Rent a Millionaire Groom (12 page)

“I can’t— I have plans for a career,” Phoebe added.

“Well, how about Daisy? I heard her say she wants to marry and have a family,” Helen suggested, though she looked disappointed at their protests.

“Daisy does want to marry,” Elise said hesitantly, not wanting to sic Wyatt on her friend without talking to her first. “But you never know. She may fall in love with Dave, the professor she’s with tonight.”

Helen actually seemed upset, and Rolland reached out to take her hand in his.

Elise’s heart ached at his tenderness. Over fifty years together, and he still cared about his wife’s happiness. Still loved her. Elise wondered if that kind of love was even possible in today’s world.

“There’s Daisy, now,” Phoebe pointed out.

Elise whirled around. “Is she alone?”

Phoebe grimaced. “I’m afraid so.”

Daisy joined them, pulling up an extra chair. “Hi, guys. I was hoping you’d still be here,” she said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Elise didn’t bother asking how the date had gone.
It wasn’t difficult to tell that it had been a bust. And she didn’t think Daisy would want to tell them the details in front of Rolland and Helen.

“We got a late start and just got here a few minutes ago,” Phoebe told her. “Have you eaten? Rolland and Helen just put in their order so—”

“No, I don’t want anything to eat. I’ll get a cup of coffee when George comes by,” Daisy said.

Helen had to repeat her announcement about her grandson for Daisy, watching her like a little bird looking for its first worm of the day.

“That’s nice,” Daisy said with a patient smile, but no enthusiasm.

Rolland changed the subject.

Not five minutes later, Frannie found them and asked to join them for dinner. Of course, they agreed. Helen hadn’t heard anything about Frannie’s date with Bill and wanted all the details.

Elise noted that Frannie sat so she could see the door. Elise knew who she was looking for.

She shouldn’t be so obvious, Elise told herself. That’s why
Elise’s
back was to the door. And because James wasn’t coming. She’d made it clear she didn’t want to see him until Tuesday night.

So she shouldn’t have hoped he’d come when Phoebe waved to Rolland and Helen. And she shouldn’t still be hoping. Hoping he’d come, he’d call, he’d— She sighed.

“You all right?” Rolland asked, leaning toward Elise, a caring look on his face.

She gave him a quiet smile. “I’m fine. And Rolland, Helen is a lucky woman to have you.”

“Well, Elise, it’s kind of you to say that, but it
took her a lot of hard work and long years to train me properly. Don’t give up on these young men. Your James seems eminently trainable to me.”

She gave a shaky smile. “Maybe I’m the problem. I don’t think I have Helen’s talents.”

“You’ve got more talent than you realize. Trust your heart, young lady. That’s all you’ve got to do.”

She wished life were that simple. Her heart wanted James. But he was all wrong for her. An actor, younger than her, involved with another woman. Even if she wanted to commit herself to marriage—and she didn’t, she hurriedly told herself—she couldn’t find that happiness with James.

If she gave in to the lust that filled her, she felt sure she’d be sated, satisfied, by James’s lovemaking. But she’d be emptier than ever when he moved on.

She’d have her career, she stoutly assured herself. She enjoyed her students. She loved the French language. Just because her students left her, year after year, didn’t mean she wasn’t doing something meaningful with her life.

That pep talk got her nowhere. She wanted to find a phone and call James.

“Oh, look! There’s Bill!” Frannie exclaimed, the look on her face telling everyone how excited she was to see him. Then her expression collapsed and she subsided in her chair, her half-raised hand falling to the table. “He—he’s with a woman.”

Everyone at the table turned to stare, as Bill escorted his companion to a table on the other side of the room, his hand solicitously at her back.

“Nice-looking woman,” Rolland said with approval, until small, delicate Helen elbowed him in
his ribs. “Uh, I mean, I, uh, I think George is bringing our meal.”

Fortunately for Rolland, he was right, and the delivery of their meals distracted everyone for a few minutes. Except Frannie. She gave George her order, but it was obvious her heart wasn’t in it.

It was painful the rest of the evening to see Frannie’s heartbreak. She picked at her food and seldom spoke.

Elise reminded herself
she
certainly wasn’t going to wear her heart on her sleeve. Besides, she wasn’t really in love with James the way Frannie seemed to be with Bill.

