Inked by an Angel (8 page)

The contrition in his voice almost made her relent. But she didn’t feel up to facing people tonight. Especially surly, sexy people. “It’s all right. I’m sure I’ll be feeling better soon. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure. I hope you get to feeling better, Miz O’Neill. I’ll say my prayers for you.”

She mumbled her thanks before hanging up. He’d pray for her? Somehow, the thought of big, bad Michael ‘The Angel’ Smith, kneeling in heartfelt prayer didn’t gel with her image of the man.

She shrugged and tossed the phone down, hugging her robe tighter around her. She felt slightly sluggish having not changed from her pajamas yet, but damn it, she was moping! After Charles left last night, she’d been so wired on adrenalin from her little one-woman stand that she’d scarcely been able to sleep. The expression on his face had been priceless. Utter and complete shock. Disgust. Betrayal.

He’d stormed out without another word, leaving her shaking like a leaf, but feeling like her life had just become her own again.

But now, in the light of a new day, she realized that all she’d done was push him away for expecting of her what she’d allowed everyone to expect of her all her life. It wasn’t his fault. Not really. She would have to do some serious soul-searching and make some hard decisions soon. But did Charles consider their engagement off already because of her blow-up? In that case, at least that decision would be out of her hands. But, in any case, did she still want to marry him?

Deep in her heart, she knew the answer to that. But did she have the guts to follow through on what that answer meant? Could she change her heart? Would he be willing to forgive her even if she could?

It took her two more days, but Kyle finally got her resolve up to go back to the studio. She took a deep, fortifying breath, pushed her glasses up on her nose, and opened the door. The little bell above the door was a comfort, she realized. Almost like a little homecoming. It was startling to realize how much time she’d actually spent in Jed’s studio. She would’ve smiled, but raised voices coming from the back brought her up short. She took in the empty studio. All the workstations were vacant. Quietly, she walked to the back and set her briefcase on the small desk that was her workspace.

Jed’s office door was cracked open enough for her to see Kierstan face-to-face with Jed, their bodies writhing like snakes coiled to strike, their faces contorted with anger.

Jed pointed sharply into Kierstan’s face, his eyes narrowed. “Listen. I don’t know what kind of shit you’re trying to pull now, but if you think for one second you’re going to fucking steal one more piece of this studio out from under me, you’ve got another thing coming! Forty percent is plenty, more than enough if you ask me. You should’ve just sold it back to me when . . .” He couldn’t seem to say more.

Kierstan looked down at his finger, then back up into his face as she cocked her hip. “I didn’t
steal
anything, baby. We had a deal, fair and square. Just because you don’t like it anymore, well that’s just too bad. You’re not getting rid of me.
Ever.
” She eyed him up and down. “What? Can’t handle looking but not touching anymore? I’m sure we can work something out. We were good together once.”

He stepped back like she’d really turned into a snake. “Ah,
fuck me
. . .”

“Exactly.”

He nearly roared, “Kierstan!”

That jolted her and her eyes popped open, but she didn’t say a word.

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” He sat and dropped his head in resignation. “Enough already. I can’t take it anymore.”

Kyle turned away, feeling like a voyeur. Their drama wasn’t her business. She had enough of her own. But Jed’s heartfelt plea tugged at something deep, deep within her and for some stupid reason she wanted to go hug him.

She tried to make plenty of noise setting up her laptop computer and opening all of her files so they would notice her presence. It seemed to work because Kierstan glanced her way then mumbled something under her breath before ducking out of Jed’s office.

Jed got up and shut his office door without saying a word.

Noble showed up about ten minutes later, oblivious to what had happened, but Kyle could tell he felt the tension in the air because he made a beeline for Jed’s office and let himself in without so much as a knock, and then shut the door again. Good, she thought. Jed needed some male bonding after that little neutron-bomb explosion she’d witnessed.

Customers began to filter in after that, a few at a time. She enjoyed the people-watching almost as much as she enjoyed her number-crunching.

Jed and Noble must’ve been watching the time, because they finally came out just before their appointments showed up. Noble, as per his usual, got a hot blonde requesting a tramp stamp just above her ass. She flirted and wiggled her assets while Noble remained oblivious or uninterested; it was hard to tell. Kyle wondered if he had a girlfriend.

Jed’s client was a pretty lady, too. Long, auburn hair, wide, awe-struck eyes, generous cleavage. She was getting some sort of Asian lettering design around her ankle. Kyle couldn’t help but notice how her flirting didn’t go unappreciated by
her
tattoo artist. Jed smiled and stopped in between some of his ink swipes to chat her up. Something inside of Kyle twisted with envy at the sight.

