It was that knowledge more than anything else that had changed him then, that had sown the seed of the deep insecurity that had grown within him and fueled his desire to be someone.
Ever since that day, he’d watched for signs that they preferred Jamie to him and he’d seen them everywhere, especially the way they’d look at him, disappointed, when Jamie brought home achievement award after achievement award from school and all he’d brought home were detention notices. Then, as they’d gotten older, she’d made friends with all the right people while his friends were frowned upon.
And now, tonight. Yet again, Jamie had lived up to their dreams of the perfect child and gotten engaged to the perfect man. When his parents had told him what was going to happen tonight, he’d been determined not to be there. He didn’t think he could face seeing their disappointment in him yet again. He was finding it harder and harder these days to hide his feelings.
Pushing open the French doors to where the party was in full swing, he scanned the room. He saw that his mom had spotted him coming in with Carrie in tow and watched as a frown appeared on her face. Taking Carrie by the hand, he made his way over to her, weaving in and out of the partygoers until he was standing in front of her.
“Where’ve you been, Jake? You missed your sister’s big moment,” she asked, a hard edge to her voice.
“Did I? I’m sorry. I must have lost track of time,” he replied innocently, controlling the smirk that threatened to appear on his lips. “What did she say?”
“What do you think she said? She said yes, of course.”
“Of course.” Yeah. She wouldn’t rock the boat and say anything else, would she? he thought to himself.
His parents had come to have low expectations of him, but that was not the case where Jamie was concerned. In their eyes, her path was clear. Marry well and provide good stock. Jamie knew this and would never let them down, however much she may want to.
“Well, I think you need to go apologize.” She looked pointedly at Carrie. “Alone.”
Jake bridled. It didn’t bother him in the slightest if Carrie was offended by his mother’s obvious disdain, but he hated being told what to do like a naughty child. He had to play his cards right, though. He worked for his dad and he was angling for a promotion. The manufacturing firm that had made his family so wealthy had been founded by his great-great-grandfather on his mother’s side and had grown over the generations. Now, it was one of the biggest firms in the southern United States.
“Go and get yourself a drink. I’ll go and find Jamie and then I’ll come and join you,” he told Carrie, doing as he was told.
“I take it you’re still involved with that girl?” his mother asked him as she watched her walk away.
“Involved is probably too strong a word. We’re having some fun.”
“Well, make sure that’s all it is and that she doesn’t get any ideas. And please, in the future, keep your sordid little dalliances away from family occasions.” Her face softened. “I love you, darling. I only want what’s best for you.”
Jake nodded. “I know, Mom, don’t worry.”
He knew that it was true, that his mother did love him, but he couldn’t help the simmering resentment he felt, resentment that just seemed to grow with every bit of praise they heaped on Jamie and every bit of criticism they aimed at him.
Searching the room, he spotted her in a corner, talking to one of their parents’ friends.
“Can I interrupt? I understand congratulations are in order!” He smiled.
“Jake!” Jamie’s face broke into a wide grin. Making her excuses to their parents’ friend, she took him by the arm and led him to a quiet spot. “Did you know about this?”
“Sure did. Aren’t you pleased?” He eyed her curiously. He loved his sister and despite resenting the praise that was heaped on her, he knew it wasn’t her fault. Being so similar in age, they’d been very close growing up and she’d often run interference with his father when she could see him coming down hard on him.
“Well, yes, I suppose I am, but it would have been nice to have been warned!”
“I was sworn to secrecy!” He held up his hands in mock surrender.
Playfully, she punched him in the arm. “Since when have you been able to keep a secret?”
She had a point. Growing up, there had been many times when she’d asked him to keep a secret from their parents. Nothing serious, usual kid stuff, but he’d never been able to, always running straight to them to share what he knew. He realized now that this was his way of trying to gain his parents’ approval, particularly his father’s, rather than any attempt at getting her into trouble. It was as if Jamie had known this, though, and she’d never been angry with him.
“Well, I hope you’ll both be very happy,” he said, which was true. He didn’t want her to be unhappy.
“Thank you, Jake. That means a lot.” She smiled at him now, a twinkle in her eye. “So, where were you? I couldn’t see you?”
“Sorry, Jamie, I didn’t mean to miss it.” He felt a twinge of guilt as he lied to her, but he hadn’t done it to hurt her.
“Are you and Carrie serious, then?” she asked knowingly.
“God, no!”
“So, why did you bring her as your date tonight?” she sighed. “You know what Mom and Dad are like. You’re only making things harder for yourself.”
He knew she was right, but he increasingly felt the need to push the boundaries.
“Dad’s never going to promote you unless you show him you can tow the party line, you know that.” She put her hand on the sleeve of his jacket. “Just try, for me?”
She was right, of course. His father was very old fashioned in his views. Men could and should be men, but they should keep it discreet and always go back to their wives at the end of the night. His being so open about his relationship with Carrie, a girl very much from the wrong side of the tracks, was proving a real bone of contention between them. His father didn’t mind that he was sleeping with her, but he didn’t want all their friends to know about it.
