New York, Actually

by Sarah Morgan

  Lucas shook his head. “I have to lock the door to my office when I’m not in there because she’s been known to change a sentence here and there.”

  “It doesn’t hurt to make the characters kinder.”

  “But that’s one of the things that’s so great about his characters.” Molly leaned forward, her food temporarily forgotten in her enthusiasm. “They’re complex. That guy in your last book was incredibly kind to his neighbor. He was a fascinating mix of sociopath and psychopath with a sprinkling of narcissistic personality.”

  Daniel watched her, trying to delete the image of her naked on his desk. He couldn’t remember an occasion where he’d been so desperate for a woman he’d wanted to have sex with her on a desk. And it wasn’t as if that had solved the problem. He wondered how soon it would be reasonable to leave and go back to his apartment.

  Lucas looked amused. “You psychoanalyze my characters?”

  “Impossible not to, although the way you mix up different traits makes it pretty hard to come up with a specific diagnosis or profile.”

  “She probably picks the perfect partner for them,” Daniel teased, but he was intrigued that Molly enjoyed Lucas Blade’s books as much as he did. He watched her face as she talked to Lucas. She was animated, intelligent and had plenty to contribute.

  Her level of knowledge always impressed him and Lucas was clearly impressed, too, as they exchanged thoughts on personality types.

  “The thing that makes your books so scary is the characters. It’s not what they do, it’s the fact that the crime is committed by someone we could all know. The friendly local cop, or the nurse on the ward. Your books challenge our intrinsic belief that we’re safe.”

  “And you think that’s a good thing?” Eva put her fork down. “I do not want to think that I know anyone who might be capable of committing murder. We’d better change the subject or I’ll be waking up screaming again.”

  “I’ll lend you Valentine,” Molly said. “He’s a terrific guard dog. I never feel unsafe when he’s with me.”

  Hearing his name, Valentine lifted his head and his ears pricked up.

  “Yes, we’re talking about you,” Eva said. “He’s beautiful and you’re lucky. I’d love to have a dog.” She glanced hopefully at Lucas who raised an eyebrow.

  “Are you looking at me with those big blue eyes for a reason?”

  “There’s no point in having big blue eyes if I can’t use them to elicit an emotional response from you. You’re the one who has sent my fear levels soaring into the stratosphere. I never used to be suspicious of people until I met you. I trusted everyone. Now I’m wary.”

  “Being wary can be a good thing,” Molly said, and Daniel sensed she was thinking of her own experience. She hadn’t just been let down by strangers. She’d been let down by people she’d called friends. It was hardly surprising she was wary.

  Lucas topped up the wineglasses and looked at Eva. “You only want a dog because we rescued that abandoned dog from the park at Christmas. It wouldn’t work. We can’t handle a puppy, Ev. You’re out for most of the day and I’m shut away in my study working.”

  “I don’t want a puppy, I want a rescue dog who needs a loving home. I want to make a difference to a dog’s life, the way Molly did with Valentine.”

  “He’s the one who made a difference to my life,” Molly said. “When I first moved to New York, I knew no one.”

  Daniel thought about Brutus and wondered how he was getting on in his new home. He hoped the dog had ended up with people as loving as Molly. He made a mental note to ask Harriet next time he saw her. “Walking a dog is great exercise.”

  “Don’t give her yet more reasons to persuade me. And anyway,” Lucas said, frowning, “you don’t have a dog.”

  “I’ve been walking one of my sisters’ rescues. To help out.” He met Molly’s gaze and saw a dimple appear at the corner of her mouth.

  “That’s how we met,” she said, and he wondered if she was going to tell them that he’d borrowed the dog, but she didn’t.

  Instead she held his gaze, her eyes alight, teasing him.

  He loved her smile. It started at her mouth, with the slow curve of her lips and the flicker of the tiny dimple, and finished at her eyes. He could tell she was enjoying their secret.

  “You met walking the dogs?” Eva stood up. “That’s romantic.” She started clearing the plates, but Daniel took them from her.

