Lucky Streak

CHAPTER TEN

MIKE TOSSED HIS KEYS on the counter and headed directly to his bedroom. After a long day at work, he wanted nothing more than to get some sleep, wake up, work tomorrow and then drive to Stewart. Dan had let Mike borrow his car since the newlyweds still had Natalie’s. Mike appreciated the loaner. He didn’t want Amber with his any longer than necessary.

He was worried about his family bonding with Amber. It was easy enough to do, Mike knew. And if that happened, the divorce and life after Amber would be twice as difficult. But Mike was probably worrying about nothing. Edward was a loner, through and through. Besides, he wouldn’t bond with any woman he thought his son might fall in love with. He’d push her away-and fast. Amber’s beauty itself gave Edward cause to worry about his son falling hard.

As for Mike, he knew what Edward didn’t: he couldn’t fall for her. Not with what she’d done, what she’d kept from him. But damn, he did miss her vibrant personality and her laughter.

And if, by slim chance, Edward got soft, then Amber still had to get by his cousin Derek, who wasn’t at all happy with Mike marrying a stranger in Vegas, let alone allowing her back into his life after she’d stolen from him.

No, he didn’t have to worry about any of his family members being taken in by Amber. There would be no new ties being created back home that would make a divorce any more difficult when this was over.

Only Amber herself.

She’d been in his apartment for a few days and yet he was forced to admit the place felt empty without her. And in the same way he’d avoided coming home to her the two nights she’d been here, he’d made the decision not to come home to the quiet apartment tonight. Not until it was late and all he’d have time to do was sleep, he thought, glancing at the empty, perfectly made bed.

He normally left it rumpled and ready to climb back into, but Amber had made the bed when she’d been here. The crisp bedding looked fresh and inviting.

And lonely.

Gone, too, were the items she’d placed on the nightstand, the feminine clutter, evidence of a shared life. Mike shook his head hard.

Was he really bemoaning the loss of a woman whom he’d classified as a liar by omission, a cheat by admission?

Yeah, he thought. He was.

Damn.

The phone rang and, grateful for the distraction, he answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

“When are you getting your woman out of my hair?” his father blurted, not bothering to say hello first.

Mike realized he should be more worried about Edward driving Amber crazy than Edward softening toward her.

“I’m working on it,” he said.

And he was. He’d started by digging into King Bobby Boyd’s background. Earlier today he’d called the small downtown Texas police department where King Bobby Boyd’s Used-Car Dealership was located. Thanks to professional courtesy, he’d gotten some basic information, which hadn’t been the least bit helpful.

No police record, not even a driving infraction. The man was squeaky clean and, according to the chief, full of hot air. Mike would have been relieved, except that the chief also mentioned that King Bobby was as dirty as his used cars, only no one had been able to pin anything on him. And he didn’t only deal in stolen cars. It was common knowledge that the man had big-time criminal connections. But again, the man couldn’t be arrested for the company he kept, and nobody had ever managed to pin anything on King Bobby Boyd. Even the Texas chief had used the stupid moniker of King.

Without a rap sheet, Mike had turned to a P.I. the police chief had recommended. It wasn’t a direction Mike had wanted to go in, but he had no choice. If he couldn’t catch the King for being involved in illegal dealings, he’d just find another vice. In Mike’s experience, guys who liked the rush of high-stakes poker games always came with other failings.

Mike planned to uncover King Bobby’s skeletons and use them in exchange for the man’s agreement to leave Amber alone. Mike wouldn’t call it bribery, it was more of a quid pro quo. In any case, he now knew King Bobby was a legitimate threat.

“Hey, these minutes are costin’ me money. Are you listening?” Edward bellowed into the phone line.

Technically they were costing Mike money, but he didn’t correct his father. “Sorry, Dad, can you repeat that? I didn’t hear you.”

“I said I feel like I’m livin’ in a zoo. With your wife stayin’ here and your cousin Derek and his wife coming and going like they own the place, a man can’t get any privacy.”

“I’m sorry,” Mike said, trying to figure out what was so odd about his father’s complaints. “At least they’re keeping you company.”

