He chuckled at her. He loved her sense of adventure, and the way she always tried to rise to his sexy, exhibitionistic challenges. But he wanted an answer to his question before their fun time began.
“Well? How's the jerk been treating you?”
“He's not a jerk, he's … just a little stuck on himself,” she smiled. “And he's been treating me fine. His flirting is harmless.” Instantly, she wished she had chosen different words.
“He's flirting with you?” Cory asked. And both his tone and the expression on his face told her that he was pissed.
“Cory,” she sighed. “I didn't mean flirting, I meant … joking. He's just one of those guys who jokes around with everyone. Not just me. It's no big deal; please don't get upset over this.”
He stared at her image on the screen for a long minute, feeling the anger course through him and being totally helpless to do anything about it.
“Baby, please,” she pleaded softly. “Trust me.”
“I do trust you, Donna. I don't trust him. And I hate the thought of him coming on to you!”
She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. “You know, not to brag or anything, but he's not the first guy to come on to me. I do have some considerable experience at shooting men down.”
Her tone was playful and sexy, and Cory tried not to smile at her words, but he couldn't help himself. “Yeah, I suppose you do. I know you intimidated the hell out of me that first night,” he smiled at her.
“What are you talking about? I could not have been sweeter,” she exclaimed. “I must have smiled at you a million times that night! I didn't think you were ever going to take the hint and come talk to me.”
“Well I could just tell that you were an expert at shooting men down, and I was afraid for my fragile little ego,” Cory smiled.
“Well you shouldn't have been,” she purred. “Because you had me the moment I saw you walk through the door, Mr. Dutton.”
Their eyes locked and held for a moment, and Cory actually reached out and touched his computer screen, wishing like hell that he could touch her face.
“I love you so much, Donna.”
“Oh, I love you too, baby.”
“What are you wearing?” he asked softly, his voice taking on a decidedly darker tone. And Donna felt her breath hitch with excitement at the start of their nightly, naughty show and tell.
*****
In his hotel suite a floor above Donna's, Tad Radcliffe sat talking to his assistant as they went over his schedule and his calendar. His assistant was an efficient young woman, great with multitasking and very eager to keep her boss happy. She was excellent at her job and always did absolutely anything he asked. His only complaint was that she wasn't at all attractive, but perhaps that was for the best because screwing her would have undoubtedly led to more problems than he wanted.
As they were finishing up their meeting, he had one last item that he needed her to take care of. “Tell me, did you take plenty of pictures of the kissing scenes Ms. Devlin and I shot today?”
“Yes, of course. Just as you asked, sir. Although, Mr. Watts wasn't at all happy with me doing so. He threatened to take away my camera. He only let me keep it when I told him the camera was yours.”
“That's fine. You let me worry about the director. But I have big plans for those pictures. I am not about to even attempt to seduce a starry-eyed newlywed. That would be much too time consuming. But luckily, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Just like there's more than one way to manipulate the media. Ms. Devlin doesn't want to play with me? We'll just change the rules of the game,” he smiled. “My reputation as a ladykiller is at stake here. Tad Radcliffe always beds his starlet, and Ms. Devlin is not going to break my streak. I want you to choose two or three of the best shots from today, retouch them slightly as needed. And then leak them to a few of the celebrity gossip outlets.”
Chapter Five
Cory smiled to himself as he watched the elated look on Monroe Ivory's face as he sat in the middle of both his boys, playing his ass off as the three of them jammed together on an old funk tune that Monroe's band made famous back in the day. The older black man had watched curiously when Cory had helped Noah carry the small amps outside and set them up. And when Noah had handed Otis and his dad each a guitar, the old man had looked shocked.
“What the hell you expect me to do with this?” he had said, his hazel green eyes piercing his youngest son with disbelief.
“I expect you to show me how it's done,” Noah had smiled.
