“But I did, Diana. I built the Stratford.”
“No. Your father won the contract. I know. I have an intimate insider’s knowledge about Stratford details that would blow your mind. No pun intended on the blow part, of course.”
“Of course. I worked with my father on the Stratford. But two years ago I’d been hired to do some renovations. That was my first job after going on my own. The Stratford symbolizes the beginning of my freedom.”
“You know, the Stratford symbolizes something for my dad, too. He bought both penthouse apartments and knocked out the walls, redid the whole thing. There’s even a swimming pool up there. Do you know why he did all that?”
Nick shook his head.
“Because he was sure your father was going to buy one of those apartments and he wanted to prevent that from happening.”
Nick stretched his arm along the back of the park bench and squeezed Diana’s shoulder. He started to laugh, the kind of laugh that came from deep inside his chest “My dad didn’t care about the penthouse. He was building a home on the golf course over in Sweetwater.”
“Are you saying your parents bought the house in Sweetwater before the Stratford was built?”
“Sure. They had started building it before my dad knew he had won the contract.”
“Oh boy. Oh boy.” Diana straightened up so fast she startled Jessica. The bottle popped out of the baby’s mouth and landed on the grass. Jessica tried to get down to go after it, and Diana let her.
Nick reached the dirty bottle first, which made Jessica cry. “Wait a second,” he told her, reaching inside the backpack and getting her another one.
She took the bottle, plopped down on the grass and drank.
When Nick looked at Diana again, she, too, had tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“This is stupid. Their whole feud is stupid. I hate it You will never believe how the revenge my father tried to extract from your father, the revenge that was no revenge, has personally affected me, all these years later.
“Nick, we moved into the Stratford specifically so your dad wouldn’t get that penthouse. Before we moved here, we lived in a nice house over in the lakes area. When I was about two years old, my dad built me this little table and two little chairs. They were wood, and they were so pretty. My mom put decals on them, little bunnies hopping over carrots. My mom and I had tea parties at that table. We drew pictures together at that table. She helped me with my homework in first and second grade at that table.
“One day, I’ll never forget this, my mom turned the table over and we both carved our names on the underside, and then my mom carved Diana and Mommy Forever Together.”
“She sounds like a wonderful woman. It was no wonder my dad fell in love with her,” Nick said wistfully.
“So your father builds the Stratford, and my father buys the penthouses. And we move in. Then who should my dad meet here about a year ago? Sheila. He never would have met her if we were still living at the lakes.”
“He married Sheila, is that right?”
“Yes. Then, while I was away at school over the last six weeks, Yale this time, Sheila threw out my table and chairs.”
“She did what?”
“You heard me right. Tossed them in the dump. Gone.”
“Diana, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.”
“Listen, if my father hadn’t been trying to get back at your father, this wouldn’t have happened. You know, Nick, I’ve had a few years of bad luck.”
He had his legs stretched out, keeping Jessica, who was still sitting on the grass drinking her milk, cradled between his ankles. As if Jessica knew the importance of what Diana was saying, she didn’t make one sound.
“I’m sorry about your bad luck. Is it getting better?”
When she looked at him, and smiled that sucker-punch smile, he had to grin right back. When she said, “Much better,” he felt as if he’d been lifted off the ground.
“You know about enablers, don’t you?”
He shook his head.
“Enablers are people who allow addicts to continue their destructive behavior. And that’s what we’re doing. You and I. By going along with our parents’ feud, by not talking to each other, we are letting their fight fester. I’m not going to do that anymore.” Diana stood up, her shoulders back, her breasts thrust out, her back straight. “Look at how many lives have been ruined.”
“My dad did love your mom, and that’s what started the feud,” Nick said, “but he never would have married my mother if he hadn’t loved her. My mom couldn’t believe that, and she let the hatred she felt for your mom ruin her life. Growing up in that house, with parents who were at each other all the time, was hell.” Nick’s tone was harsh, gruff. He refused to allow the pain to show.
“People who hate with such passion love with that same passion, too. Our fathers were best friends at one time. They both strove to be number one,” Diana said.
“They were best friends until Elizabeth chose Harry and left my poor dad eating their dust.”
“And where would you be, Mr. Nick Logan, if they hadn’t? You wouldn’t have been born, and I wouldn’t have been born. And little Jessica here wouldn’t have been born.”
“Okay, I can see you and me. But her? I’m reserving judgment.”
“You do that. I’m going to be grateful for what happened, and I think the generation that’s sprung from this Smith-Logan war should also be grateful, instead of acting so nasty about it. Because if the truth is told, none of us kids would be here today if the parents we had were different.”
“You’re right. In fact, I’ll bring that up to my brothers and sister at our next family meeting.”
“Do you really have family meetings?” Diana pulled the blue cloth band out of her hair and let all those brown curls fall past her shoulders, all the while fluffing it out, digging her fingers through to her scalp, and massaging.
When she finished, she shook her head like a little filly, sat back on the bench and again spoke to him in her quiet, soft voice. A passionate voice. A compassionate voice. He’d bet Elizabeth had been just like her. Nick surprised even himself when he reached out and touched her hair. Soft. Just like it looked. “No,” he said, mesmerized by the silky feel of her hair. “No one in my family talks to each other either.”
