

The woman said, “I’m Bridget Larson.”

“Tanya Gentilliano.” She wondered if Bridget and Parker were
seriously involved. Was her interpretation of the intimacy she’d shared with
him the night of her accident way off? Was he merely enjoying a little sex?
After all, she was the one who’d started it. Few men would refuse that kind of
bonus. But then why would he shun her right after he ran into Mark?

“Oh, you’re Eva Gentillano’s daughter. I see it now. You
look so much like her.”

Parker apparently found his voice and said, “Bridget runs
the animal hospital up the street. And Tanya is a professional dancer. Just got
back from Europe.”

“Wow. I can see you’re a dancer. You have such a great
figure. Wish I could stay so slim.”

Holy cow, what kind of woman would call attention to the
fact that she’s got a not-so-great, slightly dumpy body? “You look pretty sleek
to me,” Tanya lied, adding, “Wish I had cute freckles.”

Bridget turned red and giggled. She really did have a
girlish freckled face that was extremely pretty.

As she introduced the rest of the dogs and told a little
about how each was rescued, her warm smile and bright conversation reinforced
the rave reviews Tanya had heard from her mom regarding the town’s beloved new
vet. Mom had told her all about Dr. Larson’s compassionate deeds and of her
willingness to slide a break to those customers who were having trouble making
ends meet. Like Eva.

The whole time, Tanya could feel Parker’s eyes on her. She met
his gaze. He looked away. Geeze, he was sexy. Just about the finest thing
walking on two feet.

But that wasn’t really what she found herself missing. It
was just him, his tender warmth, his clear head and deep thoughts, and even the
way he could see right through any of her acts.

Tanya stood and stretched, purposely giving him a side view
that highlighted her well-shaped butt. She noted the effect it had on him. But
she also noticed something else. When he spoke with Bridget his face was soft
and relaxed. None of that underlying irritation that Tanya seemed to bring out
in him. That’s when she realized her mother was right about the other thing
she’d said: that Bridget was perfect for Parker Richardson.

She could tell this woman was a truly noble soul. Like
Parker. One of those people who walked her talk and wore a heart of gold on her
sleeve.

The antithesis of me
.

Tanya knew if she worked at it, she could pull Parker away
from Bridget. She’d mastered those kinds of tricks many moons ago. But for the
first time in her life she decided to put her heart ahead of her ego and
instead pull out of the game.

“Listen, guys, I’ve got to run. Nice to meet you, Bridget.”

Tanya didn’t look back until she reached her mother’s
Mercedes parked a block away. She steered it onto the main road and headed back
home, biting her lip so hard she tasted blood. Telling herself this was the
right thing to do. She’d planned so many phrases to use on Parker, ways to get
him to come around, ways to make him want her again. But she couldn’t do it. He
had the most generous heart she’d ever encountered. He deserved a woman like
Bridget, one who was as good and kind and true as he was. Not someone like herself.

Parker had called her a phony, and he was right. She was a
game player. Always putting on an act. Not only with him, but with Mark and
even her with own mother. Maybe that was why she loved dance so much.
Performing was all make believe. The only thing that was real was your
technical mastery. And that you couldn’t lie about or fake.

A single tear streamed down her cheek. Then another. Soon
she was sobbing.

It was time to let go of Parker for good.

In her mind she was certain of it.

Too bad her heart didn’t agree.

Parker’s shot left the ball he was gunning for a hair from
entering the side pocket, while the cue ball veered away and nearly sank the
eight for an automatic loss. Despite his lousy play, it seemed a good night for
pool at the Sea Witch Tavern. There were enough potential players to join in
and make things interesting once things got rolling. At the bar a row of
colored glass pendant lights shed their rosy hue across the counter. On the
juke the raspy voice of Bonnie Taylor sang her classic oldie, “It’s A
Heartache.”

Billy brought his wheelchair all the way up to the side of
the table until the wheel practically touched. He rested his left arm across
the felt and tucked his chin into his shoulder. “Number six off the number
three. Left corner pocket.”
Click-click-kurplunk
.

“On the money,” said Miles, standing at the far end of
table, chalking his stick.

Parker leaned back against the red pine paneled wall and
gulped another mouthful of his favorite Mexican beer. He nodded to his sister
Jenna. “You can have my turn. I suck tonight.”

“If you insist,” Jenna said, stepping to the table. “Ten
ball side pocket.”
Click… kurplunk
.

She lined up another. “Twelve ball off the nine, side
pocket.”
Click, click, kurplunk
.
 
And another. “Ten ball right corner pocket.”
Click… kurplunk
.

After missing her next shot she overheard Billy saying to
Miles, “She drives me crazy this girl. I’d love to ask her out. But I…”

Jenna couldn’t resist. “Take her to dinner.”

“That’ll be the day.”

“Do I know this person?” Jenna asked.

“Monique.”

Her eyes widened. “The little French ballerina? Your dance
partner for the performance?”

Billy nodded. Miles played his shot and Parker listened in
silence to their discussion.

“Now I definitely think you should take her out,” Jenna
said. “Monique is one of the sweetest people I ever met. She’s got a heart.”

“So do I. I just don’t want it broken again.” Billy had been
serving in Iraq when his wife ran off with another man. Next came his Humvee’s
encounter with a roadside bomb, cruelly stripping him of his lower limbs. No
doubt about it, Billy had enough pain for ten lifetimes. For that reason,
Parker hoped Jenna’s advice was accurate. But if there was one thing he knew
about his sister, she was an excellent judge of character.

