“That was nice.”
Eva shrugged. “Everyone needs encouragement from time to time.”
“Akker Mills,” a female voice said from behind us as we began to make our way into the room. I turned, smiling when I recognized Valerie Cole.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, stepping into her to kiss her proffered cheek.
“It’s date night. He didn’t tell me it was a fundraiser, though.”
“He has this habit of forgetting important details.”
“You’re telling me.” Valerie’s eyes shifted from me to the woman beside me. “Hello.”
Eva smiled politely. “How are you?”
Valerie glanced at me, her eyebrows rising slightly.
“Dr. Valerie Cole, this is Eva Rae. Eva, this is Valerie Cole.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“What kind of doctor?”
“I’m a pediatrician.”
“That’s fascinating. Do you enjoy it?”
Valerie laughed kind of nervously like she thought Eva was joking with her. But the expression on her face suggested Eva was dead serious.
Oliver Winn quietly walked up behind Valerie, sliding an arm around her shoulders. The expression on her face when she looked up at him made something I thought had died long ago cry out, an ache burning through my chest. There was such affection there. One might think they’d been together for decades, but it had only been a little less than a month.
“I do enjoy it,” Valerie finally said. “Very much.”
Eva lowered her head slightly. “That’s always good to hear.”
“Enjoy what?” Oliver asked.
“This is Oliver Winn,” I explained to Eva, “Valerie’s other half.”
Valerie laughed while Oliver shot me a look suggesting he didn’t appreciate the little joke.
“Are you related to Ox?”
“He’s my older brother,” Oliver admitted.
“Is the entire company made up of brothers?”
Valerie laughed. “I had the same question when I first met them all.”
“Do I know you?” Oliver suddenly asked.
“She’s a model,” Valerie interjected before I could say anything. “And she’s in that movie, Rum Run, that we saw last week.”
Eva blushed in a very attractive sort of way, adding color to her already warm skin tones. “I apologize for that one. It wasn’t the best movie ever made.”
“He enjoyed it, actually,” Valerie said, touching her arm lightly. “He likes that sort of comedic mess.”
“I’m glad someone does.”
It was clear the two ladies were hitting it off, but the rest of the party was beginning to descend on us. Another group of fans came up, some older woman holding out a pen and paper to Eva. Like with the teenage girls, she was polite, asking questions of the woman as she wrote something nice on the paper. A few men came over, too, but I got the feeling their interest was more in being close to this beautiful woman than to get autographs.
I took her hand after a few minutes and made a polite excuse to her growing number of admirers, drawing her onto the dance floor.
“I thought you could use a little break,” I said as I carefully rested a hand on her silk-covered waist.
“They say you get used to all the adoration, but I find it grows more and more overwhelming.”
“I can imagine.”
“I never apologized for slapping you,” she said, looking up at me with her big blue eyes. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I’m sure I deserved it in some sort of cosmic sense.”
“Like karma?”
“Sure. Isn’t that the thing where what goes around comes around?”
“Are you such a bad guy?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t always been an angel.”
Almost as if on some sort of cue, Ox moved up behind me, tapping me on the shoulder. “You have a call, brother.”
He held out his cell phone, the look on his face telling me everything I needed to know. She’d found a way to force me to talk to her. A part of me wanted to tell Ox to take his phone and go somewhere alone with it, put it somewhere it would never see the sun again. But this was my boss. She knew calling him would be the only sure way to get me to speak to her.
“Sorry,” I said both to Ox and Eva.
“This can’t keep happening, Akker. You have to deal with it.”
I nodded, glancing at Eva again. I could see the curiosity burning in those incredible eyes. What would she think of me if she knew what was waiting for me on the other end of this call? She’d probably agree that that slap was well deserved.
I took the phone and walked off, leaving my beautiful assignment in the arms of my boss while I went to deal with the nightmare I’d made of my life.
Chapter 3
Eva
The music was lovely, the wine delicious. The company was even pretty nice, though I could have done with a little less attention. The moment Akker walked away, Ox escorted me to the bar and we were almost immediately inundated with more fans, more enthusiastic socialites who thought rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous could only be good for their standing. I smiled, my jaw muscles quickly growing sore, said all the right things even though I knew I would go over every little word uttered from between my lips later tonight, wondering how big a fool I’d made of myself. Part of me wished my father had been able to make this trip. He was always the best buffer, answering questions for me and brushing off the too enthusiastic like a pro. He was born for this stuff. I was the one who fumbled and mumbled and screwed up at every turn.
And now I had to make a speech.
Akker was back, watching from off to one side of the crowd that had gathered at the front of the stage. I found looking at him was reassuring despite his resemblance to his brother, to the memories of my past. But maybe it was that very connection that made him reassuring to me, that familiarity, that anchor to the past. He reminded me of a time when I was just another face in the crowd. I liked that.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming out tonight to support such a worthy cause!” the chairwoman of the outreach program began, gathering everyone’s attention. “Tonight we hope to raise enough money to launch our new afterschool art program. And so far, I have to say, we’ve met every expectation and then some!”
