Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

 

 

“She went to him, you know? Woke him from his nightmare. After that, well, they slept in her room last night.” V was giving Cookie the morning low-down on Lex and Kelly when Dillon entered the kitchen. “And sleep’s not all they did, Greta assured me after she changed the sheets.”

“Jesus, V! Too much information,” Dillon said. He grabbed a chocolate peanut butter brownie hot off the rack before Cookie could slap his hand away. “Seriously? They were…?” He shoved his finger in and out of the circled thumb and index of the other hand, brownie hanging precariously from his mouth.

V gave a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure the subjects of the conversation hadn’t miraculously appeared at the kitchen door. “Well, I know they can’t touch each other yet, and the poor boy did lose his lunch after holding her hand yesterday, but it’s pretty obvious they’re getting on with it, and I say, let ’em. They’ll work this out together in their own way, and you mark my words, she’ll be wearing that ring for real before very long. And where is she now, but down at the studio modeling for him? How can he not be inspired by the woman he loves?” Just in case Dillon might protest, she gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “Don’t think I don’t know love in someone’s eyes when I see it. Trust me, they both have that look. It won’t be long now.”

Dillon’s cell phone rang and, when he saw that it was Myrna, he grabbed another cookie and exited to the kitchen garden so the women could gossip, though to be honest, he would have to bug them for the details—them and Greta—a little later. And to be equally honest, he shared V’s enthusiasm. He hoped with all his heart that she was right, that they were all right, and that Lex could finally find the happiness he deserved. He said a silent prayer to any god who might be listening that Lex not get hurt. He couldn’t even imagine the devastation the man would face after having his hopes raised so high. He turned his attention back to Myrna and got an earful.

“Lana, get your muddy shoes off the sofa!” were her first words. “Dillon?”

“Yes?”

“Take that basketball outside, Lane! Now!” Myrna shouted away from the receiver, then returned her attention to back him. “Don’t ever have children, Dillon, just don’t. Trust me, it only ends in tears and premature insanity.”

“What are they doing home? Isn’t it a school day?”

“Parent-teacher conferences. Already had mine and now I’ve got to entertain the little heathens for the rest of the day.” He knew for a fact that Myrna was the kind of mother most kids dreamed of having, and her kids knew that too. Nonetheless, her kids had a reputation for being…creative and energetic in all their endeavors.

“Bad reports?”

“Oh, no! Good reports, at least grade wise. That’s the problem, they’re too damn smart for their own good.”

“Language, Mom,” a girl’s voice taunted from the background.

“Damn’s not an actual swear word, sweetheart. It doesn’t really count.”

“Oh, yes it does. You said it does, and if it doesn’t then what about shit? That’s just a bodily function, and what about fu—?”

“Honey, I’m on the phone. We’ll have this discussion later. Go play basketball with your brother.”

“What can I do for you, Myrna?” Dillon asked, holding back a chuckle at the interaction between mother and children.

“I saw the press conference, and that rock Kelly was wearing—pretty damned impressive.”

“The press thought so too.”

“Never mind that. It’s all true then, that Alexander Valentine was Alden Vance the Second.”

“Was being the operative word, but yes, all true.”

There was a momentary silence. “Wow! Who knew?”

“Now everyone does,” Dillon replied. “And personally, I think Lex will be the better for the honesty. There are some demons you just have to face.”

“You know I have a million questions, and most of them are none of my business and the answers are not yours to tell, but this whole situation heavily involves my best friend, and that is my business. How’s Kelly?”

“You haven’t talked to her?” he said, trying to take an inconspicuous bite of his brownie.

“I’m asking you because you’ll give me an unbiased opinion.”

“Lady, I’m the one who got us into this mess to begin with. You don’t seriously think I’m unbiased, do you?”

“When I say unbiased I mean…well, how are…things…you know, things between them? They certainly looked happy enough at the press conference, and Kelly, well, bless her heart, she’s never been a very good actress.”

“They slept together last night.” Okay, he shouldn’t have done it. He knew he was being as gossipy as he accused V and Cookie of being, but he just couldn’t help himself.

There was a war whoop that nearly deafened his right ear, then a breathless, “Get out of town! Are you serious? I mean can he…? You know… I thought…”

“Myrna, Myrna, Myrna, surely you’re old enough and experienced enough to know that there’s more than one way to feed the cat cream.”

She giggled. “Feed the cat cream! Oh, I see what you did there, Mr. Matthews.”

“To answer your question, no, he still can’t get skin to skin with her, but my nephew, Andy, wasn’t kidding about the woman being amazing. He’s come so far. I mean, you saw that he actually held her hand at the press conference and we got halfway back to the house before he had to stop the Jeep and… Well, my point is it’s three steps forward and only a half a step back, and this is a man who’s been dealing with this horrible affliction for twenty-five years.”