Covering her hand with his own, he smiled. “Okay, just for you.”
“Where is the lucky man, anyway?” he asked, scanning the room.
“Oh, he won’t be far away. He’s hardly left my side all night.” She turned and had a quick look, too. “He’s over there, at the bar.”
He turned to look and sure enough, he was there, talking to Carrie. “I’d better go and take her home before Mom and dad disown me.”
Jamie chuckled. “Come on, they’re not bad.”
He just looked at her and raised his eyebrow. “You and I both know that they are!”
“Yeah, you’re right. They are!” She pushed him away gently. “Go on, take her home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Still chuckling, he made his way over to the bar where Ted and Carrie were still talking. It wasn’t until he got closer that he realized, from the expression on their faces and the way that they were trying to keep their voices down, that they were having a disagreement.
“I’ve already told you no!”
“Am I interrupting anything?” Jake asked curiously as he joined them. “What have you said no to?” he asked, turning his gaze to Ted, who now looked like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” With a glare at Carrie, Ted turned and stalked off.
“What was that about?”
“Oh, it really was nothing.”
He didn’t believe her for a second. “Tell me.”
“Really! I was just getting a bit pushy about getting him to buy me a drink, that’s all.” She couldn’t meet his eyes.
There was no doubt in his mind as he looked at her that she was lying, but he didn’t know why. “Come on. I’m taking you home.”
Grabbing their coats from the cloakroom, they made their way out to his car.
“Your mom looked absolutely thrilled to see me,” she said sarcastically, turning to him as he started th
e car.
“Don’t start, Carrie. You know what they’re like.” They’d had this conversation many times before.
“I just wish you’d stand up for me now and then. It wouldn’t kill you, especially if you really love me,” she pouted.
The sex was great, and pissing off his folks was a bonus, but maybe it was time to think about ditching her. Her whining was starting to get on his nerves.
Reaching across the seat, she pressed her hand to his crotch. “You gonna stay for a while when we get to my place?”
Maybe I can put up with her just a little longer. He smiled. “Yeah, why not.”
Three
Ted watched as Jamie chatted to some of her guests in a corner of the room. She was pretty enough, there was no doubt about that, but she really didn’t do it for him. For a start, she wasn’t a blonde and though slim, she was far too curvy for his tastes. He like his women stick thin, blonde and with huge breasts. And preferably without too much in the brains department. But she had one thing going for her. Money. Tons of it. And when her parents died, it would come to her.
The Colemans came from old money and mixed with the upper echelons of society, but what was kept as a closely guarded family secret was that the money had almost completely run out. Through a series of bad investments and worse business decisions, his father had managed to pretty much decimate the entire family fortune, leaving them mere months away from complete financial ruin.
The idea of courting Jamie had been his parents’. They’d come up with the idea after seeing her at one of the many dinner parties they attended, and it had struck them as the perfect solution to their problems. Once they’d sat him down and explained about the business and how they faced losing everything, he hadn’t needed much persuasion.
The idea of poverty sickened him. He was used to the finer things in life and he intended to keep them. He had no intention of giving up his way of life, if he could help it. And it wasn’t so bad. She was nice enough, and it wasn’t going to get in the way of what he really enjoyed. Knocking back the last of his drink, he made his way over to them.
“Darling, I’m so sorry, but I have to go and take care of a problem at work,” he said, putting his arm around her waist. “Would you be able to get a ride home with your mom and dad?” He had the sudden urge to get out of there and away from all the well-wishers.
“Really? It can’t wait?” she asked.
“No. I’m sorry, darling, but I really need to go and take care of this.” Working for his dad in the company’s IT department, he was frequently called out at strange hours, so she accepted his explanation readily. “We’re having lunch with your parents tomorrow at the house, so I’ll see you there.”
Leaning down, he briefly pressed his lips to hers. “Thank you for saying ‘yes’, my darling. I’m the happiest man on earth right now.”
Maybe I should have gone into acting! he thought, as he turned and walked to the exit, his steps quickening. He’d done his duty tonight and now he was looking forward to taking care of a bit of personal business.
***
He drove faster than was sensible on the unlit roads after leaving the party. The run-in with Carrie had unnerved him more than he’d like to admit. He’d managed to avoid her for the last few months and it had been a surprise to see her there tonight. He’d had no idea she now had Jake McKay in her sights. Well, good luck to him. He’s gonna need it!
He was still angry at himself for his relationship with Carrie. She worked in the diner in town and they’d met over a year ago by chance while she’d been at work and he’d gone in on one of his trips home. They’d flirted a bit, and she was exactly his type, but he’d been interested enough to give her his number. They’d met up the next day and she’d taken him back to her place. The sex had damn near blown his mind.
He’d never intended for it to go any further. He’d already been dating Jamie by then, but he’d kept going back for more. What he hadn’t bargained on was that Carrie would see him as her meal ticket, becoming more and more demanding over time.
