“I wouldn’t be too sure. She said this Ashleigh woman was quite possessive.”
“That doesn’t mean the feeling is mutual. Jonathan is very attracted to Michelle. I can tell. That was the reason I wasn’t crazy about having Carter join us.”
“I thought it would be nice for her. There’s no reason for Michelle to be alone while Jonathan is out on a date,” Evelyn said crisply.
“That’s perfectly true. It would serve him right if Michelle did become interested in Carter.” Lucky sighed. “I gather she and Jonathan had another argument. I don’t know what’s the matter with those two. Anybody can see they care about each other, but they’re not happy unless they’re miserable.”
Evelyn smiled. “It certainly sounds like love.”
“Maybe their version of it. I prefer the old-fashioned variety where two people in love enjoy each other’s company and want to be together.”
“I do, too, but that concept isn’t popular today. If young people don’t experience angst in a relationship they seem to feel something is lacking. Too bad they don’t realize how wonderfully fulfilling love and marriage can be.”
Lucky nodded. “We were both blessed with happy marriages. It’s very lonely when your partner is gone.”
“I know,” Evelyn answered sadly.
“When Agatha died I didn’t think I could ever fall in love again, but I was wrong.” He covered her hand with his. “You’re very special to me. I realize we haven’t known each other long and I don’t want to rush you, but can I hope you care about me a little?”
“More than a little,” she said softly. “I felt the way you did, that I’d never be able to care deeply for another man. I suppose I thought it was disloyal even to consider it. But I know Richard would understand how lost I’ve been without him. I don’t think he’d want me to spend the rest of my life alone.”
“Dear Evie.” Lucky’s voice was husky. “We could have such a good life together. Will you—” He stopped short as Michelle and Carter returned to the table. Lucky hid his irritation with an effort, and the conversation became general.
Carter’s obvious interest in Michelle was flattering. He couldn’t take Jonathan’s place, but Carter was delighted to be with her, whereas Jonathan wasn’t. She accepted the fact and tried to enjoy the evening.
Carter could be very amusing. Even Lucky chuckled at some of his stories.
“You really didn’t know you were proposing marriage to that girl in Tahiti?” Evelyn asked him.
“No, honestly! We were both victims of the language barrier,” Carter said.
“She didn’t know the difference between a proposition and a proposal,” Lucky said.
“Not so! I have the utmost respect for women.”
“You just don’t want to be tied to one for life,” Michelle joked.
“I’ll admit I’ve never found that special someone I wanted to marry, but that could all change.” He gave her a meaningful look.
Michelle knew better than to take him seriously, but Lucky wasn’t pleased.
“Where is our waiter?” he asked abruptly. “He hasn’t brought our coffee yet.”
They lingered over dinner, but not too long afterward, Lucky suggested leaving.
“The evening is young yet,” Carter protested.
“But I’m not,” Lucky replied. “Are you ladies ready to leave?” he asked Evelyn and Michelle.
When Evelyn indicated that she was, Carter urged Michelle to stay and have an after-dinner drink with him. Since it was better than going home and wondering what Jonathan was doing, she agreed.
After they were alone, Carter’s manner became more intimate. “Do you believe in Fate?” he asked, gazing compellingly into Michelle’s eyes.
“Not really,” she answered. “I believe we’re the ones responsible for our own actions, not some unseen force that pulls our strings like a puppeteer.”
“I disagree. I think it was Fate that brought me to the club tonight.”
“Since you’re a member and you come here so often the waiters even know what you drink, I doubt that Fate planned your evening,” Michelle said ironically.
“I could just as easily have gone to the yacht club instead. But then I wouldn’t have met you,” he said deeply. “Fate meant for us to be together.”
She gave him a disgusted look. “I heard better lines than that in high school.”
Carter laughed unexpectedly. “You never know. Sometimes it works.”
“In Tahitian maybe.”
“Okay, I’ll cut out the phony baloney. I really am attracted to you, though. I’m looking forward to getting to know you really well.”
