All About Charming Alice (8 page)

To his great surprise, her golden eyes warmed like suns. “Good. I’m getting used to having you around.”

Had he heard correctly? Had she really said that? Incredible. His heart rose. Fighting to hide how pleased he felt, he stood, headed for the door. Then paused, turned. “Don’t make dinner tonight.”

He caught the sudden disappointment she was trying to hide. “Because you won’t be coming home?”

Home
, he’d said? “Because I’m taking you out. For dinner.”

Alice jumped to her feet. “No!”

“What? This is incredible. Now what have I done? Asked you to have dinner with me? Not to go cook Killer.”

“I don’t go out for dinner.”

“Why not?”

“Because if anyone sees us, they’ll all start talking. They’ll link us together and I hate — absolutely
hate
— being a topic of gossip. You don’t know what you’re up against. This is Blake’s Folly and here … ”

He didn’t let her finish. “Too bad. Tonight we’re going out. Together. And not to the local diner either. I’m taking you to Lucy’s. I heard it’s the best restaurant in the desert.”

“Lucy’s? You can’t do this, Jace!”

“Have a nice day, Alice.”

“Jace … ” Her voice, almost plaintive now, followed him down the corridor. “I don’t have anything to wear to a place like Lucy’s.”

“I’ve got a great idea,” he called back. “Go see Rose.” He wondered what Alice’s tall, thin figure would look like in elegant clothes, in anything but those faded, shapeless print dresses; she seemed to possess an endless collection of them. Thin? No, she wasn’t thin. Those long legs and long arms only gave you that impression. Slender. And lanky. He smiled.

It was only when he was finally driving down the main road in the direction of the Winterback Mine that he remembered the warm blueberry muffins, and realized how hungry he was. He’d forgotten to eat breakfast.

“Look, Alice. Just look at this dress. It’s the one I told you about.” Rose’s eyes were shinning as she held out the long sleek tube of burgundy silk.

“I can’t wear something like that,” Alice moaned.

“Why? Why can’t you?” said Rose. She was feeling more and more exasperated by the minute. No matter what she suggested, Alice quashed all with a wall of negatives.

“Because … because … Oh, I don’t know. Because it’s not me!”

“Of course you don’t think it’s you,” Rose said earnestly. “You’ve been so busy wallowing in the swamp of unadulterated frumpiness for so many years now, you can’t imagine, even for a minute, that you could do something else!”

“And I thought we were friends.”

“We are. If I were your enemy, I’d keep you in those awful frocks you hide yourself in. I don’t need competition.”

“What competition?” Alice gaped at Rose. “What kind of a joke is that?”

“Alice, sweetie, just stop arguing. Okay?”

“Look Rose, I can’t pay for a silk dress. Not even a secondhand one. And I bet, even secondhand, this one costs a fortune. It’s pure nineteen-forties chic.”

“We haven’t talked money. And I never imagined you were a wealthy woman.” Rose smiled.

“You’re not giving it to me!” Alice was vehement. “Because I won’t accept.”

“If I gave away the things in this shop, I’d die of starvation.”

“You’re lending it?” Her eyes searched Rose’s face, and she wondered if she imagined seeing a certain embarrassment.

“I’m not a lending library either,” Rose answered.

“Well then, you just tell me the price, please.” There was almost a pleading note in Alice’s voice. A dress like this wouldn’t come cheap. It was beautiful, and she’d love to wear it. But she had such a hard time making ends meet. Why didn’t Rose show more sympathy?

Jace too, for that matter! He was impossible, didn’t have the faintest idea how things worked out here. Soon enough, everyone in the state of Nevada would be linking his name to hers, making them into a permanent couple. Then Jace would go zooming back to his fancy Chicago world, leaving her behind, and everyone would pity her as the rejected woman. The one who’d been dumped by that handsome and very famous writer who’d stayed just long enough for a quick adventure.

“Alice, just try the dress on, okay? I told Jace I thought you’d look great in it.”

Alice stared at her friend, open-mouthed. Then she exploded. “Jace? What does Jace have to do with this! What are you talking about!”

