The Snow Bride, page 13
“What does it look like? I’ve come to save you.”
Save her? From what? “I don’t need to be saved.”
Her mother laughed. “Oh, Jenna, so much has happened. We must talk. I have lots to tell you.”
“In a moment,” she told her, looking over at Dalton Gray. Jenna broke away from her mother and steeled herself for the introduction. This man was the reason she’d traveled to Alaska. She’d longed to meet him, to know him and deep in her heart, she’d hoped to marry him. But that was before…
“Jenna,” Dalton said reverently as he walked toward her. He held out both arms.
Jenna’s stomach tensed and she watched Reid’s face harden. It seemed for an instant that he was about to stop Dalton, but Jim placed his hand on Reid’s shoulder, detaining him.
Before she could react, Dalton hugged her. “I have waited for this moment for three long months.”
She returned his hug, but with little enthusiasm. There was no question that this man was not what he’d purported to be. She had that on good authority, and she suspected it wouldn’t take him long to prove Reid and the others right.
“Tell me you’re as glad to find me as I am to find you.” He reached for her hand and raised it to his lips. “I’ve lived in horror of what might have happened to you in the last few days.”
She snatched her gloved hand away. “I’ve been fine. Where were you?” He had to realize that if he’d been at the airport as he’d promised, none of this would’ve happened. Yet he offered not a word of explanation or apology.
“I’ll tell you everything later, when we can be alone.” He slipped his arm around her waist, and then turned to face Reid as though flaunting her.
Jenna wrenched free from his grasp.
Dalton’s face darkened with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, but I think it’s more important that I deal with my mother right now.”
“Come on, everyone,” Jake called. “Let’s get out of the cold. I’ve got coffee brewing, and if anyone’s hungry there’s sourdough hotcakes.”
While the others headed for Jake’s Café, Pete unloaded Chloe’s five suitcases from Dalton’s plane and, with Addy’s help, lugged them toward town. Out of the corner of her eye, Jenna saw him deposit the luggage at his store but didn’t have the opportunity to ask why or to stop him.
Once inside Jake’s place, sitting beside Palmer, Jenna realized that Reid hadn’t joined them. He remained outside, talking to Jim, although Lucy was in the café, coffeepot in hand.
“It seems you’re destined to stay in Snowbound,” Lucy whispered as she slid past Jenna and set coffee mugs upright on the long counter. “I sometimes come over to help Jake out,” she explained.
Before Jenna could respond, Dalton edged Palmer away from her. He grabbed hold of Jenna’s hand with both of his. When he noticed Lucy, he hesitated, leaned close and then whispered, “I hope you didn’t listen to anything Lucy had to say about me.”
Jenna glared at him. “What makes you think she said anything?”
Dalton sighed as though burdened by his discomfort. “Reid and I have had troubles in the past. Lucy and I were once an item, but I broke it off, and big brother didn’t take kindly to that. All I can do is hope you’ll listen to my side of the story.”
Out of fairness she would, but her sympathy inclined sharply toward Lucy instead of Dalton.
“Jenna,” her mother whispered, sitting on the stool on her other side. “Tell me about that gorgeous man who helped me out of the plane.”
“Mother,” Jenna cried. “You don’t want to get involved with Pete.”
“Why not?” Chloe protested. “No man’s been that sweet to me in years. Did you see the way he took my luggage directly to his store? I think he’s attracted to me.”
“Mom,” Jenna said with a groan, “he’s been stuck up here for months without seeing any women. He’d be attracted to—”
“Now don’t insult me,” her mother warned.
“I’m not insulting you, I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be,” Chloe said. “Besides I think he’s cute in a caveman sort of way.”
Jenna could see she was fast losing this argument. “I thought you wanted to talk to me.”
“I do,” her mother assured her, “but it doesn’t have to be this very minute, does it?”
“I think we should speak privately,” Dalton, who sat on the other stool, whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”
Jenna felt like a rubber band, being stretched and pulled from both sides. She looked out at the snowy street, where Reid was still talking to Jim. If he cared about her at all, he’d do or say something to dissuade her from going with Dalton. Instead he was out there chatting with Jim as if he didn’t have a concern in the world.
