Secrets (Lords of the City)

by Alice Ward

  “One second you’re saying that I could meet the man of my dreams at the party. The next, you’re describing everyone who’ll be there as the exact opposite of my type. I can’t do this. I’m just going to call Oliver and tell him that I have to work this weekend.”

  “You’ll do no such thing,” Piper insisted, pointing at me with her chopsticks. “Plenty of the men there will be assholes. Plenty of the women will be stuck up bitches. But think about it this way. The worst case scenario is that you’ll get a free beach weekend with annoying company. The best case scenario is that you meet a handsome, brilliant man who also happens to be loaded. Either way, I don’t think it’s something to pass up. Though, I would stay away from Drake Waters if I were you,” she added, her tone suddenly grave. Piper lifted her spoon and eyed the pudding before looking at me. I gave her a permissive nod and she took a large bite, swallowing it with the last of her iced tea.

  “Definitely,” I agreed, swallowing my own bite of pudding. “I can’t believe Oliver is working with him. I know he’s won tons of awards and the partnership is great for Oliver’s career. But I don’t know how he can stand to be in the same room with him.”

  “I’ve heard that he makes his women sign nondisclosure agreements,” Piper said, a hit of scandal in her voice. “Think about it. He’s photographed with woman after woman, but not a single one of them have ever given an interview about their relationship. And I bet that’s a story the tabloids would pay a lot of money for.”

  “That’s disgusting. And it wouldn’t surprise me at all,” I agreed as Lucy delivered our check.

  “It’s my turn,” Piper said, reaching for her purse. She gave Lucy a twenty and told her to keep the change.

  “So, I’ll pretend to be outgoing, approach it like I’m playing a character, and stay away from the host,” I recapped.

  “You forgot ‘try to enjoy yourself’, but that’s the basic gist of it.”

  “All right… I guess it’s time to go home and pack.”

  CHAPTER 2

  e

  “Chelsea, I just can’t get over that top,” Stacey said as I followed her through the enormous oak doors of her and Oliver’s beach house. “I can’t wait to see what else you’ve packed.”

  “Thanks, Stacey. Piper picked everything out,” I confessed as we stepped into the marble entryway.

  I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the house. The entryway led to a massive open concept kitchen and living area. The marble floors ran wall to wall and matching slabs served as countertops. The room was tastefully decorated in a nautical color scheme, but what really drew my eyes was the back wall. It was solid glass, with a single door that led out onto a deck. I could see ocean waves rolling in in the distance.

  “This is beautiful,” I gasped as Oliver rolled our luggage in behind us. “I had no idea it was so… majestic.”

  Stacey turned to Oliver with an ‘I told you so’, smirk. “I knew if we just got her up here, she’d love it. Wait until you see your room, Chelsea. I decorated it myself and it’s gorgeous.”

  She turned to the right and I followed her through the kitchen area.

  “The master suite is on the other side of the living room,” she explained. “The other two bedrooms are across from it, they don’t have ocean views. This is the guest suite… I actually had you in mind when I designed it.”

  I was shocked when I stepped into the room. Instead of marble, reclaimed barn wood covered the floors. A Victorian four poster bed was draped in antique lace and an elegant chandelier hung from the ceiling.

  “You did this for me?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Of course I did,” Stacey said, her voice light and friendly. “You’re family. It’s important to Oliver and me that you’re comfortable here. We’d love for you to spend more time with us.”

  It dawned on me that Stacey had been paying more attention to me than I realized and I felt a twinge of guilt for not feeling more sisterly towards her. We didn’t have much in common and she was certainly a little too fixated on money, but she had a decent heart.

  “This is amazing,” I told her as Oliver came into the room with my suitcase.

  “So, you told her the news?” Oliver said, a wide smile on his face. He put an arm around Stacey without noticing that she was shaking her head. “Congratulations, Aunt Chelsea.” He beamed with pride.

  “What!” I gasped. “You’re having a baby?” I wrapped them both in my arms with happy tears falling from my face.

