by Calista Fox
More than that … was it a sensible possibility?
She still didn’t have an answer, so she said, “We have a lot to sort out when we get back to California.”
Rogen sat back in his seat.
Vin reached for his magazine.
Jewel closed her eyes. And worked really, really hard to clear her mind. At least for a little while.
EIGHTEEN
Unfortunately, Jewel was not meant to be freed from her tension.
The guys bailed on dinner and decided to catch a UFC fight at a bar. Jewel wasn’t sure that was a grand plan, considering it would hitch their testosterone. She hoped the only brawling occurred on the big screens.
She met up with Bayli and Scarlet at a five-star Italian restaurant overlooking Central Park. The girls caught her up on their past couple of days.
Bayli bounced a little in her seat and said, “I’ve been saving this tidbit until we all got together. A modeling agency picked me up!”
“That’s awesome!” Scarlet squealed. “Congratulations!”
“So we’re celebrating tonight,” Jewel enthusiastically said, grateful to have something to focus on other than her relationship drama.
“Well,” Bayli contended, “it’s not really that big a deal—until I land a gig. But yeah. I’m pretty stoked.”
“It’s fantastic news, Bay,” Jewel assured her. “You’re going to take this city by storm!”
The server came around and Jewel ordered champagne. Then she asked Scarlet, “How’s your case coming along?”
“Frigid as the Alaskan frontier.”
“Oh. Darn. Sorry.” Jewel reached for her water glass and sipped.
Bayli asked, “Anything we can do to help?”
“Not unless you possess extensive knowledge on LoJacking a person.”
Jewel nearly spewed water. “Excuse me?”
“Seriously,” Scarlet said, not the least bit contrite. “I need to plant a tracking device on Michael Vandenberg. He’s the most elusive man on the planet. He’s supposed to be in Atlanta, Georgia, but arrives in Athens, Greece. Supposed to be in Charlotte, turns up in Chicago. I had him pegged for Manhattan today, but nope. Nowhere to be found. I’m sure I’ll read tomorrow morning that he was in Madaripur, Bangladesh.”
“I don’t even know where the hell that is,” Jewel admitted. “But why is his name so familiar?”
“You’ve likely tried to seal a deal with him at some point for land,” Scarlet explained. “Huge real estate mogul. They call him the Wolf of Wall Street, because he’s a genius with investments and flips commercial property quicker than a quarter.”
“Huh.” Jewel couldn’t place him for sure but likely had come across information on him when exploring new acquisitions. “So who’s your source for where he’s purportedly going to be at any given time?”
“Previously, his assistant,” Scarlet lamented. “But she’s clearly been instructed to send insurance-fraud investigators on wild-goose chases.”
“So I’ll call his office,” Bayli said, still lit up over her big news yet obviously excited by the prospect of an additional challenge.
“What are you going to say?” Jewel curiously asked. “That you’re a one-night stand gone awry and the little pink plus sign showed up on the pee stick?”
“That’s got potential.” Bayli laughed. “But I was thinking something more along the lines of finding a pattern related to his flips and seeing if I can entice him with a potential ‘deal’ I’d like to make.”
“Granted,” Scarlet said, “there are shades of brilliance there. But this is a possible criminal we’re talking about. Which makes it a bit too dangerous to toy with him like that.”
“Then I’ll tell him the little pink plus sign showed up on the pee stick.” Bayli winked.
Jewel offered, “Let me see what Cameron can do to track him down. Maybe an assistant-to-assistant kindred-spirit kind of connection will work. And she actually is a legitimate source—Vandenberg’s person can verify Cameron works for Catalano Enterprises, for the Senior Vice President of Acquisitions. That keeps everything on the up-and-up. And Bay stays out of the man’s crosshairs.”
“Sure, but now you’ve got me worried about Scarlet being in his crosshairs,” Bayli said.
“She does have a point,” Jewel concurred.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Scarlet told them. She paused as the server returned with the champagne, uncorked the bottle, allowed the ceremonious sample, then poured. When he left the table, Scarlet continued, “I’m well prepared. It’s the nature of the beast in this particular industry.”
