What the Heart Desires

by Victoria Rose

  She was seated next to Jerry at dinner, and Keane was paired with Margo, who seemed extremely happy with the seating arrangements. She had seen how attentive Margo was with Keane the moment she walked in the door.

  She engaged him in long flirty conversations, holding onto his every word, laughing and batting her big blue eyes at him, as if he was the only person there.

  At one point, she had caught Margo rubbing Keane’s back and holding on tightly to his arm. Margo clearly didn’t care that she was there watching, or that Keane had introduced her as his girlfriend.

  Jerry on the other hand, had taken an exceptional liking to her, even though he

  knew that she was Keane’s girl. Jerry made sure he found himself next to her at every turn. He laughed at whatever she said, even though she knew it wasn’t

  funny.

  He intentionally brushed his hands against her body whenever he could. And he wasted no time complimenting her on the dress, her hair, the way she looked. She found his entire attitude patronizing and tiring, and she wished that Keane hadn’t seated them next to each other.

  She had caught Keane looking at them with an enraged look on his face a few times. He seemed jealous of all the attention Jerry was showing her.

  She cornered him just before they went into dinner.

  “Honey, are you jealous of your friend Jerry?” she asked him bluntly.

  “What is there to be jealous about, darling?” She couldn’t miss the very stiff

  and insincere grin on his face. “You are already mine. Jerry has this annoying habit of always wanting what he can not have. He can not have you, darling, so he should quit trying.” Keane kissed her on the cheek.

  “I saw the fierce way you were looking at him,” she told him in a deep whisper. “I just want to make sure you are okay with him talking to me.”

  His laugh was dry and short. “Don’t be silly, darling! The evening is about you getting to know my friends.”

  “Even Jerry?” She smiled mischievously at him.”

  He took her by the arm and steered her towards the large dining room. “Even Jerry,” he repeated tersely.

  “Glad to know, darling, because I like him.” She decided to rub it in.

  She felt Keane tensed up. And she couldn’t miss the furtive glances he cast their way the entire time. There was no denying that he wasn’t happy about all the attention Jerry was giving her. Well, he should have told her so!

  And she had only told him she liked Jerry to make him jealous! She loathed the guy! Jerry was tiring. And she hated sitting that close to him.

  Jerry had pulled his chair closer to hers right before they sat down, and a couple inches to her left found her arm touching him, which from Jerry’s reaction made him very happy.

  “So how did you and Keane meet?” He asked her just as she was about to cut

  into the glazed baby carrots on her plate.

  There was mischief in Jerry’s eyes. He couldn’t wait for her to tell him! The question caught her completely off guard. The fork almost fell from her fingers. She held onto it tightly, and took a very deep breath, and held it in for a few agonizing seconds, letting it go slowly.

  No one had brought up the big elephant in the room until now. And she could only assume that they were all dying to know what her connection to Keane was; how and where he had met her.

  Jerry had clearly beaten them to the punch. This was exactly what she had

  been dreading. She wished that Keane was sitting next to her. Then she could

  have kicked him under the table to get his attention, and had him deal with Jerry.

  But he was too far away for her to do that.

  She lowered her fork back onto the plate slowly, and glanced down the length of the huge table, hoping that Keane would see how uncomfortable she was and come to her rescue.

  But there was no way of that happening. Margo had intentionally placed herself in such a way that she couldn’t see Keane, unless she leaned across Jerry or stood up. And Keane couldn’t make eye contact with her either, unless he reach over Margo! Margo was actually sitting on the edge of her chair, leaning into Keane.

  Someone should teach that woman a thing or two about table etiquette!

  She reached for the napkin on her lap and dabbed her mouth a couple times, buying for time. She had no idea what she was going to say to Jerry.

  Keane had told her to tell them the truth if they asked, but she wasn’t certain she was up to doing that. The less Jerry and the others knew about her amnesia, the better it was for her.

  “It’s a funny story,” she began. “It’s one that I’m not certain you would want to hear,” she told him casually, and without much interest.

  She was hoping that Jerry would take a hint and dropped the whole thing.

  “Try me. I’m all for funny stories, especially if they have to do with you and

  my friend Keane!” His laugh was deep and disturbing.

  “It’s not one I feel comfortable telling at the dinner table.”

  “Oh! It’s that naughty!” Jerry leaned in so that his blotchy, boorish face was only inches away from hers, and grinned.

  He was loving this, she thought; just liked she knew he would!

  “You can say that!”

  “Don’t tell me it’s one of those Richard Gere, Julia Roberts kind of stories!

  You are wearing the pretty dress and dripping in expensive diamonds.” He eyed the diamonds bracelet on her wrist. “Your secret is safe with me.” He leaned in some more and winked at her.

  She felt the color rushed to her cheeks, and she reached for her glass of wine and took a long sip.

  Jerry looked at her and chuckled. “Well, I will be damn! I didn’t know Keane was into that sort of thing! Goes to show, you never know someone as well as you thought you did! So how naughty has he been?”

  She was mortified. “Ex…excuse me! I…did…n’t,” she stammered.