They had been entertaining the backyard full of family for the past twenty minutes now, and Cory knew that this one small gesture of Noah's had made the man's entire year. When their jam session ended, the smile on Monroe's face was priceless, and Cory actually thought he saw the old man mist up a little. He self-consciously placed a hand on his face, covering his nose and mouth for a moment as he glanced briefly at Noah. The applause in the large, manicured yard was generous and well-deserved, and Cory couldn't help but watch the reactions of the three men. Their family dynamic had always fascinated him, for obvious reasons, he was sure.
Otis grabbed his dad's hand and slapped him on the back with a big grin. “Not too bad for an old man,” he exclaimed with a huge smile.
Monroe looked at him with an almost embarrassed smile. “I guess I still got a little something,” he said humbly.
“I don't know, O,” Noah smiled, looking from his brother to their dad. “I think we might have to give him a cameo spot on the next album.”
Otis' eyebrows shot for the heavens, and he smiled questioningly at his little brother while Monroe looked at his son as if he were trying to figure out who the heck he was. Then he snorted softly, and said, “Shit. You don't want an old broke down funk musician like me on your rock album.”
“Actually, I think it would be sort of cool,” Noah said, looking his father in the eye. “That is, of course, as long as the guys all agree, and we can find just the right song to make it really worthwhile.” They stared at each other in silence for a moment. “Assuming you would even be interested, I mean.”
Another long pause as Monroe stared at his son. “Yeah. I'd be interested. Assuming you're really serious, and this isn't some kind of pity offering.”
“Dad,” Noah sighed impatiently. “If I wasn't serious, I wouldn't have brought it up. And pity has nothing to do with it. You are a hell of a musician and I …” Noah voice faltered, and he stopped and took a breath. “I don't acknowledge that as often as I should. But if shit like that is inherited then … I know that I owe most of my talent and ability to you. And I'm … grateful. I may not always show it. But I am.”
Monroe looked at his son long and hard, the shock written all over his weathered face. Then he slowly began to shake his head. “No. Your talent came from God, same as mine. And your ability is the result of your own hard work and dedication. The only thing you inherited from me was a natural and undying love for the guitar. That said … it's nice to hear you call me a hell of a musician. I am honored to know you think so.”
Cory shook his head with a small smile as he sipped his beer and watched the two men make tentative steps toward bridging the gap between them. And he was slightly startled when he felt the feather-light touch of a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Noah's mom looking down at him, her blonde hair blowing around her head like a halo in the soft breeze. She smiled as she took a seat next to him on the picnic bench.
“Thank you,” she said softly, and Cory frowned at her.
“What for, Kay?”
“Noah told me this little performance was your idea,” she said, her soft blue eyes smiling at him.
“My idea?” Cory repeated with a puzzled tone. Then he slowly shook his head. “I'm sorry, Kay. I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't tell Noah to do this.”
“He said that you put him in his place a couple of weeks ago and showed him that he needed to make more of an effort to connect with his dad,” she explai
ned.
Cory blushed a little and looked at her apologetically. “Kay, I'd had a bad day and I was running off at the mouth. I said a bunch of shit I shouldn't have said.”
“Well, whatever you said, it made an impact on my son, and I'm grateful,” she smiled. “Even if this one little display of respect and admiration is all that Monroe gets … it was worth it. He will be living off the memories of this day for years to come. And whatever you said to Noah helped make that happen. You're a good friend. And I imagine that your own father would be very proud of the man you've become. In spite of him.”
She leaned in and kissed his cheek, then she stood up and walked away. And Cory sat for a moment watching Noah and Otis with their dad, and thinking about their mom's words. And he suddenly couldn't help wondering if she was right. And he wondered if his own dad even knew anything about him. Had he kept tabs on him and his sisters over the years? Did he know that his son was now a famous rock star, married to a famous actress? Was he proud of him? Disgusted by him? Did he give a shit? Hell, for all Cory knew, Charles Dutton wasn't even still alive. And idly, he wondered if his mother ever heard from him or knew where he was.
