Birth of Adam (Artificial Intelligence Book 2) (21 page)

“Well, that will be a great loss to your studio, but Amanda has other opportunities lined up, so don’t worry about her.”

“What opportunities?” Sean demanded.

“I cannot say,” he replied. “But rest assured she will be happy, and that is my only concern.”

With that declaration, he disappeared from the screen.

Sean led her into the house and upstairs to his bedroom. “This is the master suite.”

“Mine’s nicer,” she teased and laughed when he glared at her. “You can come over and see it if you don’t believe me.”

“Who is this guy screwing up your career?”

“I don’t think Jules is screwing up my career,” she protested.

In response, he flattened her onto his bed with his face inches from hers. “Who is Adam Webb?”

“He’s my best friend and the one person I trust to always look out for me.”

“Well he’s doing a piss-poor job of it!”

“I said he’s looking out for my best interests, not my career’s best interests. He just wants me to be happy, and that’s what I want. I thought singing would make me happy, but truthfully it hasn’t been much fun, and today, being told my favorite color is blue, my favorite food is salmon and my favorite musician is Bach...well, I became quite miserable. Right now I really don’t care if my career ends.”

“Then why are you here?”

She sighed. “Because I liked you during our brief first meeting. Then you came to my audition and gave me someone to sing to. And despite the awkward beginning of this afternoon, I find you refreshingly honest, a gentleman—although right at this moment you’re being a bit of a bully. And I think we can be good friends.”

“How good of friends?”

“Good enough that I’ll take you hiking with me.”

He sat up and sighed. “You really don’t care if you become a singer or not?”

“No.”

“And is this Adam fellow able to keep you in pretty clothes and a nice house, or is he all talk?”

She laughed. “If I had my way I’d be in sweats and T-shirts, but to answer your question, the Rolls Royce we arrived in is Adam’s, the beautiful house I live in is Adam’s, and all my beautiful garments were purchased by Adam, because I have no interest in designer clothes.”

“So what are you doing here?”

She stared at him in confusion. “I told you. I came here so we could become friends.”

“For what purpose?”

“So I would have another really great friend in my life.”

“So if there’s no record deal, you’ll still be my friend?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the catch?”

“Poor Sean. You really do need to go hiking. There is no catch. There is no obligation. And there is no expectation. I like you, and despite all the blustering and anger bouncing inside you right now, I think you like me. Now, do you want to show me the rest of the house, or send me to my car, where Jules is no doubt fuming about why I can’t be a bit faster on the job?”

He stroked her face. “I want to make love to you.”

“I think it’s too soon for that.”

“I thought your excuse was you didn’t do married men?”

“I don’t,” she replied. “But if you and your wife are separated and she really has a lover, then I need to give this further consideration.”

“And how will you determine whether my wife has a lover?”

“Adam will ferret out the truth.”

“Will you not take my word for it? I don’t want my wife’s infidelities to be public fodder. It would require me to call her back from Spain, and honestly I’m very pleased not to be in her company.”

“Just tell him you’ll take his word—I’ve checked it out, and he’s telling the truth,” Adam assured her.

“All right, but I still need to think about what it means to me. This has always been a black-and-white issue before, and part of me wants to keep it simple, while another part of me wants to open the possibility of more than a great friendship.”

“So who else do you claim as great friends?”

“Well, until I started screwing everything up, Monsieur Bastion, Dr. Sam Wilson back in the U.S. —you probably don’t know him.”

“It’s a small community. I know him.”

“Professors Simon, Richart and Pinchot. Andrew, Sondra and Martin. Mark Hammer.”

“Who are Andrew, Sondra and Martin?”

“A family who lives in my house with me.”

“And Mark Hammer is the violinist you want me to record?”

“He’s very good, but I think Jules wants him to record with Hamilton. However, Hamilton doesn’t like me because his daughter blames me for taking Mark away from her, and so if that duet is going to be recorded, it has to be with you. But since Jules is going to drop me, you don’t have to worry about all that.”

He shut her up with a kiss that made her toes tingle. When he broke it off, he looked very pleased. “Remember that kiss when you’re trying to decide what to do with me.”

“I will,” she promised him, and stood up. “I should be going now.”

“I’ll see you to the car.” He walked her out and kissed her once more before he allowed her to climb in.

“Nice car,” he said.

“Thanks,” Jules replied.

He gave Amanda a questioning look, then closed the door.

***

“Well, Sean seemed pleased with you,” Jules said with satisfaction.

She decided to remain quiet.

He patted her on the leg. “It gets easier over time, my dear.”

She had to resist her desire to kick him.

