THAT NIGHT, Brad made love to Jayde with special tenderness. He held her gently, caressing her, stroking every inch of her sweet body, learning her, inhaling her…feasting on her sweetness. And she gave herself to him completely, as if she, too, did not want the night to end. Afterward, he rested his head on her belly, holding her tightly around her slim waist, trying not to think, not to give up. Trying not to cry.
She was leaving. She’d said it, but she hadn’t really needed to. It was there on her face. And he had to admit, her reasons were good ones. Then, during their lovemaking, she’d said she loved him. And he’d told her that he loved her. But still, there was something more she needed that he couldn’t give her, some emptiness down deep in her soul that he couldn’t fill. An identity. Or was it a sense of accomplishment? She’d said she didn’t want to lose herself in him. And yet, he’d already lost himself in her.
Still, he knew it was different. While he’d drowned in the sound of her voice, had lost himself in her laughter, she’d felt lost in his persona. Never before had Brad thought that being who he was could cause him to lose in the game of love. Not in a world where women regularly threw themselves at him. But now the one he wanted wouldn’t stay. It was the craziest thing. But, hell, she’d never pretended otherwise. Try as he might, Brad couldn’t deny that, any more than he could bestow on her a sense of self-esteem. He couldn’t understand it—to him, she was incredibly talented. She was one of the most successful people he’d ever met—successful at being a wonderful person and making everyone she met feel they were, too. Surely, that counted for something.
Not in the real world. And he knew that. Hers was not a marketable commodity. People like her were chewed up and spit out everyday. He’d even done his share. And that caused him shame…and suddenly had him cheering her on. Why? Because he knew exactly how she felt. His identity, his destiny, after all, had been handed to him on a silver platter. He’d been born with his life and his career laid out for him. He’d had no choice but to be Bradford Ellsworth Hale, rich kid. Wasn’t this a strange turn of events? He was jealous of her. And yet all she wanted was a chance to be just like him.
Ah, irony. Brad pulled himself up and cradled her in his arms. In only a moment or so, she was sleeping, her breathing soft and regular. Smiling, Brad stared up at the patterns dancing across the ceiling in his bedroom. A full moon and light wind provided the kaleidoscope of images above him. But he didn’t really see them.
It was true. He’d never had the choices Jayde did. God, how he admired her for seeking her own way. For stepping out into the world with no safety net. Just taking a huge chance on herself. Brad had no idea how that felt. Money was an insulation, but so were a straitjacket and a padded cell. What would he have been or done if he hadn’t been born wealthy? He chuckled. He’d have probably become the same thing he was now. An international investment banker. Because the truth was, it was what interested him, what drove him, what intrigued him. Or it had been, anyway, until he’d met one Jayde Alyssa Greene.
And now she alone consumed him. He’d ignored everything since he’d met her. His business meetings, the faxes, the phone calls, you name it. All in the name of love…star-crossed love, as it turned out, ironically, just like Romeo and Juliet. Brad remembered their balcony scene of the other night. She was so damned funny. Especially in her fights with JOCK—whom she appeared to have soundly whipped…thanks, Brad knew, to a bit of tinkering with JOCK’s programming. And then there was Lyle, who stood prepared to take on anyone who looked sideways at her. He lightly kissed Jayde’s forehead. She murmured in her sleep and settled herself against him. Aching inside, slowly dying, Brad held her tightly.
How in the hell was he ever going to let her go? And what would he do with himself once she did leave? Brad exhaled sharply, fighting the little demon that told him he should just buy all her damned awful paintings and let her think she was successful. Then she would stay. He’d thought of that more than once. But he knew he couldn’t do it—it would destroy her if she ever found out. And she would eventually. Then she’d hate him. And he wouldn’t blame her.
So now all he had to do now was figure out a way to say goodbye to her. And prepare himself, as well as Lyle and JOCK, to live with the emptiness she would leave in her wake.
“OHMIGOSH, Brad, no one’s going to come. I just knew it. This is so embarrassing. I am going to die.”
“You’re not going to die.”
“Yes, I am. Look at my parents. They’re just so proud of me. And here the place is so empty you could hear crickets chirp.” She grabbed Brad by the arm. “Whose stupid idea was it to have this dumb showing, anyway?”
“I believe it was yours. All I did was set it up.”
Jayde grimaced. “Well, you picked a fine time to start listening to me, didn’t you? I mean, just look around. The walls are covered with my horrible paintings. Ick. The only good things about them are the beautiful frames Mr. Halliburton set them in.”
Brad sighed. “They’re not horrible, Jayde. They’re…fine.”
She turned on him. “They’re fine? Wow, what an endorsement. Mr. Halliburton’s reputation is on the line—along with mine—and all you can say is they’re fine? He’ll be thrilled.”
