The Best of Friends

Thirteen

“ANOTHER MARGARITA?” REBECCA ASKED, holding up the pitcher.

Jayne squinted toward the horizon. They were facing west and the sun wasn’t in view yet, which meant going for another drink this early in the day was a bad sign.

“I think I’ll hydrate,” she murmured, reaching for her bottle of water.

“I’ll do the same,” Rebecca said, “but with tequila.” She filled her glass, then took a sip. “Much better. I almost don’t care. How’s that for progress?”

“Impressive.”

“He’s a shitty little bastard,” Rebecca muttered. “I hate him.”

“He’s disgusting,” Jayne agreed. While her evening hadn’t been especially stellar, it had been a whole lot better than Rebecca’s. “At least the sex was good.”

Rebecca adjusted her sunglasses. “With Jonathan watching. Talk about a total perv.” She raised her glass. “To me. I have absolutely no taste in men.”

They were stretched out on lounge chairs on Rebecca’s large balcony overlooking the Santa Monica beach. It was about eleven Sunday morning on a perfect kind of day. Blue sky, warm breeze, lots of good-looking guys parading by on the sand below. Jayne kept telling herself there was no bad here, but she was having a little trouble believing.

“What happened last night has nothing to do with your ability to pick men,” she told her friend. “You never picked Jonathan. He was a convenient way to screw with your mother.” She winced and rubbed her temples, then pulled her straw hat a little lower over her eyes.

Rebecca sighed. “I used him, and it came back to bite me in the butt. I guess there’s a lesson there.” She took another sip. “I can almost feel bad for him. I guess I should have told him in private. But he was really pissing me off.”

“Men do that. It’s easy for them.”

“Tell me about it.”

Jayne turned toward her. “I’m sorry about Nigel.”

“Me, too.”

Rebecca wore a hat even bigger than Jayne’s. It was one thing to lie in the sun; it was another to allow actual skin to get tanned. At least nothing above the waist. They were both covered in sunscreen. Jayne wore shorts and a T-shirt, while Rebecca had on a tiny bikini that probably cost as much as a living room set.

Rebecca had called a couple of hours earlier, asking Jayne to come by. Over coffee and bagels—only Jayne had eaten the bagels—Rebecca had told her about her garden encounter with Nigel and how he was willing to sell his wife for a blue diamond. Or buy Rebecca. That part wasn’t clear.

And unlikely to get clear if she kept drinking margaritas. She gulped more water, then let the warmth of the sun soak away her pain.

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Rebecca said slowly. “He’s always been a jerk. I know that, so why can’t I get over him? Why was I so happy to see him? It took me all of fifteen seconds to start having sex with him.”

“You missed him, and then he lied to you. He took advantage of you.”

“I’m the strong one,” Rebecca said. “No one takes advantage of me. I should have sensed something was wrong. It was too easy. Nigel’s a lot of things, but easy isn’t one of them.”

“Do you think he’ll go back to Australia?”

“I don’t know how badly he wants the diamond.”

Yet another problem the average person didn’t have to wrestle with. “Do you think he’ll try to steal it?”

“Maybe, but first he has to get into my safe, and then he has to find it. I feel fairly confident that technology will win over greed.” She smiled. “He can’t even accuse me of taking it, because that would mean admitting he had it in the first place. I don’t think Ariel’s father would appreciate knowing his baby’s new husband had found and kept a prize like that for himself.”

“Not to mention his giving it to you.”

“Exactly.”

Jayne glanced at her watch.

“What?” Rebecca asked. “You keep doing that. Do you have to be somewhere?”

“I have a meeting with my real estate agent at one. I’d like to be vaguely on time and sober for it.”

“As if she’d notice.” Rebecca reached for her margarita, then turned her attention back to Jayne. “Wait a minute. Why are you meeting with her?”

Jayne hesitated. Her second call of the morning had been to set up the appointment. “Apparently I have an offer on the condo. She says it’s close to full price. The buyers are a young couple. They’re prequalified, and their parents have given them the down payment.”

