by Diana Palmer
After the show, a production assistant came and led her backstage, where Jed was waiting. He put his arm around her and nuzzled her hair. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
She confessed, “I spent way too much money in Bloomingdale’s.”
He pulled her closer and whispered, “I like your new clothes, but I like what’s under them even better.”
She shook a finger at him. “Later for that.” And then she smoothed the collar of his sport coat, feeling tender and fond and so very proud of him. “It went so well. You were really good.”
“Did I say too much?” He sounded almost hesitant.
And she was blushing all over again. “Not too much. No way.” She put a hand to her heart. “I’m keeping those words you said right here, storing them up, you know? To remember for all of my life.” And then she couldn’t resist a little teasing. “Especially the part about how you actually like Wigs.”
He introduced her to the publicist and one of the NY at Night producers. Feeling dazed and happy and out of her element, but not really in a bad way, she smiled and said how great it was to meet them.
Finally, Jed took her out through a door backstage. The guy from the publicity department went with them, but then flagged down a cab and left.
Elise watched him go. “So…dinner with more publishing people?”
He shook his head. “Tonight and tomorrow, it’s just you and me.”
* * *
As it turned out, Jed didn’t write a single word that weekend. He wanted a little time apart with Elise and he took it.
They had dinner that night at his favorite café in the Village. And Saturday, they visited the Arms and Armor collection at the Met, took the subway to the best pizzeria in Bedford-Stuyvesant and had dinner in a rooftop garden, the guests of a writer friend of his in Queens.
Saturday night, he kept her up very late. He couldn’t get enough of her, really. Sexually, she managed to be shy and adventurous, funny and alluring all at the same time. They made love on just about every available surface in the hotel suite and when she finally fell asleep in his arms, he brushed the tangled hair off her forehead and tried to decide how to deal with what Holly had told him.
He still had two months until his deadline. Should he bring it up now, ask Elise to reconsider their original agreement, to think about what would sweeten the pot enough to make her give up on the damn catering thing and stay on with him? Or should he play it out to the end and knock her socks off with some kind of terrific, irresistible offer she couldn’t refuse? Whatever the hell that might be…
On the flight home to Justice Creek, he was still trying to decide which way to go.
Elise noticed. Which shouldn’t have surprised him. It was one of the many things he loved about her. Nothing got by her for long.
He was staring off toward the door to the cockpit, endlessly considering his limited options, when she asked if something was bothering him.
It was a good opening. But he wasn’t ready to make his move yet—mainly because he hadn’t decided what that move should be. “Just working through a few plot points.”
“I’m here if you need to talk about it.”
I’m here…
Exactly. And she needed to stay here. With him, in every way. If only he could figure out how to make her see that.
* * *
The Thursday following the New York trip, when Elise checked her phone right after lunch, she found a text from Biff Townley.
I thought about what you said, Elise. And you were right. I have your money. Where should I send the check?
She didn’t know whether to be pleased that he was finally coming through, angry that she’d had to tell him off to get him to pay up…or worried that maybe he couldn’t really afford to give her the money back.
Pleased, she decided. Biff had borrowed that money over a year ago and he’d promised to return it to her within a month or two. It wasn’t her problem how he’d finally come up with it.
So she texted back a thank-you and Jed’s address. She’d had most of her bills and correspondence rerouted here. That way she didn’t have to stop by her apartment every Sunday before making a run to the bank or whatever.
Plus, the way things were going between her and Jed now, she might never move back. She grinned like a fool at the thought.
Her phone beeped. Another text from Biff: I saw your boyfriend on NY at Night. The guy’s really gone on you, huh?
I’m gone on him, too, so it’s working out great.
They say he’s a little bit crazy.
Elise scowled at the phone. Biff was way more annoying than she’d ever realized before. She replied, Yeah. In a very good way.
Ha, ha. I get why he’s gone on you. You looked amazing at the wedding. Sexy. That bit of total squickiness was followed by a heart-eyes emoji that had Elise full-out gaping at her phone.
Biff Townley texting a move on her? That was just wrong.
What are you up to, Biff?
I told you at the wedding. I miss you. Meet me for coffee? It’s been too long since we really talked.
Did you somehow not get that I’m with Jed now?
What? He doesn’t let you see your old friends?
Where was this going? No place good. She texted back a final That was uncalled-for. You have the address. Send the check. Goodbye, Biff.
She hit Send and tossed the phone on the bed. If he came back with one more word of douche-baggery, she would block him and good riddance—even if he never gave her money back.
* * *
“Trust me?” Jack tried a reassuring smile. Sadika only stared at him, her incomparable face far too composed. “We have no choice. We have to jump.”
Did she understand? Did she even hear him? He held those dazed eyes of hers for a count of five that they really couldn’t afford. K’s men were coming.
“No choice,” he repeated, not happy with their chances. The river below ran cold and swift, ready to suck them under. But K’s men would not be gentle, either. He wrapped her arms around his neck, lifted her and guided those long legs around his waist. “Hold on good and tight. Do not let go.”