“Let me take you to my home,” Dalton pressed. “Once we’re there, I’ll prove how much I love you. I want to take care of you, spoil you. But first we have to get away from all these people.”
“I can’t do that,” she said. She longed for Reid to ask her to stay in Snowbound. Instead, he appeared willing to stand aside and allow Dalton to steal her away.
“Why can’t you come?” Dalton asked, sounding hurt. “Let me make up for failing you earlier. I promise when we’re through you won’t have a thing to complain about. I know how to make a woman happy.” What was presumably supposed to be a charming, sexy smile seemed more like a leer.
“I refuse to leave without my mother,” Jenna insisted.
“Why not? She seems perfectly capable of looking after herself.”
“She isn’t, and I’m not deserting her for a…a rendezvous with you.”
“You’re angry,” he said, his tone suggesting he was the injured party.
“Not angry—but you have to understand that none of this is turning out the way I anticipated.”
Addy edged between their stools, and with several well-placed jabs against Dalton’s ribs, managed to squeeze into the narrow space. “You want me to take Mr. Gray here outside and teach him a lesson or two?” he asked eagerly.
The thought of the older man tangling with Dalton wasn’t an appealing one. “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary,” Jenna said, although she appreciated his eagerness to come to her defense. It was more than Reid seemed willing to do.
“You don’t need to worry about me getting hurt,” Addy said, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Palmer and I can handle him.” He jiggled his eyebrows, as though to imply that they had their own methods of dealing with a tundra rat.
“I’m sure you can.”
“Listen, old man,” Dalton said, shoving Addy out of the way. “Isn’t it time for your nap?”
“Dalton!” Jenna said, outraged at his treatment of Addy. “This is my friend.”
“Then I think you should analyze exactly who your friends are.”
“Maybe I should,” she said, disgusted by his selfish attitude toward her mother and now Addy.
Dalton exhaled sharply. “Jenna, please, I don’t want to argue. We’ve barely had a chance to get to know each other. This isn’t right! All I want is some time with you without a bunch of hangers-on. Surely you can appreciate that?”
“What I’d appreciate is the opportunity to deal with this situation as I see fit.” Jenna didn’t know what to do. Already her mother was deep in conversation with Pete. Their heads were close together and they were gazing into each other’s eyes. This didn’t bode well. Not only did she have to put up with Dalton, but she had to find a way to keep her mother and Pete apart.
“Leave with me now,” Dalton urged, “and I’ll fly back for your mother.”
“I am not leaving my mother in Snowbound,” Jenna said, a resolve strengthened when she viewed the lovelorn looks Chloe and Pete were exchanging.
She watched as Pete reached for her mother’s hand.
“I need to get her out of here,” Jenna muttered. Since Dalton only had room for two in his plane, she had no choice but to turn to Reid for help.
“Are you going to talk to her?” Jim asked Reid as they stood in the cold while Reid debated his next course of action.
“Talk to her about what?” Reid demanded impatiently. It’d taken every bit of self-control he possessed not to drag Dalton away from Jenna. For an intelligent woman, she sure seemed blind when it came to the other man. He hated the way Dalton had cozied up to her in the café, whispering in her ear. He didn’t need much imagination to guess what that creep was saying, either. Apparently Addy had tried to step in, but nothing had come of it. Dalton seemed to be getting what he wanted.
If he’d left even ten minutes earlier, they would have missed Dalton entirely. Their planes would’ve passed each other in the skies. Now he was trapped here, watching Jenna get friendly with that…that sleazebag. Worse, Reid was forced to pretend he wasn’t affected.
“Jenna’s not stupid, you know,” Jim said. “She’ll see through him in no time.”
Reid grunted noncommittally.
“Talk to her,” Jim advised again.
“About what?” Reid asked, just as he had earlier.
A disgusted look came over his friend’s face. “I can tell you what to do but not what to say. That’s got to come from you.”