Jeff, on break from his bartending, strolled over to their table. “Well, well, looks like most of the gang’s here.” Then, as if he took count, he added, “Where’s Bill?”

Frannie burst into tears and ran to the ladies’ room.

MaryBelle frequently watched television in James’s den instead of her own sitting room because she loved his big-screen television. Once he’d offered to buy her one, but she’d flatly refused. Later she’d told him she’d assumed he’d offered because he didn’t want her invading his space. It had taken him months to talk her back into his den.

Saturday night they were watching an NBA basketball game between the Phoenix Suns, the local team and the Chicago Bulls. It made him think of Frannie and her plan to ensnare Bill. Which, of course, made him think of Elise.

Did she like basketball? He had front-row seats for the Suns’ home games, too. Maybe he should have offered— No, she wouldn’t agree to that. Unless he could talk her into a longer…pretense.

“Why are you squirming so?” MaryBelle asked.

“I’m not,” he assured her. Then he got up and headed for the kitchen. It was impossible to sit still.

MaryBelle followed him. “You should’ve said you were hungry. I’ll fix you a snack. After all, you hardly touched your dinner.”

“I’m not hungry. I just wanted to—to get a drink of water.”

“Are you sure? I think you’re losing weight.”

It was tempting to tell his housekeeper that he already had a mother and didn’t need another one, but he couldn’t do that. “I’m fine. Just a little restless.”

“Wondering what your lady is doing on Saturday night? I thought you’d take her out tonight.”

“MaryBelle, you’re fishing for information again,” he pointed out, frowning at her.

“You bet I am. I promised Bobby I’d find out who she is.”

“Well, you can just forget keeping that promise. I’m not telling you anything.” He walked to the refrigerator to get some cold water.

“Maybe she’s got another boyfriend. Could be she’s out with him tonight.”

He could feel her gaze fixed on him. “Nope. I don’t think so.”

“But you’re not sure. You could call her,” MaryBelle suggested.

His spirits leaped at the suggestion, but he’d told Elise he’d call Sunday. He didn’t want her to think he was anxious. But he’d better get away from MaryBelle before she tempted him to do something foolish.

“I’m going up to my room. I’ve got some proposals for ad campaigns to review. See you in the morning.”

Once he was secluded in his bedroom, he was even more restless. He prowled the room, staring at the walls as if he hadn’t seen them before. Would Elise like it? He’d bought the house after his divorce, when
his hard work had paid off and he’d had plenty of money. His mother had helped him pick out some things, but he’d made most of the choices himself.

He was being foolish. When would Elise see his bedroom?
Never.
She couldn’t see it because she’d know he couldn’t afford the house on Bobby’s salary.

Besides, she didn’t want that kind of involvement. That much she’d definitely made clear. But he was sure she’d enjoyed their conversation last night as much as he had.

He stared at the telephone on his bedside table. He even took a step toward it. Then he looked at his watch. It was just barely nine o’clock. He didn’t want her to think he was checking on her.

Maybe she was spending the evening alone and would welcome a phone call. He could just call and see if she was busy. If she was, he’d hang up at once. Not bug her.

But it wouldn’t hurt to see.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he reached for the phone and dialed Elise’s number.

“Hello?”

“Elise, it’s James. Is this a bad time?”

“Uh, sort of.”

His heart sank. “Sorry, I didn’t think about you having company this time of— That is, I’ll call tomorrow as I said.”

“Uh, James, if it’s about Tuesday night, I don’t think we can—”

“What about Bill and Frannie’s romance?” he asked hurriedly. He didn’t want her to cancel Tuesday night.

“That’s the problem. Frannie is here and—and she’s a little upset with Bill.” Elise’s voice had lowered, as if she didn’t want anyone to hear her.

“What happened?” he asked. He wanted to know, of course, but he was also relieved that it was Frannie distracting her and not another man.

“Just a minute. I’m going to change phones.”

Then he heard her ask Daisy to hang up the phone when she picked up in the bedroom.

“Are you still there?” she asked a few seconds later.

They both heard the
click
as Daisy hung up the receiver in the other room.

“Yeah.”

Elise didn’t waste any time. “Frannie was with us at The Prickly Pear when Bill came in with another woman.”

