He hadn’t thought of the consequences of returning, only that he wanted Alaina to experience a taste of home with him. Having her there grounded him, made him feel like there was a future in New York, that the fire hadn’t eaten his soul. That he could come back.
Boy, was he glad she’d come.
He ordered his favorite, the grilled steak with fries, and she ordered the chicken breast in a brandy mushroom cream sauce.
“This is delicious.” Alaina took another bite, and Brett watched the fork leave her soft, red lips- lips he wanted to kiss.
Alaina brushed her sunset hair over her shoulder. “Who would have known this wonderful place existed in the middle of nowhere?”
“Only the locals.” Brett smiled with pride. “They keep it that way for a reason.”
Alaina raised an eyebrow. “To keep rude New Yorkers like me out?”
Brett laughed. He loved her sassy sense of humor. “To keep it quaint.”
He felt something brush his leg under the table. Alaina smiled and took another bite. One thing he learned about her- she wasn’t shy. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. He’d never dated a girl who was so aggressive before. Usually they turned him off. But after the fire, he needed a good push in the right direction. He needed Alaina.
Brett reminded himself not to get too attached. She thought he was some rich businessman named Lance. When his cover fell, she may not like what was left.
“Do you always date wealthy businessmen?” He kept his tone trivial.
“Not at all.” Alaina sipped her wine. “You’re the first.”
Then who was her type? Brett took another bite. “Do you ever date average Joes, you know, like normal, everyday people?”
She shook her finger at him. “You’re hardly an average Joe.”
A wave of frustration came over him. He wasn’t getting anywhere with this. “You’d be surprised.”
Alaina spread her hands. “This restaurant is far from normal in my estimation.”
Brett laughed at the irony of her comment. “It’s normal for me.”
Alaina narrowed her eyes. “Do you ever date opera singers?”
Brett resisted the urge to roll his eyes. That’s what he got for asking weird questions. A little of his own medicine. “No. But my first girlfriend in high school played the clarinet.”
“Oh really?” Alaina tapped her napkin over her red lips. “You’re making me jealous.”
He couldn’t tell if she was serious. His first girlfriend also had braces and pigtails. “You have nothing to be jealous about.”
“Good. Because I want you all for myself.”
Desire surged inside him. He loved how forward she was. Forget all that insecure dating nonsense. Alaina got right down to business.
“And you shall.”
After dinner, Brett led her around the back of the hotel. The full moon shone clear and bright, lighting their path.
“I hope there aren’t any bears or bobcats in those woods.” Alaina picked her way through the rocky path in her heels.
“Trust me, I’ve walked this way my whole life and I’ve never run into them. It’s too close to civilization. You’d be surprised, sometimes they’re more afraid of us than we are of them.” She really didn’t know much about the woods. Could she really be happy with someone like him?
“What the-” She jerked her hand over her arm and brushed violently at her sleeve.
He stopped and pulled her aside. “Are you okay?”
She ran her hand through her hair, her eyes wide and her movements finicky. “It must have been a bug.”
“It’s okay.” He took her hand, trying to calm her. “I don’t like bugs myself, but you get used to them over time. They can’t hurt you.”
“If only they’d mind their own business.” She lurched forward, stumbling on the uneven path. Before he could steady her, she slipped and fell against him, grabbing his arm. He caught her, holding her close. “Whoa! Are you all right?” The evening was falling apart.
She shivered, and he thought she was crying. Oh Geez. She’d never agree to go out with him again. Never mind ‘special,’ this date was a nightmare.
Alaina lifted her head, and her eyes sparkled as she broke out in laughter. “You must think I’m a complete idiot, walking out here with these heels on.”
He breathed with relief. Maybe she wasn’t used to the outdoors, but she was taking it all in stride. “I’m the idiot. I didn’t tell you how to dress. You had no idea what to wear.”
“It’s okay.” She squeezed his hand. “I like surprises and you certainly had me guessing.”
At least she liked the surprise. Maybe the night wasn’t falling to pieces. Would she give this outdoors thing one more chance? “It’s just a little further, if you think you can manage?”
She patted his hand. “With you I can.”
Her words melted the wall he’d built around his heart. He hadn’t had anyone need him since the fire. To know she relied on him made him felt needed, wanted, necessary.
They walked over a wooden bridge on the other side of a gurgling stream. Brett picked up two stones, one for him and one for her. He handed her the rock and his fingers brushed against hers longingly.
This would tell the real truth about her. He’d never showed this place to anyone before, afraid they’d make fun of him. But, after such a wonderful dinner, he was determined to learn as much as he could. “When I was a boy, I used to blow on a rock, throw it in the water and make a wish.”
Feeling a little hokey, he blew on his rock, closed his eyes and wished he could learn more about her. He threw the rock in, and turned to Alaina. “Your turn.”
Her eyes widened and she held the rock like a sacred stone. “My goodness. I’m not sure what to wish for.” The way she took his ritual so seriously convinced him she was a keeper.
He closed his hand over hers. “Wish for something you want to come true. But, don’t tell me.”
She smiled. “I won’t.”
