by Lisa Jackson
Disgusted with herself, Maren scrambled into her bathrobe and raced through the small apartment, leaving a wet trail on the carpet as she confirmed with her eyes what she had mentally discovered. Her briefcase was missing. It wasn’t in the closet, nor under the hall tree, nor near the foot of the bed, nor tossed recklessly on the kitchen table. After checking the usual spots, she began to search the obscure ones. It was gone. Muttering an oath at her own carelessness, she dialed the offices of Sterling Recording Company and was politely informed by a prerecorded message that the normal business hours for the company did not begin until eight o’clock.
She began to dry her hair, going through the motions without bothering to check her reflection in the steamy mirror. Several minutes later, when the condensation from the shower had disappeared and she looked directly into the blue eyes of her mirror image, she questioned her motives. Had she left the briefcase in Kyle’s car with a purpose? Subliminally, she might have created a convenient excuse to see him again. But she didn’t need an excuse, she argued with herself. Kyle had made it crystal clear that he wanted to see her again. All she had to do was summon the courage to call him. If she wasn’t able to do that much, she would certainly see him soon regarding the buyout…if there was going to be one.
She considered calling him in the time it took to dress and drive from the apartment to the office, but she decided to wait until Sterling Recording Company had opened its doors. She didn’t want to appear too anxious by tracking him down. She needed to find out that he had the contracts, but certainly it could wait until he had made it in to his office.
As was usual, Maren was the first employee of Festival Productions to arrive. It was the bookkeeper’s day off, and the production crew was on location. For the past few weeks Jan had been arriving at the office late in the morning. Jan was always apologetic and managed to get her work done, so Maren didn’t force the issue. Maren had come to suspect that Jan was having trouble with Jacob again.
It was well after nine when Jan finally got to the office. Maren had already begun working on the layout for the first song on the Mirage album. She had listened to the song “Yesterday’s Heart” until she could sing the lyrics along with the band. Over the sound of the sultry music, Maren heard Jan arrive.
For a moment she tried to continue working, but couldn’t. She sighed as she took off her reading glasses and got up from the drafting table in the corner of her office. After she switched off the tape player, she walked slowly into the reception area.
Jan was already at her desk and the meticulous mask of makeup couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes or the pallor of her skin. Maren poured Jan a cup of black coffee, which the blond woman accepted gratefully. Jan took an experimental sip, grimaced and blanched.
“Bad night last night?” Maren asked cautiously as Jan lit a cigarette with unsteady hands.
The secretary managed a weak smile and set the coffee aside. “Not the best,” she admitted. “But I did manage to finish all of this correspondence.” She blew out a thin stream of blue smoke before handing Maren a sheaf of typewritten pages. Maren could see in one quick glance that the papers were letter-perfect.
“You don’t have to work after hours,” Maren offered, sitting on a corner of Jan’s cluttered desk.
“I know. But I’ve been getting in later and later…and…well, I feel guilty about it.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“It’s not your fault that I can’t seem to get my act together.” She avoided Maren’s probing gaze and picked up the steaming coffee. Uncomfortably she stared into the black brew.
“Jan, is something wrong?” Maren asked gently.
Jan froze before stubbing out her cigarette and quickly lighting a replacement. She had to blink back her tears as she inhaled deeply on the cigarette. “Nothing really,” she replied.
Maren didn’t move. “You’re sure?”
Jan nodded, afraid to trust her voice.
Knowing she was getting nowhere, Maren patiently waited. She cared too much about Jan to see her become a shell of her former self because of a contemptible man like Jacob Green. “Would you like to take your vacation early this year?”
“Look, I’m all right. Really!” Jan snapped angrily.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” Maren got up from the corner of the desk, straightened her skirt and started toward the door leading to her office.
“Maren…wait,” Jan called. Maren turned to face her friend. Jan looked miserable. “I’m sorry,” the secretary whispered. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me…no, that’s a lie. I do know.”
“You don’t have to talk about it.”
“Maybe I should,” Jan murmured. “At least I owe you an explanation as to why I’ve been getting in late…” Maren leaned against the doorjamb. She didn’t really want to hear about Jan’s personal problems, but she needed to help her friend, if she could.
“I trust you, Jan. If you get in late, I know you’ve got a good reason.”
Jan seemed to wince under Maren’s kind words. Tears threatened to spill from her large brown eyes. “Look, I’m a little upset, that’s all.” She breathed deeply. “We had another fight last night.”
“You and Jacob?”
“Right.” Jan nodded and pursed her white lips together. For a moment Maren thought she would break down, but Jan squared her shoulders and bravely fought against the tears.
“I take it that it was bad.”
“Are there any good ones?”
Maren frowned into her empty coffee cup. “No, I guess not. But some are worse than others.”
“It sounds like you’ve been there.”
A wistful smile formed on Maren’s full lips. “I’ve got a few scars,” she conceded. “Anyone who’s managed to reach the age of thirty-three has seen her share of battles.”
“So, are you here offering advice?” Jan asked with just a hint of sarcasm.
“I don’t know if I’m qualified to give it. Do you want to hear my opinion?”