The women toasted. Then Jewel said, “Yes, we understand that. It’s risky business when I meet with my barterers and my buyers. Yet this is quite different, Scarlet. I don’t go into my meetings with the accusation of wrongdoing lingering between us. You have targets and they get agitated when they learn you’re there to grill them for suspected criminal activity.”
“No worse than being a detective,” Scarlet said. “I’m armed.”
“Which makes me oh so comfortable,” Bayli chimed in.
With a smug smile, the fiery redhead told them, “I’m an excellent marksman. And I don’t poke the snakes with a stick. I have much more finesse than that.” She tossed long, sleek dark-auburn strands over one bare shoulder and added, “Whatever that saying is about attracting bees with honey … that’s me. I know to lure. Then gently probe. Then give the full-court press when I’m certain I have the home-field advantage.”
“Wow. Way to mix your metaphors, girlfriend.” Jewel laughed softly.
“You get my point,” Scarlet retorted, the sassy dripping from her tone.
Bayli warned, “Just be careful. Anyone who’s been dubbed the ‘Wolf’ of anything is likely not someone to trifle with.”
“Agreed,” Scarlet sensibly said. Then her gaze landed on Jewel and she gave a coy smile. “Soooo … speaking of being in someone’s crosshairs. You mentioned Holly McCormick last week. What the hell did you do to her to get on her snarky side?”
Jewel nearly spewed again. This time expensive champagne. “Um … why would you ask me that?”
“Because,” Scarlet said between sips, “rumors are afoot in River Cross, my friend. You, Rogen, and Vin are burning up the grapevine.” She laughed. “Yay, me! I finally got a metaphor right! Rumors … Grapevine … River Cross … Wine country … Everyone with me?”
Jewel tried to play along and smirk, but the corner of her mouth quivered. Her stomach clenched. “What do you mean, we’re ‘burning up the grapevine’? Why?”
“Come on, Jewel.” Scarlet pinned her with a knowing look. “Holly McCormick has become close personal friends with Francine Hillman. She told France that you crashed the Angelinis’ gala and slapped Vin when you saw him.”
“Jewel!” Bayli gasped.
“He deserved it,” she defended herself. Then sighed. “At the time.” Things were a bit different now. A lot different.
“Anyway,” Scarlet continued in a conspiratorial tone, leaning forward on her side of the booth while Jewel and Bayli sat on the other, “France told me the story, and that you left the party with Rogen. Totally disappeared and didn’t come back—according to Holly.”
“So?” Jewel tentatively asked, sucking down more champagne in hopes of combatting anxiety. No such luck there.
“It was also reported by Holly that Vin took her home before the party was over and very chastely kissed her on the cheek. That he was clearly pained over the hostile reunion with you, Jewel. Which apparently wasn’t quite so hostile, because he kissed your hand after you slapped him.”
“So he dropped Holly off without fucking her,” Jewel commented, shooting for nonchalance. “Is that what’s stuck in her craw?”
“I don’t know,” Scarlet said. “But then France shared with Holly that she’d seen the three of you on the patio at Bristol’s—though I’d heard about that from Nadine Portman originally. Evidently, you and Rogen were chummy. Vi
n stormed off, and you followed him. France confirmed she saw both you and Vin leaving the same restroom … right around the same time.”
Scarlet wagged her brows.
Bayli pinched Jewel’s arm. “You didn’t! In a public bathroom? My God—how horny are you two?”
Jewel’s head spun. And it wasn’t from the champagne. Holding up her hand, she said, “Wait, wait, wait. This is all huge conjecture.”
“Are you denying any of the details as fact?” Scarlet pulled out her investigator voice.
“No,” Jewel slowly said. “But it doesn’t mean—”
“Jewel.” Scarlet turned the big guns on her. “You crash the party because of the land deal you want. Run into both Rogen and Vin in the same night. Disappear with one. Are seen with both two days later. Disappear with the other. For quite some time, from what I hear. And then suddenly you’re traveling the world with them?”
“Oh, wow.” Bayli squirmed in her seat. “This is so juicy!”
