by Donna Hill
She stared down at the aspirin in the palm of her hand. She picked up the glass of water, put the pill on her tongue and washed it down. Whatever remnants of her night with Anthony were gone. For good. She drew in a long breath of resolve, put the glass in the sink and grabbed Jasper’s leash from the hook by the door and took him for a morning run along the beach. The run and the salt air always helped her to clear her head, and being away from her house would keep her from sitting down and talking to Tiffany, who’d already called three times before noon.
She and Jasper had been jogging for about five minutes when her cell chirped inside the pocket of her jeans. She slowed to a stop and pulled it out. Tiffany’s number and image showed up on the face of the phone. She sighed heavily and pressed the talk icon.
“Hey, Tiff.”
“Don’t Hey Tiff me. How’s everything going? You sound out of breath.”
She swallowed. “Yes, everything is fine. Was jogging on the beach with Jasper.”
“Oh. Weeeell, how did it go? How was your nondate?” She laughed lightly.
“Fine.”
“Really?” she tossed back, the sarcastic tone unmistakable. “You were always such a lousy liar, Kai.”
Kai sniffed. “Nothing to lie about.”
“Hmm, that means that there’s plenty to lie about. What happened? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Her voice hitched. “Really.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.” Tiffany disconnected the call before Kai could protest.
Kai squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. When she opened them and looked down Jasper was gazing up at her, wagging his tail. “Looks like we’re going to have company, J. Come on, let’s head back.”
* * *
Kai and Tiffany stood side by side at the kitchen counter fixing sandwiches for a late lunch.
“Got any pickles?” Tiffany asked.
“Bottom shelf in the fridge.” Kai took their plates and walked to the table and sat down. “Can you bring the pitcher of iced green tea?”
Tiffany brought the pitcher and the pickles to the table and sat down opposite her friend who was working very hard not to look her in the eye.
Tiffany took a bite of her tuna sandwich, chewed slowly. “Hmm, didn’t realize how hungry I was.” She eyed Kai, who picked up and put down her sandwich.
Kai sipped her green tea. “You were right,” she murmured.
Tiffany put her sandwich down on the plate and looked at Kai. “Right? Meaning?”
Kai lowered her gaze. “I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
Tiffany reached over and covered Kai’s hand. “You want to talk about it?”
Kai pressed her lips together, took another sip of her tea and slowly began.
* * *
By the time Kai finished recounting her evening, they had moved to the living room and were curled on the couch and loveseat.
Tiffany was thoughtful for a moment. “Look, this isn’t about ‘I told you so.’ From where I’m sitting what did you expect him to say after what you told him?”
Kai’s light brown eyes jerked in Tiffany’s direction. “I...expected him to...say it wasn’t true.”
“Girl, you have been out of the game for so long, you’ve forgotten how to play. You’re both adults. You wanted him and he wanted you. You went into it knowing the deal, but you didn’t want to accept it after the fact. Guess he must have really hit that sweet spot,” she teased, the beginnings of a smile dancing on her lips. “And changed your whole mind!”
Kai sputtered a laugh and rolled her eyes at her friend.
“You know I’m right!”
Kai slapped her palm on the table and tossed her head back. “Yes, lawd!”
The two friends roared with laughter.
“Shook loose those cobwebs,” Tiffany tossed in between spurts of laughing. “It is what it is,” Tiffany finally said after the laughter wound down. “Make the most of it while you can.”
Kai blew out a breath. “I’ve sent him on his merry way.”
“You have his number, right?”
“Yes, and?”
“Call him if you want to see him, Kai. That’s what big girls do.”
“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”
Tiffany uncurled her legs and stood. “Well, don’t think too long. He’s going back next week. Right?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Tiffany picked up her purse and draped the strap over her shoulder. “Up to you,” she added and headed for the door. “Call if you need to.”
“Thanks.”
* * *
Anthony pulled into an available parking space in front of the local market. He didn’t really need anything, but he wanted to get out of the house to get his mind off Kai and their night together.
He went over every minute a dozen times. He should have stayed and tried to explain and not let her reaction get in the way. He helped Jessie out of the car and walked into the market.
Anthony picked up a basket, held on to Jessie with his free hand and strolled the aisles with nothing particular in mind. He stopped at the fruit stand and began selecting some apples.
“Hi.”
He turned.
“Dr. Kai!” Jessica squealed and ran to her.
“Hey, Jessie.” She hugged her against her thigh while keeping her focus on Anthony, the last person she expected to see.
“Hi, yourself.” He placed another apple in the basket. “Doing some shopping?” he asked inanely.
“A little.”
Jessica looked up from one to the other. “Are you coming to our house?”
Kai’s gaze jumped to Anthony. “I don’t...”
“You’re more than welcome to join us. I can’t match your homemade soup, but I make a mean steak.”
“Pleeeasse,” Jessica whined. “You can bring Jasper.”
Kai laughed. “Jasper might like that.” She focused on Anthony. “How about tomorrow night,” she said.
