Felicity Stripped Bare

by Vanessa Jaye

  And like father, like son, Michael Mackenzie’s delight was also nonexistent. This was going to be some party. Whoo-hoo.

  “I bring you some more wine? Yes?” When Lise agreed, Marcel left them.

  “Happy birthday, son.” She beamed across the table.

  “Yes, happy birthday, Daniel.” Mr. Mackenzie gave the briefest of nods in his son’s direction. When his gaze slid to Felicity his mouth curved into a rictus of distaste.

  “Felicity, is it? You look eye-catching, white suits you.”

  “Thank you,” she mumbled and nervously fingered the neckline of the wrap-around dress. It was one of Daniel’s purchases, or his payment according to his earlier accusations. If she’d had anything else to wear she would have.

  “Is it part of an ensemble? A matching coat, perhaps or some other pieces?”

  “No.” She shook her head, bewildered by the questions and his cold tone.

  “Michael, since when have you been so interested in fashion? Stop giving Felicity such a hard time,” Lise scolded. “Don’t let my husband frighten you, dear. His bark is worse than his bite.”

  As far as Felicity was concerned his bark was a breath of biological warfare.

  “I was just admiring her choice of clothing.”

  “Admire something else,” Daniel advised.

  “I saw someone in a similar outfit just recently—”

  “Either you find another game to play tonight, or I’m leaving.” Daniel glared at his father.

  “Can’t you two behave? Just for one damn hour.” Lise pushed away from the table and stood.

  “Elle.”

  “Mother—”

  “Excuse me; I need to freshen up.” She turned and walked quickly towards the back of the restaurant.

  “I’ll—I’ll just go and see how she’s doing.” Felicity escaped after her.

  In the ladies’ room she found Lise at the mirror studying her tight reflection. The other woman let out a deep sigh when she caught sight of Felicity.

  “Those two men are going to be the death of me.” Lise smiled wryly.

  “They seem to have issues,” Felicity offered.

  “Issues! You can say that again. Those two need the U.N. to mediate. I don’t know why I think I can.”

  “Because you love them, you can’t give up.” The words tumbled from her before she could stop them.

  Lise held her gaze through the mirror. “Yes, I do love them. And I won’t give up.” She turned to face Felicity. “And you shouldn’t either.”

  Felicity’s heart stopped. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean you love Daniel— Ah-ah, don’t try to deny it. I have eyes, I can see.” She took Felicity’s cold hands in hers, and gave her a little reassuring squeeze. “It’s obvious you two had some sort of tiff today. Trust a Mackenzie male to pick a day of celebration for a fight.” Her smile turned wry.

  “I can tell you one thing, Mackenzie men don’t take to falling in love easily, and they’re not the easiest to love either.”

  “You’re mistaken. Daniel doesn’t love me.” She bit her lip to stop from saying more.

  “You’re wrong you know. But I won’t pry any further.” Lise tucked a lock of Felicity’s hair behind her ear. “You two kids will eventual find the key—” Lise’s expression froze.

  “The key!” they said in unison.

  Felicity dug the pass card out of her purse. At least the evening wouldn’t be a total waste.

  Lise clapped her hands together, laughing as she took the small rectangle of plastic. “Not that I forgot, mind you. I’d actually planned for us to make a trip to the ladies room. Men are always complaining how we can’t seem to go to the bathroom by ourselves. Poor dears wouldn’t have suspected a thing.”

  Lise pulled a cell phone from her elegant little clutch and punched in a few numbers. “Marcel, please. It’s Lise Mackenzie.”

  Felicity frowned. Wasn’t Marcel—?

  “Marcel! Yes, dear. I have that little package we spoke about earlier. Could you send one of the waitresses to the ladies’ room to pick it up?” Lise was silent for a moment as she listened, then she tut-tutted.

  “You’re such a naughty boy. What would your guests think, seeing the owner skulking about outside the ladies’ room?” She laughed and hung up, the twinkle firmly back in her eyes.

  “Now if we can just keep Daniel and Michael from using the cutlery on each other for the next hour or so, we’ll go back at the condo and the party should take care of itself!”

