“I have a few free hours now,” Sam said, appearing soundlessly beside her.
“Oh? As it happens, I appear to be free as well.”
“I know.” His smile was smug. “I planned it that way. Come up to my room?”
“Yes.” Bad girl! She should run in the opposite direction, but she wasn’t going to. Her conscience gave up gracefully, conceding to the bad girl.
“Room 812,” he said, slipping her a keycard. “I’ll meet you there.”
Ten minutes later, she stole into the hotel room.
“I feel like a fallen woman or someone’s mistress,” she said once the door closed and they were alone.
“Did you see yesterday’s paper?”
Sam didn’t even need to mention the name since she’d quickly scanned the pages while at work. “Yes. The picture was fuzzy.”
“Playboy seen with mystery woman again,” Sam muttered in disgust. “I’ve even had my family ringing, wanting to know who you are.”
“Did you tell them?”
“No way.” His emphatic reply took her aback. Was he ashamed of her? She wasn’t exactly his normal date.
Hayley turned away and walked over to the window. It overlooked a fenced square, the bright red and white flower beds providing a splash of welcome color. A toddler ran across the green grass to his mother who waited on a wooden bench under the shade of a tree. She had no claim on Sam. Despite his indignation, he didn’t appear to want to settle down, and she wasn’t ready for a relationship. Or that’s what she told herself.
“Enough about the gossip columns,” he said, coming up behind her. He wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, surrounding her with warmth. “I’d prefer to spend time with you doing other things. It killed me the other night letting you go up to your flat alone.”
Hayley turned in his arms and blindly sought his mouth. Her hands crept behind his neck and she sank into the kiss, just going with the exquisite sensations. She breathed in his scent, reveled in the strength of him as he held her, and realized being with him made her happy and comfortable. At home. Panicked at the direction of her thoughts, she pulled away to stare at him.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she said with a quick shake of her head. “I missed you.”
“Good,” he said, drawing her close to kiss her again.
Their lips moved together, tongues explored and hands touched and stroked. Somehow, clothes melted away. Bodies strained and caressed and pleasure ruled.
Hayley woke a long time later, not sure how she came to be in bed. She stretched and caught a glimpse of her watch, yelping when she saw the time.
“Sam?” Her voice echoed back at her. Hurriedly she had a quick shower, dressed and tidied herself. In the lounge part of the hotel room, she found a note. Sam had been needed downstairs. He asked her to stay the night, but she decided to go home as soon as her last reading ended. She had a family luncheon for her father’s birthday the next day and wasn’t looking forward to it, not after her last meeting with Abbey. Besides, she needed to think. No point lying to herself. She’d fallen for Sam, but before she took things any further between them, the truth would have to come out.
Yep, she’d need to fess up and deal with the collateral damage. It could be that Sam didn’t return her sentiments. She already knew he hated liars and wasn’t looking forward to confession time.
Chapter Nine
“I’ve been trying to ring you,” Abbey said in an angry whisper. She stood aside to let Hayley enter their parents’ house and slammed the door after her. “Did you bring your checkbook?”
No hello, how are you? Hayley struggled to keep her temper and finally said, “I’ve been busy, and no, I didn’t bring my checkbook. Why would I? No one use checks these days.”
Abbey scowled. “We need that money. A check is preferable.”
“I don’t have to do anything. This is a family lunch to celebrate Dad’s birthday. It’s not the time to talk about money.” After pondering long and hard about a loan, she’d decided that although guilt filled her, she wouldn’t be doing Dan any favors. He needed to face up to his predicament. Throwing money at him wouldn’t fix a gambling problem, and besides, her sister hadn’t taken her budgetary advice to heart.
“Hayley, you’re here,” her mother said, brushing a cool kiss across her cheek.
“How are you, Mum?”
“I’ve had a touch of the flu, but it seems to have cleared up. Are you going out with anyone?”
“No,” Hayley lied, thinking of Sam. She wished she was with him now.
“I’m not surprised, with the way you dress,” Abbey said, her lip curling at Hayley’s jeans and sleeveless red shirt.
“Your sister looks perfectly respectable in her suit,” their mother said. “I thought you would have at least worn a skirt or a dress.”
Abbey’s three children raced around the small garden, their high spirits making Hayley smile, despite the negative remarks about her best jeans and newish shirt.
“Quiet, children. Stop running,” Abbey called. “It isn’t ladylike. Come and show Grandmother your new clothes.”
Hayley gaped at the distinct designer labels her three nieces wore. Budget indeed. It firmed her resolve not to lend Abbey money. If things were as bad as Abbey said, she wouldn’t be spending quite as much money. Besides, nothing more had been mentioned about the possibility of Abbey and Dan losing their house.
