“I can’t, either. She’s affected and rude and obvious—and she’s welcome to you!”
“You’re very generous, but do you mind if I make my own choice?”
“That’s your privilege.” Michelle shrugged. “Can we go now?”
As they started to leave, Sharon stopped them with more papers for Jonathan to sign. She also wanted him to look over some estimates that had been faxed to the office.
“They can wait until tomorrow,” he said. When his secretary tried to coax him into doing it right away, Jonathan declined firmly. “I’ll come in early in the morning. Michelle has been patient long enough. We’re leaving.”
As they took the elevator down to the parking lot, Michelle regretted losing her temper. Jonathan didn’t have to make time for her today. If it weren’t for her, he would have spent the day at the office, taking care of all the work that had piled up during his absence.
As they drove out of the lot, she said in a muted voice, “I’m sorry for the things I said about Ashleigh.”
“You don’t think she’s affected and rude?” He grinned.
“She’s very beautiful,” Michelle answered evasively. “I can see why you’re attracted to her.”
Jonathan’s reply was equally evasive. “We’ve known each other for a long time. We share a lot of the same friends.”
“That’s nice. You have a lovely life here.” Michelle was determined to sound positive.
“Don’t you have the same thing in New York?”
“I don’t have as many toys.” She smiled.
He turned his head to look at her. “Are they important to you?”
“I can live without them, obviously, but I wouldn’t mind being rich.”
“Well, keep a good thought. If your mother marries Lucky, I’m sure you’ll share in her good fortune.”
“You still believe Mother went to Shorehaven to snare a rich husband!” Michelle exclaimed indignantly. “How can you continue to think such a thing after getting to know her? She doesn’t have a devious bone in her body!”
“Oh, I don’t know. I seem to remember they gave us the slip at Shorehaven on more than one occasion,” he teased.
“They had to. We stuck to them like a bad cold,” Michelle said wryly. “We weren’t even good company. I can’t blame them for wanting to be alone. But it wasn’t because of any tricky plot of Mother’s.”
“I realize that now. Actually I think Evelyn would be very good for Lucky, and vice versa. They both need somebody in their lives.”
“What brought about this change of heart?” Michelle asked skeptically. “You were so sure she didn’t really care for Lucky.”
“It was as valid an assumption as yours that we were con artists. I’ve known for a long time that I was wrong about her.”
“How could you be sure?”
“I had someone run a check.”
“You had her investigated?” Michelle asked incredulously.
“It was the only sensible thing to do. It’s what you should have done the minute you became suspicious.”
“Ordinary people don’t hire private detectives. That only happens in books or on TV.”
“Where do you think they get their ideas for plots?”
“Okay, nice people don’t hire detectives,” she said primly. “It’s wrong to pry into other people’s lives.”
“You have nothing to hide.”
“You had me investigated, too?” she asked indignantly.
“I know you better than your mother does.” He grinned.
“What do you know?” she asked warily.
“Don’t worry. Nothing I could blackmail you with. You’ve led an exemplary life.”
“You mean, dull.” She sighed.
“There are ways to liven it up.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
“You can’t say I didn’t offer.” He chuckled.
“I get offers like that all the time.”
“I don’t doubt that a bit.” Jonathan turned his head to glance at her.
Michelle’s dark hair was blowing in the breeze, framing her delicate face and accentuating her petal soft skin. She looked like a gypsy princess, an exquisite one with sapphire eyes and a mouth that could drive a man wild. His hands tightened on the wheel and he looked away.
“Well, here we are,” he said, turning into Lucky’s driveway. He got out and opened her car door, but he didn’t walk her to the entry. “Tell Lucky I’ll check with him later.”
Michelle forced a smile. “Thanks for showing me around. I really enjoyed seeing your house.”
“That’s always nice to hear,” he answered politely as he got back into the car.
She went inside, telling herself it was what she expected. The atmosphere was different between them today—even before Ashleigh showed up. Michelle realized she had to accept the fact that Jonathan was no longer interested in her. He was telling her that as kindly as possible. She lifted her chin and took a deep breath before going into the house.
Jonathan’s face was somber as he drove away. A few days ago he would have been thrilled if Michelle had been as receptive as she was today. He’d spent most of the week romancing her, with very little success.
Not for lack of interest on her part. She could deny it to herself, but there was a vibrant attraction between them, an electricity that crackled when they were merely in the same room. He could awaken her lovely body with a touch, but she wouldn’t allow herself to weaken for more than a few inflaming moments.
Jonathan could understand that. He could even find it admirable—if frustrating. What disturbed him was Michelle’s complete turnaround once she found out he was wealthy. It might have merely amused him if sex was all he wanted. But it wasn’t. He’d finally found the woman he wanted to marry.
Maybe he was overreacting, he told himself. Michelle’s changed attitude could be due to the discovery that he wasn’t the con man she suspected. But then he remembered her delight over his house, and her remark that it was just what she’d always wanted and hoped to have someday. His office had also impressed her. She’d even admitted that none of her boyfriends were as successful as he. There were so many things.
