Dream Runner (28 page)

She’s a woman in love; even Ray Charles could have seen that.
Bianca had a sharp mental flash of Marlea’s face when AJ showed up on the field, and it made her head hurt. Marlea’s was the face of a woman in deep and unshakable love.

Well, her love might be unshakable—for now, but…where there’s a will, there’s a way.

It’s hard to believe that she still trusts him so completely after his trip to New York.
Then it dawned on her.
He didn’t tell her about New York!
Bianca almost skipped across the parking lot’s asphalt. Her stiletto-heeled sandals were hurting her feet when she finally found her rental car and slid behind the wheel, but she couldn’t have cared less.
Omission opens doors that hands can never touch.
Relieved, she slipped the sandals off and massaged her feet.
Where to begin?

Chapter 28

Walking briskly in her new Payless flats, Bianca Coltrane stepped carefully around the loose gravel in the Wal-Mart parking lot and headed for her rental car.
And to think, I swore that once I got old enough to do better, I would never put anything this cheap on my body again.
She checked the plastic bag holding her red-soled Louboutin sandals and ignored the white-haired man waiting in the ancient gray Buick.
He’s certainly got more time than he has money. He can wait for me to move.
Taking her time, she walked on.
At least my feet don’t hurt.

Jamming the key into the door, she looked around to see if anyone had noticed her.
No
, she decided,
they’re all too busy scrambling for ‘values.’ Besides, no one I know would ever shop at a place like this.
She slid into the car seat, slamming the door behind her.
I can’t believe it’s come to this—discount shopping, and twice in one day. Ugh!

But you do what you have to do to get where you have to go.
Folding the credit slip into a pocket of her Coach bag, she thought of Taurean Odom.
Thank God he’s still in love with me and hasn’t yet cut off the credit cards he gave me. He’s not all that bright, but at least he was generous during the time we were together, thank goodness. The Lord knows I don’t know what I would do without my wallet crammed with his gold and platinum cards.

Opening her wallet, she fingered the credit cards. They all bore her name, but there was no way she could have paid the bills. For now, she was using the MasterCard to pay off the Visa for utilities and transportation and clothes, and the American Express for paying rent and buying groceries. The airline cards were a part of her emergency reserve.

Damn that wretched Guilliame des Verriers.
She cursed him for the twentieth time that day.
If he hadn’t made such a tacky mess of my fall line and then bad-mouthed me to every other buyer in the country, I would be doing this strictly for love—not money.

And even with that little cripple in the way, I do love, AJ—in my own way. I love the security he offers.
She looked back at the big white-and-blue Wal-Mart sign.
With AJ, I’ll never have to shop here again or clip another coupon. Besides that, I love that he’s not mean, and that his kind of love focused on me as if I was the only woman in the world—kind of like a warm and soothing light. He made me…better, somehow.
Bianca remembered the feeling and judged it worth having again.
And keeping, maybe for the rest of my life. I could be faithful to him, if I had to.
She thought about it.
Or at the least, I could avoid getting caught the next time.

She shoved her purse to the passenger-side, and took the folded newspaper from the seat. “Now where did it say the competitors were staying?”

Rereading the article, Bianca finally found what she was looking for. “The Hilton Inn West,” she read. Pulling a pen from her bag, she circled it. “I can’t just go walking up in there without a plan. How do I get to her?”

A minivan pulled into the parking slot next to her, and a denim-clad blonde woman climbed out. Bianca fumbled with her door and finally managed to lock it. The blonde slung an oversized tote onto her shoulder and bent at the waist to peer into Bianca’s window. Seeing Bianca clearly, her full lips formed a surprised ‘O’, then she smiled apologetically. She mimed rolling the window down.

Cautious, Bianca lowered the glass just a bit.

“Honey, I am so sorry to startle you. It’s just that your car looks like the one a friend of mine drives.” She looked sweetly sorry and laced her fingers in front of her. “I said something to her that I shouldn’t have, and since she was coming over here, I thought I would catch her off-guard and apologize.”

“How sweet,” Bianca said.
And I should care, because…

“Not really,” the woman demurred. “She’s not that good of a friend, more of an annoyance, really. I just don’t want to have to deal with any of this later on. I’ll say what I need to say, and it’ll shut her up, get her out of my way, and I can get on with life.” She fingered her blonde tresses. “I guess that makes me sound a little hard-hearted, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all,” Bianca smiled. “I think it’s kind of smart.”
And it could work for me, too.