Which meant there was no reason to refuse it. “I’m in shock. The condo has barely been on the market a week. But it’s in a great location, and I priced it to sell.” She was still trying to absorb the news. “The timing is slightly off. I’ll close before I’m ready to move, but that’s better than being ready to move and not being able to sell my place.”

Rebecca swung her feet to the floor of the balcony, then shifted so she was facing Jayne.

“Oh, God. You’re really leaving. I mean, I knew it, but I was trying not to think about it. I don’t want you to go.”

Jayne told herself to accept the statement in the spirit it was meant and not to get pissy because Rebecca was thinking only about herself.

“I appreciate that, but you can visit me in Dallas. There’s great shopping there. And cute cowboys.”

Rebecca pressed her lips together. “There’s nothing I can say to change your mind?”

“Not even for money.”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“Your mother and I had a moment last night at the party,” Jayne admitted, not sure she wanted to talk about it. Of course the alternative was whining about David, and that didn’t seem thrilling, either.

Rebecca leaned toward her. “Please tell me you called her a bitch and slapped her.”

“Close.”

Rebecca drew in a breath and grinned. “Tell me everything. Start at the beginning and talk slow.”

Jayne picked up her water. “She was upset about you.”

“A side benefit.”

“She wanted to know about Nigel.”

Rebecca wrinkled her nose. “What did you tell her?”

“His first name, where he was from. Her only question was whether or not he had money. I shouldn’t have been surprised. That’s very her. But I didn’t want to hear it. I just… snapped.”

“How? Did you throw anything?”

“I told her that you were her daughter and the right question was whether Nigel was good for you.”

“That must have pissed her off.”

“Pretty much. She told me I was ungrateful and didn’t know my role.”

“She didn’t!”

“Either role or place. I can’t remember. I told her I agreed, then said something about being an unpaid servant. Then I walked out.”

Rebecca grabbed her free hand and squeezed her fingers. “You’re my hero, and I love you. Thank you for supporting me.”

“A lot of cheap talk.”

“I’m so proud.”

“You’re happy I upset Elizabeth.”

“Yes, but what matters is you stood up for yourself.” She released Jayne’s hand and grabbed her margarita. “Are you okay? You and Elizabeth have one of those twisted, confusing relationships.”

“One of the reasons I’m leaving town. Maybe the main one.” She paused to consider the question. “I’m not happy. I didn’t want to have a fight with her. But I’m not sorry I told her the truth.” She thought about David. “The Worden clan is big on assumptions.”

“Meaning?”

“Because that wasn’t sucky enough, I followed it up with a fight with David. He’s still pissed that I wouldn’t be his date at his special find-a-bride party. How passive aggressive is that? He tells his mother he’s fine with the party, then wants to bring a date? Why not just tell her no, if that’s what he wants? And why me? Is this more about being the hired help?”

“Because you’re helping him find a house?”

“It’s complicated. He’s…” Charming? Handsome? Perfect in nearly every way? She sighed. The unfortunate answer was yes.

“I warned you about not getting involved,” Rebecca said.

“I know, and I’m listening. He’s the one making it difficult. We don’t have a relationship. We never will. I’m clear on that. Why isn’t he?”

Rebecca leaned forward. “Have you and David gone out?”

“You mean like to dinner and stuff? We have, but that’s not the point.”

“Then why would he…” She put down her drink and removed her sunglasses. Her blue eyes, very much like her brother’s, were wide with shock. “You’ve slept with him.”

“I hate it when you’re insightful,” Jayne muttered, and tried not to squirm. “Yes, we had sex. It didn’t mean anything to him. I’m clear on that. It just kind of happened.”

“Please, please say you told my mother.”

“No, and this isn’t about you.”

Rebecca slumped back on the lounge chair. “Where’s the fun in that? So you and David did the wild thing. By the way, thank you for not giving me details.”

“He’s your brother. You don’t want to know.”

Rebecca put on her sunglasses. “Only if he’s shaming the family name.”

“He’s not.”

“Good. So after sex, he asks you out, and you refuse. That’s playing hard to get.”

