Before she could act on her impulse, the phone buzzed. Patrick excused himself and hit the speaker button.
Cheryl’s voice came over the intercom.
“Is Kayla in with you? There’s a package up front for her. It’s from her travel agent.”
“She’s right here,” Patrick said, at last sparing her a second’s worth of attention. “She’ll be right up.” He hit the speaker button again to disconnect the call. “I’m sure it’s tickets, or something equally wonderful. Don’t worry. I can keep Elissa company.”
“Yes, I know,” she said before she could stop herself, then quickly left the room.
All the way to the front desk she told herself she was acting like a fool. This was what she wanted, and she would learn to be happy about it. Even if she had to fake it for the rest of her life.
As she stopped in front of the reception desk, Cheryl waved a box in the air. It was about as long and wide as a shoe box, but about a third as tall.
“Something exciting,” Cheryl said.
“I hope so.” Right now, she needed a distraction.
She grabbed a pair of scissors and slit the tape sealing the box. The top slipped off easily. Cheryl stared over her shoulder and gave a gasp of surprise. “Africa?”
“I’m not sure,” Kayla told her. “I’m going to be in Paris for a while, then I’ll come back to spend the holidays with my sisters. I thought I might try a photo safari in the spring.”
Cheryl picked up one of the brochures. “It’s beautiful.”
Kayla nodded as she read over the letter from her travel agent. There were several documents attached. Visas were required for some countries, and there was a vaccination list. If Kayla was going to seriously consider the trip, she would need to start some of her series of shots now.
“Series of shots?” Kayla echoed out loud, then swallowed hard. She flipped to the next page, then the next, until she found the sheet she wanted.
She stared at the list of required shots and felt her stomach fall to her toes. She’d wanted a distraction, and she’d sure gotten one.
Series of shots? The last time she gave blood, she’d fainted. She sank into the nearest chair and lowered her bead between her legs. Maybe Africa wasn’t such a good idea.
***
After Kayla left, Elissa rose and closed the door. When she resumed her seat, she stared at Patrick.
He returned her gaze. At first the similarities between the women had been startling. Now he was starting to see that there were tiny differences in their features. While they both used their hands when they talked, Kayla had a body language that was unique. Her smile was broader, her gaze more intense. Irrationally, he thought she was prettier. Which told him he was in more trouble than he’d first realized.
Elissa leaned back in her chair and rested her hands on her lap. “That was a very impressive performance, Patrick. If I didn’t know better, I would be flattered by the attention.”
He swore under his breath. “Was it that obvious?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “You said all the right words, but your heart wasn’t in it. Were you trying to make Kayla jealous?”
He wasn’t sure. When Kayla walked in and introduced her sister, something inside him had snapped. He’d been furious that she’d gone ahead with her plan to get him involved with another woman. Not only was he insulted by her assumption that he couldn’t get a date on his own, he resented her not figuring out that she was the one he wanted to be with.
“It’s a little more complicated than that,” he said.
“Too bad, because the plan worked.”
“You think so?” he asked, not wanting to sound too eager.
“I was afraid she was going to drag me out of here by my hair.” Elissa leaned forward. “To give her credit, I think she genuinely wanted us to like each other. But then something happened. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to fill in the details.”
“There aren’t any. Kayla and I are good friends.”
“If I could have hooked up a battery to the sparks flying between the two of you, I could have ran an electric car for a month. If nothing’s going on, why the act?”
She had him there.
“I want to help,” Elissa said. “Kayla’s my sister, and I love her. I want her to be happy. I’ve known there was something wrong for a while, but I didn’t know what. Now that I’ve met you, it all makes sense.”
“Then maybe you could explain it to me.”
“Are you attracted to my sister?”
“I don’t know.” He held up a hand before Elissa could interrupt. “I mean that sincerely. If you’d asked me the same question six months ago, or even three months ago, I would have said no. I’ve known Kayla for years, and in all that time we’ve only ever been friends. Lately, though, something is different.”
“Go on.”
He fought a smile. “It’s almost eerie talking to you, Elissa. You look so much like Kayla.”
“Could you tell us apart?”
“Sure. Why?”
The corners of her mouth turned up. “No particular reason. I was curious. Some people can’t. What’s changed between you and my sister?”
“A while back, out of the blue, she announced that she and I would be a great couple. She listed all the reasons we belonged together. To tell you the truth, I was stunned. Then she laughed and said it was joke. That she was leaving and wasn’t really the perfect woman for me—you were.”
Elissa shook her head. “Sometimes Kayla can be stubborn. She gets an idea in her head and nothing can budge it. So that comment started you thinking?”
“In a way.” He shifted in his chair. “Then there was this kiss.”
Elissa raised her eyebrows.
“It’s not what you think,” he said, telling himself it wasn’t a lie. He had been talking about that first kiss, the one at her place when he found out about the grant. The second kiss, the one that had set him on fire and left him sleepless with longing, was too private to share with anyone.
“Kayla and I have always kissed,” he continued. “You know, as friends. Brother and sister, even. But it changed. I don’t know why or how.”
“Do you love her?”
