Tangled Up Hearts by Deborah Hughes Page A

Alyssa what amounted to nothing more than a cursory glance before turning to Paul and offering him a smile, showing off perfect pearly whites that must have cost a fortune to acquire.
    Alyssa bristled. She remembered this woman from his parents' Christmas party. Since she and Cole were not on speaking terms at the time, they had not formally met. How unfortunate that she no longer had that excuse, especially when the brash woman leaned against Cole’s arm while giving Paul a thorough once-over. Seething as she was with dislike, Alyssa wondered how Cole could be attracted to someone of her ilk. Did he really find it necessary to populate his life with girls too blonde, too pretty and too busty for their own too-short britches? And how dare the woman dismiss her like that? It was rude and uncalled for. Her only recourse was to let the wench know here and now that her abhorrent behavior had no effect on her. So with that, Alyssa looked at Cole with what she hoped was a very bored, very disinterested expression and waited for him to make the introductions.
    “Serena, this is Al, Trisha’s friend. I don’t know if you remember her from my parents’ Christmas party?” To which she gave a shake of her head and made a small laugh, indicating that Cole was silly to even suggest such a thing. “The gentleman with her is her friend Paul.”
    “Al? What an odd name for a girl.” She held out a hand to Paul and smiled. “Hello, Paul. It’s nice to meet you.”
    Paul shook her hand briefly, his smile slipping as he did so. “It’s short for Alyssa.”
    Serena gave him a blank stare. “What?”
    “Al is short for Alyssa,” he repeated patiently.
    “But Al suits her so much better,” Cole interjected.
    “I beg to differ.” Paul placed a hand at Alyssa’s back in a gesture of support and she smiled at him gratefully. He was her champion and tonight, it seemed, she was going to need one.
    “I thought I heard voices.” Trisha came bouncing down the stairs and hurried over to give her a hug. “My goodness, Al, I love that dress. You look terrific.”
    “Absolutely smashing,” Jack, following closely at his fiancé’s heels, leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek. Then he pulled away and winked.
    Trisha gave him a playful punch. “Put your eyeballs back in their sockets, Jack.” She turned curiously to Paul and waited for Alyssa to make the introductions.
    “Trisha, Jack, this is Paul Jordan. Paul, Trisha and Jack.”
    Paul took Trisha’s outstretched hand in both of his. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. Alyssa has told me so much about you.”
    Trisha’s eyes widened at that confession and she threw Alyssa a questioning look before turning back to Paul. “Well, I hope she was kind and left out all the bad parts.”
    Alyssa laughed. “There are no bad parts to tell.”
    “If only that were true,” Cole muttered, his voice sounding pained and long-suffering.
    Trisha punched him playfully. “Thanks a heap.”
    Cole chuckled and gave her a wink. Then, after tugging on his collar and giving his shoulders a little roll, he gestured towards the living room. "How about we move this out of the hallway?” With Serena clinging tightly to his arm, he turned and led the way.
     
    As they fell in step behind Trisha and Jack, Alyssa couldn't help but wonder what Cole's show of discomfort was all about. A more self-assured man she had yet to meet.
    Paul waited until they were far enough from the others that he not be overheard then leaned down to murmur in her ear. “So far so good, wouldn’t you say? He doesn’t seem bent on making the evening unpleasant.”
    Oh no? That snide remark about “Al” suiting her was still stinging. It was Cole who had first shortened her name. Everyone else just followed suit. Whatever he did seemed to set a standard somehow. Why couldn’t people see Cole as she did? Beneath that charming facade was the heart of the devil.
    “I can feel all that negative energy,