“Great. Tomorrow. Say seven?”
“Seven sounds good.”
“We’ll see you then.”
She nodded. “Well, I have to get going. See you tomorrow, Jessie, and I’ll bring Jasper.”
“Yippee.”
“Bye,” Anthony said softly.
“Bye.” Kai turned and walked out, totally having forgotten what she’d come to the market for. Her thoughts were on tomorrow night and being with Anthony again. Somewhere in those brief moments of seeing him, she’d decided that whatever time they had together would be worth it.
Walking back to her car, an idea for the perfect “coming to dinner” gift came to her. Smiling, she made a quick detour and hurried across the street to make her purchase.
Chapter 15
As soon as she was finished with her last patient for the day, Kai darted to her workroom and gathered up her photography equipment. Her idea was to take a picture of Anthony’s home and mount it on the bottle of imported wine that she’d purchased the day before. It would be something for him to always remember their time together.
“Be a good boy until I get back,” she warned Jasper as she hurried out of the door. She wanted to make sure to get her shot before the light changed.
Kai parked on the ridge that overlooked Anthony’s house. It was the perfect spot and she knew she could get the right composition—the house in the center embraced by the trees on either side.
She set up her tripod and mounted the camera, adding her long-range lens, and then got behind the camera and adjusted the focus. She took a test shot, made some adjustments and was ready to shoot again when a black Lexus pulled into the driveway. She stepped away from the lens for a moment, annoyed that the car had just messed up her shot. The driver’s side door ope
ned and a woman stepped out.
Kai blinked and quickly got behind the lens. She zoomed in. The woman was a good look-alike for Layla Lawson, but she knew it wasn’t her. Her hair was different and she was taller. The woman took a suitcase out of the car, shut the door and sauntered up to the front door and rang the bell. Moments later, Anthony opened the door. She couldn’t quite make out his expression or the words that were exchanged between them because she was too stunned when she saw the woman lean up and kiss him full on the mouth seconds before he ushered her inside.
Kai stood there. Her heart pounded so fast in her chest that it was hard to catch her breath. Hundreds of thoughts ran through her head one after the other but not slowing down long enough for her to get a grip on any of them.
Mindlessly, she packed up her gear, got back in her car and drove home. If she had been a different kind of woman, she would have walked up to the house, rang the bell and pulled a “Housewife of Sag Harbor” move. But she wasn’t that kind of woman. The truth was Anthony had every right to see whomever he wanted. She had no claims to him. But still...
Once back at her house, she unpacked her equipment and took it to her workroom. She pulled out the card from her camera and inserted it into her computer. The image of Anthony and the unnamed woman bloomed in front of her in vivid color. A silly part of her had hoped that her eyes were playing tricks on her, but the camera didn’t lie. She enlarged the image to try to get a better look at Anthony, but his face was blocked by the woman in front of him.
Downhearted and a bit confused with the unfolding events, she turned off her computer and tucked away the photo card in the desk drawer. She stared off at nothing in particular. Now what?
* * *
“What are you doing here, Crystal?” Anthony could barely contain his fury as he paced the living room floor. Even after wiping away her kiss, he still tasted her on his lips.
“Is that how you greet me? Where’s Jessie?” She dropped her suitcase on the floor and gave the main room a quick perusal.
“She’s taking a nap. Now, answer my question.”
Crystal huffed and sat down in an armchair by the window. “I know you don’t think much of me most of the time, Tony, but I felt horrible about what happened with our daughter. I had to come back.” She crossed her long legs.
“Really? How maternal of you.” He clenched his jaw.
She angled her head to the side. “You were the one who told me...no, insisted that it wasn’t necessary for me to come back early. Remember?”
“I also remember after your rant about coming home on the next flight you called back to say that you’d changed your mind.”
She barely flinched. “Well, I’m here now. Isn’t that what’s important?”
“With you it’s always hard to tell.”
Crystal uncurled her long, sleek form from her position and slowly stood. Deliberately she closed the distance between them until she was a breath away from her ex-husband. She placed her hand on his chest. “Can’t we be civil toward each other?” Her honey-brown eyes moved languidly across his face. “I don’t want to fight with you, Tony.”
His nostrils flared at her intoxicating scent. He covered her hand with his and brought it down to her side. Her mouth twitched, but she bit back any comment. Anthony moved away to put some distance between them.
“How long are you planning to stay?”
“I plan to stay a few days, get a feel for Sag Harbor since you’ll be bringing Jessie here from time to time.”
His brows drew together. “A few days? Did you make a hotel reservation?”
“No. I thought I’d stay here.” She smiled sweetly.
“Here!” He shook his head. “No, you thought wrong. That’s not going to work. I’ll make a reservation for you. I’m sure there’s something available.”
“What sense does that make? I don’t know my way around. I’d have to come back and forth to see Jessie...And I thought...that maybe we could do some things as a family.”