The woman suddenly straightened. “There she is. I have to go.” She gave Bianca’s door a pat. “Sorry again. Bye.”

“Bye.” Bianca savored the cool air flowing into the Stratus through the open window. Suddenly, things were clear. She dug into the Coach bag and found her cellphone. It took less than a minute to get what she needed from information.

* * *

Only twenty seconds over my best time
, Marlea exalted, pulling the new DreenScape dress from her closet. Holding the dress to her body, she danced across the carpet.
Great time, and I get to celebrate the win with AJ
. She stopped in front of the mirror.
I cannot believe that I’m about to put this beautiful dress on for a man.
She moved her hips and enjoyed the swish of silk chiffon against her terry robe.

The jangle of the telephone drew her away from the mirror.
Must be AJ, and I’m not nearly ready.
She hooked the dress hanger over the door on her way to the phone. “Hello?” she was breathless, but he always left her that way.

“Congratulations,” a sultry female voice offered. “I had a chance to see you run today, and you were absolutely inspiring.”

“Thank you.” Marlea tried to remember where she had heard the voice before.
A reporter?
No, that didn’t feel right.

“We may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I would like the chance to make things right between us.”

“You would?”

“Absolutely.” The voice seemed to catch. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry. You don’t know who this is, do you?”

“No, I don’t.” Marlea was prepared to hang up, but she was curious. “Who are you?”

Laughing lightly, the caller finally said, “This is Bianca Coltrane, and I really do want you to know how happy I am for you.” When Marlea was silent on the other end of the line, Bianca unctuously tried to flatter her into conversation. “It was a beautiful race.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t blame you for being short with me, after the way I behaved when we met at the reception. I was under duress, but that wasn’t your fault. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

“Sure…”

“If you’ve got a few minutes, I brought a little token along—something to celebrate your victory, and I’d like to deliver it.” Sure that the other woman was falling for her ruse, Bianca tried to breathe normally. “If that’s all right?”

“Sure,” Marlea finally agreed. “I’m in suite 1028.”

“Okay.” Bianca shifted the gift shop bouquet she held and looked at the room number she had noted on her newspaper. The room number was never in doubt, it was just a matter of getting through the door. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Maybe I should just make her hand whatever it is through the door,
Marlea was thinking, vividly remembering her painful encounter with Bianca.
Women like that don’t give up easily.

She quickly pulled on jeans and a tee shirt.
Facing her will be bad enough. I should at least not be standing here in a robe when she shows up.
She was still looking for shoes when she heard the knock.

Shoving her feet into running shoes, Marlea opened the door.

“Hi.” Standing nearly six feet tall in high-heeled, ankle-wrapped sandals, her body obviously tight in all the right places, Bianca moved her head to swing soft, honey-gold hair over her shoulders. “You gonna invite me in?”

“Sure,” Marlea stepped aside and allowed Bianca to enter her room. Closing the door, Marlea couldn’t help feeling that the other woman was sucking all the air out of her space.

“These are for you.” Bianca held out the bouquet of colorful flowers. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Accepting the flowers, Marlea wondered why Bianca hadn’t had them delivered. And why weren’t they in a vase?
This is some kind of a trick.
She folded back the green florist’s paper and fingered the petals of a sunflower. It was real. “They’re very pretty,” she said.

“I hoped you’d like them.” Bianca draped herself onto the rose-colored velveteen love seat.

“You said you saw me run today.” Flowers in her lap, Marlea sat in the chair across from Bianca. “How did that happen? Do you live near here?”

“Not far.” Cascade Center was only three hours away from Manhattan. “I saw your name on the list of competitors and thought that maybe, after our last encounter, I owed you a little moral support. Do you mind?”

“No, not at all.” Marlea said, touching the flowers again.

“It’s good that you didn’t have to face the competition all alone. I thought I saw AJ in the crowd.”

She’s smooth.
Marlea felt her skin crawl. “Yes, he was there.”

“Well,” Bianca smiled beautifully. “Is he coming here? I would love to see him again.”

“We’re going to dinner. He should be here any minute now.”

“How nice.”

Marlea was about to ask Bianca to leave when she heard the knock at her door. She glanced at the clock.

AJ.