“Okay, what’s the matter?” Jed watched Elise type the question and realized he’d failed to give the signal to stop. “Elise.” Her fingers stopped moving. She assumed her waiting pose. It was a thing of beauty—her hands poised, shoulders relaxed. “We’re taking a break.”
She glanced up at him then. “Why? I think it’s fine. Moving right along. What’s not working for you?”
He looked down at her sweet upturned face. “It’s you.”
“Huh?”
“Something’s bugging you. What?”
She gave him an eye roll and gestured at the screen. “Take a look. I don’t think I missed a word you said.”
“I know you didn’t. You never do. But you were biting your lip. You even wrinkled your nose.”
She laughed. “Wrinkled my nose?” She pressed her hand to her chest and faked a gasp. “No wonder you stopped me.”
“You’re trying really hard to blow me off. It’s not working. Talk.”
“Jed…” The woman could put a world of exasperation into the three little letters that made up his name.
“Come on.” He held down his hand.
She eyed it warily. “Where?”
“Out to the catio. The sun is shining and your damn cat is always happy to see you.” She laid her fingers in his and he pulled her up from the chair.
Outside, they sat on the sofa with the cat stretched out and purring on Elise’s other side. She petted the big creature in long strokes, from his head to his tail. A smile curved her lips, but her eyes were far away.
“I’m waiting,” he said.
* * *
Elise sag
ged back against the cushions. She had been distracted back there in the office. She kept thinking what a complete jerk Biff was.
And she’d kind of decided not to mention the texts to Jed. After all, she’d handled Biff. And Jed really was kind of a caveman. She had no idea how he’d react when he heard that Biff had put a move on her, even if it was only via text.
Jed hooked his big arm around her and pulled her closer. She settled her head on his shoulder. “Talk, Elise.”
She gave in and told him. “I had a text from Biff Townley when I checked my phone at lunchtime.”
Jed pressed his lips against her hair. “And?”
“He asked for an address so he could send me a check.”
“So that’s good news, then.”
She sighed. “Yeah.”
“Which doesn’t explain why you were wrinkling your nose during the bridge scene.”
“He pissed me off, okay?”
“How?”
She glanced up at Jed again. He was being wonderful and she was making him work for every smallest bit of information. She made up her mind. “Wait right here. I’ll get my phone and show you.”
He let her go without comment.
When she came back outside, Wigs was snuggled up close to him, purring louder than before.
She stopped at the sofa but she didn’t sit down. “I’m going to show you these texts and you’re not going to do anything about them.”
He stared up at her, simultaneously lazy and predatory, the way Wigs sometimes watched the birds beyond the patio. If Jed had a tail, it would be twitching.
She added, “I’ve already handled the situation. There really is nothing for you to do.”
He held out his hand. “Just give me the phone, Elise.”
She dropped down next to him on the side Wigs wasn’t already occupying, punched up the conversation in question and handed it over. He read it through quickly and passed the phone back to her.
“Well?” she demanded.
“The guy’s a dirtball. It’s not news—and you’re right. You handled it. I promise not to hunt him down and punch his lights out. If I happen to run into him on the street, though, all bets are off.”
“Thank you. I think.”
He hooked his arm around her neck and drew her close to him again, pressing his nose to her cheek, breathing in, scenting her. “He’s not worth biting your lip over.”
“You don’t get it.”
“So explain it to me.”
“I thought he was a basically good guy, okay? I used to consider him a dear friend. I would cook beautiful dinners for him and listen to him go on and on about how awful his wife was. And I would sympathize and top off his wineglass. Like she was the problem. I didn’t even know Biff’s wife, really, and I said a lot of bad things about her, and now I have to face the fact that she’s probably the one I should have been feeling sorry for. I had my head up my ass for years, you know? And every time I have to face more evidence of my own past idiocy, it makes me want to scream.”
He tightened his arm around her neck, pulling her close again so he could touch his warm lips to her ear. His beard scruff tickled in the loveliest way. “Go ahead. Scream.”
She elbowed him in the side. “Next you’ll be giving me knives to throw.”
“For that, there would have to be training.” His low voice sent hot shivers racing across the surface of her skin. “That could be interesting, training you.”
“Training me.” She turned her head and kissed him, just a quick one, because she couldn’t resist. “You make that sound really dirty.”
He moved then, turning and rising in one seamless motion, his hand sliding down her arm to capture her wrist.
With a squeak of surprise, she found herself slung over his shoulder, blinking down at the patio stones. She hit him on the hard curve of his perfect butt because it was in easy range.
He grunted. “Do that again.”
“I just might. And I shouldn’t have to remind you that we have a page goal to meet.”
“And we will. But first, I need to show you something up in my room.”
“Let me guess. Your bed.”
He didn’t even bother to answer, just banded his arm around her dangling legs and headed for the French doors.
