“Sure. Take as long as you need.”
She needed to see Jarett, assuming he and Taylor were still in town. She hadn’t even asked him how long he was staying. But if Taylor was still sick…She hated to wish the other woman ill, but if they’d left town, she was a goner.
She grabbed her purse and the business card the man left, then hailed a taxi, dirty clothes and all. At the hotel, she used the back stairs. When she stepped up to the door, her heart was pounding like mad. She knocked on Jarett’s door, and a few minutes later, to her surprise, Taylor answered.
“We’re not ready for the room to be cleaned,” she said.
“I’m Meg Valentine,” she said. “You probably don’t remember me—”
“From the costume shop, right?” Taylor looked her up and down.
“Yes.”
She laughed. “So you’re my little body double.”
“Y-yes. I see you’re feeling better.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t care what Jarett told you, I’m not an addict.”
Meg blinked. “He said you had allergies.”
“Oh.” She pursed her mouth. “That’s right.”
“Is Jarett here?”
She smiled. “He’s in the shower.”
Her implication couldn’t have been more clear, but Meg didn’t have time to think about her stupid lapse of judgment. “I need to talk to him.”
“What about?”
Meg looked around the hallway. “May I come in?”
Taylor considered her for a minute, then waved her inside. “Let’s go to my room.”
Meg walked in, her heart jumping in her chest at the poignantly familiar surroundings. “I have a problem.”
“Oh?”
Taylor led her through Jarett’s room and to the connecting door, which wasn’t locked. She couldn’t help but notice the bed was mussed, and she wondered if they had—
Meg forced her mind back to the matter at hand. Taylor closed the connecting door and strangely, locked it. “And just what is your problem?”
She held out the card the man had given her.
Her hand shook violently. “He’s a reporter, and he came to my shop this morning. He said he had followed us last night and he had pictures.”
“That prove you were standing in for me?”
“He didn’t show me the pictures, but I assume so.”
Taylor lit a cigarette. “How much does he want?”
Meg pointed to the back of the card.
She turned it over. “Ten thousand dollars. Why wouldn’t he bring the photos to me?” Taylor asked. “I have more money.”
“I guess he knew where to find me, and assumed I would come to you. I don’t have that kind of money, Miss Gee.”
“Or you’re in on it with him,” Taylor said.
Meg pushed her glasses higher. “What?”
Taylor looked at her with venom in her eyes.
“And I really don’t care if you are. Here’s my deal.” She took another drag from her cigarette. “I’ll keep this card and pay the little creep what he wants. And you will stay away from Jarett.”
She swallowed and shook her head. “Stay away?”
“We’re going to be in town for a few days,” Taylor said, exhaling smoke in Meg’s face. “And I want to make sure you are not going to be my problem.”
Meg didn’t know what to say.
Taylor gave a little laugh. “Good God, you’re in love with him, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Of course you are. Well, let me tell you something. Jarett is mine. He loves me, but he’s afraid my parents will object if we marry.” She smiled. “Don’t you see? He only slept with you because you looked like me.”
Meg’s heart squeezed, but she refused to cry in front of this woman. “I can’t believe I tried to help you,” she whispered.
“You’re not fooling me, sister. You did this to get to Jarett.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Well, I’m in control now,” she said. “Jarett and I are coming to your shop today to see you, and you will pretend this conversation never happened.”
She swallowed and nodded.
“And if Jarett tries to see you again, you’ll tell him you’re not interested.”
She swallowed and nodded again.
“Now get out.”
Meg jumped, then backed away, toward the door leading to the hallway. She just wanted to get away from these horrible people.
Taylor followed her. “Remember, if Jarett comes sniffing around, just say no.”
Meg stumbled into the hallway and ran for the steps. Her tears were falling freely now. How stupid could she have been? Taylor hadn’t been ill last night, she’d overdosed on something. Jarett had lied to make her feel sorry for the woman. He’d gone to great lengths to cover for his lover, that’s for sure.
