He went back to his desk, opened the laptop and brought up a file he’d been reading when Darcy called. After reading the same sentence three times, he realized that his thoughts kept wandering to Jazz. He typed her name in the search field and clicked on her official Web site.
He smiled instantly. She was stunning, posed on the red carpet with an eager-looking man in a tuxedo beside her. He looked to be of mixed race, with a mass of shoulder-length curls. A spark of jealousy slashed through Devon when he activated the video feed and watched it play. Jazz as she walked the carpet was poised and elegant, but her date was antsy and nervous. He was identified as England’s Manchester United soccer superstar, Jeremiah Kent. Devon clicked through more photos, seeing her mother, father and brother. But it was the photos of her that stilled his heart. He was falling. He knew that he cared about her. He also knew that loving Jazz was as easy as breathing.
Chapter 10
EXTERIOR—PATIO
Jazz stood on the deck, watching the two men she thought she recognized. The beach was relatively empty so she spotted them instantly. They ran along the water’s edge. They were still pretty far away, but she could see it was definitely Vincent and Devon. After last night she’d know his body anywhere. She smiled, secretly admiring his physique. Both were physically fit, strong, muscular, but Devon was clearly the more defined of the two.
He wore a sleeveless T-shirt with shorts, but she could plainly see the muscled outline of his body. His cinnamon-toned skin glistened against the sun and water. She took a deep breath and shook her head, exhaling slowly. The memory of his arms wrapped around her as they made love sent tingles through her body all over again. Her stomach quivered just thinking about the night before. He was irresistible, and she was insatiable.
His kisses had hooked her instantly. Nobody should be allowed to kiss like that. He’d sucked her tongue. She didn’t even know that was possible. The feeling was intense. Her head spun, and the next thing she knew she was lying on the bed beside him. How was it possible to lose herself so completely with a kiss?
Devon was every woman’s fantasy. He was athletic, smart, confident, fun to be with and, heaven knew, too, too sexy. But he was an athlete, and she’d been down that road before. Four dates with tennis star Gavin Parks had been blissfully tranquil at first. Then his childish behavior and off-court temper tantrums soon ended their relationship. It turned out all he wanted from her was a celebrity in the stands rooting for him.
After Gavin was a tumultuous year and a half with England’s Manchester United soccer superstar, Jeremiah Kent. She should have learned her lesson with Gavin, but she didn’t. Jeremiah was fun and unpredictable and challenging. But his constant womanizing, petty jealousy and temper kept them on a roller coaster of emotions. It wasn’t until he checked into rehab that she found out he was high throughout most of their relationship. Either way, she’d had it with sports stars.
Dating a celebrity was problematic; dating an athlete was insanity. Their fiercely competitive nature was an asset on the court or the playing field, but in a relationship it was a major obstacle. They all just wanted to have their egos stroked, and they’d use anybody they could to get what they wanted.
She watched as Vincent and Devon stopped and talked awhile. She couldn’t see their faces clearly, but whatever it was they were talking about seemed to be serious. They eventually turned and looked out at the water. Moments later, Vincent began running. Devon soon followed, running faster to catch up. They appeared to be in fierce competition, each running faster and faster, bumping the other to gain the momentary advantage. But it was obvious who was winning: Devon.
Then Vincent bumped him, and Devon lost his balance and fell into the water. Jazz gasped. He went down hard. Seconds later she saw that when he sat up in the water, he was laughing. Jazz shook her head then suddenly realized someone was standing next to her. She was so engrossed in voyeurism she hadn’t noticed. “Jess,” Jazz said. “Good morning. I didn’t realize you were here.”
“’Morning,” Jessica said, still looking out at the beach. She sipped from a china cup, then smiled. “I have some paperwork to catch up on while Mel’s away, so I figured I’d take care of it early and get it out of the way.” She chuckled. “Those two are like little kids playing on the beach. They’re forever competitive, just like in college.”
