The Best of Friends (12 page)

Instead of grabbing the food, he moved close and put his hands on her hips. After lightly kissing her, he said, “Relax. Everything will be fine.”

She let herself get lost in his eyes because the alternative was to panic, and shrill was not her best look. “You don’t know that. What was I thinking? These are my friends. And you’re… not who they’re going to be expecting. There will be awkward questions and knowing looks.”

He kissed her again, lingering this time until she was close to whimpering. “I live for awkward. We’re going to talk jewelry. They’ll love it.”

“
You’re
going to talk jewelry. There’s a difference.”

“They’ll adore me.”

“Are you sure you can manage the chip bowl? Because that ego looks kind of heavy.”

He chuckled and reached for the two bowls. While he went to put them on the coffee table, she transferred the taquitos to a plate, then pulled the guacamole from the refrigerator.

“They’re all nurses, too?” he asked when he returned and swiped a taquito. “At the breast center?”

“Katie and Charlotte are. Gigi works up front, in the office.”

He leaned against the counter. “Why do you work there and not a hospital?”

“My mother died of breast cancer.”

“I’m sorry.” He frowned. “You were still in high school, right? That’s when you moved in?”

She nodded. “My mom wasn’t diagnosed until she was stage four. She never went to the doctor, probably because of money. By the time we knew what was going on, it was too late. She only had a few weeks to live. The radiology nurses were my favorite. They would answer all my questions. They didn’t pretend everything was going to be okay. It was scary, but knowing the truth was better than wondering.”

He moved toward her, then stopped. “You didn’t have any other family?”

“None. Rebecca helped, but she was in high school, too. One of the nurses, Sylvia, took me out to dinner a couple of times and told me what was going to happen with my mom. What the last couple of weeks would be like. She prepared me. She also told me that the type of cancer she had was random rather than genetic. Which also helped. I wanted to be like Sylvia—making a difference.”

She pulled a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator and handed it to him, along with the opener. She collected glasses.

“The night my mother died, Elizabeth invited me to come stay. When I got close to high school graduation, she and Blaine offered to pay for college. Blaine already knew I wanted to be a nurse, and he was very supportive.”

“More so than my mother,” David said, pulling out the cork. “She would be more interested in how it looks than for paying it.”

Jayne agreed, but didn’t want to say that. “They were both there for me.”

“And you’ll always be grateful.” He reached for the bottle of red on the counter.

“Life is nothing if not complicated.” She drew in a breath. “But I can’t keep doing it,” she said slowly. “Acting as Elizabeth’s assistant. Paying back the never-ending debt.”

David set down the wine. “Elizabeth does feel she has a claim on you.”

Jayne swallowed and stared into his amazing blue eyes. “It’s not just her. I’m as much to blame. I’ve let this situation go on too long. And it’s time to fix things.”

He drew his eyebrows together. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like what you’re saying?”

“I don’t know. It’s not going to make any difference to you, that I can see.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’m moving to Dallas.”

David studied her. “Okay.”

She told him about the job she’d accepted. “I’m putting my condo up for sale and leaving in two months.”

“To get away from my family.” He wasn’t asking a question.

“To do a lot of things. It’s a great opportunity.”

“Sounds like it.”

She wanted to ask if he was mad, but that would be stupid. David might enjoy her company, but she was never going to be important to him.

“Does my mom know?” he asked.

She nodded.

His expression turned sympathetic. “I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”

“No. Rebecca wasn’t happy, either.”

He stunned her by moving forward and pulling her into his arms. As he hugged her close and kissed her, he murmured, “I apologize on behalf of Wordens everywhere.” He straightened. “I’ll miss you. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you.”

“I’ll miss you, too.”
Desperately and with every breath.

“Can I come see you in Dallas?”

He was being polite, she told herself. He really didn’t mean it. But the words made her feel all gooey inside.

“You can,” she said.

“Naked?” he whispered in her ear. “Can I see you naked?”