Great. What could he say to Jenna? He’d tried before takeoff, but it hadn’t made any difference.
Reid wasn’t going to beg Jenna to give him and Snowbound a second chance. He’d already said as much as he felt capable of saying. He’d told her how difficult it was to take her into Fairbanks, knowing he’d be delivering her to Dalton. What he hadn’t said was how badly he wanted her to stay in town. He hadn’t realized it himself until he taxied down the runway. The dread had built up inside him until he didn’t know how he could stand to leave her in Fairbanks. With Dalton. But then Dalton had come here instead….
The café door opened and Jenna walked outside.
“Looks like the decision’s been taken out of your hands,” Jim said.
Reid wasn’t amused.
“Can we talk a moment?” Jenna asked him.
“Sure.” His heart felt as if it had lodged in his throat.
The café door slammed, and Reid glanced up to see Dalton Gray following in Jenna’s wake.
Reid stepped forward to meet them both.
“I want to talk to you,” Dalton shouted, pointing a thick finger at Reid’s chest.
Reid wished he could shove the guy’s teeth down his throat.
“Got a problem, Dalton?” he asked.
“No, I do,” Jenna said, moving between them. “Dalton’s plane will only take one passenger, and I can’t leave my mother behind.”
“So you’re going with him?” Reid had hoped she’d be sensible enough to recognize what kind of man Dalton was. Sadly, that didn’t appear to be the case.
“Of course she’s going with me,” Dalton said, and slid his arm around Jenna’s shoulder.
Jenna tried to shake it off, but Dalton’s arm tightened.
“It seems to me Jenna would rather not have your arm around her,” Reid said between gritted teeth.
“Are you afraid she prefers me to you?” Dalton smiled.
Reid bit down hard to keep from letting the other man know how much he’d enjoy seeing him in pain.
Jenna managed to shrug off Dalton’s arm. “Would you two stop it? I’m ready to go, but I won’t unless my mother’s with me.”
All right, if that was what she wanted, then Reid wasn’t going to refuse her. But he had no intention of delivering Jenna to Beesley. He hadn’t been willing to do it earlier and he wasn’t willing now. Mother or no mother. “I’ll fly you back to Fairbanks.”
“Jenna’s flying with me,” Dalton insisted.
That was fine by him, but Reid wanted no part of it. “Then the deal’s off.”
“Reid,” she pleaded. “I can’t leave my mother here.”
“Then don’t go.” There, he’d said it.
“You’re being ridiculous. I can’t stay here, and neither can my mother.”
“If anyone flies Jenna out of here, it’ll be me,” Dalton said again.
Reid’s gaze locked with Dalton’s.
“She wouldn’t be in this predicament if you hadn’t dragged her here against her will.” Dalton took one step closer to Reid.
“You want to make something of it?” he said, his voice low and menacing, fists clenched.
“You bet I would.”
“For the last time, would you stop this nonsense?” Jenna shouted. Her right hand was planted against Reid’s chest and her left against Dalton’s as she strained to keep them apart. “This is idiotic! All I want is to get my mother back to Fairbanks.”
Reid removed her hand. “I’ll be more than happy to fly you both. I’m the one with the four-seater plane.”
“The hell you will,” Dalton shouted. He skirted around Jenna to take a wild swing at Reid.
It was sad to see Dalton’s attempt go so far off the mark. Reid had been waiting for this moment too long to be denied, and immediately retaliated. His aim was far more direct and his fist made instant contact with Dalton’s jaw. The other man reeled from the force of the impact and stumbled back several steps. Reid’s hand hurt like hell, but that was a small sacrifice for the satisfaction of seeing Dalton Gray land on his ass in the snow.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Jenna cried, dropping to her knees beside Dalton. Her eyes were full of tender concern. “Are you all right?”
“He’s fine,” Reid answered for him.
“That was despicable.” Jenna focused her gaze on Reid with such intensity, he felt it burn straight through him.