“Jayde, will you stop it? Nothing’s wrong here. The gallery is empty, because this is the preparty. The showing won’t start for another ten minutes. Now, calm down. Have a drink.” He plucked a champagne flute full of the bubbly stuff off the tray of a passing waiter and handed it to her. “Here. Drink.”
She did. She drained it…just as she had the two previous ones Brad didn’t know about. It was a good thing her parents hadn’t seen her—with her being in the family way and all. Then she looked up at him…and her heart melted. “Oh, Brad you poor thing, you look so tired. Did you not sleep well?” She felt guilty for even asking, she knew she was the reason. After telling him last night that she would be leaving, she was darned lucky he was still acting like her “husband.”
But, wonderful guy that he was, he just shrugged and gave her a wan smile. “I’m okay. How about you, kiddo? This is your big day. It’s what you wanted.”
“Yes, it is. And I did want it. I mean I do want it.” But inside, she felt small. She was giving up the love of a lifetime. For what? Success in the eyes of the world. What was she—nuts? She tightened her grip on Brad’s arm and pressed into him. “Let’s forget this whole thing, Brad, please? Can we? Just call it off. I feel sick. It’s this damned tight dress. I hate it and I’m sick and I want to go home.”
He quirked his mouth. “You’re not sick, Jayde. And ‘home?’ Where is that exactly? I’d be glad to take you, but you have to tell me where you think of as home. Because I don’t know.”
His words felt like a slap. Jayde’s heart sank. “I’m sorry, Brad. I deserved that. I’m behaving childishly, aren’t I? You’ve done so much, and I am so grateful.”
Brad exhaled sharply. “Well, as long as you’re grateful.” Then he tugged himself out of her grip. “Excuse me. Dirk is signaling me.” With that, he walked away, leaving Jayde standing there alone.
She watched him go…and had never in her life felt so alone. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she looked up at the track lighting above her. And wished she were anywhere but here.
Just then, her father took her elbow and turned her around. “How you doing, honey?” He was cleanshaven, wearing a new suit and tie. All spit and polish. Never had he looked so out of place. Or so proud. Jayde reminded herself that the look on his face was the reason she was trying so hard to make something of herself. “Got a case of the jitters?”
She managed a shaky smile. “I think so, Daddy. What if no one comes? I’ll be so embarrassed.”
“Ah, now, don’t think like that. The whole world’s going to beat a path to your door, baby girl. Your mother is telling poor Lyle again how she always knew you had talent. This show is just the frosting on the cake although I believe the cake is the grandbaby you’re carrying.”
Never before had Jayde felt like such a big fake. Her heart weighed heavy with her guilt. “Just promise me, Daddy, that you’ll remember that all I’ve ever wanted to do is make you and Mama proud. I only want to make a name for myself, for you and the kids.”
Her father surprised her with a quizzical expression just shy of a frown. “Lord, honey, you don’t need another name for yourself. You got a good hardworking one already. And your mother and I, well, we couldn’t be any more proud of you than we’ve always been. So don’t you worry about this show. It don’t matter if not one soul comes through that door. You just be yourself, that’s enough. You’re already a good person in your own right, and I love you, honey.”
Jayde felt certain she would cry. Her throat was clogging up, her heart felt full, and her vision was blurring. This was the first time she could recall her father ever saying that he loved her. She could only stare at him…and blink back her happiness.
“All right, everyone, listen up.” Mr. Halliburton clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Everything is in place, I hope?” He scanned the room. “Yes? Good. It’s almost two o’clock, so everyone look sharp and be discreet. Now, where’s my darling artist? Ah, Jayde, there you are. Come here, sweetie.”
Taking a deep breath, Jayde forced her stiff legs to carry her over to the plump little man in the very elegant suit. When she stood beside him, he put an arm around her shoulder and looked around the room at the small gathering. “Today is a very special day to me because I have the privilege of launching the career of a major young artist. And I predict she will be a huge star with lasting fame. Of course, I will then take all the credit for that, completely forgetting that my dear friend Bradford Hale brought her to me.”
Jayde saw Brad wave his hand in acknowledgement. She smiled at him, but he gave her no more than a glance. She bit her bottom lip and fought the urge to run to him and beg him to forget everything she’d said. Mr. Halliburton continued. “Now, darling, if this were the theater, I’d say break a leg. But since it’s not, don’t you dare!”
Jayde smiled bravely as the assemblage chuckled. Her legs were fine, but her heart was broken—and she’d done it to herself.
“Take a deep breath, everyone.” Mr. Halliburton turned to the man standing by the door. “Steve, you’re the closest. Unlock the door, please.” Then, with a swashbuckling flourish, he announced, “We will now accept Jayde’s public into our private little party. Here’s to success!”
