Fox nodded his head in approval. “You’ve got a kind heart, Lea. If I had any extra time on my hands, I’d love to do something like that.”
Lea peeled back the seal on the individual creamer and looked up at Fox as she dumped it into her coffee. “I see you spend some time in the gym.”
He shrugged. “A little. I use the hotel’s fitness room when Roman stresses me out.”
Lea’s eyes widened. “He must stress you out. A. Lot.”
Fox laughed. “Yeah.” He imagined his father’s face on the punching bag every time he got after it, but he preferred to keep that between him and Everlast.
The waitress came back with pad in hand. “Y’all ready now?”
Lea ordered French Toast with scrambled eggs. Fox said he’d have the same.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Fox asked.
“One younger brother, Galen. He’s a college student.”
“So, is your brother as down–to–earth as you?” Fox asked. “Cause I need to find Karrigan some direction.”
Lea laughed, showed her pretty teeth. She had one of those extraordinary smiles that lights the entire face. If she were covered from the nose down, one would still be able to see her smile in her eyes. She put her elbows on the table, wrapped both hands around the coffee, he presumed, out of habit; it certainly didn’t have anything to do with the temperature. He liked how she was starting to relax. He wanted her to be nothing but content with him. Extremely satisfied would be even better. But that would happen in due time.
“Galen’s a good guy,” Lea said. “Quiet, though. And very shy. I doubt Karrigan would like that.”
“He sounds exactly like what Karrigan needs,” Fox said.
“Last time I talked to him, he was single. We could hook them up.”
“That’d make for some memorable family functions.”
“Why?”
Fox had purposely set that question up. “Brother and sister dating brother and sister.”
The waitress brought their food and set it on the table. “Enjoy.”
Talk about ill–timed.
Lea picked up her fork and knife and cut into her French toast.
Fox sighed and followed suit. The moment was gone.
Halfway through the meal, Lea said, “I almost didn’t recognize you tonight when I opened the door.”
Fox grinned, shoved in a mouthful of eggs. “Why?”
“Look at you. You look like a young, regular guy. Not all
fancy–smancy.”
“Well I’m sorry if I looked all… Wait—what’d you say?”
“Fancy–smancy. It’s an expression. You know what I mean. For a lack of a better word, I guess I’m trying to say… prominent.”
“This is me, Lea. Just like I am right now. I don’t like wearing a suit every day, but it’s business. I’m just playing a part.”
“I know, and I hope that I didn’t offend you. I’m the one with the inferiority complex. I feel completely different around you when you’re wearing your business suit.” She put down her fork and nodded. “I just don’t see why you’re wasting your time with me. You could pursue any of the number of sophisticated women I saw in your hotel.”
“I have.”
“You have?”
“Yes, I have. Damn it, I’m thirty years old. What do you think, that I’ve been celibate all these years?”
“Oh.” Lea picked up her fork, shoved in another bite, and looked out the window.
“Lea, I wasn’t finished.” She looked back at him. “What I’m saying is, I’m over women like that. I see what they’ve had to offer. And I don’t see in them what I see in you. I’m not talking about anything sexual, either.”
Lea sighed. “Like sex is not a big deal? Please. I’m close to the same age as you, and I’ve been with one guy. My husband. That’s it. I doubt I have as much to offer as you seem to think.”
Fox reached across the table, gripped her hand. Smiled as he said, “On the contrary.”
“Oh, no.” Lea sat up straight. “We did something last night, didn’t we? Come clean.”
He nodded. “Something.” He let her squirm for a good ten seconds. “But not that.”
She sighed so hard her bangs blew away from her face. “I’m gonna beat you.”
“I look forward to it. But can you wait till after our date?”
“What date?”
“The one I’m taking you on. Tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know. I really need to rest, so I can absorb the information I’m getting out of the next few days.”
“Well, what about the night after your last meeting? That’ll be Friday, right? It will give you a few days to miss me.”
Lea lifted a brow so very sexily, a coy smile tugged at the side of her mouth. “Miss you?”
“Kidding. But I can’t swear that I won’t miss you.” He stood, walked to her side of the table and scooted back her chair.”
“Let’s get you home.”
He paid, left a tip, and they walked back over the bridge to the hotel.
“Fox, where are you taking me Friday night? I don’t know if I brought anything appropriate for a date.”
He grabbed her hand. “Just bring you. I don’t give a damn about anything else.” He didn’t let go.
When they got to the hotel, Lea asked for Karrigan’s number.
“What for? In case you haven’t noticed, Karrigan’s not exactly a good influence.”
“I was going to pass it along to my brother.”
“Oh,” Fox said happily. “In that case, you got a pen?”
Lea dug in her purse, handed him a three–inch spiral memo book and a pen.
Fox scribbled down Karrigan’s cell number, flipped to the next page and left a personal note for Lea. He started to hand her back the thick–barreled pink pen when he saw the writing on it: YOU BETTA REDNECKOGNIZE!
Before his smile could spread across his face, Lea jerked away the pen and pad and stuffed them in her purse. “Well, thanks for that. See you Friday.”
