Wilder, Lauren - Her Heart's Desire [Highcroft Saga 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Lauren Wilder

  ‘Oh, God, okay, ring me as soon as you get hold of her. I need Marisa’s address. I’m running blind here.’

  ‘Okay, will do, leave it with me.’

  * * * *

  James hung up and stared out of the window at the chaos that was New York during rush hour. He groaned at his predicament, what if Mrs. Reed wouldn’t give him the address? He began making a plan B.

  The cabbie pulled over on Fifth Avenue, and James paid him then strode into the Lobby of the Plaza hotel, his mind working fast to find a logical solution.

  How to find one woman in the whole of Manhattan, or indeed, New York? A thought hit him suddenly. Marisa used to work at First National Bank! He would start there if Mrs. Reed refused to help.

  He rushed to his suite and took a long, hot shower, the soothing water cascaded over his tired body, pummeling his back and neck, reviving him. He thought about Marisa and how he wished he had told her about Corinne when they first got together. He cursed himself for being so stupid. Now he was left in this ridiculous mess, and she probably hated his guts right now.

  He wondered if she would believe his version of events. Corinne had meant nothing to him. He hadn’t felt anything for her at all. It had simply been convenient, and nothing like what he felt for Marisa.

  He recalled the first moment he had seen Marisa, right here in the Plaza hotel. He was caught off guard. He had done a double take when she walked into the room. She exuded femininity with her golden blonde hair done up neatly in a loose bun, soft tendrils of silky hair framing her pretty face.

  But it was her eyes that had really blown him away. He thought she had the most amazing eyes he’d ever seen, flickering green and mysterious yet with a gentle softness that seemed to caress him whenever she looked at him.

  He wrapped a white towel around his waist and sat on the bed. Feeling desperate, he tried Marisa’s number again. It went straight to voicemail; she was clearly avoiding him, no doubt.

  Maybe Clara was right, maybe he was making a fool out of himself after all.

  * * * *

  Melanie browsed the rails in Neiman Marcus as Marisa tagged along, feeling half dead. She sat on one of the large leather chairs and read a New Yorker magazine.

  ‘Come on, honey, what about this one?’ Melanie held out a flimsy black dress.

  ‘I’m not in the mood to go out, Mel. Please, let’s just go home and watch a movie,’ she pleaded.

  ‘Nope, sorry, I can’t allow that, no brooding allowed.’ She continued searching the rails.

  Marisa appreciated her sister’s efforts to keep her busy and force her out of her depression, but all she really wanted to do was go home and sleep some more. She just wanted to stop thinking about James and that was only possible while she was unconscious.

  ‘Oh no!’ she exclaimed suddenly, letting the magazine drop.

  ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ asked Melanie, panicking.

  ‘They closed the Rainbow Room. Now I can’t ever dance to “Fly Me to the Moon” with a man I love in there!’

  ‘Oh, I know, it’s so sad. We heard all about it at work. Cipriani didn’t pay their rent, owed over three million, and they’ve gone kaput.’

  ‘Oh no…’ Marisa was utterly deflated. Was anything ever going to go right for her?

  ‘Okay, come on. Let’s go home and spruce up.’ Melanie headed for the checkout, clutching the skimpy black number.

  Marisa followed, feeling sick. She longed to be back under her quilt. At least she couldn’t cry in public. She knew that’s why Melanie had dragged her out. She decided to plead with her once more. It was worth a try.

  ‘I’ll go out tomorrow night, Mel. Come on; don’t be so brutal, my heart’s breaking here!’ Melanie implored her sister.

  Melanie looked at Marisa and sighed.

  ‘Okay, okay, let’s go for a quick drink then on our way home. I’m telling you it will help you relax, and then you can go home and sleep if that’s what you think is best.’

  ‘Okay,’ Marisa conceded. ‘One drink, then home.’

  They headed for the bar at Brown’s, and Marisa groaned as they passed the Plaza. She felt nauseous, a heavy, dull ache in the pit of her stomach. She wished she had never taken that damn job now.

  She had been so vulnerable after Mike’s betrayal, she should never have gone to England; she could see that now. Melanie was right. She had been on the rebound. Of course she had! The thought hit her hard, and she gulped back a sob.