“I don’t know what I want…not anymore,” Jan sighed. “You see, there’s more to it than just a simple fight.” Maren waited, watching grimly as she witnessed the tortured play of emotions distorting Jan’s usually cheery features. Her admission came slowly. “I think I’m pregnant.”
Maren swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. “How do you feel about it?” she asked.
For the first time that morning, Jan’s smile was genuine and illuminated her pale face. “I’m happy, I think. Can you believe that, the girl who said she’d never have any kids?”
“I think it’s wonderful,” Maren said with heartfelt enthusiasm. “Congratulations!”
Jan seemed partially relieved. “That’s one of the reasons I’ve been getting in later…. I haven’t felt all that sharp in the mornings.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s all right. You certainly have a good reason, and from what I understand, morning sickness doesn’t last forever.”
“Thank God,” Jan murmured fervently.
“How did Jacob take the news?” Maren asked and immediately regretted her question when Jan’s face sobered.
“I haven’t told him yet,” Jan replied, warding off Maren’s surprised stare with a wave of her hand. “I told you that we haven’t been getting along very well, and that’s an understatement. We fight all the time. I’m afraid he’ll think I’m using the baby to trap him into marriage.”
Maren silently agreed, but decided it was best not to voice her fears. “Give the guy some credit, will you? We’re talking about a child—his child. I bet he’ll be thrilled by the news.”
“I doubt it.”
“Jan, you’ve got to tell him sometime.”
“I know and I will, once I go to the doctor and find out that I really am pregnant. I have an appointment scheduled for next week.” Jan lowered her eyes and fidgeted at the desk.
“You’re sure you’re happy about this?” Maren prodded.
A shadow of doubt clouded Jan’s dark eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. About the baby, that is. But I’m worried about Jake…he’s changed, Maren…a lot. I…I don’t know how he’s going to take the news.”
Maren understood Jan’s concern, but forced herself to smile. “Don’t borrow trouble. You don’t know, the man might be ecstatic at the prospect of becoming a father.”
“He has grown children and never sees them,” Jan replied tonelessly.
Maren winked with feigned enthusiasm. “Maybe this one will make the difference.”
“I hope so.”
Maren turned toward her office, but Jan’s whispered voice kept her in the room. “Maren?”
Maren looked over her shoulder, but Jan was no longer facing her. Apparently she had changed her mind. When Jan did meet Maren’s inquisitive eyes, the secretary’s face was pulled into a tight knot of confusion. “Forget it,” she said, reaching for another cigarette. Maren noticed that the second one was still burning unattended in the ashtray near the typewriter. “I’ll…I’ll talk to you later,” the secretary said dismissively.
“All right…and you’d better check with your doctor soon. I’m afraid he’s going to suggest you stop smoking.”
“Great. That’s just what I need,” Jan muttered to herself.
After casting a worried look in Jan’s direction, Maren went back into her office and closed the door. Finally she understood the young secretary’s behavior. For the last few weeks Jan had been edgy and forgetful, and Maren had suspected it had something to do with her on-again, off-again romance with Jacob Green. Now that her suspicions were confirmed, Maren could at least understand Jan’s actions and her reticence to discuss her problems.
Jan and Maren had always been friends, but over the past year, during the time in which Jan had become involved with their former employer, Jacob Green, the relationship between the two women had suffered and sometimes been strained. Maren knew that she was more than partially to blame because she had never liked Jacob, and that fact was transparently clear to Jan. Both Maren and Jan had worked for Green before Maren had purchased Festival Productions from him. Now that he was no longer in the business, Maren tried her best to avoid him.
There was something about the man that had always bothered her. Maybe it was because he had made a pass at Maren years ago when she had still been married to Brandon. Since that time, she had never completely trusted Jacob Green. The man was shifty. If it hadn’t been for the contract on the business and the fact that she still owed him nearly eighty thousand dollars, Maren would have made it a point never to see him.
And now, to complicate things, Jan was carrying Jacob’s child. Maybe a baby would change him; make him realize what was important in life. Maren seriously doubted it, but for Jan and the baby’s sake, she pushed her forebodings aside and hoped for the best.
The intercom beckoned her and Maren answered the call. Jan’s voice, once again cool and professional, greeted her. “Kyle Sterling is on line two, returning your call.”
Maren’s pulse jumped. “Thanks, Jan.” She sat in the desk chair for a moment to steady her nerves. Why was she so jittery? No man had ever affected her like this, and it was damned unsettling. Resting her forehead in her palm, she cradled the receiver between her shoulder and her ear and pressed the flashing light on the telephone. “Hello.”
“Maren? My secretary said you wanted to get in touch with me.” His voice was cold and distant. Gone was the intimacy of the night.
“Not an easy thing to do,” she allowed.
“I instruct my staff not to give out my telephone number.”
“Not even to business associates?”
“To no one.”
“I’m sorry to bother you,” she replied evenly, though her heart was pounding an irregular cadence in her chest, “but I think I left my briefcase in your car last night.”
There was a weighty pause on the other end of the line. “You’re sure about that?”
“Yes.” Maren couldn’t hide the strain in her voice. “Didn’t you find it?” Her dark brows drew together. What was he trying to do—scare the devil out of her? The briefcase had to be in his car.