Rose forced herself to stay calm. “Jace and I talked about it last night. At your very own front door. He said he wanted to invite you out for dinner, to a really nice place, and he wanted me to find the perfect dress for you. Okay?” Seeing Alice’s horrified expression, Rose lost a little of her breezy self-confidence. She sighed. “I told him this wasn’t going to be easy … ”

“Oh you did, did you?” Had everyone on the North American continent betrayed her?

“Yes, I did,” snapped Rose defiantly.

“He told you I would go out with him before he even asked me?”

“I guess that’s the way things look,” retorted Rose. “And Jace also said that if you argued about the price, I was to explain it was a present. From him. For taking in Killer.”

“I never heard anything like this in my whole life!” Alice wanted to scream with rage. “What do you both think you’re doing, plotting behind my back like this?”

“Plotting? Who’s plotting?” Rose’s voice rose on a high note. “Someone wants to give you a gift and that’s called plotting? You’re plain nuts, Alice Treemont, and I give up! This is a present, right? Jace wanted to give you a present. And you refuse to accept, like always. Okay, go out to dinner in rags, if that’s what you want. Slip into something that looks just about right for washing the floor.” Rose stopped, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. “I’m willing to bet you even argued with Jace about going out to dinner!”

“How do you know?” Alice felt her fury ebbing away. She’d never seen good-natured Rose angry before
. I manage to ruffle everyone’s fur
, she thought miserably.

“How do I know? Because that’s what you’re like. You’re always ready to give. You cook for everyone, take care of helpless animals — you’re the first one in this whole state who rushes in when anyone needs help. But you never learned how to take and that’s unfair. Other people like to give too, you know. But you don’t care about that. It’s only
your
pride that counts!”

Alice was silent for a long moment. Why was everyone ganging up on her? Or perhaps they weren’t? What if Rose was right and she was wrong? Why was life so confusing? Why had her own life become so complicated since Jace had appeared in it? She took a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Point taken. I guess I’m going to have to work on this.” But, right now, all she wanted to do was get out of this shop.

“Hey, kid,” Rose looked at her soberly. “I care about you. And maybe Jace does too.”

“Jace care about me? Nonsense. Rose, you’re dreaming up a love story the way you always do. Jace doesn’t even know me. I don’t know him.”

“So when you go out to dinner with him tonight, ask questions. Tell him things.”

“And I can’t accept the dress.”

“If you refuse, I lose a sale.”

“This makes me feel like a kept woman.”

“In that case, you shouldn’t even accept a coffee from me, or dinner from Jace. And what about Pa Handy’s fixing your boiler for free? Does he make you feel like a kept woman too?”

Alice’s chin jutted out stubbornly. “Pa said he’s going to send me a bill.”

“He won’t. You know that. Give up, Alice. Try the dress on. I even have a wonderful pair of pointy-toed silver high heels to go with it. Accept what Jace is offering — even if it’s just this once. He’s gorgeous, he’s sexy and he’s nice. And he’s not trying to buy you. He just wants to please you. So … be happy.”

Alice felt herself relenting. “What if I look awful in it?”

“It’s not the only dress in the shop, you know,” Rose answered dryly. “And, uh, just one little question, okay?”

“You’ve got nothing to lose.”

Rose’s mouth twisted. “It’s about the braids. I mean, you aren’t thinking of wearing your hair in braids tonight, are you? I’m not saying they don’t suit you. They do. And in Blake’s Folly, they’re fine … ” Her voice drifted off.

“I get the message,” Alice rolled her eyes heavenward. “Since I’ll be wearing a tulip-shaped dress that will make me look like a strange stick insect, and heels high enough to break my neck in, I need the appropriate hairstyle.”

“Message received.”

• • •

Jace went up to his room to change. The house was perfectly silent. No sign of the dogs, no sign of the unpredictable Alice. She hadn’t run out on him, had she? He didn’t like to think about that possibility, although he knew that there was a chance of it happening: he’d thought about it all day.

He put on his blue shirt, made a face, ripped it off and went for the gray. No, that was even worse. The striped tie that had seemed so suitable in Chicago looked miserable right now. Why had he even bought the thing? Finally, he settled for a white shirt and well-cut navy slacks. He felt like a tied pot roast in the tweed jacket.

