by Tori Carson
He raised an eyebrow and stared at her. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
“A little and in the interest of full disclosure, I fibbed last night when you asked me what I was thinking about.” She waved her hands in the air as if she were wiping the slate clean. “Let me start there. We were just about to go to sleep. You were spooning me and I was thinking how wonderful it was to have you in my bed. But it’s me, so I couldn’t leave it there. I had to start thinking about the future and I didn’t like what I saw.”
“How so?” His stomach was knotted. She was taking the long way around this conversation and he wasn’t sure he’d live to see the conclusion.
“I’d never shared my bed before. It was my safe haven, a place I could go and just get away from all the stresses in my life—my job, Jill, the past, everything. But when I was lying there with you, it was so much better. It was warm and comfortable. Does that make sense?”
Not entirely, but he figured whatever questions he had after she was finished, he’d ask then. “Mostly. Go on.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever feel the same way about my bed again.” She laughed. “You ruined it for me.”
Okay, this was not going in the direction he’d expected.
“That was meant as a joke… I’m rambling. I’m sorry. I never expected to have this conversation.”
“Did you want me to leave last night?”
“No, definitely not,” she answered quickly. “Just the opposite in fact. I’m wondering how I’m going to cope when you’re not there.”
He couldn’t promise her he’d always be there. He traveled too much and he knew she wouldn’t consider quitting her job to follow him across the country while he tended to business. “We’ll try to keep that to a minimum.”
“I was also mad at myself for wanting you to come to the museum with me. When I left Georgia, I vowed never to get involved with anyone again. It’s been less than a year and I’m struggling to remember why it seemed so important.” She was fidgeting with her napkin but making eye contact occasionally.
“I think it’s normal for someone who is coming from an abusive relationship to shy away from getting into another.” The knots in his stomach were beginning to loosen.
“Yeah, but I had the idea that I would never date anyone ever again. You have no idea how many guys Jill threw my way. We’ve had more than one fight about it.” She shook her head. “I’m getting off track. I thought that if I got out by myself I’d regain that perspective. But it didn’t happen that way. Anytime I found something cool, I wanted to share it with you. Even bouncing around my apartment wasn’t as much fun as I expected it to be. It was just lonely and quiet.”
“From my vantage point, that sounds like good news…so what’s the problem?” He kissed her hand and winked at her.
“The problem is you’re messing up my life plan. I’m supposed to be single and successful, or at least successfully single, not wanting to date again.”
The waitress brought their entrees. Once she was satisfied they had everything they needed for a time, she left their area.
“Life is meant to be shared, Angela. I don’t think anyone really wants to spend their life alone. What fun would that be?”
“None, or so I’m learning.” She took a few bites of her lunch and folded then unfolded her napkin a few times.
“Just say whatever it is you’re thinking. I don’t want you censoring yourself, remember?” He’d be glad once she learned to speak her mind.
“Here’s the deal. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I don’t want to give you the wrong impression either. I’m just trying to figure out how to phrase what’s on my mind without doing either one.” She glanced his way then quickly took a drink of her soda.
“Let’s start with the first half of that equation. What are you afraid is too presumptuous?” He tried to act nonchalant as he ate his lunch.
“Do you still want to…date? You did want to date, didn’t you?” She sounded mortified as she rushed to say the second sentence.
Brett laughed. “Yes, silly girl. Of course, I want to date you.” He gave her a reassuring hug. “You were the one who put the brakes on that idea. Not me. I’d like to see where this could lead.”
“See that’s what I was afraid of. I know, long term, you want to find your Mrs. Mercer and I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to take another vow. Just thinking of it sends me close to a panic attack. As much as I’m enjoying our time together and I no longer want to put stipulations on it, I don’t want to keep you from finding the woman you need.”
The more time he spent with Angela, the more convinced he became she was the woman he needed. They still had a lot of hurdles to overcome, but they were making more progress than he would have imagined possible. “Let’s take it one day at a time and not worry about the future for a little while.”
Angela nodded and smiled at him. “You’re right. I’m always trying to predict the future and plan accordingly.” She chuckled. “Considering how often life goes according to plan, you’d think I’d learn not to bother.”
Brett pulled her close and gave her a kiss on the temple. “Thank you, Angela. I appreciate that you’re willing to just ride this wave for a while.”
His cellphone began to vibrate. Since his calls, except those from Angela and his closest friends, were filtered by his secretary, he knew it was most likely important. He drew it from his pocket and glanced at the caller. Robert Griffith.
“Babe, I need to take this. Please excuse me. I’ll be back shortly.” He had a good idea what this conversation was about and the last thing he needed was Angela to overhear it. Brett moved into the alcove near the restrooms.
“Senator, how are you?” Brett tried to keep his voice down.
“Doing well, Brett, doing well! I appreciate the tip you gave me. One of my aides was in the area and he interviewed a few folks. Looks like we’ll be sending a team down early next week. I wanted to thank you for the heads up!”