Well, Taylor didn’t have to worry—if Jarett Miller ever came “sniffing” around again, she wouldn’t have to make up an excuse to stay away from him.
JARETT STEPPED OUT of the shower, his ear cocked to the door as he dried his back. His mind must be playing tricks on him—he could have sworn he heard Meg’s voice. He slipped into a robe, tied the sash, and stepped out into the room.
Taylor lounged on his bed in a skimpy gown. “Did I hear someone else just now?”
She pursed her mouth and shook her head. “No. It must have been the television.”
He frowned. “Don’t you have your own room and your own television?”
She sighed. “I’m lonely.”
“Well, go get showered and dressed, and we’ll go out. Don’t forget about the storytelling session.”
A frown marred her pretty face. “How could I?”
“Don’t worry, Meg will help you,” he said with a grin. Then he walked back to the bathroom, whistling under his breath. He couldn’t wait to see her again.
17
MEG’S EYES STUNG, but she’d convinced herself it was from all the sweeping she’d done. She stopped and used the tail of her T-shirt to dab at the moisture in her eyes, then resumed cleaning up. The contractors had left for the day, and she’d finally convinced Quincy that everything was fine. She stooped to fill a dustpan, then walked into the supply room closet to fetch another trash bag.
Inside the closet, a cracked mirror leaned against the wall. At the sight of herself, Meg came up short. Talk about Cinderella—covered in white ash, hair bound in a kerchief, clinging to a broom stick. She bore no resemblance whatsoever to the sexy siren she’d been last night. Funny, though, she was still the same person.
Meg sank to the crate, rested her head on her knees and gave in to tears. Her stomach ached, and her throat felt raw from holding back emotion since she’d returned from the hotel. She felt sad and stupid and sorry for herself—sorry that she hadn’t realized until this afternoon how good her life really was.
She loved teaching, she loved the light of understanding on a child’s face, she loved knowing that she was making a difference in the world, even if she only had an impact on one child, and even if she never knew about it. And she loved that darn bell that maintained order in her day.
How stupid to think that she could embark on some wild adventure that went completely against her nature, and not have it affect all the things she’d built over the years—her teaching career, her solid reputation, her relationship with Trey. One foolish hour of passion with Jarett, and she’d been ready to toss Trey aside at the slimmest possibility that Jarett might want to see her again.
Passion was a powerful emotion, making an ordinarily sane individual do and feel absurd things. It skewed a person’s outlook, messed with priorities, and caused general chaos. Her only consolation was that no matter what his motives were, she had slept with Jarett because she’d truly felt a connection with him. Perhaps he’d robbed her of her pride, but no one could take away the new sense of self-awareness that the experience had given her. Still, the price had been high.
S
he sniffed mightily against her knee, reminding herself to be at least grateful that the wretched reporter would be paid to go away. And if Rebecca came home early, Meg could get back to Peoria soon and try to put this mess behind her.
Meg lifted her head and looked at Harry. “Okay, now what?” she asked, wiping her eyes. “You got me—I’m so desperate that I’m willing to talk to you.” He grinned stupidly down at her, and she finally smiled.
“Rebecca thinks you have magic love powers,” she said, wiggling her fingers in his direction. He grinned.
She sighed. “Okay, if you’ve got some kind of love vibe, lay it on me.” She stood and threw open her arms. “Did you hear me? I’m open to having a man in my life, and I’d appreciate any guidance you can give me.”
The bell on the door tinkled, and Meg hic-cupped in surprise. She took another swipe at her eyes, then emerged from the supply closet, her heart pounding.
Two men stood in the showroom, their backs to her. When they turned toward the sound of her footsteps, she stopped, shocked. “Trey, Mr. Carnegie.”