“Have I ever asked for company? And did I mention Amber’s makin’ herself at home? She’s cleaning. I don’t need a woman keepin’ house for me. I can see my kitchen counters. I dang near forgot they were white. The shelves in the family room are dust free and I can’t find Stinky Pete’s favorite toy. He’s moping around here like he lost his manhood again.”

“His what? Never mind,” Mike said before his father could answer.

Just then it dawned on him what was bothering him about Edward. His father said the words of complaint, but he didn’t really sound as though he meant them. Could he be enjoying the company? Once again, Mike had to wonder if Amber understood his father better than Mike did.

“I may have to go back to town tomorrow to get Stinky Pete another toy,” Edward said.

Mike also opted not to ask what Stinky Pete’s toy was, figuring it was another thing he was better off not knowing. “Go back to town?” Mike asked instead. “You were there already today?” His father rarely went to town. To do so twice in one day was unheard of.

“Had to get milk and cereal for my guest.”

Mike couldn’t suppress a grin. His father, who lived alone and kept to himself, had ventured to town to make Amber’s stay more pleasant.

And again Mike had the sense Edward was simply filling Mike in on his day, not moaning about it the way he pretended to. He was enjoying the company.

“I’ll be damned,” Mike said aloud.

“The hell you will. I got enough jujus around here to spare one for you. I’ll give one to ya when you come to get your wife. When did you say that would be again?”

Mike swallowed a chuckle. “I didn’t. But I’ll be there tomorrow after work to see how things are going.”

“I’m coming!” Edward yelled. “Damn woman made me some bedtime tea. I used to know someone once who selled newfangled tea and she was no good. It’s a bad sign, I tell ya.”

Mike didn’t reply.

And Edward kept talking. “Your wife also brought me a New Age dreamcatcher. Another bad omen. She says it’ll help me keep the curse away, but last time I owned one it brought more bad luck. What do you have to say to that?” his father asked.

What the hell was a dreamcatcher and where had Amber found one? His father’s ramblings were beginning to give Mike a headache.

“It all sounds harmless, Dad. And look, it’s better than stringing up fake cats.” Or live ones. Mike left that thought unsaid.

“I gotta go drink my tea. Amber says it’ll help bring good dreams, not bad. See you tomorrow.” Edward disconnected the call, leaving Mike staring at the dead phone line.

Mike’s head spun with the information his father had given him. Amber had shown up and taken over. She was caring for his father in a way nobody had in years. It had been just a few short hours and the change in Edward was noticeable.

Mike was in shock. And he suddenly realized he had to figure out what his father really needed from other people in his life, and then to be sure he received it from now on.

He stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed. Though he tried to sleep, his mind was too full.

Of Amber.

He owed her for opening his eyes to his father’s needs.

He missed her in his bed, her soft body curled against him, her hands making him ache while he slept.

He yawned and forced his mind back to what he could handle. He owed her. And he could repay her by fixing the mess she was in with King Bobby Boyd so she could return to Las Vegas and to her own father.

Leaving Mike alone to handle his.

AMBER AWOKE to a hammering sound coming from outside her bedroom window. She immediately remembered she was at Edward’s house, but she couldn’t imagine what was causing the noise. She’d slept in her pajama pants and top, so she pulled on a hooded sweatshirt and headed to check out the source.

Once she set foot in the family room, she saw Edward peering out the window through a pulled-back curtain.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Who’s banging out there?”

“That son of a bitch Harry Winters is selling his house. The realtor putting up a For Sale sign is the one making all the racket,” Edward said.

“Who’s Harry Winters? Your neighbor?” Amber asked.

“Best damn neighbor a man could have. Want to know why? He lives alone and never bothers me. He never has company, and he’s got no family to come visit. Everything around here stays quiet. That’s why,” Edward rambled.

Amber watched his agitated state with concern. He paced back and forth, periodically glancing out at the window facing the only house nearby.

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” She tried to think of something to calm him down. “The market’s pretty slow right now. The chances of him selling quickly aren’t that good.”

He shot her a wild-eyed look. “But people will come to look at the house. They’ll look at me. They’ll talk. And then the curse will come up. I don’t want to be a freak show for people to gawk at.”