Fortunately, Adam distracted her. “Sean just asked for the owner registration of the Rolls to be verified. He’s also asked for a full background on you, me, and a list of men named Luke in the FBI. That should keep the three-man investigative agency he uses busy.”

She wished she could speak in return, because she was concerned she had told Sean too much. Her instinct had been to be completely honest with him, but her instincts had once told her Jules was a good man, which she no longer believed.

“You did fine with Sean,” Adam assured her. “However, you do need to forgive Jules for being an ass if you ever wish to see his good side again. Right now he’s feeling very conflicted about pimping you out.”

She reached out and stroked Jules’ arm. “I’m all right,” she promised him. “I know you’re only trying to look out for me.” Yet even as she said the words, she knew in her heart he wasn’t looking out for her—he was looking out for himself. Adam, on the other hand, always looked out for her. In the end, Adam was the only one who never failed her. If only he could hold her and make love to her, then she wouldn’t need to settle for less.

Jules pulled her into his arms. “We’ll get through this,” he assured her.

Andrew reminded her Luke Gallagher needed to be picked up and the wine and cheese party was to begin in two hours.

Jules pushed her away in a new fit of anger. “What party? And who is Luke?”

She could see the fury in his eyes. He truly hated not having full control of her.

“Luke Gallagher is my new security, and I have to pick him up at the airport. Would you like to be dropped off first or come with me?”

“Why was I not informed of this?” he demanded. “And what are the man’s credentials? We can’t afford to have another fiasco because you’re protected by amateurs.”

The amateur remark upset her. “We’ll go directly to the airport, Andrew. And please don’t take Jules’ remarks personally. He’s just angry because I failed to mention this earlier.”

“I am angry!” Jules assured her. “I’m angry with Adam for taking on responsibilities he hasn’t a clue how to handle, and I’m angry with you for sabotaging your career at every turn possible. And Andrew, take us home. This fellow can find his own way to the house.”

Trusting Andrew knew whose orders to obey, she changed the topic to another that would no doubt infuriate him. “As for the party, I should have mentioned it. I invited the composition class over for wine and cheese tonight in an attempt to make up with them.”

“You invited them home without getting my permission?” he asked in outrage.

God, he really is a control freak. Since when did my home become his?
“Well, technically it’s Adam’s home,” she reminded him. “However, I expect all the professors to be there, so hopefully the students won’t tear the place apart. I’m planning to lock my bedroom door, and you may wish to do the same with yours.”

Jules was livid, and demanded Andrew pull the car over. Amanda reiterated the order, and Andrew pulled over. Jules stormed out of the car, leaving the door open. He disappeared into the crowd. A man leaned in and asked if the limo was for hire. She assured him it wasn’t and closed the door.

They waited five minutes. When Jules did not return, she told Andrew to head on to the airport.

“I hope nothing has happened to Jules.”

Andrew huffed in response.

“What happened at the opera was not your fault, Andrew. You were only trying to protect me, and I was very glad you were there.”

“Miss Amanda, the only thing I agree with that man about is that you need better protection than I can give. Otherwise, I think he’s lower than a snake and deserves to be beaten to a pulp, and if Mr. Webb hadn’t forbidden me to leave my seat, I would have done so today as he sat in your car, stabbing you in the back while you were in there...”

Andrew was so upset he started to cry in angry futility.

She moved onto the rear-facing seat so she was closer to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Nothing happened inside the house. Sean and I just talked about my career, his garden, and my belief that he needs to go hiking. Contrary to Jules’ orders, I did not, nor ever will, prostitute myself on his command. I’ll give up my career in singing first.”

Andrew grabbed her hand in his meaty paw and gently squeezed it. “Thank you for telling me. I feared the worst, and it really upset me. You’ve done so much for my family and to think of you in there—well, it was killing me. Mr. Webb kept assuring me you were fine, but then he hadn’t heard the things Mr. Bavard was saying on the phone!”

“You can trust Adam. If he says I’m fine, then I am. He understands me better than I do myself.”

She might not have recognized Luke had Adam not alerted her to his arrival through the customs doors. He looked fifteen years older, and his whole countenance had changed. She waved to get his attention.

“Stop waving,” Adam warned her. “A reporter followed him from the States. This needs to be a professional greeting.”

Using Andrew as her bulldozer, she made her way to the front of the crowd. She held out her hand in a professional manner, trying to hide her happiness.

“Mr. Gallagher, thank you for coming.”

Luke glanced at Andrew, who looked very imposing in his own right.

“Let’s go.” Luke led them and the reporter on a merry chase around the airport.

“Luke, eventually we should let Andrew lead, because he knows where the car is,” she teased.

