Opposite Attraction (5 page)

"
She liked him when they were kids, Cynthia. " He took the bottle of water out of her hands and drank from it before handing it back to her. "She 's not in love with him. "

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I don 't think she acted as if she wasn 't happy. "

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No, but she should have been the first one out of her seat to hug him and congratulate them. "

Cynthia sipped from the bottle. "I told you she got you all worked up. " She finished the water and threw the bottle into the recycle bin. "You watched her all night long. I 'll bet you even know what she left on her plate. "

He winced. Of course he did, she hadn 't touched a thing. In fact, he didn 't think she looked well at all. It was probably nerves. After all, having dinner with the Keller family for the first time was probably nerve wracking, no matter what your relationship was with the people at the table.

Cynthia moved in closer to him and placed her hand on his chest. She looked up at him and batted her lashes. "I 'm going to bed. Why don 't you go home and get some sleep. I 'm off tomorrow. You? " He nodded. "Good. You 're going to meet me at noon lunch. And we 're going to sort out what 's going on in that head of yours. "

"
I don 't think that sounds like fun at all. "

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Curtis Keller, I 've spent more time with you than any other woman has in the past three years. You 're one of my dearest friends. " She tapped her fingers against his chest. "That woman has wrapped herself so tightly around your heart you 're going to explode. We 'd better figure out what you 're going to do about it. "

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I don 't want to do anything about it. She doesn 't deserve it. "

She wrapped her arms around his neck and settled a friendly look on him. "Don 't you suppose there 's a reason she came back to Nashville? "

Again, he winced. Yeah, she wasn 't the kind to just decide to move somewhere without an ocean to escape on. Something was up and he figured he 'd better find out what. After all, if Simone Pierpont was up to something, it could seriously affect his sister and her family. He couldn 't let that happen.

Simone paced the floor in her bedroom. She 'd been embarrassed by her reaction when Zach announced that they were expecting another baby. Of all people she should have jumped up from her chair and kissed his cheek and sq1ueezed his wife. That was protocol for something like that. Instead she 'd sat there.

She dropped into the oversized chair by the window and let her head fall back. Maybe no one else had noticed her reaction. Oh, that was just foolish to think that way. Curtis had noticed.

Well things were certainly different now. She couldn 't stay with Zach and Regan any longer. Certainly she couldn 't tell them about her predicament now that they were ecstatic to have their own baby. Her father had pushed her away. She 'd dishonored him -embarrassed him. There was no crawling back to him, and her mother -well she wasn 't even sure where her mother was at the moment.

First things first, she needed to get a job, find a place to live, and then, and only then, could she tell Curtis about the baby. She needed to prove, to herself and to him -and the rest of the world -that she could handle this responsibility. Indeed she was old enough. Somewhere in her private schooling and her etiquettes classes she had to have been taught how to take on the world without a butler and a chauffeur.

When her father saw his grandchild he 'd want to accept her back. Her world would return to normal. Curtis would want her too. He wasn 't the kind to turn away family.

Thoughts of his parents and his brothers and their wives clouded her mind. Curtis Keller might never turn her and their baby away, but would he ever love her as the other men loved their wives?

Tears stung her eyes and she let them fall. She hated the way she thought. Having her baby wasn 't some tool to get a man, or regain her wealth. Hadn 't that been what her mother had done?

No. She 'd make a life for herself first. If it was just her and the baby, so be it. Women did it all the time. She could do it too.

The tears began to dry up and there was a sense of pride swelling in her chest. Simone Pierpont was somebody, not just some heiress with a yacht and a stunning wardrobe. She 'd prove that she could make it on her own and provide for another.

Simone sucked in a breath and embraced the new sense of self-worth, which felt better than the acquisition of a new diamond bracelet or a custom made pair of Italian shoes. This was a feeling no one could pay for.

Her moment was interrupted by a tapping at the door.

"
Come in, " she called as she stood from the chair and wiped at her eyes quickly hoping to hide the tears she 'd shed.

Regan opened the door slowly. "Am I bothering you? "

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Of course not. Please, come in. "

Regan moved around the door. In her hand she carried a mug. "I made you some tea. I thought you could use it to relax. "

"
I appreciate it. Thank you,
mon ami.
" She took the mug from Regan and sat back down in the chair.

"
Simone, I hope I 'm not overstepping my boundaries, but is everything alright with you?

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I beg your pardon. "

Regan sat down on the bed across the room and laid her hands in her lap. "Zach is worried about you. He says you 're not yourself. "

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He worries too much, that is all. "

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Perhaps. But you mean a great deal to him, and to me too. If there is anything wrong, we want to help. "

Simone thought of all the things she could tell Regan. She 'd always wanted a sister, and Regan was as close as she 'd come. But still, there was no way to tell her what had transpired in her life, after all, Regan was Curtis 's sister. Telling her what she 'd done could change her relationship with the woman forever. She 'd already been thrown out of her father 's life, she couldn 't risk Zach and his wife throwing her out too.