“I’m not playing,” Jayne grumbled. “He didn’t ask me out to dinner or the movies. No, he asked me to his mother’s bride-hunting party.”

“That was stupid. Typical guy.” Rebecca glanced at her. “You know to be careful, right?”

“You’ve already warned me. Don’t risk my heart. He’s not going to fall for anyone.” Jayne was clear on that. “I tried to explain that all to him, but it didn’t go well. I almost think I hurt his feelings.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible.”

That’s what Jayne was telling herself, and yet there was something about the way he’d acted. Something almost… defensive.

“I don’t know what to think,” she admitted. “I feel guilty.”

“You feel guilty about too much,” Rebecca told her, leaning back in her chair. “Let it go.”

Probably good advice, but somehow it didn’t sound right. “Maybe I was too harsh.”

“Not possible. You’re the nicest person I know.”

“It’s not exactly a tough competition.”

“Still. Let it go. He’s fine.”

Jayne wanted to believe that, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe her concerns about David were a twisted response to her fight with Elizabeth. Or maybe they were because she’d been a bitch. Either way, she was going to have to do something or let it go. Living in the middle was impossible. And denial, while Rebecca’s specialty, wasn’t a skill she’d ever learned.

But apologizing to David would mean offering an explanation, and she didn’t know how to do that without confessing her lingering feelings. Talk about a disaster waiting to happen.

***

David spread the samples across the table in the smaller of the two conference rooms. Some pieces he’d commissioned from local artists. Some came from inventory, three had been ordered from QVC, and the rest were from his trip to the mall.

He’d already put the two binders on the table. They contained his proposed business plan. He’d done his research, had a list of suppliers he wanted to talk to, and had several designs he’d commissioned from the same artists who’d made the samples.

He’d spent the past week working on his proposal. There had been plenty of time—he still hadn’t been given a whole lot to do around the office. His father had told him to study the books and learn about the business side of things. He could spend only so long staring at computer printouts. His evenings were quiet. Despite his mother’s not-very-subtle requests that he take out each of the women who attended his party, he wasn’t in the mood. The only woman he wanted to spend time with was Jayne, and that pissed him off.

A week after the party he was maybe, just maybe, willing to admit that he might not have thought through the consequences of taking a date to a party designed to help him find a wife. When he’d invited Jayne, he hadn’t been thinking about that. He’d been thinking that he wanted to spend more time with her. Which was the point she’d blithely ignored.

But it was her assumption that he didn’t care about their having sex that had prevented him from calling her. He knew that wanting to be right rather than working things out wasn’t something he could be proud of. But there were principles at stake here. And pride, he admitted grudgingly.

He didn’t sleep with just anyone. He’d given that up years ago. For him, the thrill was no longer about volume and much more about connecting with someone he liked. And he liked Jayne.

The mistake had been in telling his mother he was back to find the right woman and settle down. She’d taken the idea and run with it—not exactly a surprise. But finding the right person on paper was different than finding her in person. There was something about Jayne… something intriguing. He wanted to spend more time with her, but because of the great marriage hunt, there were complications.

The conference room door opened, and his father walked in. Blaine had a mug of coffee in each hand.

“If this meeting is as boring as the rest of my meetings, we’re both going to need the caffeine,” Blaine teased.

David took the mug. “I’ll have you on the edge of your seat.”

Blaine sat across from him, in front of the display of jewelry. “An eclectic collection,” he said, picking up one of Rebecca’s pieces. “This has been selling well.”

“Classic, with a fresh twist.”

“That was the marketing campaign.” Blaine leaned back in his chair. “All right, David. This is your meeting. Why am I here?”

“As you suggested, I’ve been studying the business side of our empire.”

Blaine smiled. “What did you find?”

“We do well. We have a reputation for excellence and innovation. Our clients are loyal and nearly forty percent of them make multiple purchases a year. Mothers bring daughters. Brides want to be able to tell their friends their ring is from Worden’s.”

Blaine picked up his coffee. “But?”

David pointed to one of the necklaces élan had made. “As someone asked me recently, Does the world really need another one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace?”