Cory frowned at that thought and pushed it, and the others, from his mind with great effort as he looked slowly around Noah's backyard, taking in the activity going on around him. He watched Kay walk over to where his mom was sitting, and they struck up a conversation. They had gotten to know each other years ago, back when he and Noah were in school, and the two women still kept in touch. Mercy stood chatting with her dad's girlfriend, Alison, as Mike manned the grill, flipping burgers and adding barbeque sauce to the chicken. He looked like he was having great fun playing chef. Buzzy was in the pool, splashing water at Mercy's two friends, Amber and Barb, as he flirted up a storm. Otis soon jumped in, joining them and making a foursome as Noah made his way over to Mercy and wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her temple. And Cory watched them all, feeling like the loneliest poor bastard in the world.
He missed his wife. And as he sat alone at the picnic table watching the others, his mind wandered to last night's video session and the longing he'd felt for her. He didn't understand it. It wasn't like he and Donna had never spent any time apart before. But now that they were married, the time apart just seemed to be magnified somehow. Or maybe it was just the fact that they were newlyweds and all he could think about was having her in his arms and feeling her body next to his. God, he wanted to hold her! He needed her. He needed the calming energy that he always felt emanating from her. She would know just the right thing to say to sooth him right now, to put his turbulent thoughts in order and quiet the questions in his head. She always listened when he talked about his father, and she always made it better somehow.
His cellphone suddenly chirped at him, and he sighed as he pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. He frowned when he saw the call was from his sister, Cathleen.
“Cat? What's up?”
“Cory, are you and Mom still at the cookout at Noah's?”
“Yeah. Why? What's going on?”
“Um, have you talked to Donna today?”
Cory's frown deepened. “Donna? She's in Toronto, Cat. You know that. What's going on?”
“Are you somewhere where you can get to a TV screen?”
He stood instantly and started walking swiftly toward the house. “Damn it, Cat, what the hell is going on?” he asked her quietly as he crossed the patio and opened the French doors, letting himself inside.
“Just get to a TV and turn it to the entertainment news,” she said.
Cory rolled his eyes at her sense of drama as he picked up the remote and turned on the TV in Noah's kitchen. Mercy turned around, startled at the sudden noise as she pulled a large bowl out of the fridge.
“I'm sorry, Merc,” he mumbled, glancing at her and then back to the screen.
“No problem. I just came in to grab the fruit and the pasta salad.
“Need some help, baby?” Noah asked as he walked into the kitchen. He was stopped in his tracks as he saw Donna's face on the TV screen, and the three of them stared in silence at the pictures of her and her new co-star locked in what appeared to be a steamy embrace. And Cory felt his world stop for a moment as all the air left his lungs and he forgot how to breathe. Sweat broke out across his brow as his limbs went numb, his mouth went dry, and his eyes burned from the image before him. The room went deathly quiet as all eyes turned to him, but he didn't notice. He was busy trying to remain upright. He felt as though he'd just taken a bullet to the head.
“Cory?”
He heard his sister's voice in his head and wondered why. Then he remembered he was holding his cellphone to his ear.
“Cory?” she said again.
“Yeah,” he whispered, finding the sound of his own voice strange all of a sudden. “I'm hanging up now, Cat.”
“Cory? Are you alright?” she was asking as he disconnected the call and stared at the screen, trying to focus on what the report was saying. But he couldn't concentrate for shit. All he could see was that image in his brain.
This wasn't happening. He knew that this wasn't real. That image was a fake. It was doctored somehow, or it was taken from the movie set. There was a logical, reasonable explanation for what he was seeing. There had to be. Donna loved him. And she was a smart girl. She would never fall for a slimy worm like Tad Radcliffe. Even if she didn't love him! But Cory knew that she did. She loved him, and this wasn't real.
“I'm sure there has to be some mistake,” Mercy said as she looked at him. “Donna is so completely in love with you. She would never do that.”
“Yeah man,” Noah chimed in, pointing to the screen. “That picture has clearly been doctored somehow. I mean, look at it.”