Amber lowered herself into a chair near the window, hoping to calm him down. “If you take down the jujus and the totem poles, nobody would know there’s anything here to talk about.”

“And leave myself unprotected? Have you lost your mind?” His voice rose. “Do you want to know what happens to Corwin men who aren’t careful?”

“What happens?” she asked quietly. She didn’t know if her soothing tone would relax him, but it was worth a shot.

“Same thing that happens in the end to every Corwin man. Take my grandfather. He was in love with his wife. Only he caught her in the act with the neighbor, him buck naked, them going at it like rabbits, to hear him tell it. My grandfather shot the bastard and my grandmother had a heart attack right then and there. He was never the same.” He placed his hand over his heart, which had to be beating rapidly. She could tell by Edward’s flushed face that his blood pressure was off the charts.

“Sounds like something out of a soap opera,” Amber said, the pain in this family tree unfathomable. Poor Edward.

“Well, it’s real life. Then there was my folks. Had us three boys and they were happy. Thought they’d beaten the curse and then they got careless. A huge nor’ easter hit the coast and wiped out most of the town, including my father’s blacksmith business. Tools, equipment, building, all gone.” Edward swiped the air with his hand.

Amber reached for rational thought on this one. “Aren’t hurricanes common on the East Coast though?” she asked gently, so as not to further upset him.

“Yeah, I heard that explanation more than once. Gabrielle likes to spout that nonsense, too. An act of God, nobody’s fault, there’s no such thing as a curse,” he said, mimicking phrases he’d obviously heard. “The storm hit late in the day and we were all home from school. Only, my father was at his shop. Mom was worried about Dad, so she left us with my grandmother to go look for him. She never came home. A flash flood hit hard and she drowned.” Edward turned away from Amber.

But not before she caught the burst of pain and fear in the older man’s eyes. She now understood why he believed so strongly in the curse. A weaker man would allow his tragic past, not to mention the awful things he’d gone through in his own life, to drive him insane. For Edward Corwin, it wasn’t just his own life that carved out his reality, but the lives of his ancestors, too.

“Every Corwin male who ignored the curse has lived to pay the price. Myself included. Stayin’ here alone on the edge of town has been my salvation.” Edward nodded his head, emphasizing his point.

Amber was tempted to mention that it had also been his downfall, but she realized he wasn’t in any frame of mind to hear those words, let alone understand them. “Why don’t I go outside and talk to the Realtor. See what his plans actually are,” she offered.

Before Edward could answer, Gabrielle’s little black Lexus convertible pulled to a stop in front of the house. She headed up the unpaved walkway and Amber opened the door before she had to ring the bell.

“Uncle Edward, you need to pave the driveway or I’m going to break an ankle,” Gabrielle said, grabbing on to the doorframe for balance before she stepped inside.

“I ain’t your uncle,” he muttered.

Gabrielle glanced at Amber and grinned. “Yes, you are. You’re my uncle by marriage. When are you going to stop arguing with me?”

He made a frustrated sound and returned to peering out the window.

“What’s going on?” Gabrielle asked.

“The house next door just went up for sale,” Amber explained. She looked from her pajamas to Gabrielle’s pretty skirt and sleeveless top.

Somehow the other woman managed to look like a model even at 9:00 a.m. A pale model, but maybe it was the precarious trek across the gravel that had shaken her, Amber thought.

“Harry Winters is moving?” Gabrielle asked, obviously surprised. “I thought he liked being alone as much as you do,” she said to Edward.

“Yeah, well, after you got Mayor Mary Perkins arrested last year, Harry wasn’t afraid to go out anymore. He met a lady friend at the Wave not long after it was rebuilt from the fire.”

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows. “And just how would you know all this?”

Amber wondered that herself. For a man who rarely left the house and didn’t talk to anyone when he did, Edward sure knew a lot.

Edward glanced away, refusing to meet their gaze. “Harry and me talk sometimes. Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. Neighbors do that,” he muttered, a mass of contradictions. “Now, would you two go away and give me some privacy?”

“I really should jump in the shower first,” Amber said.

“And I brought my laptop to work down by the lake.” Gabrielle gestured out back.

“I got my own work to do,” Edward muttered and walked out of the family room, planning to do who knows what, who knew where.