She thought she almost saw the tug of a smile, but perhaps it was simply wishful thinking, because all she could sense in Luke was anger and pain.

When they reached the lower level without the reporter in tow, he allowed Andrew to take them to the car. Once inside, Amanda gave him a hug. “It’s so good to see you!”

Luke didn’t respond verbally, but the intensity of his return hug left no doubt he needed soothing even more than she did.

Neither of them spoke for several minutes as they drew strength from the embrace. Finally, Luke broke away and stared at her. “You look so fancy that I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “It’s part of my marketing image. I don’t really mind except for the shoes. Today especially, I longed for sneakers.”

He ordered her to lean back as he scooted to the other end of the seat, and placed her feet in his lap. Noticing the buttons overhead, he triggered the privacy window.

When it was up, Amanda assured him Andrew was completely reliable.

“Who hired him?”

“You cannot tell him about me,” Adam reminded her.

“I did,” she replied. “Only he thinks a Mr. Webb hired him. I’ve created an alter-ego named Mr. Webb.”

“Why?”

“Well, to handle Jules originally. Jules wants to control his talent’s every move, so I created Adam Webb, who took away half of Jules’ normal authority, such as security and how to dress me.”

“Does Andrew have any security background?”

“No, but he’s a wonderful person, and I’m sure he could learn if you’re willing to teach him.”

Luke didn’t look pleased with that idea.

“Don’t be mad at me,” she pleaded. “This has been a very bad day. It began with me apologizing to my composition class and inviting them to my house for wine and cheese tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, but at least it will give you a chance to meet the key players in my silly drama.”

“How do you plan to introduce me?”

“Well, some will need to know you’re my security, but truthfully, with others it would be better if they thought you were my boyfriend. However, if you don’t want them thinking that—”

“I’m fine with the cover,” he replied. “I’d prefer to go by an alias while here.”

Amanda grimaced. “It might be a bit late for that. Jules knows your last name and several people know your first name.”

“Well, let’s play it by ear.”

Suddenly Andrew’s voice came over the intercom system. “Miss Amanda, I see Mr. Bavard standing at an empty taxi stand. Should I stop?”

“Yes,” she said, and removed her feet from Luke’s lap and lowered the privacy screen. “You might as well meet my biggest problem now. I’m sorry I told him your name and that you were FBI.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Luke assured her.

Jules stormed into the car. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again,” he bellowed.

“I’m sorry, Jules, but you disappeared, and we had to pick up Luke,” she reminded him.

Jules suddenly focused on Luke seated in the far corner. “Luke who?” he demanded.

“Luke Carson, Miss Wile’s new security.” Luke held out his hand.

When Jules didn’t challenge the last name, she smiled with relief.

“Well, I must be frank with you, Mr. Carson. Webb did not consult me before hiring you, and I fear you lack the qualifications needed. For example, I don’t see how a man who cannot speak the language can possibly keep her secure without causing a full-blown scandal.” Jules declared this last sentence in such rapid French that Amanda was barely able to follow.

“I will manage,” Luke assured him in English.

“I wish I shared your certainty, but I do not. I must insist on knowing your exact plans to keep Amanda safe. Her safety must be balanced with her ability to assimilate into the music industry. This is a fine line. She must be protected, but not too protected.”

Luke studied Jules with great intensity. “I understand there is to be a party tonight.”

“Yes, which I do not believe you should attend. It will send the wrong message. Perhaps we should drop you off at your hotel.”

“Luke is staying with us,” Amanda said.

“Absolutely not,” Jules declared.

“Adam wants Luke to stay at my house,” she reiterated.

“Well, as you’ve observed, there is no room for another person.”

“Luke can sleep on the settee in my dressing room, and he will attend the party as a good friend from the States.”

“As your lover...”

“Well, I’m only calling him a good friend.”

“Absolutely not! Do you know what would happen if Sean were to hear you’d taken a lover? Your career would be over!”

“Anticipating that, I took the time to forewarn Sean about Luke’s arrival. He knows Luke is actually my security.”

Amanda was very glad she had security. Jules looked ready to strangle her.

“Why would you tell him that?” he finally asked.

“Adam told me to.”

“Damn the man! Despite your talent, Webb is going to destroy your career before it even begins. He’s playing in waters beyond his depth!”

Amanda allowed him to fume a bit, then turned the conversation to the party. “I’m hoping that by bringing a boyfriend, Beth will back off, which means her father will stop making your life so miserable.”

Her plan seemed to appeal to Jules, and he studied Luke again. “He’s too old.”