  Mike, Adrianne, and now James, they had all betrayed her and played her for a fool.

  If she had known James was so close at that moment, she would have been thinking about things quite differently. As she walked past the Plaza, James was standing in the hotel reception, just yards away from her.

  * * * *

  Marisa sipped her cosmopolitan slowly as she looked around the room. The place was full of lunching businessmen, all chatting noisily, wheeling and dealing, smooching with clients on expensive luncheon accounts.

  She remembered her days at First National and sighed. Life was so simple then, before Mike had ripped her world apart, before James had stolen her heart. She could hardly believe so much had happened to her within six short months.

  She glanced at her watch, three thirty, already. It would be nighttime in England. She thought about James, sleeping peacefully in his big bed, and the dull ache in her heart intensified.

  ‘Hey, sad face, cheer up,’ Melanie said.

  ‘I can’t. I can’t stop thinking about him,’ Marisa murmured.

  ‘Drink up and we’ll have one more for the road. I’m telling you, you need anesthetic at times like this. Big sis knows best.’ She signaled the barman.

  ‘Oh, Melanie, if I get drunk, I will probably start crying right here on this fucking barstool!’

  Marisa sniffed, choking back the rising panic in her chest as she thought about her lonely, jobless, broken existence. She would have to think about getting another job soon, and the thought made her feel sick. All she wanted to do was hide from the world and make the pain go away.

  ‘Well, going home and lying in bed will only make it worse. One more then we can go if you still want to.’

  ‘You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?’

  ‘No,’ Melanie replied firmly.

  Two turned into three drinks, and soon, it was five.

  * * * *

  James heard back from William. The news wasn’t good. Mrs. Reed wasn’t answering her phone; he had been trying all day.

  Well, onto plan B, he thought, his heart heavy. He was exhausted, he hadn’t been able to sleep, and jet lag was playing havoc with his body clock. He stepped out of the Plaza and hailed a cab.

  ‘First National Bank,’ he instructed the driver.

  James had thought about phoning ahead, but remembering Marisa’s story of why she had left the bank and her best friend’s betrayal, he didn’t feel comfortable discussing their personal business over the telephone.

  He decided to go to the bank and ask for Adrianne in person, feeling it would be best to ask for Marisa’s address face-to-face. After all, he could be anyone. He was certain he would get the information he needed once Adrianne met him and saw he was sane and obviously genuine.

  * * * *

  Marisa stumbled out of Brown’s. She leaned against the wall to steady herself.

  ‘I want to go First National!’

  ‘What!’ Melanie gasped, slurring.

  ‘In fact,’ Marisa slurred, ‘we should go right now.’

  ‘I really don’t think that’s a good idea!’ Melanie said, alarmed.

  ‘But you said to be strong, you said let’s get drunk, now I am, and I want my things I left. I want my globe of the world that lights up. I loved that globe!’ Marisa shrieked as she spun around in the street, drunk off cosmopolitans.

  ‘Right, it’s time to go home now.’ Melanie took her sister’s arm and marched her along the sidewalk towards the subway.

  ‘Nooo,
I don’t want to go home. Let’s have another drink.’ She giggled.

  ‘Really, Marisa, it is time to go home. If you want to make a few crank calls, that’s fine by me, but we are not going anywhere but home.’

  Marisa jerked her sister’s arm and broke free, running to the curb.

  ‘Taxi!’ she shouted, waving her arm, beckoning a yellow cab. One instantly screeched to the curb.

  Marisa leaned into the cab. ‘Take me to First National Bank, and step on it!’

  Melanie tried to pull her back, but there was no stopping her, so she got in as well.

  ‘If you want the damn globe so much, we’ll go and get it!’ Melanie slurred, the alcohol taking effect on her, too.

  * * * *

  James waited patiently in the swish reception of First National’s head office. The receptionist rang Adrianne, smiled at him sweetly, and told him to take a seat.

  James stared at the lifts waiting anxiously for her. He saw a tall, leggy brunette striding out of the lift, looking straight at him. Adrianne, he thought. He strode over and introduced himself.

  ‘Hi there, you must be Adrianne,’ he said, shaking her hand.

