‘Nice, huh?’ Jake said.
‘I had no idea.’
‘He’s good.’
She threw a mischievous look over her shoulder. ‘That, I already knew.’
He gave her a stinging slap on the behind. ‘Guest bathroom is down the hall to your left.’
She was grinning broadly as she hurried away.
She snooped a bit as she went and eventually found the bathroom. It was just as sumptuous as the rest of the house. The decorating was minimal, to say the least, but Missy would have that fixed in no time. Roma hopped into the shower.
By the time she got back to the kitchen, Hawk was clattering around in the cupboards. She was relieved to see he’d found a pair of sweatpants. His bare chest was extremely distracting, however. Missy was setting the table, wearing a rather slinky blue robe. Roma’s tongue clicked against the back of her teeth. She wondered how many other things her friend kept here.
‘Hungry, Blondie?’ Hawk asked when he spotted her.
‘Famished.’
‘Worked off a few calories, did you?’
She blushed, but she wasn’t going to let him rattle her. ‘Jake made me run on that path to get here.’
Hawk chuckled. ‘Then you’re first in line. What do you want?’
She nibbled on her lip, and glanced at her friend for help. ‘Can he actually cook?’
‘To die for,’ Missy assured. ‘Try the egg-white omelette. That’s what I’m having.’
‘Sounds good,’ Roma said. She pulled a chair away from the table in the breakfast nook and sat down. ‘Fire it up, Mr Chef.’
Jake appeared in the hallway fresh from his shower and propped his arm against the archway.
‘What about you, peeping Tom?’ Hawk asked as he sprayed a pan with non-stick coating.
‘Voyeurism is hard work,’ Jake returned. ‘Make it French toast for me.’
‘Hey,’ Roma said, complaining. ‘That’s not fair.’
‘One week,’ he promised as he crossed the room and sat down beside her. ‘Then you can ease up on the diet.’
Still…Roma was concerned that the world might be coming to an end if Jake Logan was eating French toast, and Hawk Miller had the supplies on hand to make it. The health freaks. Breakfast was supposed to be those icky protein drinks. She was reassured when Hawk pulled out a loaf of wholewheat bread and sugar-free syrup. That was more like it.
Missy finally sat down at the table with them. Roma lifted her eyebrows, silently questioning her. Her friend smiled shyly and gave her a thumbs up.
Roma leant in closer. ‘Did he tell you his name?’
Missy threw Hawk an amused look. ‘He did, but I can’t tell. Ever.’
Hawk laughed and cracked an egg with one hand.
Roma’s forehead crumpled in confusion. ‘Can’t you give me a hint?’
‘He’s a grouch,’ Missy said flatly.
‘Hey!’ Hawk warned. He pointed the spatula at her.
‘Fine,’ Roma said, sitting back in her chair. ‘Be that way.’
Breakfast turned out to be delicious. Jake had at least six pieces of French toast, and Roma helped him polish off the last one after finishing her omelette. She wished she knew how to make those things. Every time she tried, she got fried eggs instead.
Holding her stomach, she relaxed back in her chair. ‘Hawk, that was awesome.’
He tilted his head in acknowledgment. ‘Consider it payment. You two can provide manpower. Today’s moving day for Missy.’
Missy looked at him sharply. ‘It is not.’
‘Today,’ he said firmly.
‘I have to talk to Danny first. I can’t just walk out.’
‘Sure you can.’
‘I want to handle this right.’
‘Getting out of there today is right,’ he said, not giving an inch.
Roma watched the back and forth volleys like a tennis fan. Hawk was imposing, but Missy was holding her own. It was nice to see.
‘I’ll talk to him this morning,’ her friend promised, meeting him halfway.
‘Then we’ll hold off on moving your stuff over here until this afternoon.’
It wasn’t much, but it was a concession. Missy nodded her head in agreement. It was decided. She was moving in with Hawk that afternoon.
‘I can help,’ Roma said, raising her hand.
‘My truck’s just down the road,’ Jake volunteered. He pushed himself away from the table, but his cell phone rang. ‘Whoa. That’s me.’
He unclipped the phone from his waistband and looked at the caller ID. ‘Excuse me. I need to take this.’