“It’s no wonder, the way you have the story mixed up.”
“What do you mean? I have it right.”
“The way I understood the story,” Diana said, her voice husky and warm, relaxing him. “My mom’s father owned a big construction company. Our fathers were partners in a small construction company. They both courted Elizabeth. But when she married my father, Harry, her father made him co-owner of the bigger construction company.” Diana paused for a moment, reaching down, and stroking Jessica’s hair. “Charlie must have felt deserted. Abandoned even. First by Elizabeth, then by his best friend.”
“It shouldn’t have mattered. He ended up doing damn well for himself.”
“They all did.”
“So he should get over it and move on.”
Diana took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He saw a nerve working in her cheek. This time he gave in to the impulse and touched the ticking muscle with the tip of his finger. Her eyelids flew open, and her smile was once again sweet.
“I miss my table and chairs, Nick.”
“I know you do.”
“I want to punish them.”
He nodded. “Revenge is good.”
“I’ll baby-sit for you,” she said abruptly.
“Are you just saying that because you know I’m desperate and you feel sorry for me?” He didn’t know whether to be happy…or worried.
She chuckled. “No, I’m saying that because I feel really sorry for me. I want our fathers and your mother—I’m not going to leave her out of this—to know what we’re doing. I want them to be so angry that a Smith is cavorting with a Logan that they’ll stop and think about what they’ve done, and maybe
grow up.”
“We could tell them that you’re moving in with me, and that we’re going to get married. We don’t have to get married, but if they think we are, that’ll make them mad as hell.”
She shook her head. Damn, Diana was vicious to a guy’s self-esteem. First she didn’t remember meeting him, and now she was refusing to consider just telling her father they were going to get married. What was so bad about him anyway? Jessica hated him, Diana could take him or leave him. He rubbed his neck, then casually sniffed the palm of his hand. No, the aftershave was still there. Damn. His Nicholas X wasn’t working at all with these two females. He’d have to have a talk with Cathy when she got back.
“We can tell our parents that we’re living in sin,” she announced. “That will really make them mad.”
“You want to do that? A sweet girl like you?”
“Who said I’m sweet?” she asked.
“Who do you think you’re kidding?” He didn’t have to know her that well to know she was, not only a knockout to look at, but a nice person, too.
“Do you think it won’t work?” she asked.
“I think it’ll work, all right. I’m only thinking of your reputation.”
“Oh, Nick, my reputation has been literally blown to pieces,” she said with a self-deprecating grin. “I know this whole thing is a risk. I’m willing to give it a try. How about you?”
“Anything worth obtaining is worth taking a risk for. That makes winning so much sweeter. That makes the prize so much better.”
“A prize,” she said. “I didn’t even think about that. You’re so good. What’s the prize going to be?”
He looked her square in the eyes. “A family.”
5
THEY WALKED TOGETHER slowly back to the Stratford. Diana held Jessica, and Nick, whenever he thought he could get away with it, took hold of her arm, or her elbow. She liked it. And the whole time they walked, they talked.
By the time they arrived home, they had their story worked out so airtight nothing could have unraveled it.
Diana hadn’t come back down to earth yet She still couldn’t believe that Nick had remembered her from that dinner they had both attended when she was sixteen. All those years ago, and he remembered.
She almost felt bad that she didn’t tell him she had remembered him, too. But how could she have told without giving away that she’d been dreaming about him forever? That would have scared him away for sure.
As soon as the elevator stopped on the penthouse floor, even before the doors opened, Nick put his arm around Diana’s shoulder as if it were the most natural thing for him to do. Diana had been waiting for it, hoping for it. Dreaming about it, willing those dreams to come true.
They had sat next to each other on the park bench talking for a long time. Jessica had played in the grass, caught all kinds of bugs. Amazing how those little eyes saw so many things.
They had ridden in the elevator together, twice already. They had talked and laughed, and shared hot dogs and coffee. Diana knew they had what some people might consider the beginnings of a great friendship.
Only, nothing had prepared her for how it felt to have his arm around her. Twice in one morning. That alone was almost more than she could bear, it felt so good. Could he see her heart beating through her T-shirt? Could he see the pulse jumping out of her neck? Did he feel the tremors going through her bloodstream, or was all this just so very obvious to her?
She rang the doorbell. Chimes vibrated all around them.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Are you all right?”
“Of course.” Maybe he could tell what he was doing to her just by standing so close.
“You’re shaking.” He gave her shoulder a light squeeze.
Diana realized she’d never make it in the CIA. If it had been on her shortlist of jobs, she might as well have scratched it off. “I’m fine, really. It’s only nerves.” At least that was the truth.
“Do you have a key to your front door?” He still kept his voice very low.
“The door’s never locked,” she whispered back.
“So why did you ring the bell?”
“I don’t know,” she again whispered. “Maybe I’m having brain seizures.”
Nick squeezed her shoulder again. “Don’t be nervous. I’m with you.”