Michael finally showed up about an hour later. “Sorry I’m late, boss,” he called out as he slung off his leather jacket.

Jed looked up. “Yeah, no problem. How was your meeting?”

Michael smiled. “Very productive.”

“Good, I’m glad, man.”

Michael walked past him to where Kyle sat in the back. “Hey, Miz O’Neill! I’m so glad you’re feeling better!” He rewarded her return with a bright, angelic smile.

She stood to meet his bear hug and met Jed’s eyes over his shoulder. He’d glanced up from tattooing his customer as if he’d just realized she’d been absent for the past couple of days. How nice. Guess that’s how much he noticed her.

Michael released her. “So, how are things? My numbers still in tip-top shape? Anything you need?”

She looked down. “Well, actually, I’m still trying to find last month’s expenses? Specifically for your needles, plastic covers, and ink. You go through that stuff like nobody’s business. Do you have those?”

“Yes, ma’am, I sure do.” He made quick work of the file cabinet and handed her the appropriate file. “Here you go. Anything else?”

“I have some tax forms for you to sign later. But other than that, I think we’re good for now. Thanks.”

“Well, then, I guess I’ll get to work.” He turned back around as he shuffled off. “Don’t you go leaving before saying good-bye. I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Sure, Michael.”

Well, something about number-crunching, the smooth sounds of Bruno Mars, and the half-eaten club sandwich and two caramel
macchiatos
sitting heavy in her belly had Kyle working until well past closing time at Jed’s. Well, okay, she hadn’t spent
all
that time working. Most of that time she’d spent trying to avoid the nuclear explosion threatening between Jed and Kierstan or just Jed in general. He was in some kind of mood.

Luckily Kierstan had already left. Noble was gone for the night as well. Jed and Michael had just come back in from a break outside with strange looks on their faces. Jed set about sterilizing the last of his equipment while Michael grabbed a broom to sweep up. Kyle realized that she’d better get home. She’d been here long enough. She tucked her papers away and shut down her computer.

After stifling a yawn, she called out to Michael. “Hey, I think I’ll go on home now, okay? Walk me out?”

Michael shot a pointed look to Jed.

Jed scowled. He dropped his equipment with a metal
clang.
“I’ll walk you out.”

She pressed her glasses up her nose and furrowed her brow. “Uh, that’s okay. Michael said he’d do it.”

Jed ripped off his gloves and stalked over. He picked up her laptop case. “No. I’ll walk you out.” He looked over as Michael started sweeping with a flourish. “Plus, Michael is busy.”

Now she was confused. “Well, all right. Thanks.”

He walked her to the door and held it open for her. She pressed by him, careful not to touch him. They walked side-by-side down to her car. She pressed the button for the automatic unlock and he helped her load her things into the backseat.

“Well, thank you,” she said, flicking a glance to the darkened daycare next door and feeling very uncomfortable now. “I’ll see you later.” She turned to get in the car.

“Wait.”

She turned, sure she’d forgotten something.

“I was wondering, uh . . .” he looked confused and his freshly shaven head shone in the streetlight like he was starting to sweat.

“Wondering?”

He shoved his hands in his front pockets. “Why do you drive a Prius, Muffet?”

She turned from him and sat. She started to pull the door shut, but he grabbed it and held it open. She peered up at him. His face, tucked in shadow, was full of mystery and sex appeal that she’d never understand.

“Well?” he prompted.

She sighed. “Why do you drive a gas-guzzler that is slowly killing the environment just for the sake of your manhood?”

He grinned and it shot right through her. “Touché. So, my accountant has quit on me.”

Her stomach flip-flopped. “Yes. Michael told me.”

“And it seems the IRS sees fit to audit me this year for the very first time.”

She waited, silent.

He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. The gesture made him look nervous, which almost made her feel sorry for him. Almost. “And nobody else seems to be available or willing to take me on.”

“Imagine that.”

He laughed. A full-out laugh. It did dangerous things to her insides and she nearly melted into a puddle there on her seat. She pulled herself upright.

“You are something else, Muffet.”

“Not really.”

He looked at her quizzically. “So”—he crouched down so his face was just below hers and his forearms rested on his knees—“I was hoping you might be looking for another job? Michael gave you a glowing recommendation and I really need the help. I suck at doing my own books.”

“What? You suck at something?” She spoke the words before she knew it.

He studied her with his magnetic eyes. “You don’t know the half of it.”

She was treading dangerous water here. She should say no. It was not easy being in the same vicinity with him as often as she was now. Working for him directly would make it that much worse.

