The Best of Friends (17 page)

“Got him,” he said, hanging up. “I asked to be put through to his room, and he picked up. So he’s there now.”

“Let’s go.”

They took Blaine’s Bentley, a dark blue monstrosity that had been cared for with the love and attention usually reserved for spoiled lapdogs.

“You’ve got to get a new car,” David said, running his hands along the smooth, butterlike leather. “This car is older than I am.”

“It’s a classic, and there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“You have to keep a mechanic on call.”

“I keep Raoul on salary so he’s always available if something goes wrong.”

“Which it does. Can you even get tires for this thing?”

“Of course. Your mother wants me to get a Mercedes. She hates this car.” Blaine grinned at him. “It’s a chick magnet at the beach.”

David laughed. “Tell me you’re not cruising PCH looking for hot girls.”

“I’m not, but with this car, I could.”

The valet at the hotel practically whimpered when he saw the shiny car. “S-sir,” he breathed, nearly trembling as he took the keys. “I’ll guard it with my life.”

“Keep it up front,” Blaine told him. “We won’t be long.”

They went into the hotel and walked to a house phone.

“You want to make the call, or should I?” Blaine asked.

“He’ll probably come down for me before he comes down for you,” David said. “I’ll pretend I don’t know there’s any trouble.”

Twenty seconds later, he’d been connected to Nigel’s room.

“Hey, there,” David said, sounding happy to talk to his old friend. “It’s David Worden. I heard you were in town. I’m here at your hotel. Want to grab a drink?”

Nigel hesitated just long enough for David to know he was nervous. “I’m kind of busy right now, David.”

“You can spare half an hour. I’m flying out tonight to”—he paused—“London. I won’t be back for weeks. Come on. I haven’t seen you since I was last at the mine.”

“Okay. Sure. One drink. I’ll be right down.”

David and Blaine split up. David went out onto the rear terrace to make sure Nigel didn’t try to slip out the back way. A minute later, he walked into the open lobby and glanced around. David moved back inside while Blaine joined Nigel.

The tall Australian man looked surprised, and not in a happy way. “You didn’t tell me your father was with you,” he said, then forced a smile. “Blaine. Always good to see you.”

“Likewise.”

They shook hands, then made their way through the lobby and outside, onto the beach.

“I thought we were getting a drink,” Nigel said, pushing his hair off his forehead. “Don’t you want a drink?”

“Too many people,” Blaine said. “Let’s talk privately.”

Nigel swallowed. “I don’t know what Rebecca told you but—”

“She said you were a nasty little weasel,” David told him. “I’d love to beat the shit out of you right here, but that wouldn’t teach you anything, would it?”

Nigel turned back toward the hotel. “I’m not going to listen to this.”

“You can talk to us, or I can talk to Eric,” Blaine said conversationally. “You choose.”

Nigel stopped in midstep.

“Eric and I have known each other for years.” Blaine adjusted the sleeves on his linen jacket. “I remember when all he had was a deed to land no one else wanted and the belief that he would find diamonds. He came to me for a loan. Did you know that?”

Nigel shook his head.

David hadn’t known that either. No wonder Worden’s got first right of refusal on every diamond.

“Everyone told me I was throwing my money away, but I believed in Eric. I gave him the money he needed to start production. You know what happened next. It was one of the largest finds of the last fifty years. Nearly as big as the Argyle mines. Eric and I go way back.”

“Look, Blaine—”

“I’m sorry Elizabeth and I couldn’t make it to the wedding. I understand it was beautiful. But you got our gift?”

“Ah, sure. Yeah. It was great.”

“You’re happily married now, aren’t you?”

Nigel shoved his hands into his front pockets and hung his head. “Dancing with joy.”

“Good. Because I wouldn’t want to have to tell Eric his only daughter has a lying cheat for a husband. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that, either.”

“What
do
you want?” Nigel asked, sounding resigned.

“Never see Rebecca again,” David said.

“What if she wants to see me?”

“I suggest you run in the other direction.”

“Fair enough.”

“Good,” Blaine said. “You still in the mood for that drink?”

Nigel blinked. “No, thanks. I’ll go to my room and pack.”

“An excellent idea. Oh, and Nigel? Anything you gave Rebecca is hers. Don’t try to get it back. If you do, I’ll start to wonder where you got it in the first place. That will mean asking a lot of questions.”