He thought for a moment. “I care about her, but she’s leaving in a few weeks. I don’t want her to go, yet I’m not about to ask her to stay. She’s been planning this trip for as long as I’ve known her, probably longer. She deserves a chance to make her dreams come true.”
“I agree,” Elissa said. “But is this her real dream, or something left over from when she was a child? Kayla has an unusual past. She learned how to put her life on hold.”
“If you’re talking about the accident, I know about it.”
“I’m surprised she told you. She usually doesn’t talk about it.”
“I’d heard bits and pieces. She pretends that it wasn’t anything. I didn’t get the details until recently.”
Elissa nodded. “Then you can understand why dreams are so importaat to her. For nearly a year, dreams were all she had. Lying in that hospital bed, she decided something wonderful was going to happen when she grew up. After the trust fund was established, she made the decision to see the world and marry a handsome prince.”
If she was trying to make him fee! better, she was doing a lousy job. Patrick pushed his chair back a couple of feet and rested his ankle on his opposite knee. “I can’t compete with that.”
“Oh, I’m not so sure. You’ve got the handsome part taken care of.”
“Thanks. I’m not sure Kayla shares your opinion.”
“Oh, but she does. She told me herself.”
He refused to let himself hope. His feelings for Kayla were new and unexpected, and he had a bad feeling he’d already left himself open to heartbreak.
Elissa glanced over her shoulder, as if making sure the door was still closed. “I have a plan,” she said quietly, leaning toward him. “It’s a great way to test the waters without anyone getting hurt.”
/> “I’m listening.”
“I want you to invite me out to dinner tonight. Somewhere romantic, with dancing.”
“Not that you wouldn’t be a delightful companion, but how does this help me with Kayla?”
Elissa grinned. At that moment, she looked so much like her sister that he couldn’t help grinning back.
“I won’t be going,” she said. “At the last minute, I’ll tell Kayla I can’t go through with it.” She waved her hand.
“There are some things in my life that will make her believe me. I’ll insist that she go in my place so you won’t feel stood up. Your job is to pretend not to know. If I’m right, and I’m sure that I am, she’s going to be very upset that you’ve asked me out. She’ll jump at the chance to spend the evening with you. Then the fun starts. She’ll be with you, but as me. That will give her something to think about.”
The plan had merit. If Kayla was pretending to be her sister, she might slip up and say something she wouldn’t normally. Maybe he could get an idea of her feelings for him. Even if he didn’t learn a thing, at least he would get to spend the evening with her.
“Are you sure this is all right with you?” he asked. “After all, you’re being abandoned on your first night here.”
“I don’t mind.” She looked pensive for a moment. “Kayla is trying to do a nice thing. While I appreciate that, it wouldn’t have worked out between you and I. Not that you’re not everything she promised,” she added quickly.
“Thanks.”
“There are a few other things I have to take care of before I can start dating. Besides all that, I don’t think Kayla has really thought this through. Her feelings for you seem a little confused to me. Maybe a date will clear up everything. I’d like you to give it a try.”
“I’m willing,” he said.
“I’m glad you agree. I know that traveling and fulfilling her dreams are important to Kayla. She deserves to do both. But I’m afraid she’s spent so long living in her dreams, she’s forgotten that the life she already has is pretty wonderful.”
Chapter Eight
He really asked you out for dinner?” Kay la asked, trying to keep the disbelief out of her voice.
Elissa stuck her head out of the bathroom and smiled. “I’ve told you fifteen times, yes, Patrick invited me out for dinner.” Her gaze narrowed. “What’s wrong, Kay la? Don’t you want me to go?”
“Of course I want you to go,” she answered quickly. “I’m thrilled. This is what I hoped would happen. It’s terrific. Really.”
She forced herself to hold perfectly still and look pleasant, when all she wanted to do was scream.
Apparently Elissa bought the act. She nodded and stepped back into the bathroom. “If you’re sure.”
“Oh, I am.”
Kayla leaned against the door jamb and watched her sister put on makeup. Elissa wore her hair in a loose po-nytail on the top of her head. Electric curlers sprouted from the rubber band like metallic flowers. She wore a towel wrapped around her, with the end tucked in by her left arm. The white terry cloth covered her from breasts to rnid-thigh. She’d finished most of her makeup, and she reached for a tube of mascara to apply the final coat.
When she was done, she shooed Kayla out of the way. “You haven’t seen this dress, and I want it to be a surprise. Go wait in the living room until I’m ready,” she said.
Kayla stepped back and shuffled into the main room. “You’ll look great,” she mumbled under her breath. “Patrick will be blown away.”
She slumped on the sofa and pulled one of the throw pillows close to her chest. “It’s not fair. Patrick never asked me out to a romantic dinner by the water. He’s never asked me out at all. Not that I wanted him to. We’re not a couple. But still, he could have…”
Her voice trailed off. She wasn’t sure what Patrick could have done, but there had to be something. Confusing feelings swirled inside her. Questions and thoughts mingled and separated.
Why was she jealous? She’d invited Elissa down specifically so her sister could meet Patrick. They obviously got along—Patrick had asked her out within minutes of meeting her, and Elissa was nearly dressed and ready, a good half hour before their date. Kayla’s plan had worked. Everything was turning out exactly as it should.