“Jesus! That’s wonderful! That’s fucking fantastic, but…”

“But?”

“I just don’t want Kelly getting hurt, that’s all. I mean you and I both know how we manipulated to get the two of them together, and even before I knew who Alex Valens actually was, I thought she was crazy for not sticking with the man. But it’s, well, maybe I’m not the one to judge, since I couldn’t make my own marriage work, but Kell’s not good with relationships. Okay, that’s not fair either. She just doesn’t have them. She had… Well, she has issues of her own, and while I can see the wisdom in her being cautious, she’s not her mother, and she’s not likely to end up with someone like her father either. Certainly Lex is not like that.”

“Jesus, Myrna, what are you trying to tell me here?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone then a deep breath that sounded like a windstorm. “It’s not really mine to tell, but after yesterday’s little incident and with that awful bitch, Spaulding, out for blood, I think you need to know. Lex might have defused the situation yesterday, but that’ll only make the woman more rabid, you know that.”

Dillon carefully shut the door and with it, the sound of V and Cookie talking in the background. Then he moved out toward the far end of the vegetable patch where he could talk without the risk of being overheard. “Okay, sing,” he said and, out of instinct, he braced for impact.

 

* * * *

 

Gale Ann Spaulding had the distinct impression that Jenny Fallon didn’t agree with her politics or her point of view, but that didn’t take away the awe of being in the presence of celebrity and, really, politics and points of view, they were only what they needed to be to get her what she wanted. She could play the hometown girl and bestie easily enough, and after a bit of girl talk, a few laughs and a couple of Cosmos, she’d have the chick eating out of her hand.

The girl was cute, she really was, and she had some serious potential, so Gale Ann was happy to talk to her about the business, about what it was like to be a local media personality, about what she found hardest, about what she enjoyed most, tips for breaking into the market—that sort of thing. It was all just the standard spiel that she’d give any newbie, all done with lots of eye contact, lots of use of the kid’s name and lots of making her feel she was important.

When she was certain that little miss Jenny was softened up enough, she offered a sad little sigh and a shake of her head. “The hardest part about this business, at least at my level, is that I don’t have time for a relationship.” That got the girl’s full attention. She had yet to meet a university student, especially a girl, who didn’t want to talk about relationships when it came right down to it. “Oh, it could be that I just don’t manage my time well enough, but the truth is, there just isn’t a whole lot of it left to manage at the end of the day. I suppose I could look online, but even that takes more time and energy than I can manage. What about you, Jenny? Do you have a boyfriend?”

The girl gave her a huge smile and a cute little blush. “I do, as a matter of fact.”

“Is he also studying journalism?”

“Chemistry, actually, and he’s very good at it.”

“Oh, I love a good nerd. From what I hear”—she leaned across the table and offered her best chick’s-night-out smile—“forget the jocks.” She looked around as though she didn’t want anyone overhearing. “Go for the nerds if you want someone who’s really good in bed.”

The girl blushed harder and nearly choked on her Cosmo, and they both laughed.

“Can I take that to mean that it’s true, then?” she asked, toying with the olive in her martini, then she added, “Oh, I’ve heard that some of them are slow starters, you know, so focused on their studies that they’re oblivious to anything else, including the women who find them hot. But when they do start, they can go all night long and right on into the morning.”

This time the girl gave an enthusiastic nod. “You have no idea.”

“What—that he was a slow starter or that he can go all night?”

“Both,” Jenny said. She finished off her Cosmo and leaned over the table, eyes bright with puppy love. “In the beginning, when we started dating, he kept telling me he’d feel better if we knew each other a little more before we…you know. He didn’t want to take advantage, he said.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet! The world needs more men like that.” Gale Ann nodded her hearty approval.

“Well, yes, but then after a while, I was beginning to think that maybe he didn’t want to be with me. I mean, I really didn’t understand. We had so much in common. We enjoyed each other’s company. He was so easy to be with and such an interesting person. Well, I sort of forced the issue,” she said. She ran a finger around the rim of the fresh Cosmo glass the waiter had just delivered, complements of Gale Ann, who knew well enough to keep them coming.

She had a deal with the bartender, while her prey was slowly getting plastered on Cosmos, the martinis she’d been ordering were just water. The man was used to her methods and she made sure he got a good tip for it.

“I mean, a girl has needs,” Jenny said, and they both giggled and sipped.

“Anyway, he arrived at our next date more than ready to perform, and all I can say, is holy crap, was he worth the wait!”

“Seriously?” Gale Ann leaned close, hoping for more details.

“I was sore for three days. Just in time to do it all again.” This time they both laughed

“You go, girl!” Gale Ann high-fived her and ordered another round.

“No, please, I’ve had enough,” the girl said for the third time.

“Oh, come on,” Gale Ann cajoled, “we’re celebrating here, and didn’t you say you took the Metro?”