Roma started to help Missy gather up the dishes. She noticed Jake’s brow furrowing, though.
‘How bad is it?’ he asked.
She stopped with one hand holding the syrup and the other gripping a sticky plate. Who was on the other end of that line? Tito? Had something happened at the gym?
‘Does the doctor say you’ll be healed in time for the competition?’
Competition? Roma sighed. He was talking to Liz. Rolling her eyes, she continued with what she was doing. Stacking her plate on top of his, she headed for the kitchen sink.
He glanced at her as she walked by and tilted his head apologetically.
‘It doesn’t sound that bad, Liz. If the doctor says you need to rest it, we’ll rest it. Don’t worry. We can work around it.’
Roma walked off in a huff. That woman. She called whenever she broke a fingernail.
‘Now’s not a good time, Liz,’ Jake said patiently. ‘I can’t come over; I’m right in the middle of something.’
Roma stopped. Oh, he’d better not.
‘Liz? Liz, stop crying.’
Oh, for heaven’s sake. Jake looked up at her ruefully, and she wanted to kick him in the shin. The tears got to him every time. Didn’t he know they were the oldest tools in women’s belts of manipulation?
‘Liz, don’t say that. I’m not giving up on you. Liz?’ Closing his eyes, he reached up and rubbed his temple. ‘Ah, hell. Just stay put. I’ll be right over.’
If Roma hadn’t been in someone else’s kitchen, she would have thrown the syrup right against the wall. Missy and Hawk saw the look on her face and took a step back. Way back.
Jake hung up from the call with an excuse already on his lips. ‘It really sounds like something serious this time, Roma.’
‘Sure it does.’
‘She pulled a muscle. With two weeks until the show, that could be disastrous. She’s got some strength moves that put a lot of stress on that leg.’
‘Can’t she wait?’ They were here enjoying an intimate breakfast with their friends. A very intimate breakfast. They’d just engaged in a virtual orgy, for goodness sake. Was he just going to run off after that?
‘She’s pretty upset.’
He was just going to run off. She couldn’t believe it.
He clipped the phone back at his waist. ‘Do you want to come along?’
Her eyebrows lifted. ‘What do you think?’
‘Right,’ he said, looking sheepish. ‘Hawk?’
‘I can give her a ride home.’
‘Thanks.’
Roma tried to avoid Jake when he reached out and grabbed for her waist, but her reflexes weren’t quick enough. He pulled her close and looked down into her eyes.
‘I just have to keep her happy until the show is over,’ he said quietly. ‘I’m doing this for us.’
She counted to ten.
‘Don’t be mad,’ he coaxed.
She rolled her eyes, but she did understand. In fact, she understood all too well. He couldn’t help being a nice guy. If a woman in need called, he was going to run to the rescue. What she didn’t appreciate was the woman who used this knowledge to her advantage.
He gave her a quick kiss and hugged her. ‘I’ll ditch her as soon as I can.’
‘You’d better,’ Roma said, pouting. She’d allow this for two more weeks.
Then, it was going to stop.
; Jake left through the back door, and she watched out of the window as he trotted towards the creek. She sighed. All that hunkiness was supposed to be hers. ‘Damn that Liz,’ she said, tossing the plates into the sink.
Missy came forwards and rubbed her back. ‘It’s just work.’
‘I know,’ Roma said stubbornly. She couldn’t help the way she felt. Even if there wasn’t anything romantic, a closeness had developed between the two. ‘I trust him. It’s her that has me worried.’
Missy brushed her hair over her shoulder and glanced across the room at Hawk. ‘Would you tell her there’s nothing going on between Jake and Liz?’
Hawk climbed up on a barstool and rested his elbows on the breakfast bar.
‘Liz Huffington?’ He let out a grunt of disgust. ‘Give me a break. Blondie, that bitch has nothing on you.’
Roma heard nothing past the name ‘Huffington’. He might as well have screamed it at her with the way it ricocheted inside her head.
She pivoted sharply and stared at both of her friends. ‘Huffington? Liz’s last name is Huffington?’
Hawk threw a look at Missy. ‘Well, yeah.’
