I was worthless the remainder of the day and if I knew I wouldn’t be intruding on hers, I would’ve driven up there earlier. But I waited until after four. I figured traffic would be hell, with rush hour. Robert was great at navigating through it, so I attempted to get some work done, but failed.
“How’s the family?” I asked him.
“Very well, sir. I take it you had success with your lady friend.”
A rueful laugh escaped me. “Hardly. I’m still trying to woo her.”
“I see. Might I make a suggestion?”
“I’m all ears, Robert.”
“Ease off a bit. You may be trying too hard.”
He gave me something to think about. “I never had to work this hard before.”
“No, sir. And she may be a frightened filly.”
“What do you mean?”
“As with a filly, you approach gently and with ease. If you go in boldly, you’d never befriend one or get her used to you. Treat your lady the same. Let her get used to you. Back off some. Women like to be courted gently, sir. You’re used to holding the reins and giving orders. You understand the business world. Start noticing her cues.”
“You know something? You’re right. Turn the car around. If I show up like this, she’ll never want to see me again.”
“Yes, sir.”
Why hadn’t I thought of that? I was overpowering her, and she was probably freaking out. But something else had happened. I had to get to the bottom of it. Perhaps she’d eventually tell me, but for now, I’d back off and give her some space. We hadn’t got too far out of the city, so we were home before five. Robert pulled into the underground garage and I thanked him for his advice.
“Enjoy the rest of the night off.”
“Thank you, sir. Have a nice evening yourself.”
I rode the elevator up to my home and when the doors opened, I stepped out and immediately smelled the dinner Rita was cooking.
“Mmm. What’s that?” I asked.
“Chicken Cacciatore.”
“You haven’t fixed that in a while.”
“I know and it’s one of your favorites. I thought you’d be out tonight.”
Smiling, I said, “A change of plans.”
“This should be ready in about forty-five minutes. Are you hungry?”
“Yes and your timing is perfect. I’ll be back.” I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and went to change clothes and on to my office. Cole had sent his final report on the four corporations I’d looked into over to the compliance group and they sent their report back on the first company. I read through it and saw they gave it the green flag. Cole had red-flagged one of them and I was anxious to see if compliance agreed. When I finished, I went to grab dinner.
“I have you all set here, Mr. Thomas.”
“Thank you, Rita. It looks delicious.” And it was. Her chicken was restaurant-worthy and I devoured every morsel. Then I attacked the salad she’d set before me. That left the piece of cake. It was chocolate with chocolate icing. I bit into it and it was perfection. I did love sweets. Good thing I worked out almost every day.
Rita came to clear the plates and I said, “That was excellent, especially the cake.”
“I had a feeling it would be your favorite.”
“You spoil me too much.”
I grabbed a second beer and went to watch TV. I rarely did that, but getting home early tonight had been an unforeseen event. There was a stack of newspapers on the coffee table from the week I hadn’t gone through yet either. Rita kept them for me until I put them on the kitchen counter, my cue for her to throw them away.
I started with Monday’s, then got to Tuesday’s and that’s when I saw it—the picture of Jessica and me. I was kissing her cheek at the gallery event. I read the caption and shook my head. Why did they always have to put this crap in the news? Evan Thomas, CEO of StarWorks Financial, seen with heiress Jessica McCray, at a gallery showing last night.
It was difficult going anywhere without my picture showing up. I needed to get on this and stop this shit from happening. Jessica was only a friend. She was the last person I’d date, but this picture made it look like we were lovers. Moving onto the next section, I started to scan through it when suddenly, something struck me. The timing of when Sylvie texted me on Tuesday morning coincided with this picture. Could she have possibly seen it and … no, she would’ve asked me first. Or would she?
The more I thought about it, the more I wondered.
My phone rang and it startled me. But then my mouth curved into a grin. “Pearson? How’s the newlywed doing?”
His deep voice blasted me through the phone. “What the fuck, Evan? What are you doing with my cousin? I told you to stay away from her, how many times? I turn my back for a minute and you launch yourself at her like …”
“Wait a minute. I didn’t launch myself at her. It was the other way around. She’s the one who made the first move.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t expect anything. It’s the truth. It happened at your reception. I’m your best friend and have been for ages. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“Then how about this. Stay. Away. From. Her.”
The call ended. This was something I never expected. He’d always told me she was off limits, but that had been when we were younger. I thought if I explained things, he’d be cool with it. Man, was I ever wrong.
Eleven
Sylvie
When Rose came in on Friday, she came directly to my office. The expression on her face let me know something was up.
“What is it?”
She started to squirm.
“Rose, what happened? Everything was fine yesterday.” It was true. I’d shared with her what had occurred between Evan and me, and I begged her not to tell Pearson. We didn’t have time to talk privately on Wednesday night when they stopped by to pick up Montana. Besides, they were all so excited to see each other, it hadn’t been the appropriate time.
She fidgeted before she sat down. “Please tell me you won’t hate me.”
“You told him, didn’t you?”
“It’s not what you think. I went home and was so distracted, he coaxed it out of me.”