“Wait a minute. I’ll check.”
“Kyle—” But he was gone. Her mind revolved backward in time, recalling the events of the evening. She remembered putting the briefcase in the backseat. It had to be there. Certainly Kyle had noticed it when he’d driven to work—unless of course he took another car. Maren tapped her fingernail nervously on the desk. The only other alternatives were dismal: Either her briefcase had been stolen, lost, or Kyle was deliberately withholding it from her, though for what purpose, Maren couldn’t begin to guess.
“Got it.” Kyle’s voice broke into her thoughts. “You were right. It was in the backseat.”
Maren felt a wave of relief wash over her. “Good. I’ll send someone over to pick it up early this afternoon.”
There was a deep-throated chuckle on the other end of the fragile cord linking her to him. “Oh, you will, will you?” Why did he sound so amused? Maren’s tight nerves got the better of her.
“Is there a problem with that?”
“Not for me. I plan to be here the rest of the week.”
“The rest of the week? But it’s Friday…” Suddenly a dim light dawned in her worried mind. “Kyle, where are you?”
“San Diego…I drove down last night after…our discussion. I didn’t think about your briefcase.”
“Neither did I,” Maren admitted. “So you’re at your home in La Jolla?”
“Uh-huh.” Maren could imagine the seductive twinkle in his silvery eyes.
“Great.” She glanced at her watch. Though it was still before noon, the drive to San Diego would take over four hours round-trip. It was pointless and a waste of time, except for the fact that she had planned to work over the weekend. She needed her case. Damn!
“Do you need the contracts immediately?”
“It would help—especially considering your proposal.”
There was an awkward silence. “I can’t bring them to you, Maren.”
“I didn’t expect you to.”
His voice became low and all too familiar. “Why don’t you come down for the weekend? You can get the contracts and we can work out a few ideas for the Mirage album…besides which, I could talk you into selling Festival to me.”
“You think so?”
“Sure of it.”
The sound of determination in his voice made a chill skitter up her spine. “I’d love to Kyle, but…”
“You’re afraid.” He was angry. She could hear it in his sharp accusation.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. What is it, Maren? Are you committed to another man? Was last night just an idle flirtation? All that talk about one-night stands and commitments, was that just sophisticated hype?”
“Of course not.” Her voice had begun to shake. She had to sink her teeth into her lower lip.
“Talk is cheap.”
“What do you mean?”
“Prove yourself. Come down here tonight.”
Despite her anger, she forced herself to remain calm. “I don’t have to prove anything to you other than that I can produce the best, most artistic and marketable videotapes on the market today.”
“You’re right, if what you want from me is strictly business. Last night I was left with a different impression.”
“I wish I knew what I wanted from you,” she admitted.
His tone softened, and when she closed her eyes, Maren could imagine the look of frustration on his rugged face. “Let’s find out,” he suggested, “We’re two adults, and I won’t force you into anything you don’t want.”
“I know that much,” she conceded. It wasn’t his needs that frightened her; it was her own.
“Then what d’ya say?”
She couldn’t help but smile. “All right—why not?” she asked, laughing at the folly of it all. This whole idea bordered o
n insanity. “I’ll need your address and telephone number, just in case I get lost.”
“Or have second thoughts.”
Her lips pursed into a provoked frown as she scribbled his hasty instructions on a memo pad. After hanging up the telephone, Maren wondered if she had the courage to take him up on his offer, or would she, as he had intimated, back down?
A thousand excuses for avoiding the trip filled her mind, and just as many reasons for going refuted them. It was foolish to get involved with Kyle Sterling. She knew it as well as her own name. And yet, she was enticed by him, drawn to him as a moth to flame.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE PHRASE THAT CAME to Maren’s mind when she first drove through the gates and caught a glimpse of Kyle Sterling’s home was “la casa grande.” The house was magnificent. Wrought iron gates and a stucco fence guarded the estate, keeping the curious sightseers at bay. Softly arched palm trees and fragrant hibiscus lined the circular drive leading to the two-storied Spanish home. The exterior of ivory plaster gleamed in the sunlight and contrasted to the angular red-tile roof. Long narrow windows had taken on the hue of the lowering sun.
The house stood proudly on a cliff overlooking the calm blue-green waters of the Pacific Ocean. Maren parked her car near a sprawling garage and tried to ignore the fact that the house and well-tended grounds reflected the image of the man living on the estate—private, wealthy and powerful. She hesitated before getting out of the car and wondered if this weekend might become the single largest mistake of her life.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t been around wealth. In the recording industry, it was impossible not to run across a young overnight success story who ran through money as if it were water. But dealing with Kyle Sterling was entirely different. Though Maren had often rubbed elbows with the Hollywood elite, she had meticulously avoided being swept up in the Hollywood social tide. It was too fast moving and dangerous for her. She had refused to get involved with any man since Brandon, and now that she was becoming emotionally entangled with Kyle Sterling, she felt twinges of doubt. What did she really know about the man? Business with a man as powerful as Kyle Sterling was one thing, but a one-on-one relationship was quite another.