  Dinner was the longest sixty minutes of Felicity’s life. Michael Mackenzie remained chilly throughout the meal. And Daniel seemed more interested in what was in his wineglass then what was on his plate, or the company at the table.

  Lise tried to keep up a non-stop stream of chatter with her, but Felicity could barely make the effort. Sitting beside Daniel while her heart crumbled to a slow death had her jaw locked tightly to stop the tears from coming.

  Finally, dinner was over, the check taken care of, and they were out on the sidewalk.

  “I think the perfect end to this evening would be nightcaps,” Lise exclaimed brightly.

  This statement was met by silence. A truly perfect ending to their evening would be a rousing game of Russian roulette. All chambers full.

  “Well, Michael? Don’t you think so?” Lise asked tightly.

  “Daniel, your mother would like a final nightcap.”

  “Then why didn’t we have drinks inside? The waitress asked, and you demanded the check right away.”

  “Because I don’t want drinks here, dear. Let’s go to your place.”

  “My place?”

  “Yes, your place. Where we’re going to have one last toast to celebrate the anniversary of the day that God, in His infinite wisdom, blessed me with you—my one and only son. Is there a problem?”

  Well, since she put it that way.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Surprise!”

  “Happy Birthday!”

  A mass of bodies surged forward, hands reaching for Daniel to pull him out of the elevator.

  “Your mother, guy! She set the whole thing up.” Rob’s voice rose over the din. “Hey, where is she?”

  The crowd parted to let Lise through and, to Felicity’s consternation, Lise latched onto her wrist and dragged her along.

  “No, please,” she whispered fiercely.

  People were looking at her with open curiosity. Some of them were familiar, men from Daniel’s construction crew, or guests from the barbeque at Lise’s house. At least they were smiling. But one person was downright hostile. VD. Already clinging to Daniel’s arm like glaze on a donut.

  “I should have known you had something like this planned,” he said darkly, but he kissed his mother and gave her big hug.

  “This was a really fabulous idea.” VD exchanged air kisses with Lise. “But it must have taken so much work. I wish you had asked for my help,” she cooed.

  “I knew how busy you were at the firm, dear, I just couldn’t ask you to take on more. Besides, Felicity helped me.”

  “Oh.” Deirdra’s mouth imitated an anus.

  “Honey?” Lise looked up at her son. “Aren’t you going to thank Felicity?”

  “Really, I didn’t do anything,” Felicity protested, but Lise practically pushed her into Daniel’s arm.

  Daniel’s head dipped towards hers, and she allowed herself…to dream. Her lids slid down, lips parting as she felt the warmth of his breath sweep closer.

  The kiss was brief, cool and impersonal. His mouth barely touched her cheek. But as Daniel pulled back, she saw that his pupils were enlarged and irises darken. He still felt the attraction. It was a small, but empty triumph.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem,” she choked out. Felicity looked around wildly and met Deirdra’s malicious gaze.

  “Hey, this is a party! Why aren’t you people drinking?” Rob slapped Daniel on the back, then draped a casual arm around Felicity’s shoulder a
nd steered her away, over to the kitchen where the bar was set up.

  “Okay?” he asked in an undertone.

  She nodded.

  “So, what’s your poison?” he asked in a more hearty voice, rubbing his hands together.

  “Anything.” She didn’t care.

  “Now, you’re my type of date.” He winked and snagged three flutes of champagne from a tray for her, Lise and Deirdra.

  “What are you having, good buddy?”

  “Beer.”

  “That’s my boy.” Rob gave Daniel another enthusiastic slap on the back. “Two beers—Labatt’s Blue,” he ordered from the server manning the makeshift bar.

  “Now, Daniel, you can’t stay mad at me. This is a nice party. All your friends are here, not just business associates. And no clowns.” Lise sipped her champagne.

  “I see at least one clown,” Daniel said dryly, eyeing Rob.

  “Better a clown than a fool,” Rob answered cryptically.

