by Tiana Cole
“That seems reasonable,” she agreed.
It was all totally reasonable, fair, and all painfully businesslike. How we proceed? What she was dying to know was how he really felt. She suspected he still didn't know yet, which was understandable, and of course she wasn’t quite sure, either. There was that sexual attraction, but was there something more?
“I'll come see you in a few days.”
“In New Orleans?” Audra asked, taken aback by this announcement.
He grinned. “One of the advantages of having money is that going to New Orleans is no harder than getting downtown—some days it can even be easier.”
“And I imagine that money has other benefits…”
“It does, as well as a few drawbacks. Just so you understand, there are a lot of people who have a vested interest in my financial situation. That’s why it’s important that your bills go through my accountant. There can’t be any question of exactly why I’m giving you the money. And that’s one reason the child herself, or himself, creates some… uncertainties.”
“Inheritance? I hadn't even thought of that.”
“I believe you, but I have to keep it in mind. Furthermore, even though I’m certain that you didn't approach me for financial gain, I need to move slowly. Otherwise there will be people who’ll want to brand you as a gold digger and opportunist. I don’t want either of us to have to deal with that.”
Again, it was all reasonable, logical, and so far from the whirlwind romance that had gotten her pregnant that it seemed somehow ironic, if not entirely laughable. Kenneth Steele was being the restrained, efficient, and thorough businessman he needed to be, but what did he want to be? From time to time she caught a flicker of the passion he’d shown in those green eyes, but did it mean anything? Still, the agreement was done. It was all civilized, and he was doing so much more than she’d dared hope that she couldn't fault him for being so distant.
What came after their discussion was a delightful and fantastically rich dessert, coffee, and a taxi ride back to the hotel. In some ways Audra thought this must be how it felt to win the lottery. She told him about his child, expecting nothing, and found him willing to take responsibility well beyond anything she could have hoped for. In other ways… well, he hadn't said a word about her, except for the tantalizing recollection of their night together being fantastic, and that he’d found himself wrapped up in an exciting woman—her.
Did that mean he might still feel something for her? If so, he sure hid it well. She’d have to be patient, even though that was the last thing she wanted to be. She knew that much, at least. It was easy to tell—the way her blood pounded in her ears when she was with him made it clear enough. She hoped her own desire didn't show. Well, maybe a little, in case he wanted to see it.
Chapter Six
The flight back to New Orleans yanked her out the New York dream and back to the real world. She had heard promises of financial support, seem glimmers of something more, but as the commuter jet took her away from the city, from Kenneth Steele, his green eyes, and her new and surprising ally and double, Myeisha, the shimmer began to fade. She’d be out of his sight, and likely out of his mind. Kenneth Steele had important businesses to run, and they took his attention away from her and his child. If he wanted a woman, well, they abounded in New York and came in all shapes, sizes, and colors. A large number of them would undoubtedly be willing to respond if that man beckoned.
At the New Orleans airport she stepped back into her real, pragmatic world, the place where she had to survive. Steele had promised a lot. Now it was time to put that to the test, regain the mind set of accepting what she got from him, and forgetting hopes; hopes led to disappointment. It was time to live by her wits and let her reason dominate her heart… even though she’d never totally be able to break the hold Kenneth Steele had over her. It came as a blow to her ego that he owned a piece of her even if she meant nothing to him.
As soon as she got to her apartment, she shook off the gloom that threatened to take ahold of her and called Terry.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Really great. Better than I could’ve hoped, Ter. I didn't have to ask for a damn thing. Once he heard the story… Well, he wants to help out. He said he’d pay for the doctor, my rent, just about everything.”
“That sounds fantastic—almost too much.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And you aren't as happy about all this as you’re trying to make me believe,” Terry commented.
“I’m happy,” Audra replied, perhaps a bit too defensively. “Why wouldn't I be?”
“I don’t know, but I hear that little sister whine droning on softly underneath the layers of fake enthusiasm and cheer you've piled on it. So tell your brother… What didn't you get that you wanted?”
She tried to think of something to say that he’d believe. But how did you explain that, with everything going so well, with Steele being so accepting of his child, it deflated her to find that he wasn't eager to pick up where they’d left off in Brazil? How did you tell your brother than you were hurt because your unreasonable fantasy hadn't come to pass, and the prince didn't care beans about seeing if the glass slipper fit your foot? How did you say things like that without sounding like an utter fool who should be locked in a padded room?
He waited while she struggled to come up with an answer and then, finally, he laughed. “You’re still in love with him. You’re unhappy because he didn't welcome you with an open heart as well as an open wallet.”
She hated it when he saw through her, and his comments about the open wallet stung as they made her sound cheap and money grubbing. “Why would you say that?” she scoffed.
“What else could it be?”
Terry saw through her way too easily, and she sighed in defeat. “Okay, I’m still hung up on him. Sitting with him at dinner… The way he looked at me brought it all back. Terry, he has eyes that melt my soul.”
“You didn't sleep with him again, did you?”
