Coming Home to Love (Lakeside Porch Series Book 2) (16 page)

“You’re going all British on me, Justin.” Manda teased him about the sudden appearance of his accent.

Gianessa felt Justin’s hands on her shoulders.

“You make me very proud, Manda.” He bent his head, his lips close to Gianessa’s ear. “She would never have come without your intervention. I owe you for this.”

Gianessa shook her head, too flustered to reply, still smarting from his harsh words. She left her chair and circled around the pedestal away from him.

Penelope fussed with the hem and the waist of Manda’s gown. “We’ll do a proper fitting in the morning, shall we?”

“I think it’s perfect,” Manda complained.

Penelope gave the bride a practiced smile. “And it will be. Just a few tucks along the waist and a little shorter in back so you don’t trip during that first waltz with your husband. It won’t take but an hour when you’re fresh in the morning. And perhaps your friend will find a dress she likes for the ceremony.” She gave Gianessa an engaging smile.

“Oh no,” Gianessa said in protest. “I’m just—”

Justin jumped on it. “You’re an honored guest, and I insist on finding a dress that’s suitable for the occasion.”

As if I can’t find a dress myself that’s ‘suitable for the occasion.’

Penelope pressed the issue. “We have one that is nearly a match for your eyes. What can it hurt to try it on?”

“Please, Gianessa,” Manda implored.

Gianessa said firmly, “Tomorrow maybe. Not today.”

“Let’s relax now,” Justin said, his good humor restored. “Radio City Music Hall, followed by the best steak in the city with a crisp salad. We’ll pop back here tomorrow morning and then do whatever you both want for the afternoon.”

Justin directed the driver to Radio City and, when they arrived, pointed to the box office. He told the two women, “Your tickets are in Manda’s name. Reservations are set for our dinner. The car will pick you up in front of the box office after the show and take you to Gallagher’s, where I’ll meet you.”

While Manda madly texted Sara, Gianessa asked the obvious question. “Where are you going, Justin?”

“College business.”

He could see from Gianessa’s raised eyebrows that she didn’t buy it.

“Syd is an old friend and president of a college not unlike Tompkins. We’ve been talking for a month, and she wants me to meet a possible consultant.”

“How good of her,” Gianessa remarked with emphasis on “her.”

Discerning and pissed.
Justin said as professionally as he could, “I rely on her expertise and her support, just as I appreciate your support every time we talk about college affairs.”

Manda chimed in, “We’ll be checking you for perfume, Justin.”

He hadn’t thought she was listening.

“Let’s go, Manda,” Gianessa said snappishly. “The show won’t wait, and Justin has business to take care of.”

“We’ll talk later,” Justin said, but the noise of the street drowned his words.

Sydney Shorey watched Justin enter the bar and scan the crowd for her. She’d chosen one of the cocktail tables for four with a bench under the mirrors and two chairs facing the mirrors. She wondered if Justin would choose a chair or cozy up beside her on the bench.

What’s he perturbed about?
That scowl had nothing to do with the little niece he’d been shopping with this afternoon. She would bet the man had woman troubles.
How delicious
.

Justin spotted her.

Sydney gave a come-hither smile and leaned forward to show a little cleavage for his viewing pleasure.

He winked. “Devastating.”

She gave him a sultry laugh.

“You have no right to look so sexy at this hour of the day. At least not in public.”

“You hush.” Sydney raised her cheek for his kiss.

Chatter swirled around them, glasses clinked, and laughter rose from a table across the room.

“What’s got you all hot and bothered, my sweet?”

Justin draped his coat over one of the chairs and joined Sydney on the bench. “Shopping for wedding gowns,” he said with a weary sigh.

“Ah, the young lady marrying your nephew. Did she find the perfect gown?”

“She did, and it’s stunning. You’d approve.”

“Don’t tell me you sent her back to the hotel? You could have brought her.”

“Nonsense, she and Gianessa are at Radio City. I’m meeting them in a couple of hours for dinner.”

“Gianessa? Would this be your young and beautiful confidante? She’s got you in a tizzy, doesn’t she?”

