Angels In Red (31 page)

“Yes, sir. She’s quite the lady.”

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he quickly answered the call.

“Charles.” Twyla breathed heavily as if she’d been running.

He froze in place. “Twyla? What’s wrong? Why are you out of breath?”

“I ran to my car, and I’m on my way home.” She swallowed audibly. “After Jenna left, I take a tray to one a girl that is sick. Angel skips right to me and hugs me. She tells me she has a sister now.”

“Well, that’s good news, right?”

“Yes, it is, but then Daniel came out of his office with Buffy. Angel, she… sono impazziti…um, she go crazy.”

“What do you mean by crazy?”

“She march over and stop so close, right in Buffy’s face.”

“Shit.” Charles swiped a hand over his head. “Please tell me it didn’t get physical?”

“No, Angel put hands on hips and shout at Buffy.”

He splayed a hand over his rapidly beating heart. “Why don’t we talk over coffee? I’d rather have this conversation in person.”

“Yes, me, too.”

“How about we meet at your place? We can discuss this more openly there.”

“Yes. I be home in twenty minutes.”

“Okay then, I’ll see you in half an hour. Twyla? Is anyone in urgent need right now?”

“No. We have time.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.” Charles tucked his phone away. His heart beat somewhat back to normal. “I have to go out for a while.”

John smirked. “Yes, I heard. Don’t worry. If Jenna asks, I’ll tell her you’re on a date.”

Charles stroked his jaw. “You know what? I never missed having a woman in my life, until Twyla came along. There’s something mighty special about that lady.”

“You better snatch her up, my friend. A gal like her won’t be available forever.”

He waved a hand in the air. “Yah, I know. See you later. I got my cell if anything comes up and you need me.” He hurried off to fetch his Mustang.

Out of all his newly acquired cars, Charles loved driving the convertible the most. Having the roof down made him feel young and alive.

As does Twyla.

A vision of her wearing her sunny-yellow dress flashed in his mind.

Maybe it’s time to find out if she feels the same way.

His attention swayed to the reason he was headed her way, and an image of Buffy and Angel, nose-to-nose, flashed in his mind. “Shit.”
What did Angel say to poor Buffy?
He sped up a little
. Why can’t things go smoothly for a change?

Twyla’s car was already in the driveway when he arrived. She stood at the door, still wearing her uniform and visibly upset.

Charles stooped to kiss her cheek. “Nice to see you.”

She squeezed his hand and led him through her cozy little house to the kitchen.

“You’ve got a real nice place here.”

“Gracie. Coffee?” She opened a cupboard and glanced back over her shoulder.

“Yes. Coffee sounds good. So, are you okay?”

She smiled sweetly at him. “I am good, just worried.” Twyla nodded her head in the direction of French doors. “We go sit on the back porch, okay?”

He left the table and opened the doors for her. His gaze narrowed on the swing of her hips, and he smiled, appreciating the fact she looked good coming
and
going.

The seriousness in her tone put his thoughts back where they should be. “You said Angel faced off with Buffy?”

“I never did see Angel angry before.”

“Is Buffy okay?”

“Angel shouted to stay away from Daniel. She sprayed from her mouth in Buffy’s face.”

“Ouch. I’m sure I’ll hear all about that.”

“Buffy did not move. Her mouth is open like she does not believe this happened.” Twyla took a sip of her coffee. “Daniel stood in the middle, so Angel steps back.” She shivered. “His eyes are black when asks what Angel is doing.  He say it not good to talk to Buffy. He tells her to say sorry. But Angel cross her arms and sticks up her nose at Buffy. She says, ‘Daniel is mine. Go away.’”

“Wow. Didn’t they see you standing there?”

“No. I stand with my back on the wall.” She shook her head.   “Daniel’s face is red, and he say Angel to go in his office and stay. She sticks up her chin and pushes Buffy out of her way to the office. Daniel says sorry to Buffy. His hand goes down her back and stop too low, touch her bottom two times. Buffy smiled and takes his hands away.”

“I can just imagine what was going on in her head. Buffy did well.” He was actually surprised she kept it together, normally a fire cracker, she’d be up one side of him and down the other in seconds flat.

“Daniel is not happy at this and does a…
hissy fit
? He points down the hall and tells her to go to kitchen and stay there.” Twyla snickered behind her hand. “Buffy walked away. I saw her mouth say, ‘
asshole.’
”

Charles tilted back his head and laughed. “Now, that’s more like the Buffy I know.”

“I saw her one more time before I go. She tell me she will check to see Angel is good.” She glanced at her watch. “She will phone me to say what happens.”

Just then, several solar lights came on. The garden was beautiful in the coming darkness. They sat in amiable silence, watching the backyard transform from day to night.

Charles stood and offered his hand. “Come, take me on a tour of your amazing garden while we wait for Buffy to call.”

Jenna listened to Twyla and Buffy recant their day at the ranch. It was a good thing they started off by telling her Angel was okay, because she could hardly believe they were talking about the same girl she’d left earlier.

“I don’t know what went on in his office, but before I left, I found her in the craft room with one of the younger girls. She was laughing and carrying on.” Buffy tucked her feet up under her on a deck chair.