Her mind went blank. Was he serious or kidding? How on earth was she supposed to respond?

Her doorbell rang. “Perfect timing,” she said, and escaped into the living room.

Her friends had arrived together. Charlotte and Gigi were both tall. Charlotte had dark hair and was model thin, while Gigi was more curvy and had a lot of gray in her blond hair. Jayne introduced all of them to David.

“I remember you from the hospital,” he said as he shook Katie’s hand. “Good to see you again.”

Katie grinned, looking him up and down. “Good to see you, too.” She looked at Charlotte and Gigi. “See?”

Jayne held in a groan.

“See what?” David asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Jayne said, glaring at her friends. “Behave.”

“I am behaving,” he said.

“Not you.”

“Katie said you were pretty,” Gigi offered. “Although my eight-year-old granddaughter says boys can’t be pretty. She’ll figure it out as she gets older.”

Charlotte sat on the sofa and reached for a handful of chips. “So you’re the new boyfriend.”

Jayne willed herself not to blush. “We had this conversation earlier. David is a friend, nothing more. He wants our help with his business. You’re all going to cooperate and not say anything that will embarrass me.”

Katie laughed. “Nice try.” She sat in the kitchen chair Jayne had pulled into the room. “Why aren’t you and Jayne dating? We love her. Why don’t you?”

Jayne tried to speak, but the words got caught in her throat. She gestured wildly at Gigi and Charlotte, both of whom ignored her and waited for David to answer.

“I’m getting to know her,” he said.

“And?” Katie prompted.

He grinned. “Impressive.”

“You are all totally out of control,” Jayne announced. “Now behave, or there’s no wine for any of you.”

“She looks like she means it,” Katie grumbled.

“I do. Now sit, all of you.”

She didn’t wait until they were settled, but instead escaped to the kitchen where she collected more glasses. But her hands were shaking and she had a bad feeling that her cheeks were bright red.

“They’re teasing you because you’re important to them,” David said, coming up behind her. “You okay?”

She nodded without turning. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? Because you have people who care about you? Isn’t that the whole point of life? They’re comfortable here, with you. And I like them.”

Somehow she was turning and facing him and he was standing really, really close. “They are good friends. I’m lucky to have them.”

“Yes, you are. Ready to go back?”

She would rather stand here, next to him, his hands braced on either side of her. She liked the heat of his body easing in hers and the way she felt safe. As if she could count on him. As if this were real. As if he really wanted to see her naked.

“I’m ready,” she whispered.

He stepped back and picked up the glasses. She took the two bottles of wine and they returned to the living room.

David had already laid out a couple of dozen pieces of jewelry. Several were from his trip to the mall, while others came from the Worden store. A couple were Jayne’s QVC purchases, and there were three pieces Rebecca had given her. He asked her friends to look over the jewelry and then tell him what they liked and didn’t like.

“These are yours, right?” Gigi asked Jayne, holding up a pair of faux-diamond hoops. “I love these. Sparkly and I don’t have to mortgage my house to afford them.”

Katie picked up a pendant from the Rivalsa collection. “I love this,” she said. “Look at the lines. It’s so beautiful.” She rubbed the curves. “It’s real gold, right? A couple of thousand dollars?”

Jayne shrugged. “It was a gift, but yes, it’s expensive.” She happened to know that pendant sold in the high five figures, but there was no point in mentioning that.

“What do you like about it?” David asked.

Katie handed it to Charlotte. “How it looks. The weight of it. I don’t know. I just like it.”

“Me, too,” Charlotte said. “Are there earrings like this?”

Jayne nodded.

“Would you like it in sterling?” David asked. “If you could buy it for, say, a couple hundred dollars?”

“I would,” Katie said.

“I’d want the earrings.”

David took them through the rest of the pieces. Of the mall jewelry, only two pairs of earrings were a hit. Everyone loved the Worden pieces, but it was like wanting a house on the beach—lovely in theory, but not in this lifetime.

“Unless the lottery comes through,” Gigi added.