“Hi.” Trey smiled and held out his arms, and she thought how endearing his face was. He was a tall, slender man, with thinning sandy-colored hair and grayish eyes. She stopped short of embracing him, clasping his hands instead, saying she didn’t want to pass along some of the dust she was wearing. “I’m a mess,” she told him apologetically, before turning and greeting Trey Carnegie, Sr.
“Hello, Mr. Carnegie.” She tried to push away her memories of her unpleasant encounter with him the previous evening, but she was having a hard time.
“Hello, Meggie.”
She hated that silly pet name.
He tweaked her nose. “And I’m hoping that very soon, you’ll call me ‘Dad’?”
She avoided his question by looking back to Trey. “What a surprise. What brings you to Chicago?”
“Father was here for business. I knew you were here, and when I didn’t hear from you last night, I thought what the heck—I’d just fly up and say hello.” Even if she married Trey, she’d probably never get used to the idea of having a family jet at her disposal.
A flush warmed her cheeks. “I’m sorry I didn’t call last night. I was…delayed.”
He waved off her concern. “I figured you were out with friends.”
She nodded.
“What happened here?” Mr. Carnegie asked, gesturing toward the pile of demolished rubble that she hoped to have cleared by the time the contractors returned in the morning.
“There was a little fire,” she said.
Trey’s face creased with concern.
“But no one was injured,” she added. “But there was some damage to a dressing room. And the smoke got into everything.”
“What a relief,” Trey said, his concern for her obvious on his face.
“Some of these costumes are a little risqué, aren’t they?” Mr. Carnegie asked, disapproval clear in his voice.
Meg bit her tongue, not believing the man’s nerve. Last night he’d told Taylor, the woman he was hitting on, that his wife was dead. And now he was on moral patrol?
Much like the Superintendent and school board, she thought grimly.
“Guess where we’ve been?” Trey asked with a smile.
“At our jeweler’s,” his father blurted. “Getting you a proper ring.”
She looked back to Trey. “But I thought you said—”
“I know I said you could pick it out, and you can.” He slipped a ring box from his pocket. “If you don’t like this one, you can take it back and get one that you do like. But at least you’ll have a ring for now.”
“But Trey—”
“Just look at it,” he urged, pressing the box into her hand.
He had such a hopeful expression, she couldn’t bear to disappoint him. She opened the ring box and gasped. Emerald-cut solitaire in a platinum setting—what was not to like?
“What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s…extraordinary,” she murmured. How many women would trade places with her at this moment?
“I had it sized,” he added shyly.
“Try it on,” his father boomed, less tactful.
She withdrew the ring and slipped it on her left ring finger. The simple pearl ring her mother had given her for graduation was the only jewelry she wore regularly, so the weight of this bauble would take some getting used to.
“It’s perfect,” she said, holding it up to the light. Dazzling prisms danced off the surface. At the sound of the bell on the door, they all turned.
Meg’s stomach pitched at the sight of Jarett holding the door open for Taylor. A gleam of feminine challenge lit Taylor’s pointed gaze. But the woman needn’t have bothered giving Meg the evil eye. Meg knew what was expected of her.
18
SINCE JARETT ONLY HAD eyes for Meg, he didn’t immediately realize that she had visitors, or who they were. He noticed the older man first, only because he looked familiar…He’d attended the reception last night, the man he’d practically had to peel away from Meg. Her future father-in-law.
Meaning the other man was her fiancé? His gaze went immediately to the younger man, who appeared to be hovering around Meg’s hand.
“Oh, let me see,” Taylor said, bustling into the middle. “Meggie, it’s a lovely, lovely ring.” She smiled at the couple. “Congratulations.”
Jarett’s chest suddenly felt as if it were bound. Meg had warned him, hadn’t she? Yet it just didn’t feel right, his Meg getting married to another man. Only last night she’d cried out his name in climax. Frustration rolled through him, especially since she appeared to be avoiding eye contact with him.
“You’re Taylor Gee,” Meg’s fiancé said, staring.