This made me furious. “How the hell did he manage that?”
“He said as husband and wife, there should be no secrets between us and that it would put a wedge in the middle of us. I tried to explain it had nothing to do with him, but he wouldn’t let it go. He can be very persuasive, you know.”
I knew that. He hadn’t become one of Manhattan’s best attorneys by chance. “Yes, you’re right. So then what?”
“I caved. But that’s not the worst.” She eyed me and said, “Oh, Sylvie, I’m so sorry.”
“What? What are you sorry for?”
“He called Evan.”
“He what?” I shouted.
“I knowwww. I begged him not to, but it was all I could do to stop him from driving into the city and punching the man in the face.” Rose pushed to her feet and paced, wringing her hands.
“I’m calling him.”
“Who, Pearson?”
“Yes. He had no right.”
“Sylvie, stop. He’s calmed down now, but if you call him, it’ll rile him back up and I can’t promise anything then.”
“Rose, I’m an adult and can choose who I go out with. It’s not Pearson’s or anyone else’s place to interfere.”
“But I thought you said it was over.”
“W-well, y-yes, it is,” I stuttered, “but still. He can’t treat me like a child.”
Rose took my hand and said, “He doesn’t see it as that. He sees it as protecting you.”
“Protection my ass. He’ll run every man off in my life.”
Rose chuckled. “You’re acting as though you want to see Evan again.”
“It’s not that. It’s that I want to make my own decisions on who I date.”
Rose sat down again. “I understand. Promise me something
. Don’t call Pearson until tonight. That way I can calm him down and talk some sense into him when he goes ballistic, like I know he’ll do.”
“Fine. I’m still a bit pissed at you though. I know you’re supposed to share everything in marriage, but now I’m not sure I can trust you, Rose.”
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Sylvie.”
“Guess I’m gonna have to find a new friend to confide in.”
“Ouch. That really hurt.” She came over and hugged me. “You can’t really mean that.”
“Of course not. But I learned my lesson. If I ever date anyone who remotely knows Pearson, my lips are sealed where you’re concerned.”
My day had been ruined. The only thing that got my full attention was how angry I was at my cousin. I apologized time after time to each of my patients, making up one excuse after another. It seemed ever since Pearson and Rose got married, my life had turned to hell and it was all because of that one crazy night with Evan. Why the hell did I have to get so smashed?
I thanked God when the day finally ended. The way I felt right now, I could use a bottle of tequila. Gathering up my things, I headed to the car. I was going to give Pearson a piece of my mind and then enjoy my Friday evening … alone. How pitiful was that?
I pulled into a parking space and sighed. I loved my little townhouse. It represented everything I loved in a home … it was cozy, cute, and every time I entered it, I instantly relaxed. On my porch sat a box. Looked like the UPS guy left me something. After I dumped my load inside, I came back out to collect it, then went to change my clothes. All I wanted right now was to get into my stretch yoga pants and a soft T-shirt. Then I padded into the kitchen to make a cup of herbal tea and open the box.
Inside was a bottle of extra Añejo tequila, which I had never tasted before, along with a cozy T-shirt that had St. Lucia written on it. There was a note in the box that instructed me to sip the tequila slowly, neat. And that was all. I knew who it was from, but I was a little sad he hadn’t signed it.
I was a little fearful of the tequila because the last time I’d had any, it left me with a hangover that lasted a couple of days. But then again, I drank it like it had been water—or so I’d been told. Tearing off the plastic and twisting off the cork, I inhaled and it didn’t smell at all like tequila. A spicy aroma with a hint of cinnamon invaded my senses. Hmm, I might give this a try after I meditate.
As I sat on the floor, getting ready to do just that, someone pounded on my door. Not softly either. It was an incessant banging, like they wanted to break the door down. Who in the heck was that? I stared out the peephole to see Pearson standing there. Great. He’s exactly the person I wanted to talk to.
I swung the door open and said, “You ass—” just as he raised his fist to knock again and instead of hitting the door, he pounded me dead center on the nose.
“Owww!” I staggered backward as my ass hit the floor. Stars swam before my eyes for a second.
Pearson was by my side, saying, “Shit. I didn’t expect you to be standing there.”
My hand reached for my nose, which dribbled blood, and I got up and staggered to the kitchen. Leaning over the sink, blood trailed down to the drain.
“Let me have a look.”
“No, get me some ice first,” I said, my tone nasally.
He grabbed a towel, put some ice in it, and handed it to me. “Here.”
My nose throbbed as I placed the pack on it. “Shit, this hurts like a mother. I wonder if it’s broken.”
“If you let me look, I might be able to tell you.”
“How would you know?”
“Sylvie, I’ve been in plenty of fights to know what a broken nose looks like.”
“Okay.”
He lifted the pack off and said, “We’re going to the hospital.”
“Can’t Grey fix it?” Grey was his brother.
“Grey’s a cardiologist. He fixes hearts, not noses. Let’s go.”