A cheer went up in the crowd.
“This program is important for so many reasons, I can’t even begin to describe them all. Art has become one of those programs that has gotten its budget cut so many times in the public-school system that teachers are having to bring their own supplies to class, supplies purchased with their own personal funds. And this, despite the fact that studies have proved that students who learn to appreciate music and art in all its forms do better on standard tests, do better in math, and in other logic-based studies.”
A scattering of applause rose for a second.
“This program hopes to help alleviate some of the pressure on the public-school system. We not only want to provide children with a place to go after school—a safe place where students can go when parents have to work and cannot afford any other source of child care—but a place that will give them skills that will help them in their academic classes, a place where they can embrace the creative sides of their minds and enrich them, a place where kids can be kids while learning to appreciate the beauty this world has to offer them.”
More applause.
“Tonight, a young woman who knows firsthand the difficulties of growing up on San Antonio’s streets, a woman who graduated from our public-school system, has graciously agreed to speak to y’all about her experiences. Please, help me to welcome Eva Rae to the stage!”
I took a deep breath, glancing toward Akker as I walked across the stage. I could feel my train dragging behind me, making me wish I’d chosen something else to wear. What if I tripped? What if I fell flat on my face in front of these people? But then Akker lifted his chin slightly, the da
rk clouds that had been in his eyes since taking his phone call gone now as he watched me. There was something about that look, something about the way the light hit his hazel eyes that made me feel stronger.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!”
A cheer sounded all around the room, making me blush a little.
I held up my hands to silence the crowd. “I’m honored to have been asked here tonight. As a child growing up in San Antonio, I used to visit this museum with my mother. I was always delighted to see the exhibits, eager to study the beautiful artifacts and impressive paintings. I never forgot my awe at seeing paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, illustrations by Maxfield Parrish, and photographs by Burt Harwood. It was an experience that was quite inspiring for a young girl. Later, when I began my career and stood in front of a photographer for hours at a time, I couldn’t help but remember these experiences and wonder if I would have been where I was if not for the inspiration of other artists.
“Our world is filled with darkness. Children see terrible things happen every day, things that fifty, sixty years ago they would have been sheltered from. Especially inner-city children who experience the aftermath of gang activity and other violent crimes. I just spoke with a child this morning about the day he watched his father get stabbed to death by someone he’d considered a friend. In this world of uncertainty, children need hope.”
The room had fallen deeply silent with my words. I’d known it would be risky to bring up such things in a room filled with wealthy aristocrats who rarely involved themselves in the reality of the working poor in their own city. Yet these were the people they were here to help.
“That is why I’ve agreed to donate three million dollars to this program. I believe children need hope—and what can offer hope more than beauty?”
The silence continued for a heartbeat, during which I glanced again at Akker. He was watching me with an expression I didn’t know him well enough to read. But then the crowd erupted into applause.
The chairwoman returned to the stage, making a show of offering me a hug. I barely knew her, barely knew anything about her, but it was clearly a publicity moment. I could see the flashes going off before she let go of me. We must have stood there for ten minutes, soaking in the attention of the press before she finally let me go. But then I was surrounded by others, people who all wanted to be close to me while reporters pushed their way through to ask questions about the donation. I must have answered the same question ten times.
Why this organization? Is this why you’ve come back to San Antonio?
Akker came to my side discreetly, remaining beside me, but not putting himself into the middle of things. It was a balance he struck that was admirable. And somehow it made it easier knowing this complete stranger was near me, knowing that he was there to protect me should anyone decide to turn dark. Thank goodness, no one did.
When the night slowly began to descend into its death throes, Akker took my hand and slipped me out through a side door during a moment when my adoring fans were distracted. He grabbed my wrap and clutch, pulling me through the same door we’d entered by, pulling me down a set of steps and along a path that led down toward the river. We could hear the clamor coming from restaurants and nightclubs that populated the famous San Antonio River Walk a few blocks behind us, but it quickly diminished as we walked away from it.
“That’s a generous thing you did.”
I shrugged. “I made twice that for my last picture. What else am I going to do with all this money they keep shoving at me?”
“Put it away for a rainy day.”
“That’s what my father said from the very beginning. That’s why I have a nice little retirement account that is well invested, well managed, and well hidden from all these yes-men that I find very difficult to trust.”
“Your father is a smart man.”
I had to agree. “He always has been. Moved us here from Georgia when I was fourteen for a job that turned our lives around. If not for that choice, I never would have made the connections that led to my career.”
“How did you get started in modeling?”
I lifted my skirt a little as we crossed a rocky section of sidewalk, thinking again about the past I thought I’d let go. “I was out with some friends, having dinner in a restaurant not far from here. This guy walks up, hands me a card, and tells me I have the look he wants. I didn’t think anything of it, even forgot about it. It’s not unusual for some guy to use that sort of line to come on to a girl, you know?”