“What do you make of it all, Twyla? You probably know Daniel better than any of us. Is he the kind of man who’d take advantage of girls like my sister?” She clenched her teeth together in wait of her answer.

“I don’t know him that way. He keeps…er, private? The one time I say no to him, he never try no more after.” She heaved a sigh. “The girls on main floor try hard to make him happy. Is it sex? I say no, not with little girls. Maybe the big girls, but I never see this.”

“All I know is that it was crystal clear Angel felt I was a threat. In her eyes, Daniel belongs to her.” Buffy picked up her drink. “I seriously thought she was going to hit me.”

Charles put his feet flat to stop the swing from moving and cleared his throat. “I hate to play the devil’s advocate, but isn’t it possible she thinks of Daniel as a father figure? Maybe after her mother passed, she became a little obsessed with not losing him, too.”

More confused than ever, Jenna didn’t know what to think. “I pray that’s true. Nothing would please me more than being proved wrong about things.”

He put his arm across Twyla’s back and rubbed her shoulder with the pad of his thumb. “Are you cold?”

She snuggled to his side. “No, this is good.”

Jenna smiled. It warmed her heart to see her dear friend finally find someone who thought he was as wonderful a man as she knew him to be. As happy as it made her, she couldn’t stop a twinge of jealously; Jack wasn’t there to comfort her.

“I don’t know about any of you, but this working deal has me all tuckered out.” Buffy stood and stretched her arms above her head. “I’m going to crash here. So, what’s the game plan?”

“Well, I think if you two ladies keep an eye on things on the ranch, I’ll try to see if I can get my sister to tell me how she really feels about Daniel.”

Charles left to drive Twyla home, and Buffy took the guest room next to her bedroom. Alone on the back deck, Jenna tried to make sense of everything. She wished Jack was there so she could lose herself in him, even for only a little while.

We need to get to the bottom of things quickly so I can go home.

Her phone buzzed and skipped across the beveled glass of the side table. Jenna startled. “Who could be calling at this hour?” Her jaw dropped upon seeing Jack’s name flash on the screen.

“Jack?” Her heartbeat raced.

“Hey, Jenna. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Why is your name on my screen?” She heard the tell-tale tremor in her voice and made a concerted effort not to break down.

“What, you’re not happy to hear from me?”

“Oh, Jack, of course I am. I just didn’t think there were towers close enough to catch a signal from our house.”

He snickered. “Well, there’s a tower now. It’s funny what a little money and persistence can do.”

“It must have cost you a fortune!”
Dammit! I should’ve taken care of this long ago. I’ll have to find a way to make him let me pay for it.

“Don’t worry about all that right now. How are things going there?”

“Angel wants to come here for a visit, so I’ve hired a crew to brighten up the place.”

“That sounds encouraging.”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure after a couple more sessions with her psychiatrist I’ll be able to come home.”

“I know you’re excited, but be careful not to rush things. Make sure your sister is in a good place before leaving her.”

Jenna frowned. She thought he’d be excited to see the end in sight. It was like he wasn’t remotely happy about it.

“Aw, shit,” he growled. “The dogs are going nuts out there. I hate to cut this short…”

The dogs’ frenzied barking came over the line loud and clear. “It’s okay, I can hear them. What do you think got them all riled up?”

“There have been a couple of pesky raccoons hanging around the past few days. I bet it’s them.”

“I guess you better go see.” She tried to hide her disappointment, but she was actually on the verge of tears.

“I’m so sorry, Jenna. Do you want me to call you back after I’ve seen to them?”

“Don’t worry, it’s getting late. Now that you have a phone, you can call anytime. Why not call me in the morning?”

“I can think of no better way to start my day.”

The noise level increased tenfold. “I love you, Jack. You better get out there.”

“I love you, too. I’ll see you in my dreams, baby.”

She stared at the phone after he hung up.

Were things a little weird between us? Or is my insecurity working overtime?

Suddenly, she felt exhausted.

Maybe I’m just over-tired. That must be it.

Tired or not, now more than ever, she was committed to wrapping things up quickly.

I need
to be home to rekindle the fire between us...my being away is so unfair to him.

Charles threaded his fingers through Twyla’s. “Do you mind if I don’t take you straight home? There’s something I want to show you.”

“Yes, but don’t forget, I have work early in morning.” She smiled sweetly.

“You know, you wouldn’t have to if you stayed up all night.” He wiggled his brows.

She feigned interest out the window, but he caught the lift of her lips, and it made his heart swell. He squeezed her hand.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re almost there.” He turned the corner where the road yawned to the lakefront. A full moon illuminated the rippling water. Once he parked the car and shut the engine down, only night sounds could be heard.

“Questo è bello.”

“Come on, let’s take a closer look.” He hoped his voice didn’t belie the trembling going on inside of him.

He helped her out of the car, and they walked hand in hand along the beach. He stopped to take off his shoes and socks. “I love the sand between my toes.”

“I think me, too.” She giggled and slipped out of her own shoes.

Ahead, a large formation of boulder-size rocks jutted out to the water, and he guided her to climb to the top, where they sat staring out at the vast expanse.

“I like to come here at night to think.”