Nigel nodded once, then headed back to the hotel. David watched him go. “What did she see in him?”

“You’re asking me?”

“What was I thinking?” David’s pleasure at the moment faded. “On to Jonathan?”

Blaine nodded. “Did I tell you I know a man who used to be in Special Forces? He’s now a bodyguard. He also does extra work on the side. Based on what Jonathan just did, I think we should pay him a little visit first.”

“Apparently Jonathan folded just as quickly as Nigel,” Rebecca said as she passed Jayne a carton of tuna salad. They were having their delayed lunch on Rebecca’s balcony. There was takeout from Whole Foods, a chilled chardonnay, and male eye candy from here to Venice Beach.

“He and Blaine have worked together for years,” Jayne said. “It must have been tough for both of them.”

“David was very impressed. He said Dad totally missed his calling. But it’s weird. When the police went to arrest Jonathan, they couldn’t find him at first. It turns out he was in the hospital. He fell down the stairs at his office and broke his leg. Apparently he was really banged up.” She shrugged. “Oh, but that’s not the best part.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Dad knew about the affair Mom had with Jonathan. He actually mentioned it, saying he knew Elizabeth needed that at the time, but Jonathan’s sleeping with me was going too far. David thought Jonathan was going to have a heart attack right there in his hospital room. And he has police guards. He’s been arrested and everything.”

“Your reputation is restored,” Jayne said.

“It’s pretty damned amazing.” Rebecca grinned. “Who would have thought my brother and father could moonlight as enforcers?”

Jayne tried to picture Blaine with a gun and couldn’t. “You should feel good. They’re taking care of you.” One of the pluses of family, she thought wistfully.

“I feel like a character out of Jane Austen,” Rebecca said, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. “I’m only a woman. I need a big strong man to take care of me.”

“Yeah, that’s you.”

They laughed.

Rebecca pointed at Jayne’s arm. “Is your cast a different color or am I imagining things?”

“Yes, and it’s smaller. My last one. I get it off in a few days, and then I start physical therapy. I’ll also be going back to work doing light duty.”

“And then you’re leaving. I’m still not happy about that.”

“And the decision is still not about you,” Jayne told her.

“You should be touched that I’ll miss you desperately.”

“The knowledge of your discomfort keeps me up nights.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes, then tossed half a roll across the table. “Sometimes you’re a total brat.”

“Part of my charm.”

A faint bell sounded.

Rebecca stood. “Doorbell. I hope that’s the dessert sampler I ordered. Six flavors of crème brûlée. Could you just die, or what?”

“Are you insane? Six desserts?”

“I need a sugar fix.”

Which meant Rebecca would take a single bite of each and try to hand the rest off to Jayne. Just what she needed. Fourteen thousand calories taunting her from her refrigerator.

There was the sound of conversation behind her, but Jayne didn’t bother turning until she recognized a voice she didn’t want to hear.

Elizabeth.

Jayne’s first thought was to go over the balcony, but it was a three-story drop to the sand. Not exactly smart. Besides, she hadn’t done anything wrong. She could face Elizabeth with her head held high—and then run really, really fast to her car.

She rose and walked into the house. Elizabeth stood with her back to the balcony. Rebecca shrugged as if to apologize.

“Who are you speaking with?” Elizabeth asked, then turned. “Oh, it’s you.”

Her tone implied that a cockroach would be more welcome.

“Hello, Elizabeth.” Jayne grabbed her purse. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

“Don’t go,” Rebecca said. “Please, don’t go.”

“Jayne should leave,” Elizabeth said. “I want to discuss a family matter. There’s no need for her to be a part of that.”

“But we’re not speaking,” Rebecca whined. “We had a big fight. Remember?”

“This is more important than any small disagreement you and I might have had.”

Jayne made her escape into the hallway, but before she could reach the stairs and the path to freedom, Elizabeth followed her and called her name.

She hesitated. Common sense said to run, but her mother had always pressed her to be polite. She could be civil to Elizabeth for ten or fifteen seconds. Just long enough for the other woman to get off an insult or two.

She turned back. “Yes?”