“You’d better be a quick study. I have to go back to New York.”
“Didn’t Lucky say you just got here today?”
“Yes, but I’ve been at Shorehaven for a week with my mother.”
“A week is hardly a vacation,” he said dismissively.
“I wasn’t on vacation.” When he gave her a puzzled look, Michelle regretted her unthinking statement. “I mean, it was just a spur of the moment thing. I got tired of the cold weather so I escaped to Florida for a short time.”
“I knew we were kindred spirits. If you don’t like where you are, go someplace else, I always say.”
“That’s easy for you, but I have a job waiting for me.”
“Someone else did it while you were gone,” he said pointedly. “Stay here. We’ll have a blast. And if you get bored with Miami, we’ll fly to Paris or Rome.”
“It’s cold in Europe at this time of year, and I don’t have any winter clothes with me,” she answered, pretending he was serious.
“That’s no excuse. You can buy a whole new wardrobe in Paris. I’ll phone now and make a reservation at the Ritz. Is that all right, or would you prefer the Meurice? Personally I think the pink marble bathrooms are a little much, but maybe that appeals to a woman. Which one shall it be?”
“You really are serious,” Michelle said slowly.
“Of course.” He looked at her in surprise.
“I was only joking. You live in a world all your own, Carter, but it’s time for a reality check. I’m a working woman. I couldn’t afford to flit all over the world, even if I had the time. And I don’t intend to go as your close companion,” she added firmly.
“We could have separate rooms,” he said tentatively.
“With a connecting door? No, let’s just enjoy this evening. I’ll remember it, you can be sure. You have more bells and whistles than Jonathan—and I thought he was overprivileged.”
“Johnny is a working stiff. You can’t have any fun with guys like that.”
“His girlfriend, Ashleigh, would disagree with you,” Michelle commented lightly.
“She’s been trying to land him for years, so naturally she thinks he’s perfect.”
“Does Jonathan have the same bias against marriage that you do?” Michelle tried to sound only mildly interested. “I mean, if they’ve been going together for a long time, you’d think they’d at least get engaged. Or are they?”
“I wouldn’t know.” Carter lost interest in the other couple. “If you won’t go to Paris with me, how about the Bahamas? That’s only fifty miles away. I have my own plane, so we can leave whenever we like and come back when we feel like it.”
“Why not?” She laughed helplessly. “Nothing is real down here, anyway. I might as well be as crazy as the rest of you.”
“That’s my girl.” Carter took her hand and led her onto the dance floor. “I’ll teach you not to take life too seriously.”
Michelle was a willing pupil, but she didn’t have too much hope of success in forgetting Jonathan.
Jonathan couldn’t get Michelle out of his mind, either. He’d taken Ashleigh to a lovely restaurant on the waterfront. A breeze was whispering through the palm trees, and soft dinner music was playing in the background, but Jonathan couldn’t concentrate on either his companion or the excellent food.
Should he
have joined Lucky and his party for dinner tonight? It wasn’t very polite to just dump Michelle the minute he got home. His uncle wasn’t too pleased about it. But he didn’t know the whole story. No, he’d done the right thing, Jonathan assured himself.
For a while Ashleigh wasn’t aware of his withdrawn mood, but she gradually showed her annoyance. “What’s the matter with you tonight, Jonathan? You’re not listening to a word I say.”
“Of course I am.”
“Then what did I just tell you?”
“You said, uh, you were talking about Isobel’s cocktail party.”
“That was half an hour ago! Do you mean you haven’t paid attention to anything I said since then?” she asked indignantly.
“I heard every word, although I can’t repeat them verbatim, if that’s what you want.”
He’d tried to sound humorous rather than impatient, but she looked at him warily. “Is anything wrong, darling? You seem so tense.”
“There are a few problems at the office,” he said vaguely. “But I shouldn’t bring them home with me. I apologize.”
“You don’t have to,” she said with relief. “I want to share the bad as well as the good with you.”