  ‘Yes, what can I do for you? The receptionist said you were here about Marisa, is she all right?’ Adrianne asked.

  ‘I hope so,’ he said, looking distressed.

  ‘Come over to the café, let’s have a coffee, and you can tell me what’s up.’ Adrianne beckoned for him to follow her.

  ‘How do you know Marisa?’ she asked.

  ‘Well, she worked for me in England, but recently we have been in a relationship, a serious relationship,’ He answered her truthfully.

  ‘I see, so why do you need to talk to me?’ Adrianne asked nervously.

  ‘We’ve had a misunderstanding. Marisa came back to New York, and I don’t have her address here. I don’t have a clue where she lives, and she’s not answering her phone. I’m at my wit’s end,’ he said, running his hands through his hair, looking frantic.

  * * * *

  Adrianne felt sorry for the guy. He obviously cared about Marisa a great deal, and he had come all this way to find her. Now that’s romance, she thought.

  ‘Okay, well, I’m not exactly her favorite person anymore, but I guess you already know that. I can give you her sister’s mobile. Will that help?’

  She wasn’t going to give a total stranger Marisa’s address. He seemed okay, but she didn’t know why Marisa had left him, and she’d already caused enough damage to her old friend.

  ‘Yes, that’s great. Fabulous, thank you so much,’ he enthused, feeling relieved.

  Her sister would know where she was. He knew they were very close. If Melanie would speak to him, it would be a start.

  Adrianne looked through her phone and wrote the number down.

  ‘Here you go, good luck. I hope you find her, and when you do, please tell her I’m so very sorry.’

  ‘I shall. Thank you, Adrianne, this is a great help.’

  He took the number and punched it into his phone. It went to voicemail, too. He left a brief message to say he was at the Plaza; he left his number and implored Melanie to get in touch, if only to let him know Marisa was all right.

  * * * *

  The sisters pulled up outside of the bank. Melanie’s phone beeped, and she pulled it out of her bag.

  ‘Oh, I have a missed call,’ Melanie said, gazing at her phone.

  Damn, I can’t read the number. It looks all fuzzy.’ She started laughing as Marisa took the phone. She recognized James’s number straight away.

  ‘It’s him,’ she said, feeling the wind go out of her.

  ‘Let’s ring him back!’ yelled Melanie, overexcited.

  ‘No!’ Marisa shrieked. ‘I’m drunk. I can’t talk to him like this. She put her finger to her lips. ‘Ssshh…no talking, I feel sick.’ She leaned against the wall, sucking in air.

  ‘Oh, God, quick, go inside and use the restroom. Please don’t throw up here on the sidewalk, Marisa!’ Melanie led her hastily through the revolving doors. The first thing Marisa saw was James standing in the foyer with Adrianne.

  ‘Oh, my God!’ she gasped.

  ‘Wha–what is he doing here with her!’ She felt desperate, shocked, and confused.

  Melanie stared openmouthed at the handsome man deep in conversation with Marisa’s archenemy.

  ‘Unbelievable, wow, you weren’t wrong, he’s really hot,’ Melanie murmured as James looked their way.

  ‘Marisa!’ he shouted as he saw her bolt for the doors.

  ‘Oh, my God, oh, my God, get me out of here.’ Marisa rushed for the doors, desperate to escape. She couldn’t believe it. Adrianne had gotten her hooks into James, too, and what was he even doing there with her?

  Melanie ran to the curb, hailing a cab as James dashed out of the door behind her. ‘Marisa!’ he yelled as he ran after her. She started running down the sidewalk to get away from him.

  Melanie turned away from the taxi to see him give chase.

  Oh lord, she thought. This is nuts! She took a deep breath and joined the chase.

  James caught up with Marisa and took her arm, gently halting her.

  ‘Marisa, please, let me explain!’ he gasped, breathless.

  ‘Explain about what exactly? How you like to screw all your PAs, or why you were just hanging out with Adrianne, who screwed my last boyfriend? Are you screwing her, too?’ Marisa was incensed. She let it all out then started crying.

  ‘Oh, my darling, no, you have it all wrong!’ James took her in his arms and held her tightly.