“Well, actually, Andy’s picking me up after. He doesn’t like me out late all by myself.”

“Aw, isn’t that sweet,” she said. “Make a girl jealous, will you? Cosmos followed by hot sex.”

Jenny blushed. “Well, I am staying over at his place tonight, and it’s not far from here. Easy for him to pick me up.”

“So, weren’t you surprised that after this little reluctant innocent act of your boyfriend’s that he was so good in bed?”

“I was, actually, and he was…innocent, I mean. That’s why he was shy. And here’s him thinking that I was all experienced.” She shrugged. “I guess we all sort of want people to think that about us. Jeez,” she said, “I’m sorry, I sound like a stupid teenager. It’s just that Andy really is amazing, and I’m so lucky to have him.”

“Yes you are, sweetie, and don’t you dare be embarrassed. I know how I come across all hard-nosed on the radio and all, but that’s just an act. I’m a romantic at heart, a total softie when it comes to love and, honestly, I really do adore hearing people’s stories. I suppose it’s a vicarious way to enjoy what I don’t have.” She made sure to look ever so slightly sad and just a tad bit embarrassed. Her excellent acting skills and enough Cosmos won out every time, and she could tell Jenny Fallon was just about to let her in on a little secret.

“Well, as it turns out, my boy had sought a little advice from an expert.”

“Oh?”

“There’s this woman. He mows her lawn actually, well, she works as a tutor.”

“You mean like chemistry?”

She leaned closer. “I mean like sex.”

The girl took another sip of her Cosmo, gave a slight glance around the room to make sure no one could overhear, and Gale Ann had her. But more importantly, Gale Ann had that vicious bitch, Kelly Blake.

 

* * * *

 

It wasn’t until the Cosmos turned evil and her pounding head began to clear as she threw them up in Andy’s toilet, him gently rubbing her back while she made a complete fool of herself that Jenny Fallon realized just what she’d done. “Oh, Andy,” she said, wiping her mouth on the piece of toilet paper he handed her and flushing the commode with a shaky hand. “I made a really, really horrible mistake.”

“I’d say you did,” he said with a very soft chuckle. “Like about six too many Cosmos. Those things are deadly.”

And the thought of Cosmos set her puking again. When at last she thought it was safe to stand and make her way to the bed with Andy’s arm supportively around her waist, she began to cry. “Oh, Andy, you’re gonna hate me. You’re never gonna want to see me again after I tell you what I did. It was Gale Ann Spaulding. I didn’t know it was Gale Ann Spaulding. My cousin, Madeline, works with her, and when she told me there was someone I might want to meet who was a journalist, I didn’t think. Then Gale Ann was there, and I was too embarrassed to just walk out, and she was so nice, and she kept buying me Cosmos”—she shivered at the very word—“and I kept drinking them. Then we started talking about guys, and I got to talking about you and how good it was with us and…” She buried her face in the pillow and sobbed.

For a moment, Andy was deathly quiet. She thought maybe he’d left the room until she felt his weight settle on the bed beside her. When she opened her eyes and looked up at him, he was pale as a ghost. “You told her. About Kelly, you told her about Kelly.”

“I’m sorry, Andy. I’m so, so sorry.” She started sobbing again and made a valiant effort to get out of the bed, sure he’d want her gone now after what she’d done, surprised when he gently eased her back onto the pillow, took her hand to his lips and kissed it.

“Gale Ann Spaulding’s been looking for dirt on Kelly and Lex ever since Kelly drenched her in red wine at the exhibition last Saturday. Didn’t you see Lex’s press conference last night?”

She snuffled and shook her head, which was a big mistake. “I had an interview out in Sandy.”

“She uncovered the details of Lex’s past and thought it would be nice to splash them all over the airwaves.”

“Lex’s past?”

As briefly as he could manage such an incredible story, he told her about Alexander Valentine really being Alden Vance the Second. That only made her sob worse. Poor Lex. And now he’d found Kelly, and she’d messed it all up for them.

“Anyway, Lex is no dummy. He called her bluff and countered with a press conference out at his place, which Spaulding wasn’t present for. That really pissed her off, so now she’s taking it out on Kelly.”

“Oh God, Andy! I didn’t know. I didn’t know, I’m so, so sorry.”

“It’s all right,” he said, handing her a couple of tissues and gently pushing her hair away from her face. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. We’ll sort this. The woman’s a viper. You didn’t know.” After a long moment, he kissed her on the forehead and stood. “I’ll call Kelly and warn her. You get some rest.” He squared his shoulders and left the room like a man walking to his own hanging, and Jenny buried her face in the pillow and cried.

A short time later, he came back with a bottle of water and handed it to her. “Drink this. You won’t feel so bad in the morning if you’re not dehydrated.”

She sat up, blew her nose and drank a couple of sips. “What did she say?”

“She’s not answering her phone. That’s not like her.”