“I don’t know, Jed.”

“Hey.” Something about his tone made her look at him. “Is this about the other night?”

She knew he meant their
almost
kiss. “No! No. Of course not.” But she spoke too quickly and they both knew it.

He nodded. “I understand if you’re uncomfortable. But I promise nothing like that will ever happen again. I know you’re an engaged woman.” He took a deep breath like this was painful. “And I will try to be nice and I’ll pay you ten percent more than whatever Michael pays you. I’ll even throw in Papa Turoni’s whenever you want it.”

She glanced up to see if he was serious. He sure looked it.

“Please,” he said. “I really need your help. At least until I find someone else?”

She needed the work. Her bank account was hurting. If her business failed, her pride would be hurting worse.

“Fine.”

He smiled again and she melted a little more. “So listen, besides this audit bullshit, my stuff is pretty jacked up for the month already. I’ve done what I can, but you need to take a look as soon as possible.”

“I can do it tomorrow. I’ll be by at my normal time.”

He shook his head. “I won’t be here tomorrow. Why don’t you come on out to my place tomorrow afternoon instead?”

His place?
Oh, Joseph and his coat of many colors!
Alarm bells started sounding in her mind at a furious rate.

“Oh . . . well, if it’s your day off, we can . . . uh, do it another time.” She tried to think on her feet, but she was suddenly dizzy.

“It’s all right,” he reasoned. “I don’t think it’ll take too long to get you started. And it’ll make me feel better to get my books situated. I’m a little picky about my business.” He studied her face in the dark interior of the car. “You’re not afraid to be alone with me, are you? At my house?”

Her heart thundered. “No!”

“Uh huh. Prove it. Show up.” He rattled off the address. “You’ve got my number if you get lost. Be there about three.”

She nodded. What could she do? Be called out as a chicken? Well, that was an idea.

“Oh, and Muffet?”

She looked at him.

He gave her a shark’s grin. “Don’t worry. I don’t bite.”

Kyle bundled herself in a towel and, still dripping from her shower, hurried to answer the pounding on her door.

“Kyle Elizabeth!” her mother squawked. “Open the door right this minute! I know you’re home. Your car is in the driveway.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Kyle! Are you all right in there? Do I need to call the police?”

Kyle threw the lock as her mother’s voice took on a slightly frantic edge. She opened the door and came face-to-face with her panic-stricken parent.

“Kyle!” Her mom rushed in and threw her arms around her. “Is everything okay?” She drew her back to arm’s length and studied her face. “Are you hurt?”

She pulled away and tucked the towel further under her armpits. “Of course I’m fine, Mom. Why wouldn’t I be? What’s going on?”

Her mother sagged back and eyed her a few moments longer, wariness on her face. “Well, Charles called your father and I, and we were worried . . .”

Oh.
Right. “Charles called you? What did he say?” She led her mother into the living room.

“Well, that you’d had a fight.” She glanced up from the couch where she’d perched on the edge with her ankles neatly crossed. “He said it was rather bad. He wasn’t sure if you were still getting married. We told him that was nonsense, of course.” She waved her hand.

“Oh.” Kyle glanced at her answering machine, which was still blinking from the several calls from Charles, which she was currently ignoring. She didn’t know what to say to him. She turned back to her mother. “But that still doesn’t explain why you’d rush over here at ten in the morning and bang on my door threatening to call the police.”

Her mother started to pick at the hem of her skirt and the tiniest hint of a flush rose on her cheeks. “Charles also said you wouldn’t return his calls and that he was afraid, given how you’d apparently behaved that evening, he was scared . . .”

Kyle waited to hear what was so all-fired important that her mother would give up cocktails at the country club and race over for it. She cocked her hip and tapped her foot. “He was scared,
what,
Mother?” Then it dawned on her. “He thinks I’d hurt myself?” Her mouth dropped open. “Over him? You’ve
got
to be friggin’ kidding me!”

“Well, Kyle, what else was he supposed to think?”

She turned to walk away. “I’m gonna go get dressed.” She shook her head as she walked down the hallway and stopped at her bedroom door. “You know, he might’ve gotten the hint that I didn’t want to talk to him.”

Kyle threw on some jeans and her old sorority T-shirt then returned to find her mother had made herself plenty comfortable. She’d started a pot of coffee and was flipping through a bridal magazine that had sat untouched on the kitchen sidebar since she’d brought it home from her last visit to the country club.

“So.” Her mother looked up with a smile as Kyle slid on her glasses. “Have you made an appointment to go get fitted for a gown?”

Kyle pulled down a mug and poured herself some of the coffee. She didn’t really want any, but she needed something to do. “No.”

