Page 61 of Fairy Tale Marriage

CHAPTERTEN

Chazpaused outside the door to the parlor, startled to find his foreman sitting with Doña Isabella. Now there was a sight he’d never expected to see. Neither of them noticed him, so he shoved his Stetson to the back of his head and blatantly eavesdropped.

“Now, Izzy,” Penny said. “I don’t want you to be upset when I put my cards down.”

“I won’t be the least upset.”

“It’s jes’ that I’ve noticed you don’t take well to losing.”

“Carry on with the game, Señor Penworthy. Ibelieve I called?”

“So you did. But, Izzy, Iwarned you about calling me Penworthy. If word got out that was my legally binding name, I’d be a laughingstock.”

“As you wish, Señor Penny.”

“That’s better.” He spread out his cards. “Read ’em and weep, precious. Full house, aces and kings.”

“Very impressive.” She stayed his hand as he reached for the pot of matchsticks with the gold-tipped handle of her cane. “But not so fast.”

“You can’t have my full house beat. You drew four cards!”

“Ah, but they were four excellent cards.” She plunked down a fistful of queens and actually grinned. “My pot, Ibelieve.”

Chaz shook his head in disbelief. He never thought he'd live to see the day when those two would get chummy. It gave him an odd feeling. As odd as when he'd walked into the kitchen earlier.

His daughter had been perched on Mojo's lap slapping balls of cookie dough onto a metal tray. She'd waved at him, her fingers studded with bits of chocolate chips, chattering at great length in a mixture of Spanish and English while Mojo sat there, not understanding a word, abig, sloppy grin on his uglymug.

It was the same sappy expression he’d worn ever since the two had first met, the day Sarita had darted into the kitchen before anyone could stop her. Mojo had been at his worktable, frozen in place, apotato peeler poking out of his massivepaw.

Sarita had skidded to a halt at his side. But instead of running shrieking from the room or reacting with fear, she’d studied him with open curiosity. Then she’d climbed onto his lap, and there she’d stayed. From that moment on, they’d been the best of friends.

So why did Chaz feel so out of sorts? He should be delighted. He’d assembled all the various pieces necessary for the life he’d always wanted and Shayne had put those pieces in order. The end result was a home more perfect than he could have ever imagined.

So what the hell was botheringhim?

He wandered into his office and stood by the window overlooking the front of the house. He knew what it was. Shayne and that damn Christmas tree. Shayne and the hideous childhood she’d barely survived. Shayne and her unending search forlove.

He suspected what hurt her the most about their relationship was that he’d let her down, first by failing to find her in the years that had passed since their marriage nine years ago. And second, and most importantly, because he didn’t love her the way she so desperately needed.

She was going to leavehim.

Now that she’d created a home for him, she’d go, and there was only one thing he could think of to stop her. He could prove that he’d done his best to find her. And he could let her know that once upon a time, he had lovedher.

His next decision took no thought at all. Rifling through his desk drawer, he searched for the business card he’d tossed in there close to a month ago, acard he’d never thought he’d have occasion to use. Finding it, he punched in the series of numbers printed in the corner. The phone only rangonce.

“Beaumont.”

“You said to call if I ever needed help.”

“McIntyre? Is that you?”

“Got it in one, big brother. I’ve decided to take you up on that offer.” Chaz released his breath along with his pride. “I need your help.”

Chazfound San Francisco cold and gray, the misty rain bringing a chill far more cutting than the fiercest winter his mountain home in Colorado could offer up. He stood outside the museum, silently cursing Rafe for forcing this out-of-the-way meeting. Couldn’t he have just sent the packet? Why all the games?

“McIntyre. Glad to see you could make it.”

Chaz turned and greeted his brother-in-law with a handshake. “I don’t recall you leaving me any choice.”

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