“It’s our market.”

“Agreed, and it’s a good one. But what about everyone else? Do you know who is the largest jewelry retailer in the country?”

“Walmart.”

David grinned. “Go, Dad. You’re right. Walmart. Sears, JCPenney, and QVC are also in the top ten.”

“Our market share is small, but we make considerably more on each piece.” Blaine picked up a dented snake chain. “Do you want to sell something like this?”

“No, but there is a fifty-billion-dollar-a-year market out there, and we’re not part of it. There’s a big difference between this”—he pointed at élan’s piece—“and cheap crap. What about the middle ground? What about a more entry-level collection? Tiffany does sterling. That’s an option. There have also been technological innovations with cladding. And stainless steel is an emerging market. It’s harder to work with, but the material is cheap, and if the pieces are well made, they’ll last forever.”

He leaned forward and touched Rebecca’s pieces. “We find two or three designers willing to start a line exclusively for us in silver, clad, or stainless. Maybe one of each. We approach QVC and offer them one of the lines for a start. We take the other two retail.” He passed his father one of the folders.

Blaine took it and read through the first couple of pages. “Interesting,” he said. “You have numbers?”

“I have estimates of costs, a list of potential retailers, the steps necessary to get a product on QVC, and some rough profit percentages.”

“I’ve seen QVC a few times,” Blaine said. “They want a personality to go with the product.”

David couldn’t get past the first part of the statement. “You watch shopping on television?”

His father grinned. “Not regularly, but every now and then. It’s interesting and impressive. They move massive amounts of merchandise. From what I’ve seen, a new line requires a person selling it. Have you talked to Rebecca? Would she be willing to be our front person?”

David didn’t know what to say. Rebecca, as in his father knew she was Rivalsa? “I, ah…”

“She’d do well on television. She’s beautiful and flashy. As long as she didn’t put her foot in her mouth. We could get her some media training.” Blaine eyed him. “Or you. They have men selling jewelry. The Tacori spokesperson is a member of the Tacori family.”

“You know they sell Tacori on QVC?”

“I know a lot of things.”

David figured there was no point in pretending. “How long have you known about Rebecca’s designing jewelry?”

“Since you showed me her first piece. That talent’s in the blood. I had an aunt who did some design work. There was a similarity. Your mother doesn’t know.”

“I’m not going to tell her,” David said quickly.

“She’ll figure it out on her own.”

“You think?” David asked. “That would mean assuming Rebecca has ability.”

“Not Elizabeth’s strong suit,” Blaine admitted. “Now that Rebecca’s back, it will come out, one way or another. Secrets have a way of doing that. In the meantime, I’ll talk to her. Let her know I’m proud of what she’s done and see if she’s interested in coming on board with your project.”

David felt a flush of excitement. “We’re moving forward?”

“I think you’ve come up with an excellent plan. Let’s get a couple of designers lined up and get samples made. That will give us products to take out. From there, we’ll work margins and put it in progress.” Blaine closed the report. “I’ll finish this later and give you any thoughts I have. I’m glad you came up with this idea, David. It’s why I wanted you here, helping me run things. We have a long history of making beautiful jewelry.”

“That’s not going to change.”

“I agree.” Blaine reached for his coffee again. “Are you settling in all right? Getting bored being in one place?”

“No. I was ready to stop living out of a suitcase. I’ve seen the world. Being home is a great alternative.”

“What if you marry an adventurous bride? Your mother mentioned that’s why you’ve come back. To settle down.”

Blaine said the words as if they were a statement, but David heard the question in them.

“I’m ready,” he said slowly. “It’s time.”

“Meet anyone interesting at the party last week?”

“There were some nice girls.”

Blaine looked at him. “I’ve left you to find your own way. My father micromanaged my life, which caused me to rebel in some ways I’ve regretted. I’ve done some things…” His voice trailed off.

For a second, David wondered if his father was talking about his affair with his secretary. Which led to a pregnancy and a quick marriage. Was it possible Blaine and Elizabeth’s union hadn’t been a love match?