Fox had planned on one more kiss, but Lea had closed the door in his face before he got the chance.
—Lea
Lea pressed her back against her hotel room door. From the other side, she heard Fox say, “Okay then. I’ll call you.”
“K,” she answered, trying to sound cool. She prayed to God that Fox knew the saying on the pen came from a television show and that it wasn’t her life motto. And it wasn’t like she bought it for herself. It was part of the Honey Boo Boo gift basket Kate had given her for her twenty–eighth birthday earlier in the month. She must have been trying to sabotage Lea’s future dating plans because she’d also included a T–shirt that said Sugar Bear my baby daddy. At least Lea was smart enough to leave that at home.
She fell back onto the bed, just stared at the ceiling.
She’d never expected to meet someone during this trip. At least not someone who she’d instantly—dare she think it?—fall in love with. It was more likely just plain lust from being alone for the last year. She felt equal parts fabulous and uneasy being around Fox. But she’d never anticipated the fabulous part.
Her confidence had been stolen from her—an unforeseen consequence of the divorce. She hadn’t been good enough for her husband of ten years. How could she be good enough for Fox? She wasn’t sure.
She sat up, grabbed her cell phone from her purse and punched in Karrigan’s number.
“El–lo,” Karrigan answered.
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Sure I can.” She smacked, obviously had a mouth full of something.
“I’m very attracted to your brother, but I have a problem.”
“Uh–huh…”
“You see, he and I are from two different worlds, and I feel like such an outsider. We’re going on a date Friday night, and I need you to help me find an outfit. Something you know your brother would love.”
“Oooh, sounds juicy.” Either she had spit out, or fi
nished, what was in her mouth. “When do you want to meet up?”
“Tomorrow during the day I’ll be at the convention. How about six–ish?”
“That’s a plan… What’d you say your name was?”
“Lea.”
Silence. Then, “Sounds familiar. I’m trying to place—”
“Remember, we had dinner at Remedy and drinks at Dilemma yesterday.”
“Oh, that’s right. Yeah, I remember, hon. You’re the one Fox was hanging with before Father summoned him to the attic. That’s what I call Roman’s office—the attic—because nobody likes going in there.” She went to chewing again.
“All right, well, I’ll call you tomorrow when I’m ready.”
“All righty.” Another smack. “Hey, which brother you got the hots for?”
Lea had a delayed response. “Fox.”
“Oh, okay. Erickson’s cooking is so good he makes women melt, and I thought since you ate the spaghetti… And Fox—that’s understandable, too. He’s a chic magnet.”
“Oh,” Lea said, defeated. “Really?”
“Mmhmm. You wouldn’t believe all the women who walk by making googly, sex–me eyes at him. Even the ones he already took to bed do.”
Lea tried, but couldn’t find the words. Silence filled the line. And some crunching.
“You know what I just thought about?” Karrigan said. “If the women Fox took to bed still look at him that way, he must be an okay guy. I mean, they wouldn’t even smile at him if he’d been a complete asshole, right?”
Lea giggled. “You do have a point there, Karrigan.”
“Later,” Karrigan said, and the line went dead.
Lea had been pacing, holding the phone with one hand, the other hand stuffed in her pants pocket while she was talking to Karrigan. That’s when she’d felt the flash drive and remembered.
She powered on her laptop with the quickness. She had to pee really bad from drinking so much coffee at the diner; they left the carafe on the table for goodness sake. But the two–gig portal to her humility now took precedence.
She popped it in the slot, sat back in the hard wooden chair, held her bladder…and her breath.
CHAPTER SEVEN
—Fox
“No, Jill needs to recheck her math,” Fox shouted at Roman. “I’ve reviewed the reports more times than I can count and everything balances to the penny.” Fox massaged the back of his neck. He was barely awake. He’d slept maybe four hours last night; it was too early for this shit. Roman paced the marble floor of his too–large office. For the amount of work he did, he could have used a space the size of a public bathroom stall. “And would you be still already?”
“Fine,” Roman said. “But you need to check the reports again. Jill is a valuable asset to us. We need her.”
“Like a hole in the head. I still don’t understand why you can’t reschedule her week–long “stay” for another time when we’re not so busy. She has no business on the Kemp floor. Period.”
Roman sat in the chair behind his desk, lit a cigar, took a long drag. “I’m an old man. I’m getting tired. And all you want to do is give me a hard time.”
“Oh, don’t even… I’m not buying into that old–and–feeble guilt–trip bullshit. It’s not working anymore.”
“Foxworth, I’m being honest this time. Something is very wrong with me.”
“You got that right, although we might be talking about different things.” In fact, Roman’s steely eyes had lost some of their vigor. They were dull, glazed. And he looked somewhat thinner. But Roman was a chameleon, transforming day to day to manipulate, twist things in his favor. “Look, Roman, I know you have a personal interest in keeping Jill around. What is it? She blowing you?”
Roman responded with an evil laugh. “Keep on, son, and I’ll amend my will today, taking you out of it.”
“I don’t need your damn money.” Now Fox was seriously humoring Roman. He knew first–hand Roman was destitute. Fox was truly his lifeline—not the other way around. “I’ve invested my own.”