We got into his fancy car and on the way, he called Rose. She bit his head off when he told her what happened. It was an accident, but I was going to make him feel terrible about this.
“You need to stay out of my life, Pearson. I’m not eighteen.” I sounded like a high-pitched bird.
“You can’t date Evan.”
“I can date whomever I want.”
He growled something unintelligible and then was quiet. We pulled into the parking lot and walked inside. By the time they finished checking me in, Grey showed up. Evidently Pearson had called him and he hadn’t left the hospital yet.
“I can’t believe you punched her, Pearson. Let me take a look at this.” I pulled the ice pack away, while he checked my nose out. “Follow me.”
We followed him through the automatic door. It was nice to know someone who had connections. He spoke to the nurses at the station and they put me in one of those curtained off rooms.
Grey said, “They’re paging an ENT now. It definitely looks broken to me. But let the specialist be the judge. I hope you don’t need surgery.”
“Surgery? What the heck. Can’t they just bend it back?”
“Sylvie, that’s not how it works,” Grey said.
I punched Pearson’s arm. “If you would just mind your own business, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“What’s going on between you two?” Grey asked.
“He’s trying to boss me around.”
“She wants to date Evan.”
Grey laughed. “You two need to settle this. Pearson, Sylvie is thirty and can decide who she wants to date. Besides, isn’t Evan your best friend?”
“Yeah, that’s the problem. I know too much about him.”
“Whoa. You didn’t hear Sylvie warning Rose away from you, did you? And she knew a hell of a lot about you too.”
Pearson shifted from one foot to the other. “That was different.”
“How?” Grey asked.
“Rose knew all about me too.”
“Take my advice—both of you. Everyone has to figure out their own shit. You can’t boss her around anymore. She’s an adult, Pearson. And on that note, here comes Will.”
Another doctor walked in and Grey said, “Will James, meet my cousin, Sylvie West, who my brother, Pearson, cold-cocked in the nose.”
The day couldn’t possibly have been worse.
Twelve
Evan
Robert dropped off the gift to Sylvie late this afternoon. I’d bought it for her so I figured she may as well have it. Hoping against hope, I thought I might receive a thank you, but one never came. I suppose I should get used to the fact that I’d been dumped, plain and simple. I was slightly crushed. Not so much by the fact she’d dumped me, but because she’d never given me any sort of explanation. I’d expected more out of her after our conversations and how I thought she wasn’t that kind of person. I’d always prided myself on being a great judge of character too, and believed she’d had it in spades. Guess she fooled me.
Even after Pearson’s call and listening to him rant, I figured I’d give him lip service and then do whatever the hell I wanted. I was a grown man and sure, he was my best friend, but I was past taking orders from him. Sylvie was an adult and it was time he treated her as one. I hope his tirade wasn’t the reason she hadn’t responded to me or texted me a thanks. If so, I had to let it go. I didn’t want or need someone who couldn’t think for themselves.
Saturday morning, I woke clearheaded, so I went out for a run. It was a beautiful day, which made my run more enjoyable. When I finished, I stopped off for some breakfast, then went home. At noon, I had planned to meet some friends to shoot some hoops at the club I belonged to. After two hours, we wrapped it up.
One of the guys, Bradley, asked if I had plans that night.
A bitter reply hovered on my lips, but instead, I said, “Not tonight.”
“What? Mr. Man About Town lost his charm?”
“Funny. No, as a matter of fact, I just happen to enjoy lying low every now an
d then.”
“Why don’t you come out with us?” he asked.
“Explain who us is.”
“A friend of mine from the U.K. is in town for business and he wants to go out. Mitchell, Kent, and I thought we’d take Colin out. Come join us. Have a guy’s night out.”
“Sounds good. Where to?”
“Club SoHo. You know it?”
“Yeah, I think so. What time?”
“We’re getting dinner first. Wanna go?”
“Nah, I’ll meet you afterward. Text me when you’re done, and I’ll meet you in SoHo.”
Bradley asked, “You sure?”
“I don’t think I can handle eight hours of you guys.”
“Ha. Make sure you have a couple of drinks then because you don’t want to be completely sober around a bunch of drunk dudes.”
“True. See you tonight.”
After I ate some of that chicken cacciatore that Rita made, I had a couple of drinks and waited for Bradley’s text. I hoped it didn’t come at midnight. I was past staying out until the sun rose. My life was better than that. It finally came around nine forty-five. I’d given Robert the night off, so I hailed a cab and headed to SoHo.
By the time I got there, the place was packed. Music blared and the line at the bar was hideous. A woman a couple of people ahead of me eyed me and said, “I’ll get yours. What’re you drinking?”
“Grey Goose, soda, extra lime.”
A few minutes later, she handed me the drink and I passed her a twenty.
“No need. You can get me next time.”
“What if I can’t find you,” I said.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find you.” She winked and walked away.
Checking out the crowd, I figured it best if I texted Bradley. He answered immediately, which surprised me. They were toward the back, near the dance floor. Pushing my way through the crowd, I found them standing near a group of women.
One Indecent Night Page 6