“Your mother tells me babies are wonderful. But she also tells me that once you’ve raised your own, you want grandchildren. You don’t want to start over.
“The Vances want something.” Anton nodded to Elizabeth and Lucas. “This is your family. You go find out what it’s going to take to fix the problem.”
Reed considered his father for a moment. “You get a lot of advice from Mother.”
Anton shot him a censorious look, and Reed braced himself for the fallout. But then his father’s expression unexpectedly softened. “Yes. Well. That’s just the way it is. The jet’s at JFK. I took the liberty of clearing the schedule for tomorrow.”
It took Reed all of thirty seconds to realize that the Vances weren’t looking for a bribe. They loved Lucas, and they only wanted what was best for their grandson. After finessing his way around the issue for a good thirty minutes, in desperation, Reed had decided to put all his cards on the table.
He told the Vances about his and Elizabeth’s infertility, of the strain it had put on their marriage, of her deep love for her brother, and her passionate desire to adhere to Brandon and Heather’s final wishes.
He didn’t brag about his wealth, but he didn’t downplay it, either. Lucas would live in the finest areas of New York. As he grew, he would have access to private schools, culture, travel, a thousand experiences that would enrich his life.
Then, lastly, he admitted the problems he and Elizabeth were facing in their marriage. But he pledged to the Vances that he was going to do everything in his power to keep his family intact. As the words poured out of him, he knew they were absolutely true. He was going to fight tooth and nail for Elizabeth. He loved her, and he would find a way to win her back.
Margarite Vance cracked first. She admitted her deep fear that Reed would take Lucas away from them. Unlike Reed, they weren’t wealthy, and California was a long way from New York. They didn’t want to be parents, but they desperately wanted to be grandparents. They wanted to be a part of Lucas’s life, to watch him grow.
Reed had immediately pledged his jet, his corporate account at a dozen Manhattan hotels, his parents’ guest rooms on Long Island, and he offered to send Elizabeth and Lucas to California as often as possible. He explained that he would like nothing better than for the Vances’ house to be Lucas’s second home when he and Elizabeth needed to be away.
In the end, the Vances had enthusiastically agreed not to contest the will. Reed had wanted to promise a visit for the weekend, but he knew he needed to talk to Elizabeth first.
On the flight home, he grew more and more eager to talk to Elizabeth, and he thought of more and more things he wanted to say.
But, at the airport in New York, he was met by Collin and Selina. They both fell into step with him as he marched toward his limo at the passenger pickup.
“Go away,” he told them, determined that for once Elizabeth would come first.
“We need to talk to you,” said Collin.
“I don’t care,” said Reed. He was going home, and nothing was going to stop him. He’d pay the damn ten million dollars if that’s what it took.
“It’s important,” said Selina.
“So is my life.” Reed pushed open the airport door, coming out onto a floodlit, rain-soaked sidewalk.
“This is about your life,” said Collin.
“We have information,” said Selina.
“I have a marriage to save,” Reed countered, spotting his driver. He marched out from under the awning. The driver rushed forward with an umbrella, relieving Reed of his briefcase.
“We can tell you in the car,” Collin offered.
Reed heaved a sigh. “We’re going straight to the penthouse. I’m not going to the office, or the police station, and we’re not stopping for anything but traffic lights.” He looked pointedly at the driver. “And even those are optional.”
The man grinned. “Yes, sir.”
He glanced back at Selina and Collin who were rapidly developing a drowned rat look.
“Get in,” he grumbled.
“It’s important,” Selina repeated, as they settled into their seats, an apology in her tone.
“It’s always important,” said Reed. “That’s the problem with my life. If I was deciding between Elizabeth and the things that weren’t important, I wouldn’t have a problem, would I?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “But every day, nearly every hour, something that is vitally important grabs my time and attention. I spend my evenings with you two and with Gage and Trent, because if we don’t work this out, I might be going to jail. A blackmailer might extort money. Somebody might even die.
