Deceptive Nights (9 page)

Patricia kissed her daughter’s cheek and gave
her a big hug. “I’ve got sandwich and soup on the stove. Get some
rest and we’ll talk more later. I’ll straighten things out at the
bank about the overage.”

“
Thank you, Momma,” she
said gratefully laying back down very blessed to have a mother like
Patricia who was so understanding, although she had a feeling
Patricia didn’t believe her story about the loan, but Phoebe knew
her mother wouldn’t press the subject. Patricia would give Phoebe
time to come out with the truth eventually.

Phoebe just didn’t know when she would be
able to tell her mother the truth. Closing her eyes, she felt the
vile deep in her belly rumble and she knew in a moment she would be
making another trip to the bathroom to throw up what was left in
her stomach. Her thoughts went back to all those late nights with
Madeline at the office. Madeline would tell her about the wonderful
lover she had and how he could make love all night long, satisfying
all of Madeline’s needs. Once Madeline had even joked Phoebe could
borrow him to relieve some of the stress in her life.

Well, Phoebe had certainly taken Madeline up
on that offer. Her stomach rumbled in displeasure and she knew the
only reason she was sick to her stomach was not because she had a
very wonderful night with Jacoby Knight. The truth was that Phoebe
couldn’t believe she had slept with Madeline’s lover and the worst
part was she wanted to do it again.

Covering her mouth to avoid a mess, Phoebe
rushed to the bathroom again before she let it out on the
floor.

Chapter 12

Arriving into work extra early, Phoebe was
able to get a lot of paperwork done. Simon arrived at his usual
time and she went straight into his office to speak with him
privately. With a serious nature about her, she immediately got to
the point.

“
I know you’re the town
crier about the office, but I would appreciate you keeping that
little incident that happened yesterday to yourself.”

Simon nodded. “I won’t if you tell me all the
details. Did he really offer money to you for sex?”

Her eyes narrowed. They had been listening at
the door. “Yes, and you know the debt I’m in. How could I refuse
almost three thousand dollars?”

“
Hell with that kind of
loot, he could have had all the women in Cass corridor.”

“
Well we did do it twice,”
she admitted.

Simon gasped.

“
But I didn’t accept it al.
Not even half because my conscious was bothering me about even
accepting anything.” Phoebe continued offhandedly. “He wanted to do
it again, but it was four in the morning. I couldn’t be away from
the twins another moment.”

“
Damn girl. You could have
paid off yours and mine if you had stayed there any longer and
gotten every dime from him.”

She chuckled a bit relaxed now that she had
someone to share the moment with. “It was great Simon, but it won’t
happen again, especially now that I know who he really is.”

“
But you said it was great.
Don’t you want it again?”

“
Yes, but I don’t want to
get emotionally involved. I don’t want to get hurt like I did with
Daniel,” she said.

Simon smacked his lips. “He’s not Daniel,
Phoebe.”

“
Yeah, I know, but he makes
me feel too much and I can’t handle that. I can’t be in control
when he’s around. You saw me yesterday. I looked like a scared deer
in the headlights when I saw him.”

“
It could have been just
shocked.”

“
No Simon. I lose myself to
him. He’s just that good and it’s not just his lovemaking I’m
attracted to. It’s just something about him draws me to
him.”

“
So you won’t be dating or
seeing anyone.”

“
I’ll find a man I’m
physically attracted to only. I don’t want the emotional luggage I
get. No man’s going to break my heart again,” she said
determinedly.

“
When do you think you’ll
ever get over Daniel?” Simon asked seriously.

“
When I feel like I don’t
have to worry about the man I’m with breaking my heart and when I
know he’ll be a good father to the kids. He’ll love them like they
are his own.”

Simon sighed wishfully. “You deserve
happiness, Phoebe. Not the crap you’re getting now.”

“
I know, but good things
come to those who wait.” She left out the office and went to
work.

