The Heartbreaker by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page A

Instantly she felt the prickly sensation of Colby’s remembered presence in the workroom. Determined to shake it off, she picked up the piece of amber glass she’d chosen for a section of the dentist’s window, laid it over the pattern and positioned the cutting wheel. It was an expensive piece of glass, but it gave the effect she wanted. Applying pressure to the wheel, she started to follow the lines of the pattern. The glass cracked.
    She took a deep breath and consciously unclenched her jaw. Then she took a fresh piece of glass and tried again. Again it cracked.
    â€œDammit!” She walked away from the table. One thing was for sure. Colby was not setting foot in her workshop again.

7
    M IKE COULD TELL Beth hadn’t had a good afternoon from her expression as she got into the car. He congratulated himself on noticing her expression at all considering the fact that for the trip into Tucson she’d changed into a scoop-necked red T-shirt tucked into white shorts. He forced himself not to ogle at the creamy expanse of thigh only inches away from his hand as he fiddled with the radio dial trying to find some tunes to serenade them on the way out of town.
    â€œForget it until we get closer to Tucson,” she said as they drove up Tombstone Canyon and headed toward the Time Tunnel.
    He switched off the radio. “Just thought some music might cheer you up.”
    She glanced at him, her eyes hidden behind wireframed sunglasses. “How do you know I’m not cheered up?”
    â€œYour mouth gets all tight when you’re upset.”
    â€œMy mouth isn’t tight.”
    â€œYes, it is.”
    â€œIs not.” She pulled on her lower lip and made a face at him.
    He laughed. “Now it’s not.”
    â€œIt’s all that damned Colby’s fault. He insisted on eating lunch in my workroom, and after he left I couldn’t cut glass without breaking it.”
    Mike’s gut tightened. “He didn’t try anything, did he?”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œYou know what I swear if he ever touches you, I’m going to rearrange his face.”
    â€œThanks, but I think I can take care of myself in that department.” She paused. “He mentioned meeting you at Café Roca last night.”
    He glanced over at her. She was staring straight ahead at the two-lane highway. “Yeah, he slithered over to my table wearing his ever-present sport coat.”
    â€œAccording to him, you said if he’d do right by me, you’d be happy.”
    Mike groaned. Apparently it was his lot in life to be misunderstood, especially when it came to Beth. “That’s not quite how it went.”
    â€œThen how did it go?”
    â€œHe claimed I’d fail at this cutter production and leave you with your dreams shattered. He said he’d be on hand to help put your dream back together. I said if I truly believed an association with him would be good for you, I’d be happy for you. I just don’t happen to believe it.”
    â€œSo let me get this straight. If the right guy came along, you’d turn me over to him with your blessing? You’d send us postcards from the depths of the jungle, and when you came home for visits you’d bring our kids exotic trinkets from the rain forest and ask them to call you Uncle Mike? Is that what you’re saying?”
    His stomach churned at the thought of somebody else marrying Beth and fathering her children. But what else could he expect if he remained committed to his explorations in Brazil? “I want you to be happy.”
    â€œThat’s not exactly an answer to the question.”
    â€œYeah, sure. I’d be thrilled to see you hooked up with a terrific guy,” he lied.
    â€œThat’s not true, Mike. That little muscle is jumping in your jaw.”
    â€œSo what?”
    â€œSo that’s how I always knew when you didn’t really mean what you were saying. You know what I think