Eyes on the other woman and acutely aware that she couldn’t be trusted, Marlea went to the door and pulled it open. He couldn’t have looked any better. Neat gray slacks paired with a dark cashmere jacket and a striped, open-necked shirt attested to the care he had taken in dressing.
For me
. Marlea’s heart took a little leap.

“Silk.” Leaning into the open door, AJ put his arm around Marlea’s waist and drew her to him for a kiss. “Is that what you’re planning on wearing?”

“No.” She stepped back and pointed. “I have a guest, AJ.”

His eyes widened and then narrowed when he saw her. “Bianca? What are you doing here?”

“What kind of greeting is that?” she pouted. “AJ, you know I always see you when you’re in New York.” Her movement slow and deliberate, Bianca shifted slightly on the love seat. Long legs crossed at the knee, she smiled, raised an elegant brow, and spread her arms. Her low chuckle said that no further explanation was necessary.

Marlea cocked her head. “You always see her when you’re in New York?”

“Why wouldn’t he? I almost married him.”

“AJ?” Ignoring the anger flooding AJ’s face, Marlea pressed. “You didn’t tell me you saw her when you were in New York.”

“There was nothing to tell.”

Bianca made a sucking sound and looked up at the ceiling.

“AJ?” He stared daggers at a blithely unconcerned Bianca. “You know, you promised me the truth. You promised me no drama,” Marlea reminded him. “You promised me no drama, and that woman is drama in designer pumps.”

“Have you forgotten the last time you were in New York, AJ?” Bianca taunted. “Do you think you would remember if I took off my clothes again?”

Marlea’s lips parted and the pain in her eyes was more than AJ could stand. He took a step toward her, his hand extended. “Marlea…”

“What, AJ? What are you going to say to me, and why should I trust it? Is it true?”

“Marlea, I don’t know what to say.”

“Say that it’s not true, AJ. Say that you didn’t see her the last time you were in New York. Say that she didn’t take her clothes off for you. Say something to make me believe you.”

“It wasn’t like that, Marlea.”

“What was it like, AJ? And if it was so innocent, why didn’t you say something to me?”

“Marlea, Bianca’s twisted…”

“She has a point, AJ.” Steeped in satisfaction, Bianca crossed her long legs and arranged herself more seductively on the velveteen love seat.

“Bianca.”

Her name on AJ’s lips sounded flat and bereft of emotion, but still more than Marlea could take. “What kind of fool do I look like to you, AJ? I wasn’t smart enough to see the player in you, but I’m not entirely stupid, even if I did trust every word you said to me.”

“And now here you are,” Bianca said softly.

“Bianca, could you shut the hell up?” AJ said, standing between the two women. “Marlea, I don’t want her. What do I look like to you?”

“You look like someone with no interest in a whore, and I understand that, ’cause I’m not interested in whores either, AJ.”

“Marlea…”

Her raised hand and tightly drawn face stopped him. “This is my room, and neither of you are welcome here. You both need to go.”

Bianca had the grace to follow AJ and then flinch when Marlea slammed the door behind them.

“Possessive, isn’t she?” Bianca sniped.

“Why did you try to make it sound like something happened between us?”

“It might have. Besides, you were the one who didn’t tell her, and it’s not my fault if her imagination got the better of her.” Looking into AJ’s furious eyes, she smiled slyly. “Besides, I would cheat on her with me, if I were you. Better still, I would marry me and keep her on the side—if that’s what you want. She’s low maintenance, no threat.”

AJ paced in agitation. “You know what? I…I’m not even sure why she let you through her door.”

“AJ, please. I told you before that I was tired of you playing the innocent victim. You know she let me in for the same reason you always do—to see what would happen.”

He blew hard air. “With you, I always know what’ll happen.”

Dismissive, Bianca flexed her fingers. “It’s the man in you that does it. It’s always the same with men. I figured that out a long time ago. You know, now that I think of it, it was the first time I showered with a man. There I was, all set to be in love, and brother was looking good and saying all the right things. It should have been romantic, but just before we stepped out of the water, I looked down at my nails. They were filthy: dirt and oil, all kinds of gunk under them.

“He caught me looking and turned up his nose when he saw what I was looking at. ‘Ugh,’ he said. ‘You sure are dirty.’ But it never occurred to him that I hadn’t touched myself, only him. Turned out later that he was as dirty on the inside as he was on the outside, and he only wanted to be with me to see what would happen.”