I turned on my heel and went back to the table where I’d been waiting. I sat down and reached for the envelope I’d left on the seat. As he sat down across from me, I slammed it on the table. “There. Now, where is she?”
“See, that wasn’t so hard.” Stefano shoved the envelope into his coat pocket and leaned back in the seat. He dropped his fingers on the top of the table and looked around, looking pleased with himself. “So…here’s what happens now. I’ll let her know that her debt is paid in full. She’s free to do whatever she wants.”
“If she was free to do what she wants,” I said, struggling to keep my temper under control, “then she could have left whenever she wanted.”
“Hey, man…” He held up his hands, looking wounded. “She owed me money. What was I supposed to do? Just let her walk out and leave me hanging?”
“Yeah. You’re the injured party here.” I curled my lip at him, so disgusted I could barely stand to be in the same room.
“Hey, she came to me. Remember that. I didn’t snatch her or something like that. I’m legit.” He hitched up a shoulder and tipped an imaginary hat in a salute before sliding out of the booth. “Nice doing business with you, Kaleb.”
I almost told him to shove his business up his ass.
Instead, I shrugged easily. “Tell Camry I’ll be waiting for her call. I want to know where to pick her up.”
“Hey, I’m sure she’ll be in touch…soon.”
As he turned and slouched out of the club, I fought the uneasy feeling settling over me. More than anything else, that last comment set me off.
I’ve been leery of this whole mess from the get go, but now I was left to wonder if I hadn’t just been played.
25
Piety
“So you see, this client last week…”
Across from me, one Windsor Kiperman droned on and on. He was a good-looking enough guy, dark brown hair, streaked through with gold, and amazing hazel eyes. But he was so hung up on work, it was amazing he hadn’t choked on it.
I nodded politely, trying my best to look like I was interested.
Really, I should be.
He was good looking and well off, and our fathers were very good friends. His father was also one of my dad’s biggest campaign contributors.
In the eyes of my family, it was probably a match made in heaven.
In my eyes, it was a match made in the doldrums. I had never been so bored in my entire life. It wasn’t that Windsor was a bad guy or anything. He wasn’t. He opened doors, he’d called up and asked if I had an opinion on where we should go to eat, he was polite, attentive during the drive over.
And he was so perfectly…boring.
Finally – finally – he wrapped up his conversation about the client, and I leaned forward, smiling. “What was the last movie you saw?”
If he kept talking about work, I just might cry.
He stared at me with a blank expression.
“I absolutely loved the Avengers movie that came out last spring. Did you see it?” I continued to smile as I reached for my wine, wondering if my face would hurt from that fake, plastic smile.
“Hmmm. No. Those movies don’t appeal to me.” His comment wasn’t rude. It was just a statement – a polite, boring statement. “I seldom have time for movies. I’m rather surprised, I heard you do…charity work?”
He left the statement hanging, as though it was a question.
“My charity work?”
“Yes, I understand you’re involved in some philanthropic sort of business.” He sliced a precise cut off his steak and popped it in his mouth.
I hadn’t been able to stop from noticing that he cut his food in an obsessively neat way. It was like he practically measured how wide of a bite to cut, how long.
You’re obsessing, Piety!
“Ah, yes. I suppose you could call it a philanthropy sort of thing.” I shrugged. “I’m a social worker. I work at a homeless shelter.”
“You work there?” Windsor arched his brows. Now, instead of slicing off another perfect bite of steak, he laid his fork down and leaned forward. Puzzlement stamped all over his features, he studied me.
“Yes. It’s a home for battered women and their children.” I expected his eyes to glaze over, but he nodded, looking almost interested.
“I didn’t realize you actually worked there. I assume you get a paycheck?”
I rolled my eyes. “Barely. Their budget isn’t much, but I love my job, and it’s an important one.”
Windsor nodded slowly. “I imagine it is. I’ve been attempting to convince my father into getting the company more involved in philanthropy, and perhaps getting the employees to jump on board, but he’s…slow to see the benefits.”
“The benefits are helping people out.”
“Yes, of course. That’s always a positive thing.” He shrugged, his eyes sliding away. “But that’s not an argument that would work with him. You know, this is interesting. I didn’t know you actually worked at this facility. Fascinating.”
I’d heard too many similar comments, most of them with more than a tinge of superiority, to be insulted. At least Windsor seemed to mean it when he said it sounded fascinating.
“Yes, well, my parents would much rather it be true philanthropy.” I played with the napkin in my lap. “Dad loves how it looks in front of the camera, but that’s the only way it appeals to him.”
It sounded terrible and made me feel even worse than before. I felt awful about how Kaleb had taken them for all that money – that was how I ended up here.
I still didn’t want to believe he had done it. But he hadn’t called, hadn’t texted. Without any sort of explanation, what was I supposed to think?
You’re not supposed to be thinking about him at all.
Desperate to change the subject, I asked, “So if you’re not into movies, what do you do for fun?” No more thinking about Kaleb.