  “I’ll do it. Sit down.”

  “You’re the guest!”

  Lucas pushed her gently into her chair. “You cooked. We’ve got this.”

  “If you insist.” Eva turned back to Molly. “You must have been lonely moving here from London and knowing no one. Do you often go home? I’ve only been to London once. It was a school trip, and I remember it rained the whole time.”

  “I think of this as home now.”

  “But you left everything behind. That’s brave. What made you do it?”

  Seeing how uncomfortable Molly was, Daniel intervened. “She had a job offer.” He stacked the plates on the kitchen island. “And who wouldn’t want to move to New York? It’s the best city in the world.”

  “True. New York actually is the best city in the world, although to be honest I found the place a little scary when I first arrived. I guess it’s a little easier moving from one big city to another, though. I was raised on a small island off the coast of Maine, so Manhattan was a bit of a culture shock for me. Fortunately I came with friends.” Eva chatted away, filling Molly in on her life story and the background to her going into business with her friends. “At the time we thought losing our jobs was the worst thing that could have happened, but it turned out to be the best.”

  The conversation moved on to more general topics and by the time they returned to Daniel’s apartment, Molly was yawning.

  “That dessert was incredible. And you have lovely friends.” She slid off her shoes and wrapped her arms around him. “I’ve forgotten what it’s like to hang out with good people. You really know them, and they know you. Lucas and Eva would be there for you if something bad happened. And you’d be there for them.”

  He didn’t deny it. “You have people who would be there for you, too.”

  “Maybe. No, not maybe.” She frowned. “Gabe and Mark. They’re like brothers to me. They’d be there.” Her expression cleared. “That’s a good feeling.”

  “Not just Gabe and Mark.”

  Her gaze lifted to his and something flickered in her eyes. “You don’t owe me anything, Daniel. This is just fun. Sex. You like my ponytail, my butt and my legs.”

  “I love your ponytail, your butt and your legs. And yes, it’s sex, but it’s also friendship. I like you, Molly. I like you a lot. It doesn’t matter how hot you are, I never would have gone to bed with you if I didn’t like you. You’re a friend.” He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “Don’t you think we’re friends?”

  “Yes, but—” she looked shaken “—this will end at some point.”

  “And when it does we’ll stop having sex but we’ll still be friends. And the day you need me, I’ll be there. That’s what friendship is.” He could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn’t believe him and it hurt him to think that her experience had stripped away her belief in people. It also shocked him just how much he wanted her to trust him. “Molly—” He broke off as his phone rang.

  He checked the number and stepped back. “I need to take this. It’s Fliss.”

  “Of course.”

  They walked into the apartment, and he spoke to his sister.

  “Everything okay?”

  “No.” There was a shake in Fliss’s voice. “Are you on your own? Can I come up?”

  “I’m not on my own—” his gaze met Molly’s “—but you can come up. Where are you? Do you want me to come and get you?”

  “No need. I’m right outside your building.”

  Eighteen

  Molly made hot chocolate in the kitchen, trying n
ot to listen to the conversation between Fliss and Daniel in the living room. They sat with their heads close together, dark against blond, the bond between them unmistakable.

  His sister needed him, and Daniel hadn’t given a thought to turning her away. She respected that. She not only respected it, she envied it. How would it feel to call someone in your time of need and know they’d be there for you?

  She didn’t know, because she hadn’t had that when she’d needed it most. The one person who she could have turned to, her father, had been the person she’d been determined to protect. She would no more have burdened him with her problems than she would cut off a limb. He’d been hurt enough in life without her adding to it. She’d shouldered her problems alone, first when her mother had left and later when her life had fallen apart.

  Whatever issues Daniel might have had growing up, it was clear that he had a close relationship with his sisters. They were there for each other.

  Was life easier when you had a sibling?

  She thought about all the people she knew who were estranged from family and decided that the bond of family was no more reliable than any other.