  “She was talking about the room, Oliver. I hadn’t told her about the baby yet,” Stacey said, explaining my reaction.

  I pulled away and studied their joyful faces. The news shocked me. I’d started to think that Oliver would never stop working long enough to have a family. “I’m so happy for you two. Do Mom and Dad know yet?”

  “Yes, your mother is beside herself.” Stacey smiled. “You and I have a Skype date with her tomorrow morning. She insists that we start planning the baby shower right away.”

  “How long have you known? When are you due?” I asked, anxious for every detail.

  “We’ve known for a few weeks. And the baby will be here mid-December,” Oliver answered, cradling Stacey’s still flat stomach.

  Of course, it’s a Valentine’s Day baby, one of the three days a year Stacey insists he takes off work.

  “I hope you plan on settling down a little and spending more time at home once my little niece or nephew arrives,” I said, my tone full of good natured warning.

  “He’s going to,” Stacey insisted, looking up at her husband with loving eyes.

  Oliver nodded. “That’s why this weekend is so important to me, Chelsea. The more of Drake’s friends I win over, the more I’ll solidify this new partnership. The paperwork hasn’t been signed yet, so this deal is still mine to lose. Once I have an exclusive contract for his future listings, I’m going to leave the firm. You know how much his homes sell for. I’ll never need another client.”

  Stacey nodded, blushing with excitement. “He’s going to set up a home office so he can spend as much time with me and the baby as possible.”

  I suddenly felt incredible pressure to perform well at the party, just as Piper had advised. I didn’t want to think about that, so I focused on the baby news.

  “I’m so excited. Let’s go out to dinner and celebrate, on me,” I offered.

  “No, this weekend is on me,” Oliver insisted. “But food sounds good. There’s a great little crab shack down the beach. It’s close enough to walk.”

  I gestured to the bedroom door. “Sounds great, lead the way… unless you need a few minutes to settle in?” I added, turning to Stacey. “Are you tired? Can I get you a bottle of water or something?” I was oblivious to the needs of a pregnant woman, but I was concerned about her nonetheless.

  “I’m fine,” Stacey assured me with a smile. “Just hungry. Let’s get to dinner.”

  I followed them out of the guest suite, through the main room, and out onto the beach. I was amazed at how much brighter the stars were outside of the city. A cool breeze blew off of the ocean and I was glad to be wearing long sleeves.

  “Here we are,” Oliver announced a few minutes later as we approached a small, whitewashed shack. The inside seating area was packed full of people, but there were a few empty tables on the beach. We sat under a string of colored lights and a waiter appeared at the table. He introduced himself as Dalton and passed out paper menus.

  “Can I get you started with a beer or a glass of wine?” he offered.

  I shot a hesitant glance at Stacey.

  “It’s fine,” she assured me with a wave. “Drink as much as you want, I don’t mind.”

  “I’d love a Red Stripe,” I told him.

  “Same for me,” Oliver agreed. “And an iced tea for my lovely wife. Bring us the appetizer platter as well.”

  “Got it,” Dalton said with a hospitable smile. “We’re fresh out of oysters for the night, but everything else on the menu is still avail
able. I’ll put in your appetizer and be right back with your drinks.”

  As the waiter spoke, Drake Waters approached from behind him. My heart beat hard in my chest and my mouth went dry as his smoldering eyes met mine.

  “Fancy running into you here,” Oliver said as he spotted Drake. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until tomorrow.” He stood and extended his hand as Dalton left the table.

  “I came down a day early,” Drake explained as they shook hands. “Stacey, you’re looking lovely tonight.”

  “Thank you, Drake,” she replied with a smile. “You look nice as well.”

  That was an understatement. Drake Waters was twice as handsome in person as he was in pictures. He was at least three inches taller than Oliver, putting him at six foot five. His white linen shirt clung to his broad, muscular shoulders and the natural highlights in his dark hair looked golden under the lights. His gorgeous eyes were the exact shade of the sea.

