Undying Laughter

“I guess.” Clipping his glasses into the front of his shirt, he allowed his eyes to travel back to the small woman cradling the microphone.

“I thought you were supposed to be studying,” Rose observed.

“Just taking a break,” he said defensively.

“Or have you decided to study the human body instead of the human mind?”

He gave his mother a sidelong look meant to quell the optimism he heard in her voice. “I was simply taking a break, and wandered in here for a couple of minutes.”

His mother nodded but gave absolutely no other indication that she was convinced about his motives. “Shelby called, said she and Dylan were coming by tonight to catch the show.”

“I’m sure they’ll enjoy themselves. They haven’t had much time together since Cassidy was born.”

“I told them we’d reserve a table for six down front.”

“Six?”

His mother patted her lacquered hair and averted her eyes. “I asked Destiny’s manager and that woman Gina to join us.”

Wesley swallowed the groan in his throat. “Her manager’s a jerk.”

“Is that a medical observation?” Rose teased. “Or personal, maybe?”

Wesley smiled at his mother. He knew better than to pursue this line of dialogue. Rose had made no secret of her desire to have a daughter-in-law and some grandchildren in residence at The Rose Tattoo.

“I’ve got to get back to work,” Wes said.

“You can’t do that,” Rose told him.

“Why not?”

“Because I told Destiny you’d drive her home after they finish setting up all these lights and microphones.”

“Why did you do that?” he asked, trying to sound perturbed, though the thought of spending some time alone with Destiny appealed to him much more than he was willing to admit—even to himself.

“Because I was under the impression that you were protecting her from whoever is sending her the flowers. Shelby told me that you’ve enlisted Dylan, as well.”

“I simply asked him to give me an assessment of the situation.”

“So that explains why you dragged him out to the beach in the middle of the night.”

Wes felt his cheeks color.

“And—” Rose tapped her finger against his breastbone “—Shelby is very unhappy that you dragged her husband out in the middle of the night. But I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it this evening.”

“Great,” Wes grumbled. “Maybe I’ll skip opening night.”

“Why would you do that?”

Wes spun and found himself staring down into those breathtaking violet eyes. “My mother got me into trouble with Shelby.”

He watched, fascinated, when her lips parted and she blew a steady stream of breath upward, toward perspiration-dampened bangs. Her mouth was perfect. Her lips reminded him of sweet cherries—full and ripe. His mind flashed vivid images, all of which, he felt sure, would earn him a resounding slap from either Destiny or his mother. Or both.

He smelled good, she thought as she tilted her face up. And he was staring rather intently at her mouth. It shouldn’t have bothered her, but Destiny’s pulse increased when she noted the blatant curiosity as he scrutinized her features. Without even trying, Wesley had her nerves tingling with a very potent mixture of anticipation and expectation. As his blue-gray eyes traveled over her features, Destiny felt as if she was being caressed. It was unnerving.

“So,” she began as soon as she’d placed a protective smile between herself and the doctor, “you’ll be here tonight? I’m usually at my best on the first and last nights.”

“Really?” Wes said, his head listing pensively to the left. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“Don’t strain yourself,” she retorted, meeting his amused eyes. “Gina said you invited her to join you this evening. Thank you,” Destiny said to Rose. “She usually gets stuck backstage. It was very thoughtful of you to include her.”

“Don’t be silly. We’ll have a lovely time.”

She gave the woman’s forearm a gentle squeeze. “Still, it was a very nice thing for you to do.”

Destiny was a little surprised to see the woman’s cheeks color slightly beneath the thick layer of blusher.

“I’ve got a few things to do back at my office. Wes will run you out to the beach.”

“If you’re in the middle of studying, I can take a cab. As I told Rose, it’s not a problem.”

She watched as his broad shoulders lifted in a shrug. “It’s not an inconvenience.”

She regarded him through the thickness of her lashes. “I don’t believe you.”

He met her eyes and said, “It is an inconvenience, but not nearly as inconvenient as the ramifications if I don’t take you home.”

“What?”

“If I don’t take you home, my mother will rag on me for days. So you see, taking you home is a far superior option than incurring the wrath of Rose.”

Destiny smiled. “Mothers are such fun, aren’t they? I bet she had you on a guilt trip all through your childhood.”

“I didn’t grow up with Rose,” he said quietly. “My parents were divorced when I was small. I lived with my father and stepmother.”

“It looks like we have something in common, Doctor. My folks split up when I was five.”

“Casualties of relaxed divorce laws.”

“Is that what you think?” Destiny asked, her fingers automatically moving to his arm. His skin was warm beneath her touch. “Divorce was the best solution for my parents. I shudder to think what would have happened to all of us if they’d stayed together.”

“Meaning?”

Her brow wrinkled at the clinical ring to his question. “My sister and I would have been the casualties if my mother hadn’t left my father. He drank, they fought. Hardly a nurturing environment for children.”

“You have a sister?”

“Peace,” she said.