When the Heart Lies (10 page)

She made a funny face and shrugged.

He swatted the air. “Whatever. Will we be back before morning?”

She added a frown to the funny face and shook her head. “He set up a couple of rooms for us at a nearby hotel.” Now, she smirked.

The woman had no shame when going after what she wanted. Usually what she wanted consisted of them ending up naked, and the scenario was getting far too frequent for comfort now that his feelings for Kinsley were getting stronger.

“His name is Xavier Wentworth; he’s her father-in-law.”

“Her father-in-law, huh. What’s his interest in her personal life?”

“Said he wants to be sure she and Max are safe, and after the incident with her boyfriend, he wanted more information. When I called to tell him the police and ambulance were at Wayde’s house, he told me to make certain she was well cared for. I told him about Lakeside, and he arranged for her stay.”

“What’s this guy like?”

“Nice guy.” She bit down on her tongue—letting just the right amount of pink show a little. “Loaded, in every way.”

“Oh, brother. You, too? What’s the attraction to old guys lately? And what’s with you and him?”

“I spent some time with him. A long time ago. Never completely broke him down though.” She expelled a long growling grunt. “God, I was so into him. I was an intern in his legal department. He’s married. The relationship never went much beyond a causal affair. Something changed, and he ended things, but he was good to me and still is.”

“What’s the husband like?”

“Nick? Total ladies man, especially after Kinsley left, from what Xavier says. Drinks too much. If we do see Nick or run into anyone else, you’re my date.”

His head dipped, and he looked at her steady from below his lashes. “Your date?”

“That’s right, my date. What’re you, too good for me now? Unless it’s Jonathan, he knows me, and he’s aware you’re watching her.”

“Why all the covert maneuvering, Olivia? What’s really up with this guy, and who the hell is Jonathan?”

“Xavier’s very protective when it comes to his family. Jonathan’s his personal assistant. More like an old-fashioned butler, actually.”

“Seems to me Nick should be the concerned one. I’d better go pack.”

“Twelve-thirty flight, your ticket will be at Continental’s check-in. Oh yeah, bring dress clothes, Jackson.”

He turned to leave while raising his hand, signaling he got the message. If he hurried back to the motel, packed, and drove straight to the airport, he’d make the flight, but the schedule left no leeway for sentimental goodbyes, and he had to forgo seeing Kinsley.

~ ~ ~

There was a double knock at Kinsley’s door. She could barely open her eyes. It seemed like she hadn’t slept at all. “Yeah?” When she finally pried them apart and looked at the clock, she was surprised at the time.

An unknown male voice spoke from behind the door. “You’re late for an appointment with Dr. Pierce. You have ten minutes.”

Great.
Today would be a fantastic day. She ran a comb through her hair and imagined what Pierce would have to say about last night. After pulling herself together, she headed to Pierce’s office.

His door was open, so she stuck her head in. “Sorry, I’m late,” she said, trying to appear truly contrite.

He leaned back in his chair, smiled, and waved her in. “Come in and have a seat.”

She sat and waited, expecting a lecture.

“What happened last night? Sounds like you got caught up in a bit of confusion.” Pierce’s tone sounded more concerned than angry, and he seemed uncharacteristically relaxed compared to their last visit.

She lowered her eyes, embarrassed by her immature behavior the previous night. More than ever before, she felt conflicted. She had no business complicating her life any further. “I made a decision without thinking things through, and I ended up doing something stupid.”
Really stupid.

“Well, I’m glad you realize it was stupid. Aside from that, I want you to realize it was impulsive.”

When he put his hand up in a gesture of understanding and made direct eye contact, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Once you’re aware you have the tendency to do impulsive things, you can consciously try to make a choice to review an action before engaging in it. I’m not judging you. You said yourself the pills were impulsive.”

He made sense, and she agreed with him not only because she wanted him to discharge her, but also because he was right. If she hadn’t been impulsive and left New York, she wouldn’t be in this fix. “I’m curious, why couldn’t I make any phone calls yesterday?”

“After an incident similar to the one you experienced, I find people are very emotional. Sometimes they need to think about what they really want and take time away from the conflict for solitary reflection. Does that make sense?”

“Makes sense.” The way she went back and forth about calling Nick, he had a point. She wanted to call him, but in many ways, she remained afraid.

“Yes. It’s a different approach, but I find it works. I’m told I have some old fashion ideas.” He smiled. “Let me ask you. Do you still need to make those calls today?”

She shook her head. As she told Jackson, she should get out of this bind on her own. Or at least attempt to.

“Well, I can see from your records and from talking to you, you’re an intelligent, healthy young woman. I’m discharging you this morning. I’ll give you a prescription for Xanax in case you find yourself anxious like you were the night you came in.”

It was amazing how cooperative he was being, but she wasn’t going to question her luck. She was glad to be leaving. “Do you think I need the pills?”

“Just in case. Sounds like you have your hands full right now. It’s better to have some if you need them. You can fill the prescription at the pharmacy downstairs. Just don’t take them all at once.” Smiling rather handsomely and with good humor, he nodded, letting her know she was free to leave.

It would take Wayde at least a couple hours to get Max ready and get to Lakeside. She stopped at the nurse’s desk to call him and then headed to her room to rest. She was at an impasse. Say goodbye to Jackson, or skip it? He clouded her judgment. The whole three months she’d been with Wayde, she’d only thought about being home again. That’s all she wanted to focus on. Maybe she was losing hope of ever going home again. Whatever it was, it was enough of an opening for her to allow Jackson to slip in and confuse things even more. She went over to the bed and slumped down into the softness.
What was I thinking to leave New York with nothing but a small book advance?
Nick would never have wanted her to leave with no money. At the time, she wanted him to worry. To care. She’d give up the love of a man for Max, but Nick had to at least care.