Shit!
Scarlet said, “Last little tidbit to impart. Holly phoned Vin before you all left on your trip. Likely a booty call, but whatever. He said he was on his way to Cabo. Very last-minute. Very unexpected. So she deviously called CE and learned you were out of the office until Tuesday. Cameron did not mention your whereabouts, but then Holly contacted Rogen’s assistant, who congenially offered that he was on his way to Cabo San Lucas. With one Jewel Catalano.”
Jewel’s jaw dropped. She set aside her glass. Tried to breathe.
Bayli whistled softly.
Eventually Jewel recovered and said, “Really, none of this means anything. It doesn’t confirm I’m hooking up with Rogen or Vin.”
“Why wouldn’t you hook up with Rogen or Vin?” Scarlet demanded. “They are seriously hot!”
“And you did say—” Bayli started to remind her of their conversation during the plane’s last New York City pit stop.
“I was teasing!” Jewel cut her off.
There was a sparkle in Bayli’s eyes as she asked, “Were you just teasing, Jewel? About not being able to keep your hands off of them?”
“Whose side are you both on?”
“Yours, of course,” Scarlet scoffed. “But just so you know, word in the inner circle is that there’s a ménage unfolding at thirty-five thousand feet.”
“Oh, fuck!” Jewel blurted.
“Exactly.” Scarlet sipped, a twinkle in her eyes as well.
“Actually”—Bayli turned contemplative, her studious nature taking over—“ménage doesn’t necessarily have a sexual connotation. Its French origin was used to designate a household arrangement, usually the management of said household. Add the à trois and it’s a household of three. Only in later society did the term become more widely and popularly associated with a sexual threesome.”
She sat back, quite pleased with her dissertation.
A heartbeat later, Bayli jerked forward and exclaimed, “Oh, holy hell! You’re having a ménage à trois with Rogen and Vin! Contemporary meaning!”
“I—uh—” Jewel reached for her flute. Polished off her champagne. Grabbed the neck of the bottle from the chiller and poured some more.
“Fucking delicious!” Scarlet cooed.
And Jewel knew her friend wasn’t talking about the Dom.
* * *
“How was dinner with Bay and Scarlet?” Vin asked as they made their descent into River Cross around six the next morning.
Jewel had boarded the plane after her dinner with the girls, curled up on the couch, and promptly passed out. No questions asked. No answers supplied.
She really couldn’t rehash the grilling Bayli and Scarlet had given her over the ménage. Both women had been way, way too excited. Way too intrigued. And had admitted to being way too envious.
Though they were the least of her worries. Jewel knew her friends wouldn’t spread further rumors. Yes, Scarlet loved being looped into all the town’s gossip. But that was due to her investigative nature. She didn’t generate her own speculation, especially when it involved her best friends.
Bayli had burned with curiosity over how the whole sexual situation worked, and Jewel had dodged the bullets by ordering another bottle of champagne.
Now she was ridiculously hungover—and being interrogated by Vin.
Minutes before, she’d tidied up in the lavatory and changed her clothes. Now she pulled sunglasses from her laptop bag and slipped them on, the bright light streaming through the windows nearly frying her likely bloodshot eyes.
To Vin, she said, “We’ve collectively made an enemy.”
His brow furrowed. “Who? And why?”
Rogen tucked his iPhone into the front pocket of his jeans and joined the convo.
Jewel told them, “Holly McCormick has insinuated herself into mine, Bay’s, and Scarlet’s circle of friends. She’s letting them know that the three of us have had individual hookups and are currently traveling as a cozy trio.”
Rogen snorted.
Vin laughed. “Seriously?”
“I fail to see the humor in the situation,” she told them. “River Cross is a small community. The inner circle is only so strong. By now, the leaks have sprung.”
“So we’re traveling together,” Vin said. “That doesn’t mean anything other than we have business to conduct. Anyone, including Scarlet, can attest to that.”
“And she has. But apparently Holly’s enjoying spinning yarns.”