Reaching out, Roma grabbed the counter. Her knees suddenly didn’t feel all that steady.
Missy lurched forwards and wrapped an arm about her shoulders for support. ‘Roma, what’s wrong? You’re as white as a sheet.’
That was because she suddenly couldn’t breathe. ‘Ellie’s last name is Huffington.’
Her friend’s eyes widened dramatically. ‘No!’
‘Who’s Ellie?’ Hawk asked.
Missy shushed him with a wave of her hand. ‘It’s a coincidence. It’s got to be.’
Roma wasn’t so sure. Liz. Elizabeth…Ellie?
‘Yeah, a coincidence,’ she said, clinging to the hope. ‘People don’t change their names after high school.’
Hawk and Missy exchanged a look. Roma felt a bit sick when they didn’t back her up. ‘But why would she do something like that?’ she asked.
‘Could be anything,’ Hawk said.
Panic started to seep into Roma’s system. Oh, this was terrible. A nightmare. A horror story told in broad daylight. But how could she find out for sure?
‘What does she look like?’ she demanded. She flapped her hands frantically, trying to get her brain to function. ‘Height. Hair colour. Anything.’
Missy looked worriedly at Hawk. ‘Blonde.’
‘Dirty blonde,’ he agreed.
Ellie had had brown hair, but it could always have been coloured or highlighted.
‘She’s relatively petite,’ Missy added. ‘Five foot four maybe.’
Wrong answer! The rock in Roma’s gut cut deeper. Jake had said that Liz did backflips in her routine. Ellie had been a tumbler.
Reaching out, she grabbed Hawk’s wrist. ‘You said she was a bitch. How big?’
He didn’t hesitate. ‘The biggest one I’ve ever met.’
Oooh. Not good. Roma flung her hands up in the air and began to pace. ‘Do you have any pictures of her?’
Both shook their heads.
‘How old is she?’
‘Thirty?’ Missy guessed
‘Thirty-five?’ Hawk said.
Roma perked up. That was too old – but the gross feeling in her stomach didn’t let up. She had to know for sure. But how? She snapped her fingers when the light bulb popped on inside her head. That was it!
She spun around towards Hawk. ‘Take me to the gym. Please!’
By the time they got to the gym, the Saturday morning crowd was in full swing. Tito was behind the desk, but he was surprised to see them. ‘Hey guys. What are you doing here?’
As a trio, they stomped right on by.
‘Guys?’ Tito called weakly.
Roma opened the door to Jake’s office with her key. Marching straight over to the filing cabinet, she yanked on the ‘H’ drawer. It held tight.
‘Damn!’
She began searching frantically for a way to open it. Her keys wouldn’t fit. Neither she nor Missy had a hairpin – although that would have been a small miracle. Women hadn’t worn their hair in pin spirals for half a century, and fewer still knew how to pick locks. Frustrated, Roma began yanking on the drawer. ‘Open!’ she demanded.
Missy pulled her back. ‘Careful. It might fall on you if you do that.’
‘I want it open.’
‘Then get out of the way.’
She pulled back sharply when Hawk walked up with a ten-pound free weight. He’d heard the story of Ellie on the ride over. He wasn’t that big a fan. Lifting the weight, he drove the flat end into the lock. There was a bang and an ear-piercing screech.
Reaching up, he hit the button for the top drawer and gave the handle a pull. The sound of more metal scraping against metal made Roma clap her hands over her ears. Hawk wasn’t to be denied. He prised the drawer open until he could stick his hand inside. When he reached the lock, he twisted it manually.
‘Open,’ he said as he stepped back.
‘Oh, thank you,’ Roma said, rushing in.
She whipped open the drawer with the ‘H’s and began thumbing through the files until she found Huffington. Her hand shook as she pulled it out of the drawer.
‘How will you know if that’s her?’ Missy asked, stepping in to peek over her shoulder. ‘I’ve never seen Jake take pictures of clients.’
Roma was thumbing through the thick file, trying to find what she needed. Comments like ‘hard worker’ and ‘shows potential’ slowed her down. ‘Ellie’s birthday was on New Year’s Eve,’ she said. ‘She always threw a big party. It was the social event of the winter season.’
