As they were escorted by Barbara to the back of the house Reeva whispered to everyone, “She looks like a street person.”
Suppressing a twitch of humor, Nick noticed Serena raise her eyes heavenwards as if praying for her mother not to say anything like that to Don.
“She’s an artist,” he heard Serena say softly. “And you, of all people, shouldn’t be so politically incorrect.”
“It’s not being politically incorrect. It’s being truthful. I don’t know what Don sees in her.”
“Mother. Cut it out. They’ve been married for thirty years and have three grown children. So something must have fused.”
“I still think she looks wrong for him.”
Nick wasn’t so sure about that. Barbara might not have Reeva’s sophisticated style but she appeared to live by the strength of her convictions. That type of strength always impressed him.
Barbara beckoned them across a lawn that took up half of the naturalized garden. The rest of the vast property was a surrounding forest of trees. It made for a perfectly private setting for a party.
Nick moved up beside Serena so that Gerry could walk in front of them with Reeva. “What are your mother’s politics, by the way?”
“She’s all over the place. I never quite know what wavelength she’s on.”
He could see Serena was annoyed with her mother. She was still annoyed with him as well. She’d sat far apart in the back of the car on the way over here and hadn’t joined in with the conversation. He’d been pretty stupid to mention doing a documentary on her father after discovering how wrought up she was about Stuart Redding Brown. What he’d really meant was that maybe doing a documentary on her father might help her combat her pain. She hadn’t got that message though.
Barbara’s entourage came to a stop at Don. Don placed his arm around his wife’s shoulders and tugged her close to his hip. The possessive gesture reminded Nick of his parents’ way with each other. Which in turn reminded him of why he was connected to Steel TV. He was here for his parents’ welfare, not to get enmeshed in an affair, or even more, with Serena.
Don, wearing jeans and a more subdued blue shirt tonight, beamed at them all. “Good to see you again, Reeva and Gerry. There’s a great deal to celebrate this evening, with Serena’s and Nick’s upcoming show.” He acknowledged Nick with a grin and gave Serena rather a sly glance. “I’m going to leave it to Serena to introduce you to everyone, Nick. She’s been with Steel longer than most.”
Don moved on to greet his next guests. Reeva and Gerry disappeared to make their presence known. Nick was left with Serena.
“Are you going to introduce me?”
“Naturally I will. I can’t leave you standing on your own.”
He made his expression one of mock sadness, hoping to lighten the atmosphere between them. “No. You definitely can’t.” Then he caught hold of her hand. “Forgive me for what happened in the kitchen.”
He felt her trying to remove her fingers from his and he had to let them go without a struggle.
“Nick. Forget it.”
He wanted to explain what he’d meant about her father, but he didn’t want to upset her again. “All right. Forget it. Let’s enjoy the party.”
She glanced around with a twist of her slim body. “I see some of the floor crew over there. They’re fun.”
Nick was introduced to Gene Rowson, a videographer with a round, boyish face,
Dick Lane, who said he had been in Canada ten years from England but he still retained a British accent, and Margie Dawes from Makeup, short, plump and dark-haired. “Anyone heard how John is?” Serena asked the group.
“He’ll be having a damn good rest if he’s smart,” Dick said. “I suggested he pull a bird and shack up for the next few months.”
“You would,” she said. “That’s all you think about.”
Dick had a wicked glint in his green eyes. “Sex is the only free entertainment these days.”
“Don’t believe it,” Gene told him. “The last woman I went out with ditched me for a guy with a Mercedes.”
Margie nudged his arm. “Your old Ford not good enough, Gene?”
“It’s still going.” Gene defended his car.
“Like you,” Dick retorted. “It limps along. Maybe it was the limp she didn’t go for, Gene, old boy.”
Gene grinned. “Limp is not my problem, old boy.”
Serena laughed and Nick enjoyed seeing her loosen up.
“You guys going to work with us on Neon Nights?” Serena asked.
Dick gave her a deep look. “If you want us honeybunch.”
