by Judy Angelo
“I have two brothers, though, older than I am. They’re both back in the States.” Reed continued speaking, seeming not to notice Golden’s consternation. Thank goodness. “One of them runs a computer software business and the other does cosmetics.”
“All businessmen,” Golden said. “Your family must be so proud.”
“Yeah, well.” Reed shrugged and for the first time since she’d met him she saw his face color with embarrassment.
That made Golden smile and she suddenly felt confident enough to ask even more questions. “But are you and your brothers all about business? What about you? What do you do for fun?”
The question made his face brighten. “I golf and I swim. I also play polo on the weekends.”
“That sounds like fun.” Even though she’d lived on a farm as a young girl, Golden had never climbed onto the back of a horse in her entire life. Maybe she would put that on her list of things to do one day. “And do you go out a lot, to the pub with friends? You certainly don’t sound like someone who’d stay put at home like me.”
She’d thought it was an innocent enough question but Reed’s face darkened in a frown. “The pub? No, I never go there. Have no plans to, either.”
“You’ve never...” Her voice trailed off. Had she offended him? “You don’t drink, then.”
“Not anymore. It was drinking that got me into the mess I’m in today-” He stopped short. It was obvious that he’d meant to say more.
“What mess? What happened?” She was being nosy, she knew, but she blurted out the questions anyway. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to know.
“Trust me,” he said, his tone bitter, “you don’t want to know.”
***
Conscious that a late return might create problems for Golden, Reed made sure not to keep her out late. By nine o’clock he was calling for the bill and by nine-fifteen they were on their way back to her house.
But there was another reason why he’d wrapped up the conversation and drawn the evening to an early close. The discussion had grown too personal, too close to the issue that was constantly on his mind. He was afraid he would slip and say too much. There were just some things about himself that he didn’t want this girl to know.
The fact was, he liked her and he wanted her to like him, too. Digging up the demons of his past was not the way to make that happen.
By the time he’d come to the end of the road that led to her house Reed had made up his mind about one thing. He had no idea what Golden’s reaction would be, but tonight he would let her know how he felt about her.
In fact, he was sure she already had some idea about that. The fact that he’d asked her out must have sent a very clear message – he was interested in her, far more interested than an employer should be in an employee.
But if she wasn’t sure of his intentions by the end of the night there would be no doubt left in her mind.
Reed pulled up to the house but not so close that they could be observed by curious eyes peeping through the window. As he turned toward her she looked back at him, her eyes uncertain.
She swallowed. “Thank you,” she said. “I had a wonderful time.”
“You’re most welcome,” he replied then before he could change his mind he lifted a hand and touched her cheek. “May I tell you something?”
Her eyes widened, just a bit, and she looked like she was holding her breath. “Yes,” she said softly.
“Right now,” he said, his hand sliding down to cup her chin, “I want nothing more than to kiss you. May I?”
Golden sucked in her breath and then, eyes wide, she nodded.
Reed gave her no chance to back out. As he lowered his lips to hers she closed her eyes, lips trembling slightly, her fingers digging into the car seat. Gently, he touched his lips to hers, knowing instinctively that this was a girl who had never experienced a real kiss.
She jumped and her eyes flew open, her lips parting involuntarily. Her hands left the seat they’d been clutching and now they were on his arms, her fingers gripping him like she was falling and he was her lifeline.
It was the shock, he knew, and the fear but he would take it slow and make everything all right. Slowly, so as not to frighten her, he slid an arm around her and pulled her close, brushing his lips over hers, teasing her but giving her no more than that.
As he’d hoped, a soft sigh escaped her lips and, ever so slightly, her fingers on his arms began to relax. That was the sign he’d been waiting for. She wanted this and she was ready.
Still taking it slow he gradually increased the pressure of his lips on hers and only when her sigh turned into a moan did he take full possession. When her hands slid up his arms to cling to him, he let his fingers glide through her hair to cup the back of her head, tilting her so she rested against the seat, giving him full access to her. But then he pulled back, remembering her innocence, remembering that a sleeping princess should only be awakened gently, never in the heat of passion. With a soft groan of regret he brushed her lips again, lips so sweet and soft he wanted to kiss her all night, and then he laid her back against the tan leather seat and slowly drew away.
“Thank you,” he said softly, leaning down to give her a peck on the forehead, “for a wonderful evening.”
Lips still soft and parted, she stared up at him and nodded.
Reed almost smiled. He’d been told he was a good kisser but he hadn’t expected to leave her dumbfounded. “Come,” he said, giving her a gentle pat on the leg. “Let me walk you to your door.”
Long after she’d gone in, Reed sat in the car remembering the taste of Golden’s honey lips. She had so much to learn and he was looking forward to being the one who would waken her to womanhood.
He knew it was wrong to pursue her. He knew he could offer her no future, not when he was trapped in a situation he was desperate to get out of. Until then, he had no right to lead the girl on.
Reed grimaced and started the car. He was being a fool but how could he find the power to resist a flower so sweet?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“I’m sorry? Who did you say you are?”