“Well…” He shrugged sheepishly. “To be honest, I really don’t do much for fun. I just don’t have time.”
“Oh, come on…everyone has time for a little bit of fun.” I pushed my hair back from my ear and stopped myself from playing with a strand. “I managed to read for about fifteen minutes a day no matter how busy I am. I go crazy if I don’t get in something to entertain me. Do you work out, go to the gym?”
“I…work…all the time.” He held up a hand. “Sometimes I play golf with a client.”
“But that’s work too.”
He laughed. “True. I’ll be able to slow down later on in life. Right now, I’m still trying to get established and show my dad I can take care of the job. I’ll be the one taking over when he retires, you know.” He cocked his head, that inquisitive, puzzled look on his face. “What about you? Have you ever thought about going into politics? Following in your father’s footsteps?”
“Crap.” I shuddered at the thought. “No.”
He laughed. “You look like you just ate something that tasted really, really bad.”
“I feel like I tasted something really, really bad. There’s no way I would go into politics.” I gave an emphatic shake of my head.
“So what do you plan on doing?” The genuine interest in his voice was…sweet.
But he didn’t get it.
“I’m already doing it.” I shrugged. “I love what I do. Sometimes it breaks my heart. Some of it drains me and leaves me exhausted. But at the end of the day, I’m making a difference. That…matters. It’s enough for me.”
At least it always had been.
I didn’t feel quite so ready to dive into work, although it wasn’t work that was getting to me. I was just finding life in general lacking.
And I knew why.
Kaleb.
There it was again…I was thinking about him.
“What about your father? Don’t you think he’s making a difference? Don’t you think he might want something…more?”
“Do you really think that politics can offer more? More what…headache
s?” I laughed a little. “No. I don’t think so.”
Windsor seemed to realize he was about to step in it. “I’m sorry.”
I waved him off. “It’s okay. Not everybody gets it, but they don’t need to. I’m happy with what I do. I’m more than happy. I feel…complete. At the end of the day, I’m satisfied. I make time for myself, and I do things for fun – now – and I don’t feel the need to do anything to prove myself to anybody. I’m good.”
“I think I envy you,” Windsor said softly.
It surprised me.
“Nothing is stopping you from finding what would make you happy – except you.” I held his eyes for a moment.
“True. But my priorities are more important than just being happy.”
26
Piety
The better part of a bottle of wine sat open in front of me. I had just about emptied my glass, and I was ready to top it off.
Drinking in the dark wasn’t exactly the best way to end the night, but I wasn’t ready to go to bed, and I had no interest in reading or watching TV.
The one thing I did want to do wouldn’t happen.
I wanted to talk to Kaleb.
But I sure as hell wasn’t going to call him. Or text him.
I put my phone away just to make sure I didn’t give into the urge or get too drunk and forget the promise I made to myself.
Astra called to check on me, asking if I was okay.
I lied.
Part of me wished I hadn’t, that I’d confessed to how miserable I truly was. If I had, she would have come back home, and we could have eaten ice cream and watched cheesy movies, and maybe I wouldn’t feel so pathetic.
Maybe I should just give in to the inevitable.
My parents were just going to keep pushing men like Windsor at me. At least Windsor wasn’t a total ass. I could be Piety Kiperman within a year if I played things right.
Piety Kiperman.
“Please,” I whispered, the very idea making my head hurt.
Life with him would be awful.
I’d be bored within three days, if not less.
But my parents were constantly pushing him at me, and if it wasn’t him, it would be somebody else. Mom had already sent me a text, asking how the date had gone and when we were going out again.
Tears burned my eyes, and I groaned, putting the glass down so I could press the tips of my fingers against my eyes, trying to stem the flow.
“Crying alone in the dark, drinking alone in the dark,” I muttered. “Pathetic.”
I couldn’t help it though. Everything seemed to be imploding around me and all within the span of a few days. I wanted to go back to my nice, normal existence when I’d been content.
Except content wasn’t enough now.
I’d felt what it was like to be happy. I’d only had a taste of it, but it had been enough. I wanted that back. I wanted something my parents had never had – passion. A partner who loved me, not just somebody who shared common interests.
I wanted things my parents wouldn’t even understand…and all they kept doing was pushing Windsor at me.
I wanted a man who loved me so much he was stupid with it. My dad was never stupid about anything.
The thought of him doing something stupid and crazy for my mother was just insane. The thought of my mother doing something stupid and crazy for my father was equally insane.
The sound of my own laughter caught me off-guard, but I’d started to think of that crazy, freefall sort of feeling I’d had when I climbed on the skyscraper roller coaster with Kaleb. I’d done it because of the way he’d smiled at me. I hadn’t been able to stop myself. It wasn’t even all that crazy, but my mother wouldn’t have done it.
My father…on a roller coaster?
Never.
“Stop it!” I grabbed the bottle of wine, and without even bothering to pour it into the glass, I took a drink. Rising, I headed straight into my bedroom and went to the window, staring outside. I’d never felt so lonely and empty before in my life.
If I could just convince myself that I was worried about his sister, I’d feel better.