“And so I do my part,” Reed continued. “But you know what? It stops here. I’m going home to Elizabeth. You two tell me what I need to do to make that happen.”
Selina glanced at Collin. “Do you want to tell him or shall I?”
Collin gestured that Selina should go ahead.
“It’s the Hammond and Pysanski connection.”
“Don’t tell me. It’s getting worse?” Reed absolutely could not get a break.
“I spent the last two days in Washington,” said Selina. “I found out that each of Hammond and Pysanski’s purchases were made in the forty-eight hours following the committee’s shortlisting of the project in question.”
“How many companies on the shortlist?” Reed couldn’t help asking. Had Hammond and Pysanski bought into the shortlisted companies on spec?
“Usually three to five,” said Selina. “But it looks like the unofficial decision coincided with the shortlist. Because they bought into the right company each and every time.”
Reed was dumbfounded. “So, Kendrick is guilty.”
“At first I thought it was Kendrick, too. But then I found this.” Selina pulled a sheet of paper out of her briefcase. “One of the senator’s aides, Clive Neville. With each transaction, the day after the Hammond and Pysanski stock purchase, ten thousand dollars was deposited to Clive Neville’s account.”
“A payoff?” asked Reed.
Selina nodded. “But you and Gage bought your shares a week before Hammond and Pysanski,” she said. “Before the shortlist.” She smiled at him.
“So it’s over?” Reed asked.
Collin slapped him on the shoulder. “It’s over.”
The limo came to a halt in front of 721 Park Avenue.
Reed handed the bank printout back to Selina. “Well done, team. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way. But, goodbye.” Reed beat the driver to the door handle and stepped out into the rain.
“You know,” said Hanna, topping up their wineglasses with a merlot, “there is another option.”
“No, there’s not.” Elizabeth was out of options to save her marriage. All that was left was to save herself. Reed was never going to change. That’s why she was taking such drastic action.
Hanna set the empty bottle on the coffee table and leaned back at the opposite end of the sofa. “You could tell him you were wrong, that you love him, and that you want your marriage to work out.”
“Yeah,” came a deep, male voice, and Elizabeth nearly dropped her wine into her lap. Hanna’s eyes went wide, and she twisted toward the penthouse foyer.
“You could do that,” said Reed, dropping his keys and sauntering into the room.
“Reed.” Hanna swallowed around a dry rasp.
“Hello, Hanna.”
“I am so sorry,” she offered in obvious embarrassment. “I was…We were…”
Reed shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. If I thought you’d convince her, I’d leave and let you go at it.”
“She won’t convince me,” said Elizabeth with conviction. It was nearly ten o’clock, and today was just another example of Reed’s hectic schedule. He’d flown to Chicago for a meeting. Clearly, he’d spent the entire day there. Just as clearly, he’d had more important things to do than tuck Lucas into bed.
Maybe it was her own fault. Maybe she simply wasn’t interesting enough to come home to.
Maybe she should have gotten a job years ago and become a more interesting wife for him.
Then again, how would he know whether she was interesting or not? The man wouldn’t even show up for a conversation.
Reed picked up the wine bottle, raising his eyebrows when he saw it was empty. “Shall I open another?”
Hanna struggled to get to her feet. “I should really go, and let you two-”
He forestalled her with his palm. “Stay put. You’re obviously on my side. It looks like you two have a head start, but I’d love to joint the party.”
Hanna gave Elizabeth a questioning look, which Elizabeth answered with a shrug. It wasn’t like she and Reed had any big plans for being alone. In fact, it was probably better to have Hanna here as a foil until bedtime, or at least until Elizabeth got slightly intoxicated.
“Bring on another bottle,” she told him.
Reed gave her a genuine smile, and the force of it shot all the way to her toes. She immediately rethought her strategy on getting intoxicated. It could be dangerous to be around him without all her faculties intact. She set her wineglass down on the table.