  She looked up at him through her tears, and her heart beat wildly in confusion...She loved him with all her heart, and her gut instinct told her to listen.

  Melanie caught up with them, panting as she crouched over, hands on her knees to get her breath.

  ‘You two are nuts,’ Melanie wheezed.

  ‘So what’s happening? Are we all going to stand out here in the street and give everyone a sideshow, or shall we go into a bar and talk things through? I for one need another drink,’ Melanie gasped.

  She leaned against the wall and unbuttoned her jacket. ’I’m sweating, please let’s sit down.’

  ‘Marisa?’ asked James gently as he lovingly stroked her hair.

  ‘Okay, let’s talk,’ she whispered.

  They headed into a cozy wine bar. It was quiet, and they took a booth at the back of the room.

  ‘I’ll go and get some drinks. What would you girls like?’ James asked.

  ‘We’ll have cosmopolitans, please, James,’ said Melanie.

  ‘Righty ho, back in a minute.’

  He went to the bar. ‘He’s really hot,’ Melanie said as she watched him standing at the bar.

  ‘You already said that. I know he looks lovely. He is lovely, but what about Corinne, what about Adrianne?’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Well, he’s here now, and he came across an ocean for you, looking like that. I’m telling you, honey, that would be enough for me,’ Melanie said flatly.

  James came back from the bar and gave them their drinks. He sat down opposite Marisa and smiled gently.

  Melanie took a sip of her cosmopolitan and excused herself, feeling like a spare wheel.

  ‘Just going to the powder room, guys, don’t mind me.’ She slipped out of the booth.

  James took her place eagerly, moving close to Marisa.

  ‘Are you okay, darling?’ he soothed, looking at her with concern.

  ‘Yes…I’m okay; I’m just very, very confused and a bit drunk.’ Marisa sighed, taking a big gulp of her drink.

  ‘I didn’t love Corinne,’ he began. ‘She railroaded me. I wasn’t looking for a lover. I’d just got divorced, but she was very manipulative. She was pushy, you know, hard to say no to.’ He paused.

  ‘It just happened. We became bed partners as well as business partners, but that’s all it was for me. It was only sex, something to fill the void after Clara. I never loved her. I love you, Marisa, I really love you, and
I want you with me.’

  ‘I love you, too, but I’ve been hurt before, James. It’s not easy for me to believe everything you tell me. I want to, but it’s not easy.’ Marisa gulped. ‘Mrs. Reed said you were engaged.’

  ‘Engaged, good Lord no!’ James looked genuinely shocked.

  ‘Oh,’ Marisa murmured, relief washing over her.

  ‘She was obsessed with me. Marisa, all this time, she was plotting and scheming to get rid of you. Don’t you see? She could see how important you were to me, that’s why she lied!’

  Marisa took this new information in, slowly realizing the depths of Mrs. Reed’s deviousness. She was starting to see a clearer picture, but insecurity gnawed at her. What if he was lying, though? She had been wrong before.

  ‘What can I do to make you believe me?’ he asked, fear creeping into his deep voice.

  ‘I don’t know. I really don’t know.’ She shook her head and bit her lip.

  ‘What about Adrianne? How on earth do you know her?’she quizzed.

  ‘I don’t! I was there looking for you. She was the only contact I had for you in New York.’

  ‘Oh.’ Marisa felt herself relax a bit more.

  ‘I tried ringing you a hundred times, but it went straight to voicemail.’

  ‘I switched it off. I needed time to think. I was really upset, James.’

  ‘Of course you were, and it’s all my fault. I should have explained about Corinne straight away.’

  ‘Please believe me.’ He stroked her face tenderly.

  He bent to kiss her lips, but she pulled away.

  ‘No, James. I can’t…not yet.’

  Melanie came back, and James pulled away, disappointed.

  ‘Look, I’m going to head home. I’ll see you later, Marisa, okay?’ Melanie said.

  ‘No, wait, I’ll come with you.’ Marisa took James’s hand and held it gently.

  ‘I just need some time to think. I can’t give you an answer now. Call me tomorrow.’

  He stood and allowed her to pass, wishing he could take her back to the Plaza with him. He took her arm and looked into her eyes.