The luncheon went pretty much as usual. Hayley answered questions about her job, but mostly listened to Abbey and Dan talk about their lives. It seemed even her nieces received more ear time than she did. It made her realize how great Sam was, because it was give and take with him. They both listened to each other and talked, too.
“Hayley and I will clear up in the kitchen,” Abbey said.
“Thank you, dear. You’re so thoughtful.” Mother smiled.
Sighing, Hayley climbed to her feet and started to clear the table while, as usual, Abbey continued chatting.
“Thank you, Hayley,” her father said. “You look very pretty today.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Because Sam made her happy, and it showed in her demeanor. She just hoped he felt the same way after she’d told him her real name. She wouldn’t tell him over the phone, but the next time they were face-to-face she’d tell him the truth. The very next time.
Hayley transferred the leftovers to clean bowls and covered them with plastic wrap, then put them into the fridge. She had most of the dishwasher stacked by the time Abbey made an appearance.
“I thought you’d be finished by now.”
“You’re a lazy cow,” Hayley said, letting her irritation show for once.
Abbey blinked, looking shocked.
“Truth hurt?”
“I don’t know why I put up with you,” Abbey said.
“Because we’re sisters?”
“We’re not sisters,” Abbey snapped, her voice ringing with truth.
“What?” Hayley almost dropped the platter she was washing.
“Careful,” Abbey said. “Mum will have a fit if you break that. It’s her favorite.”
Hayley set it on the counter and grabbed a hand towel to dry her hands. “What are you talking about? Of course we’re sisters.”
“Half sisters,” Abbey said, “if you want to be technical about it. Mum and Dad split up for a while before you were born. Things were bad and Mum had an affair with someone else. When they got back together again Mum was already pregnant with you.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Hayley didn’t doubt Abbey for a minute, but what she couldn’t understand was why she was telling her now.
Abbey shrugged. “No one needed to know.”
“But why did Mum tell you and not me?”
“You remember when you were in hospital, when you lost the baby?”
“Yes.” Hayley tried not to recall that time in her life, but the truth—she remembered it vividly.
“You lost
a lot of blood. Evidently you’re a rare type and you don’t match any of us.”
“I thought you’d have finished the dishes by now,” her mother said.
“Is it true?” Hayley stared at her mother, her gut churning and anxiety and shock doing a number on her knees. She clutched the kitchen counter to bolster her balance while she watched her mother.
“Abbey?” Her mother paled before them and wavered, glancing from Hayley to Abbey and back before focusing on Abbey. “What have you done?”
“Told Hayley the truth,” Abbey snapped, her chin lifting in defiance. “That she’s not my sister.”
“She is your sister,” her mother countered.
But Hayley knew the truth now and a lot of things made sense. “Where is my father? My real father?”
“He died in an accident about five years ago,” her mother said in a tired voice. “All this time I felt guilty. I tried to treat you the same, but you’re so different from Abbey.”
The truth hit her like a blow. “You were extra strict with me because I took after my real father.”
“He was impulsive. Full of exuberance and so reckless. He swept me off my feet. And you took after him, getting into trouble.”
Trouble—a euphemism for pregnant. Tears of fury stung Hayley’s eyes. So much made sense now. She unfastened the apron around her waist and folded it precisely in the exact manner her mother liked. She set it on the counter and walked away.
“Hayley? Hayley!” Abbey screeched. “You were going to write me a check for that money you owe me. I need it today.”
Hayley ignored her and kept walking. She walked out of the front door and didn’t look back, the clunk of her sensible Sunday shoes mocking her while she headed for the nearest rail station. A lie. All this time, she’d lived a lie. Hayley used her rail pass to get onto the platform and waited for the train. Things were about to change.
“Will you go to a party with me?” Sam asked the next night during one of their daily phone calls. She hadn’t told him about the bomb Abbey had dropped. The knowledge still seemed surreal, making her heart ache each time she thought about it, and her respect for the man who had brought her up increase.
“What about photographers?” Hayley didn’t care. It all seemed trivial compared to her recent discovery. Even more, she wanted to see Sam and confess. The lies had to end. But she had learned how much he valued his privacy and how he hated the playboy tag the press had labeled him with. “You said you wanted to steer clear of them for a while. When is the party?”
“Tomorrow night at a friend’s in Chelsea. The press will there. I won’t pose like some, but I don’t want to hide either.”
Tension left Hayley’s shoulders and her breath whooshed out. While she hadn’t liked the idea of having her photo spread across the gossip columns, she hated skulking around. She’d just hope they didn’t consider her photogenic. “I don’t mind, if you don’t. How formal is the party?”
“It’s fancy dress,” Sam said, laughter in his voice.
Hayley spluttered a laugh. “Tease! That means we can wear costumes and conceal our faces.” With a mask, Hayley decided. Suzie would help her with a special costume or she could modify her gypsy persona if nothing else came to mind.