“I prefer older men,” Amanda said. “Mark was an outlier.”

Luke glanced her way when she said that. He would no doubt want to know about Mark. She just hoped he would wait until after the party so her tears wouldn’t cause a scene and ruin the impression she wanted to make.

“Tell me you didn’t invite Mark to this party,” Jules growled.

“I didn’t, but I expect quite a few uninvited students will show up, and one of those could be Beth, and I’m pretty sure she’ll drag Mark with her.” She then turned to Luke. “I’ll tell you about Mark later, after the party, but you need to know about Beth and her jackals now.”

“Words like that will not make you friends,” Jules snapped.

“I have no shot at making friends with Beth,” she assured him, then focused on Luke. “However, there’s a strong possibility that Beth and her gang plan to try to hurt me by destroying something of value in the house. Adam wanted me to assure you that your only responsibility is to keep me safe. He is depending upon the professors to keep the house safe.”

Luke nodded.

She wondered what he was thinking behind his hard, expressionless face.

“This party has disaster written all over it!” Jules smacked his fist against the window so hard, she was surprised it didn’t break. “In the future, you will not invite people to parties, or hire security guards, or invite anyone to live in your house without my express approval.”

“I think Adam will have an issue with that.”

“Then you will at least have the courtesy to tell me in advance, so I have time to talk some sense into the fool.”

***

When they arrived home, nervous professors were carrying antiques to the second-floor storage room. Bastion scolded her for having the party, and she apologized. She introduced Luke as a friend from the States, then escaped to her bedroom, taking him with her. She locked the door behind them.

“This is some bedroom.” He did a turn around the room, checking the windows and thumping the walls. “And where is it that I’m supposed to sleep?”

She showed him the double-wide settee in the dressing room. “It’s comfortable, but not as comfortable as the bed, so if you want the bed, I can sleep here. Or we can both share the bed. It’s very large.”

He sighed and sat down on the settee. “This will do.” He grabbed her hand, pulling her down beside him. “First off, I do not like Jules Bavard in the least, and I want you to give me a copy of your contract so I can send it to a lawyer I know and see if you can get out of it.”

“It’s almost impossible for me to drop him, but he can easily drop me. I believe he will do so within the next month.”

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll stick around until that happens.”

She appreciated the speed in which he came to her defense. “I would like that. But if you change your mind and want to leave, I won’t blame you.”

“I won’t change my mind.”

“You might. There are a couple of things I need to set right before I end this career. First, for Monsieur Bastion, I need to successfully sing the aria on opening night. Then, for Mark, I need to get Sean Darmont to record a duet between Mark and me. The latter will require me to enter into a relationship with Sean.”

Her last item garnered a thousand furrowed lines on his brow. “It’s that important to you?”

“It is important, but the price isn’t as high as you’re thinking. I genuinely like Sean Darmont, and he’s a physically attractive man, so taking it a step further won’t be difficult for me, unless by doing so I inadvertently lose your friendship.”

“If there wasn’t a contract, would you do this?”

“If there wasn’t a contract and you weren’t here, yes, I would probably enter into a relationship with Sean.”

“Why the hesitation?”

“Because he’s married. Ever since Billy killed Jed’s wife, I have kept to a strict rule about not becoming involved with married men. However, in his case, Sean lives separately from his wife and she has a lover who lives with her in Spain, so the marriage is only for legal purposes.”

“You deserve better than that.”

“Well, I don’t know if anything will come of it. Sean is so jaded by false admiration and ulterior motives we might not find any common ground. He was first attracted to my voice, and I think my sassiness. However, matters became a bit murky today when Jules gave me instructions to ‘make Sean happy’.”

Luke’s jaw tightened in anger. She stroked his arm. “Nothing happened,” she assured him. “To be honest, Sean was embarrassed as well when Jules tossed me into the room and then left. He seemed quite relieved when I assured him there would be no mating going on that day. Instead we took a tour of his gardens, which I recommended he bulldoze down, and then I invited him to go hiking in the Alps with me.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s starved for true beauty. He’s an honest man living in a world of lies and manipulation.”

“So you want to come to his rescue?”

“I do, but my desire to get the recording produced most likely taints my offer, so I don’t know what will happen.” She gripped his hand. “But I couldn’t bear it if I lost your friendship in the process.”

He pulled her into his arms and held her tight against him. “You won’t lose my friendship.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes. I’m working out some issues of my own right now, and my concern about pretending to be your boyfriend was that you might mistake the affection I show to be more than friendship. Knowing you’re interested in someone else actually relieves me of one problem.”

She smiled and hugged him harder. “Finally, someone who thinks I relieve problems!”