Too many to ignore. Jonathan’s square jaw set grimly as he pulled into his driveway. He wanted Michelle so badly that it was almost painful. But he wanted her to love him for who he was, not for his money.
The telephone was ringing when Jonathan walked into his house. He was tempted not to answer, in case it was Lucky calling to make plans for the evening. But his uncle would only keep trying.
When he picked up the phone, Ashleigh’s voice greeted him instead. “Are you alone?” she asked cautiously.
“Yes, I just walked in the door.”
“I was hoping you’d gotten rid of that woman. Entertaining out-of-towners is such a drag, isn’t it? And she isn’t even your obligation.”
“Well, her mother is Lucky’s houseguest.”
“Michelle is rather obvious, isn’t she?”
“In what way?” Jonathan asked sharply.
“She was certainly trying hard to give me the impression that you were interested in her. If you really were, she wouldn’t have had to put on that act.”
“You think she was only trying to irritate you?”
“Don’t get miffed, darling. I’m sure Michelle would love to get her hooks into you. Why not? You’re gorgeous and sexy—not to mention fabulously wealthy.” She laughed merrily.
“Yes, I suppose that could be a consideration,” he replied evenly.
“Not to me. I’ve always adored you for your own sweet self.” Ashleigh dismissed Michelle as not worth their time. “I know you couldn’t talk freely in your office. Did you miss me as much as I missed you?”
“It was a long week,” he answered noncommittally.
“For me, too. Am I going to see you tonight, darling?”
Jonathan hesitated for only an instant before answering firmly, “I’m looking forward to it.�
�
Michelle had found Evelyn and Lucky in the den, watching the early news. “We didn’t know when to expect you. Where did you go today?” Evelyn asked.
“Jonathan took me to see his house and then we went to his office,” Michelle replied.
“That doesn’t sound like much fun,” Lucky commented. “Was that the best he could do?”
“It was very interesting,” Michelle said brightly. “He showed me the prototype of your first invention. You really must see it, Mother.”
“Yes, I want to. Lucky promised to show it to me.” Evelyn looked over Michelle’s shoulder. “Where is Jonathan?”
“He just dropped me off and went on. He said to tell you he’d talk to you later,” Michelle told Lucky.
“I wonder why he didn’t come in for a drink,” Lucky said. “Oh, well, we’ll see him this evening.”
“I don’t think so. I believe he has other plans.” Michelle tried to deliver the information casually.
Lucky frowned. “He just got home. He didn’t have time to make any plans. Where is he going?”
“I imagine he’s taking Ashleigh out to dinner.”
As Lucky’s puzzled look changed to comprehension, he tried to make light of the matter. “I suppose he had a long-standing date with her and didn’t feel he could break it.”
There was nothing to be gained by correcting his misapprehension, so Michelle said, “That doesn’t have to upset your plans. You and Mother do whatever you were planning to do. I’ll just go to bed early and finish this great book I’m reading.”
“Nonsense!” he said. “You’ll come along with us. I thought we’d go to the country club for dinner.”
Michelle tried to beg off. She really wasn’t in a party mood—although that wasn’t the reason she gave. But they both insisted she join them for the evening.
When they went upstairs a little later to change for dinner, Evelyn came into Michelle’s room to chat for a few minutes.
“It’s unfortunate that Jonathan was tied up tonight,” she remarked. “It would have been nicer for you if he could have come with us, but we’ll all do something tomorrow night.”
“I wouldn’t count on Jonathan to be around much from now on,” Michelle said evenly. “He has a busy social life of his own.”
“Naturally he dates a good deal. He’s a handsome, eligible bachelor. But I’m sure he plans to spend time with you, too.”
“If you saw his girlfriend, you’d change your mind.”
“You met her? Where?”
“She just happened to stop by his office while I was there. It was quite uncomfortable. She made sure I knew Jonathan was already taken.”
“That’s too bad. I had hoped—” Evelyn paused. “Well, never mind. The three of us will have just as good a time without him.”
“Come on! You can’t wait to get rid of me,” Michelle teased. “You know you want to be alone with Lucky.”
“He’s a very special man,” Evelyn said softly. “You have changed your mind about him, haven’t you?”
“I was never happier to be wrong about anybody,” Michelle assured her. She hesitated, not quite knowing how to ask if her mother was really serious about Lucky. Instead she said, “This house is tremendous. Can you imagine living in a place this big?”
“I think I could get used to it.” Evelyn smiled. “But I could be just as happy in a smaller house. Where you live isn’t the important thing, it’s whom you share it with.”
Michelle couldn’t agree more. She would be happy living in a tree house with Jonathan.
She turned away abruptly. “I guess we should change clothes.”
“What are you going to wear?”
“Maybe a skirt and blouse,” Michelle said indifferently.
“That’s not dressy enough for a country club. Why don’t you wear those white silk shantung pants you bought, and the short yellow jacket with the crystal beading.”
“I never should have let you talk me into that outfit. It’s much too glitzy. I probably won’t ever have a place to wear it.”
“This is your chance. Let’s both get all gussied up. You’ll feel better.”