Her mother frowned. “Why not?”

She shrugged.

“Have you even flipped through here for ideas?”

“I haven’t had time.”

Kyle jumped when her mother slammed the magazine down. “Did you say anything to make Charles think you weren’t going to marry him?”

She studied her mother’s pinched face. “Maybe.”

Her mother sat down as her face grew pale. She looked over at Kyle, her eyes huge, her voice a whisper. “Did you call off the engagement?”

Relenting, Kyle walked over and sat beside her. She covered her hand reassuringly. “No, I didn’t break up with him.” But she had been seriously considering it and she hadn’t been wearing the ring since he’d left that night. And she had to admit, it felt like a ton of weight had been lifted from her.

Hope seemed to fill her mother’s eyes. “So, you just had a fight?”

Kyle nodded. “Something like that.”

“And you’re making him cool his heels?”

“I guess.”

“That’s my girl!” She patted her hand with vigor. “Make him beg for your forgiveness. Make him squirm a little.” She winked. “You’ll get a nice little bauble out of it, you’ll see.” She jumped up, grabbed the bridal magazine and flopped it open. “What do you think of this one?” She pointed to a bridesmaid’s gown. “I think it would look nice on your cousin Amanda, don’t you?”

“Amanda?” Kyle’s head spun from the sudden turn of conversation.

“Well, yes. I know she’s a bit on the plump side, but this would flatter her figure. And I’ve already told her she could be your Maid of Honor since she’s about your only female relative. Oh! And I almost forgot to tell you, I spoke with my friend at the club, they’re booked for the entire spring season. No matter what I said they couldn’t fit in your wedding, but they do have availability on June 15
th
. If we act fast, we can have that date. If not, we’ll have to wait until August. Then it will be dreadfully hot and that simply won’t do. And we don’t want to push it back into the fall or winter, do we?”

She studied her mother’s expectant face and processed the fact that her wedding had just been taken hostage. She felt her blood pressure spike as the pulse drummed behind both of her eyes.

She had a flash of herself as a marionette puppet, being led down the aisle in a frilly white dress, her mother above her with a head as large as the ceiling, pulling the strings. It was creepy.

“You know, Mother, I would’ve appreciated picking my
own
bridesmaids. I don’t even like Amanda. I was thinking of my friend Bethany.” Okay, Bethany was really more of an acquaintance that she was still getting to know than a good friend. She didn’t have a best friend. But it wasn’t for her mother to decide and she wanted her to know it.

“Oh. Well. I’m sorry. I just thought—”

“I know what you thought.” She closed the magazine with a decided
thud.

“It’s too late to undo it now.” Her mother looked chagrined.

“Really?” Kyle stood and took her mug to the sink to dump the coffee she didn’t want anyway. “How ‘bout if we scale down and not do the big country club thing like I originally suggested? Remember that, Mom?” She turned around. “
Beaches
ringing any bells?”

Her mother paled but remained silent.

“Bryan is dating that new girl. What’s her name? Daphne? She sounds like perfect country club material. I’m sure they could give you the perfect club wedding pretty soon.”

Her mother got some color back in her cheeks and sat up in her chair. “I don’t like that girl.”

That caught Kyle’s attention. Daphne must be a keeper then. “Why not?”

“Your brother spends too much time with her. It keeps him from focusing on his career like he should. He’s already spending too much money on her. And she has a child.” She said it like it was a disease.

“So?”

“So she has a past. No telling what kinds of sordid things she could be bringing into a relationship. Bryan must be careful. Besides, I want him to find a nice, pure girl to marry and start his
own
family with.”

God, Kyle hoped Bryan married this girl.
Please, please, please.
Her brother, and her family, needed something like this to lighten them all up.

“You need to ease up. You don’t even know the girl. Besides, if he falls in love with her, you’ll have to get used to her.”

Her mother ignored her. “That’s neither here nor there. They’ve only been seeing each other a little while. I’m more concerned with you. It’s fine if you’re going to let Charles stew a little while, but then you need to get over this nonsense and make up with him, for Heaven’s sake. Then you get on with the wedding plans, young lady.” She glanced down at the closed magazine. “Get back to me on the date. And I’d love to go with you to a dress fitting.” She was obviously going to call a truce on the venue of the wedding. At least for now.

“Okay, Mom.”

She saw her mother out after promising to call Charles that day. She had no idea what she would say to him. And, as she erased her messages, she noticed there was a new one that must’ve come in while she’d been in the shower.

She frowned at the machine. Charles really had to get a grip.

She pressed the button.

