“Okay. Why don’t I stop by later, just in case you change your mind?” he said then walked toward the steps leading back to the beach.
“I won’t change my mind,” she assured him.
“Just in case,” he repeated with a knowing smile. “See you later.”
Jazz went back to the table and sat down. Devon hadn’t mentioned what happened between them last night and the fact that she’d left his house without a word, and she wasn’t about to. As soon as she saw him, her heart jumped for joy, but her mind was putting on the brakes. All she could think about was being hurt like her mother and repeating her mistakes. Being in love with a man who belonged to someone else was the cruelest kind of love. Instant attraction was usually a disaster, and that was the last thing she needed. She picked up her laptop, went back into the house, grabbed her dark sunglasses and hat and headed to the garage. She had no intention of being here when Devon returned.
Chapter 11
EXTERIOR—SAG HARBOR
Blowing Devon off was quick and less painful than she expected; still, he was right about one thing. It was a perfect day to hang out. The weather was a balmy seventy-five degrees. The sky was crystal blue, and the sun was blazing bright. Jazz was excited to see, as Devon had put it, the beauty of Sag Harbor. She put the top down on Vincent’s car and let the brisk air breeze through her hair. She loved the smell of the day after a storm. The air was refreshed, and everything bad seemed to have washed away.
She drove down Main Street and parked near Monument Park. She got out and walked the south side of town, stopping occasionally to window-shop. She continued passing boutiques, restaurants, coffee houses and even a few small art galleries.
Jazz decided that it was time to treat herself. After being secluded for weeks, she was excited to do a little shopping. With her dark sunglasses and wide-brimmed hat, she eased through town, confident that no one would recognize her. She was right. She blended in easily with the new trickle of early tourists and the locals. There was a constant flow of pedestrian traffic, yet no one bothered to even look in her direction. For that she was grateful.
She checked out the windows of a few boutiques. They seemed to be stocking merchandise for the upcoming season. She stopped at an upscale boutique with an artful window design. She went inside and looked around. As soon as she entered, a woman met her at the door. She had blond hair with punk-rock spikes and magenta tips. She smiled widely showing a neat row of hot-pink rubber-banded braces. “Good morning. Can I show you anything in particular?”
“Actually, I’m just looking around,” Jazz said.
“We have some really nice things in this week. If you need help, just let me know.”
Jazz nodded and continued browsing. There were other customers in the store, and one of them constantly stared at her. Feeling self-conscious, she eventually purchased a few men’s summer-knit sweaters and several hand-painted silk scarves. She paid in cash and waited for the sales clerk to bag her items. The customer finally came up to her. “Excuse me. I’m sure you get this all the time, but you look a little like Jazelle Richardson.”
Jazz nodded and smiled as she took her bags. “Yeah, actually I get that a lot. Thanks.” She smiled, turned and left.
“Make sure to come back again. We get new shipments daily,” the clerk called out as the door closed.
Jazz continued strolling through town. It was still early, and the walk was exactly what she needed to clear her head. Her next stop was the small fashion boutique Jessica had told her about, Suzi’s Closet. The instant she stood at the window, she fell in love with the merchandise. It was essentially high-fashion designer clothes with an everyday appeal. It fit her style perfectly. Unfortunately, the store was packed. There were several dozen women mingling around. After being nearly recognized the last time, she decided not to try her luck but wait until the store was less crowded.
She continued walking, then stopped at the bookstore a few doors down. She went in, hoping to find something more interesting than the scripts she’d been reading. She looked around, quickly assessing the main sections. Romance, fiction, travel—she breezed through the stacks, picking up a few books then replacing them, searching for nothing in particular. A few moments passed and she wandered into the sports section. She browsed until a smiling face caught her eye on the end-cap display. It was Devon.
She walked over and picked up the book. It was a sports guide for kids. She flipped through, seeing photos of him with kids and also in his professional life on the field.
“If you’re interested in football, we have a small selection of DVDs in the back of the store. Championship games, mostly.”
Jazz turned, seeing a store employee standing in the aisle across from her. She smiled. “No thanks. I’m just browsing.”
He nodded. “Or if you interested in the L.A. Stallions or Devon Hayes in particular, there’s a great article on him in Sports Illustrated this month. You know he has a place here.”
“Really, but no, I’m not interested, thanks,” she said holding on to the book she’d picked up and moving to the next aisle.
Focus had never been difficult for her, but here lately she was struggling to center her attention. No matter where she was or what she was doing, her thoughts seemed to stray to Devon. She turned down the next aisle and the next, moving too quickly to be browsing, but she needed to get as far away from Devon as possible.
“Maybe a movie,” she said aloud, and then looked around. There were several patrons in the store, but no one paid her any attention and the store employee was busy helping someone else. She looked at the new movie releases, spotting her last movie instantly. She picked it up, turned it over and smiled, remembering her time on set. Her costars were crazy, and she loved every minute. She always enjoyed the comradery on set. It was like being in a huge family where everyone wanted the same thing.