If he didn’t know his ex better, he might believe the sincerity that rippled in her voice. But he knew Crystal and she did nothing if it didn’t benefit her in some way. Doing the “family” thing was never high on her list.
“You mean to tell me that what’s-his-name has no problem with cutting your vacation short and then staying here...with me?” he taunted. “Where is he, by the way?”
A nerve jumped under her right eye. She drew herself up. “He had business.”
“Hmm. In the middle of a cruise?”
“Look, this isn’t about him. It’s about us.”
“There is no us, Crystal.” He turned away.
Crystal came up behind him. “But there can be. I want to try.”
Anthony tossed his head back and laughed. “You have got to be kidding.”
Crystal blinked rapidly as if trying to hold back tears. “I’m not. I want you back, Anthony. I want us back.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“I’ve changed.”
“Good. I’m glad, but it doesn’t matter.”
“What do I have to do to prove it to you?” She moved closer to him. “We did have good times. I know you remember how it was between us.”
His dark eyes flashed on her. “Yeah, I remember. I remember everything. All of it. That’s why there’s no going back, Crystal.”
“There’s someone else, isn’t it?”
“What? How is that any of your business even if it was true?”
She lowered her gaze. “You’re right,” she said softly. “I’m sorry. I have no right to ask you that.”
“Mommy!” Jessie darted into the room and was swept up into her mother’s arms.
“Here’s my baby.” She squeezed and hugged her, then set her down to take a look at her. She knelt down in front of her. “How are you? All better? I was so worried about you.” She stroked her face.
“All better. Daddy and Dr. Kai took care of me.”
“Ohhh.” She glanced over her daughter’s head at Anthony. She kissed her cheek. “I’m glad that you’re feeling better.”
“Are you going to stay, Mommy? Daddy said Dr. Kai was coming for dinner.”
“How nice. I’d love to stay.”
“Goodie, goodie, goodie.” She clapped her hands and jumped around. Suddenly she stopped and looked at her mother wide-eyed. “Can you sleep in my room? Please, please. I won’t kick, I promise.”
Crystal laughed. “Only if you promise.” She flashed Anthony a short smile.
He slung his hands into his pockets and forced a neutral expression on his face when his daughter beamed at him with joy. He would do anything for his daughter, whatever it took to make her happy and keep her safe, even if he had to put up with Crystal for the evening.
“Come see my room!” Jessie grabbed her mother’s hand and tugged her in the direction of her bedroom.
Crystal flashed Anthony a helpless expression.
There was no way that he was having Crystal and Kai in the same room. It would be a nightmare. One night and then Crystal was going to a hotel or home or somewhere. He’d have to postpone dinner with Kai.
He pulled his cell from his pocket and scrolled for Kai’s number. Kai picked up on the third ring.
“Hi, Kai, it’s Anthony.”
“Hi.”
“Listen, I’m really sorry, but something came up and I’m going to have to postpone dinner. I—”
“No problem,” she managed. “Things happen.”
“I don’t want to explain over the phone.”
“There’s no need to explain. Really. Listen, I have a call coming in. I need to take this.”
“Uh, okay. Sure. I’ll...I’ll call you.”
The line was disconnected.
Kai squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, put down the phone and walked away.
* * *
“Say what?” Tiffany said.
Kai sighed heavily into the phone. “Yeah, some woman. I guess she’s still over there now.”
“Clearly if he called to cancel. Wow, sis. I’m really sorry. I don’t even know what to say other than it’s best to find out now rather than later.”
“I guess.” She tucked her feet beneath her on the couch.
“Listen, don’t stress yourself. When I get back from this business trip, we’ll have a girls’ weekend, maybe go into Manhattan—do the spa thing, see a Broadway show, dinner and stay over. Make a weekend of it.”
Kai half smiled. “Sure. When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’m meeting with some of the suppliers. They have a shipment from Nigeria of handwoven fabrics. Business has been brisk at the boutique and I want to see firsthand what will be available for the upcoming season so that I can put my orders in now.”
“Tourist season is right around the corner.”
“I know. That’s why I want to be ready. Anyway, girl, let me get myself together, throw some things in a suitcase and make some calls.”
“Sure. Safe travels.”
“And, Kai...”
“Yeah?”
“It’s all going to be fine. You’ll see.”
“Thanks.”
“One good thing...”
“What’s that?”
“He shook those cobwebs loose!”
Kai burst out laughing. “Shut up and goodbye!” She put the phone down while slowly shaking her head. She exhaled. That he did. But now there was some other woman. Would Anthony make her feel the same way he’d made Kai feel? Would he do the same things? Would she cry out his name?
She jumped up from the couch and ran her hand across her face as if to wipe away the burning images of Anthony making love to that woman. The hell with him. She wasn’t going to make herself crazy. Whatever she imagined they’d had between them was just that—all in her imagination. Because obviously Anthony had a different reality.
Chapter 16
“Crystal? At your place? Damn, man. How did that happen?” Lincoln asked.