Curled up and spooning her pillow, she imagined Jackson. To her, he was simply a pleasant diversion. That’s what she told herself. A man she could pretend would always look at her the way he did now and would love and want only her forever. He was a silly fantasy, but she chose to daydream anyway. She conceived the heat of his skin against her face, the firmness of his chest against her hand, and the smell of him. She could almost feel his hand on top of hers as it lay against his chest. Imagining him breathing, she synchronized her breaths with his and fell asleep sensing him next to her. The memory of a man she’d given up to be with Nick, a man who truly loved her, taught her how to relax and fall asleep that way. She wasn’t sure if she could give that up again.

~ ~ ~

Jackson boarded the plane and took his seat next to Olivia in first class. “I’m not looking forward to this, especially the overnight trip, and I thought I was going to be able to touch base with Kinsley before she left.”

Olivia’s silence spoke for itself. He’d try to be more sensitive of her feelings for him.

Leaning in, he spoke in a softer voice. “So? Talk to me, what’s happening with the audio at the house?”

“You’re supposed to be a patient. Goodbyes aren’t essential. Haven’t been able to get in yet. The stripper sleeps the day away, and he rarely goes out. Do you ever say hello? Or is everything all business since you dumped me?”

“I didn’t dump you. We work too closely, and you agreed. Why screw with our friendship. We should’ve never gone there. And don’t tell me what I’m supposed to be.” Olivia was a friend, a good friend. Not only a friend, but also his department connection. He shouldn’t have gotten involved with Olivia; he should’ve listened to his better half, which wasn’t the half he’d been thinking with at the time. The same went for Kinsley, too. But with her, he was thinking with only his heart. He wasn’t completely comfortable with thinking that way, but he didn’t seem to be able to change the fact that Kinsley had captured that part of him.

“Ah, huh. Sure, you’re worried about our friendship. A limo will pick us up at the airport. We’ll be joining Xavier at a restaurant near his morning meeting. Later tonight, he wants to have dinner with us. His wife Angela is coming, Nick too. He wants us to socialize a bit with Nick and see what’s going on in his head about the situation.”

“Doesn’t this family ever talk to one another?”

“They haven’t been close in the last few years. He and Nick rarely talk now. Nick knows nothing about you watching Kinsley.”

It was odd that Nick hovered in the background unaware that his wife was being watched on the instruction of his father. With the disjointed relationships in this family, Wayde wasn’t the only one he would be focusing on. “Something’s not right here, and I want to find out what that something is.”

The crook in Olivia’s lip and her ceiling bound eyes confirmed—she was annoyed. “Jackson, I simply think an overly concerned father-in-law is making up for his son’s apparent lack of interest. You’re digging for something that doesn’t exist.” She flipped open a magazine. “A simple case of a grandfather wanting to be apprised of what’s going on with his grandson. That’s what this is. Period.”

“Checking in on someone to determine they’re safe is one thing, but monitoring all their conversations? C’mon Olivia, I’ve been doing this a while. If Xavier were her husband, I might be more inclined to agree with you. Something’s eating at me with this case.”

“Something? Or someone?” The pages of the magazine she was reading snapped as she flipped them.

He snubbed her comment.

She stopped flipping pages and glared at him. “All I can tell you is if Xavier is interested in what’s going on, he has good reason. You’re probably thinking he has a lot of money, so he must have an ulterior motive, but he’s not like that. He’s a straight shooter, one of the most honest men I’ve ever met.” She closed the magazine calmly and turned to face the window.

They fastened their seat belts to prepare for takeoff, not bothering to try to talk over the jet engines. Both appeared to be glad for the relief.

When they were in the air, he turned to her and asked, “So, what other information do you have on the family?”

“I told you, not much. I did meet Kinsley once though, at a benefit for some trauma center.”

He ignored her disgusted expression. Olivia could be that way when the conversation wasn’t about her. “Well, what did you think of her?”

“I’m not sure. She’s one of those women.” With a half roll of her eyes, she made her opinion clear.

“One of those women?”

“You’ve seen the type. Elegant, walks around like she’s crystal and all the other women are cheap plastic.”

“Ha, your claws are showing.” He made a sound like an angry cat and laughed. He knew his teasing and flirting drove women crazy, but it was just his way. The tension it created kept conversations from getting too deep. If a woman needed more than that, she needed more than he could give her. Until Kinsley. He couldn’t think of anything he wouldn’t want to give her.

She peeked around at the other passengers who appeared unaware of their conversation, and elbowed him in the side.

~ ~ ~

Not long after dozing off into her fantasy, Kinsley woke up. A mixture of dread and happiness washed over her. After discharge, she’d be with Max, which would be wonderful and put her mind at ease, but she’d go back to Wayde’s God-awful house. She wondered how she’d ever stayed for three months. The past seemed so hazy now. She sat on the side of the bed, staring at the wall across from her. For a long time, she kept her focus on the wall in an attempt to keep her head empty of thoughts. Eventually, the trance was broken when a nurse knocked on the door and stuck her head in.

“I need you to sign your discharge papers. Here’s a couple bags for your clothing. Your ride called. They’re running late, but they’ll be here soon.”

She signed the papers, filled her bags, and headed to the main room to get some coffee and wait for Wayde.

The dining area was quiet this morning. She poured her coffee on autopilot, looked around, and saw the empty table she and Jackson sat at only yesterday —if she sat there. Too late. She was already thinking about Jackson. Her legs took her to the table anyway, and she sat, tapping her fingers mindlessly against her coffee cup. She’d wasted far too much time on him already. Who was she kidding? She would never forget her time with him. Soon after, Scar sat down next to her. Kinsley acknowledged her, but didn’t say anything.