This Tangled Thing Called Love: A Contemporary Romance Novel (13 page)

So it had seemed to David a perfectly good decision to announce his engagement in the room full of strangers. Fo
r as long as he could remember
, his father had combined business with pleasure, and he knew how much his father enjoyed it when David followed his example. The current president of Lawson Enterprises would be announcing his resignation next year, and that was the job David was after – an impossibly ambitious goal had he not been the son of Allan Lawson, but quite an attainable one if he managed to convince his father that he was ready for the job. He was already an executive vice president, and being the son of Allan Lawson, it would not be unfathomable that he jump the few remaining corporate ladder steps to the presidential seat. Nepotism notwithstanding, David knew that he could do the job well. Already he had introduced changes to the business that had brought in significant revenue increases. As the son of Allan Lawson, David had not only come into a life of privilege, he had also inherited his father’s brains.

But when David saw his father’s eyes turning misty as he announced his engagement to Claire, David was instantly filled with shame for his calculated decision. He should have broken the news to his father in the privacy of the family circle instead of turning it into a circus production. His father’s unexpected softness made David regret his cynicism toward Claire. How could he have lied to her like that? Yes, Claudia was intoxicating, but Claire was so full of goodness. David imagined himself seated next to his future wife at a dinner table, surrounded by a brood of raucous kids. There would be laughter during Christmas time and lists made for Santa. He vowed to change his ways. Tomorrow, he would tell Claudia that it was over between them. He would be a better son, a better brother, a better fiancé. Tomorrow would turn over a new leaf for him and for the Lawson family.

Filled with precarious hope, David longed for the party to end so that he could share a celebratory cigar and a glass of scotch with his father. Finally, one by one, the important guests started to take their leave, and his father slunk away into his study, leaving David and his mother to tend to the less significant guests. David had observed his father perform this maneuver at countless parties and had always taken his host duties seriously, but tonight was different. Tonight he could not wait to hear his father repeat his congratulatory words without anyone’s but David’s ears to hear.

“Is anything wrong?” Allan Lawson’s eyebrows rose in unmasked surprise when David appeared on the threshold of his study.

“Everything is fine, Dad.” David treaded gingerly, instantly wondering if he had overlooked yet another one of
the
invisible boundaries that his father never tired of erecting. “Would you like a cigar?” During one of his overseas business trips, David had smuggled in a box of Cubans. To tell the truth, the cigars were nothing special, but he had felt a childlike exhilaration while carrying the box, hidden deep inside his bag, past the customs and had since smoked the cigars only on special occasions.
In his mind, tonight more than qualified.

“Has everyone left then?” Allan reached for the cigar and squinted at the label. “Cubans, huh? You know the U.S. has an embargo on Cuba, don’t you?”

“Yes, Dad. These were a gift.” David blushed, disappointment flooding his mouth with acridity.

“You’ll see to the guests then?” Allan placed the cigar back into the box. “And get rid of these, will you? We wouldn’t want the Lawson name to be linked with contraband.”

“Yes, Dad.” David clenched his teeth to keep his voice even. As he turned around to leave, his heels squeaked loudly on the parquet floor – the only sign of frustration he could allow himself around his father.

“And David?”

“Yes?” David turned around, irritated by the hope that refused to die in spite of himself.

“You’ve chosen well, son. Claire is exactly the kind of wife the president of Lawson
Enterprises
needs.”

With a curt nod, David stumbled out into the hallway.

As David bid the departing guests goodbye, the smile returned to his lips. He had accomplished what he had set out to do, and the old man could sock it. Claire was there by his side. She seemed to take right to the task as she smiled, mouthing graceful thanks to the endless stream of congratulations. David’s smile grew brighter. He had made the right decision. Claire would be a terrific wife.

A sound of rustling silk made his hair stand on end. For a moment, he thought it was Claudia, but it was only one of the many wives of the many important men who had felt about as much excitement about David’s engagement as his father had and now were finally leaving the party. Though stunning, the woman could not hold a candle to Claudia, but the remote likeness was enough for David to be reminded of the outline of Claudia’s curved lips, her catlike eyes, and her long, chiseled legs. He looked up, sensing Claire’s glance upon him and smiled back. He had gotten himself a wonderful wife, and tomorrow he would make ardent love to Claudia.

“Do you want to come up?” Claire’s voice woke David from his thoughts as he returned her to her apartment.

From the tone of Claire’s voice, he could guess what was on her mind. They had spent the entire weekend in separate bedrooms, and it was only to be expected that his fiancée was expecting a physical confirmation of their engagement. A part of him wished he could simply say yes, wished things could be as simple as being in love with your future wife, but he felt nothing. Well, that was not exactly accurate. David did have feelings for Claire. He admired her, he respected her, but he did not lust for her, and he was not in love with her.

“I’d love to, baby, but I’ve got to get up early for work tomorrow.”

“All right then.” The cheerfulness of Claire’s voice failed to conceal a momentary shadow that came over her face.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you next weekend, okay?”

“It’s just that we’ve been apart all weekend, and I missed you, that’s all.”

“I know. I missed you too. We’ll do something in the middle of the week, I promise.” David got up to open the car door for Claire. As he walked around the car, he felt his telephone vibrate with a text message. His pulse kicked a thousand volts as he wondered whether the message was from Claudia.

Claire willed herself not to be disappointed as she watched David's car pull away, but in spite of all logic and common sense — it was late Sunday night, David was tired, they both had to get up early for work the next morning — a small part of her felt let down. Yesterday, she had made the biggest decision of her life, and yet she had barely had a chance to spend even a few minutes alone with the man who was responsible for it.