Reed headed for the wine rack in the dining room.
With him out of the room, Hanna hit Elizabeth with an expression of stark curiosity.
Elizabeth held her palms up in a gesture of confusion. She’d never seen Reed in a mood like this.
He strode back into the living room with an open bottle of wine and three fresh glasses. “The eighty-two Chateau Saint Gaston,” he announced with satisfaction.
Elizabeth blinked.
Hanna choked. “Did you just open a ten thousand dollar bottle of wine?”
Reed pretended to study the label. “I do believe I did.” He poured them each a glass of the Saint Gaston.
Still standing, he held his glass aloft. “A toast,” he said.
“Please don’t,” begged Elizabeth. She didn’t know what he had in mind, but she didn’t like the reckless look in his eyes nor the cocky set to his mouth.
“A toast,” he said in a softer voice, looking straight into her eyes. “To my gorgeous, gracious, intelligent wife.”
“Reed,” she pleaded.
“I lied to you today.”
So what else was new?
“I wasn’t in Chicago.”
Something shriveled up inside Elizabeth. The man lied recreationally. She couldn’t have cared less whether he was in Chicago.
She waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever. Salute.” She lifted her glass to take a drink.
“Uh, uh, uh,” he tisked. “This is a ten thousand dollar bottle of wine. Let’s have a little respect.”
She heaved a frustrated sigh. Maybe she should just go to bed, get to sleep before he decided to join her there. Maybe, just maybe, she’d feel stronger in the morning.
“I was in California,” he continued.
Elizabeth waited for the point.
“Ironically, on the advice of my dear father, I went to see the Vances.”
She froze. “No.” He hadn’t compromised their case. He wouldn’t.
“And while I was there,” he said, “I realized that you, dear Elizabeth, are absolutely right, and I am completely wrong.”
He perched himself on the armchair cornerwise to her. “I promise I will never lie to you again.”
Elizabeth searched his eyes. They were warm and soft and loving, but she didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” she tried.
His lips stretched into a smile before he tipped his glass and took a sip.
Elizabeth followed suit, but she couldn’t taste a thing.
“I love you,” Reed said to her.
“Hey,” Hanna put in, coming to her feet. “I really think I’d better-”
“Drink your wine,” Reed ordered. “I might need you later.”
She sat back down.
“Where was I?” he asked.
“Are you drunk?” asked Elizabeth, trying desperately to make sense of his behavior. This wasn’t the Reed she knew.
“Oh, yes. Now I remember. The Vances are not going to contest the will.”
Elizabeth was afraid she hadn’t heard that right. “What?”
He nodded his confirmation, slowing down his words. “The Vances are not going after custody of Lucas. And, no, I’m not drunk.”
A pulse of optimism hit Elizabeth for the first time in weeks. “How did you…?”
“Skill, intelligence and guile. Plus a really fast private jet.”
“Quit messing around,” Elizabeth ordered. This was a serious conversation, not a joke.
“Oh, I think I’ll mess around a little longer.” He took another sip of the wine, holding his glass back to study the legs. “Worth every penny.”
“Go, Reed.” Hanna applauded in a reverent tone.
“Thank you,” said Reed. “Now, will you help me convince her I’m worth sticking with?”
“He’s worth sticking with,” Hanna said to Elizabeth.
“Traitor,” Elizabeth muttered, but even she was running out of excuses to leave him. He might have lied about Chicago, and he might have been gone all day long, but he’d done it for Lucas, and he’d done it for her.
“She told me you were great in bed,” Hanna offered.
“Hanna!” Elizabeth was horrified.
“Well, that’s one in my column,” said Reed.
“Damn straight,” said Hanna.
“There’s one more thing.” He sobered, all traces of joking gone, his attention fixed completely on Elizabeth. “I’ll be home evenings from here on in. Or I’ll work part-time. Or I’ll sell my companies. Or we can move to freakin’ Biarritz if that will make a difference.”