“Who was she?”

“We don’t know, but Frannie is distraught.”

“Isn’t she jumping to conclusions?” he asked, thinking maybe Frannie had overreacted.

“You don’t understand. Frannie was married before, but her husband was very controlling. He didn’t want her to have nice clothes, to wear anything bright, to use makeup. And he never took her out. Then she discovered he was paying for a mistress to enjoy all the things he was keeping from her. That’s why she dresses like she does. She was so hurt. Now, if a man even looks at another woman, she won’t have anything to do with him. For Bill to— Well, it’s broken her heart.”

“Poor thing. I wish there was something I could do.”

“There’s not anything. It’s Bill’s business.”

“Yeah.”

“Anyway, I have to go, but don’t bother about the tickets Tuesday night. Thanks, anyway.”

After she hung up, James sat on the edge of his bed, trying to think through what had happened. He didn’t want to give up their date to the hockey game. Could he talk Elise into going without them?

Probably not. Too bad Bill and Frannie were having problems. They seemed perfect for each other.

So why hadn’t anyone asked Bill? Elise had said it was his business, but James didn’t think Bill was the kind of man who would two-time a woman. True, he and Frannie weren’t committed, but still…

He considered calling Bill. Then he checked his watch. Nope. He would go over to visit him. He could tell Bill he was in the area.

James grabbed the keys to MaryBelle’s car and ran down the stairs. He stopped in the den to tell her he was borrowing her car again. Then he headed for the back door before she could ask any questions.

In minutes, he was knocking on Bill’s apartment door. It hadn’t occurred to him until then that Bill might not be home. A lot of dates—though not any of
his
lately—lasted beyond nine-thirty.

Then Bill opened the door.

“James, come in. What are you doing here?”

“I stopped by earlier to see if you wanted to grab a bite, but you were out. So I ate dinner. But I came back by to talk about Tuesday night.”

Bill looked disappointed. “You couldn’t get the tickets? That’s okay. I appreciate your asking.”

“No, I have the tickets. Can you still make it?”

“Of course we can,” Bill said, sounding enthused.

“Oh, good.” Now what? Bill hadn’t responded to his implied question about earlier. “Were you out with Frannie tonight?”

“Frannie? Gosh, no. We’re going out Tuesday.”

Right. Obviously Bill wasn’t as intent on seeing Frannie as James was on seeing Elise.

“I was showing a condo to a nice lady. I only have the one vacancy, so I wasn’t concerned, but I think she’s going to take it.”

“Oh, great. So, if you haven’t eaten, I’ll go with you and have a cup of coffee.”

“Oh, we ate. She asked me to take her to a local restaurant, and we went to The Prickly Pear.”

“Good place to eat. I like it.”

Bill smiled in return but said nothing else.

“Shall we plan on dinner before the hockey game Tuesday?”

“I’d like that. Make an evening of it. I want Frannie to enjoy the experience,” Bill said, his eyes lighting up. James changed his mind about Bill not being interested in seeing Frannie.

“Okay. Do you mind driving again? Your car is certainly bigger than mine.”

“I’ll be glad to. In fact, I’ll buy dinner. After all, you’re supplying the tickets.”

James insisted they each treat the ladies, because the tickets weren’t costing him anything. They parted then, Bill looking pleased about his visit.

James was ecstatic. Not only was he going to help Frannie and Bill, but he was also going to see Elise tonight. He hurried up the stairs and rapped on Elise’s door.

E
LISE,
D
AISY
and Phoebe had been commiserating with Frannie for almost an hour. She’d stopped crying, eventually.

Now she was angry.

And planning revenge.

They’d pointed out to her that Bill hadn’t made any promises, so it wasn’t fair to treat him as if he’d betrayed her.

She’d carefully explained that after finally having her first date with him, after longing for that moment for several years, it was rotten of him to date someone else.

They all agreed with that, but they tried to move her away from the idea of running into his SUV, or shoving him down the stairs or burning down his apartment.

A knock interrupted them.

“Yes?” Elise asked as she approached the door.

“It’s James.” His strong masculine voice could be heard through the wood.

Elise was surprised. She’d hoped he’d call tomorrow, as he’d said—but to show up tonight? She opened the door and stepped through.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he complained.