All he’d done was defend himself. Dalton had thrown the first punch. It wasn’t his fault the man was so inept.
“He sucker-punched me,” Dalton accused, still in a sitting position and rubbing his jaw.
“No way. You swung first.” Jim moved forward and offered Dalton his hand. “Seems to me you got what you deserved.”
Standing, Dalton continued to massage his jaw, and his eyes narrowed on Reid. “You’re going to pay for this. Come on, Jenna, let’s get out of here.”
Jenna stared at the sky, and when she spoke her voice was quiet and controlled. “Not without my mother.”
“Unfortunately,” Lucy said, joining them, “your mother is currently occupied.”
“With Pete?” Jenna cried. She closed her eyes. “I had a feeling this was going to happen.”
“Why don’t you come back to the house with me,” Lucy invited, “and leave the men to settle this among themselves.”
Reid sincerely hoped she’d agree to that, and with his sister doing the talking, maybe they’d all listen to reason.
“All right,” Jenna said, although she sounded reluctant. “But I’ve got to check on my mother first.” She started walking backward, holding Reid’s gaze. “Don’t hurt Dalton, understand?”
Dalton took exception to that comment. “I can take care of myself,” he snarled.
“Don’t worry about Dalton,” Reid said.
“This is something of a predicament,” Jim murmured after the women had left.
“It wouldn’t be if Reid hadn’t kidnapped my woman.”
Reid felt his temperature rise. “Jenna might be a lot of things, but ‘your woman’ isn’t one of them. She doesn’t belong to you.”
“She will soon enough,” Dalton said with confidence.
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
“She’s a woman, isn’t she?” His smile struck Reid as coldly reptilian. “Women like me. Lucy certainly did.” Now it was Jim who advanced on him, and Dalton quickly got in a second dig. “She couldn’t keep her hands to herself. Couldn’t get enough of me.”
“Keep Lucy out of this,” Reid shouted.
“My turn,” Jim said, and stepping forward, raised his fists. Dalton swung and Jim easily stepped aside. Apparently Dalton hadn’t learned his lesson the first time and took a punch square in the stomach. Eyes wide with disbelief, he doubled over.
Jim shook the pain out of his hand. “Damn, that felt good.”
“Jenna’s mine,” Dalton managed to choke out. “It’ll give me even more pleasure to take her to bed, knowing you’re sweet on her—and knowing she chose me over you.”
Reid wasn’t going to respond to his taunts. The man seemed to be looking for a fight; given his experience of the past few minutes, Reid couldn’t figure out why.
“I suggest you drop this now,” Jim said to Dalton, coming between the two of them.
“Don’t worry,” Reid assured his friend. “If he wants Jenna so badly, he’s welcome to her.”
“You lose!” Dalton’s voice was smug. “Because Jenna wants me. Why else would she uproot her entire life to come to Alaska? Do you think she’d do anything so drastic if she wasn’t serious about me? It’s me she came to meet and it’s me she’ll fly out of here with.” His face showed his contempt. “Get used to it, Jamison. You’re a loser. You always have been and you always will be.” With that he sauntered away.
Jim waited until Dalton was out of earshot, staring at Reid as though he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “You don’t mean that about Dalton being welcome to Jenna.”
“I do,” Reid said. “If she can’t see the truth by now, then she never will. Or at least not until it’s too late.”
“Have faith in her,” Jim urged.
Reid wished he could.
Chapter Sixteen
“Are you comfortable?” Pete asked Chloe as he brought her a fresh cup of tea.
“Oh, yes.” Chloe sank into the large chair, resting her feet on the ottoman. He’d placed a blanket over her lap and seemed intent on pampering her. They’d come here, to his residence at the back of his quaint little store, to talk privately, which was impossible at the café with everyone pestering them.
“I don’t understand why my daughter’s in such a hurry to leave,” Chloe complained. “I just got here.”
“Exactly.” Pete lowered himself into the chair across from her. “Tell me about yourself.”
Chloe believed in getting the bad news over with first. “I’ve been married five times,” she said abruptly.