Imbecile—didn’t he know that Meg was more beautiful, inside and out?
Taylor beamed. “Yes. And you are?”
“Trey Carnegie, Jr.”
“My…fiancé,” Meg said. “And this is Trey’s father, Trey Carnegie, Sr.”
“We met last night,” the older man told Taylor.
“We did?” Taylor looked to Meg, who returned an almost imperceptible nod. “Of course we did. So good to see you again.” Finally she looked back to Jarett. “Gentlemen, meet my dearest friend and my security guard, Jarett Miller.”
Jarett stepped forward and shook their hands, both of which were a bit too soft for his tastes. But the younger Carnegie seemed cordial enough.
“How do you know each other?” Mr. Carnegie, Sr. asked Meg.
Meg looked at Taylor, and Taylor adopted a charming expression. “We met when I came in shopping yesterday. We became quite well acquainted, didn’t we, Meggie?”
Meg nodded, but seemed fidgety. “What can I help you with today, Miss Gee?”
Taylor looked back and forth between the Carnegies. “It’s a personal matter, boys, do you mind?”
“How about if we come back to take you to dinner, sweetie?” This comment was from Jr. to Meg.
Sweetie?
She nodded. “Around eight?”
Meanwhile, Carnegie, Sr., couldn’t get a good enough look at Taylor’s chest. “Are you available to join us, Miss Gee?”
“No,” Jarett and Meg said at the same time.
Jarett tried to paste on a pleasant smile. “Remember the children’s hospital visit, Taylor.”
“Oh, that’s right,” she said, looking sorrowful. “Maybe another time.”
“Absolutely,” Carnegie, Sr. said, his gaze adoring. The men moved closer to Jarett, out of earshot of the women. “Son,” the older man said to him. “You have to have one of the best jobs in the world, looking at that all day.”
The younger Carnegie might have shared his father’s sentiments, but he remained silent, which Jarett respected. Still he couldn’t resist asking a few questions. He turned to Trey.
“What do you do, Carnegie?”
The younger man shrugged. “Family business.”
“Petroleum, real estate, transportation,” Car
negie, Sr. said loudly. “If it’s making money right now, Carnegie Enterprises is invested in it.”
He nodded. They were filthy rich. “Say, I’m looking for a place to buy a show dog,” he said to Meg’s fiancé. “Can you recommend a good breeder?”
Trey shook his head. “I have a cat, myself.”
“Ah. Well, thanks anyway.”
Jarett watched his retreating back, wondering how he and Meg had met, the kinds of things they did on dates, and if they lived together.
“Are you two planning to have children?” Taylor asked Meg.
Meg looked at her strangely. “We’re not even married yet.”
But of course she would have children, Jarett thought. Meg probably wouldn’t feel complete if her house wasn’t as noisy as her classroom. He swallowed hard. Good for them—they made a nice couple. They would have beautiful daughters and tall sons.
“I didn’t congratulate you,” he said, walking closer.
She didn’t look up.
“So, congratulations.”
She flitted her gaze over him, and nodded. “Thank you.”
“Meg,” Taylor said suddenly. “Jarett explained what a wonderful job you did filling in for me last night, and I wanted to personally thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Meg murmured.
Taylor gestured to the pile of debris that used to be the dressing room. “He also explained that one of my cigarettes caused some minor damage?”
Jarett loved how she used passive tense, as if to put the blame on the cigarette rather than herself.
Meg nodded. “Yes, but—”
“I’m so, so sorry for the inconvenience,” Taylor said, sympathetically. “I understand that Jarett already arranged for compensation?”
Meg nodded woodenly. “Yes.”
Jarett frowned. Although he tried not to judge Taylor too harshly—after all, she did say thank you and make apologies, just as he’d directed. But her delivery could use some polish.
“Meg,” he said.
He’d managed to catch her unaware. She looked up, her eyes wide and luminous behind the glasses before she looked away. “Yes?”
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