He released her hand reluctantly. Alaina blew on her rock and threw it across the stream. It bounced on a tree and landed with a thump in the forest.
She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my.”
Brett laughed at how genuinely distraught she was. “That’s quite an arm you’ve got.”
“Guess my wish doesn’t come true.”
“You know what?” He picked up another rock. “I never told you the rule about second chances.”
She took the rock from his hands. “What about them?”
“Second chances guarantee the wish comes true.”
***
They took the limo back to the plane. Brett wished he could spend longer with her in Maine, but they both had to be back for their jobs in the morning, and an overnight vacation was not part of the bid.
He wasn’t sure what Mrs. DeBarr would think if he took Alaina on a romantic weekend getaway. He was supposed to be entertaining the buyer for a dinner date, not seducing them or taking advantage of Lance’s high status to get lucky.
They settled into their seats as the plane took off. Alaina nuzzled her head onto his shoulder. “I don’t want to go back. Not yet.”
Brett breathed in the rosy scent of her hair, trying to savor the moment. He entangled his fingers in hers. “Me neither.”
How long could he uphold this façade? Mrs. DeBarr would be asking for her credit card back, and he sure as hell couldn’t afford to take Alaina anywhere on his construction worker’s pay when he could barely afford to make rent.
An incredible urge to tell her the truth came over him like a fever. He bit his tongue, not wanting Mrs. DeBarr to get in trouble. They couldn’t have Alaina asking for her money back. He didn’t think she’d do such a thing, but he also didn’t know her very well. The questions he’d asked during the date had helped to paint a picture of a sassy woman who knew what she wanted and went for it, someone who was trying to open her heart as well as advance her career. She was driven, daring,
and sensual, and he loved everything about her.
But was she able to understand him for who he really was? To forgive the sparkly façade he’d put on for a good cause?
He couldn’t risk telling her the truth. Not yet.
They arrived back in the hanger and took the limo to Alaina’s apartment building. Alaina watched him across the limo seat. She unbuckled and slid over, sitting against him. Her leg brushed against his pants, igniting heat deep inside him. “Thank you for such a wonderful night.”
“Even with the rocks and the bugs?”
“Especially with the rocks and the bugs- they made things interesting.”
Interesting was right. At least they broke the ice between them, which made taking her hand all that more easy. “You’re the one I should thank.” He took her hand. “You saved me from a night of stock quotes.”
Alaina laughed. “Anytime.”
Anytime. Was that an invitation for a second date? Hope and despair surged in equal measure. He couldn’t pull this off on a second date, yet he couldn’t deny the hot chemistry between them. He had to see her again. “Are you asking me out again?”
“Looks like it.” Alaina brushed her nose against his jawline, and he felt her soft, smooth skin. Damn. His body charged with energy and his lips gravitated towards hers. She closed the distance, and kissed him fiercely, playing with his lower lip with her tongue.
He kissed her back, probing her lips and entering her mouth. The kiss went deep into his soul, waking him as though he’d been in a long, listless sleep. His hands traveled the curves of her body, and he pulled against the seatbelt to get closer. She tasted like sweet wine and warm, lustful woman, and he wanted her so badly, he forgot who he was supposed to be. All he could think of was her and him and how they should be entwined together, naked in his bed.
The limo stopped, and Alaina jolted forward crashing into the front seat.
She laughed and he pulled her up. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, her cheeks flushed red. She looked so beautiful. “That’s what you get for not wearing a seatbelt.”
The date was at an end. The world and all its cruel reality hit him like a punch in the gut. Brett unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, needing fresh air to cool him off. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
He rounded the limo and opened Alaina’s door. She took his arm as they walked to the hotel. “You know, you could come up. Stay awhile.”
The offer was so enticing, he had to hold his breath before he could trust himself to give her an answer. If he wasn’t assuming someone else’s identity. If this wasn’t an auctioned date for charity. If Mrs. DeBarr wasn’t involved…so many possibilities drove him wild. “We both have to work early.”
“Of course.” Alaina detached her arm. “Another time, then.”
Oh he certainly hoped so.
She slid him her card. “My number’s on the back. Or should I just attend the next auction?”
Brett laughed and took the card, slipping it into his pocket. “Hopefully, I’ll never have to go on display again.”
“All in the name of charity, right?”
“Of course.”
“Call me. I’ll be waiting.” She blew him a kiss and disappeared into the building. Brett clenched and unclenched both fists and then ran both hands through his hair. It had taken all of his self-control to let her go. In her absence, his entire body ached. He reminded himself that his limo would turn into a pumpkin soon, and he’ go back to drilling and hammering in the morning.
Best take the ride home now.
He slid back into the limo and took out her card. Her alluring face stared back at him along with a quote, ‘entrancing tone and dramatic dynamic range.’
Written on the back in elegant penmanship was her number. Brett ran his hands over the writing wondering when the best time was to tell her the truth.
***
Six am came at Alaina in a wailing alarm that cut through her pleasant dreams. She slammed her hand on the button and buried her face in the pillow. It had taken her a while to fall asleep last night, considering she’d just had the best date of her life.
