Page 5 of Two Hearts
And every warning bell Jack’s hard-knock life had built into him started ringing like crazy.But for some reason, he went, and he sat, and he listened.
CHAPTER 2
Jack sat there, listening to the old man talk, and he kept thinking maybe he ought to call one of the nurses because Harrison Phelps, millionaire, seemed to be delusional.He lay there in the bed, with a white sheet over his barrel-shaped body and his blue-patterned hospital gown, and just talked.He should have looked ridiculous.And his notions should have sounded ridiculous.
So why the hell didn’t they?
“My Mitsy’s done a hell of a job raising our daughters,” Harry said.“A hell of a job.And for the most part, I’ve been perfectly happy to step aside and let her.Hell, I wanted the best for them, too.And what did I know about manners and clothes and piano lessons, anyway?”
“I’m sure you’ve both done fine by your kids, Harry.But I really don’t have a clue where you’re going with this.I just came to take your statement.”
“Bullcookies.You came to see if I was all right, and to keep that promise you made me.I may not know about party dresses and manicures, son, but I’ll tell you what I do know about.”
“What’s that?”
“I know the difference between a polished-up pretty boy and a real man.”Harry crossed his arms over his big chest, and gave his head a hard nod as if some major decision had just been made.
“That’s really fantastic, Harry.But, um, about this statement.”
“That’s why I didn’t tell Mitsy you were a cop.She’d never let you through the front door if she knew!”
“I’m…not going to need to come to the house, Harry.We can take care of this statement thing right here, and then I’ll be on my way.”
“Well, boy, you might not be quite as sharp as I thought you were,” he said, eyeing Jack and frowning.
“How’s that, Harry?”Jack asked.
“How in the Sam Hill are you planning on seeing my Gracie again if you don’t come to the house?”
Jack feinted backward slightly, as if trying to dodge a blow, but the blow seemed to land, anyway.The old bastard hit him right between the eyes.“Well…I—I wasn’t exactly planning to see her again at all.”
“She likes you, Jack.I could see that plain as day.She never once looked at one of those three-piece-suited phonies the way she looked at you.”
Jack lowered his head and tried to remain hard and cynical.Tried not to go soft inside at the very notion—because there was no notion.No chance.No way.“If your daughter looked at me in any special way, Harry, that was only because you made me sound like some kind of hero who saved her father’s life.Don’t you think?”
“Nope.That had nothing to do with it.”
Jack licked his lips and lowered his head, trying to figure a graceful way out of whatever scheme the old guy was hatching.But he supposed, deep down, he wasn’t trying very hard.
“You liked her, too.Sparks were practically flying across the room between you two!I’m not blind.”
Jack’s throat was very tight and dry.“I—your daughter is…an attractive young woman.”
“So date her.”
Closing his eyes slowly, Jack swallowed hard.“Dateher?”
“Why the hell not?”Harry asked.
“Well, for starters, she’s at least ten years younger than me.”
“Is that all?I’ve got fifteen on Mitsy.”
“Harry, this just isn’t—”
“Hey, I’m not asking you to marry the girl, for Pete’s sake!Just… Look, just come to the house tomorrow night for the party.At least do that much.Hell, the family would think it strange if you didn’t!And Mitsy’s gonna be shoving pretty boys in poor Gracie’s face all night long.She ought to have at least one decent, honest-to-goodness man to compare them to.”
Jack stared at him.He couldn’t talk much.Basically he was speechless.But Harry wasn’t.
