“No.”
“No, what?”
“You’re wrong.” Regardless of how it was being played in the
media, being with Gail didn’t feel like a mistake. “There will always be
detractors, no matter what I do. I’m not changing course.” He was finally
feeling human again, sleeping most nights, gaining strength and a sense of
purpose. He missed Ty but every day he felt more confident that he’d get him
back. Maybe that was because he could finally trust himself to be the kind of
father he needed to be.
So what if no one believed in his marriage?
He
was starting to believe in
it.
“Take me back. I want to give that ring to Gail.”
Ian’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding.”
Simon smiled. “Not at all.”
* * *
“You’re really going to Sophia’s tonight?”
When Callie asked this, Gail was standing at the window,
holding back the sheet so she could see outside. Her friend had arrived at her
door carrying a copy of
People
magazine shortly
after Simon and Ian drove off. One of the pictures Josh had taken at the wedding
was on the cover, but Gail couldn’t concentrate on that when she was so
concerned about what Ian might be saying to Simon. She knew it wouldn’t be
anything that supported his staying in Whiskey Creek. The fact that Ian hadn’t
come to the door or even spoken to her would’ve told her that much, if she
hadn’t already been aware of it. Although Simon didn’t want to accept it, she
halfway believed that Ian had told Tex where they were because he was hoping Tex
would drag Simon back. Then it would be business as usual for both of them.
“Did you hear me?” Callie prompted.
Distracted, worried, Gail murmured, “What?”
“I asked if you’re really going to Sophia’s.”
She didn’t see why that mattered right now. “I guess so.”
“
What?
Now I know you’re out of it.
Sophia’s the girl who stole your prom date in junior year, remember? She’s
always treated us like second-class citizens.”
Gail turned. “Did you see Simon in a red Porsche on your way
over here?”
Callie was thumbing through the magazine. “No, why? He cheating
on you already?”
“Stop it,” Gail said with a scowl.
“Sorry.” Callie gave her a sheepish grin. “I have to admit I
sort of like him. Not only is he…shall we say…pleasant to look at, he’s very
engaging.”
Gail curved her lips into a superior grin. “I knew you’d like
him.”
“I didn’t say that. The jury’s still out on whether or not he’s
going to be good for you. It’s only been a few weeks. We can’t take too much for
granted.”
Gail dropped the smile, mostly because it was hard to act as if
she
was right when she knew it was Callie who’d
end up saying, “I told you so.” But she did have one argument. “Well, I, for
one, am going to assume complete fidelity. Not doing so would drive us both
crazy. But thanks for the advice.”
Callie propped her legs up on the coffee table. “So why are you
gnawing on your fingernails while you stare out the front window as if he’s left
for good? Why haven’t you even looked at these pictures, which most women would
be dying to see?”
“Because his friend and business manager cannot be trusted.
Simon’s trying to change, improve his life.”
“And you’re helping him.”
“Of course.”
“But what could his business manager be doing? Plying him with
alcohol?”
Gail had no doubt Ian would provide drugs, too, if that was
what Simon wanted. But she was more concerned that he might talk Simon into
going back to L.A. and starting that movie she’d gotten him out of. Or commit
him to some other project. Simon planned to return to acting, but he needed more
time. And Ian certainly wouldn’t take that into consideration. He’d press
forward with his own agenda.
If she thought he had Simon’s best interests at heart, she
wouldn’t mind so much, but she didn’t believe he did. “Possibly.”
“If you ask me, you should be more worried about Sophia than
Ian,” Callie said, still flipping pages. “She might be more of a test than he
can handle.”
“Thanks a lot!” Giving up her vigil at the window, Gail went
back to the couch and grabbed the magazine. “Let me see this.”
“You know what she was like,” Callie said. “No boy was
off-limits.”
Gail leafed through the pages. Simon looked gorgeous, as
always, and she looked…determined, like she was executing a business deal. For
good reason…
“That was a long time ago.” She tossed the magazine on the
table so she wouldn’t obsess about her own imperfections, which seemed obvious
when she was standing next to her movie-star husband.
Husband…
She couldn’t get used to
thinking like that, to feeling she had such a strong claim on him. “Sophia’s
been through a lot in the past few years. Maybe she’s changed.”
“And maybe she wants to get lucky with your guy. Skip’s always
gone. She’s probably trolling for any form of entertainment.”