In the end he’d had no choice, he’d already risked too much as it was, so he ended it. She hadn’t taken it well, and he’d suffered months of phone calls and visits before she’d finally backed off. Now he knew why!
She’d asked him again tonight if he wanted to resume their affair, and she’d gotten quite upset when he’d refused. He just hoped that seeing him tonight didn’t set her off again.
He was nearly there, now. The house he was visiting was in the next town over, down a street filled with run down houses that all looked exactly the same. He’d learned his lesson with Carrie and would never play so close to home again, so this time he’d been careful to go further afield. He parked his car about a block away and walked back, not wanting to be seen. It was unlikely that anyone here would recognize him, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
The house he was visiting was slightly more cared for than the others, and there were indications of someone trying to make it nice. The yard in the front had been mowed and planted and the porch was tidy, though the paint was still peeling from the wooden bannister.
The door opened before he even got to the top of the steps. Silhouetted by the light coming from behind her was his idea of the perfect woman. About five foot eight with long, platinum blonde hair, the outline of her slim body was clearly visible through her flimsy robe.
“Where’ve you been, honey? I’ve been waiting for you,” she purred at him, stepping aside so he could enter the house.
Closing the door behind him, she turned and leaned against the door, looking at him from under her eyelashes. “I missed you.”
Without a word, he pulled her to him, crushing her lips with his own, his hands snaking around her to pull her tight against him.
***
It took a few minutes for him to get his breath back and he stayed on the couch as Carla went to fix them a drink, slipping her robe back on as she went. He felt better now, more relaxed. He’d been visiting Carla for about six months, several times a week. It suited them both. She was quite a bit older than he was, in her late thirties, but she looked much younger and certainly had the body of a younger woman.
Perhaps because there were no expectations of him, he felt comfortable here, with her. She was twice divorced and had no intentions of getting into a serious relationship again. She’d made that clear from the start. That suited him, too,.
Sex with Jamie wasn’t something that he spent much time thinking about. She had very little effect on him in that department. He quite simply didn’t find her attractive. It was a shame, considering he was marrying her, but as long as he had Carla, or someone like her, he would manage.
“So, how was the party? You all engaged now to little Miss Moneybags?” she asked as she brought their drinks and sat down next to him. He’d told her all about it and she teased him mercilessly.
“Yep, I am now officially a soon-to-be-married man.” He raised his glass in a mock toast.
“Pleased?” She smiled as she brought her glass to her lips.
“Don’t, Carla. You know I’m only doing it because I have to.”
“I know, sweetie. I’m only messing with you. As long as I still get to share you, you know I’m happy.” She pressed a kiss to his lips.
“You’re the thing that’s going to keep me sane.”
“Where does she think you are?”
“I told her I had some business to take care of.” Putting his glass on the coffee table, he turned back to her and pushed her robe off her shoulders once more. “So, I think I’d better take care of it. Again.”
***
The ride back home after the party seemed like it had taken forever. Ted had gone to take care of God knows what and Jake had gone off with Carrie, probably for the night. That had left her alone with her folks.
It wasn’t a long drive from the tennis club, fifteen minutes at most, but it had certainly felt longer. Her mother was so excited to have a wedding
to plan that she hadn’t stopped chattering the whole way. Jamie had been pleased when they’d arrived home and she’d been able to make her excuses and escape to her room for some peace and quiet.
Her room was at the back of the house, overlooking the gardens. Pushing open the doors to her private balcony, she breathed in the night air and enjoyed the stillness after the noise of the evening.
The proposal had taken her by surprise, but what had surprised her even more had been her reaction to it. There was no denying it, her first instinct had been to panic. But why? She needed to understand. Was she excited? She wasn’t quite sure what she was if she was honest with herself. Pleased? Yes. Excited? No, she didn’t think so. She should be though, right? Probably just hasn’t sunk in yet, she told herself.
This really wasn’t the direction she’d seen her life taking. She had done really well at school, had been a straight A student and had gotten into the college of her choice, studying business. She’d always had an aptitude for numbers, so she’d thought she might go to graduate school and do something in that field. Exactly what she didn’t know, but that was part of the excitement, having her whole future ahead of her and getting to make those choices.
Just because you’re getting married doesn’t mean that you can’t follow your dream. Does it? Would she still be able to go to school and do all the things she wanted to do?
The chill in the air was starting to seep through her clothes now, and she was feeling cold. Stepping back into her bedroom, she closed the balcony doors behind her and pulled the drapes.
Sitting down at her dresser to remove her make-up, she looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t unattractive, but not quite beautiful. Her dark brown hair was waist length and naturally wavy; her best feature, she thought. Her amber-colored eyes were fringed by long, dark lashes and their shape was slightly cat-like. She’d inherited her father’s nose though, masculine and angular and to her mind, it jarred with the rest of her face.
Ted, on the other hand, was gorgeous and she knew that she should be grateful that he wanted to marry her when he could have his pick of any woman in the state. On top of that, her parents were thrilled and she loved her parents. She could no more disappoint them than stick pins in her own eyes.
True Deceit (Blindsided Book 1) Page 16