If I could just convince myself that it had little to do with him as a person and more to do with the situation itself, maybe I’d be alright.
But I couldn’t do it.
Yes, I had concerns about Camry, but she wasn’t what had me lying awake at night.
I’d thought there was…something between us. I really had. But I must have been wrong. Maybe it was only growing on my side. If we’d had anything there, wouldn’t he have trusted me? Wouldn’t he have at least called or sent me a note? Something to let me know?
I took another drink of wine, then put the bottle on the nightstand. Falling back onto the bed, I stared up at the ceiling.
I wanted to tell myself that things would get better…things would turn around.
But I’d been doing that ever since he left, and so far, nothing had changed.
“You see…I told you a change would do you good…”
Astra’s wild, bawdy laugh had me giggling. “Look at that one…the blond.” My heart skipped a beat when he flicked ice-blue eyes my way.
He was so…so pretty. And biteable. And pretty. I wanted to just…bite him. Yeah. Bite him.
Astra giggled. “You’re licking your lips, PS. Don’t blame you though. Have you ever seen such a pretty man in all of your life?”
“Nope. Not ever.” Chin resting on my fist, I stared at him and sighed. I was entirely too drunk to be sitting here, gaping at some stranger – or maybe I was just drunk enough to be gaping at some stranger. I didn’t know.
I just knew I was drunk and I loved it.
The beautiful blond edged closer, and the woman a seat down from us reached out and stroked her hand down the back of his calf. I wanted to smack her. He ignored her, catching the chair that had been placed in the middle of the walkway and swinging a leg over it.
“I bet you anything he’s just pretty though. No brain inside that head.” I gestured to him, convinced that somehow made sense. “If you’re that pretty, you’ve got to have something wrong. Right?”
“Hey, you’re pretty and smart. I’m fucking beautiful and pretty damn sharp.” Astra laughed until she snorted and waved at the blond. He continued to twist his spine, a movement that made it clear that at least one thing was not lacking.
My mouth went dry.
“Besides, with that face, what does it matter if he has a brain? As long as he’s not a dick – I mean, I want him to have one…” She shot me a grin. “And it’s obvious he does.”
We were both so drunk, that was why it was so funny. It had to be.
The blond slid off the chair and went to his knees, crawling along the stage. I had a bill already clutched in my hand, and my fingers were shaking as he moved closer.
His skin was hot against my fingers, almost shockingly so. Our eyes caught, then held. I wished there was something I could say or do. Something like… Hey, you want to get a drink?
I bet that would make me stand out. Biggest loser he’d probably had to deal with in a long time, and I was fawning over him. My fingers lingered on his skin for so long that he caught my wrist and tugged my hand away.
But he didn’t let go.
At least not right away.
We stared at each other, and I bit my lip, tugging a little harder as a bunch of women around us started to whoop. He let go, loosening his grip slowly until I felt each slow brush of his fingers as they left my skin.
His eyes, so big and soft, surrounded by spiky lashes, held mine for another moment. I didn’t want him looking away, but in the next moment he did.
And I slumped in my seat.
That had been the most intense minute of my life – at least that I could recall, considering how freaking drunk I was.
“Wow…look at his ass.” Astra smacked her lips. “I just want to…bite him. Like all over. Don’t you?”
“Yes.”
I caught the serv
er’s eye and waved my hand. I needed another drink. Desperately. Maybe if I got just a little more sloppy drunk, I could get him out of my head.
“It’s him!”
Astra grabbed my arm and squealed. “See! It’s him.”
I was already staring at the guy at the bar, face shielded by his blond hair, so I didn’t need Astra shaking me. It wasn’t helping my spinning head, either.
“Stop,” I said, tugging my arm away. My heart raced harder at the sight of him, but when Astra tried to tug me closer to the bar, I dug in my heels and resisted. “No. You’re supposed to be distracting me and helping me have fun. I’m drunk enough.”
“I’m not taking you over there to get drunk. He’s the distraction.” She was nowhere near as quiet as she tried to be. Several people swung their heads to look at us as she continued to pull me along. “Come on, PS.”
He flicked a glance our way, and the sight of his pale blue eyes had my heart hitching a beat or two. He immediately returned his interest to his glass though.
He had a booted foot hooked on the rung of the bar stool, broad shoulders slumped.
There was something…lonely about him.
Maybe it was because I was lonely too, but when Astra urged me along, I didn’t resist. He continued to stare into his drink as I continued to stare at him, swirling the whiskey around and around.
What are you looking for? I found myself wondering. You won’t find the answers there.
Astra nudged to me. “Talk to him. I dare you.”
“I stopped responding to dares a long time ago.” But I found myself taking one wobbly step and then another, and before I knew what I was doing, I had settled down next to him.
He didn’t even look up.
“Hi.”
Nothing.
I tried again. “I saw you dancing.”
He shrugged and lifted his glass. “So did a lot of other women. I don’t do private performances. Sorry.”
“Oh, I don’t want…”
He looked up at me.