“I’m sorry to hear it warrants a team, but I’m not surprised. Do me a favor, Bob. Forget I was the one to bring it to your attention. Just handle it like you would any other investigation, okay?” His sense of fair play and justice wouldn’t allow anyone in a position of power to use it against those less fortunate, but he couldn’t afford to have his name associated with the proceedings either.
“You got it, Brett. No problem. Will we be seeing you at the fundraiser next month?”
Brett shook his head. It always came down to money. “Probably not in person, but I will send a healthy contribution.”
“I appreciate it, Brett. I knew I could count on you. Good day, sir.” The line disconnected.
As he walked back to the table, he slid his phone back into his pocket.
“Everything okay?” she asked when he sat down.
“Work.” He shrugged. “There’s an event next month and we’re still ironing out the details.” That was more fib than truth. He wished he could just be honest with her. Maybe one day. “So what does Jill think of you getting your own place?” He needed to change the subject and he was legitimately curious. Jill and Angela didn’t seem like they’d be friends, let alone roomies. He was grateful the few times he’d been there, that he hadn’t run into her.
A sad looked crossed her face. “The night I told her, she said she would miss the extra cash. This morning she called and told me I needed to continue paying her for rent and utilities until she finds someone else to move in with her.” Angela glanced his way. “We’ve never been what you could call close, but she gave me a place to stay when I really needed it. She has a bigger heart than she lets on.”
“I didn’t realize she needed a roommate to help with the expenses.” Jill had approached him many times at the club. Because of her persistence he’d run a basic background check on her. She made more than enough money to pay her expenses unless something had happened recently.
“I don’t think she does, but she is rather fond of money.�
�� Angela winked at him. “When I showed up on her doorstep she didn’t have a roommate, but when I asked if I could stay with her until I got on my feet she wasn’t too keen on the idea. After I added that I’d help with expenses, she jumped on it.”
“Why did you go to her?”
Angela was quiet for a few moments. “The little town I grew up in seems like a foreign land now that I’ve gotten away. Most people born there die there. Jill was one of the few to break away. She got a scholarship to USC and she was gone. As far as I know, she hasn’t been back. She happened to send a postcard to my parents’ home the day I left Ernie.”
“You were waiting until they shifted their financial accounts to another institution right?” He hadn’t asked a lot of questions when she’d first explained it to him. She had obviously been uncomfortable discussing the situation. He’d hoped he’d gained enough of her trust that she would help him understand what happened.
“I waited until they had the lien release in their hands so there couldn’t be any mistakes. Once they had it, I threw what I could in a suitcase and left. I knew I couldn’t stay in town. No one would have given me a job or rented to me for fear of incurring his wrath. Mom gave me her car and what money they could scrape together. Jill’s postcard said, ‘wish you were here’. I knew she didn’t mean it, but I figured if I went to South Carolina I’d know one person and that was one person more than anywhere else.” She shrugged.
He’d never heard anything like it in his life. He couldn’t imagine her family allowing her to take off alone. She was a scared kid and they’d just sent her away to make their life easier. What the hell were they thinking? Verbalizing his opinion wouldn’t win him any points with her, though. “I’m grateful you made your way here. I’m assuming you didn’t have a formal agreement with Jill and therefore you really aren’t obligated to pay her.”
“We’ll work out something. There are always a ton of people over there. I doubt it will take her long to find someone. I’m not going to worry about it.”
“If you need help, ask. Don’t feel like you have to do everything by yourself.” He’d have to find a way to help without letting her know it was coming from him. Maybe he could get her to apply at one of the subsidiary companies he owned, but that his name wasn’t immediately linked to. “Did you tour the whole museum?”
She smiled. “No. It wasn’t any fun alone.”
“It’s still early. Would you like to head back over? We can check it out together.”
“Yes! It’s such a beautiful day, I’d love that!”
* * * * *
Angela was nervous as they pulled into Cat Tail’s parking lot. She didn’t know all the protocols for couples going to the club together and she didn’t want to do anything that would embarrass Brett. She’d asked him about it and he’d told her they’d discuss it as the evening progressed and to just relax. Obviously, he didn’t understand how difficult relaxing was for her.
She spotted Jill heading in as Brett opened her door. Since she hadn’t had an opportunity to show her his collar and catch up on all the latest news, she walked fast, hoping to meet up with her in the ladies’ lounge.
After they signed in, Brett turned to her. “I’ll meet you right outside the ladies’ locker room. We’ll have a drink at the bar and chat with Michelle before we get started.”
“Perfect, thank you.” She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Angela rushed to the bank of mirrors where Jill was taking one last look before entering the garden. “Jill, I’m glad I caught you. I’ve got to show you something.”
Jill’s eyes immediately fell to Angela’s neck. “You’ve been collared? Oh my God. I thought you were going to be the queen of one-night stands.” She gave her a hug.
“Me too, but Brett and I really hit it off.”
“Brett?” The smile disappeared from Jill’s face and her hands went to her hips. “Brett Mercer?”
Angela nodded but was confused. Brett said he hadn’t dated anyone from the club. How could Jill know him?
“You money-grubbing, back-stabbing bitch! How dare you hook up with him?” Jill’s face was turning red and she stomped her foot.