“I’m here to speak with Rebecca about her brother, but it occurs to me you might have the information I need. I’ve had reports that he’s been seen dining with a young woman twice this week. No one knows who she is, which is troubling. Now, I realize you have your own issues and misunderstandings about how you were treated in the warm embrace of my family. However, I will still ask you, as someone I once considered a friend. Do you know who she is?”

There were a dozen things she could say, Jayne thought. But she was tired of hiding, tired of trying to make things right when they never would be.

She slipped her purse over her shoulder. “It’s me, Elizabeth. David was having dinner with me.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “But that’s not possible. David was on a date. He was seen kissing…” Her hand covered her mouth.

Jayne nodded. “All me. I’m the mystery girl. Rebecca will confirm it.”

“No,” Elizabeth breathed. “Anyone but you.”

Jayne hesitated, but what was there to say? She walked down the three flights of stairs without once looking back.

Sixteen

DAVID RETURNED FROM A very fruitful meeting with marketing only to find his mother pacing in his office. She saw him before he could make his escape. Talk about bad timing.

“I need to speak with you,” she said. “It’s important.”

The need to bolt increased, but running wasn’t an option. He shut the door, then motioned to the corner, where two sofas had been set up.

“Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

Elizabeth shook her head. She moved to the sofas but didn’t sit down. David noticed her normally sleek blond hair seemed mussed somehow. Her lipstick had faded, and there was a smudge of mascara under her left eye.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“No, I’m not. Something terrible has happened.”

As he’d just seen his father in the meeting, he knew it wasn’t him. “Rebecca?” he asked, knowing it couldn’t be. Elizabeth would hardly be so… distraught over her daughter.

Elizabeth set her small handbag on the coffee table and laced her fingers together in front of her waist. She stared at him intently.

“Is it true?” she asked. “Are you seeing Jayne? Dating Jayne? Are you together?”

Hot damn. Jayne had finally told the old lady. Good for her, he thought, knowing this meant she was taking them seriously.

“I am.”

“You seem very happy about it.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked. “Jayne’s amazing. Smart and funny. She cares about people, and she’s incredibly self-aware. There aren’t any games with her. I know where I stand.”

“Which all sounds very laudable, but isn’t the point. How is this possible? When did you start going out with her? How could she have betrayed me this way?”

He knew what his mother meant, but it seemed smarter to put her on the defensive. “Gee, thanks, Mom. Betrayed you? Are you saying, Jayne doesn’t have high enough standards?”

Elizabeth’s expression turned cool. “That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it. Jayne seeing you? A totally unacceptable situation. You’re a Worden. You have a family tradition to uphold. I can’t imagine how either of you let this happen.” She relaxed her arms to her sides. “How long has this been going on? Are you sleeping together?”

He would give her full points for recovering quickly, he thought grimly. So much for leading the conversation.

“My sex life isn’t your business.”

“It is when it concerns your future.” She pressed her lips together. “Dammit, David. You should know better. I’ve given you the opportunity to meet appropriate women. Accomplished and beautiful single women who would like nothing better than to fall in love with you. But could you see one of them? Ask one of them out? Of course not. And Jayne, of all people.”

“Why do you say it like that? What’s wrong with her?”

“Nothing, if you were a junior accountant from the Valley. You’re a man, so I don’t expect you to understand, but Jayne will do anything to get ahead. I should have realized it before.”

“Now you’re scaring me,” he muttered, thinking his mother was going over to the dark side.

“She’s doing this on purpose. Throwing herself at you. Telling you her sad little story and getting you to feel sorry for her.”

“I feel a lot of things for Jayne, but I don’t feel sorry for her. Mom, have you ever had a conversation with Jayne? Not just handing out a to-do list or instructions, but a real conversation? Do you know what she does with her life?”

“What? Of course I do. She’s some kind of nurse. A job she got after college, which we paid for, I might add. Jayne has been fortunate to have me in her life, and here she is repaying me with this.” Elizabeth moved toward him.

“You have to listen to me, David. You’re not thinking, or if you are, it’s not with your brain. Jayne Scott will do anything to trap you. She’ll lie, deceive, and very possibly trap you by getting pregnant.”

“She’s nothing like you.”

Elizabeth narrowed her gaze. “I see you’re still trying to hurt me. Fine. Go ahead. Be disrespectful. Dig in the knife. But while you’re doing it, know that no one will ever love you as much as I do. No one will ever care about you like I do. Do you think Jayne worries about you and your future? Do you honestly think she wouldn’t love to give up her crappy little apartment for life with you?”