  And anyway, she didn’t have siblings so there was no point in thinking about it.

  This wasn’t about her, it was about Fliss. And Fliss clearly had a problem. A big enough problem to drive her to her brother’s door late at night.

  Judging from the apologetic glances she’d sent Molly, it was obvious she hadn’t been expecting him to have company. No doubt she was wishing Molly wasn’t here. She’d heard his response to the question of whether he was on his own. The fact that Fliss had made that call from outside his apartment building told Molly how badly she’d wanted to see him. And she didn’t want to put the brakes on the conversation.

  She walked over to them and set the hot chocolate down in front of Fliss. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Daniel.”

  “Why? Where are you going?”

  “You two have things to discuss.” She smiled at Fliss. “I thought you could do with privacy.”

  “Don’t leave because of me.” Fliss sat slumped next to him. “I’m the one who should be leaving. I didn’t mean to intrude. Daniel doesn’t usually have overnight guests. I haven’t got used to the idea, so I didn’t think.” She stood up. “I’ll leave. I’ll call you tomorrow, Dan.”

  His hand shot out and he tugged her back down. “You’re not leaving and you’re not intruding.” His voice was rough. “If you want to talk privately, I’m sure Molly can catch up on some work. I distracted her earlier.”

  “No.” Fliss seemed to pull herself together. She shifted her gaze from her brother to Molly. “You’re a psychologist, aren’t you? Maybe you can find a way to fix my brain.” It was the pronounced shake in her voice that convinced Molly to stay.

  “Does it need fixing?” She sat down opposite, so that she could see both of them.

  “I need to cure myself of these thoughts I’m having.”

  “What thoughts?”

  Fliss chewed the corner of her fingernail. “Have you ever absolutely not wanted to feel anything, and then felt it really badly?”

  Daniel handed her the hot chocolate. “Drink this instead of eating your nails. I’m assuming what you’re feeling has to do with Seth?”

  “Seth?” Molly couldn’t work out why the name was familiar. And then she remembered. “That was the guy we met the other night?”

  Fliss snatched in a breath. “You met him?”

  “In the reception area at the vet clinic. It was obvious Daniel knew him. You had a relationship with him?”

  “You could say that.” Fliss gave a choked laugh. “We were married.”

  Molly hid her surprise. Not that she knew her well, but she never would have guessed Fliss had been married. Did that explain Daniel’s animosity toward the man? “I didn’t know that. I didn’t know you’d ever been married.”

  “Not many people do. I was eighteen. It wasn’t my finest hour and it’s not something I generally bring up in conversation. I’ve moved on. I thought I was doing pretty well…” Her eyes filled and she turned to Daniel. “Do not tell Harry I’m upset. Promise me?”

  “Sure, but—”

  “No buts. I told her I’m fine. I want her to think that. That’s why I’m crying here on you, and not there with her.”

  “She’s your twin. You don’t think she’d want to know?”

  “She probably already does know, but that doesn’t mean I have to confirm it.” Fliss wiped her cheek on her sleeve. “I’m here because you know a lot about difficult relationships, and seeing as my relationship with Seth was difficult I need to know what to do. What I’d really love to do is not see him, but it seems that isn’t going to be an option. So the next best thing is to be in charge of the meeting. I don’t want to bump into him when I’m not prepared. But I don’t want him to know I’m prepared. I need to make it look casual. Like I’m totally fine.”

  Daniel let out a long breath. “He saw me, Fliss. He’s going to know I’ve told you he’s here.”

  “I know, which means I can’t pretend it’s a surprise.” Fliss put the hot chocolate down untouched and looked at Daniel in despair. “I don’t know what to say to him. My palms are sweaty, my heart is racing, I’m a mess. And I hate it. Men don’t make me feel this way. Not ever.”

  One man clearly does, Molly thought, but she kept that thought to herself.

  “You and he are history,” Daniel said. “Is it such a big deal?”

  Fliss was silent. “It’s a big deal,” she muttered. “There’s stuff—”

  Daniel frowned. “Stuff?”