He listened carefully, taking notes and asking specific questions, obviously interested in their opinions. Jayne watched her friends watch him, noting the looks they exchanged. There would be plenty of phone calls tomorrow, she thought. Mostly to ask if he had a brother.

David cleared off the table and asked the women to show him their favorite pieces from their own jewelry boxes. Katie held out a pretty sapphire-and-diamond ring.

“My mom adored Princess Diana,” she said. “Bought all the books when she got married. She even had a collector’s edition doll. The Christmas after Mom had me, my dad got her this. It’s like Diana’s engagement ring. A sapphire surrounded by diamonds. A couple of years ago, she gave it to me.”

“What do you like about it?” he asked.

“The stone is beautiful. It changes color in the sunlight. The ring is lovely, but what I like most is that it makes me think of my mom when I wear it.” She shrugged. “That’s probably not helpful.”

He made more notes. “Sure it is. The setting is classic. Do the rest of you like it?”

Gigi shrugged. “Maybe with an emerald.”

“I want diamonds,” Charlotte said. “In any form. If you have some loose ones you can’t get rid of, I’ll take them.”

An hour later, they’d gone through the rest of the jewelry. Jayne’s friends left.

“I am
so
calling you tomorrow,” Katie whispered on her way out.

“I already knew that,” Jayne told her and shut the door.

She turned back to face David, who stood by the table, still making notes.

“A lot of information,” he said when he’d finished. “Good stuff.”

“I’m glad it helped.”

“It did.” He put down his notepad and grabbed his glass of wine. “They were fun.”

“They thought you were nice.”

He grimaced. “Thanks.”

She held in a smile. “You don’t want them thinking that?”

“No guy appreciates that title. It’s usually followed by ‘Let’s just be friends.’”

She laughed. “Sure. Because that happens to you
all
the time. Poor David. Too rich and handsome to get the girl.”

As soon as the words were out, she knew she’d made a hideous mistake.

He put down the wine and walked toward her. His eyes had a dark gleam, and his expression was satisfied. “Handsome, huh?”

She took a step back. “Well, you know what I mean.”

“Not really.”

“You come from a great gene pool.” She took another step back.

He moved forward.

“It’s all a matter of luck,” she said, aware she should just shut up or at least change the subject. “And appearance is subjective. Culturally, what we find attractive here in this country is very different from what—”

He pulled her against him and kissed her. She melted into his embrace because it was better than babbling and because she wanted to. Kissing David was always the best part of her day.

But there was something different this time, she thought as he quickly deepened the kiss, stroking with his tongue. An insistence. A need. He moved his hands up and down her back, then slipped them to her hips. She found herself hanging on, as her legs began to tremble.

If she didn’t know any better, she would swear he had no plans to stop with just a kiss.

As if reading her mind, he straightened and looked into her eyes.

“I want to stay.”

Four little words that meant nothing apart but could be the whole world when strung together.

She had a moment of indecision. Even as various parts of her body sent up a cheer, her brain pointed out this could be a really bad idea. One that would leave her desperately in love with a man who was just passing time. It was a recipe for disaster.

Unless she was careful and kept her heart out of the process. Could she? Did she dare allow David into her bed? Or was the real question, Would she ever forgive herself for passing up an incredible opportunity?

She stared into his blue eyes and knew she had to find out the truth. Was David Worden as good as he looked?

Eleven

JAYNE TOOK HIS HAND and led him into her bedroom. Light spilled in from the hall, leaving most of the room in shadow. While she didn’t usually insist on having sex in the dark, some lack of illumination seemed like a good idea. After all, David had been with some of the most beautiful women in the world. She, on the other hand, couldn’t remember the last time she’d done a sit-up.

He reached for her, then paused. “Tell me you have condoms.”

“You don’t travel prepared?”

“Not as a rule.”

“I have condoms.”

An unopened box of three in her nightstand.