So why did she feel so empty inside? Why was her heart aching and her body heavy with dread?
She wanted to believe it was because she sensed something wrong with the relationship, that she had a premonition that Elissa and Patrick shouldn’t be together. Unfortunately, the reason wasn’t that noble. She had an ugly suspicion that she was playing dog in the manger with Patrick. She didn’t want him for herself, but she didn’t want anyone else to have him, either.
But why? She’d never been like that before. It wasn’t in her nature. She wasn’t a mean-spirited person, and certainly not about her sister and her best friend. She cared about them both.
The bathroom door opened, interrupting her thoughts. Elissa stepped into the tiny hall, then forward into the living room.
The last rays of sunlight flowed through the window and caught the gold in Elissa’s hair. The shimmering curls tumbled over her shoulders in casual, sexy disarray. Makeup highlighted large green eyes, brightening them to the color of summer grass. The short black dress ended several inches above her knees. Twin pairs of skinny straps secured the fitted bodice and waist, while the fuller skirt swayed with each step. Dark stockings and black pumps completed the outfit.
Kayla’s breath caught in her throat. “You’re beautiful,” she said. This time there was no mistaking the bitter stab of jealousy, but she put her feelings aside. Tonight was for her sister. Elissa deserved some fun in her life. If that meant Patrick fell for her, then Kayla would learn to be happy with that.
Elissa twirled in a circle. The skirt fluttered with the movement. “You really think so?”
“I’m positive. Patrick isn’t going to know what hit him.”
Elissa’s smile faltered. She bit her lower lip and sank into the love seat next to the sofa. “I can’t,” she whispered, and covered her face with her hands.
“You can’t what?”
“I can’t go through with this.” She motioned to the dress, then touched her hair. “It’s not right.”
Kayla firmly squashed the first hint of elation. She was determined not to be selfish. “Why? Patrick asked you out, and you want to go. What’s the problem?”
Elissa straightened. “Cole.” She spoke the single word with two parts pain, one part resignation.
“You haven’t spoken to him?” Kayla asked cautiously.
“Not since—” Her voice broke, and she waved her hand, as if that were enough to complete the thought.
It was. Kayla was at her side in an instant. She took Elissa’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s been so long that I thought you were ready. I thought it would help you to meet someone else.”
“I thought so, too, but it’s not time. I just can’t do this.”
In an odd way, Kayla didn’t feel relieved. She loved her sister and hated to see her unhappy. If Patrick could have helped Elissa recover from her past, then Kayla would have lived with the consequences.
Elissa drew in a deep breath. “I’ll call Patrick and tell him I can’t make it. I hope he doesn’t get angry. I don’t want to go into the reasons why I’m canceling our date.”
“He won’t be mad,” Kayla said, as a flicker of expectation fluttered through her. If Patrick didn’t go out with Elissa, he wouldn’t have a chance to fall for her. She hated herself for thinking that, but she couldn’t seem to make the thought disappear.
“I’m going to sound like a flake,” Elissa said. “It’s really too bad. He seems so nice, and I know he’s a close friend of yours. But he dates a lot, right? It’s not as if I’m the first woman he’s asked out in months. This isn’t going to upset him.”
“Ah, right,” Kayla said, and swallowed. Just as Elissa didn’t want to discus
s her past with Patrick, she knew Patrick wouldn’t want her telling Elissa about his lack of a social life over the past couple of years. Elissa was the first woman he’d asked out in months. He very well might think he’d been blown off.
“What?” Elissa asked. “Why do you have that funny look on your face?”
“I don’t. It’s just—”
“He’s going to be hurt.”
“No, it’s just—”
Elissa sprang to her feet. “I knew it. This is crazy. I should never have accepted. I wouldn’t have, but you seemed so eager for us to go out. I didn’t want to let you down.”
Kayla felt as if she were having tea with the Mad Hatter. “This is my fault?”
“If not yours, then whose? Patrick is going to be crushed, I’m upset, all because we were trying to make you happy.”
“But I— You—” She leaned back on the love seat and closed her eyes. “Fine. Everything is my fault. I’ll call Patrick and explain that.” She held up her hand to stop Elissa’s interruption. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a thing about you and Cole. Patrick is polite. He won’t ask questions.”
She walked over to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall. When had everything gotten so out of control? Two months ago she and Patrick had been good friends and she hadn’t cared about who he dated. Two weeks ago she’d been sure Elissa was the perfect woman for him. Ten minutes ago she’d been eating herself alive with jealousy because her sister was going out with Patrick. Now she was the bad guy for setting them up together. Maybe that African safari wasn’t such a bad idea. At least there she wouldn’t be able to mess up anyone’s life, including her own.
She started dialing the familiar number. Before the call went through, Elissa grabbed the receiver and broke the connection. “Wait a minute. I have a plan,” she said.
Fifteen minutes later, Kayla dropped the blush brush on the bathroom counter. “This is never going to work.”
“Sure it is. Patrick doesn’t know me at all.”
The Girl of His Dreams Page 9
