“We’re quite a team.”
She smiled. “We are.”
“Thanks so much for helping me.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
Friends.
Daniel knew she was indeed just a friend, but the term seemed insignificant, an understatement for the overall closeness he felt toward her.
“Well, you’re definitely the best friend I’ve ever had.” It scared him to admit that out loud, but it was true.
“Likewise,” she said.
The single word warmed his heart. He was happy to have her in his life, in any capacity, and was thrilled to know that she seemed to feel at least somewhat the same.
“I should get going.” She shoved her wet clothes into one of the Dean and DeLuca bags. “I don’t want to be in Justine’s way when she comes home. I’m sure she’ll want to change and do some last minute re-arranging.”
“Okay.” He grabbed his keys off the counter. “Let’s go.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to drive you home.” He stepped between her and the back door.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I live right there.” She pointed out the window.
“You’ve gotten drenched enough today because of this project, driving you home is literally the least I can do to thank you.”
“But I—”
“No,” he said, enjoying the fact that she was giving him a hard time.
She sighed and he knew he’d won, which made him smile. “Come on.” He put his hand on her shoulder to lead her to the garage. To his complete surprise she turned in his arm, went up on tiptoe, and gave him a hug. It took a second for it to register. Her body pressed against him. He moved his arms to encompass her.
“Thank you,” she said. “You always take such good care of me.” Her lips were so close to his ear he could feel the vibration of her voice. He imagined the hormone issues were exaggerating her emotions, but holding her felt so good he didn’t care. He would have stood there hugging her for as long as she wanted, but all too quickly she lowered herself and pulled away. He followed her to the garage and held the door as she climbed into his car, still wearing his clothes.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Good luck tonight,” Marienne said, opening the car door. “No worries, it’ll be great.”
Daniel waited until she was inside her house then drove home. As he pulled into his driveway, he saw Justine’s car in the garage. He’d only been gone five minutes.
“Where the hell were you?” Justine yelled the second he stepped into the house.
“I was driving Marienne home.”
“Driving her home? Jesus Christ, she lives right there.”
Daniel wanted to say that he wasn’t about to make a pregnant woman trudge home in a downpour after working her ass off all day, but he couldn’t. “It was pouring and we got soaked several times today, it seemed like the least I could do was deliver her home dry and in one piece.”
“Always such a gentleman,” she said.
He was exasperated. He’d spent the entire day working on her party, shopping, preparing food, cleaning up flowers and broken glass, and all she could do was complain about him giving Marienne a ride home. He didn’t get it. And he certainly didn’t like it.
“Go get dressed. You cannot look like that when our guests arrive.”
He knew any response would set her off, so he left the room.
Justine yelled after him. “Wear that new blue shirt. And for God’s sake put on a tie.”
He could hear her muttering as he climbed the stairs. “Driving Marienne home,” she said. “Like a little rain would kill her? They have no idea how important this dinner is to me.”
He could see Justine buzzing around the living room straightening pillows, lighting candles, fixing the pleats in the curtains.
When is she going to realize that Marienne has done exactly what she promised? All Justine has to do is serve the food with a smile and yet she begrudges Marienne a dry trip home. Unreal.
He tried not to think about her attitude while he got changed, but she reminded him the second he got back downstairs.
She stomped past him, banging the bowl of chilled shrimp onto the counter. “How long does it take to change a shirt and put on a tie? Jesus Christ. I changed my whole outfit, fixed my makeup and put up my hair in less time. Fill the ice bucket, and help me carry these trays. They should be here any minute.”
Daniel wondered how much her investors would like her if they could hear her now. He tried to ignore her tone. He knew she was stressed. He reviewed the checklist Marienne had placed in his head.
Cheese tray: out. Wine bottles: open. Caramel sauce coming to room temperature on the counter: check.
As he removed the smoked meat platter from the fridge, he couldn’t keep from smiling. They hadn’t spent that much time together since the play had ended. He’d missed how well they work together. He missed her, period. She really had become his best friend.
He wondered again about how having a baby in the picture might change things, but the more he thought about it the more he thought it wouldn’t matter, not in any negative way. He was quite sure he’d be just as fond of the baby as he was of Marienne. The thought of a miniature Marienne made him happy. Justine interrupted his thoughts with another command.
“Move that centerpiece. It’s supposed to be in the dining room not the kitchen.”
Daniel took a deep breath. Marienne was right. Had Justine come home and found her flowers gone she would have had a complete breakdown. He was glad they’d managed to replace them.
The doorbell rang. Justine glanced at her reflection in the hall mirror before she opened the front door. She spoke in the most overdone voice he could imagine. “I’m so glad you made it. Come in. Welcome to our home.”
Daniel walked over, hand extended, thinking to himself that regardless of how good the food might be this was going to be one very long evening.
****
The cocktails flowed, as did the conversation, and Justine’s guests devoured the food. The compliments were abundant as they sampled bits of everything. Justine looked quite pleased. Daniel wished that Marienne could see how successful her planning had turned out.
When the evening began to wind down, they sat in the living room for coffee. The platter of cookies, the plates of fruit, and the chocolate and caramel fondues were spread out across the coffee table.
Nicholas Thompson, the oldest gentleman in the group, turned to face him. “So, Daniel,” he said, in a gruff voice. “What do you do?”
Daniel put down his coffee cup to give Nicholas his full attention. “I’m a professor in the English department at NYU.”
Nicholas nodded, seeming impressed. “Good school. My granddaughter is thinking of applying there in the fall.”