“Really?” Jazz said curiously.
“Oh yeah. My friends and I used to go to Vincent’s college track meets all the time just to see Devon run. The two of them were usually the best runners there. They traded wins. One time Devon would win and the next time Vincent would.”
“So Vincent and Devon were good friends in college?” Jazz asked.
“Good friends? Oh, hell, no, definitely not. They were more like bitter rivals. They all but hated each other. They were both incredible runners and super talented. Watching them compete was amazing. They learned to respect each other’s talent. After a while they became friends. You know, I used to have such a crush on Devon about a hundred years ago.”
“Well, I hear he’s looking for a wife,” Jazz said, alluding to the fact that he signed with the Platinum Society.
“You mean me and Devon?” she asked. Jazz nodded. “Nah, that ship has long since sailed. He’s more of a big brother now. I adore him, but that’s it.” She turned and walked over to the table. Jazz followed.
“So Devon went into football. Why didn’t Vincent?”
“He was supposed to. Vincent won a spot on the Summer Olympics national team. He went and won two gold medals, but in the last race he blew his knee out crossing the finish line. He won, but a few surgeries later he realized he’d never be the same. He stopped running for a long time after that.”
“Wow, that’s terrible. But he’s running now.”
“Actually, Devon has everything to do with that. They started hanging out socially and eventually Devon got Vincent back into running. I don’t know how he did it, but he did. Vincent was so miserable for a while. Now he’s back to being himself. He’s not as good as he used to be, and he’ll never make the NFL, but he’s happy again. That’s all that matters.”
“I wonder what Devon did or said to help him?”
“I don’t know, but whatever it was, it really helped him. Devon’s good like that. Oh, he gets the bad-boy press, but he’s really a good guy.”
“Are you saying that all the articles in the papers about Devon are made up?”
“You would know better than me. How much of what they say about you is true?” Jazz nodded her understanding. Jessica smiled happily. “You like him, don’t you?” Jazz nodded. “You should get to know him.”
“To what end? He’s looking for a relationship. I’m not.”
“There are all kinds of relationships,” Jessica said.
“Well, more specifically, he’s looking to get married. Isn’t that why he signed on with the Platinum Society, to settle down and find a wife?” she asked. Jessica didn’t respond either way. “I don’t want to distract him from that, and I don’t want to get emotionally involved just to have him walk away with someone else.”
“Why can’t you be good friends, then?”
“He asked the same question last night.”
“And?” Jessica prompted.
“And,” Jazz began then turned away. “I don’t know. It’s strange with Devon. There’s this thing between us. I know it sounds weird, but since the moment he walked into the party, there was this something. He stared at me, I stared at him. It’s like a magnetic attraction,” Jazz said.
“You mean like a spark, an instant attraction?” Jessica asked. Jazz shrugged and then nodded woefully. “Jazz, you’re attracted to each other. That’s a good thing.”
“No, not for me. I’ve done the athlete thing with Gavin and Jeremiah. Both were disasters, by the way.”
“What do they have to do with Devon?”
“All athletes,” Jazz said.
“All three are totally different men,” J
essica said. “If you really feel this attraction for Devon, don’t you owe it to yourself to find out where it leads?”
Jazz considered her suggestion, but a part of her was still too scared to open up. “Jess, what happens if I open myself up to Devon?”
“You have seven kids, name the first girl after me and then live happily ever after.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
“So are you,” Jessica confirmed, “and you know it.”
Jazz nodded. Devon was definitely not the man she initially thought he was when they first met.
Moments later, Vincent walked up the path leading to the patio then climbed the stairs to the deck. He smiled as soon as he saw them sitting there at the table talking. “Hey, ’morning, I thought that was you guys standing at the rail,” he said breathlessly.
“Good morning,” Jazz said, obviously grateful for Vincent’s interruption. “You guys look great out there. Of course that competition thing was a bit over the top.”