He reached for her again, then they were kissing and his hands were moving over her body. He touched her back, her side, then slid his fingers up to her breasts. He cupped her curves, then teased her tight nipples.

Pleasure flooded her. He kissed his way down her neck, then pulled off her sweater and took advantage of the exposed skin. He was attentive, determined, and patient, easing her out of her clothes with an expertise that left her breathless. Then he was naked, too, and they were on the bed.

He kissed his way down her body, lingering at her breasts, before dipping between her legs to lick her into surrender. She was still gasping when he entered her, all hard and thick. Rather than get lost in what he was doing, she found herself watching his face as he thrust into her. His features tightened as he got closer. She felt and saw the exact moment he came and knew she would never get tired of the view. Even if this ended badly, she would always have the memories of tonight.

She pulled up the sheet as he retreated to clean up in the bathroom. When he returned, she started to sit up. No way she was going to miss the show of his getting dressed. But instead of reaching for his clothes, he slid into bed next to her and propped his head up on his hand.

“That wasn’t dinner, was it?” he asked. “I’m thinking Chinese. Is there a place that delivers close by? Or we could go out if you want.”

“You’re hungry?”

He grinned. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes, but…” Nothing about this made sense. “Aren’t you leaving?”

“Do you want me to?”

“No, but…”

“Yes, but. No, but. Jayne, you’re going to have to pick a direction.”

She would have put money on his being the type to do the deed and then run.

“Hey.” He touched her cheek. “I can go if you want. I’d prefer to stay. We can have dinner, watch a movie, then use up the rest of the box of condoms. I know how you hate anything to go to waste.”

“I’m big on recycling,” she said, confused and happy at the same time. David wanted to spend the night. With her. Here.

Sure, it was emotionally dangerous—but she’d already gone this far. She leaned in and kissed him.

“I know a great Chinese place, and they deliver. You don’t even have to get dressed.”

He kissed her back, then pulled her close. “I like that in a restaurant.”

Two days later Jayne raced to her car and drove directly to Rebecca’s place. As it was barely nine in the morning, she had to knock for a full three minutes before her friend opened the door.

Rebecca looked sleepy and rumpled and still incredibly beautiful. Jayne pushed past her and headed for the kitchen.

“I’ll make coffee. I need you awake.”

“Morning to you, too,” Rebecca said, trailing after her. “Did I forget we had something planned?”

“No. This is an emergency.”

“Can it wait until I brush my teeth and pee?”

Jayne found the filters and the coffee. “Sure. Hurry.”

“Will do.” Rebecca paused. “Are you okay?”

“Do I look okay?”

Her friend frowned. “You’re a little wild-eyed.”

“Good. I’m feeling panic. It ought to show.”

“Then be happy. I’ll be right back.”

Jayne finished making the coffee, then tapped her foot impatiently as the brew slowly dripped into the carafe. By the time Rebecca returned, two cups were ready. Jayne handed her one.

“Drink,” she said.

“Don’t I get cream and sugar?”

“No. You take your coffee black.”

Rebecca grinned. “Just checking to make sure you haven’t been replaced by a pod person.” She sipped her coffee and sighed. “Okay. I’m braced. What’s going on?”

“David wants me to be his date for the dinner party Elizabeth is giving.”

There was more, of course. The fact that she and David had had sex. But that wasn’t anything she needed help with—at least not yet. The invitation, on the other hand, screamed crisis.

Rebecca stared at her. “The one for the purpose of finding him the right wife?”

“That would be it.”

Rebecca’s mouth twitched. “Doesn’t he know why Mom’s giving him the party?”

“I think he’s ignoring that little fact.”

Rebecca took another sip. “He asked you, like a date?”

“Apparently.” Jayne paced the length of the kitchen. “We were talking, and he mentioned the party. I said I didn’t know if I would be there helping his mother. He said that wasn’t going to work for him. I wanted to know why, and he said he wanted me to go with him. That Elizabeth would have to get by on her own.”