Calm down, Jace. You’re taking a lady out to dinner. You’ve done this a thousand times before in your life.
So why was he feeling like a teenager on his first date? And in Blake’s Folly, of all places. Anyone would think he was getting ready for the flash of Chicago High Society. But the little voice in his head pointed out, once again, that he hadn’t felt this pleased to be going out with any woman in his acquaintance for quite a long time — be it in Chicago, Paris, Los Angeles, or anywhere.

He kept one ear cocked, listening intently. Still no sound from anywhere in the house. He was becoming more and more certain she was standing him up, and his sharp shard of disappointment mingled with faint anger. Enough was enough. His male pride had been taking severe blows over the last few days and, frankly, he wasn’t masochistic enough to continue with the game. Then he remembered the way Alice’s lips had felt against his, the way he’d felt her body responding to his, and the wave of hurt pride receded a bit. “But you have to know when to quit,” he said to himself. If she really did stand him up tonight, he was clearing out of here.

Why keep fighting a losing battle?

So where was she? He stormed out into the hallway. She’d better be somewhere in this house. He wasn’t about to go out and scour the desert looking for her.

He knew where her bedroom was: at the end of the long corridor leading to the back of the house. And right now, its dark, wooden door was closed to him, to the whole world. But doors were made to be opened too.

He knocked. “Alice? Are you in there?”

“Yes.” Her voice was hesitant, faint.

So she hadn’t run away. She’d been here all the time. He let out his pent-up breath. “Alice … uh … are you ready?”

Silence.

“Alice? What are you doing in there?”

“I’m hiding, I think.” He heard her burst of laughter.

“Why are you hiding?” He was almost shouting with relief.

“Because I feel so strange in these clothes, I don’t know who I am anymore. Oh … I guess I’m just feeling shy.”

“Look, I’m coming in.” If the door was locked, he was feeling crazy enough to bash it down. It wasn’t.

He took a step into the room. Stared. Stared some more.

Damn
. If he hadn’t known it was Alice there, he wouldn’t have recognized her. Not right away, anyhow. Her shining hair was parted on one side, caught in a tiny barrette before cascading to her shoulders in a smooth sheen. She’d put on makeup too, just a faint touch of mascara and shadow. And a dark blush of lipstick that matched her burgundy dress.

His eyes slid over her, not missing an inch, taking in the narrow waist, her soft curves, the long legs. She looked magnificent.

“Now I see why you always try to hide yourself under faded print rags. You look too wonderful.” The words sounded too banal for such a radical transformation.

She blushed deeply. “You look pretty wonderful yourself.” She smiled shyly, warmly.

“Thanks.” He saw the little veins throbbing in the hollow of her neck and it took all his willpower not to lower his lips to the fragrant soft skin. Why the hell did everything this woman say mean so much to him?

He held out his hand. “Ready?”

“Ready.” Her long fingers curled around his. “Jace, listen. About the dress … ”

He shook his head slightly, raised his hand, warning her not to continue. “Nice dress. Even nicer with you in it.”

They were both silent as they went down the stairs. Strange. It was as if now, he also felt too shy for conversation. He even fumbled while helping her into a short wide swinging jacket. He, a man of the world, was as awkward as a ten-year-old. This was really the limit.

“I’m afraid a Land Rover isn’t exactly ideal for dinner with such an elegant woman,” Jace offered as they crossed the dust in the direction of the car.

“Oh, I don’t mind.” She smiled. “Traveling in a Land Rover while wearing a silk dress seems nicely decadent.”

Only when they were on the highway and heading west did he sense any hesitation on her part. “Are you certain you really want to go to Lucy’s tonight?” she asked.

“Why shouldn’t we?”

“It’s almost in Reno.”

She had tensed again, he saw. “Something wrong with Reno?” he asked lightly.

“Of course not,” she said although it sounded to his ears as though she were forcing herself to sound insouciant. “It’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve been anywhere outside of the Blake’s Folly area, Reno seems like the big wild and woolly world.”

But as the Rover licked up the dusky evening desert miles, he felt the tension evaporate. And over and over again, he felt the caress of her brief, secret glance on his profile, as delicate as a butterfly’s wing.

And that made him feel so good, so very good. And very, very male.

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, Alice had the distinct feeling she was walking around in a dream: someone else’s. The beautiful room was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was refined. On the white linen tablecloths, silver cutlery and crystal glasses gleamed.