“So I’ve heard.”
I glanced at him, wondering if he was teasing, but the look on his face was quite serious. Again, he reminded me so much of Brock, but he was so different at the same time. They shared mannerisms beyond the similarities in their appearance, but there were differences that were hard to name but that were there just the same.
“Brock found the card. He checked it out without telling me, even called the guy and asked him what he wanted from me. When he decided it might be legit, he talked me into going. Even went with me, stayed by my side the whole time they were taking pictures and whatever. If not for him, none of it would ever have happened.”
“Was it legit?”
“Yeah. This guy was an executive for a small ad agency here. He had a photographer take my picture so he could show his boss. He had some campaign he wanted a new face for. He didn’t want a pro. But when the ad came out, a local talent agency hired me and got me more jobs.”
“And that led to Los Angeles.”
“Yes.”
Akker fell quiet for a long time, walking silently beside me. Every once in a while, he’d touch the small of my back, guiding me along a trail only he knew. Finally, he cleared his throat and sighed, glancing out over the river.
“Brock and I were best friends all our lives, inseparable since before birth. But things went down in high school that complicated things.” He fell quiet again for a moment. “I knew I missed out on a few things, but I hadn’t realized he’d omitted so much.”
“He never talked about me at all?”
Akker’s expression was filled with sympathy. That probably hurt more than if he’d just shaken his head and admitted the truth.
I hated myself for the tears that suddenly filled my eyes.
“And here I thought that maybe, just maybe, someday I would run into him and he’d have this great explanation about what happened. That he would come running back into my life on the back of a white horse, tell me he always loved me and that there were things beyond his control that kept him from me. And then we’d go riding off into the sunset together.”
“Real life rarely works out like the movies.”
“I don’t suppose so.” I brushed at a single tear that escaped my eye. “But a girl can dream, can’t she? I’d rather keep dreaming than realize that I meant so little to him that he never mentioned my name, let alone anything else, to his own brother!”
“I don’t think it was like that, Eva.”
“Then what was it like?”
He dropped his gaze, his hand on the small of my back directing me to cross the street at a corner. I supposed he didn’t like talking about this brother this way. I didn’t have siblings, but I supposed talking about them behind their back—especially with someone who had a beef with them—was like telling rumors behind the back of a good friend. I couldn’t have done it.
“I’m sorry. I keep putting you in a bad spot.”
“No, I’m sorry. I wish I could give you the answers you need, but it’s not my place.” He moved ahead of me once we were safe on the sidewalk again, stopping me so that I had to look up at him. “Brock will be home soon enough and maybe he can tell you some of these things.”
I shook my head. “No. I think I have all the answers I need. Besides, I’m only in town for a short while and every minute is booked. It would be silly to sit around and wait for someone who clearly doesn’t want to have this conversation with me anyway.” I forced a smile. “I appreciate
you putting up with my crap. I promise I won’t bring him up anymore.”
“It’s fine, Eva, really. I understand.”
“I don’t.” I sighed. “But it’s not your problem.”
I skirted around him, finally recognizing the area where we stood. He’d walked me back to the hotel, not bothering with the traffic or the car. He followed me through the lobby, the few people sitting around waiting for a table at the restaurant or the bar seeming not to notice us. It was almost refreshing.
Akker boarded the elevator with me, not speaking as he jabbed his finger against the appropriate button for my floor. I stared up at the numbers as they began to move, not really in much of a mood to talk.
“It was a girl.”
I glanced at Akker. Clearly my lack of desire to talk wasn’t infectious. “What was?”
“The reason for Brock and me falling out.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
Akker didn’t smile. He didn’t react to my words at all, almost as if he’d forgotten I was there.
“She was the captain of the cheer squad our junior year of high school. Brock was the quarterback, and it’s always the way of high school that the quarterback and the captain of the cheer squad get together—right? He was head over heels for her, so proud to walk around the school with her on his arm. You’d think they were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the way he acted.” Akker buried his hands in his pockets, his gaze on the floor. “What he didn’t know was that she was always coming around me, making suggestive comments, flirting as hard as she could, telling me things that no girl should tell a fifteen-year-old boy.”
“You stole his girl from him.”
He nodded. “The thing was, she never even crossed my radar until he started going out with her. And then she planted all these ideas in my head… How could I resist?”
“So, you broke his heart and he broke mine. I guess it’s fair to say that we’ve come to some junction of a full circle.”
“Maybe.”
The elevator doors opened. Harry and Lloyd were nowhere to be seen, which didn’t surprise me at all. I handed Akker the access card, stepping back as he opened the door and gave the place a quick look around. When he was done, I went to the little mini fridge and pulled out one of the bottles of champagne.
Caballo Security Box Set Page 19