“Can’t live without the Dick and Gene show?” Margie asked.
“Oh, maybe I can. I need to be more serious on Neon Nights.” She turned to include Nick. “My co-host, here, is a serious news man.”
Nick felt her dig. He also saw the other employees give him a look that said he was a little bit of an intruder. Well, maybe he was. Don had hired him on a large salary to bail out a show. He was here for a short time and he didn’t have to become involved with any of the staff on a personal level. They knew all that.
Serena began talking to Margie, and Nick found himself parted from her. Hell, this was a party, he decided. He should mix. Except he didn’t know anyone. For a second he felt out of his element, rather like the day he arrived off the bus at camp with a bunch of strange boys. Then someone came up to him and touched his arm. It was Juliette, wearing a silver mini-dress with spaghetti straps and black shoes with high silver heels.
“You look lost, Nick.”
He was relieved to see her. “Not anymore. Do you want to go and get a drink?”
“I’d love that. Thanks.”
•
Serena didn’t realize Nick had left until Margie said, “Look at that. Juliette’s getting her claws into Nick Fraser right away. Poor Pat.”
Serena looked in the direction Margie indicated. Nick and Juliette stood close together. They seemed to have a lot to say to one another and it appeared as if Nick couldn’t keep his eyes off Juliette’s plunging cleavage. “Why poor Pat?”
“Didn’t you know she and Pat were a big item once?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Well, Pat’s pretty circumspect. But we all knew, even if he didn’t think so. He began dating Juliette and he got serious. Slithery Juliette doesn’t want serious. No way.”
“I’ve heard from Juliette herself that Nick is a love ‘em and leave ‘em type, so they’ll make a good couple.”
Margie nodded. “Could be. They do look good together.”
The couple was at the beer cooler. Nick extracted two bottles from the crushed ice, de-capped them, and handed one to Juliette. Leaning back a little, she let the condensation from the bottle drip against her breasts, to cool herself down, and Nick looked at her as if he wanted to bend over and lick the droplets of iced water from her flesh. Serena wondered if Juliette could possibly have told Serena those stories about Nick to warn Serena off a man she wanted for herself. Well, Juliette didn’t have to worry. Serena wasn’t going to fall into bed with Nick. But it was going to be darn hard trying not to.
“Anyway, Serena,” Margie said. “I’m gonna go see Gene again. One day I’ll get that guy to notice me.”
“Good luck.” Margie had been crazy about Gene since she started at Steel.
Someone put cool hands on Serena’s shoulders. “Guess?”
She knew the voice. “Pat.”
“You’re good.” Patrick McHaney smiled. He hosted This is Science on Steel. He was a very tall, rugged man in jeans and a checked shirt. Tonight his brown hair had taken a daring leap into a ponytail. Pat rarely shaved right down to his skin, and his jaw bore a shadow of a beard. “Having fun?”
Knowing about his affair with Juliette now put Pat in a different light for her. “I don’t know yet. We haven’t been here very long.”
“You came with Nick Fraser?”
“Not really. He didn’t know the way, so we met a
t my house first, seeing I only live around the corner.” She found herself glancing across the pool, and saw no sign of a woman in a silver dress and a man in ivory trousers and a black shirt. Serena’s heart sank like a stone down into her stomach until her body felt shaky.
“So you’re not here together?”
“No. We’re not.”
“Great.” Pat sounded angry. And before Serena had time to answer him he took hold of her hand. “I want to go and find them.”
Serena found herself being dragged over the lawn. “Who?”
“Fraser and Juliette. I saw them together. And he’s not having her.”
Serena had never seen Pat emotional. His show was succinct and professional. But right now he was in a state. Margie had been right about him. He was crazy about Juliette.
Pulling Serena along at a quick pace, he said, “We’ll just take a walk around the property and check out their whereabouts.”
“A walk? This is a run. Slow down.”
“Sorry.” He slowed his pace.
“Oh, Pat. You might get hurt.” Not to mention how she would feel if she came across the couple in a compromising embrace.