  “You’re too kind.” Drake nodded at Stacey and turned to me with a charming smile. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure. I’m Drake Waters.” He extended his hand and I brushed my damp palm against my jeans before accepting it.

  “Chelsea Tyler,” I replied. “I’m Oliver’s sister.”

  “You’re kidding me,” he said with exaggerated surprise. He turned back to Oliver without releasing me. “You’ve been holding out on me, Oliver. You didn’t tell me that you’re sister’s a knockout.”

  Oliver blushed, but excitement raced across Stacey’s face. “Dude, that’s not something I think about,” Oliver told him as I slipped my hand back down to my lap.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Chelsea. I’m so glad you were able to make it up for the weekend. Your brother hasn’t told me much about you. I hope we’ll get the chance to get to know each other better tomorrow night.”

  His deep, sultry voice gave me goose bumps and I instinctively looked away from him.

  What’s wrong with me? So he’s good looking. That doesn’t change what I know about him… but my brother’s future happiness depends on making this man happy.

  I turned back and met Drake’s eye. “I look forward to it,” I said, just as a waitress approached. She stood to Drake’s left and waited silently until he turned to her.

  “You’re takeout order is ready, Mr. Waters,” she told him.

  “Thank you, Marcy.”

  Drake turned back to us, his charming smile still plastered on his face.

  I wonder if the muscles in his lips get sore. He was probably taught to smile like that from birth. I bet he has the strongest face muscles on the planet.

  “It was such a pleasant surprise to meet you, Chelsea. I hope you enjoy your stay on the beach. Oliver, Stacey, have a good night. I’ll see you all tomorrow evening.”

  “It was nice to meet you too,” I replied.

  “Have a great night, Drake. We’ll see you at seven sharp,” Oliver added.

  Stacey gave the architect a nod and a smile and he took his leave. The table was silent for thirty seconds and then Stacey let out a tempered squeal.

  “Oh my God, Chelsea! I think he likes you!”

  My face flushed hot and I looked down at the table. “I’m sure he’s just being friendly,” I told her. Dalton arrived with our drinks and I took my beer from his hand before he could set it on the table. I took a long sip, finishing just as Dalton left again.

  “I don’t know,” Stacey sang optimistically. “He seemed pretty taken with you if you ask me.”

  I shook my head. “You’ve read the same stories I have, Stacey. You know he probably charms every woman he meets like that.”

  “I don’t know, sis. I think my brilliant, intuitive wife may have a point,” Oliver told me. “And for the record, you shouldn’t believe everything you read. Drake’s a nice guy. He’s a little disconnected from reality, but how could you not be with the kind of upbringing he had?”

  Hmm… Oliver’s good at reading people. Is he right? Is Drake a better man than the press makes him out to be?

  Suddenly and despite myself, I was excited about going to the party.

  ***

  When I stepped out of the guest suite the next evening, my brother’s jaw hit the floor.

  “Chelsea, you look amazing,” Stacey gushed. “I just knew Marco would do wonders with your hair. Not that I don’t love your curls. But sleek and straight is a nice change of pace, isn’t it? And that dress… my God, it’s stunning.”

  I nervously tugged at the hem of my dress. It suddenly seemed much shorter than it had in the consignment shop dressing room. Stacey’s stylist had come to the house to do our hair and makeup. I’d tried to beg off the beauty treatments, but Stacey insisted. While Marco ironed my curls, she gossiped about some of the people I’d be meeting at the party. I knew everything about them. From which wives dipped into their kids’ Ritalin prescriptions to which husbands kept love dens in the city. What I failed to understand was why I needed to know any of it.

  “You do look great, sis,” Oliver agreed. He glanced down at his watch. “We should get going. Drake is a stickler for punctuality.”

  Stacey looped her arm through mine as we followed Oliver out the door. “I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone, especially our single friends. Wouldn’t it just be amazing if you fell in love with a rich man? You could get out of that stuffy old museum and spend your days with me while the men worried about the bank accounts. I know it must be stressful, having no one to support you.”