“I’m Golden Browne, a friend of your mother. I know this might seem strange, my contacting you like this, but...I need to ask you a favor.” Marjorie Bertlam must think she was a mad woman but there was no getting around it. Claire was suffering and Golden had to do something about it.
Before the woman could hang up on her, Golden hurried to explain. “Claire misses you. Could you find it in your heart to forget the past and visit her?”
There was a gasp on the other end of the line then a silence so stark it made Golden wonder if she’d screwed things up before they’d even gotten off the ground. Finally, the woman spoke.
“She told you...what happened?” The words sounded choked, like she was struggling to breathe.
“Just a little bit,” Golden reassured her. “Just enough for me to know there’s a rift between the two of you. I know it’s none of my business but I love Claire. I just hate to see her in pain.”
“She’s ill? The nursing home...they didn’t tell me.”
Golden almost smiled. She should have known it all along. Even though she didn’t visit, Marjorie had been keeping tabs on her mother without her knowledge. That could only mean one thing. She cared.
“No, she’s fine, at least where her health is concerned. It’s just that she needs you.”
“That’s not what she told me last time we spoke.”
“That was six years ago,” Golden said, a hint of exasperation creeping into her tone. “Things have changed since then.” Then, deliberately, she lowered her voice, fighting to stay calm. The last thing she wanted to do was offend Marjorie. She was supposed to be helping, not making the situation worse. “We don’t know how much more time any of us have on this earth,” she said gently. “Don’t you think it makes sense to mend old fences and enjoy every available moment with loved ones?” When the woman did not respond Golden decided to approach things fr
om another angle. “Would it be possible for us to meet? May I invite you to lunch so we can talk?” Then she added, “I’ll give you all the details on how Claire’s been doing.”
It was that last offer that did the trick. As soon as the words were out of Golden’s mouth Marjorie began to speak again. “I...guess we can talk,” she said. “I don’t hate my mother, you know. It’s just...she can be difficult sometimes.”
“I understand,” Golden said in sympathy. She wanted Marjorie to know they were on the same side. She knew she’d succeeded when she heard the woman’s sigh.
It was another four days before they found a mutually convenient time to meet but in the end it was worth it. Golden came away from the rendezvous with an agreement from Marjorie that she would pay a surprise visit to her mother. It could happen no other way, they reasoned. If Claire was given forewarning, as much as she might want to see her daughter, her cantankerous nature might make her object. Anticipating this, they both agreed that an impromptu visit was best.
That night as Golden rested her head on her pillow she had a smile on her lips. If the only thing she could do for Claire was reconcile her with her daughter then, as far as she was concerned, she would have done a good deed.
Because, at the end of the day, what could be more important than family?
***
Galloping toward the ball Reed leaned down and smacked it hard, sending it flying at over a hundred miles an hour then he reined in his horse and slowed her to a canter, watching as the other riders readied for their attack. He wasn’t worried, though. He had excellent polo mates and there was no doubt in his mind that his team would triumph.
Reed had always enjoyed polo but today was different. His mind was only half on the game. The other half was completely distracted by the memory of Golden and the unforgettable evening they’d spent together. As his thoughts began to wander he eased his hold on the reins and slowed his horse to a stop. No matter that he’d seen Golden in the office each day, he wanted to go out with her again. He was dying to kiss her again.
And then the lead shield he’d wrapped around his mind began to slip and his annoying guilty conscience began to sneak in, reminding him of all the reasons why he should stay away from Golden.
His brows lowered in a scowl and he shook his head. There was no way he could continue like this, wanting her but knowing he couldn’t have her. He could not live with this thing hanging over his head.
“Ho, Reed. Over here,” his teammate yelled, ripping into his daydream.
He jerked the reins, turning his horse to face the other end of the field then, with a light prod from him, she set off.
Reed knew exactly what he needed to do. He’d known all along but he’d been resisting it, pretending the problem did not exist.
He would go back to the States and seek out the woman who was making his life a torturous hell. Before another week had passed he had to find Carrie.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Another day without Reed. Golden sat staring at the computer screen knowing she was being unproductive but not able to do a thing about it. Reed had been gone three days now and she missed him terribly.
On Monday he’d come into the office, face serious, and told her he would be heading to the States the next day. She’d found it strange, this sudden trip. Normally he would have told her of his plans ahead of time. After all, she was the one who would prepare his notes or presentations or whatever else he needed for his trip. But although she was curious, she didn’t ask. She knew her place. She was just an employee, after all.
That thought made her pause and think back to the night he’d asked her out, the night he’d kissed her full on the lips. It had been magical, breathtaking, a kiss she would never forget.
But then, that kiss, what did it mean for her? Was she still just an employee to Reed or did she mean something more to him?
Golden sighed and got up to walk over to the window where she stood looking out onto Upper Bank Street. If she were smart she wouldn’t read too much into that kiss. That was what her brain was telling her but her heart? That one had a totally different view of the matter.
“What are you doing over there?”