Frustration built inside of him. It shouldn’t have to be like this, he thought grimly. “You’re wrong about her. She’s so determined to get away from this damned family that she’s moving halfway across the country. If she was so enamored with all things Worden, why would she do that?”

“It’s all part of her plan to get your attention and sympathy.”

Weariness tugged at him. He didn’t like drawing a line in the sand—it often made things worse rather than better. But he wasn’t going to let Elizabeth run his life.

“Mother, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I respect that you’re genuinely concerned about me, but there is no way in hell you’re coming between Jayne and me. I’ll keep seeing her, and you will stay out of our way.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“No, we won’t. If you do anything or say anything to turn Jayne away from me, if you make trouble of any kind, I will turn my back on you forever.”

She sucked in a breath as the color faded from her face. “You’re not choosing that opportunistic little whore over me. I forbid it.”

“You don’t get a vote. Don’t push me. I’ll push back, and you’ll be the one with regrets.”

She stared at him for a long time before reaching for her purse, then sweeping out of his office. David watched her go.

This was going to end badly. He could feel it. One way or the other, someone was going to get hurt. His job was to make sure it wasn’t Jayne.

Jayne knocked on the hotel room door, telling herself not to be nervous. So what if David was waiting for her? They were going to have dinner, then sex. No big deal. Except there was something vaguely illicit about going to a man’s hotel room.

The door opened.

“What?” David asked. “You look funny.”

“A compliment to make me all fluttery inside.”

He smiled, then pulled her close and kissed her. “You look like you’re worried about something.”

She kissed him back, enjoying the immediate heat that flared between them and the liquid desire that took up residence in the most interesting places.

“I was thinking I don’t go to many men’s hotel rooms.”

“No moonlighting as a call girl?”

“I tried it for a while, but I hated the hours.”

He led her into the room, which turned out to be a suite. The living room held a sofa, a TV in a cabinet, a desk, and a couple of chairs. The bedroom beyond was big, with a king-size mattress. Both rooms faced west and had French doors that opened onto balconies. This being spring in Los Angeles, the late afternoon was plenty warm enough for the doors to be open. The sounds of traffic drifted up to them.

“Very nice,” she said, glancing around. “Understated elegance. Are we ordering in or eating in the dining room?”

He moved close and took her in his arms. “Whichever you’d like. I have champagne.”

Of course he did. “Because no good seduction should be without champagne.”

He walked into the bedroom. She followed and saw the freestanding ice bucket tucked beside the bed.

“Very subtle,” she teased.

He opened the bottle while she collected glasses from inside the armoire. After he poured, they toasted each other. She took a sip.

Even though you could buy it at Costco, there was something decadent about drinking Dom Pérignon while it was still light out.

“Nice,” she said, staring into his blue eyes and meaning more than the champagne. “Very nice. You’re spoiling me. I could get used to that.”

“Good.”

No. Not good. It was bad. Very bad. Getting used to his spoiling her meant getting used to him. And then she was on a slick highway to Broken Heart Town. Not a place she needed to be right now. Her life was supposed to be about new beginnings, not getting caught up in a relationship that had been a risk from the beginning.

She wanted to say it wasn’t her fault. That her fantasies about David had predisposed her to falling for him, but the actual fall itself was because of who he’d turned out to be. Nice. Funny. Charming. Caring. How was she supposed to protect herself against that?

“Let’s go enjoy our champagne,” he said, putting his hand on the small of her back and guiding her to the other room.

“You don’t want to have sex with me?” she asked before she could stop herself.

He laughed. “How come I didn’t find you years ago?”

“You met me when I was still in high school. You weren’t interested.”

They sat next to each other on the sofa. She angled toward him.

“I was a fool,” he told her.

She touched his glass with hers. “I’ll drink to that.” She studied his face, the perfect curve of his mouth and the light reflected in his blue eyes. “You want to talk about something.”

“How do you know?”

“You have talk-face.”

She forced herself to smile when she really wanted to run. If she left before he could say anything, she wouldn’t be hurt. And right now not being hurt seemed like a damned good plan.

“My mother came to see me,” he began.