“I’m not nervous. Where did you get the idea I was nervous?” She put her fingertip over her left eye to stop it from twitching. “Remember, this was my idea in the first place. We’re going to live in sin. Lovely sin. Luscious sin. Sin is a good thing.”
God, she was such a dope. She couldn’t believe she was going to tell her father that she and Nick were going to live together. He would have a heart attack. What in the world had she been thinking?
“It doesn’t matter what my father thinks, Nick.” She was saying this out loud more to convince herself than him. “It’s sin and that’s the way I like it.”
“Diana, if that’s what you want, then sin it is.” Nick reached around her for the door handle.
Just being engulfed in his arms was enough to send her heart racing in anticipation. Her mind, the realm of reason, calculated the odds of her fantasy coming true.
Yet, if she turned her head, just so, her lips would be right there, and if he turned his head at the same time, his lips would be right there, too, and together their lips would be so close, so very—
“What are you doing out here, Diana?” Alicia opened the door, and blew her daydream to bits with her loud, New England voice.
“Hello, to you, too,” Diana said. “Doesn’t she greet guests well, Nick?”
Jessica’s eyes got bigger and a smile broke out on her little face. She bounced in Diana’s arms. Alicia had captured another fan. In fact, the only one who didn’t seem to like Alicia was Sheila, and that woman didn’t count.
“What’s the matter with you?” Alicia said. “You know I hate that bell.”
Diana nodded her head in Nick’s direction. “I’m bringing someone and didn’t want to barge in on you.”
The housekeeper snorted.
However, Nick was so good-looking that Alicia immediately went from disapproval to flirting in the time it took to blink. “Well, well, lookee here. A real manly man.”
“Nick, meet the woman who raised me. Alicia, Nick.”
Alicia wiped her hand on her apron and stuck it out. Nick grasped her palm, “If you’re the woman who raised my Diana, then you’re okay in my book.” He put his arm back around Diana’s shoulder. “You’ll sit in the front row at the wedding, and I’ll hear no arguments about that.”
“What wedding?” Alicia eyed them suspiciously.
“What wedding?” Diana asked. “There’s no wedding.”
“You ain’t gettin’ married,” Alicia said.
“We’re not getting married.” Diana glared up at Nick. He was so cute. Was he dense, too? “I told you I want to live in sin. We talked about it all morning. We agreed to live in sin.”
“Diana Marie Smith, you bite your tongue,” Alicia yelled.
“Nooooo,” Jessica yelled, clapping her hands.
“Smart baby,” Alicia added.
“Diana.” Nick, the voice of reason, who seemed to have forgotten his role in all this, but she liked him a lot anyway, said, “The object is to convince our families to make up, not add fuel to the fire.”
“I’m not going to tell them we’re getting married because we’re not I will not lie.” She was adamant about this. “No way.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. She bounced Jessica at her side. They stared at each other. “Nick, I never lie.” She may exaggerate—a little, but that’s not the same thing. “I’m not backing down on this.”
“I’m not either.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“Don’t confuse stubbornness with tenacity.”
“Same thing.”
“Diana—”
“Nick—”
Without moving her hea
d, she widened her eyes so she wouldn’t blink for at least five minutes, and said, “Alicia, come over here, please, and take this baby.”
Alicia scurried to take Jessica from her arms.
“Now, please close the front door. Nick and I are going to start this all over again and we’re going to practice until we get it right”
Nick didn’t wait for Alicia. He closed the door himself. Their gazes never wavered as they each stepped back. At least Diana thought they had. Only Nick seemed to be getting closer. He seemed to be crowding her against the wall. “Now, now, Nick.” She tried sweetness. After all, she really was a nice person. Everyone thought so. “I don’t want to lie to them. We’re not getting married. Don’t tell them something that’s not going to happen.” Although they weren’t going to live in sin, either, Diana hadn’t given up hope.
“I’m going to kiss you, you know.”
Her eyelids, already opened wide, popped, and so did her mouth.
“I have to. Just once.” He stepped closer to her. “It’s something I gotta do. I’ve been thinking about it all morning. From the time I first saw your socks.”
“But, Nick.” Oh, God, Oh, God, OhGodOhGod. A kiss. He wanted a kiss from her. She’d been dreaming about a kiss for so long that she didn’t know if she could handle the excitement now that he wanted one. How had something so simple as a little kiss become so overwhelming? What if she didn’t know how? What if she stunk at it? What if she failed the test? What if their lips didn’t match up? What if their teeth clanked together? What if—
His mouth reached hers before she could think of any other potential disasters. Soft lips, gentle pressure, strong hands holding on to her shoulders so she couldn’t run away. He angled his head without moving his lips from hers. His fingers traveled from her shoulders, skimming her neck, outlining her jaw, her chin, making slow, small, delicate circles over her cheeks. He outlined her lips with his tongue, and she tasted him briefly, wanting more. She opened her mouth for him, giving him what he wanted, taking from him what she craved, and had been craving for years.
And then she knew. The chip in his tooth was smooth.
Kidnapped / I Got You Babe Page 23