“I’m already hurt. I’ve got nowhere else to go.”
“I didn’t even know you went around with her.”
“Well, I did and it was hot and heavy for about three months. But she’s her own person, know what I mean? She likes living in her elegant penthouse and racing around in her white Mustang. She likes being single.”
“Don’t you?” Serena knew that Pat also had a fancy apartment and a fast car. She’d heard the twin exhausts rumbling in the parking lot many times.
“I’d trade everything tomorrow for a two-story house and a mini-van load of kids. I was adopted into a wonderful family and I’d like to return the favors bestowed on me for my own kids, and for others if I can adopt. But it can get too late to adopt.”
Serena was always amazed at what came out of the people you least expected it to come out of. “You think Juliette is that type of mother?”
“I think she could be.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Serena felt worried. Pat seemed to be going after the wrong woman. “Her parents are well heeled. She had a private education. I can’t see her driving a mini-van full of kids to hockey practice.”
“I love her. She loves me. I’m sure of it. She merely got cold feet when I asked her to marry me.”
They were on the other side of the rectangular swimming pool now. Nick and Juliette were still nowhere to be seen. Serena tried not to imagine Juliette being the recipient of one of Nick’s hot, urgent kisses.
“Serena,” a voice said behind her, and she turned around to see Paul Kryker. On his arm was a thin, angular woman with upswept brown hair. She was dressed in a print suit and conservative stubby heels, the sort of clothes that made her look as if she’d recently stepped out of a downtown office block.
Paul introduced her as Elaine Marcotti, his fiancé, and Serena wondered why everyone seemed so mismatched. Don and Barbara. Juliette and Pat. Now Paul and Elaine.
Elaine put out her hand in slow motion, as if she were in awe of Serena. “I’ve seen you on TV. I was really excited when Paul told me who he was going to work with.”
Serena shook the woman’s limp hand. “That’s wonderful.” Then she introduced Pat, who Elaine had also seen on TV. Serena could tell Pat was only interested in finding Juliette, and this introduction was a mere irritation.
“I’m finding this so thrilling,” Elaine told Serena. “What’s it like starring on TV?”
“It’s a job.” Serena wondered what Paul had got himself into. This woman was weird. “What do you do, Elaine?”
“I work in a bank. It’s soooooo boring. But since I met Paul I’ve been really fortunate in being able to live more of an exciting life.”
Pat spotted Nick and Juliette. “Come on, Serena. Nice meeting you Elaine. Paul. See you around.”
Serena didn’t want to interrupt Nick with Juliette. “I’m going to rest for a while,” she told Pat. “You go see her by yourself.”
Serena walked across the lawn, wondering what she could do next. She’d just about talked to everyone she wanted to talk to. Nick and Juliette were surrounded by a crowd now, and Pat was on the prowl around the outskirts of the group. Well, good luck to him.
She sat down on a bench that circled a tree, drained the rest of her wine and put the empty glass on the seat beside her. She felt like plunging her head into her hands in despair. Some part of her wanted to cry.
If she had any guts she’d go up to Nick, grab his hand and drag him away from Juliette. She’d take him to an empty room and she’d tell him she wanted what she had shown him she wanted in the kitchen. If she did that she might get her sexual frustration over and then she’d feel fine again. She was sure that was the answer. But she didn’t have the guts. She couldn’t face the fact that she would have to interact with his body and his mind. Relationships, she decided, picking up her empty glass, were far too complex. What she needed was a lot more wine. Then she could cope with the rest of what was already a long evening.
Serena met her mother at the bar.
“There you are,” Reeva said. “We were just talking about choosing a table to sit at for dinner. Doesn’t the barbecue smell good?”
Serena had been so twisted into her own thoughts that she hadn’t noticed the food was almost ready to be served. “Yes. It does smell good. Shall I sit with you?”
“Of course. Gerry’s found a spot.”
The spot was a redwood picnic table.
“Shall we dump our purses and go and get something to eat?” Reeva said.