  Never in a million years would I do that.

  The only reason I knew Stacey wasn’t a gold digger was because she married Oliver while he was still poor. At heart, she was a good person and I loved her for loving my brother. But when she talked like that, it made my stomach turn. I had no intention of ever relying on any man to support me.

  “I doubt that anyone will be falling in love tonight,” I said with a forced smile. “Let’s just try to have a good time without worrying about all of that.”

  Stacey slid into the front seat of Oliver’s BMW while I took the back. Oliver took his place behind the wheel and we set off for Drake’s house. I had no idea what to expect when we got there.

  “This is probably a dumb question, but did Drake design his house?” I asked Oliver as he drove down the beachside highway.

  “Of course he did. Wait till you see it, Chelsea. I know you don’t typically like modern designs, but even you will have to admit that the place is phenomenal. You wouldn’t believe the kind of cash he’s been offered for it, but he refuses to sell.”

  “Well, maybe you can persuade him, Ollie. After all, isn’t that a big part of your job?” I teased.

  “Tonight, my job is to impress Drake’s friends. And I appreciate both of you for being here with me.” He reached across the car, took Stacey’s hand, and brought it to his lips.

  “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” Stacey assured him. “Just think. If everything goes well tonight, you can give your notice on Monday. If everything goes perfectly, Chelsea will fall for one of our friends and we’ll get to see her more often.” She threw me a smile over her shoulder as Oliver pulled into the driveway of one of the most enormous homes I’d ever seen.

  Stacey’s not going to give up on the idea of setting me up with someone. I’m in for a long night.

  My sister in-law had always been friendly, but she’d never expressed so much interest in spending time with me. I wondered if the baby had something to do with her new found desire to be around family.

  Oliver slowed to a stop in front of the house and a uniformed valet opened my door.

  “Good evening, ma’am. Have a wonderful time,” he said with a nod as I slid out of the car.

  “Thank you,” I nodded back politely. A second valet held the door open for Stacey while the third took Oliver’s place behind the steering wheel. I stared into the house as the car pulled away.

  There wasn’t anything particularly interesting about the shape. In fact, it looked like tw
o enormous singlewide trailer homes stacked one on top of the other. What fascinated me was that the outside of the second story was concrete while the bottom floor was made almost entirely of glass.

  “How do these walls stay up without shattering?” I gasped, wondering at the complex engineering behind such an amazing feat as I watched strangers mingle inside.

  “I told you it was impressive,” Oliver replied with a cocky grin. “I don’t pretend to understand how Drake pulled this off. The man’s a genius. Come on, let’s get inside.”

  Stacey smoothed the bodice of her emerald satin cocktail dress and shot me a nervous look. “Do I look all right? I feel so awkward right now. None of my old clothes fit quite right, but all of the maternity stuff is too big.”

  “You look beautiful,” I assured her as we stepped through the open glass doors.

  Several people yelled “Oliver” and held up their drinks as we made our way to the bar area, which took up the entire far wall of the house. Three bartenders mixed drinks while a dozen servers moved through the room.

  The house was even more impressive from the inside than the out. It had marble floors and a slate grey ceiling with a modern glass chandelier. The entire first floor was one giant, three thousand square foot living room, with soft white leather furniture and sleek tables. Six flat screened televisions stood on tables throughout the room, all turned to a different sports event. As I wondered what the second floor looked like, a perky blonde approached Oliver with a smile.

  “Good evening, Mr. Tyler. I’m Joanna and Mr. Waters has asked me to personally take care of you and your family this evening. Can I get you something from the bar?”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Joanna. I’d love a scotch and soda. Ladies?” he turned to us.

  “I’ll just have club soda with a squeeze of lime,” Stacey told her. “I’m driving this evening.”

  I surveyed the room while Oliver and Stacey ordered. A few men stared at me and I wondered if one of them might be the kind of man Piper described.

  The only way to find out is to talk to them. Piper was right. I need to get out of my head and relax.