AND A SUCCESS it was. It was an amazing sight. Brad had never seen anything like it. The crowd was huge and jostling. People were buying everything in sight. There were even a couple of squabbles over paintings that more than two people wanted. Bidding wars and an impromptu auction, presided over by a very pleased and smug Dirk Halliburton, had ensued. And now, nearly two hours later, every picture had a sold tag on it. Jayde’s mother was in the thick of things, loudly telling stories about her oldest child and greeting people she’d met shopping and had invited. And Jayde’s father was working the crowd, taking orders for future works and telling people that he and his wife had a Jayde Greene original in every room in their house back in Kentucky.
Unbelievably, there was still a line outside the gallery and around the corner of people who wanted to get in and see what all the fuss was about. No doubt, the two television news vans parked outside were creating some of the excitement. Brad didn’t have to wonder how that had happened. Dirk Halliburton was extremely well connected and an absolute genius at advertising. And besides, there was hardly anyone in town who didn’t owe him a favor of some sort. He was generous and kind…and always got what he wanted.
Jayde had already given two on-air interviews for TV and, right now, three different newspapers’ reporters were roving around after her, asking questions. It was all pretty amazing. Brad had tried to stay by her side and smooth things for her until she got over her nerves, but that had proved impossible. In an instant, he’d been separated from her. And now she was out there somewhere, in the middle of the frenzied crowd inside the gallery. She had to be exhausted.
It was amazing, phenomenal. And completely incomprehensible. Pressed into a corner and all but forgotten, Brad stood off to one side, not believing this afternoon’s outcome.
Lyle stood next to him, his expression puzzled as he stared out at the crowd. “Did we miss something, boss?”
“Oh, yeah. Big time.”
“So, she’s really a good artist, huh?”
Brad nodded. “It would appear so. Unless all these people are wrong. Or on drugs.”
“You think they might be?”
“On drugs?”
“Wrong.”
“I don’t think so. People will talk, word will get around. She’ll be fine. And apparently my taste in art is in the toilet.” He took a sip of his champagne.
“Mine, too.” Lyle leaned closer to mutter, “To tell you the truth, boss, I agreed with you. I thought her work was awful.”
Brad arched his eyebrows. “Well, we’re definitely in a minority. And here I was, prepared to buy every last canvas, if I had to. Or to coerce everyone I know into buying one. Anything to keep her from being humiliated.”
Lyle sent him a sidelong glance. “You didn’t, though, did you, boss? I mean, all these people here—”
“No. This isn’t a setup. Hell, I don’t think I know this many people the world over. No, Lyle, this is a legitimate success with a real public.”
Lyle looked relieved. “That’s good. But your heart was in the right place with your other idea, boss. Still, I’m glad you didn’t have to resort to that. She’s a smart lady, and she would have found out and hated you.”
Brad sobered. “Yeah, I thought of that, too.”
After that, Brad and Lyle stood in silence, looking around the room.
Brad set his empty glass down on a tray table to the other side of him, and Lyle finally spoke. “You’re not going to let her go, are you, boss?”
Brad almost had to turn away. He fought back a shudder of emotion. “I don’t know how to keep her, Lyle.” He fought to keep his voice from breaking. “I’ve done everything I can. But she still wants to go.”
“Yeah, but that was before this show. She’s making her own way now. So she might feel different about things.”
Brad couldn’t see how. “Forget it. It’s over. We already said our goodbyes. I told her she could stay, but she doesn’t want to do that. She says she has to leave.”
Lyle frowned, seeming to digest that. “She say why?”
Brad shook his head. “No. Maybe she doesn’t really feel for me what I feel for her.”
“Oh, I think she does. So, you’re just going to let her walk away?”
Brad met Lyle’s accusing stare. “What the hell do you want me to do? Hit her on the head with my club and drag her back to my cave?”
“Yeah. Try a nine iron. That ought to work.”
Brad chuckled, but Lyle surprised him by gripping his arm tightly. “I’m serious here. That woman loves you. And you love her. How many times in your life have you ever been able to say that, boss?”
Brad stiffened with indignation. “You’re way over the line here, Lyle.”
“Maybe. So fire me. But first I’m going to have my say. Man to man. You can always walk away if you don’t want to hear it.” He let go of Brad and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.
Brad was fuming, his gaze heated. “Go ahead, Lyle. Have your say.”
“All right. First of all, have you lost your damned mind? Instead of standing here in this corner, get out there and tell her you love her. Look at you, boss. You’re thirty-five. You’re at the top of the business world. And alone in your private life. Now, you’ve been lucky enough to find love, and what do you do? You stand here with your back to a wall and your heart on your sleeve. Fight for her, dammit. Because if you don’t, your life won’t be worth anything without her. And I know better than most how that feels.”