Ignoring the question, he rubbed his hands in anticipation. “Tell me about the consultants you have in mind. Did you bring one?” He craned his neck.

“You know perfectly well I didn’t. I’ll discuss their credentials with you in a minute. Right now, you need to tell me about Gianessa, whom I already know is not the maid-of-honor or the bride’s little friend. Spill, Justin.”

“Don’t torment me.” Justin signaled for the waiter.

“Oh, is Gianessa tormenting you?”

“Yes, sir, what can I bring you and the lady?”

“I’ll have . . . Good lord, I almost ordered a vodka martini.”

“I’ll take one of those,” Sydney said.

“Yes, a vodka martini for the lady, and I’ll have a
doppio con panna
.” Justin dropped a twenty-dollar bill onto the table. “Make that decaf. Good man.”

The waiter slipped the twenty off the table and hurried away.

“I haven’t heard that British accent in a long time, Justin. And I thought you’d stopped drinking vodka years ago.”

“I did,” he snapped.

“Calm down, Justin. What’s this about?”

He huffed and did not give her an answer this time.

“You’ve fallen hard for Gianessa, haven’t you?”

“I have, and I don’t like the way I just treated her.”

Sydney studied her old friend carefully. Deep worry lines told her he was unhinged about whatever had happened. She dropped the flirtatious tone. “What did you do?”

“I spoke to her so harshly, you’d have thought I hit her in the face. I don’t know what got into me. I don’t know if I can make it right.”

Sydney half turned to him, braced one shoulder against the wainscoting and raised both eyebrows at him. “Well, I can tell you right now you’d better make it right. You’re in love with this woman. I’ve never seen anyone get under your skin like this. And, by the way, who exactly does she think I am?”

“I told her who you are, and I don’t think she believed me.”

“She’s in love with you,” Sydney said.

Justin huffed.

“Mark my words, Justin.”

“That’s preposterous.”

Sydney saw his mouth struggling against a smile.

“And she’s young and beautiful, am I right?”

Justin nodded.

“How young?”

“Not quite thirty. She married a Bay Area techie and lost custody of their child in a wretched divorce.”

“Good god, what had she done to deserve that?” Sydney gave her toothpick a half turn and studied the changing face of her vodka-coated olive.

“Drug addiction and a drunk-driving conviction. Husband cut her out of their lives. She’s been clean and sober a few years and is doing well.”

Their drinks arrived. Sydney put her uneaten olive in her half-empty glass and nodded for the waiter to take it away. Justin hunkered at the table and contemplated the whip on his espresso.

Sydney nudged the side of his foot with hers. “And what set you off that you punched her in the face?”

“I didn’t punch her,” Justin said, his teeth clenched.

“Lighten up, Justin,” Sydney cajoled him. “I meant that as a figure of speech.”

“Sorry. You’re right, Syd.”

Sydney chuckled. “I declare, I’ve never heard you say that.” She picked up her new olive and twirled it so the droplets of vodka spun off. “Say it again, Justin.”

Justin laughed.

“There, the tension just flew right out of you.”

Justin shook his head and chuckled. He turned to face her.

“It’s silly. I made a big deal out of something.”

“What exactly?”

“I’m trying to buy a beautiful piece of land for my nephew and his bride, ostensibly as a wedding gift. We mean to develop a holistic clinical retreat for boomers and others, and it’s proving to be . . .” He sighed.

Sydney waited a beat and then circled her hand to urge him to continue.

“The landowner was Joel’s fiancée at one time, and she’s apparently caught wind of the coming nuptials. She’s making the purchase impossible, asking millions more than its market value.”

“Why not just walk away?”

Justin scowled.

“I mean it. Make her come to you with a reasonable offer. She can’t have other prospects.”

“You may be right.”

“Of course I’m right.”

“It means so much to these young people to have that land. Joel was checking on it when he had the accident.”

“Do they know you’re angling for it on their behalf?”