Elizabeth’s throat thickened up. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I’m prepared to put as much effort into my marriage as I put into my business.”
Elizabeth was speechless. Her heartbeat sped up and her chest went tight. She stared at Reed in utter astonishment. “Seriously?”
Hanna stuck out her foot and nudged Elizabeth in the knee. “I think the word you’re looking for is yes!”
Twelve
Elizabeth and Reed were on their way to the bedroom when Lucas stirred. Reed went into the nursery to rock him back to sleep, while Elizabeth all but floated into their bedroom.
Reed was staying. They were going to work things out. He’d decided their love was worth fighting for, and if there was anything her husband could do, it was to achieve whatever goal he set for himself.
Though they’d slept in their bed together hundreds of times, she knew tonight was special. It was the beginning of a whole new marriage, a whole new family.
She pulled open the top drawer of the bureau, and her gaze caught on the rosewood coin box. She slowly lifted the lid, pulling out the liberty head, ten-dollar gold coin, and hefting its weight in her palm.
“Heads,” she whispered to herself, “I do it.”
Tails, she’d do it anyway. This time, she didn’t need to flip the coin.
She slipped it back into its holder and pulled out the red silk negligee she’d worn on her wedding night. Appropriate, since this was another new beginning.
She removed her clothes, but as she was about to slip the soft silk over her head, her gaze caught another flash of fabric in the drawer. Lemon yellow and bright blue and purple. The silk scarves they’d bought in France.
Elizabeth paused. She set the negligee aside, fingering the texture of the scarves. And then she smiled. This wasn’t her honeymoon. It was a different beginning, a different relationship, a relationship based on authenticity instead of fantasy.
She wrapped the lemon yellow scarf over her breasts, tying it at the back like a bikini top. Then she fastened the blue and purple one low on her hips, sarong-style, leaving most of one thigh and hip bare. She combed her hair, dabbed some perfume, then waited, standing in the middle of the room.
Reed walked in and stopped, his gaze trailing up and down her body. “We going to Tahi
ti?” he asked.
She sauntered toward him, walking her fingertips up his chest, snaking her arms around his neck. “I think we’re going to nirvana.”
A gorgeous smile spread across his face. One arm snaked around to the small of her back, tugging her tight. His other hand cupped her bottom through the soft silk.
“I do love you,” he whispered as he bent to kiss her lips.
She tipped her head back, opening her mouth, meeting his hot tongue in a tangle of passion and desire that she couldn’t hope to contain. And she wouldn’t. It was all honesty all the time from here on in.
She pushed his suit jacket off his shoulders, letting it fall to a heap on the floor. Then she attacked his shirt buttons while he nipped and nibbled his way along her shoulder. His hand slipped under the sarong, toying with her heating skin.
He cupped her breast, strumming his thumb over her hard nipple. “I so love these scarves,” he breathed.
“Versatile,” she agreed.
He chuckled low, then his tone turned to a growl. “Nobody, nowhere, no how is ever going to stop us from making love. I don’t care what the science says, this is right.”
She nodded her agreement, gasping as his finger slipped inside.
“Too fast?” he asked.
“No. Just right.” She grappled with his belt buckle, and he shucked his clothes, pulling her onto the bed in a flurry of caresses, kisses and silk.
When she was naked, he stretched her arms over her head, stroking his fingertips from the wrists all the way to her toes and then back again.
She shuddered at the sensations, freed her hands and caressed the play of his muscles, from his shoulders to his abs and beyond.
He rolled on top of her, settling between her legs, his body teasing her sensitized flesh. He took one nipple into his mouth, drawing out the caress as she squirmed beneath him. Then he laved the other, then moved to her mouth, kissing her long and deeply.
He drew back, gazing down into her eyes as he slowly pushed into her. She felt the pressure, then the heat, then the fullness, and then he stopped. They stared at each other for a frozen moment of perfect communication.
Marriage, Manhattan Style Page 13