“That’s sweet, but my problems aren’t really serious.” He forced a smile. “What would you like for dessert?”
Once she was reassured, Ashleigh returned to the subjects dearest to her heart: gossip and social events. “Marlene is hoping Craig will invite her to the dance at the yacht club next week, but I happen to know he’s planning to ask Tiffany.”
Jonathan shrugged. “Marlene won’t have any trouble getting a date. She goes out with a lot of men.”
“But she already told a couple of people she expected Craig to ask her. It will be too embarrassing for words when he shows up with Tiffany.” Ashleigh’s eyes gleamed with malice. “I wouldn’t want to be in Marlene’s shoes.”
“I imagine she’ll survive.” He tried to change the subject. “I haven’t seen a Miami newspaper all week. Are the fishing boats still operating, or did the fishermen go out on strike the way they threatened?”
“I have no idea. Why on earth would fishermen strike?”
“Because they’re grossly underpaid. They leave the dock before dawn, often in heavy seas and with no guarantee that they’ll catch enough to make it worthwhile. Even when they do have a good catch, the brokers underpay them for fish they sell at many times the price.”
Ashleigh looked at him admiringly. “You’re so clever, Jonathan. How do you know all these things?”
“I read the newspaper.”
“I do, too, but the news is so depressing. It’s mostly just crime and violence. I think the media dwells on those things too much.”
“How can you overemphasize murder and mayhem?” Jonathan asked sardonically.
“Is it so terrible of me to want to look on the bright side of things?” she asked plaintively.
“No, you’re not alone there.” He was sorry for being impatient with her. Ashleigh’s attitude was no different than a lot of people’s.
Jonathan made a point of being especially attentive after that, to make up for his earlier sharpness. He knew it hadn’t been due to Ashleigh’s insensitivity. He was used to that. But they’d been friends for a long time and he usually made allowances for her.
Michelle was the real reason he was tied up in knots, Jonathan admitted to himself. Why couldn’t he simply write her off as a relationship that didn’t work out? Sure, she was beautiful and sexy and utterly adorable, but so were a lot of women. He would forget about her. In time, Michelle would only be a distant memory—not even necessarily a pleasant one. Jonathan’s jaw set rigidly as he tried to convince himself.
By the end of dinner, Jonathan found his mind wandering again as Ashleigh talked about upcoming parties, friends who were getting married, others who were getting divorced.
Finally he said, “If you’ve finished your coffee, why don’t we go somewhere for an after-dinner drink?”
“That sounds lovely. Let’s go to my place.”
“Wouldn’t you rather go someplace where we can dance? We could stop in at the Pelican Lounge, or perhaps drive out to the country club,” Jonathan suggested casually.
“The club sounds good,” she agreed. “Maybe some of our crowd will be there.”
Unlike Jonathan, Michelle was relaxed and having a good time. It was impossible to be depressed around Carter. She didn’t take his lavish compliments seriously, but his admiration was soothing and he was good company. He told her about all the famous places she hoped to visit someday. If they were glamorous, Carter had been there.
“I don’t know why you want to just hear about Istanbul,” he said while they were dancing. “We could be there in a matter of hours.”
“Maybe next month,” she said. “My belly dancer costume is at the cleaners.”
Drawing her closer, he said in a seductive voice, “You’d make a gorgeous belly dancer. Will you give me a private performance?”
“It will cost you. I need lots of champagne first to get rid of my inhibitions.”
“I’ll buy you cases of it,” he promised. “And anything else your little heart desires.”
“You’d better be careful. I might have very expensive tastes.”
“A woman as beautiful as you is entitled to the best.” He folded both arms around her slender body. “I’ve never seen eyes that shade of cornflower blue, or skin with the glow of a pink pearl.”
“That sounds like ad copy for nail polish or face powder.” She laughed, while trying to put a little distance between them. “Maybe I—” Michelle’s laughter died as she caught sight of Jonathan and Ashleigh in the doorway.