She still couldn’t believe it. There she’d been, eating a bagel out on her patio. She’d thought the most incredible part of the morning had been waking up next to David. Then she’d decided it was showering with him, an experience she longed to repeat. Then she decided it was their eating breakfast together and talking… like a real couple.

But she’d been wrong. The invitation was the most startling event.

“I can’t go with him,” she said, turning and pacing the other way. “Do you know what your mother would say? Your mother who, by the way, has already called me and asked for my help.”

Rebecca stared at her. “Really? The all-powerful Elizabeth Worden actually picked up the phone and asked?”

Jayne hesitated. “It was more of an assumption than a question. She called with a timetable and a list.”

“Then all is right with the universe.”

“It was until David asked me to be his date! This isn’t information that would brighten her day. She wouldn’t be happy. We’re not dating.”

“You and Elizabeth?”

Jayne glared at her. “Don’t be funny.”

“Why not? Come on, this is fabulous. My mother is combing through the richest families of Beverly Hills to find her perfect son the perfect wife. And he wants to take you.”

There was an ouch buried in there, Jayne thought, trying to accept the comment as it was meant. “The hired help.”

“She doesn’t even pay you. You have to see the deliciousness of it.”

“No, I don’t. David wasn’t happy when I told him no.”

“Don’t you want to go with him?”

“Of course not. How could I? He’s not serious about me. Elizabeth has gone to a lot of work to put this party together. I might not be completely thrilled with her at the moment, but I’m not willing to ruin everything. I’m leaving in less than two months. I want to go quietly.”

“That may not be an option.” Rebecca set down her cup and tightened her silk robe. “So you like him?”

Jayne felt the yawning coldness of the trap that opened beneath her feet. She loved Rebecca, but she wasn’t willing to trust her with the secret of her crush. Or the fact that she and David had slept together. Not just yet.

“He’s a great guy, and yes, I like him. There’s a lot to like. I see a bit of Blaine in him, which is pretty cool.”

“But you’re not falling in love with him?”

Jayne relaxed. “Do I look stupid?”

“David would be lucky to have you.”

That was the friend part of Rebecca talking, Jayne thought. “Yes, he would, but that’s not the issue.”

“Maybe he’s trying to screw with Elizabeth,” Rebecca said. “Or, at the very least, tweak her plans.”

“Maybe.” Now that she was a little calmer, she wished she hadn’t come over and told Rebecca about the invitation. “You’re right. That has to be it. I should have realized it.”

Rebecca grinned. “Are you sure you don’t want to date him? Just for me?”

“You mean to mess with Elizabeth.”

“That would be the point of it, yes. Come on. One date? I’ll pay.”

“Your warm and loving support overwhelms me.”

“I do what I can.”

Elizabeth circled the set tables, studying everything from the china to the flatware to the centerpiece. Jayne stood off to the side, imagining which she would pick. Not that she would ever throw a party like this. Ignoring the cost, it was too formal, too fussy. Although she liked the idea of a buffet.

“The flowers,” Elizabeth said slowly. “Jayne, what do you think?”

Jayne knew she was to be more of a sounding board than actually offer an opinion. “The tall arrangements are pretty, but difficult to talk over.”

“I agree.” Elizabeth circled another table. “I want more intimate seating this time. More tables of two. Would we even want a centerpiece on those?”

The catering manager made frantic notes.

“Set up tables for two,” Elizabeth said, then glanced at her watch. “Jayne will check back in fifteen minutes.”

“Certainly, Mrs. Worden.”

Jayne followed Elizabeth out of the living room, where the sample tables had been set. Most people went to the catering office for setups, but not Elizabeth. People came to her.

Instead of going toward her office, Elizabeth stepped outside and breathed deeply. “I’ve had honeysuckle planted. Can you smell it? Not my favorite, but it’s very romantic. There’s night-blooming jasmine as well. All in pots. As soon as David’s made his choice, I’ll have it taken away.” She glanced at Jayne. “Have you and David looked at any more houses?”