“I feel fine,” Michelle answered coolly. “What made you think I didn’t?”
“I simply meant, it’s fun to get dressed up now and then. I’d better go and change,” Evelyn said hastily, hurrying out the door.
Were her feelings for Jonathan that apparent to everyone, or only to her mother, Michelle asked herself? It would be a disaster if Jonathan guessed how she felt about him! She had to correct any possibility of that impression immediately.
Michelle went into the bathroom and washed her face before reapplying makeup carefully. She used all the tricks for looking radiant that the models at the store had taught her—concealer to hide the shadows under her eyes, blush on her high cheekbones for a rosy look. If Jonathan did happen to show up at the club tonight, he’d see she wasn’t languishing over him. And even if he didn’t drop by, Lucky might mention what a festive mood she’d been in.
Michelle also wore the outfit her mother had suggested. It was just right for the image she wanted to project—a glamorous sophisticate, someone without a care in the world.
She pinned a smile on her face and went downstairs to join the others.
Chapter Seven
Lucky was very flattering when Michelle joined him and her mother in the den. “You look spectacular, my dear! I’ll be the envy of everybody at the club when I show up with two such gorgeous women.”
They got the attention he predicted. Heads turned when they walked into the country club dining room. Lucky was well-known and popular. A lot of people came over to their table to say hello. They all looked speculatively at Evelyn and appreciatively at Michelle, who smiled brightly at everyone, pretending she was having a wonderful time.
Not all of the people who stopped by were Lucky’s friends. Several young men were Jonathan’s age. They pretended to be paying their respects to the older man, while they not-so-secretly seemed to be admiring Michelle’s lovely face and alluringly curved figure. The one who dropped all pretense was a handsome young man named Carter Babcock.
“I went to Harvard with Lucky’s nephew, Jonathan,” he told her, after Lucky had introduced them.
“Are you an engineer, too?” she asked politely.
Lucky laughed. “That would take too much effort. Carter is a professional playboy.”
“It’s nice work if you can get it,” she commented.
“Lucky makes me sound like a slacker,” Carter protested. “Actually I’m performing a public service. It wouldn’t be fair for me to take a job away from someone who needs it.”
“You really don’t work at all?” Michelle asked curiously.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Polo is very strenuous,” Lucky drawled.
“So is waterskiing and tennis.” Carter grinned. “I’m a man of many interests.”
“If it works for you, that’s fine. It would be nice to have some free time,” she said. “But I’m not sure I’d know what to do with myself if I woke up every morning with nothing but free time.”
He gave her a melting smile. “I’d be happy to help you fill it.”
“Stop hustling my houseguest, Carter,” Lucky ordered. “Don’t you have somebody to get back to?”
“Actually I don’t. I just stopped in for a drink because I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Are those violins I hear?” Lucky asked dryly.
“That’s the trouble with putting on a happy face.” Carter sighed. “People don’t realize I get lonely just like anybody else.”
A waiter appeared with a first course for the other three. “Can I get you anything, Mr. Babcock?” he asked. “Another Scotch perhaps?”
“No, I was just leaving. Although...” Carter turned to Lucky as if a thought had just occurred to him. “Would you mind awfully if I joined you for dinner?”
Lucky frowned slightly, but before
he could think of an excuse, Evelyn said, “That would be very nice. We can’t leave the poor man to dine alone, can we?” She gave Lucky an appealing look.
There was nothing he could do about it, although Lucky was clearly not delighted by the idea. “We’d be pleased to have you join us.” His tone wasn’t as warm as the invitation.
If Carter noticed, he didn’t mind. “Splendid! You’ve saved me from a long, solitary evening.”
Michelle guessed that her mother thought Carter would take her mind off Jonathan. She only wished something could. Where were he and Ashleigh right now? Having dinner in some romantic restaurant? Or were they at his house, in an even more romantic setting? Michelle turned quickly to Carter, giving him a brilliant smile.
A small combo started to play while they were having dinner, and Carter asked Michelle to dance.
Lucky watched with dissatisfaction as Carter led her away with his arm around her shoulders. “I wish you hadn’t asked him to have dinner with us,” he told Evelyn.
“Why not? He seems like a nice young man,” she said.
“I suppose so,” Lucky agreed grudgingly. “I guess I disapprove of people who waste their potential. As far as I can tell, Carter’s only aim in life is the pursuit of pleasure.”
“So few people can attain that goal. How does he support himself?”
“He doesn’t have to, that’s the problem. Carter has trust funds that pour out a steady stream of cash. Both his parents came from extremely wealthy families.”
“That could very well take away a young person’s incentive,” Evelyn commented.
“Not necessarily. Look at Jonathan, he’s independently wealthy. He doesn’t have to put in the long hours he does. But Jonathan is cut from a different piece of cloth,” Lucky said proudly. “He works harder than any of our employees.”
“He isn’t a workaholic, though. It’s nice that he still makes time for a social life,” Evelyn remarked artlessly.
Lucky shot a glance at her. “You mean, like tonight? I’m sure that was something he couldn’t get out of. I know he’d rather have been with Michelle.”
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