Carter could feel her body tense. “What’s wrong, doll face?”
“Nothing, I just...” She tilted her head and gave him a brilliant smile. “Not a thing.”
“That’s good.” He pulled her closer, and this time Michelle didn’t resist. “I want you to be happy. Worry only produces wrinkles.”
“Aren’t those supposed to give your face character?” she asked brightly.
“That’s a rumor started by people who can’t afford plastic surgery.” Carter glanced over at the couple who were cutting across a corner of the dance floor on their way to a table. “Hi, Johnny. This is a coincidence. I had dinner with your uncle earlier this evening.”
“Really? Where is he?” Jonathan’s face was set as he glanced around the room.
“He left quite a while ago.”
When Carter started to introduce the two women, they told him they’d already met—both showing the same lack of enthusiasm. After the men exchanged a few words, Ashleigh linked her arm with Jonathan’s and urged him toward the tables.
The dinner crowd had thinned out and there were leather booths along the wall, but Jonathan chose a table facing the dance floor.
Michelle was conscious of his eyes following her, and the disapproving look on his face. What did he have to be annoyed about, she wondered? Did he expect her to go home early with the older folks while he was out partying with his girlfriend?
Michelle was glad when the combo swung into a loud rock number and she could work off some of her frustration. Carter was an excellent dancer, and so was she. Gradually the other couples on the floor formed a ring around them to watch. When the number ended they all applauded.
“That was more strenuous than polo.” Carter laughed. Putting his arm around Michelle’s shoulders, he led her off the floor. “I think we deserve a drink.”
As they passed his table, Jonathan said, “Why don’t you join us?”
“We have a booth,” Carter said. “It’s more comfortable. Come and join us.”
It was the last thing either woman wanted, but Ashleigh made an excuse before Michelle could think of one. “We already have our drinks here.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to carry anything that heavy,” Carter said derisively. He raised a hand for the waiter. “Take these drin
ks over to our table, Jerry,” he told the man who had answered his summons promptly.
It was bad enough that they had to share a table, but Michelle and Ashleigh were forced to sit next to each other in the close confines of the booth. The men each sat on an end, next to their own dates.
“Did you enjoy dinner?” Jonathan asked Michelle courteously.
“Yes, the food was divine,” she answered, just as politely.
“The chef is good here, but the food can’t compare to the Palm Court. That’s where we had dinner,” Ashleigh said. “The atmosphere is so romantic.” She covered Jonathan’s hand with hers.
“The atmosphere wasn’t too bad right here.” Carter commented, smiling at Michelle.
“I didn’t know you were in town,” Jonathan said to him. “I thought you’d be sailing in the yacht race to Hawaii.”
“Been there, done that,” Carter answered dismissively.
“Is there anything you haven’t done?” Michelle asked.
“Held a job.” Jonathan answered first.
“I don’t know why my life-style irritates so many people,” Carter complained. “I contribute money to the government instead of collecting it. I do my bit toward a healthy economy by keeping cash in circulation. Aren’t those services to the community? The income of head waiters all over the world would suffer if I took a nine-to-five job.”
“So you’re really a humanitarian.” Michelle laughed.
“Or just plain lazy,” Ashleigh sniffed.
“Do you work?” Michelle asked her innocently.
“Not at a regular job, but I do volunteer work.”
“That’s important, too,” Michelle admitted. “There are so many people who need help, and so little money available. What kind of volunteer work do you do?”
“Well, I...I’m on the board of the garden club, and I’m chairman of the entertainment committee here at the country club. That reminds me, Jonathan.” Ashleigh turned to him hurriedly. “We had to move the Spring dance back a week, so be sure and change your calendar.”
Carter gave Michelle an amused look. “You won that match,” he murmured in her ear.
She didn’t feel triumphant. Ashleigh might be shallow and lacking in compassion, but she had Jonathan. It must be love if he couldn’t see her flaws.
Lucky In Love (Harlequin Special Edition) Page 14