“Actually, that was pretty tame, considering.” Jessica smirked.
Vincent laughed and then coughed. “Can’t help it—we go way back with that. So, what are you two up to today?”
“Work. I have a million things to take care of in the office,” Jessica said.
Vincent nodded and then looked at Jazz for her response. “Nothing, really. I have a few calls to make this morning. Then I’ll probably do some reading later on.”
“Why don’t you go into town and take a look around?” Jessica suggested. “It’s the perfect time. It’s still early in the season, so the tourists haven’t arrived yet. You’ll have the whole place to yourself.”
“You haven’t seen Sag Harbor yet?” Vincent asked.
Jazz shook her head. “No, not yet,” Jazz said. “I’ve been kind of hiding out here.”
“You’re missing a real treat,” Vincent said. “It’s beautiful this time of year. The museums alone are worth the trip.”
Jazz nodded, considering Jessica’s suggestion. “Actually, I’ve been saying that I was going to have a look around. I just might do that.”
“Great. You can use my car,” Vincent said. “I won’t be using it. I’m headed to the coast for a few days. As a matter of fact, I’d better get showered and changed. My flight’s in a few hours. So,” he began as he slapped his hands together and looked at them, “who’s going to volunteer to drive me to the airport?”
Jessica and Jazz looked at each other, then to Vincent, and then back at each other. They started laughing, knowing exactly what the other was thinking. It was a well-known fact that traffic to and from the airport this time of day was sheer madness. “For real, I can’t get a ride?” he asked. Jessica and Jazz laughed again.
“Sorry,” Jazz said sympathetically.
Vincent shook his head as Jessica continued laughing. “Ya’ll are wrong. I guess it’s a good thing I already hired a car to take me. Okay, I’m out. Jazz, the car’s in the garage and the keys are on the dash. I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Thanks, have a good trip,” Jazz called out after him.
“See ya,” Jessica added then turned to Jazz. “Now, back to our previous conversation…”
“I was hoping you’d let it go,” Jazz said.
“Me? Never. How long have we known each other? Seriously, are you interested in Devon?”
“No,” Jazz lied with difficulty.
“Why the hell not?” Jessica asked plainly. Jazz looked at her, surprised by the comment. “Look, you’re single. He’s single. You’re both attractive, intelligent people with a lot to offer. If the attraction you just described to me is half as strong as I think, then—”
“Then what? Throw myself at him and have a sex thing until he finds his one true love, then just walk away? I can’t do that.”
“Jazz, there are no guarantees in any of this, so why not?”
“The why not is simple—he will surely break my heart, and I don’t think I could stand another heartbreak.”
Jessica nodded, deciding that pushing Jazz further would be useless. “Okay,” she said softly then stood to leave. “We all just want you to be happy. If it’s Devon and he makes you happy, fine. If not, that’s fine, too. Know that a man by your side won’t change who you are or what you feel. But the right one will make those feelings soar. Finding someone so instantly compatible is the greatest feeling in the world. I see it every day, and it makes me forever hopeful.”
“The truth is, he scares me,” Jazz admitted, then looked up at Jessica. “Of course, not physically, but emotionally. I can see myself getting lost in him, and that’s scary. That’s what my mom said happened with Frank. It was instant, and she lost herself. Look what happened, the disaster her life became.” Saying the words out loud gave her pause. She’d never dared utter what her mother once told her, but she knew she could trust Jessica.
“Jazz, you’re not your mother. You know that, and as far as love is concerned, it’s a hell of a motivator. It’ll make you do all kinds of crazy things. But when it’s right, there’s nothing like it. It can last a moment or a lifetime. Either way, it’s always worth it.”
Jazz smiled with hope. “You think so, huh?”