“It’s an excellent school,” Daniel said. “Justine and I are both alumni.”
“Really.” He sounded pleased. “Then I’ll have to tell my granddaughter I approve. Not that it matters much what her old granddad thinks. She’s a free spirit that one.” He chuckled and reached over to grab a cookie.
Daniel smiled, at the warmth in his tone. He guessed that Marienne’s cookie platter had gone a long way toward placing the man in a good mood.
Justine perched on the arm of the couch and draped her hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “Daniel’s not just a professor. He’s also a writer. He’s working on a novel.”
She added extra emphasis on the word ‘novel’. Daniel pulled away enough to throw her a look.
What are you doing?
Justine smiled the fakest, sweetest smile at him and ever so slightly tightened her grip on his shoulder.
Peter Bronson, who had seemed uninterested in the conversation most of the evening, turned toward them. “A novel? Really? That’s quite an undertaking. What’s it about, if I may ask?”
“I’m working on a few things.” Daniel chose his words carefully. “Writing is one of those things that takes time.”
“I’m quite sure it does. I imagine that must keep you very busy. Sounds like you’ve got a good man here Justine.” Peter smiled at her.
Justine nodded, appearing pleased with both herself and the compliment.
As the evening wrapped up, they walked their guests to the door.
“Thank you both for a lovely evening. Daniel, pleasure to meet you,” Nicholas said.
“Likewise, sir.” Daniel shook his hand again.
“We’ll talk this week,” he said to Justine then he strode out the door.
****
Justine closed the front door behind them and leaned back against it. Her eyes glinted, black as onyx.
“That went well,” she said, clearly talking more to herself than to Daniel. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine, then scowled. “What a mess. This is why I despise cooking. You suppose we could talk Marienne into coming back to clean up?” She gave a dark, dry laugh that grated on him.
“I think Marienne’s done quite enough to ensure that your evening was a success.”
Justine rolled her eyes. “I was kidding. Geez. Where’s your sense of humor?”
“Why the bloody hell were you compelled to announce that I’m working on a novel?”
“I didn’t want him thinking you were only a professor. That hardly seems ambitious.”
Daniel’s jaw tensed. “My God, the way you talk about it you’d think I was panhandling under a bridge instead of teaching literature classes at one of the top universities in the country.”
“It’s not the most glamorous job. I shouldn’t need to tell you that. I didn’t want them thinking that you were one of the many ‘those who can’t do, teach’ examples, that’s all.”
Indignation coursed through him. “Is that what you think? That I teach because I’m not capable of anything else?”
“It’s not a question of capability. You’re capable of a lot of things that you choose not to do, and that’s where I don’t understand you.”
“What do you mean?” He wanted to make certain he knew exactly what she was saying.
“You were capable of becoming a model and making heaps of money at it, but you chose not to because you weren’t comfortable with the cameras. You were capable of taking the job offer from LINTUS, you could be one of their top ad men by now, but again you weren’t comfortable with the career. Instead you work at the same college you attended, the same place you’ve been forever, in your very comfortable job, with the same boring classes to teach over and over.” She took a gulp of wine. “I don’t honestly know if you’re writing anything these days, but I certainly don’t see you slaving away on the novel you always said you’d like to write. I was trying to make it seem like you had some sort of goals in your life, that’s all. Sue me.”
Daniel took a moment to process the barrage of criticisms. “Is that really how you feel about me? That I have no goals and no aspirations? That I’ve taken the easy way out?”
“Yes.”
“Then why on earth are you with me? If you sincerely feel that my entire life, all my choices, are some sort of cop out, some disappointment you feel the need to lie to cover up, why are you with me?”
He’d only questioned their relationship in this manner once before, and they had come close to splitting up. It was clear the question took Justine by surprise.
She stammered, “Because you’re my husband.”
“What does that mean?” Daniel was unwilling to let her off the hook.
“It means I’ve made a commitment to you, to be your wife.” She kept her voice calm, but he could tell her mind was racing. “And because I love you.”
Daniel closed his eyes and took a deep breath but remained silent. He was still brooding about her comments.
“I’m sorry,” she said. His eyebrows went up as he heard the words she so rarely uttered. “I’m tired, and I’m stressed, and I shouldn’t have said those things. I know you did a lot to help me today, and I do appreciate it. I appreciate you.” She moved closer to him.
He kept his arms crossed.
“Can you forgive me?” She rested her hands on his chest.
He took another deep breath, his jaw still set. “Yes.”
She unfolded his arms and wrapped them around her. He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t hug her either. Not even when she pressed herself extra close to him. Her brow furrowed.
“I really am sorry,” she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
He knew it was killing her to apologize, but she’d gone too far this time. He wasn’t ready to let it go. “Look, we’re both exhausted. We’re not going to accomplish anything by arguing while we’re this tired.”
“You’re right.” She pressed against him again. “Let’s go up to bed.”
“You go.” He stepped back. “I haven’t had a chance to check emails all day, and I was expecting a response about the conference I had this morning. I’ll be up later.”
She looked disappointed and miffed. “Goodnight.” She planted a very suggestive kiss on his lips. He kissed her back, but the distance was still there. Justine sighed as she left the room.
Daniel listened as Justine climbed the stairs. His body was riddled with tension, his stomach in knots. He knew better than to let her get to him, particularly when she was on a rant, but he couldn’t help it, her words had stung. He rubbed his forehead, kneading his eyes with the balls of his hands then raking his fingers through his hair.