Later on that day she got an email from
Madeline to make sure the office was in tip top shape by Friday
because she would be having a poker party with some friends and
clients. Phoebe ordered the catering and made sure the room would
be extra clean for the party. Madeline also mentioned in her email
a technician would be working at the apartment today that Madeline
was planning to use on the weekends in the city.

Phoebe wondered would her lover follow her
down on some weekends? Would he come to the office and would she
have to pretend she wasn’t interested in Jacoby when he was around
with Madeline? It would be difficult, but Phoebe could do it. Maybe
the more she did see Jacoby with Madeline, maybe she would be able
to put her feelings to rest about him.

As she was preparing to leave, she caught a
figure at her doorway and at first thought it was Jacoby, but as
she faced the large frame she smile at Lawrence in greeting. “Is
there something wrong with the computers that I don’t know about?”
she asked.

“
No actually.” He leaned
against the doorframe of her office, crossing his arms across his
chest. In a tailor-made suit for him, he was a very handsome man.
His build was similar to Jacoby’s, except he was much more
brawnier. “I was in town doing some things to Madeline’s apartment
and I realized I hadn’t had breakfast or lunch.”

“
You were working that
hard?” she asked.

“
I almost
sweated.”

She laughed at his teasing.

This seemed to encourage him more and he came
into the office. “Since I’m in town for the night and I’m famished
as hell, but I hate to eat alone, I was wondering would you be free
for dinner.”

The smile she adorned quickly faded and she
broke eye contact packing up her things quickly and putting on her
coat. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lawrence considering
yesterday’s events.”

“
Well, I figured you needed
a load taken off and I figured I need the company of a nice young
woman of just dinner. That’s all I would like and it’s my
treat.”

Phoebe found him to be quite charming and
indeed handsome, but she wasn’t emotionally attractive to him, but
would it seem she was going out with Lawrence to try to get closer
to Jacoby. That wasn’t true at all. She did need to get her mind
off of Jacoby and Lawrence would be a wonderful distraction. Plus
she didn’t have to worry about being emotionally involved with him.
He would be a perfect distraction.

Meeting his deep brown chocolate eyes, she
smiled warmly. “Let me finish straightening up and make a phone
call to my mother about my children, then I’ll let meet you in the
lobby.”

He looked happy and relieve in the same
instant. “Thank you.”

When he was gone she called Patricia’s cell
phone to let her mother know she was going to be late tonight.

“
Is this the same one?”
Patricia inquired, without even knowing why Phoebe would be
late.

Phoebe evaded the answer. “Mother,
please.”

“
I’m not mad. I love it.
This time, though, make sure you call so I won’t worry.”

“
Yes Mother. Do I have a
curfew too?” she teased.

“
Shut up girl.” They both
laughed.

She hung up and joined Lawrence in the lobby.
“Before we go any further, I need to know some things.”

“
Ask me anything,” he
prompted, not looking the least bit worried about what she was
going to ask.

“
Are you doing this because
of what happened between Jacoby and I? And do you expect something
more than what you are saying?”

Lawrence answered casually, “No. I’m doing
this because I need the company of a nice intellectual lady such as
yourself for dinner and nothing more. I don’t expect anything, but
good talk and a good meal. Is that too much?”

“
No, it isn’t.” She
hesitated before she asked him her next question. “Does Madeline
know?”

Understanding crossed his features. “You knew
he was her lover?”

“
I found out after he left.
Simon knew.”

“
If she knows, she didn’t
find out by us. Desmond finds this all too amusing and I don’t
spread my friend’s business around to other people. Jacoby won’t
tell. It would ruin his Lansing bootie call, if I must be vulgar
about it.”

“
I wouldn’t want to ruin
that,” she snipped more to herself.

“
What about Simon? Will he
tell?”

“
No. Simon’s a good friend.
He’ll keep it a secret,” she assured him.

“
If there isn’t any more,
then may I have the pleasure of the evening with you?”

Phoebe looped arms around him and allowed him
to escort her out.