“Difficult old coot,” Gabrielle said, but there was obvious affection in her tone.

The women parted ways, agreeing to meet up later.

Amber showered and pulled herself together for the day. She picked up a book from Edward’s shelves and a towel to sit on, then headed out back, settling herself beneath a tree for shade. Beside her, Gabrielle clicked away at her computer.

A warm breeze blew through the moist air. “This humidity is awful.” Amber ran her hand through her hair.

“I’ve done book tours out West and I think the dry heat can kill you. But I’m sure the humidity takes some getting used to,” Gabrielle said with a laugh.

“How would you know, with your perfect hair that falls so straight?” Amber eyed the other woman’s glossy tresses with envy only another woman could understand.

“We always want what we don’t have.”

“Amen,” Amber said.

“Right now, I’m growing out a short bob. I’d kill for long curls like yours,” Gabrielle said.

In her concierge days, Amber had opted for the sleek and sophisticated look. A flatiron and lack of humidity had helped her accomplish that goal. But on take-it-easy days like today, she let it dry naturally.

She stretched her feet out and looked over the lake. “Is that Edward fishing?” She pointed to a place far away from where they sat.

Gabrielle glanced over. “Mmm-hmm.”

“He looks peaceful.” So different from the stressed-out man he’d been earlier. “Fishing must relax him,” Amber said.

“There are no fish.” Gabrielle perched her sunglasses on top of her head. “But at least he seems calmer.”

Amber nodded. “Did you ever notice how he teeters on the edge, between sanity and mania, and back again?”

Gabrielle nodded. “The whole family notices. It’s easier to just leave him alone as much as possible. Trust me, you don’t want his attention focused on you. I should know.” She ran her hands up and down her arms, glancing out across the lake. “I lost a baby six months ago,” she said softly, obviously confiding her deepest secret.

Amber was touched Gabrielle had chosen to tell her. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you. The reason I wanted you to know this now is because of Edward. His reaction was crazy. He took the miscarriage as a sign the curse is at work. Ever since, he’s been making me crazy and that’s pretty hard to do.” Gabrielle forced a laugh.

“I’ve seen your books in stores. Based on the subject matter you write about, I’d bet it’s difficult to spook you.”

Gabrielle inclined her head. “Exactly. But when Edward gets in one of those moods, like he is today, all rational thought flies out the window. Even I get nervous.”

“I can understand that. So the curse is pretty well known around here?”

Gabrielle nodded. “The stuff of town lore,” she said, a frown on her face.

“What about Mike? Where does he fall on the curse-believing scale?” Amber asked.

“Well, he’s never acted as if he feared it, not the way Derek has. Then again, he’s never been serious about a woman, either. Coincidence or intent?” Gabrielle shrugged, but she studied Amber with her astute gaze. “I couldn’t tell you. But he’s married to you now…”

“But he isn’t in love. We aren’t in love. No love, no curse. So maybe I was just a safety net for him.” Even as Amber asked the question, the thought hurt her.

She’d married Mike on a whim, but she’d taken those vows seriously. She’d begun to care about his family and she knew she cared about him. Enough to want him to care about her in return.

Gabrielle shook her head. “Don’t read too much into it,” she said, as if knowing Amber’s thoughts. “Every situation in the world has been played out in Corwin male history. If they want to find a way to say the curse exists, they will. If they want to overcome it badly enough, they can do that, too. As for Mike, I’d say his biggest problem is across the pond.”

“I agree. Edward’s like one of those people in the medication ads who suffer extreme highs and lows.”

“Now, that’s a good point. I wonder if he’s ever been to a doctor? A psychiatrist? I don’t know. But you should ask your husband,” Gabrielle said.

Her husband. The words felt so good, so ripe with possibilities.

“What do you know about our marriage?” Gabrielle had talked Derek into giving Amber a chance, which had made Amber like Gabrielle immediately. And she desperately needed someone to talk to about Mike and her current situation. She needed a friend.

“I know a lot,” Gabrielle said, then summarized Amber and Mike’s relationship.

“So you pretty much know the whole sordid story.” Amber tried not to show her embarrassment because deep down, she was grateful the other woman was well informed. “At least I don’t have to retell it. Knowing all that, do you really think Mike will take any advice about his father from me?”