Knowing his mother, it was easy to say yes. But marriages were private, and it was difficult for anyone on the outside to understand which dynamics made one relationship work and another fall apart.

“I didn’t want that for you,” Blaine continued. “I wanted you to be free to make your own decisions and live with the consequences. I don’t want you to think I don’t love you.”

David felt slightly uncomfortable but told himself to go with it. “I know that, Dad. I love you, too. I’ve always felt your support, and I’ve appreciated being left to follow my dreams in my own way.”

“Marriage is a tricky business. Don’t tell your mother I said this, but worry less about the right family or connections. Other things are more important. Does she make you laugh? Is she kind? How do you feel about seeing her personality in your children? Does that make you excited or afraid? Pay attention to your gut.”

“I will,” he said, wondering if any of this described his mother. He wasn’t sure Elizabeth made Blaine laugh very often and doubted anyone would describe her as kind.

He had the thought that Blaine was speaking from the wrong end of a bad marriage. Not that he would ask. There were topics simply never discussed in his family.

“How’s the house hunting coming?” Blaine asked.

“Slowly. So far all I’ve seen are huge places with too many bathrooms. I’m seeing another place tomorrow. I told my real estate agent I want something more reasonable than a mansion.”

Blaine chuckled. “Don’t let your mother hear you say that, either.”

There were disadvantages to being in the loop, Jayne thought as she drove north on Pacific Coast Highway toward Malibu. David’s real estate agent didn’t know about their fight, so she had called Jayne to let her know about the showing this afternoon. Knowing meant making a decision. And making a decision meant it was time to apologize.

In theory, she could have gone to David’s hotel just about any evening. She could have set up an appointment with his assistant at the Worden offices and seen him there. But neither of those locations had felt right. Not that David had made any move to come see her. Still, she wasn’t happy with how she’d acted, and she wanted to make it right.

She found the quiet, narrow street and turned onto it, then promptly drove past the address. Houses for sale in the rich parts of town didn’t have big signs out front. Most of them didn’t have signs at all. She managed to turn around in someone’s driveway, a security camera following her every move, then went back to the correct house. As luck would have it, David was pulling in at the same time. He, of course, had gone to the right house in the first place.

She sat in her Jetta, staring through the passenger’s-side window, while he stared back. Damn, he looked good. Tanned and handsome, with his hair a little too long. Her insides did some kind of twisty dance that made her wonder if she was going to throw up.

He didn’t look angry, but he didn’t smile at her, either. Knowing there wasn’t any way to escape at this point, she got out and locked her car. He did the same.

“Your real estate agent called me,” she said by way of an explanation. “About the appointment. I thought maybe I’d come and…” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to talk to you, and this seemed like more neutral territory.”

“Switzerland west.”

“Right.” She tried to smile. It didn’t go well. “I, ah. I wanted to say I’m sorry. I was upset at the party. I appreciate that you wanted to spend time with me. I don’t think you were setting me up with your mother.” Not much of an issue now, she thought. Elizabeth hadn’t been in touch with her since that night, and Jayne had no plans to make the first call.

“It was a dumb invitation,” he said, surprising her. “You were right. I was there to meet my mother’s selections. It would have been like bringing a date to a singles bar.”

She inched around the front of her car, moving closer to him. “It was weird, but instead of getting mad, I should have said that. And maybe offered an alternative date.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said, his voice kind. “You weren’t yourself.”

“Who was I?”

“We’d just made love,” he said, closing the last few feet between them, then taking her hand in his. “You were still dazzled by my incredible skill and passion. There probably wasn’t enough oxygen getting to your brain.”

She pulled her hand free and slapped his arm. “You’re lucky I’m not hitting you with my cast,” she told him. “I was not overwhelmed by your amazingness.”

“You’re embarrassed about it. Don’t be. I’m used to the problem. I should have warned you so you were prepared.” His humor faded. “That night meant something to me.”

“I know. I’m sorry about that, too. Saying what I did, I was wrong.”