She sat up, rummaged through her purse and checked her cell phone. No calls. Of course, he wouldn’t call in the middle of the night. She was being ridiculous. He’d probably wait a day or two, or maybe until the weekend, and then give her a ring. She threw her phone back in her purse and turned the shower on scalding hot.
Back to the grind.
As much as she hated getting up early, Alaina felt surprisingly eager. It was the feeling she had when she walked on stage; excitement, pleasure, and a pride in knowing she would bring joy to others. She wouldn’t have believed it but she was actually looking forward to going to Heart House. It hadn’t nearly been as bad as she expected, yes they were a bit loud and unruly but they were just teenagers. And when she’d begun to connect with them, it really had been amazing. Opera had given her so much and she couldn’t imagine a life without it, she wanted these kids to have the opportunity to, to be amazed, to be impressed, to be inspired. . If she could inspire just one of them to attend a classical concert instead of a rock concert, then she’d done her job.
Feeling renewed, Alaina walked into the classroom. “Everyone sit down and shut off your phones. We’re talking about settings today.”
“It’s too early to think.” The Goth boy in the corner covered his head with his hood.
“I didn’t get much sleep last night.” A boy from the other corner whined.
Alaina wouldn’t let them get to her. Not this time. “Sleep or no sleep, we’re going around the world. Who wants to go first and tell me where your opera will be set?”
No one raised their hands. At least they weren’t looking at their phones. “Well?” She scanned the room. Purple hair looked almost interested. What was her name again…“Jackie, what about you?”
Jackie shrugged. “I don’t know. I was thinking like some castle in Europe.”
“That’s wonderful.” Alaina wrote castle in Europe on the chalkboard. “Anyone else?”
“Mine’s gonna be in the hood.” The boy at the back shouted out. Everyone giggled.
Alaina paused, thinking. Should she discipline him? “What’s your name?”
“John.” He wouldn’t make eye contact. His sweatshirt was ripped and stained across the front and he looked like he hadn’t taken a shower in a few days. What kind of home did he come from? Had he eaten breakfast? She’d bet not. She couldn’t imagine the kind of conditions some of these kids lived in.
“John, that’s an excellent setting.”
Then, she wrote in the hood next to Jackie’s castle. “I’m sure you’ll have a lot to write about.” She gave him a steady stare as if to make sure he followed through.
“But, that’s not a good place for an opera.” A girl with a Yankees cap wearing sweatpants shouted from the third row.
“Says who?” Alaina gave the class her practiced mysterious grin. “Mozart set his opera Abduction from the Seraglio in a harem. You all know what that is, right? You can set your operas anywhere you like, the stranger…the better.”
After she said that, more students raised their hand. She supposed they’d been afraid their ideas were ‘dumb,’ but after she’d accepted John’s answer, they knew she wasn’t going to make any of them feel bad. One after another, the settings kept coming.
A circus.
The beach.
A pirate ship.
Alaina had to write smaller and smaller to fit all of the answers on the board. The scope of their imaginations impressed her. These were talented kids. They might not have the same emotional and financial backing as her prep school friends, but that didn’t stop their creativity.
She stood in front of the cluttered board and studied it with pride. She’d made this happen. An entire class of thirty high school kids were going to write an opera.
The bell rang, and she turned to the class and raised her eyebrows. “Your homework
is the next step: heroes and villains.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Sabotage
Brett rubbed his eyes against the glare of the morning sun. He’d had to take a cold shower last night after his date with Alaina. Even then, he lay in bed unable to sleep, thinking about the way her soft lips hungered for more.
“Late night last night?” Phil knelt beside him as he measured the edge of the sidewalk.
Reality returned along with Phil’s coffee breath. “You could say that.”
Phil ran his hands through his salty gray hair. “Are you gonna tell me or not?”
Brett sighed. “Tell you what?”
“How your date went.” Phil widened his eyes like it was obvious. It was obvious. Brett was procrastinating.
“It was fine.” He continued his measurements. Can’t have a crooked sidewalk, or the baby carriages would roll right off.
“Fine doesn’t keep you up all night, does it?”
“Okay, it was more than fine.” Brett gazed into the traffic, not seeing a single car. “It was perfect.”
Phil smiled, probably wanting all the details. But Brett was not a kiss-and-tell kind of guy.
“So when are you two going out again?”
“I don’t know.” Brett stopped measuring. He couldn’t concentrate with Phil bringing up the one problem he’d tried hard to avoid.
“You don’t know?” Phil furrowed his bushy eyebrows.
Brett was tired of lying, and Phil had been his friend since he’d started on the job. He had to talk to someone. “There’s one little problem. She thinks I’m three billion dollars richer.”
Phil slapped his hand on his forehead. “It was the plane, wasn’t it? I told you it’d be too much.”
“No, it wasn’t that. It’s a long story.”
Phil sat on the curb, pulled out a Hostess snack from his pocket, and opened a bag of donuts. “I’m on break. I’ve got time.”
Brett put his equipment down. He was already ahead of schedule. A few minutes wouldn’t hurt. He told his friend about Mrs. DeBarr, how he’d posed as her son, and what had happened at the auction.
A Diva in Manhattan Page 5