“No. Not since the last one. I, ah, think he’s been busy with work.”

“I hope not,” Elizabeth snapped. “I swear, if Blaine is making him work long hours, I’ll be furious. David needs to focus on what’s important. Right now that’s finding a house and getting engaged. Although I suppose the good news is if he doesn’t find a house before that, whoever she is can help. God knows, someone will need to take him in hand. He hasn’t mentioned anyone?”

A question Jayne could answer honestly. “He hasn’t said a word.”

“There’s someone. I called him close to ten the other night, and he wasn’t there.”

If she’d phoned in the past two nights, Jayne knew exactly where he’d been. “Maybe he was out with friends.”

“That’s possible.” She glanced around at the patio. “I would like to have the party out here. The ambiance is better than the house, don’t you think?”

Jayne didn’t answer.

Elizabeth sighed. “I’m having comedians at the party.”

“What did you say?”

“I know. The antithesis of elegant, but I need some kind of entertainment, and this will give the women something to talk about. Also, I can watch to see if they laugh inappropriately.”

Jayne didn’t know if that meant discovering if they laughed at the wrong thing or if their laugh was wrong.
Note to self: As amazing as David is, no guy is worth this.
She would remind herself of that should she inadvertently get more involved than she wanted.

Elizabeth crossed to a pot of white roses and inspected the petals. “I saw Rebecca.”

“Oh.”

“She hasn’t changed at all. She’s still difficult. You kept in touch with her while she was gone.”

It wasn’t a question, but Jayne answered it anyway. “E-mail, phone calls. I saw her when I went on vacation.”

Elizabeth turned slowly and raised her eyebrows. “You never mentioned any of that.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to talk about her. After she left, you never said anything. It was like she’d never been here.”

“And you think that’s wrong.” Elizabeth’s calm expression never changed. “Perhaps I should have cried or ripped out my hair?”

“I remember how much I missed my mom when she died. It was like a part of
me
went missing. When Rebecca left, I wanted to say something, but I didn’t know how to start the conversation. It was a little like losing my mom all over again. At least for me. I wondered what it was like for you.”

Elizabeth looked away. “Of course it was difficult. I’m her mother.”

“You never said anything. I wanted to talk to you about her. I missed her.” Jayne remembered feeling torn. She knew in her head Rebecca had been looking for an excuse to run away, and the stolen necklace had given her that. But it had been Jayne who had taken it in the first place. She’d been the one to give Rebecca the means to run.

“You’re a very loyal friend,” Elizabeth said. “I hope she appreciates that.”

“She does.” Jayne drew in a breath. “I know she’s difficult and loves to make trouble, but you’re her family. Her mother. She can’t ever forget that.”

“But that’s not the question, is it? What is important is if she wants to—and I think we both know the answer to that.”

Jayne wanted to say that wasn’t true, that Rebecca didn’t want to disconnect herself from Elizabeth. Unfortunately, her friend did, and a case could be argued that she had earned the right.

Elizabeth’s cool, calm expression never flickered. “I appreciate that you want to help, Jayne, but as you said, Rebecca is family. This matter is best left between us.”

A kiss on the cheek, followed by a neatly placed slap. Jayne told herself that in less than two months she would be gone. The Wordens would be part of her past, and she would never have to deal with them again. Well, Rebecca would still be her friend, but the rest of the family could go to hell, and she wouldn’t care in the least.

“I’ll go check on the tables,” she said, and walked inside the house.

“Wow, could you look less happy?” Rebecca said with a snort. “Sullen was cute when you were eight, but now it just makes people wonder if you’re constipated.”

David ignored his sister as he stood by the window and glowered at the room. There were about sixty people milling around, with more arriving every few minutes. And while there were plenty of “friends of the family,” there were several women he didn’t know. Twentysomething women who wore elegant clothes and expensive jewelry. Who were well spoken, attractive, and constantly glancing at him.

“I’ve already been welcomed back,” he grumbled. “Why is she throwing another party?”