Roman took one last drag and snuffed out his cigar in the palm of his knife–wound inflicted hand. Fox had never asked where the scar came from. Roman had probably deserved it. “I know. You’re a bad ass, right? Well, you don’t intimidate me. I’m sick of not having a voice when it comes to my own damn business. I’m going to review the expense reports one more time. And when my figures balance again, I’ll sit Jill down and we’ll do a joint desk audit. I’ll point out to her exactly where she screwed up. After that, I’m done with her. Don’t ever mention her to me again. If you want to waste your money on her, be my guest. But she’s off my payroll. And if you don’t back off, you will be too.”
Roman’s chair squeaked as he leaned back. He crossed his hands over his torso, bore a hate–filled gaze into Fox’s soul. “You’re an ungrateful son of a bitch,” he said. “Just like your mother.”
Fox was unaffected by his intimidation tactic. He rose and put his hands on Roman’s desk. Leaned over and said in a carefully controlled tone, “Funny you should bring up my mother. I’ve never believed her death was an accident. I believe you had something to do with it.” He stared Roman down and paused a beat before continuing. “And I’m going to find out what it is.”
Roman said nothing.
Fox walked to the door, put his hand on the knob. “And you better pray to God that I don’t uncover the truth.” He slammed the door and the entire floor rumbled.
Fox was quite pleased with himself as he rode the private elevator down to start his day. He’d accomplished two of his long–term goals in just a few short minutes. Instead of gazing at the floor like he so often did when Roman attempted to break him down, he met Roman’s eyes. Managed to keep his breathing and heart rate steady. Finally manned up.
But more importantly, he let Roman know his suspicion regarding his mother’s death. He’d had fleeting thoughts of suspicion for years now, but had suppressed them. Never voiced them to anyone. Refused to believe they had any real substance.
But he’d finally allowed himself to start remembering that night. And the details were clearer with each passing day.
CHAPTER EIGHT
—Lea
In the conference room the next morning, a speaker from a web hosting company was doing a marketing promotion, but Lea wasn’t paying attention. She had too much on her mind. This whole convention fiasco had gone out the window the moment she’d heard the name Foxworth Kemp.
Lea didn’t feel too guilty for not listening; this wasn’t like one of her college courses where the teacher would loud you out for not paying attention. She’d voluntarily paid and signed up, more as a getaway than a learning experience. So it was her prerogative to tune everything out.
When Brandon cheated, Lea didn’t think she could ever hurt more. Then she got a text this morning from Kate. She kept him as a friend on Facebook because Lea had asked her to. She wanted to know the scoop on him and his new girlfriend. She guessed she was hoping they’d break up. Not so much because she wanted Brandon back, but she didn’t want him to have a happy ending with the woman he’d left her for. Kate said his Facebook status had recently changed to engaged. She’d clicked on his profile, and there was a picture of him holding his slut girlfriend in his lap, and she was showing her blinged–out left hand to the camera.
So what did Lea do? She called up Kate and asked her for the password to her account, so she could log on and look at the picture. Big mistake. Lea blew up the picture to one hundred fifty percent and sat there staring, comparing herself to Brandon’s girlfriend. Lea’s eyes were blue; hers were too, only brighter. Lea was fair–skinned; she was tan (probably fake). Lea’s hair was somewhere between dark blonde and mousy brown; hers was white–blonde—obviously a dye job because Lea noticed she had dark roots.
Brandon was holding her with a death grip whereas Lea practically had to beg him for affection. She realized now that they had been co–existing. But she loved him so deeply, she didn’
t see it then.
Brandon wasn’t in love her. Their families were friends, and they’d pushed Lea and Brandon together since they were kids. Lea didn’t believe it was ever what Brandon really wanted. He was with her to keep the peace. How did she know that? She saw a different person in the picture. His eyes were sparkling. He was smiling, showing his teeth. He never showed his teeth in a photo with her. It was always a close–lipped, tight smile, even in their wedding photograph.
It made the sheer horror of the footage she saw on the flash drive drop down a notch. It was dark, so she couldn’t see much, but the audio was clear. She could not believe what a hussy she’d been in Fox’s room. The things she’d said. The sounds she’d made. She’d never heard herself say those things before. Sex with Brandon was always over before she could get that turned on. But what did Fox think of her? And now it was a fact the he’d touched her sasquatch legs and other areas too. She still didn’t know how she was so out of it. She hoped Fox didn’t have anything to do with it because she really like him.
For her first real date with Fox on Friday, she had to find a way to enhance her boring appearance. God, she was nervous about that. She had an idea that Karrigan could help. She was his sister; she should know what he liked.
Lea was bored to death. The group conversation had veered off course to bacteria in fresh water causing an outbreak of flesh–eating disease and Lea considered that her sign. She packed up her bags and quietly exited through the back door of the meeting room.
Back in her hotel room, she considered calling Karrigan right then. It was only three, and she’d told her she would call around six. Then she told herself, screw it, and pulled her spiral memo book from her purse. She flipped through pages looking for Karrigan’s number when she came across a scribbled message.
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