****

Jacoby was surprised to see Madeline standing
in the doorway. Her slender frame was adorned with the latest Donna
Karen suit, her hair looked as if she had just stepped out of a
beauty salon, even when they had been intimate, he had never seen
Madeline look bad. Her make up never ran or smeared. She was a very
beautiful woman of fifty and still had a few tricks up her sleep to
excite a man with her body that was like a thirty year old.

Even as he thought of their kinkiest nights,
it did nothing to stir his manhood at that moment. Frustrated that
his life would never be the same now that he was hooked on someone
new, he looked down at his work as she came in the room.

“
You busy?” she asked,
sitting in front of his desk casually.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
“Not really. Just wrapping up the Davenport deal.”

“
So everything worked in
your favor?” she asked proudly smiling.

For some reason actually sitting there now
having a conversation with her now, he felt as if he were speaking
with his mother. “Yes, actually it did.” He leaned forward to give
her his full attention. “Thank you for the contact, Madeline.”
Maybe he could do her the favor of giving her one more night.
“Let’s grab lunch together.”

She put her hand up. “I have an appointment
in an hour. I just came here for you to tell me exactly what
happened in Detroit.”

Jacoby froze wondering what exactly did she
know about yesterday’s incident. Looking at the clock, he knew
Phoebe wouldn’t be at the office and since he didn’t have her
number there would be no way he could contact her. Damn her
deceitfulness. How could he warn her if he didn’t know how to
contact her?

To stall, he asked, “What do you mean?”

“
I mean we planned on being
together when you returned from Detroit. You couldn’t keep your
hands off of me the night before you left and now, when you come
back, I can’t get the time of day from you. Now either a piece of
your anatomy has come up missing - which I highly doubt, or you’ve
met some drop dead gorgeous woman who could rock your universe
better than I.”

He took a deep breath in reprieve. Madeline
didn’t know what happened, but she suspected pretty damn close.
Still he pretended evasiveness. “I don’t understand what you
mean.”

She leaned forward. “Cut the shit, Jacoby and
let’s act like adults. I’m too grown for games. What happened?”

After a pregnant silence feeling a little bit
relieved that this could end with a decent amount of maturity, he
admitted, “She’s drop dead gorgeous.”

“
I figured that much.
Young?”

“
Yes. What does this mean
for us?”

She stood up and came around the desk.
Leaning down, she kissed his cheek. “We’ll always be friends,
Jacoby.”

“
Thanks
Madeline.”

She cupped his face and pressed her lips
against his, but he didn’t respond. Moving away, she looked highly
disappointed. “If you ever change your mind, don’t forget me.”

“
I won’t,” he
promised.

“
We can have lunch Monday
in Detroit. You will be there won’t you?”

“
I intend to. Abraham Blue
will be there to finalize Davenport.”

“
Will your offices be ready
by then?”

“
There is a slight asbestos
problem on the floor I’m on in the David Kahn Building, and I won’t
be able to go in until next month.”

“
Don’t you have
appointments already set up? Where will you meet them?”

“
There are a lot of
restaurants downtown, I think I can mange.”

“
That’s ridiculous, Jacoby.
I have two empty back offices in the Detroit layout. You can pay me
back later for the usage.” She looked through her bag and handed
him a gold key and an electronic card. “The gold key is for the
office itself, and the electronic card is my extra parking
space.”

“
I don’t think this is
appropriate, Maddie,” he insisted.

“
It’s fine, Jay.” Standing
up she kissed his cheek one more time and headed for the door.
“Make room for lunch Monday afternoon. You and me.” With that, she
was gone.

Looking down at the keys in hand, he wondered
how was he going to explain this to Phoebe? A black book on the end
of his desk caught his eye. He knew this was Madeline’s handy
scheduler and he quickly reached for it and flipped to where she
had her employee’s listed. Phoebe’s number was circled in red and
her address followed. Quickly writing it down, he closed the book
just in time as his door opened again and Madeline came back
in.