Cory said nothing, and they suddenly heard Mike's voice behind them.
“Aw shit. I just got a call from Max, at the office, telling me about this. Have you tried to reach Donna?” he asked.
Cory again said nothing as he stared straight ahead. He could hear them talking, but he couldn't figure out how to respond. It was as if his brain and his mouth had suddenly stopped communicating with each other. His cellphone rang again, snapping him out of his stupor, and he glanced at it hoping to see Donna's name on the caller ID. It was his other sister, Caroline.
“Cary, I've already talked to Cat,” he said, forgoing the customary 'hello' as he answered the call. “Tell her I'm sorry I hung up on her, but I'm fine.”
“You don't sound fine, Cory,” his sister said.
“I'm fine! Look, I can't talk right now, Cary. I need to … talk to Donna,” he mumbled.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “Cory, I'm sure there's been some misunderstanding or something.”
He said goodbye to his sister, and as soon as he ended the call, his phone rang again. In an instant, he had a half dozen calls, all from other news and entertainment outlets wanting a comment from him. Cory ignored them all and shut the phone's ringer off.
“This is why you need to talk to Donna as soon as you can,” Mike said, looking him in the eye. “So that we can craft a statement and get those hounds off your back. Okay?”
Cory nodded his head, suddenly grateful for Mike's presence. He knew that Jagged Ivory's manager would do the strategic thinking so that he could concentrate on his wife. He took a deep breath as he shut off the TV and looked around at the concerned faces in the kitchen. Noah and Mercy stood at his side, each with an arm around the other's waist, as Mike stood on the other side of the island. And Ellen walked in, right on cue, her worried frown easy to read.
“Cory? I just talked to Cathleen and Caroline.”
“I'm sure you did, Mom,” he sighed. “Everything's fine.” She said nothing as she stared at him with an anxious gaze. “Everything's fine. There's a reasonable explanation for that picture. It's all going to be fine.” He tried hard to give his voice its usual happy resonance, but he wasn't certain if he was trying to convince his mom or himself.
His cellphone vibrated in his jeans, and he held his breath as he pulled it out, hoping like hell that it was Donna this time. But it was her parent's number instead, and he suddenly felt something inside him give way as his heart dropped into his stomach. He answered the call with trembling hands.
“Hello?”
“Cory, sweetheart, I've just seen the news and I can't reach Donna!” It was his mother-in-law, Cindy, and she sounded as anxious as his own mother did. “Is everything alright? Are you two …”
“Everything is fine, Cindy,” Cory insisted once more, trying to calm her down. “Donna and I are just fine. The pictures on the tabloids are a mistake.”
“Have you spoken to her?”
“Yes, I talk to her every day,” Cory answered. “We spoke last night for well over an hour and everything was great. So there has to be some mistake with these pictures, okay? Don't worry about it. It's just the Hollywood gossip machine doing its thing.” Ten minutes later, he sighed heavily to himself once he got his mother-in-law calmed down and hung up the phone.
“Come on, baby,” Noah said quietly, looking at Mercy. “Let's get this food outside so everyone can eat.” He shot Cory a reassuring smile as he led his girlfriend away. And Cory knew his answering smile was forced and unnatural, but it couldn't be helped.
“We can go now if you don't feel like staying, sweetie,” Ellen said to him, searching his eyes with her own.
“Mom, I'm fine,” he smiled. “Donna and I are fine. This is all just a misunderstanding. Why don't you head back outside and grab a plate, okay? I'll be right out. I just need to talk to Mike for a minute.”
Ellen touched his arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze before she turned and left the kitchen. And Cory nearly collapsed onto a stool at the kitchen island once he and Mike were alone.
“What's on your mind?” Mike asked him.
Cory shook his head. “Nothing. I just needed to get her out of here. She has a tendency to hover if she thinks one of her baby chicks is in trouble.”
“She's just worried about you.”
The Essential Jagged Ivory (Jagged Ivory Boxed Set) Page 26