She wanted to be held in David's arms, so that they could both reconfirm the union they now had formed. Yes, they had been dating for a year, but David's marriage proposal changed things. No one was more surprised by her reaction than Claire herself. In the past, when she had allowed herself to imagine David proposing marriage, fleeting as such occasions were, she had always thought of it as an unnecessary formality. She and David were perfectly happy together, so why complicate matters? Now, she could admit what a coward she had been. Up until yesterday, there had still been a hidden part of her that had wondered whether she was good enough for David. But now, everything had changed. When David had asked her to marry him, she was overcome with her love for him and also, gratitude - gratitude for him finally proving to her that she was good enough to be loved, not merely toyed with as some fleeting distraction, but cherished and treasured. Two days ago, David was merely her boyfriend. Now, he was her fiancé. The word felt pleasantly new on her tongue, and she would savor every minute of getting used to it.

Yet, as much as she would have liked to convince herself of it, things were not perfect. But then perfection was not real, and Claire was a realist. The visit to David’s family had left her perplexed. On the surface, she had been welcomed, but somehow, Claire felt that she had not even managed to scratch the surface of the Lawson clan. At first glance, the family seemed perfect – the distinguished, regal-like patriarch who had amassed a great fortune from practically nothing, a charming, still beautiful mother, a lovely sister, with David rounding off the portrait as a handsome and ambitious son, industriously walking in his father’s footsteps. But when Claire noticed the way David’s jaw stiffened as he answered his father’s questions, the barely perceptible shadow that crossed his face when he spoke with his mother, and the frank concern that flashed in his eyes when he looked at his sister, she knew that things were not that simple. His parents had surrounded David his entire life, but to her, they were strangers. She was a stranger to them too, an outsider, and she would have to earn her acceptance among them, but David was their flesh and blood, and even he had to work at being the good son. Officially, Claire would become a member of the family once she and David married, but deep down, Claire sensed that admittance into the Lawson clan wo
uld be a long haul.
Well, she was no stranger to hard work and she was prepared to earn her place in the Lawson family. S
he would make David proud.

Stale air greeted her as Claire opened the door of her apartment. She flung the windows open, and, with a pang of guilt, threw away the wilted white roses David had brought her before they left for the weekend. Roses almost never kept well. She had been away for only two days, but her apartment felt deserted and lonely. The unexpected emotion caught Claire off guard. She had always shunned roommates, valuing the privacy and independence that her small, but comfortable studio offered. But now that she had finally allowed David to enter her heart completely, she did not want to be in the empty apartment by herself. A few months ago, the thought of moving in together seemed unimaginable to her, but now, as she pictured herself and David snuggling on the
couch, sharing takeout while watching a DVD, Claire felt wistful, hoping that David would ask her to move in with him soon. Then, no matter how late he would have to work, he would still come home to her every night.

Chapter 14

As soon as Claire stepped on the sidewalk, humidity hit her like a cannonball. It was only late May, but already New York was laden with heat. She tried not to think about the beads of perspiration that were popping up on her chest and back. She was wearing a designer white linen dress she had bought on sale at Bergdorf during one of her shopping trips with Amber – an impulsive purchase that cost half her monthly paycheck had somehow seemed like a good idea at the time.
It makes you look ten pounds thinner,
Amber had gushed. Not that Claire needed to lose ten pounds, but she bought the dress nonetheless. And now, she was sweating in it, and there was not a cab in sight. It would have to be the subway again.

“I want to hear everything!” Jake stared at Claire intently as she made her way to her desk after making it to the office.

“Good morning to you too,” Claire grinned. Relishing the suspense, she turned the engagement ring to the inside of her finger.

“There will be nothing good about this morning if you keep jerking me around like this. You know that I’m not a patient guy.”

“Oh, well, let’s see. Where do I start…They have a beautiful Tudor style house, very distinguished…” Claire took a sip of her morning coffee, glancing at Jake over her cup.

“I’m not interested in the architecture of their house or their furniture for that matter,” Jake snapped. “Wait a minute, what’s that on your hand?”

“What?” Claire’s voice gave her away as she blushed in spite of herself.

“Come on, out with it.”

Claire triumphantly held up her left hand. “David asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”

“Wow.” For a brief moment Jake looked startled.

“Turns out you were right all alon
g.” Claire grinned. “What’s the
matter?”

“I’m just blown away by how huge this thing is, that’s all.” Jake was back to his usual teasing self. “You should be careful. You could blind people with that.”

“Okay. Thanks for the heads up.”

“But seriously, Claire – be careful. You can’t ride the subway with a rock like this. People have been killed for less.”

“Well, the scarcity of cabs makes ruling out the subway pretty much impossible.”

“Tell David to send a car service for you. He can afford it, or, better yet, let him give you his driver.”

“Don’t you think that would be a bit too demanding? I mean, the guy only proposed two days ago, and already you want him to give me his driver.”

“Hell, yeah. If I were engaged to a girl like you, I’d do it.”

“You don’t have a driver.” Claire grinned. Jake was such a flirt, and like all men, he had to be competitive to boot.

“You’ve got a point there.” Jake shrugged. “But I can still take you out for drinks to celebrate. Stephen’s at six?”

“Deal.” Claire nodded. “I’ll call Amber and Lindsay.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“And I’ll call David. Hopefully, he’ll be able to make it.”

“And here I was, hoping it would be just us girls.”

“Don’t you want to meet him?”

“Never wanted anything more.” Jake grinned, the sarcasm in his voice making Claire wince.