They looked into each other’s eyes. It was one of the most intimate things she’d ever done—almost like staring into his soul. She felt heat between them, but it wasn’t all sexual. Her chest felt funny, too. Kind of tight and achy.

“Is this as bad as it gets?” he asked.

“What?”

“You. How you acted. The fight. Was that you at your worst?”

“I don’t know. I can get mad, just like everyone else. I try to fight fair. I would say stealing the necklace was the worst thing I’ve ever done. I’m not that person. I don’t take what doesn’t belong to me.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t something that changed me. I always try to figure out why things go wrong, then learn from the experience.” She smiled. “Why are you asking? Are you filing a report with the character police?”

“I tried, but their Web site is down.” He reached for her hand again, this time linking their fingers together. “Come on. Let’s go spend twelve million dollars.”

She nearly stumbled as she went with him to the gate and waited while he pressed the button. “T-twelve million? Are you sure?”

“Something like that. But the house is right on a private beach.”

“For twelve million you should get an island and be worshipped as a deity.”

“That’s what I say,” David told her.

They walked into a private courtyard, then up the stairs to the front door. Before he knocked, he leaned in and lightly kissed her.

“I don’t want to fight anymore,” he said.

As always, his kiss was magic. “Me, either.”

The house was smaller than the others. Only about thirty-two hundred square feet, with four bedrooms and a couple of baths. But none of that mattered when compared to the view.

As David had promised, they were right on the beach. Both levels had floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out directly on the ocean. Stairs led down to the sand. The agent pointed out the remodeled kitchen, the slate flooring, the electronic blinds, but all Jayne could do was stare out at the tumbling sea.

“This one,” she breathed. “It’s perfect.”

“You like it?” he asked. “I’m surprised.”

The agent disappeared upstairs.

“Why?” Jayne asked, crossing to the windows and staring out. “It’s amazing. People will come to your parties just to say they’d been invited. Any woman would be thrilled to come home to this. Even the housekeeper will love the bragging rights.”

“So it’s what you’d like?”

She laughed. “After I win the lottery? Make that two lotteries. Thanks, but no. Not my style. But you look good here. You might have a problem with Rebecca. Once she sees it, she’ll never want to leave.”

“But if you had the money, you wouldn’t buy it?”

He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned against him. Maybe it was just short term, but it was a great way to spend an afternoon, she thought, resting her hands on top of his.

“It’s the best location by far,” she said. “You’ll have celebrities all over and nice restaurants close by.”

“Stop trying to sell me on it. Why doesn’t it work for you?”

She hesitated. “It’s not homey enough. I want a regular house, not some fantasy palace. I want to know my neighbors, not be recorded on security cameras. I want a safe yard for kids and a place for a dog to run. I want grass and trees and maybe a fountain.”

“The ocean doesn’t count?”

She laughed. “Fair enough. I want a slightly smaller fountain.”

He turned her in his arms. “Then that’s what we’ll find.”

If only, she thought longingly. “You can’t buy my dream house. You have to buy your own.”

“You’re influencing me. I had a meeting with Blaine yesterday. I talked to him about developing a line of high-quality, affordable jewelry. He’s excited by the idea, and we’re moving forward with the research-and-development stage.”

Her mouth fell open. “You’re kidding? You’re doing that?”

“Your point about the hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar necklace was a good one. I know how to listen.”

“But I don’t understand. You’re taking my advice?”

He nodded. “You’re more than a pretty face, and I respect that.”

It was too much for a single brain to take in. Without thinking, she raised herself on tiptoe and pressed her mouth to his. As his arms came around her, he deepened the kiss. She hung on to him, being careful not to knock him in the back of the head with her cast.

It wasn’t just that he’d taken her advice or accepted part of the blame for the fight or asked her opinion on the house. It was all of it. The real David Worden had turned out to be so much more than any man she might have imagined. And that was the danger. Falling for him seemed as inevitable as breathing.

Somehow she was going to have to stop herself before it was too late. Loving him would make leaving harder, and she wasn’t about to fool herself into thinking it could work. She would have to back off.

His mouth moved against hers.

Later, she thought hazily. She would come up with a plan later.