  Jerry nudged her and winked. “No wonder we didn’t hear about you until a few days ago when Keane called to invite us here. We were dying with curiosity when he said he met someone. To think of it; I met up with Keane last week. We went out for drinks after our business meeting and he never said a single word

  about you. Now I see why. He wanted to keep you a big secret—well, his secret

  is out!”

  Jerry reached to take her hand, and she slipped it out of his reach quickly, and down into her lap. She felt like punching him. She felt like throwing the rest of her wine in his face! She felt like stomping the tip of her stiletto shoes right into his foot!

  She heard him chuckled.

  “Everything’s okay over there with you two?” Keane’s voice was a bit strained.

  “Becca and I are just getting to know each other,” Jerry told him quickly

  before she could answer. “She has a very fascinating story about how you two met which she promised to tell me later.”

  Jerry turned and winked at her.

  “Is that so!” She couldn’t miss the sarcasm in Keane’s voice, or the cold, angry look he directed at Jerry.

  Jerry’s announcement seemed to peak everyone’s interest.

  “You never told us how you two met.” Nicole, a statuesque blond chided in.

  She leaned over to glance at Keane, then at Becca.

  “Yes, Keane, we are all dying to know. We just didn’t think it was polite to

  ask before. But now that Jerry has brought it up; we are anxious to know how

  you two love birds met.” Cindy, another blond added with a massive smile.

  She noticed that almost all the women, well, except for three of them were

  blonds. They all looked like trophies wives, as far as she was concerned. She didn’t know how she thought she could be friends with any of these pretentious looking women! She had absolutely nothing, and she meant nothing, in common with any of them.

  “Okay, guys, since you are all so anxious to pry into our business, I will be mor
e than happy to tell you.” Keane threw his napkin onto his plate, and his eyes searched for hers across the table, and held them. He smiled at her, and it finally put her at ease. “It’s a rather funny story,” he said.

  “That’s what I’m telling you!” Jerry interjected.

  “It’s not what you think Jare!” Keane corrected him. “Becca had an accident and I stopped to help her. The rest, as they say, is history.”

  “Ahh!” The women cooed together. “Ooh, that’s so sweet!”

  She heard them say in unison. She didn’t know if they were being sincere, or polite. She raised her head and looked at the pasted smiles on all of their fake-tanned faces.

  “That’s it!” Jerry sounded angry. He tossed his napkin down on the table and

  glared at Keane. “I thought this was about some sort of Pretty Woman hook up, not about some damn stupid accident! I don’t believe this!”

  “Watch your mouth!” Keane kicked back his chair and glowered at Jerry.

  “Or what!” Jerry challenged him. “Tell us the truth, Keane, my boy, how did

  you really meet her, and how much are you paying her to be here with you tonight?”

  There were loud gasps from everyone.

  “I warn you!” Keane made a move to come around the table at Jerry , and two of the men held him back.

  “Come on big guy! Let’s get a go at it!” Jerry taunted him.

  “Shut up Jerry! Try to behave for once!” One of the women, although she didn’t know which one shouted to Jerry.

  “Okay, guys, chill! Can’t anyone take a joke around here—jeez!!”

  “You call that a joke!” Cindy retorted.

  “I’m sorry.” Jerry put up his hands up in the air in a defensive way, and gave them both furtive glances. “I was out of line. I shouldn’t have said what I did,” he said in a very small, forced voice.

  Nothing about him was sincere, Becca thought. He was such a jerk!

  “I read too much into it.” he added. “I was misled.” He gave her a sly look. “And for that I’m sorry.”

  Keane ignored him and stood up. “Anyone up for dancing? There’s a big dance floor waiting for us in the next room, if you will come this way.”

  He led the way to the large dancing area, and everyone followed.

  The seven piece live band Keane had hired for the evening struck up the music

  the second they walked in and everyone found their way onto the dance floor.

  They all seemed eager to put the incident with Jerry behind them. She’d seen

  the uncomfortable looks on their faces. And she was glad that an awful situation had been averted, well, at least for now.

  She was shocked that Jerry had even said such irresponsible and hurtful things about them. She had no idea how he could think such outlandish things about them!

  It just went to show the kind of person he was. A fight between him and Keane

  would have ruined the entire evening, and she was happy that it didn’t happen

  that way. She knew how excited Keane was about having his friends here

  with him, and to have Jerry spoilt it for him—well, that was just downright cruel!

  And knowing now what she did about Jerry, she was surprised that Keane had even included him on the guest list. There definitely was some sort of bad blood there between them. At least she had the good sense now to stay clear of Jerry-the-jerk!

  Her eyes searched the room for Keane. She was hoping that he would have

  come and find her the moment they left the dining room, but he didn’t. Instead, she spotted him across the room, to her far right, in a tight waltz with Margo.

  She noticed his hand was on the small of Margo’s bare back! She couldn’t imagine him touching any woman, especially one who so clearly disliked her that way.

  She tried to edge her way over to where they were. She was going to cut in on his dance with Margo, whether he liked it or not! She knew that he was acting as the gracious host, but that didn’t include him being seduced by Margo!