She replaced the movie and moved to the next section. She picked up another DVD and glanced at it. Before turning it over, she saw a young woman coming towards her. She recognized her instantly, although she looked much younger in her school uniform. She was at Melanie’s party. She was the young girl following Devon around all night.
She worried there would be a confrontation, but to her delight the girl merely pardoned herself and kept walking. Jazz moved a few more feet in the opposite direction then stopped curiously. The young girl paused at the new movie display. She grabbed a box. “Hey, over here, I found it,” she called out. Two friends, about the same age, came charging down the aisle. Single focused, they never even noticed Jazz. They gathered as the first girl held a DVD in her hands. “What do you think?” she said. “He’s not all that cute, though.”
“So who cares?”
The other girl nodded. “You should seriously go after him.”
“Eww, and he’s married,” she replied.
“So what? Forget his wife. You should go after him.”
“I know, right?” one of the other girls said, giggling. “Seriously, you should definitely go after him. Plus, I read in the tabloids that he just signed this huge contract for the sequel. He’s about to seriously blow up.”
“Yeah, but the movie was lame.”
“Who cares? They’re giving him a mint to do another one. As long as the money’s coming in, who cares if he’s any good?”
“She’s right. You gotta take care of yourself. What do you think you’re gonna do after high school? Go to college, fall in love with a lawyer and have his kids like your mother? Please. I don’t think so. Why settle for sloppy seconds when you can go after filet mignon? Having his kid would definitely set you up for life.”
“I know, right?” the same girl repeated. “Definitely.”
“This is business, so just do what you have to do and think of the money you’ll get in the end.”
“I wanted Devon Hayes,” the girl from the party pouted.
“Yeah, what happened with that?” one of the girls asked.
“I heard Devon
was gonna be there, so I got my dad to take me to the party. He was there, and he was gorgeous. All these other old women were trying to get at him, but I was blocking hard. Then Jazz Richardson showed up. They must have a thing, ’cause they were outside practically doing it right there in front of me. He had her up against the pole humping her. She was screaming his name and everything. I saw the whole thing.”
Jazz gasped, knowing the girl was lying about the other night. They had kissed, and that was all. This was how ugly rumors got started.
“You should have used your cell phone and sold the photo.”
“I didn’t even think about it. I was just so mad. I hate her guts. She thinks she can have anybody, just ’cause she’s famous.”
Jazz eased farther away and turned down the next aisle. With her large hat on and her head down, it appeared as if she was looking at a CD cover as she stood almost directly across from the girls.
“That’s a shame, ’cause Devon Hayes is gorgeous and his pockets are seriously deep. Plus, he’s getting that fat contract next season.”
“Yeah, but you had to know he was gonna be extra careful after what happened to him. It almost ruined his career. They say he’s been off-the-market ever since then.”
“Him off-the-market? What a waste. I could sure fix that. Can you imagine being with him?”
“I bet you he’s incredible in bed.” They giggled.
“I bet you he is huge.” They giggled again.
“Imagine riding him all night long. See, I could have had all that. It’s all that stupid reporter’s fault. She screwed him big-time and made him all suspicious about everyone. I bet he doesn’t trust anybody now.”
Jazz had to stop herself from looking up. She had no idea what they were talking about, but it sounded serious. All she gathered was that Devon’s career took a hit because of a scandal with a reporter.
“It’s a shame he made her get rid of the baby, though.”
Jazz’s jaw dropped. She was stunned.
“Do you really think she was pregnant and it was his?”
“I don’t know. I guess we’ll never know for sure. They say she lied to trap him, but whatever.”
“I heard she was doing like three other guys, but since he had the deepest pockets she went after him. She almost got him good, too.”
“Yeah, but her stupid father got greedy.”
“See, that’s why you should never tell your parents what you plan to do. They always want in on it and mess things up. Come on, we gotta get back to school.” They pocketed the DVD and walked out.
Jazz stood stunned, shaking her head. Their audacity was beyond disgusting. How could anybody purposely go after a man in hopes of trapping him with a baby? It was wrong, it was revolting—it was her mother. It didn’t take her long to realize she was the answer. Her mother had done the same thing. True love or not, it was still wrong.
Disheartened, she walked to the front of the store to leave. “Excuse me, miss.” She turned. “If you’d like to purchase those items, I can take them for you over here.”
She looked down, realizing that she was still holding the book and DVD she’d picked up earlier. “Yes, sure, of course,” she said. She walked over to the counter and handed the book and DVD over. The cashier began ringing the two items up when she noticed a copy of Sports Illustrated. She picked it up and added it to her purchases. The cashier rang everything up, and she paid and left quickly.
She headed back in the direction of the car, but stopped, noticing that the boutique was now almost empty. She went inside. There was a woman paying for her purchase and another woman behind the counter. “Hi, welcome to Suzi’s Closet. I’ll be right with you.”
Jazz nodded and began looking around. She found a number of items she liked. She pulled several from the stands and draped them over her arm. “Hi, I’m Suzi. I’ll take these for you.” She took the merchandise and hung them by the dressing room. “You have some great selections. Are you looking for any occasion in particular?” Suzi asked.