Jessica nodded. “I know so. Are you going to be okay?” she asked. Jazz nodded. “Okay, I’m gonna get started. I’ll be in the office the rest of the morning if you need me. But why don’t you think about getting out of here for a while? Visit the sights, see the town. There are some really nice boutiques. Try Suzi’s Closet. It’s a great place to start. Her clothes are incredible.”
“I’ll think about it,” Jazz promised. Jessica nodded and left her alone. Jazz’s mind raced. Thinking about Devon led to thoughts of her mother and father and their love, then to her brother, then back to Devon.
To change focus, she glanced at the overnight package her agent had sent her and her laptop. The decision was easy. She quickly opened her laptop. She logged on and checked in with her manager who forwarded her emails. Thankfully she had a service that handled and answered her fan mail. Important e-mails were sent to her manager’s office, sorted, then sent to her. It was a daily thing that had become a weekly thing, and was now a monthly thing. She had over a hundred unopened e-mails, all marked urgent. She opened the first one, then went from there.
It was strange getting back to her life. She was alone for the first time in a long time. With her mother and Brian gone, and Savannah away in England, she felt an odd sense of contentment. She had no idea where it came from, she just knew that…
She paused. She remembered a conversation last night about being alone and finding herself. Devon had a way of cutting through her guard of mistrust and pain. He got to her, and she opened up to him. It was scary knowing that someone could see that far into her heart. Her e-mail beeped. She looked down at the message. It was from Frank. She deleted it without opening.
Instantly another e-mail came. It was from her grandfather. He wasn’t computer savvy, but when it came to sending her e-mails, he was an expert. He ended with his usual call-your-grandmother message. She smiled. Of course she’d call. She knew it wasn’t just her grandmother who missed her.
She grabbed her cell and called. The conversation lasted over an hour. Jazz adored her grandparents. They had always been the stability in her life. When she was younger and her mother toured, she stayed with them. It was like having a normal family. Then her mother’s fame began to fade, and she was at home more. Jazz loved that even more. Soon after, she started in the business professionally. She was five when she got her first modeling contract. Then she did commercials, small guest spots, her own TV show, a recording contract and finally movies. She never looked back. She was everything her mother wanted her to be.
After the phone call, she went back to the remaining e-mails. Another hour passed quickly. She stood and walked back over to the rail and looked out at the beach. Devon had long since gone. Thinking about him was becoming a habit. One she couldn’t afford to have. He wasn�
�t for her, and she wasn’t sure she’d know what to do with him if he were.
Their lives were so different. Sure they were both in the spotlight, but his was by choice. She only stepped into the limelight to do her job. Once that was over, she wanted nothing more than peace and quiet and the idea of a normal life. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t see him as he approached. “Good morning,” he called up.
Jazz looked down, seeing Devon climb the steps from the beach. Her stomach immediately fluttered. “’Morning,” she said softly.
Devon walked over and stood beside her, looking out at the view. He turned to look at her. “You look beautiful this morning.”
“Thanks. Did you enjoy your run?”
“With Vincent?” he asked with a smile knowing instantly that she’d seen them. “Yes, it was good. I enjoy running with him.”
“Are you okay after falling into the water?”
He chuckled and looked back out to the bay. “You saw that too, huh?” She nodded. “I’m fine. We were just horsing around.”
“Tell me something. What did you say to Vincent to get him running again?”
Devon turned to her, surprised that she knew that. “You’ve been busy, haven’t you?” he asked. She smiled. “I told Vincent that since he wouldn’t run and we couldn’t compete, I’d retire from football.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No, we went out running that same day. Apparently he had a lot of money on me in the upcoming game. He didn’t want to lose a fortune.” She laughed, knowing that it wasn’t true. “So, what are your plans today?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet.”
“Excellent. It’s the perfect day to hang out. I have to go in town, but after that, why don’t you come over? I’ll even spring for lunch.”
“Thanks anyway, but I’m really not up for going out today. Besides, I still have a few things to take care of here,” she said, glancing at her laptop that was on the table.
Heart's Choice Page 13