  Margo clearly had an agenda of her own, and she was surprised that Keane hadn’t seen right through it! Or was he just blind when it came to that woman!

  “Care to dance.” Jerry took her by the arm and guided her onto the dance floor before she could refuse.

  She felt like pulling her arm away from him. He was the last person she

  wanted to dance with at the moment, or at any other time for that matter. One of

  the other guys had tried to ask her, but Jerry had pushed him out of the way.

  “You could have waited for me to answer,” she snapped at him.

  “That’s because I know what you were going to say. And I don’t handle rejection well.”

  “Then why did you ask?” She was annoyed.

  He chuckled lightly. “Because I want to apologize for making such a complete

  ass of myself back there. I didn’t mean to offend you and Keane. It wasn’t my intention. I sometimes have this brazen habit of not choosing my words carefully.”

  She raised her head to look at him. “Well, you did offend me with your

  outlandish insinuation!” she told him in an angry voice. “I’m sure your words

  hurt Keane as much as they did me. What exactly were you trying to do,

  embarrass him in front of his friends! Shame on you for trying to do that!”

  Jerry spun her around, then brought her back to him. “Someone is being overprotective of her boyfriend!” He smirked. “I was an idiot. I misjudge you, Becca. I see now that you aren’t any of those things. I’m deeply sorry for even thinking about you and Keane that way.”

  “You were vulgarly obscene to even suggest it!”

  “You are right. I was a complete jerk, a buffoon!” He chuckled and looked at her with sad eyes.

  She wasn’t buying any of it. She knew he wasn’t sincere. And he would do it again if he had a chance.

  “And you still are!”

  “A jerk you mean.”

  “Yes, and a few other things I don’t care to say at the moment.”

  He held his head back to look at her. “Am I forgiven?” he asked her with

  another sly grin. “I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the evening if I know you are angry with me.”

  “After the stunt you just pulled, I’m not sure I’m ready to do that.”

  She glared at him

  “What can I do to make you change your mind about me?” He leaned in and

  whispered close to her left ear. “I’m willing to try anything, as long as it gets me

  on your good side again.”

  “You were never on my good side, Jerry.” She tilted her head up to look at him.

  “Ouch!”

  “You can apologize to Keane, and be sincere about it this time.”

  “I already did that.”

  “Then do it again—in front of everyone. And act like you mean it this time, because I’m not sure you did the first time.”

  “And you will put this behind us?”

  “I never said that I would, but we will see,” she told him in an irritated voice.

  “You drive a very hard bargain, but I will do it.”

  She tried to slip out of his arms, and he held her back quickly.

  “After this dance,” he told her quickly.”

  The dance ended about a minute after, and Jerry led her off to the side.

  “You know I can not get over how much you look like Larissa,” he said to her, giving her a thorough look.

  She wasn’t exactly surprised to hear him say that. Two of the other women she had been talking to earlier had told her the same thing. Larissa’s name had slipped out of their mouths, and they had quickly corrected themselves when they

  realized that she had no idea who they were talking about.

  Now Jerry-the-jerk was telling her the same thing. Only that this time she didn’t think that it was entirely a coincidence that he was mentioning Keane’s ex to he
r.

  Larissa and Keane must have shared something really powerful for their

  friends to still be talking about them that way, even after they split up.

  “Larissa?” She decided to play coy.

  “Yes, don’t tell me that Keane hasn’t mentioned her to you! I will be surprise if

  he didn’t.”

  She watched as his brow knitted in doubt. He shook his head casually. “I thought it would be the first thing you guys would discuss before you jumped into a relationship. It’s called closure; getting rid of excess baggage!”

  “He may have said something,” she lied.

  “So you know about what happened between them?”

  “Some parts of it, yes.” She didn’t think that there was any harm in trying to get

  Jerry to fill in the pieces for her. Keane had clearly kept her in the dark for a reason. “Although, I’m not sure that he told me everything.”

  Jerry tilted his back to look at her. “You know none of that was his fault, right.

  I’m glad that he’s finally over it. You seem to be good for him, Becca. It looks

  like he’s back to his old self.” Then, “Whoa! Is it a bit hot in here, or is it just

  me?”

  Jerry took her by the arm and led her off. “Now you see why you can’t blame me for thinking the way I did. You are a doppelganger for Larissa. I just thought he found you on one of those adult dating sites and hired you to make him forget. It’s very rare that you would meet someone who looks almost like your ex.”

  She let that slide. She was more curious about Keane and his ex, than about

  this lout who couldn’t keep his foot out of his mouth!

  “How long ago did they break up?”

  Jerry squinted. He probably expected her to know.

  “Break up?” He gave her a quizzical look. “Okay, if that’s what you want to call it.” He shook his head again. “Not that long. It hasn’t been a full year, if I can remember correctly. I guess you can call that long. Some marriages don’t survive beyond a few months, so I suppose that qualifies for long in this case.”

  Jerry’s hand was still on her arm when he guided out to the foyer and into an empty room on the other side of the house.