Gail opened her mouth to respond but didn’t bother when she
heard a car pull up. “They’re back,” she said, jumping to her feet.
Sure enough, Ian’s red Porsche was parked by the picket fence.
He wasn’t getting out of the car, but Simon was.
“Looks like he’s in one piece,” Callie said, speaking over
Gail’s shoulder.
Gail breathed a sigh of relief. But she knew that the stronger
Simon became, the more Ian’s pleas would tempt him to return to his regular
life. They’d planned on staying married for two years. But she doubted it would
last that long.
28
S
imon wanted to give Gail the ring, but he
didn’t want to do it while Callie was there. The edge of the hard little box dug
into his thigh as he sat down to visit, but the whole time they talked he was
thinking about making love to Gail later, maybe in the shower again, and then
having the ring waiting on her pillow.
He hoped she’d like it. He couldn’t imagine that she wouldn’t,
but there was a chance. He already knew she wasn’t the type of woman who’d want
it just because it was expensive. Giving it to her had to mean something. And it
did now. He couldn’t say exactly what. Everything was too new for labels. But…he
wanted her to have it. That told him there had to be a reason.
When Callie asked about the renovation, he and Gail walked her
through the house and talked about some of the changes they’d planned. He was
getting excited about the possibilities, enjoyed challenging himself in a whole
new way. He even liked how exhausted he was at the end of the day. It made
curling up with his no-nonsense, tough-as-nails wife, who’d turned out to be as
sweet as a woman could be, that much more enjoyable. One thing he knew—those
don’t-mess-with-me suits of hers hid a very tender heart.
After about thirty minutes, Gail said they had to get ready to
go to Sophia’s and Callie left. They were alone at that point. He could’ve given
her the ring then and almost did. He felt like a kid with a really great
Christmas gift he couldn’t wait to present. But she was in too much of a hurry
for him to be able to do it right. He certainly didn’t want her to think he was
trying to pay her for giving in on the sex issue. He’d asked Ian to buy the
diamond before they’d ever made love, but she wouldn’t know that and if he had
to explain it, the whole thing would be ruined.
“You all set?” When she came out of the bedroom, she was
wearing a pair of tight-fitting, skinny jeans and a sleeveless black sweater
with a leather jacket. With her hair pulled back and pearls at her neck and
ears, she looked classy, prettier than ever. But he liked the way she looked
just as much when she wasn’t wearing any makeup—or clothes, for that matter. He
especially loved her smooth skin and how it felt beneath his hands. He loved her
eyes, too, and the emotion they conveyed. She cared about him. Maybe too much.
But he didn’t want to think about that.
“You look great,” he murmured, and pulled her into his arms
long enough to breathe in her perfume and kiss her neck.
She didn’t resist, but she glanced up at him as if she was a
bit hesitant to respond. “What did Ian have to say?”
“Nothing new. He wants me back in L.A. You probably guessed
that.”
“What for? Can’t he see how great you’re doing here?”
“
Great
is a relative term. In his
mind I’m not working, so I can’t be doing too great. I think he’s mostly
reacting to the fact that things have changed. He feels he’s lost control of his
biggest client.”
“You mean he feels threatened by me.”
“He doesn’t like the influence you have.”
She caught his face between her hands. “We’ll be able to remain
friends when this is all over, won’t we? I mean, I know we won’t be able to keep
working together, but we’ll still
like
each other,
right?”
Why worry about later? Why not just be grateful for now? After
all, he was so much better off than before. “I hope we will. The hardest part
about bumping into you will probably be stopping myself from carrying you off to
the bedroom.”
“Why? At that point, you’ll have a huge selection again.”
“No one else makes love like you.” There’d never been anyone
with whom he could completely let down his guard, no one he could trust in quite
the same way. “In case you haven’t noticed, I can’t get enough.”
He was afraid she’d reject that compliment like she had so many
others. He expected her to say he wouldn’t care who he was with as long as he
got what he wanted—which was what he’d heard her say before—but she didn’t. Her
hand cupped his cheek as she kissed him, openmouthed.
“You keep this up, we won’t make it to dinner,” he said.
With a laugh, she stepped away. “I can’t help it. I am so…” She
seemed to catch herself.
“What?” he asked.