Gabrielle shrugged. “If he doesn’t, he should. It’s obvious to me how much you care about Mike. He’ll be here later today, right?”

Amber nodded. “He’s coming straight from work.”

“You can find out more then. But I can promise you this. I’m on your side.”

One Corwin more than she’d had yesterday, Amber thought, pleased. “Where is Derek?” she asked, changing the subject.

“At work. He’s a financial planner. He wants to get as much accomplished as possible before his daughter, Holly, comes to visit for the summer.”

“How old is she?”

“Turning thirteen this August. She’s a great kid.”

Amber recalled what she’d learned of Derek’s first marriage. She knew he adored his daughter, but Amber was glad he and Gabrielle had gotten a second chance.

Gabrielle suddenly grabbed her purse and looked through it. “Damn, I forgot them,” she muttered, before glancing at Amber. “Do you know if there are any saltines in the kitchen?”

“I don’t think so. There are corn flakes, though.”

Gabrielle wrinkled her nose and groaned, low and deep. “No, it has to be saltines. I think I’ll take a ride into town,” she said, shutting her laptop and gathering her things.

Amber narrowed her gaze. “You looked a little pale earlier.” And now she was asking for saltine crackers. “Are you feeling okay?”

Gabrielle clutched her laptop against her chest. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, although nobody else was around to hear.

“That’s wonderful!” Amber squealed. “I mean, that’s wonderful,” she repeated, whispering this time.

“Thank you.” Gabrielle’s eyes sparkled with excitement despite the morning sickness she was obviously suffering from. “It feels so good to tell someone. I took an early home-pregnancy test this morning after Derek left for work. Once I knew, I couldn’t just sit home alone, you know? But you can’t tell anyone yet. I want to get past the point I was at last time before I tell anyone else. I don’t want Derek to get overly protective.”

“I understand. I do. But won’t he be upset you kept it from him?” Amber knew the consequences of keeping secrets from her husband firsthand.

Gabrielle shook her head. “He’ll understand. Besides, if I tell him, he’ll take my shoes away and insist I wear sensible flats. He’ll drive me crazy!”

Amber laughed. “Well, we can’t have that!” In just two meetings, Amber had already pegged Gabrielle as a woman with incredible fashion sense and taste, especially in designer shoes.

“Besides, Derek loves you,” Amber continued. “That’s obvious even to someone who’s only seen you together once.” Just thinking of the way husband and wife had looked at one another left Amber feeling wistful and sad.

She wanted that for herself. Love, caring, family.

Speaking of family, she checked her watch. It was noon Eastern time, 9:00 a.m. in Vegas. She normally called the nursing home around ten, after her father had eaten and been bathed and dressed. That way the staff could tell her what kind of day he was having. She had an hour to kill before she could check in.

“Do you want me to go to town and pick up some crackers and ginger ale for you?” Amber asked.

Gabrielle shook her head. “Thanks. I’ll go. I could use a break from this story. Anything I can get for you?”

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’ll give you a small list.” Edward’s idea of food and Amber’s were light-years apart.

She walked Gabrielle back to the house and they chatted like old friends. Amber was thrilled to be the keeper of her new sister-in-law’s secret and hoped for a smooth pregnancy this time around.

Gabrielle drove off and Amber headed back inside, her thoughts on Gabrielle and the family she was building with Derek. The more Gabrielle had talked about the baby she was expecting, the more the yearning in Amber’s chest grew to one day have those same things for herself. She still didn’t know where Mike fit into her future, but she did know she missed him.

She’d slept by herself her entire life and yet she’d had a hard time falling asleep alone last night. She’d missed snuggling into Mike’s warm body. Even more, she’d missed waking up to his sexy morning smile, his gruff hello and the eager way he’d thrust inside her once he allowed himself to let go. Even if he was upset with her, in bed they were one hundred percent compatible. How many married couples could say the same?

Mike was different from other men. No man in her past had ever filled the space inside her the way he did. None had left an aching emptiness when they were gone. He could be her family, her future-if he’d put the same effort into the relationship she intended to.

Because she already knew how easily she could fall for him.