Brad’s gaze locked with Lyle’s. Angry sparks flashed between the two men. No one in Brad’s whole life had ever talked to him like that. He was speechless with outrage. But then, it just as quickly died. For one thing, Brad had already said all these things to himself. All Lyle had done was tell him what he already knew. And for another, Lyle was right on another score—he did know how it felt. Lyle had lost his wife, Marta, five years ago by not trying hard enough to keep her. And he was still paying for it every day. She’d married another man…but had then divorced him, too. And now, she was back in Florida. Ever since, Lyle had been trying to win her back…her and their little boy.
Before Brad could say anything, Lyle spoke again, but in a different vein. “The truth is, boss, we both need to quit running. We’re too damned old for this. We spend our time gallivanting around the world, probably because there’s no one waiting at home for us. And you know I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t think Jayde wasn’t the woman for you. You’ve got to do it! You’ve got to grab love and hold on to it. Nothing else in life makes much sense without it. You know what I mean?”
Brad stared at Lyle, then slowly nodded. “Yes, Lyle, I think I do. When did you get so smart?”
Lyle made a self-deprecating noise. “I graduated from the school of hard knocks, remember? So, am I fired?”
“Hell, no. I’d fire me, if I could, for being so stupid. Maybe you should have taken me with you to that school.” With that, Brad gripped Lyle’s hand and shook it firmly. “Thanks, Lyle. You’re perhaps the best friend I’ve ever had.”
Lyle sniffed, shrugged, tried to look tough. “Don’t go getting soft on me, boss. I’ll—”
“Call me Brad.”
Looking into Brad’s eyes, Lyle finally shook his head and waved that away. “No, sir. I can’t do that. You’re the boss, and that’s the way it is. But it’s good you offered.”
Feeling warmed and more on course with his life, Brad took a moment to locate Jayde in the thick of the crowd. He spied her…signaling a silent Help. Grinning, he acknowledged her with a wave and then turned to Lyle. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve found her.”
“No, you didn’t,” Lyle said cockily. “Ms. Kingston did. And that’s another thing…what do you make of her doing that?”
Brad frowned in a quizzical, slightly amused way. “I don’t know. I think she thought Jayde would be such a screwup that she’d make my life miserable.”
“Well, that didn’t work, did it?”
Brad chuckled. “If everything works out, remind me to invite Lucinda to the wedding.” Brad started to walk away, but then he turned to Lyle. “Speaking of the fairer sex, Lyle, how’s it going between you and Marta? You two and little Tony have a chance at being a family again?”
It was Lyle’s turn to shrug. “Yeah, maybe. We been talking some. Tony’s starting school, you know.”
“He’s in school now? Man, we are getting older, Lyle.”
“By the minute, boss. Now, go on. Go win over Mrs. Hale, you hear?”
A spark of doubt shot through Brad. He looked at Lyle. “This is nuts. I never have any trouble in high-stakes business ventures. But faced with this one woman…well, I’m shaking like a leaf. Lyle, I don’t have the first idea what to do or say. I just don’t—”
“Try telling her you love her.”
“I have. Plenty of times. I even told her to take these last few days to decide what she wants to do. But she told me last night she wants to leave. And I don’t know how to stop her.”
“Maybe you don’t have to, boss. That was yesterday. This is today. Things are different now. She’s different.”
Brad stared at his bodyguard. “Lyle, do I hear a plan in there somewhere?”
Lyle shrugged. “Could be. If it was me, I wouldn’t do anything. I’d just go be with her now and support her. Show her I haven’t changed my mind about wanting her. And then, come tomorrow…let her leave, if she wants to.”
Brad frowned. “Well, hell, that’s where I am right now. I hate that plan.”
“She won’t leave, boss.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do know that. She doesn’t want to go. She wants you to talk her into staying.”
“Then I will.”
“No, you can’t. It’s got to be her idea. She has to throw away all her reasons for going and stay for the one reason she should.”
“Which is?”
“She loves you.”
Brad’s chest felt tight. “I don’t know about this, Lyle. It’s too risky.”
“Excuse me, but isn’t that how you got to be so rich? Nerves of steel, taking chances, riding it out?”
Brad considered it. “Okay. You win. What do I do, again?”
“Nothing. Let her think she’s free to go. It’ll be like when little kids are going to run away and their moms help them pack. The mom knows the kids don’t want to leave. They just want a reaction. So you have to make Jayde think that staying is her idea.”
“This is crazy.”
“Yep. And it just might work.”