  Lise gave a delicate ladylike snort. “And on that note, I think I’ll go find my husband.” She laid a hand on Felicity’s arm, her gaze questioning.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Good. I’ll catch up with you kids later.”

  As Lise glided off, more well-wishers came forward. After awhile it was barbeque déjà vu all over again, with Felicity pushed to the group’s edge, while VD stayed by Daniel’s side.

  From then on Felicity took care to stay on the opposite side of the room from Daniel and Deirdra, but she had the constant sensation of being watched. When she finally gave in to temptation to look, Daniel’s expression lumped the breath in her throat before he wiped the brooding anger from his face.

  Someone in the group surrounding him said something that they all found amusing, particularly VD, who tossed her long dark hair back and forth like she was orgasming.

  I have to get out of here. Felicity turned towards the elevator, but saw Lise holding court in the foyer with a small knot of people. There was no way she could get past Daniel’s mother without being stopped and questioned.

  Felicity headed for the terrace and quickly slipped outside; skirting several intimate groups, she made for the private space just outside of Daniel’s bedroom. She turned the corner. Empty. Thank god.

  As soon as her butt hit the cushions on the lounger, the trembling began. Felicity impatiently wiped at the tears that streamed down her face. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been through heartbreak before, or gone through really rough times. She’d make it through this one. She had to.

  “Got to keep circulating. Thanks for coming.” Daniel smiled and moved away. He’d been moving all night. On the run from his thoughts. Reaching out to shake another hand, receive another slap on the back, stopping for a minute to exchange some good-natured ribbing. He hated this shit.

  When he came to the bank of French doors, he peered out at the terrace, tapping his beer bottle against the glass. He didn’t see Felicity, but he knew she was out there somewhere. He’d watched her slip out of the party twenty minutes ago, just as he’d watched her keep a careful distance from him all night.

  Daniel’s leg twitched, ready to take the first step over the threshold. But could he take the next steps that would lead him to face her? And then to do what—beg? That was all that was left for him to do at this point. When he’d said he couldn’t accept her, he’d lied. A reaction to the absolute epiphany of that moment, of just how deeply he’d fallen for her. And just how much further he could go.

  He swore, and took a slug of the warm beer he was nursing.

  “Thirty-one ain’t so old you know, pup.”

  Lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t seen Rob’s approach. “Pup? You’re only one year older than me.”

  “Chronologically yes. But in maturity, sophistication and sheer good looks, I’m light years ahead of you, man.”

  “I guess that makes me younger and smarter.”

  “Touché.” Rob tapped his beer bottle against Daniel’s, drank deeply, wiped his mouth and burped.

  “Sophisticated?”

  “Eh. Two out of three.” Rob shrugged. “So if you’re so smart, what are you doing in here when Felicity is out there?” He jerked his head towards the terrace.

  “You’re not going to hold on to those good looks much longer, pal, if you keep sticking your nose in my business.”

  “Quitting?” Rob prodded further.

  He held his friend’s gaze for the length of another swallow of beer, then walked away from Rob’s smirking face.

  Daniel cut a path through his guests until he reached the sanctuary of his study and shut himself up in the darkness. For long minutes he just leaned against the door and stared across the room.

  It called to him like a siren’s song.

  Aided by the weak stream of moonlight through the windows, Daniel went to his desk where he turned on the lamp, bathing the room in a deep sweet glow. He shoved aside some files to make room for his beer, then opened the middle drawer.

  The small box was still there, perfectly centered on a sheaf of papers. He lifted the lid, removed the ring and held it up to eye level. The diamond held an inner fire that shone with false promise and sparkled with ridicule. So much for lovers’ journeys. Emotion lumped in his throat and he sighed, the final death rattle of this whole screwed up mess.

  The door leading to the hall opened, followed by a soft gasp. “Daniel?”

  “What are you doing in here?” He clenched his fist around the ring as Deirdra came closer. She stopped inches away.

  “I was looking for you.” Her stunned gaze veered from his face to his hand and back again. “So you do…really love her?”