"
Everything is fine. I have just been having a moment of clarity, before you walked in. " She tucked her feet under her and smiled at Regan. "I 've decided I want to find my own place to live and get a job. "

The reaction on Regan 's face should have made her angry, but she knew it was genuine. When an oil heiress tells you she wants to get a job most people would stare at her wide eyed with their mouths open, just as Regan was doing.

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I think that 's great. So you 'll be staying in Nashville longer than you 'd anticipated? "

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I want to. I think it is time. "

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Simone, I think that 's wonderful. " And from the compassion in Regan 's eyes she knew she was sincere. "Zach could surely… "

Simone held up her hand to stop her. "I will not take a job or 1a home from him. "

"
But, Simone… "

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No. I will do this myself. I can do this. "

Regan stood and walked toward her. She bent down and gave her a warm hug. "I know you can. I believe you are the kind of woman who gets what she wants. "

Simone bit the inside of her cheek. She could only hope that was in fact the kind of woman she was.

Regan took a step back. "I 'll let you get some sleep. Perhaps we could go to lunch tomorrow and discuss your plans. I 'm a great assistant and I 'm dying to do something. Maybe I can help you work on your resume, or hunt down some places to live. "

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I think that sounds splendid. "

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Great. Good night. "

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Good night. " Regan turned to leave and Simone stood quickly. "Oh, and, Regan, " she waited for her to turn. "Congratulations on the new baby. I know Zach wants a house full of children. "

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I hope so. Coming from a big family I want Tyler to have that. "

Regan shut the door and Simone was alone again, but this time she didn 't feel alone. No, she had someone to take care of and she and Regan were going to make plans for her new life. She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Was she ready for a new life? She placed her hands on her stomach. Well, ready or not, it was coming.

Curtis pulled the lettuce off his sandwich, reassembled the bread, and then pushed it aside. Cynthia sipped her Pepsi and shook her head. "You 're not going to eat? "

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Just not hungry. "

Cynthia picked up her sandwich and took a bite. "Have you met Sam yet? "

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Sam? "

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Male nurse. Six-four. Short blond hair. Dreamy blue eyes. "

Curtis let out a loud chuckle. "No, guess I 've missed him. "

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He 's working at the clinic with me on my days off at the hospital. And he 's taking me out to dinner tonight. "

Curtis pulled his sandwich back toward him and took a bite. He was more comfortable now that they were talking about her than had the conversation been about him and Simone. "Do I need to shake him down and make sure he 's worthy of taking you out? "

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You even talk to him I 'll shove you in your locker. "

And that was why he adored his friendship with Cynthia. He could take her to a ball game, or a fancy dinner. If they felt like it, they 'd tangle up the sheets. Or she could abuse him and tell him all about her sex life with other men. He realized he was lucky. Every man should have that very special woman in their lives. The ones who would do anything for you or with you, but didn 't come with strings attached.

"
Oh, my gosh. Your sister is here. " Cynthia 's hand went up in a wave and Curtis turned his head to the door. "Oh, look. She 's with Simone. "

He felt the bread from his sandwich lodge in his throat. He reached for his drink and the women approached the table.

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Fancy meeting you here. " Regan reached past Curtis and gave Cynthia a casual hug and then gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Simone and I were just grabbing some lunch. "

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Oh, sit with us, " Cynthia was quick to add.

Suddenly Curtis 's appetite was completely gone. His sister pulled out a chair and Simone took the vacant one next to him. He lifted his eyes to see her, but she 'd kept hers diverted. All the better he thought.

"
Simone, how are you? Is this heat enough for you? At least you 've come when it will start to cool off. " Cynthia asked a little too enthusiastically for him.

"
It has been pleasant. "

Curtis picked up his drink again. Maybe he could just drown in the cup. But then the next best thing happened. The pager on his hip went off and he reached for it as quickly as he could. "Ah, they need me at the hospital. "

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I didn 't know you were on call. " Cynthia looked at him as he stood from the table.

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They called this morning and said Drake was out sick. I 'll catch you ladies later. " He picked up his sandwich and made sure he kissed Cynthia goodbye before he darted out the door. Thank goodness for someone 's tragedy.

Simone couldn 't decide if she was glad that Curtis had left or if she 'd rather have him near and just remain awkward in his presence. There was a comfort in that too.

The waitress stopped at the table, left glasses of water, and took their orders. The moment she walked away Simone reached for the water and began to drink it down. If only it were champagne and it would wash away any self-doubt she had sitting next to Curtis 's girlfriend.

Cynthia reached over to the plate Curtis had taken his sandwich from, and ate a chip. As she bit into it Simone thought of how intimate and unassuming it was, and Curtis wasn 't even there. She sipped her water again and hoped Cynthia didn 't realize how uncomfortable she was. A Pierpont was never to appear shaken or uncomfortable.

Cynthia took another chip. "So, Regan, how are you feeling? "

"
I feel better every day, but I look forward to the end of this first trimester. "