She hesitated, then blinked. “Glad I married you. It’s been the
best mix of business and pleasure I’ve ever had.”
* * *
God, she’d almost told him. Right there, while her brain
frequencies were all jammed up by the sexy look on his face and her body was
growing warm in anticipation of his touch, she’d almost blurted, “I am
so
in love with you!” Every time she looked at him,
she grew a little more intoxicated.
Fortunately, she’d caught herself, and a few minutes of
standing outside his immediate orbit had made it easier to think. He’d basically
told her she was a good lay. He would not want “I love you” in response when
he’d warned her not to take their relationship too seriously in the first
place.
The whole time they were at Sophia’s, Gail was lecturing
herself on how she’d handle being alone with him once they returned home. She
wouldn’t say
anything,
not one word about any kind
of feeling. There was no need to send him into a panic. She’d let her body do
the talking, since he didn’t seem able to tell the difference between sex with a
woman who lived for his every smile and sex with a woman who was merely in it
for another celebrity conquest. Men were obtuse that way, she decided, and Simon
didn’t seem to be an exception.
“Would you like more mashed potatoes?”
Gail glanced up. Sophia had put on an impressive
spread—medallions of beef tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, carrots
and a salad—and was now standing next to the table holding a bowl. Gail had
expected Alexa, Sophia’s daughter, to be with them, but she was spending the
night with a friend because they had a school project they’d be presenting the
next day. And Skip was gone again. Gail wasn’t even sure Sophia had said where.
They sat in her big elegant dining room in her big elegant house and it was just
the three of them. She wondered how Sophia handled being alone so much of the
time.
“No, thanks.” Gail smiled and tried to think of something else
to say but a moment later went back to her meal. Simon was doing fine carrying
the conversation. She was too busy worrying. What was she going to do after
their marriage ended? She’d be looking at some long, dreary days ahead. Would
she ever get over him? Be able to fall in love again? If so, she doubted it
would happen soon. She’d waited thirty-one years to fall in love the first time.
Now that she had, she knew what she’d harbored for Matt had been nothing by
comparison.
“You’re quiet. You okay?” Simon murmured when Sophia went into
the kitchen to get another bottle of wine.
She swallowed the piece of asparagus in her mouth. “Fine.”
His eyebrows drew together. “Maybe we should leave early. Get
you into bed.”
“We can’t be rude. She’s gone to so much work.” She checked to
make sure Sophia was still out of earshot but lowered her voice anyway. “And I
think she’s really lonely.”
“I have no doubt of it.”
“Callie believes she’s after you.”
“I can promise you she’s not. She’s being very polite, but she
keeps looking at you as if you’re the one she’s hoping to impress. Take it from
a fellow reprobate, she wants to win your friendship. If you weren’t so
preoccupied, you’d notice.”
Gail
had
noticed, which was why she
hadn’t concerned herself with Callie’s warnings. “I’m just stewing over that
interview I gave
Hollywood Secrets Revealed
this
morning.”
“You said it went well.”
“The reporter was receptive, but let’s hope it was the right
move. We don’t want to create a backlash to our claims of peace and happiness
with the media rehashing everything that happened in the past year.”
“It’ll be fine even if they do. We’ll keep pointing to my track
record since we got together. I’ve been perfect. That’s all the judge needs to
know.”
For him, it really was about getting his son back. She smiled
at the pride in his voice. He was feeling a lot better about himself, and that
pleased her. Regardless of what she’d face in the future, at least she would
know she’d made a difference to him.
“Dessert’s almost ready,” Sophia called.
Simon leaned halfway across the table. “I want to mention that
bruise on her cheek again and see how she responds. Do you think I should?”
Gail considered whether or not it would do any good. In her
opinion, it would just make Sophia uncomfortable. “No. She’s too self-conscious
about it. Keeps moving her hair to make sure it’s covered.”
“I bet her husband did it.”
Gail wondered about that, too, except she couldn’t picture Skip
ever striking anyone. “I don’t know. Maybe not. I’d hate to accuse him and be
wrong, especially here. It’s such a close-knit community. Gossip like that can
do so much harm.”
“It’s a tricky situation,” he agreed.
“If she’s being hurt, she needs to speak up. She can’t hope
someone will guess.”