“Hey, Muffet.” Her stomach filled with flailing butterflies as Jed’s voice came on. He’d obviously just woken up. “Just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to chicken out on me today. Three o’clock.”

As the line went dead, her heart thundered in her ears. The sound of his voice whipped through her veins like electricity, stirring visions of him so real, it was as if he were right here with her now.

She hit ‘erase’ and rushed to her bedroom to get ready. Even though she had no clue what she was doing, and wished with all her heart for a divine intervention to save her from her fate, she was not going to chicken out. She’d said she would be there, so she’d go . . . straight into the lion’s den.

With her heart in her throat and her stomach feeling like she’d swallowed a lead balloon, Kyle parked her Prius behind Jed’s Mustang and made her way to his front door. Under any other circumstance, she would’ve appreciated the contrast their vehicles made sitting by each other. It was absurd.

She pressed the doorbell and smoothed her sweaty palm on her jeans. She’d hemmed and hawed and fretted about what was appropriate to wear for meeting him today, but in the end, she decided that he could make due with her in jeans. She wanted to be comfortable since she’d be doing battle with him on his home turf . . . literally. And he’d been the one to insist on an informal meeting at his home, so he could—

The door opened and his welcoming smile disarmed her. “So you’re not a chicken after all.”

She clenched the laptop case tighter in her hand. How could he confuse her emotional radar her like this every time she saw him? “No. I’m not.”

He opened the door wider. “Come in.”

She brushed by him. “Thanks.” He smelled like he was fresh from the shower. She turned as he shut the door. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thanks.”

She set down her things and studied the living space around her. He truly did have a lovely place. It was open with plenty of natural light. The walls were painted a pleasant shade of soft jade and though the furniture was sparse, it looked comfortable. She turned to study the nearest painting. It was Oriental in design, which was no big surprise to her after all she’d seen of his studio. She turned back to him. “You love Asian art, don’t you?”

He stepped into the kitchen area and pulled out a pitcher. “Tea?”

She nodded.

He poured two glasses then pointed to the painting she’d been looking at. “I picked that up in Japan. I studied tattooing there for a while.” He padded over and handed her a drink. “I love everything about their culture. It’s really beautiful.”

He studied the art while he spoke, but she studied him. It was the most he’d ever said to her that wasn’t sarcastic and didn’t contain the dreaded
Muffet.

“Wow,” she finally said with a smile. “I’ve never been out of the country.”

He turned back to face her. “Really? A little rich girl like you?”

She flinched. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hey, don’t get offended. I just thought your family seemed like the type that would travel the world. You know, vacay on the Riviera. Have a second home in Switzerland. Something.”

She knew it was easy for him to get that impression. Most people did. She shrugged as if it were of no consequence. “Daddy always worked too hard. Those years when we were little he was just building the business so it took all of his time. And Mother took her vacations alone or with her girlfriends while Bryan and I were sent off with friends.” She looked Jed in the eye. “The furthest I’ve been is skiing in Aspen. So, no, I’ve never been out of the country.”

A look of sadness crossed his face for a fleeting moment. “Well, you should. There’s a whole big world out there.” He tilted his head toward the dining room table where he’d already set up his own laptop and had several stacks of papers. “Shall we?”

“Of course.”

They got right to work, and true to his word, he was
very
picky about his business. He’d done a respectable job of keeping things organized on his own, but she could see where he was falling behind. And they hadn’t even breached the audit paperwork.

After about an hour, she found his biggest mistake and tapped the screen. “You forgot to input your accounts payable information for your ink vendors here. But it was just that once.” She squinted her eyes and pushed her glasses up. “Twice.”

He leaned in next to her and looked. “No way.”

She turned to him. “Yes way.”

He moved to scratch his right shoulder, pushing his T-shirt sleeve up out of the way, giving her a tantalizing glimpse of a tattoo she’d never seen before. Something with scales—a snake?—looked to be wrapped around his arm.

He caught her staring and she quickly averted her eyes as a furious blush lit her face. She’d long ago noticed that the black ball was missing from below his lip and it had been all she could do to keep from gawking at his mouth all afternoon. Now it was his arms. He probably thought she was a perv.

“See? That’s why I hired you.” There was a smile in his voice.

Because she was a perv? No. Duh. “Right.” She offered him a weak smile. “But it’s my job to catch that kind of stuff. No big deal.” She turned back to the numbers and tried to ignore him.

He sat back and started thumbing through more receipts.

She managed to ignore him for approximately two minutes and thirty-nine seconds. “You know,” she said with a sigh. “You don’t have to hang around here if you’ve got things to do. I can handle this on my own.”