  It was that little hitch, a faint pleading note in her voice, that fully revealed what she’d been hiding from him.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, knowing it was inadequate. The sting of unrequited love was too fresh for him not to understand. He plucked some tissues from a box and handed them to her.

  “Thank you.” She dabbed at her eyes. Then she touched his closed fist, sliding her fingers under his until he opened up and let the ring drop into her palm.

  “It’s beautiful. So when’s the lucky day?”

  “There won’t be one.” His throat threatened close. “She doesn’t love me.”

  “It hurts doesn’t it? And it hurts even more because you don’t want to believe it. Don’t want to accept it…

  “…until you hear the words.”

  “Deirdra, don’t do this.”

  “Say it. Give me that at least.”

  The muffled happy noises from the party sounded grotesque and taunting in comparison to the somber atmosphere that swaddled them in here.

  “Say it!”

  “I- I don’t love you.”

  “See?” Her head tilted to an awkward angle. “Closure. You should get some for yourself. It’s the wondering, the hope that festers and never lets you heal. I should know. It’s been six long years.”

  “Deirdra—”

  “You should find Felicity, Daniel. Tell her. Ask her. Know for sure.” She closed her eyes, shutting him out.

  Daniel stared at her, torn in two. He felt like a piece of shit, but his body was already angled towards the door.

  “Are you going to be all right?” He ran his hand down her arm and she nodded, acknowledging the goodbye.

  “I just need to be alone.”

  He hesitated a moment longer then headed for the door, uncertainty shifting in his belly like an indigestible meal.

  “Felicity?”

  She stiffened at the voice. What did he want? She refused to turn around and sensed, rather than heard, his continued approach. Finally he came into view and Felicity looked up into the achingly familiar masculine beauty of his face.

  Daniel may have his mother’s coloring, but everything else came from the man who stood before her. Michael Mackenzie.

  “I’m not one to beat around the bush, Miss Cameron.” He slid a hand into his suit pocket. “Obviously, yo
u and Daniel have developed an attachment. I’m disappointed, but it’s understandable. Daniel reacted as any man would to the showcasing of your attributes.”

  “Showcasing my attributes?” The neckline of her dress was low, but not indecent. She adjusted the edges of it now.

  “Please. Such attempts at modesty won’t fly with me.” His eyes narrowed. “Or perhaps my son doesn’t know?”

  Darkness started crowing her vision. “Kn-know wh-what?”

  He made an impatient sound. “That you’re a damn stripper. Don’t try to deny it.”

  “Daniel told you?” she asked faintly, sick to her stomach.

  “So, he does know.” Michael looked out over the lake with a pained expression. “Idiot.”

  He pinned her again under his scathing gaze. “No, he didn’t tell me anything, I saw you with my own eyes. I have a client with the unfortunate habit of frequenting questionable establishments.

  “It was the night of your inaugural performance as Miss Candee Kane,” he said the name with acid derision, “that I had the misfortune to be in attendance.

  “I couldn’t quite place where I’d seen you before at the barbeque. The dress was the final tip off tonight. It reminded me of the trench coat you wore, so very briefly, that night.”

  The moon shone too bright. The stars were too plentiful. They should all disappear. Make the night dark enough to hide her shame.

  “Do you have some kind of agreement with my son, Miss Cameron? I think I know Daniel well enough to know he would want to be your only—” He hesitated, his mouth curled, as if he were taste-testing several distasteful word choices.

  “Client?” She stood to face him on unsteady legs. “Are you calling me some sort of prostitute?”

  “Calm yourself, please.” He rebuked her as if speaking to a child. “I implied no such thing.”

  “Bullshit. That’s all you’ve been implying. For your information, I love your son!”

  Oh the words felt soo good to finally say out loud. She said them again, slowly, wishing she’d been brave enough to say them earlier. “I…love…Daniel. And would never be with him for money. Never.”

  Michael Mackenzie laughed in disbelief. “Oh no? Who bought that dress you’re wearing? My wife has enough over-priced designer scraps hanging in her closet, that I can tell quality.” His gaze raked down to her toes, making clear that she was not what he called quality.