“No. I'll be honest about it—I would have if he’d even made an attempt to seduce me.”
“And it hurt your feelings that he didn't make the effort,” he stated, not questioned.
She let out a burst of laughter; only Terry could do that to her. “Damn you, Terry, maybe it did… a little. He was as exciting a man as I remembered and I wanted to see that I excited him again, but no dice. As far as I can tell he remembers Carnival as a good time, but has relegated that, and me, to the past.”
“I hate to suggest it, but maybe he has some other good time going on. Another woman.”
She’d wondered that too, as much as the thought pained her. “Myeisha says no. She thinks he’s been alone since then. Of course, part of that’s because he kept waiting for her to tell him that she enjoyed the night with him and would love him forever.”
“It’s hard to believe that you two look that much alike.”
“But we do. At a distance, even you would have trouble telling us apart.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, wow. So now I need to put together the stuff with my bills and get it to his accountant. Gale and some other girls covered my shift while I was in New York, but that doesn't pay bills.”
“Gotcha. Well, I have news, too,” Terry told her, catching her off guard.
“What sort?” she asked cautiously.
“School’s ending and there’s no summer program, so I’m coming to New Orleans.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“You won’t come here, so apparently I do. My lease is up anyway. I'll get a month to month place there and maybe look around for work. This town holds no appeal for me, and I’d like to be close to my niece or nephew. You know, to make sure someone’s there to spoil the kid rotten.”
“You would, too,” Audra laughed.
“It’s my duty. Read the handbook. But now I need to get a move on. It’s time for me to let some kids beat the crap out of me.”
“The thin
gs people do for money...”
“Ain’t it the truth?”
The idea that Terry would be there, in New Orleans where she could see him, and that he’d be around and wanted to be around, was a wonderful feeling.
***
Over the next few weeks, Audra’s life changed, mostly for the better. Terry moved to town and settled in not far from her, and the finances got sorted out as planned. Steele’s accountants were efficient and amazing. Once Audra signed the authorizations, they arranged for the medical bills to come straight to them. She got notices informing her that her rent and utilities were being automatically paid, as Kenneth had promised. When she looked at her bank account, she found a large—for her—deposit labeled, “Household Allowance.”
For the first time in her life, she felt wealthy.
The doctor Myeisha arranged for her was a pretty upmarket OB. The woman had a lovely office and large staff, but Audra never saw the bills. The care was top notch, and the baby was healthy and developing on track.
She could have quit working, but although her job wasn't everything she wanted, she liked it and the people she worked with. She’d miss them and, with the wholehearted approval of her doctor, resolved to keep working as long as she could. School was over; working gave her a purpose, and got her out among people since sitting home alone held no attractions for her. She had five months or so before her due date, and there weren't that many movies on her list of films she’d never had time to watch. There might not be enough movies in the world to get her through that much time, especially once you ruled out romantic comedies. The way life was going, she really didn't see the appeal of humorous roadblocks to finding true love. She had enough obstacles of her own. From many standpoints, she was a fantastically lucky woman. Compared with other single women who found themselves pregnant, having the father of her child able and willing to step up put her in the minority. However, finances were only part of it as she faced the responsibility of raising the child alone. Even if she managed that, money did nothing to ease the ache that came from being alone, or ease the memories of a passion that she’d experienced and now eluded her. In fact, this way, with him hovering around the edges, wanting to contribute financially but at a distance, kept him present but tantalizingly out of reach.
It was reasonable that he’d remain distant. Their lives were so different and he was being cautious; a rich man trying ensure he wasn't ensnared by a woman. And what did the have in common? To the best of her knowledge, they shared nothing but the passion of their one night together.
In one odd moment the sensible Audra found herself deciding, on the basis of nothing whatsoever, that they’d conceived the baby that first time, standing in the doorway. That scenario seemed to make sense as that struck her as the most madly romantic moment of a madly romantic night. From Steele’s comments and his reluctance to engage, however, apparently the passion and the feelings they seemed to share that night weren't as compelling or significant for him.
“When do I meet him?” Gale asked with a smile.
“Maybe never. I don’t know when or if I'll even see him again. He’s still thinking about what he wants to do, and most of it’s done through his people. It isn't necessarily a personal interest.”
“But he’s spending all this money, actually wanting to see medical reports…”
“And maybe that’s all it is—a situation to resolve with money and monitor through reports from his team. The amount of money he’s spending doesn't mean that much to him, and although he seems to care what happens to the baby, I don’t know how far that concern goes. And as for me, maybe Myeisha was wrong and there’s another woman in his life.”
“Does he strike you as the kind of man who wouldn't just tell you that? I mean, from the things you've told me, I figure he’d just say, ‘Hey, sweetie, we had a great time, but I’m banging someone else now.’”
Audra laughed. “Well, that isn't the way he talks, but yeah, unless he had some reason not to, I imagine he’d spill.”
“Well, then,” Gale said, satisfied she’d been proven right. She brandished her order pad and surveyed the room. “I better check my tables. Prompt service yields better tips.”