“What do you mean? How do you know him?” Angela mumbled, as her stomach knotted.
“Everyone knows him! Don’t play stupid, Angela. You left Ernie in search of deeper pockets and damn if you didn’t find ’em. You fucking lied to me. All those guys I tried to set you up with weren’t good enough, were they? They didn’t have money falling out of their pockets so you were too good to go out with them. You had your sights on the richest bastard this side of the Mississippi. And the man I wanted!” Jill started waving her arms as her anger hit the boiling point. “I took you in, gave you a place to stay, and this is how you repay me.” She spun on her heel and left.
Angela could hear Jill speaking with someone and she followed the sound. At the entrance to the garden, Jill stood with her finger on Brett’s chest, shouting at him and Sean. “You chose poorly. You’ll come to realize she’s only after your money. She uses anyone and everyone to get what she wants.” Before Brett could answer Jill stomped down the path.
Brett immediately went to Angela and took her in his arms. “Are you all right? What happened?”
Angela pushed him away. “Brett, is she telling the truth?” Her brain was moving in slow motion, but pieces of the puzzle were falling into place—the outrageous apartment for peanuts, the gorgeous over-the-top collar, the cars, the movers, his comment at lunch about having more money than he could spend.
“What did she say?” Brett took a step toward her.
She instinctively pulled farther away. “You aren’t a mid-level manager of a property investment firm are you?”
“No and I never said I was either. Come here, baby, let’s talk this out.” Brett replied calmly.
Angela’s stomach sank and the collar around her neck threatened to choke her. “Oh my God. You’re Mercer Investments. You own like half of the East Coast.” Her knees buckled and she leaned against the wall to keep from falling. “Give me the key. I can’t do this.” She wrapped her hand around the locket and pulled it away from her skin in an attempt to breathe.
Brett pulled out his wallet and handed her the key. “Angela, you’re having a panic attack. Let’s sit down and talk about this.”
“No. I never want to see you again.” She shook her head. Fuck! “You own my apartment. You own the whole damn building, don’t you?” She glanced at Sean who stood to the side but between her and Brett. He looked incredibly uncomfortable and a part of her brain felt sorry for him. But there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it.
“Angela, let me take you home.” Brett held out his hand to her.
“No, you lied. We’re done.” She was stoic on the outside while inside she was screaming.
“I didn’t lie and I’m not going to leave without you. We came together, remember?” Brett tried to reason with her.
“I’ll walk home.” She turned to go back into the locker room.
Sean caught her by the arm. “I can’t allow that, Angela. You’re not walking home from my club. Let’s just take a few minutes to relax then I’ll take you wherever you need to go.”
Angela stared at him. He was trying to be nice. She knew that, but it didn’t help she wanted to scream and yell that she’d do whatever the fuck she wanted, whenever she wanted!
“Come and talk to Michelle for a few minutes. She’s missed you.” Sean used his body to urge her toward the bar. “Brett, can I have a minute with you in my office?”
Angela had wanted to see Michelle. She liked her and right now, Michelle felt like the only friend she had. Blindly, Angela walked beside Sean, vaguely aware of Brett following them. She was doing everything in her power not to break down and cry like a baby. She had fallen fast and hard for Brett. Damn him! How could she have been so stupid?
Brett took a seat across from Sean at his desk. He was reminded of the time he’d been
in trouble at school and was called into the headmaster’s office. The only difference was, he respected Sean.
“You want to talk?” Sean asked.
“No.” Brett started to stand, but Sean held out his hand in a stop motion.
“If you want to keep Master’s rights here at the club, then I need to know what’s going on.”
Brett barely stopped the fuck-you-and-your-club sentence before it left his mouth. “This is between the two of us. I didn’t violate any of the club rules, but I understand it’s in your purview to void my membership anyway. So do whatever the fuck you want.”
“Michelle and Angela have become pretty good friends. Did you know she’s coming off a pretty horrible divorce? Frankly, I’m surprised you got that collar around her neck so soon.”
Sean was on a fishing expedition. If Angela had told Brett the truth, and he had no reason to doubt her, Sean didn’t know much about her marriage. “I’m not discussing Angela. If you have questions for me, I’ll answer them, but Angela is off limits.”
“Fair enough. Why does she think you lied?” Sean cut right to the point.
Brett sighed. This is my own damn fault. “At first, I assumed she knew who I was, how I earn my living. She was staying with Jill and obviously Jill knew. I assumed she’d share that piece of information with Angela. Besides, I’m not in the habit of giving the girls I date a copy of my yearly earnings statement.”
Brett considered how much to tell Sean. “For reasons I refuse to get into, if Angela knew the extent of my holdings she would have been reluctant to commit. With that in mind, I may have encouraged her to believe I worked for my firm instead of owned it. I did not, however, lie to her.”
Sean shook his head. “How long did you think that charade would work?”
Brett ran his hand down his face. “Longer than this. My name is readily known, but she didn’t make the connection. I’ve been very careful to keep my picture out of the media for the most part. Everyone assumes, the Brett Mercer is a much older man and I let them.”