They met Deirdre on the way up the stairs. Elise realized she wasn’t the least concerned that the housekeeper had finally witnessed the sight of Jed carrying her off to his lair.
Because, well, why shouldn’t he carry her up to his room? She loved him and she was pretty sure he loved her, too, even if they hadn’t actually talked about that yet. And come on, she slept in Jed’s room. Deirdre had to have figured that out by now, anyway.
Bottom line: Elise was in love with the boss and she didn’t care who knew it. She gave Deirdre a wave as they passed her. Deirdre grinned, nodded and continued down.
* * *
The next day, Elise got a letter and a big check in the mail. The envelope was creased, smudged and forwarded from her burned-down apartment on Central Street.
It wasn’t from Biff. It was from her long-gone, struggling-artist ex-boyfriend, Sean. When she opened the envelope, she found a two-page handwritten letter and a check for twenty thousand dollars inside.
Her hands shaking only a little, she read,
Dear Elise,
I’m guessing you never expected to hear from me again—let alone for me to do the right thing and return the money you so generously invested in me. The hard truth is, I never planned to contact you again and I certainly never intended to give you back your money.
But it’s been a long road for me. I have learned much about what’s right and what isn’t. And I have met someone special. Her name is Fiona. Fiona says that to walk in peace with the universe and realize my full potential as an artist, I must find a way to right every wrong I have perpetrated.
And let me tell you, Elise. That is a tall order…
A laugh burst from Elise right then. She was standing at the little built-in desk just off the kitchen area where Deirdre always left the mail. “Jed!” she called, and headed for the office where he’d remained while she’d walked the main floor during one of her five-minute breaks.
She found him leaning over her desk, studying the manuscript file she’d left open when she got up for her walk.
He rose to his height when she entered and she waved the check at him. “I just got a check for twenty thousand dollars and a letter from my ex-boyfriend, Sean. You have to read this…” Laughing, she went to him and held up the letter so they could read it together.
“Sean is a real piece of work,” he said once they’d both reached the end.
“I sure knew how to pick ’em, didn’t I?”
He sent her a wry glance. “At least you used the past tense when you said that.”
“Of course I did. Because present company is definitely excluded—in fact, I think you must bring me good luck. If this check doesn’t bounce, I’ve got my money back from Sean. And what I lent Biff is supposedly in the mail.” She waved the letter. “Did you read the part where Sean says Fiona gave him the money to send to me?”
“Yeah, I noticed that.”
She held up the check again. The account was in Sean’s name and the signature was Sean’s. “I really hope Fiona knows what she’s doing. I kind of feel sorry for her.”
“Don’t.” It was a command.
“But—”
“I mean it, Elise. He owes you the money. How he got it to give it back to you isn’t your problem. Plus, he says right in that letter that Fiona is ‘a very wealthy woman.’”
“Right.” She read from the letter. “‘Fiona is a very wealthy woman and she’s offered to support my art and help me get solid with the universe.’”
“—my problem. I know, I heard you the first time.” She thought it over a little more and then shrugged. “So okay, then. Fiona’s on her own with Sean. Sunday, I’ll put this check in the bank and in a week to ten days, I’ll know if it’s good or not.”
He tipped up her chin and kissed the end of her nose. “That’s my girl.”
* * *
Saturday, the check from Biff arrived. And Sunday, Elise stopped off at the bank and deposited both checks.
After the bank, she went to her sister-in-law Addie’s baby shower at Clara’s house. Addie Kenwright Bravo had married Elise’s brother James just last March. At the time of the wedding, Addie was already pregnant with the baby of her best friend, Brandon Hall, through artificial insemination. Brandon had died of cancer at the end of January. So technically, James was not the baby’s father. But everyone in the Bravo family knew that James loved that unborn child as his own.
And they all loved Addie. She was small and spunky, independent and big-hearted, and today she was wearing a yellow dress printed with daisies. She looked like a walking ray of sunshine—or maybe a waddling one. A month from her due date, Addie seemed ready to pop.
They played baby-shower games: “baby sketch artist,” “baby items in a bag” and “don’t say baby.” There was lunch and cake and champagne for anyone who wanted it. Addie opened a huge pile of baby gifts.
Later, Jody pulled Elise into a free corner of the kitchen and asked how she was doing.
“Terrific,” Elise replied with enthusiasm. “Jed’s an amazing guy and I’m happy, Jody. Really happy. I almost can’t believe it. Two and a half months ago, my world was a total disaster. My love life was nonexistent, just like my bank balance. Now I have money in the bank and the greatest guy in the world thinks I’m the hottest thing around.”
Jody beamed. “I saw you two at the wedding. Anyone could see he’s crazy about you.”
“It’s mutual, believe me.”
“You do have that glow.”
“And I can’t thank you and Clara enough. You put me to work, kept me busy and focused and made sure I didn’t starve during the worst of it. And Nell… Don’t tell her I said so. She thinks she knows everything. But I owe her large.”