“So the management wants us to believe. But I’m on break,” Audra replied.
“No sneaking out for a cigarette?”
“I don’t smoke.”
“And this is no time to start,” Gale said, gesturing to her friend’s belly.
“You’re strange, Gale,” Audra chuckled.
Gale laughed and headed out to the dining area, and Audra took a moment to reflect on her presumption. Her friend knew nothing about Kenneth Steele beyond what she read in her magazines, but she was a relatively good judge of character. If Steele didn't have a lover, though, his attitude didn't make much sense. He’d practically admitted that he’d been as overwhelmed by their night together as she had, but he didn't seem interested in finding out if there was more to be had—a deeper relationship.
Suddenly the doors swung open and Gale was standing in front of her with her eyes wide and her face white. “He’s here.”
“Are you okay?” Audra asked in concern.
“He’s here,” Gale repeated.
“You said that. Who’s here?”
“Him. Green eyes, long blond hair, hard muscled body—Kenneth heartthrob Steele… and he’s fucking gorgeous!”
That made no sense to Audra and it took her a moment to sputter out a response. “Why… why would he be here?”
“Looking for you, you idiot,” Gale snapped, rolling her eyes. “That would be my guess. And if you don’t get out there and lay claim to him, I’m going back out to start ripping his clothes off.”
“Ken’s actually here?” Audra asked in shocked disbelief.
“I can’t believe you slept with that man! Damn, girl, thinking about him with no clothes on gives me the shivers. Hell, I can’t look at him without imagining him naked.”
Audra stood up and let out a breath. “I wonder…”
“The way to stop wondering and find out is to go out there and talk to your hunk. Your rich hunk of man.”
She nodded and started toward the door that led into the dining area, steadying herself by putting her hand on the back of booth. Her knees had suddenly grown weak and unsure.
***
Gale followed her through the door and kept her distance as Audra stepped into the dining room. There he was, sipping water, sitting at a booth as if he was anyone else. As they both knew, however, he certainly wasn't anyone else. He saw her and flashed her a smile, but didn’t rise to greet her. Audra went to the cash register where Ruby, the floor manager, was doubling as cashier.
“Can I take a short lunch right now?” Audra asked almost pleadingly.
Ruby looked around the room. “Sure. We aren't that busy.”
Audra nervously walked over to his booth and slipped in opposite him. “I don’t have a lot of time,” she said. “You should've called and let me know you were coming.”
“Yes. I couldn't, though.”
“You couldn't?”
“So much has to be said in person. I couldn't stand talking to you on the phone, hearing your voice but not seeing you.”
“Really?” Audra asked, surprised by this unexpected revelation. “You didn't seem all that eager to see me.”
“It’s… confusing,” he replied, looking a bit troubled.
“And this isn't the place to clear things up,” Audra pointed out as she glanced around the room.
“I understand. You’re working. I wanted to see the place for myself. Make it real. I thought we might… I wanted to see you.”
“Are you going to have lunch?”
“I suppose I should.”
She turned and waved at Gale, and her friend excitedly darted toward the table.
“Kenneth Steele, meet Gale Robbins,” Audra introduced. “She’s not only a good friend of mine, but your waitress. How’s that for efficient?”
&nbs
p; “Impressive,” he smiled, then stood and held out a hand in greeting. As Gale took it, Audra wasn't entirely sure her friend wouldn't pass out. “I’m delighted to meet you.”
“I've heard a lot about you,” Gale gushed.
“Actually, I've heard about you as well. You got Audra this job, if I’m not mistaken?”
Gale beamed. “Yes, that’s right.” Seeing Ruby looking at them, she quickly handed Ken a menu. “If you'll sit down and order, I won’t get into trouble.”
He laughed and slipped back into the booth. “Is there a special today, Gale?”
“There is. It’s—”
“That’s perfect,” he interrupted. “I'll have the special.” He looked at Audra and asked, “Can I get you anything?”
“I’m not keen on eating right now.”
Gale managed to head towards the counter to put in the order.
“You have another admirer,” Audra smirked. “I suppose you get them wherever you go.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I came to talk about you… about us.”
“That’s what I’m doing. You attract women, as we see with Gale… and as we saw in Brazil.”
“It doesn't usually happen anything like it did in Brazil, which is why I’m here now. There was something special that happened, and I was just too screwed up to see at the time. I’d like, if you’re willing, to spend some time together.”
Audra saw that he seemed a bit nervous, and realized that his edginess was more flattering than the words. “Spending time together could be interesting.”
“I want to talk through some things and see where it might lead.”
“Well, seeing all that you’re doing for me, for us, I’d feel like I was taking advantage if I said no to that. Where do you want to meet?”
“I don’t mean meet for coffee and get everything out,” he said. “It’s more complicated and we need to go slowly. If you’re interested in getting to know me and letting me get to know you, I’ll set up an office here in New Orleans so we can have lots of chats, maybe do things together.”