Kiss an Angel(61)

Alex looked up from the desk as Heather walked in. She’d tucked her thumbs into the pockets of her plaid shorts, which were almost entirely covered by an oversize white T-shirt. She looked pale and unhappy, like a fairy-sprite with clipped wings. His heart went out to her. She had it rough, but she kept fighting, and he liked that about her.

“What’s up, honey?”

She didn’t reply at first. Instead, she began to wander aimlessly around the trailer, touching the arm of the couch, the handle on a file cabinet. He saw a faint orange mark on her cheekbone where she’d tried to camouflage a pimple, and he felt a rush of tenderness. Someday soon, she was going to be a real beauty.

“Troubles?”

Her head snapped up. “Not me.”

“That’s good.”

Her throat worked as she swallowed. “I just thought you might want to know . . .” She ducked her head and began to poke at the cuticle around one chewed fingernail.

“Know what?”

“I saw what Daisy did to you today,” she said hurriedly, “and just want you to know that I know you couldn’t help it and everything.”

“What did Daisy do to me?”

“The way she—you know.”

“I’m afraid I don’t.”

“You know.” She gazed at a spot on the carpet. “Kissed you like that out where everybody could see and everything. Embarrassed you.”

The way he remembered it, he’d been the one who’d instigated the kiss. He hadn’t liked knowing that everyone in the circus was staring at her waist and counting months on their fingers. He also didn’t like the way people ridiculed her behind her back, especially when he knew he was partially to blame.

“I don’t understand what this has to do with you, Heather.”

She clutched her hands at her sides and let it all come out in a rush. “Everybody knows how you feel about her and everything. How you don’t like her. And when my dad told me she wasn’t pregnant or anything, I couldn’t figure out why you married her. Then I remembered that guys get kind of crazy if a girl’s real pretty and maybe they want to—you know—have relations with her, but she might say she won’t unless they get married. And so I figured out that’s why you married her. But what I want to tell you is—I mean, if you want to make her leave and everything . . .”

For the first time since her tirade had begun, she looked him directly in the eye, and he saw desperation there. She screwed up her face and let the words tumble out. “I know you think I’m a kid, but I’m not. I’m sixteen. I might not be pretty like Daisy, but I’m still a woman, and I could—I could let you have sex with me and everything, so you wouldn’t have to have it with her.”

Alex felt as if he’d been poleaxed, and he couldn’t think of a thing to say. Her cheeks had turned bright red—probably the same color as his—and she was once again staring a hole through the floor.

He rose slowly to his feet. He’d faced down nasty drunks and knife-wielding truck drivers, but he’d never faced anything like this. She’d mistaken his friendship for something more, and he had to set her straight right away.

“Heather . . .” He cleared his throat and walked around the end of the desk. As he came to a stop, Daisy appeared in the doorway behind Heather, but the teenager was so wrapped up in what she’d done that she didn’t notice. Daisy must have sensed that something important was going on because she immediately went still and waited.

“Heather, when a young girl gets a crush . . .”

“It’s not a crush!” Heather lifted her head, and her eyes were moist with entreaty. “I fell in love with you at first sight, and I thought maybe you liked me, too, but because I was so young and everything, you might be afraid to say anything about it. That’s why I decided I had to tell you.”

He wished Daisy would help him out, but she stood quietly, taking it all in. For Heather’s own good, he had to make her see the reality of the situation. “You don’t love me, Heather.”

“I do!”

“You think you do. But you’re young, and it’s only a silly crush. You’ll get over it. Believe me, in a couple of months we’ll both laugh about this.”

Heather looked as if he’d just slapped her, and he realized he’d said the wrong thing. She drew in her breath, and her eyes filled with tears. Appalled, he tried to think how to repair the damage.

“I like you, Heather, I do. But you’re only sixteen. I’m a grown man, and you’re still a child.” He saw by her face that he was making it worse. He’d never felt so helpless, and he shot Daisy a look of entreaty.

To his annoyance, she rolled her eyes at him, as if he were the stupidest person on earth. Then she came stalking forward advancing on poor Heather with guns blazing.

“I knew I’d find you here, you hussy! You think just because you’re young and incredibly lovely that you can steal my husband, but I’m going to fight you for him!”

Heather’s mouth gaped, and she took an automatic step backward. Alex stared at Daisy in disbelief. Of all the lame-brained, idiotic things she’d done, this one took the cake. Even a moron could see through her histrionics.

“I don’t care how youthful and beautiful you are!” she exclaimed. “I won’t let you ruin my marriage!” With a dramatic sweep of her hand, she pointed her finger toward the door. “Now I suggest you get out of here right now before I do something I regret.”