“But not all women can—”
His cell phone interrupted them with the buzz that signaled a
text message. He took it out of his pocket and glanced at it, although he didn’t
seem particularly interested in what might be coming in. He obviously wanted to
get back to their conversation. But then he stiffened.
“What is it?” Gail asked, but that was just as Sophia walked
in.
He glanced from her to their hostess. “It’s Ty,” he said. “If
you’ll excuse me.”
He got up and walked out, leaving Gail to entertain her old
nemesis while he placed a call in the other room. Judging by how low his voice
was, how urgently he was speaking, Gail knew he could only be talking to
Bella.
* * *
Simon didn’t want to look at Gail. He knew she didn’t
agree with what he was doing, and he hated to disappoint her. She’d just started
to trust him. But he had to go back to L.A. Bella had been sobbing on the phone.
He’d never heard her sound quite so desperate and brokenhearted. She’d told him
how much she still loved him. That she’d always love him. That she was terribly
sorry about what had happened between her and his father. That her own
insecurities had gotten the best of her yet again. That there’d never been
anyone in her life who could even compare to him. That she and Ty needed
him.
Simon was so used to running to her rescue that it seemed
natural to go now, even after everything she’d done. But he wouldn’t have let
that sense of obligation influence him if not for Ty. He believed Bella when she
said his son needed him; he’d thought so all along, and wanted to be there for
him. Although Simon wasn’t interested in picking up where he’d left off with
Bella, as she seemed to want, he was hoping for
some
type of relationship that would enable him to see his son on a regular
basis.
Gail sat against the headboard of their new bed, hugging her
knees to her chest as he randomly threw clothes into his suitcase.
“The media will find it strange that you’d abandon me to rush
to her side,” she said, her voice a monotone. “This could ruin everything we’ve
established so far. You realize that.”
He did. They’d talked about it on the way home. He’d take Gail
with him if he could. But jealous as Bella was, he knew that would only cause
more problems. It was his text about being happily married and the picture of
Gail and him on the porch that’d finally caused Bella to break down. She’d told
him on the phone that the minute she saw that picture, she’d feared she’d lost
him for good and couldn’t bear the thought of it.
“She’s suddenly willing to work something out.” He didn’t have
to specify who “she” was. “I have to take advantage of that. You have no idea
how hard she’s been to deal with. No one does. But she promised me that if I
come right away, I can see Ty.”
Gail frowned. “She’s using him as a carrot. She wants you
back.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m no longer interested in her,” he said, but
he could tell that Gail didn’t quite believe him. She thought it was the end of
their marriage, and he couldn’t promise her it wasn’t. What they had was a
contract to work together to help him get custody of Ty. Their relationship had
turned out much better than he’d ever dreamed. But if he gained custody of his
son tonight, he’d have what he wanted, and there’d be no reason to stay
together.
“I’m sure she thinks you
are
interested,” Gail said. “She’s always been able to get you back before.”
Only because she was the mother of his child and he’d so
desperately wanted to maintain a regular family. “I’m not the same person I
was.”
“And yet you’re willing to get on the same old roller
coaster.”
“No. She’ll eventually have to face the fact that I’m over
her.”
In the meantime, Bella could think whatever she wanted as long
as she gave him access to his son. Maybe they could build a bridge during the
next few days, figure out how to put the negativity and fighting behind them. As
far as he was concerned, their split didn’t have to be so acrimonious.
Especially now. Thanks to Gail, he was feeling healthier, more capable of
dealing with the disappointment, the sense of failure and confusion caused by
the divorce.
He’d gladly offer Bella more money if she’d agree to share
custody. He wasn’t sure what he’d be able to arrange. Bella hadn’t been all that
coherent on the phone; she’d just kept crying that she wanted him—but now that
she’d reached out, he had to at least try.
“I don’t trust her,” Gail said.
“Neither do I,” he responded. “But I have to do this. I’m
sorry.” Once he’d finished packing, he wished the limo he’d ordered while they
were at Sophia’s house would arrive. He had a long drive to the airport and
didn’t want to miss his flight out of Sacramento. It was the last one of the
night. He could’ve arranged for his own jet to pick him up—he rarely flew
commercial these days—but that wasn’t easy to do on such short notice. He’d need
to call his pilot, have him get the plane out of the hangar, make sure it had
fuel, file a flight plan. Then Simon would have to wait for him to arrive from
L.A. “Will you be coming home soon?”