“No, that’s the thing. I let it slip to Gianessa and then realized she would naturally say something to Manda and Joel, and I couldn’t have her do that, particularly since I may fail. I
ordered
her not to tell them. It was stupid and—”

“You ordered her?” She smacked the table with her hand. “Yes, that was stupid. Haven’t you been confiding other things to her?”

Justin toyed with his cup of espresso. “Quite a lot. And she’s not betrayed a confidence.”

“You’re confiding in her about the college?”

“Yes.” He looked at her sideways. “Why, do you think that’s unwise?”

Sydney gave a secretive smile. “Not at all, Justin. I think you’re treating her like a trusted spouse. Except in two matters—the land purchase, which is fraught with tension for you. You don’t like failure, and you’re emotionally involved, since you adore Joel and Manda. The stakes are very high on that one.”

“Agreed. And two?”

“You’ve told her nothing about me. I’ll bet you just sprang it on her, didn’t you? About the same time you snapped at her about keeping the land purchase a secret?” She sat with her eyebrows raised, waiting for Justin to see her point.

“I’m an ass.”

“Yes, but fortunately you have a very cute ass. That’s in your favor.”

“How can I make it right with Gianessa?”

“Now that’s a sweet response. That tells me you want to work things out to her satisfaction.”

“You do couples counseling on the side?”

“I’m sure it would be more fun than administering a college.”

“I’d like your advice, Syd.”

“Tell Gianessa what you’ve told me about the land purchase and ask her advice.”

Justin toyed with his cup.

Sydney stilled his hand with one touch of her finger. “And for god’s sake, drink that before the whip flops.”

The moment Justin sat down at their table in Gallagher’s, Manda announced, “I want to go home after the fitting tomorrow. You guys don’t have to come with me.”

“You don’t want to see more of New York?” Justin asked.

Gianessa’s eyes studied the table, and he could not read her expression.

“I want to be with Joel. Thank you for everything, both of you. But I have my gown now, and I love it, and I need to be with Joel.”

Justin took out his cell phone and called the airline. The aroma of grilled beef permeated the dining room. He watched Gianessa’s face as he negotiated with the agent, wondering if she would ask him to rebook her flight as well. Instead, she carried on a light-hearted conversation with Manda about flowers and music for the wedding.

He interrupted them to say, “Early tomorrow evening is the only possibility. Shall I book one seat on the six-thirty? We would need to be at the airport no later than five.”

Manda nodded, thanked him, and turned back to her conversation with Gianessa.

Justin confirmed the reservation with his credit card. He would let the women decide how to spend the time between the fitting in the morning and the cab to the airport. Apparently Gianessa intended to stay in New York with him. He decided not to read anything into it just yet. Hungry and rattled from an emotional day, he signaled the waiter to place their order.

Over juicy steaks and crisp salads, they talked about the history of the Rockettes, the Christmas show, and their options for the next afternoon. Manda and Gianessa decided to window shop on Fifth Avenue then meet Justin back at the hotel by four o’clock. Manda agreed to be packed and ready to go before she left the hotel in the morning.

“And I will follow up with our three jewelers for the following day, if you’re still interested in making that exchange,” Justin said cryptically to Gianessa.

Manda turned to Gianessa, and some silent communication passed between them.

“Excuse me, you guys.” Manda left them and headed toward the ladies’ room.

Justin studied Gianessa’s face. Her eyes darkened and her lips twitched with unspoken anger.

She drew in a steadying breath while avoiding his gaze. Evidently she was waiting for him to go first.

“I was beastly to you about the land purchase.” Justin heard his own British accent and knew it sounded pompous. He breathed out and retired the accent.

“Yes, you were.”

“Can you forgive me?”

“I don’t know.” She flashed angry eyes at him. “I
won’t
be spoken to that way or held in contempt for
no reason
or suspected of
betraying
your confidence or—”

“I apologize. I had no basis for accusing you that way. You’ve been a tremendous support about the college, and I value your involvement. I would hate to lose that, and I’m afraid I have done exactly that with my behavior this afternoon.”

“How is the land purchase any different?” She tapped her foot under the table, and the linen tablecloth rippled in time.