Serena agreed and followed Gerry and Reeva to the barbecue. Don’s oldest son, Len, who was already a giant like his father, and was sometimes seen around Steel TV doing odd jobs, had cooked lean chicken breasts and hamburgers to complement the table full of vegetables and salads. As they filled their plates she felt Nick beside her.
“Hi,” he said. “Do you have a family table?”
“Yes. We do.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“What about Juliette?”
“She’s been snagged by a guy named Patrick McHaney, who seems to have the hots for her.”
“So you might as well slum it with Serena?” She shouldn’t sound so jealous but she was.
He grinned. “Believe me, you are not slumming it. And you don’t have to get so upset. I’ll be with you this evening, if you want me to be.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes. You did.”
Serena wished he wouldn’t keep prodding her for the truth. “Come with me. I’ll lead you to the table.”
“Nick. How nice.” Reeva waved when she saw him. “Let’s cozy up and eat. What do you think of the party so far? Meeting lots of interesting people?”
Serena had to admit that Nick had a certain charm. Reeva usually did all the talking, but with Nick she actually stopped and listened for once. Even Gerry seemed amused by this.
When they’d finished their first course Gerry and Nick went to get coffee and dessert, and a maid served glasses of after-dinner brandy.
“I saw Seth yesterday,” Serena told her mother, thinking she should fill Reeva in on Seth’s career. “Don’s agreed to use his group as the music for my new show.”
“What an opportunity for him. That’s wonderful. How is he?”
“He looked good.”
“He looks like your father, doesn’t he? More and more.” Reeva shook her head.
Serena nodded. “Yes. He does look like him. Mom, he said something to me that I felt bad about. He said he felt that we neglect him. He seems to want to have some family get-togethers.”
Reeva looked surprised. “He said that?”
“Yes. He seems hurt that we don’t see him more often.”
“I always thought he wanted to be left alone to pursue his career. He left home young enough. He was a moody young man.”
“Well, he’s not so young any more, and I think he wants more of a family connection. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of him either. I’m not going to have much spare time in the next few weeks, but there is Thanksgiving. We could all go out to dinner.”
“Now that’s a great idea. Gerry and I will arrange something. I’ll call Seth and invite him. Let’s hope he’s not on a gig.”
“Even if he can’t come at least he’ll have been invited.”
“That’s true. I’ve always felt so out of my depth with him. He needed a father. It’s such a pity he died.”
“He didn’t have to do what he did.”
Reeva pleated her wide sleeve. “Oh, yes, he did. Your father wouldn’t have been happy any other way. You can’t stop people doing what they want to do. If he’d stayed, it would have had to have been his choice.”
“That’s the point, Mom. He chose to be away from us.”
Reeva sighed. “I know. That’s what hurt. I wasn’t important enough, I suppose.” Her glance moved to Gerry who was walking toward them with Nick. Both men were carrying trays. “But I am important to Gerry. Your father was probably just the wrong man.”
As Nick would be the wrong man for her.
Serena didn’t really taste much of the delicious vanilla and blueberry cheesecake. Neither did the coffee taste of much more than bitter water. She really just wished this evening would be over, and she gulped down the brandy so fast it made her brain spin.
Someone turned the music up, and she saw that couples were dancing. Margie had snared Gene, and had pushed herself really close to him. If Gene would see sense, then Serena did see a well-matched couple in the two of them.
Reeva and Gerry rose from the table. “Are you two going to dance?” Reeva asked.
Nick moved closer to Serena. “Interested?”
Serena shifted away from the V formed by his spread thighs. He was like fire, closing in on a block of ice. Ice he’d almost melted once tonight. “I’d like my food to be digested before I begin jumping around.”
Reeva had her arm looped through her husband’s. “All right. Come on Ger.”
When they were alone Nick smiled. “Fine by me. I’m not much of a dancer.”
They sat for a while in silence, the music throbbing over them. Nick shifted closer. He wasn’t actually touching her but his breath fluttered the wisps of hair on her cheek line. He made a mock attempt to bite her earring, and she ducked her head.
Heart in the Field Page 9