Million Dollar Mistake (10 page)

Finally, Nana broke the silence. “Well, won’t this be fun? I think we should have another mimosa to celebrate.” She punctuated the announcement with a hiccup.

Jackson lifted the pitcher. “Great idea, Nana.” His hungry gaze ran over Raven. “It’s not every day life gives you a second chance.”

Chapter Five

Lorianne hesitated when she saw Jackson standing alone in the drawing room. She’d been looking for him, thinking he might need to talk, but found herself suddenly reluctant to face him. She’d known this man since childhood. She’d watched him grow from gangly youth into polished man, supported him when he needed it, laughed at his jokes even when they weren’t funny, listened with a sympathetic ear as he spoke of his dreams, soothed him when his anger and impatience with his father’s pushing drove him nuts. She even went so far as to temper her criticism of his actions when he needed it; and there were times when he needed it. All because she loved him, had loved him as an adolescent, and loved him still, even now that he was making a fool of himself over Raven Rutledge. Anyone with an ounce of sense could see Raven was just toying with him, but still Jackson was eager to play.

Jackson half-turned in profile and she caught sight of his face, his expression both one of misery and determination. Reluctantly, her heart went out to him. She knew what it felt like to love someone who didn’t love you back. She stepped forward, her heels clicking on the wood floor, drawing his attention.

He turned fully, his face hopeful but sinking into resigned lines when he saw her. Lorianne’s heart sank, but she recovered quickly. One thing she’d learned as a child of a political household was how to hide her feelings.

“Hi,” she said, careful to keep her voice light and her lie believable. “Hope I’m not interrupting. My head’s rather fuzzy, so I thought I’d sit by the fire for a while.”

Jackson shrugged and indicated a sofa. “Be my guest.”

Lorianne nodded and walked over to settle herself on one of the plump cushions as Jackson turned back to stare into the fire. An uncomfortable silence stretched out for a few minutes, the air swirling with emotions. She studied Jackson’s drooping shoulders, but suddenly instead of wanting to comfort him, she wanted to slug him. She started to say something when Jackson broke the silence.

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

At that inane question, Lorianne almost started laughing, but quickly clapped a hand over her mouth as Jackson hunched his shoulders and faced her. She gave him a noncommittal, “I always love coming up here for a visit.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” His voice was distracted.

“What about you?” Lorianne asked. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

For the first time a flash of the Jackson Lorianne had known forever surfaced. “What do you think?”

Lorianne considered telling him, but realized he was too infatuated for it to do any good. She settled for, “Things do seem a bit awkward.”

Jackson snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

“I wish there was a way I could help.” When Jackson didn’t comment, Lorianne continued in a soft voice, “Have you known her long?”

“For a few weeks. But they’ve been the happiest weeks of my life.”

Her heart dropped to her shoes. “Really?” Not the answer she was looking for.

 
“You know how sometimes you see someone and you know they’re the one for you?”

Lorianne nodded
. Yes, I know.

“That’s how I felt when I saw her in Colorado. She was in the foyer of her home, surrounded by priceless antiques and gilt. God, I’ve never seen such an over-the-top mansion in my life”—he grimaced—”a silver baron with more money than taste. I wish you could have seen it, Lorianne.”

“I can imagine,” she smiled. “I watch
America’s Castles
on TV.”

Jackson gave her interruption an impatient wave. “Then Raven stepped forward to greet me, and the surroundings fell away.” His expression was—
besotted
, Lorianne thought before he continued, “All I could see was Raven. It was the most profound moment of my life.”

Lorianne just stared back at him. “It was?”

“Absolutely.”

“Almost a religious experience, no doubt.” Lorianne winced, wondering if he heard the sarcasm in her voice.

With an eager step Jackson came over to her and sat down, gathering her hands in his. “I knew you’d understand.”

“Ummm, sure.”

“She was so full of life. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Still can’t.”

Lorianne studied their clasped hands. “I noticed.”

“So did her father. He encouraged me to ask her to come back here with me.” He leaned closer to whisper. “I wanted to introduce her to the family.”

Lorianne withdrew her hands, clenching them in her lap. “She was happy about that?”

Jackson gave her a sheepish look. “I didn’t tell her. I thought I’d scare her if I mentioned falling in love with her on the spot.”

“Jackson, are you sure this is love?” Lorianne stared at her white knuckles, chewing her words before continuing, “I mean, of course you’re fascinated and infatuated—what man wouldn’t be—but love takes time. It comes from knowing someone, from building a strong foundation, from—”

Jackson looked offended. “I ought to know whether I’m in love or not.”

At that, Lorianne backtracked. “Of course, you should—”

“And I think she really loves me, but is afraid of it.”

“Huh?”

“She’s afraid of the demands of the political life and all the pressures.”

Lorianne threw him a confused look. “I thought you were having second thoughts about politics.”

Shaking his head in all directions, he ended by clenching his jaw. “Yes. No. I’m not sure. I’m sick to death of being pushed, that’s all.”

“I understand.” It was then she realized that his father had not only been pushing politics down his throat relentlessly, he’d also been pushing her, her family and her connections. No wonder he’d never seen her as anything other than a childhood friend.

Jackson looked away from her. “Since meeting Raven, I keep thinking about the fishbowl aspect of political life. How you’re living under a microscope every minute.”

“I think Raven is pretty used to the microscope,” Lorianne observed, thinking about all the tabloid stories she’d read about “the wild Raven Rutledge”.

Jackson catapulted himself off the sofa. “Lies, all lies. People inventing stories to sell papers.”