Startled, Golden swung around to see a smiling David standing in the doorway. “Oh, hello. I...was just stretching my legs. I get cramped sometimes, sitting at the desk all day.”
“I feel you,” he said, walking in. “Lisa sent me to get you. It’s fifteen minutes into the lunch hour. Not hungry?”
“Er, not really. I have some fruit I brought from home.”
“That’s all you’re going to eat?” he demanded. “Fruit? Look how tiny you are. You could stand to gain another stone, easy. Come on down and have some real food with us. My treat.”
“No, please. I have money. I just...don’t feel like eating, that’s all.” Golden felt the heat rise in her face, she was so embarrassed. Did he think she couldn’t afford to buy her own lunch?
“Money?” he scoffed. “A couple of quid? That’s nothing. Don’t deny me the pleasure of treating you to lunch one day out of three hundred and sixty-five. Come on,” he wheedled. “It would make my day. And we’re all dying for your stimulating company.”
That made her laugh. “Well, since you put it that way.” She turned toward her desk. “Just let me shut down my computer and I’ll be right there.”
After that pleasant distraction Golden’s mood lifted and the rest of the day flew by. She was surprised when she looked up from her work to find that it was already twenty minutes after five. With a satisfied sigh she packed up her desk and headed for home, a slight smile on her face. It was a beautiful evening, warm with a slight breeze, perfect for a long walk down a country lane. She knew what she would do. She would get her mother out of the house. It would take some convincing as her mother hesitated to go far when Dunstan was around but it would be so nice if they could spend some time together - alone, with no Dunstan in the picture. She really hoped she could have her mother to herself again, if even for just one evening.
But it was not to be. When she got home the first thing she noticed was Carl’s purple Peugeot. Her stepbrother had stopped by for a visit.
Golden gritted her teeth as she grabbed her handbag from the seat and stepped out of the car. The problem was, Eugenia doted on Dunstan Manchester’s son. She was so attentive to him it was almost sickening. It was like she was trying to prove to her husband that not only was she the perfect wife, she could be the perfect mother to his offspring as well, no matter that Carl was not a child but a thirty-four year old man with a wife and children of his own.
“Sis, how are you?”
Golden had to grit her teeth again as she walked into the sitting room where Carl sprawled, a bottle of Heineken beer in his hand. She always hated his patronizing tone. It wasn’t what he said it was the way he said it, like she was somehow beneath him. And it didn’t help, either, that Golden was jealous of the way he and his father monopolized Eugenia’s time. When Manchester wasn’t in the picture, he was. When would she ever get time alone with her mother?
“I’m fine, thank you, Carl,” she said, her voice cool. She glanced around the room expecting to see her stepfather there, too, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“So I hear you’ve found yourself a job in London,” he said then took a swig and deposited the dripping bottle right on top of the spotless side table. Hadn’t the man ever heard of a coaster?
Golden clenched her fists but said nothing. Instead she drew in her breath then let it out slowly in an effort to ease the tension in her body.
“So how’s that going?” he asked, seeming not to notice her distress.
“Just fine, thank you.” That was as much as she was about to say. She knew that anything she told Carl would get back to Dunstan soon enough. Well, if they wanted any more information then they’d have to dig for it. She was not about to share anything else.
The man got up, a look of amusement on his face. “Little Miss Independent, a
re you?” He nodded to himself. “I didn’t think you had it in you. Thought Dad would have had you holed up here under his thumb till you’re fifty.” He chuckled. “Bold move, sis.”
Golden tightened her lips and looked away. Why did he insist on calling her that? She was not his sister and never would be. She had no love for him or his father and as far as she was concerned they would never be her family. “Where’s Mother?” she asked, readying herself to make a quick exit. She’d had enough of this conversation with Carl Manchester.
“Fixing me some jam and biscuits. You know it’s her pleasure.”
He said the last words with such disdain that Golden gasped and stepped back, stumbling when her leg brushed against something furry. There was a loud hiss and she whirled around just in time to see Sir Winston Churchill tearing back down the hallway.
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry, Sir Winston.” Not bothering to take leave of the unwelcome guest Golden hurried after her cat, her only concern that her pet was not hurt.
She would leave Carl in her mother’s care and make herself as scarce as possible while she was there. Her hopes of a relaxing mother-daughter evening dashed, Golden decided she might as well escape to her room where she could hide behind closed doors and think on pleasant thoughts, the nicest of which would be Reed Davidoff.
There was nothing to stop a girl from dreaming, was there?
***
When Saturday dawned Golden hopped out of bed, her heart doing a happy pitter-patter as she thought of what was to come. This was the day she’d been awaiting with eager anticipation, the day when her best friend and her daughter would be reconciled.
Marjorie had promised to meet her in front of the nursing home at two o’clock that afternoon. After they’d signed in Golden would allow Marjorie to go up first to see her mother. She could imagine what an emotional reunion that would be and she didn’t want to spoil the moment for either one of them. After she’d given them time alone, maybe half an hour or so, then she would go up and join in the celebration. It would be a happy day indeed.