Not that they were yarns, tall tales, whatever. Because what Holly hinted at—or blatantly declared—was, in fact, truth. Clearly a jealous rant. But truth nonetheless.
“So let her talk,” Rogen added in his calm, steady voice. “I will concede it’s not likely anyone would fully buy the three of us conducting business together. Me being an Angelini. Jewel being a Catalano. Vin holding loyalty to my father. But so what?”
Jewel grimaced. “You’re missing the entire point of a smear campaign. Holly spreading rumors about us can wreak havoc on our personal reputations, our family names, and even our new venture, Rogen.”
“California’s a progressive state, sweetheart,” he contended.
“Sure,” Jewel agreed. “Alternative lifestyles are more readily accepted here. But that mostly pertains to same-sex relationships and marriages. Not a ménage à trois.”
“She’s got you on that one,” Vin said. Then told them, “I’ll speak with Holly.”
“All well and good,” Jewel added. “And appreciated. However, she’s already turned into the town crier.” She shook her head. “If my parents hear about this…” She glanced at Rogen. “If your parents hear of this…”
“Play it cool for now,” Vin recommended. “We don’t have anything to defend, because we were, in fact, on a business trip.”
“Sure,” Jewel cautiously said, “but if we play that card, then you have to fess up to Gian that you provided legal counsel on mine and Rogen’s joint venture.”
His jaw set. Jewel could see he stewed over the reality of the situation. Yet he didn’t give in to contemplation—and the challenge of his loyalty. Instead, he said, “Let me deal with that. Don’t worry about me.”
Jewel gnawed her lip a moment, then told him, “But I do worry about you. So you have to validate that we’re all in this together.” Her gaze shifted to Rogen. “Right?”
“I’m not trying to hide anything,” Rogen insisted. “We’re in possession of the scotch. Even if my father has heard about the three of us traveling together, even if he’s already ascertained that I don’t intend to let him screw you out of the deal … He doesn’t currently have the winning hand. We do. Because we have the bargaining chip.”
“Which he could effectively decide isn’t worth the hassle,” Jewel pointed out. “Or the land. So that would put us at an impasse. Kill our dreams. Leave us with the rumors.”
Neither man appeared willing to confirm or deny her summation.
Because it was deeply rooted in fact.
NINETEEN
W
ith the information from Jewel about Holly’s squawking, Rogen knew his best offensive move was to seek out his father as soon as the plane landed and he returned to the estate. It wouldn’t be a smooth interaction by any stretch of the imagination, and he’d asked Vin to go directly to his own office, in hopes of leaving him out of this.
Vin didn’t take the bait.
“I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t on the trip,” Vin said. “That I don’t know what you and Jewel are up to.”
“You haven’t done more than help to get signatures on contracts you didn’t even draw up. So, technically, you were just along for the ride.”
They stalked through the enormous foyer, then toward the back of the mansion where Gian’s study was located.
“I admire what the two of you are trying to do,” Vin told Rogen. “I’m not particularly pleased your father wants to double-cross Jewel. Nor am I currently willing to throw away my career with Angelini, Inc. However—”
“Wait.” Rogen drew up short, his arm shooting out and his palm flattening solidly against Vin’s chest, stopping him dead in his tracks. “Currently?”
Vin sighed. “I’m not of the never say never mind-set. Do I owe your parents for taking me in so I didn’t have to move to Chicago and live with my aunt and uncle and finish high school there? Yes. Gian and Rose-Marie willingly became my legal guardians after my parents died. I was able to stay in River Cross. But I’m not in agreement with Gian reneging on a deal he made with Jewel, especially after I’ve seen her jump through hoops and stress out over bartering her way to that scotch. For your father.”
“Yeah,” Rogen said. He removed his hand from Vin’s chest and rubbed the back of his neck where tension built. “I know she went through a lot of trouble to hold up her end of the transaction. Bay and Scarlet did, too. Because my dad told Jewel he’d follow through on the deal. When he never had any intention of doing so.”
“Let’s get this over with.”
They continued on their way. Rogen rapped his knuckles on the frame of the opened double doors and asked his father, “Got a few minutes?”