“Oh, God. Because of me.” She put her glass on the coffee table. “I should have said something. I was so angry, and I should have warned you. I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.”

“Excuse me? How can you not be sorry? I’m sure she’s furious. She’s going to come screaming for an explanation.” She held in a groan. “Which she already has, because that’s how you know.”

“She came to the office this afternoon, wanting to know if it was true we were dating.”

Jayne wanted to sink into the floor. “I totally screwed this up, huh? I’d offer to talk to her, but I don’t think that would help. Maybe if Rebecca got in touch with her or—”

He pressed his fingers against her mouth. “Shh. It’s all good. I wanted her to know we’re going out.”

“Why?”

“So she’ll get off me about going out with someone else. You’re the one I’m seeing. You’re the one I want to keep seeing, Jayne. Why do you think I asked you to be my date to the party?”

“But I…” She picked up her glass and took a big swallow.

She told herself not to get too excited by the information. It didn’t mean that he was falling for her or that she was more than someone he was casually dating. If she read too much into his words, she would only get hurt more.

“Okay,” she said cautiously. “But your mother is upset.”

“So?” He leaned in and kissed her.

“There’s going to be trouble.”

“We can handle it.”

Her heart fluttered. “I’m not sure you’re worth it,” she joked.

“I am.” He touched her cheek. “I don’t expect you to do anything about my mother. I just wanted you to know that she’s not happy. Forewarned and all that. I can handle it, can you?”

“I’ve been dealing with Elizabeth for years. I’m an expert.”

“Good.” He set down his glass, then moved a stack of magazines on the table, revealing a large, flat, dark purple box with “Worden’s Jewelry” embossed in gold. “I have something for you.”

If it had been a ring box, she probably would have had a heart attack and died right there on the sofa. As it was, she found it difficult to breathe, what with her entire body frozen. Frozen
and
trembling. Talk about a trick and a half.

“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met,” he said, holding out the box. “I want you to know that you’re important to me, and in my family, we say that with diamonds.”

He waited. She stared at the box but made no move to reach for it.

“You’re not going to open it?” he asked with a smile.

“I’m not sure I can.”

“Then allow me.”

He turned the box so it was facing her, then raised the hinged lid. Inside on a bed of white satin sat a graduated diamond necklace. The diamonds went all the way around to the back, with the larger stones in front. The center stone had to be at least two carats. The perfect diamonds winked and sparkled in the afternoon light.

She knew she was breathing. She could feel air moving in and out of her lungs. Even so, her chest felt tight, and her mind was amazingly blank.

The necklace was possibly the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. “It’s much nicer than the one I stole,” she whispered.

He laughed, then pulled it out of the box. “Let’s see how it looks on.”

She put down her glass and scrambled to her feet. “I can’t. It’s too expensive. I don’t have a lifestyle to support that kind of thing, and even if I did… It’s lovely, David. I appreciate the gesture, but it’s too much.”

He rose and moved toward her. “If I owned a tire place, I’d bring you tires. This is what I do. Come on. At least see how it looks.”

She held up both hands to protect herself. “No way. If I let you put that on me, I’ll be lost. I have to be strong and resist.”

“Why?” The humor faded from his eyes. “Jayne, I’m falling for you. You’re my girl, and I want you to have this.”

He couldn’t have persuaded her any other way. Four simple words. “I’m falling for you.” She didn’t know if he meant it or not, and she wasn’t sure what his definition of “falling” was, but she was unable to resist him.

He came up and slipped the necklace around her neck. She held up her hair so he could fasten it, then together they moved into the large marble bathroom. He flipped on the light.

She wore a sundress she’d bought at Kohl’s for thirty dollars and minimal makeup, and she really needed to consider highlights. But none of that mattered. While the necklace was a once-in-a-lifetime dream she would probably never take off, what captured her heart and wouldn’t let go was David staring at her as if… as if…

As if she really were his girl.

She turned in his arms and kissed him.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“It looks good on you.”

“Being with you looks good on me.”

“Jayne.”

Then his mouth was on hers and nothing else mattered. As long as they could be together, touching, yearning, taking, and giving. Love swelled up inside of her. The words threatened to burst out, but she held them back. Saying she loved him was admitting too much. Not because he would ever use that against her, but because then she would have admitted the truth to herself. There was no going back from that.