“Do it,” Miles said.

“What makes you so sure?” Billy asked looking straight at
Jenna. “I mean there are certain drawbacks to dating a guy who—”

Jenna cut him off. “Who what? Fought and sacrificed for his
country?”

“Yeah, but still…”

“You work out like a beast,” Miles said. “Got a beautiful
build. Good looking guy.”

Jenna rested a loving hand around on his back. “And you’re
our Billy.”

“I second that,” Parker said, lifting his bottle. “All of
it.”

Billy took a deep inhale. “Okay. Next rehearsal I’ll give it
a try.”

Cheers and a small round of applause.

“Switching subjects, guys. Some dude keeps eyeballing us
from over there at the end of the bar.” Miles nodded towards his left. “So be
ready. Who knows? He may be trouble.”

Billy glanced at the stranger. “Wait a sec. Why do I know
that guy? He looks familiar.”

“Jesse Peterson.” Parker said, stone faced. “They released
him from the pen about a month ago.”

Billy’s eyes lit up. “Oh, shit. He’s the one you… No wonder
dude’s looking over here. Any problems buddy, you got back up. Including from
the Rolling Beast.”

Parker smiled. “I’m not worried. But thanks anyway.”

“Didn’t you tell me somebody slashed your tires a few nights
ago?” Jenna asked.

“No shit,” Miles said.

“Yeah, it was probably him. But unless I can prove he’s
broken the law, which I can’t, all I can do is wait him out.”

“It’s true.” Billy said. “Cops can’t do diddly unless he’s
caught red handed.”

“I’ll have to look out for myself. Fortunately, I’m easy to
find. If he wants me, here I am. Let’s get it on and over with. I’ve pretty
much told him that.”

“Be careful,” Miles said. “Wouldn’t push it with a dude
who’s been inside.”

“He’s coming this way,” Jenna said.

Jesse Peterson left his stool and breezed by the end of the
bar without a word or any eye contact and headed straight for the Men’s Room.
Two minutes later as he came walking back, he leaned in close, whispered
something in Jenna’s ear, put his hand on her butt and squeezed.

Instant rage. Parker spun him around by the shoulder and
unloaded a solid right hand that leveled him. Several onlookers, including
Tommy the bartender, saw what happened.

Tommy raced around the bar and raised Jesse to his knees.
“Pull that shit in here, son. And that’s what you get.”

Jesse wiped a thin trickle of blood from the corner of his
lip. “It ain’t over, asshole,” he said, looking right at Parker. “We got more
to do.” He walked out of the bar raising his middle finger for one and all.

“Forget it man,” Billy said, slapping Parker on the back.
“Dude’s all show and no go.”

”Right,” said Miles. “Let’s have a drink.”

Parker nodded and ordered another beer. But he knew it was
only a matter of time before he and Jesse would cross paths again.

***

Rain thrummed against the windows. Tanya sat on the floor,
her legs spread wide, her torso forward, chin on hands, as she read through the
yellowed papers scattered in front of her. Manila files and more loose papers
covered the wide mahogany desk and cluttered every leather chair in this
stately paneled room.

The rebellious streak that had always run miles deep in
Tanya enjoyed the mess she’d made in what used to be her father’s study. Maybe
it was unfair, but she blamed him for the girl he’d encouraged her to be so
many years ago. The girl who’d lost Parker Richardson.

While Tanya was certain she did the right thing backing off
and leaving him with a woman much more suited to his nature, she couldn’t help
being disappointed that he’d made no effort to contact her. Did he care at all
whether or not he ever saw her again? Or was he too in love with Bridget to
even think about anyone else?

In a few minutes her mother clumped in and dropped into one
of the leather club chairs. Oscar followed her, gave Tanya a sniff and a lick
and settled at Eva’s feet.

“Okay, I’ve never been too good at this, but I’m worried.
It’s time we had a mother-daughter talk.”

Tanya looked up. “A talk?”

Eva nodded and pointed to the club chair facing her. There
used to be a coffee table between them, but that went in the house sale.

“What is it, Mom? What’s worrying you?”

“You, Tannie.” Her hands waved in the air as she spoke.
“You’re not yourself. I know I’m not myself either lately, but I’m more myself
than you are yourself. And if you were like myself you’d know that you weren’t
yourself. But yourself doesn’t even know the myself of yourself enough to know
you’re not yourself.”

Tanya struggled to keep a straight face. Wisdom from her
mother often came in very strange packages. “Can you be more specific?”

“You see? You should know when you’re upset. You’re wound
like a spring, tense, coiled, ready to strike. An animal injured and lame.
Hurting from something. And hiding something, too.”

It warmed her to know Eva had sensed what she was going
through. “Actually, there is something I want to talk to you about. Um, what if
Parker doesn’t find Harry’s diamonds? What will we do?”

Eva laughed. “Is that it? Well, just relax and hold on.
Remember I dreamt when grandma was going to die? And I never told you, but I
dreamt about your father with another woman. Luckily, those kinds of dreams are
not always about bad news. When you were a little girl I dreamt about you
winning prizes. I didn’t know what it meant at the time. I also had a very
clear and definite dream that we would find the diamonds. Of course I hope it’s
before the house goes on the market and all this bankruptcy stuff begins.”