Startled by that response, she looked up at him. Before she could answer, he kissed her.

It wasn’t easy to back away from what she’d been longing for. But she did. Though not immediately. Breathlessly, she said, “James, what are you doing here?”

“I’ve come with information.”

“About the tickets? I told you—”

“About Bill.”

That response brought her up short. She studied his handsome face, noting the smile. “I hope you’ve got good news, because Frannie is turning violent.”

“I think it is. Do I get to come in?”

“Of course,” she said, opening the door wide.

He stepped over the threshold, his gaze scanning her living room. She wasn’t too worried about his approval. She was happy with the decor. Phoebe, who was great with colors, and Daisy, with her artistic talents, had given Elise some suggestions, but she’d done most of it on her own. It suited her.

“Good evening,” he said with a smile.

His audience, all three seated on the sofa, stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. Elise decided she should explain before Frannie started throwing things.

“James says he has some news about Bill.”

That got their attention.

“I don’t want to hear anything about that miserable excuse for a human being!” Frannie exclaimed.

Elise opened her mouth to protest, but James responded before she could.

“Are you sure, Frannie? Because Bill is still counting on Tuesday night. He said he wanted you to have a good time.”

Frannie burst into tears again.

“Frannie, don’t cry,” Daisy pleaded. “Let James explain what he means.” She smiled encouragingly to James, then frowned. “You do know about—” After a quick glance at Frannie, she mouthed the words
the other woman?

James nodded. Then he turned to Elise. “I was
going to ask Bill to eat with me tonight, but he was tied up on business.”

Frannie made some kind of noise signifying disgust.

“Apparently there’s an empty unit, and he showed it this evening to a lady who’s thinking about taking it. She asked Bill to show her a place to eat, and he took her to The Prickly Pear.”

Phoebe looked at Frannie, then at James. “So it wasn’t a date.”

“He looked very happy,” Frannie said, raising her head long enough to get the words out clearly before she buried her face back in her hands.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. “Of course he did. You know Bill likes to keep Mesa Blue fully occupied. It’s his pride and joy.”

“She was very attractive,” Frannie said with a sniff.

“Bill didn’t mention that,” James said.

Frannie wiped the tears from her face.

“You know how hard it is to get Bill to notice
any
woman,” Elise pointed out. “You’ve been working on him for several years. And she wasn’t nearly as attractive as you, Frannie.”

“He’d never taken me out to dinner until Friday night, and that was only because you suggested it, James.” Then Frannie clapped her hand over her mouth, her gaze darting to Elise.

James reassured her. “Don’t worry, Frannie. Elise had it all figured out before she even got downstairs. But she wanted you and Bill to have a good time. You’re not going to refuse to go Tuesday night, are you?”

“You got the tickets?” Frannie asked.

James nodded.

“Well, then, I suppose I couldn’t disappoint the three of you. If that woman thinks she’s going to waltz in here and latch on to Bill, she’s got another think coming.” Frannie rose, squared her shoulders and marched to the door. There, she paused. “Thanks, girls, for comforting me. You’re good friends. You, too, James. Oh, and let’s not mention my little upset to Bill.” Then she left.

Phoebe sagged back against the sofa. “James, I could kiss you.”

“Me, too,” Daisy agreed, “but I think Elise might protest.”

Elise felt her cheeks turn red, and she looked anywhere but at James. “It was good of you to help us out,” she said stiffly.

“My pleasure. We made such progress Friday night, I didn’t want it to fall apart.”

“You didn’t tell Bill that Frannie was upset, did you?” Phoebe asked suddenly. “She’d be humiliated if he knew.”

“No. I asked nosy questions, but I didn’t mention that. He probably thinks I’m half crazy, but the hockey tickets kept him from throwing me out.” He grinned at all three of them.

“Do you think he wants to go with Frannie?” Elise asked. “He might really be attracted to the other woman.”

“Nope. He said he wants the hockey game to be a good experience for Frannie. That’s why we’re going to dinner first.”

Elise frowned. That meant more time spent with James. She’d enjoy herself, but that worried her.

“We’re going in Bill’s car…together,” James added, as if he knew she was worried.

She rewarded him with a smile. He deserved it. The smile he gave her in return made her want to melt into his arms.