“Yeah, well, they’ve invented some good ones,” she said, her voice dry as unbuttered toast.

Ignoring her, Jackson continued, “I have to find a way to make her see that we could work.”

“What are you going to do about Nicholas?” At his blank look, she added, “Her fiancé, remember?”

“That’s where you come in.”

“Me?” Lorianne practically squeaked. “What do I have to do with it?”

“I want you to make Nicholas fall in love with you.”

Lorianne stood up. “Are you nuts?”

Jackson shook his head. “No, I think it’s a good solution.”

“Well, let me tell you what I think. I think you must have fallen on your head between breakfast and now. Of all the ridiculous—”

“No, it’s not. I’ve seen him looking at you.”

Lorianne looked at Jackson. She wanted to slam him against the wall, then tell him to grow up and face reality. “He feels sorry for me.”

“What? Why?”

Lorianne’s jaw dropped to her knees as she stared at him.
He really doesn’t know how I feel about him. God, this man might as well be deaf, dumb, blind and three days dead. What the hell do I see in him?

Finally, Lorianne snapped, “If you don’t know, I’m not going to be the one to tell you.” With that, she stood up, executed a military precision about-face and marched from the room.

Hurting, eyes a bit teary now, she’d only taken a few rushed steps into the hallway when she barreled straight into a wall. No, not a wall, she amended as a hand clamped hard on her arm to keep her upright.

“Watch it, hot coffee,” said an alarmed male voice.

Lorianne jumped back just in time to avoid the steaming liquid now arching over the china cup. It splashed on the hallway rug. She gasped as the stain widened before looking up into Nicholas’s concerned face.

“Are you all right?”

She felt herself turning as bright red as Rudolph’s famous nose as she blinked rapidly at the man Jackson had just told her to set her sights on. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

“Lorianne? Are you—”

For nowhere came her tiny squeak, “I’m peachy, thanks.”

“You’re sure?”

“Oh, yes. Never better.” Lorianne would have sold her dog to disappear in a cloud of smoke at that minute. She could feel Nicholas’s narrowed gaze boring into her.

“You didn’t get burned?”

“No, just the carpet.”

Nicholas winced. “Damn. I’ll just take what’s left of this coffee to Raven and then come back to clean—”

“Oh no, I’ll do it.”

“Are you sure? I’m the one who—”

“It was my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going. As usual.” She tried to chuckle. “I’m kind of a klutz.”

With one long finger Nicholas tilted her chin up. “I’ve never met a lovelier klutz.”

At his kind look, Lorianne smiled. “Liar.”

Nicholas grinned and shrugged.

“Thanks for that, though. Now go on. Get that coffee to Raven while it’s still hot.” Lorianne watched him walk away, heading down the hallway toward the conservatory. What would it be like to have a spectacular man like that in love with me, she wondered. There was something about Nicholas that made Jackson seem pale in comparison. Then she felt a flash of guilt. How could she think that? She loved Jackson. She sent a resentful glare at the room she’d just left.

Still, wouldn’t it serve you right, Jackson Exeter, if I took you up on your request?

Raven had wandered into the glass conservatory after breakfast. Restless and annoyed, she sat on a cushioned hassock and stared at the snow through a wall of glass that nurtured the luxurious green plants and hot house flowers that belied the weather. The snow was still falling so hard it might as well be a woolen blanket.

Of all the bad luck. Trapped as part of the devil’s house party. She’d be lucky if she got through the next few days without being scorched. To make matters worse, her head felt as if it might explode. She should know better than to drink in the morning.

“Here you go. I brought you caffeine just as you like it—black as Satan and twice as hot.” Nicholas’s cheery voice broke into her morose thoughts.

“I don’t need any coffee.”

“Yes, you do. You’ve never been able to handle champagne.”

“I have, too. I’m a sophisticate.”

“Uh-huh, but champagne has always given you a hangover.”

Determined not to show any weakness, Raven threw all of her energy into denial. “Not true. I love champagne. I make it a requirement for all the men in my life to ply me with champagne and strawberries.”

He placed the china cup and saucer on a nearby table. “Well, at least you have some requirements.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Raven bristled.

“Nothing.”

“Yes it did. You never just say nothing.”

Nicholas glanced at the teacup then stepped away from the table. “Well, I can’t help but think that some of your recent ‘dalliances’ have been…” he sent her a charming smile, “
lacking
, shall we say?”

“Lacking in what way?” she asked, noticing that Nicholas had positioned himself out of firing range in case she lost her temper.

“In just about every way I can think of,” he said, with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Raven was determined to hold on to her self-control, regardless of the provocation. She hunched a shoulder, muttering, “Much you know about it.”

“Let’s take young Exeter, for example.”

She lifted her chin and nailed him with a defiant gaze. “Jackson is handsome, wellborn, wealthy and has a brilliant future ahead of him.”

“I’m sure he does. Only not with you.”

Scowling like a punished child, she said, “I really wouldn’t have been an anchor around his neck, no matter what everyone thinks.”

“Yes, you would.”

“I would not. I could be a wonderful wife for a politician.”

Nicholas considered her. “In what way?”

“I know how to talk to people and give parties.”

He grinned. “So did Heidi Fleiss.”

 
She glared at him. “How dare you compare me with the ‘Hollywood Madam’?”

His glance wandered over her body so slowly that she felt a tingle in response before he lifted his gaze to meet hers again. “I’m just saying there’s more to being a good match for someone than the obvious things.”

“Like what?”

“Like the same values.”

Raven flinched. “I have values.”