She knew, because she’d never been invited.
Her breath caught when she found the page listing Liz’s personal information. She scanned the page until she found the date of birth. Her friends had been wrong. Liz was twenty-eight.
Roma’s arms went limp, and the file dropped to the floor. Turning, she pressed her face into Hawk’s wide chest. His arms automatically came up around her.
‘It’s her,’ she groaned.
Liz was Ellie. Ellie was Liz. Her long-time, evil nemesis was Jake’s star pupil.
Chapter Thirteen
When Hawk and Missy finally dropped Roma off at home, she went straight to the kitchen. Convincing her friends that she was calm and rational had been no small feat. Hawk, in particular, had been like a mama bear – not that she’d say that to his face. He’d just been overly protective of her.
She didn’t need protecting right now.
She needed chocolate.
Opening the cupboard, she pulled out her secret stash of Snickers. Jake might have confiscated those he’d found in her briefcase, but he’d yet to find her other hiding places. The lid went flying off the fake flour canister and rolling across the countertop. Reaching inside, she pulled out the first of the many candy bars she planned to eat.
Liz was Ellie. Unbelievable!
As if she hadn’t developed a big enough dislike for this ‘Liz’ character already.
Because she felt like it, Roma grabbed the metal lid and banged it against the counter. The reverberating clatter gave her a sense of satisfaction. She felt like creating some mayhem. Making a scene. Throwing a good, old-fashioned hissy fit.
Jake was with Ellie right now. He’d been with her for the past three months – plus whatever additional time he’d trained her before she’d met him. The wrapper crinkled as Roma ripped into it, and she savagely bit off a mouthful of chocolate and peanuts. She knew how he’d trained her. How many times had he touched Ellie’s shoulders to make sure her posture was straight? Or her stomach to make sure she was strengthening her abs? Or her butt to…
Well, he just liked to do that.
With her, at least. He’d better not be grabbing Ellie’s butt.
More importantly, Ellie better not be grabbing his. She knew how that witch worked.
‘Arrggg!’ Roma snarled.
The trainer-trainee relationship w
as just so physically intimate. She knew Jake could keep things professional, but could Ellie? Did she even want to?
Ha! Of course not. What kind of a question was that? Just look at all the phone calls. The messages. The trips to the bikini store and Chicago.
‘That Lizard!’ Roma hissed.
This was just so totally unfair.
She’d worked her ass off for the past three months to get ready to face Ellie. Liz…Whatever her name was these days. She’d hoped to get a foot up on the bitch at the reunion, but noooooo. Her arch-enemy had one of the best bodies in the Midwest. She could search state after state and not find someone as fit.
‘Oh, you got me good,’ she said, waving her Snickers in the air. She could practically hear the Fates having a chuckle at her expense.
All that stretching. The sweating. The pain. The time. Roma groaned as she remembered all the workouts she’d pushed herself through.
Had it all been for nothing?
‘Screw that.’ She wasn’t even going to go down that road. She had to have accomplished something – other than nab a sexy lover. Jake was wonderful, but this whole undertaking had been about her. Improving her self-confidence. Reaching a goal.
A goal.
Her head snapped up. That was it. She had set a goal, and it had nothing to do with Ellie Huffington. With purpose, she headed out of the kitchen. Thinking twice, she swung back around for her Snickers. No sense leaving them behind. She clutched the canister to her chest and walked to her bedroom.
Setting it on top of the dresser, she wiped her suddenly damp palms on her shorts. Slowly, she approached the closet and slid open the door. Peering into the very back, she found what she wanted.
Her band uniform.
‘Come here, you.’ She pulled the garment bag off the hanging rod and unzipped it. A big green ‘W’ stared up at her from the sweater, challenging her. Her nerves began to twitter.
The big day had arrived.
All that running, lifting, stretching and straining had better damned well have been worth it!
She tossed the garment bag on the bed and began tearing off her clothes. Her shoes flipped end over end as she kicked them off, and she hopped from one foot to the other as she tugged at her thick exercise socks. Her shorts went next, and she decided to change into fresh underwear. The jog bra had to go, too. Only her best push-up would do.
High School Reunion Page 22
