Chapter Twenty-nine

 

Stifling a wide yawn, Nikki sat in her friend’s streamlined kitchen and shivered. Marti set a steaming cup on the bistro table. “Careful. It’s hot.”

Nikki reached for the cup, blew and then sipped, immediately burning her tongue.

“I told you.”

“I’m not thinking clearly.” She groaned and shook her head. “I need it to stay awake.” She buried her face in her hands.

“Late night?” Marti prompted, the toe of her shoe tapping the floor.

She looked up at her friend. “You could say that.”

“See here. If you’re going to wake me at the ungodly hour of—well, whatever time it was when you called—you could at least have the decency to tell me what’s wrong.”

“Max and I—uh,” Nikki stopped, not sure she could form the words.

“What?”

“We made love last night.” She got the words out, even they were little more than a whisper.

Marti nodded. “Great. So what’s the problem? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yes—I mean—no. I woke up early this morning, and I was all alone.”

“Maybe he went out for a paper, or juice?” Marti suggested.

“No, he went out for a run to think. And when he came back he told me he’d decided it was all a mistake. A mistake.” Nikki sobbed, unable to stem the flow of tears. She felt Marti’s arms around her, when all she wanted was Max.

“Honey, you must’ve misunderstood. He wouldn’t treat you like that.”

“Would I be here like this, if he hadn’t?”

“Guess not,” Marti sighed. “But maybe you misinterpret something he said?”

“Oh, no. He made it very, very clear.”

The telephone rang.

“Hm. Now I wonder who that is?” Marti asked. A wry smile on her lips, she reached for the phone.

Nikki shook her head furiously. The last thing in the world she wanted was talk to Max.

“Yes, she is, but I don’t think… All right.” Marti clapped her hand over the receiver. “He won’t take no for an answer. You’re going to have to talk to him sometime. Might as well be now.”

She swallowed and held out her hand for the phone, her tone terse. “Yes?”

“You have to come back.”

“Excuse me? ‘Have to come back?’ Did I hear you right? Just like that? You demand I come back.” Nikki’s voice grew harsh. “How dare you?”

“Something’s come up. I have to leave for Paris Sunday morning. You will be here for Alexa—as we agreed.”

“So hire someone. Someone you can play games with when Alexa’s sleeping over.”

“There’s no time. I have to spend the morning at the office, then I’m taking Alexa and her friend to the concert. I expect you to be here when I leave on Sunday. There’s no one else to whom I can entrust my daughter on such short notice. I’m sorry, but it has to be this way.”

“No.” Her head pounded as if it would burst. How could he be so damned arrogant?

“You have to come back. We had an agreement. You promised.”

“You broke the ground rules, so I don’t have to abide by the agreement.” Let him argue with that.

“What happened between us wasn’t planned. You know that, as well as I do. You know something else?” he paused, allowing her time to answer.

“What?”

“You wanted it to happen as much as I did. I’m not blind. I know when a woman wants me, especially one I desire as well.”

“I just bet you do. Go to hell, you entitled son-of-a-bitch. This conversation is over.” She punched the disconnect button and drew her arm back.

Marti grabbed Nikki’s arm before the telephone could become a deadly missile. “Now, now. Let’s not take our anger out on the poor little telephone.”

“Not one word of explanation. I’m supposed to keep my end of the bargain and be there for Alexa.” She mimicked his accent.

“Give it some time. When do you have to give him an answer?”

“He has his answer.” She sipped her coffee. “Ugh.” Cold and bitter. How appropriate. She felt just like the leftover dregs in her cup—used, then discarded once they no longer suited.

Marti stood and pried Nikki’s fingers from the cup. “Fresh cup coming up.” She dumped the cold contents into the sink. “You’ll feel better after some breakfast.”

“No, I won’t.” Nikki drummed her fingers on the table top. “I’ll never speak to him again as long as I live.”

“Give it some time. He might have a good reason.”

“I don’t have time. He expects me to be there when he leaves for Paris tomorrow.” Nikki jumped up and started pacing.

“Tomorrow? Then while he’s away, hire someone to chaperone Alexa. When he comes back, it’ll be a done deal.”

Nikki stopped pacing in mid-stride, turning to face her friend. “I suppose I could. I just hate to give him the satisfaction of knowing I caved in to his demands.”

“Yes, just think how he’ll feel when he comes back from Paris and finds Alexa with a new chaperone. You’ll have won, after all.” Marti sat back with a satisfied smile on her face. “It behooves us to keep our men on short leashes. They’re much happier that way.”

Shocked, Nikki stammered, “I-I thought you liked Max.”

“Oh, I do, but I’m a veteran at this. You’re still a beginner.” Marti gave a chuckle.

Puzzled, Nikki stared at her friend. “How did this turn into a joke? I’ve been used, and you sit there cracking jokes. Sometimes I wonder if I know you at all.”

Marti wrapped Nikki in a warm hug. “Sweetie, I know you’re hurt, but it’s not the end of the world. It only feels like it. Maybe he’s scared of commitment. I don’t know what his problem is, but he wouldn’t be on the phone demanding you come back, if he didn’t want you.”

“For Alexa,” Nikki insisted.

“He could hire anyone from the office to look after his daughter, and they’d jump at the chance. It’s you he wants. And whether or not he has the nerve to admit it, I think he’s in love with you.”

Nikki shook her head and spoke with deliberation. “You’ve never been so wrong. Dead wrong.”

Marti shrugged and gave her a fey smile. “We’ll see.”

***

Max replaced the telephone on the kitchen counter. Finally, the aroma of freshly-brewing coffee filled the kitchen. His conversation with Nikki hadn’t gone well. At this point, he should consider a Plan B, but still he hesitated. He didn’t have a Plan B.

Nikki loved his daughter as much as any sister. And as angry as Nikki was, he was positive she wouldn’t let Alexa down. The Sunday deadline gave Nikki twenty-four hours to cool down and reconsider. Time would tell. His business wasn’t all that urgent. One of his reasons for leaving was to give her a reason for coming back to the townhouse…and it would give them both some breathing room.

And time.

The tension between them had simmered for days, then boiled over so quickly. Distance would give him some time to clear his head…to make decisions which could affect both their lives.

All this dream stuff was against his pragmatic nature. How could he go to the woman he loved and prattle nonsense about dreams and reincarnation, like some wimpy New Age guru? But was it nonsense? He didn’t know, but perhaps in Paris, he would find the answer to the riddle of the mask.