  She shook her head. “Never mind.”

  “What stuff, Fliss?”

  “Nothing, so you can drop the stern lawyer tone. But I need to know how to behave. What should I do and say? I don’t want to get this wrong.”

  “Molly?” Daniel looked at her. “You’re the psychologist.”

  Molly was wondering what Fliss was hiding from her brother.

  Fliss poked at her chocolate with the tip of her spoon. “Molly doesn’t know Seth.”

  “But she knows people. And she knows a lot about relationships.”

  Molly snapped her attention back to the present. If there were things Fliss chose not to tell her brother, that was none of her business.

  “I think how you handle your first meeting depends on what impression you want to create. What you want the outcome to be.” It was hard to make any useful comment without knowing the details, but she sensed Fliss didn’t want to talk details.

  “I want him to know I’ve moved on.” Fliss stared blankly ahead. “That what happened is history. Something that happened as part of my rebellious phase.”

  “You had a rebellious phase?”

  “Things weren’t great at home.” She caught Daniel’s eye. “She doesn’t know?”

  “She knows some of it.”

  “You told her?” Fliss looked surprised. “Okay, well, I just want to get this first meeting out of the way, that’s all. Ever since you told me he’s here I haven’t been able to sleep or eat. I feel sick.”

  “If it’s upsetting you that much, then maybe you should engineer the meeting,” Molly said. “That way you’ll be in control. You pick the time and the place. I’m guessing that will be the clinic. And you should do it sooner rather than later. The longer you leave it, the more stressed you’ll be. How often do you take animals there?”

  “Some months we seem to live there, and then we go weeks without taking any animals to the vet.” Fliss wrapped her arms around herself. “Harriet is supposed to be taking Noodle for his vaccinations next week. I could take him instead. What if I start shaking, though? I might drop the cat.”

  “Do some breathing exercises before you go in. Practice what you want to say in front of the mirror. And smile. That helps you relax.”

  “Right. Practice. And smile. I can do that.” Fliss bared her teeth. “How am I doing?”

  Daniel opened hi
s mouth and then caught Molly’s eye and obviously thought better about whatever he was going to say. “I’m sure it will look more genuine with practice. Do you want me to come with you?”

  “No. That would look as if I still had feelings. Or worse, as if I was scared.”

  And she wasn’t scared, Molly thought, she was terrified.

  She didn’t know what had happened, but it was obvious Fliss still had very strong feelings for her ex. Feelings she didn’t want him to know about.

  “Work out what you’d like him to know,” she said, “and write yourself a script. Keep it neutral. Tell him he’s looking well. Ask him what he’s been doing. Then tell him what you’ve been doing. Focus on your business, and how it’s growing. Tell him how busy you are. Then talk about Harriet.”

  “Business. Growing. Harriet. Okay, this is good. I can do all that.” Fliss stood up so quickly Valentine jumped to his feet in alarm. “I’m okay now, thanks for listening. I’m going to write a script. I’m going to hijack Noodle’s appointment so that I can control this.” She bent and kissed Daniel. “All things considered, you’re not the worst brother in the world.” She smiled awkwardly at Molly. “Thanks. Your advice is brilliant. And I’m so glad you’re finally reforming Daniel of his wicked ways.”

  Molly tried to speak but Fliss was already halfway out of the apartment.

  She jumped as the door slammed.

  Daniel sighed. “Thank you.” His voice was gruff. “It’s not part of your brief to handle my family problems, but I’m not going to pretend I’m sorry you did. You were great. Really great.”

  His praise warmed her. “This is why you were upset when you saw Seth? Because you knew his being in New York would upset Fliss?”

  He nodded. “We used to hang out together every summer at my grandmother’s beach house in the Hamptons. We were great friends and then suddenly he had this thing with Fliss—” He shook his head. “It’s history. But thanks again for helping with my family drama.”

  She sensed there was a lot left unsaid. “If you want to talk about it—”