“No, just shopping in general.”
“You’re the perfect customer. I have some new pieces against the wall and some original pieces towards the back of the store. There’s a royal blue dress that would look sensational on you. I’ll get it.”
“Thanks,” Jazz said, enjoying the personal attention.
Suzi brought the dress over. Jazz was stunned. It was gorgeous, but not for her. Her best friend Savannah would look incredible in it. “That’s stunning.”
“Would you like to try it on with the others? I’d be happy to alter it to fit you,” Suzi said, walking toward the dressing room.
“Actually, it’s for a friend of mine. Her birthday’s in a few weeks, and she’d look great in that.”
“I’ll be happy to hold it a few days for her.”
“She’s in London right now.”
“Are the two of you approximately the same size?”
“Approximately. She’s a bit bustier.”
“No problem. Try it on and I’ll fit it to you and leave a bit more room at the top for her.”
“Great.” Jazz followed Suzi to the dressing room, where she found her other outfits waiting. She tried everything on and loved them. The last piece she tried on was the blue dress. It was much sexier than she’d buy for herself, but there was no denying it was breathtaking. She stepped out of the dressing room and up onto the riser. She looked at herself in the three-way mirror. “Perfect,” she said aloud.
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter 12
EXTERIOR—SAG HARBOR
Jazz looked up at the mirror’s reflection then spun around quickly, almost toppling off the stand. “Careful,” Devon said, holding her waist securely.
“What are you doing here?” Jazz asked.
Devon smiled easily while holding a bright red dress in his hands. “I told you, I had to go in town. Imagine my surprise seeing you walking out of the dressing room in that.” He eyed her from head to toe and smiled, obviously liking what he saw. “If you don’t buy it for yourself, I most certainly will.”
“It’s not for me. I’m considering it for a girlfriend.”
“It looks beautiful on you. Why don’t you find something else for her?”
Jazz turned back to face the mirror and examined her reflection again. She observed his reaction in the mirror. He most definitely approved of it.
“Oh, that’s perfect. She’s going to love that. It’s a shame it’s not for you. You look great in it,” Suzi said, walking over.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Devon said.
“Here’s the dress, Devon. I think it came out exactly as we planned,” Suzi said as she held up an emerald-green evening dress with matching jacket. Devon nodded his approval. “I can send it out this afternoon if you like. Excuse me,” Suzi said as she went to greet a customer who’d just walked in.
Jazz took the opportunity to change back into her clothes. As soon as she came out of the dressing room, Devon held two dresses up to her.
“What do you think, the red or the green?” he asked Jazz.
“I like them both. Although I think I’d need to see them on you to get the full effect,” she joked.
“I’m buying them for my sister. She’s been working really hard, and now she’s up for a major award. It’s a big deal in the advertising world. It’s in a few weeks, and I’ll be escorting her.”
“Right,” Jazz said skeptically.
“No, really. I’m serious. I’d never ask your opinion if I were buying something for another woman.”
“Okay, fine. I believe you.”
“So which one?” he asked.
“What’s your sister like?”
“She’s ambitious, smart and fun. She owns an advertising agency in San Francisco and works too hard for her own good.”
“And these are the two choices, right?”
“She loves the color red, but this is more her style. Either would look great on her.”
“She has her moments with both.”
Jazz looked at both dresses. They were equally beautiful in different ways. “I’d go with the green. It’s an awards event, and chances are a lot of her peers will be there. The red is beautiful, but maybe for a different occasion.”
He nodded. “I agree. Thanks. Suzi,” he called out, “we’re taking the green dress. Could you send it ahead?”
“Sure, I’ll get it out this afternoon,” she said then turned to Jazz. “Is there anything I can have delivered to you?”
“Yes, I’m going to take this with the alterations we talked about and all of these as well,” Jazz said, handing over her black credit card.
“Excellent,” Suzi said, walking back to the counter. Jazz and Devon followed. “I’ll have everything together for you in about half an hour. I can have them delivered anywhere you’d like. I am very discreet when it comes to my clientele.”
“I’m staying at Melanie Harte’s home.”
“Perfect. I have another delivery going there today.”
“Great, thank you,” Jazz said, taking back her card.
“No problem. Make sure to come in again.”
“I will,” Jazz said.
“Devon, Terri should receive the green dress in two days.”
“Thanks, Suzi. See you later.”
Jazz walked out, and Devon followed. “Are you hungry?”
Jazz realized that she hadn’t eaten all day. “Yes. Know any good places to eat around here?”
“I know the perfect place.”
They ate at a small outside café. She ordered a salad, and he ordered a steak sandwich. Their meal was interrupted only occasionally by overly exuberant Stallions fans. Some wanted autographs, others photographs. Devon took it in stride. Jazz made certain to keep her head lowered and looked away during most of the conversations. When they did have time to themselves they talked mostly about her career both in music and movies.
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