“I’ll pick you up around seven thirty. Will that suit?”
“I’ll be ready,” Hayley promised. At least she hoped she would. This date seemed different because Sam was taking her into his world. A ripple of nerves crashed like a wave inside her stomach at the idea of revealing her insecurities, but she swallowed and pushed them aside. She could do this, and if Sam walked away afterward, she had no one to blame but herself.
The phone peeled again the second she hung up after talking to Sam.
“Hello.”
“I wondered if you’d decided about the loan yet.”
“Abbey, I’m not lending you money.” Pain mingled with her anger as she recalled the viciousness in her sister’s voice when she’d informed Hayley about her real father. “You treat strangers better than you treat me—”
“That’s rich. You’re the one who attracted attention all the time. Mum wanted to adopt you out, but Dad wouldn’t let her.”
How could her sister be so jealous of her? Their parents had given them the same opportunities, and if anything, they’d been a lot stricter with her. She’d had to sneak out to meet her boyfriend. “Abbey—”
“You have to give me that money.”
Hayley heard the conviction in Abbey’s voice, the tinge of desperation. She truly expected Hayley to hand over all her savings. Ice spread through her along with despair. “No, I don’t. Don’t bother ringing me again because I won’t talk to you.” Hayley placed the receiver down instead of slamming it as she wanted. Her hand started to shake, and the tremors spread rapidly until she shuddered all over. Tears poured down her face and a pained cry tore from deep in her throat.
“Hayley?”
Hayley spun around, letting out a gasp of shock at Suzie’s sudden appearance. “I didn’t hear you come in.” She swiped at the dampness on her face with the back of her hand but the tears kept coming. Her sniff sounded loud and when she fumbled in her jean pockets, she couldn’t find a hanky.
“What’s wrong?” Suzie wrapped her arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “Is it Sam?”
Hayley shook her head. Desolation swept over her. She tried to speak, but the knot of pain in her throat denied her and only a croak emerged. All this time—the knowledge of Abbey’s hate and jealousy twisted and turned inside, sharp and dangerous like a precision knife edge. “Abbey,” she finally squeezed out.
“Your sister is a selfish bitch, Hayley. Don’t let her get to you. Whatever she’s done, just ignore it.”
Hayley swallowed, and it hurt her throat. Abbey made no secret of her dislike for Suzie and always put her down because her family was poor. She accepted the box of tissues Suzie handed her and blew her nose. With a second tissue, she blotted her eyes. “Want a glass of wine?”
“Sure. I’ll get it.”
“I’ll get it.” Hayley walked over to the fridge to pull out a bottle of chardonnay. The normality of the actions helped to steady her seesaw emotions. After handing over a glass of wine to Suzie and filling her own, she told her friend about the recent developments.
“What did your parents say?”
“I was so shocked and upset I just left. I haven’t talked to anyone but Abbey since. Abbey is still hounding me about the loan.”
Suzie’s mouth flattened in a look of disbelief. “You’re not going to give her money after the way she’s behaved?”
“No.”
“How are things with Sam?”
Immediately Hayley’s mood lightened. “He asked me to a fancy dress party. I need a costume by tomorrow.”
“You should go with your gypsy costume. You look really sexy in that getup.”
“Any ideas for a mask to go with one of my outfits?”
“I’d go with a plain one—maybe black. Why don’t you borrow my black and gold skirt and team it with a bright colored blouse? That way you can wear your black high heels and go for a black mask, but a feminine look.”
Hayley nodded, suddenly looking forward to going to the party with Sam.
“I’ve missed you,” Sam said, the second she opened the door to the flat. He seized her and swallowed her reply with his mouth. His lips pressed delicately against hers, then gently covered her entire mouth, making her feel cherished. Desired. And maybe even loved.
When Sam finally lifted his head, her mouth burned, her heart beat faster, and she struggled to breathe.
“Wow,” she said when she could speak. “That was a welcome.”
Sam cupped her face and stroked his thumb across her mouth. She trembled, fearing the surge of love inside. It made her vulnerable, fearful of being hurt. He grinned down at her. “I love the mask. It’s very sexy, but you might want to fix your lipstick.”
“You make a handsome pirate. I like
the parrot.”
“You should see me with my eye patch,” he said. “You won’t be able to keep your hands off me once you see that.”
Hayley pulled her lipstick from her black evening bag and reapplied the garnet color to her lips, blotting it carefully with a tissue. “All set,” she said.
His eyes were dark and full of heat when she glanced up, and a shot of awareness darted through her. “Maybe you should have done that in the car, because I have an urge to smear that lipstick again. I’d suggest heading straight for my apartment if I didn’t have to make an appearance tonight.”
“You never said whose party it was.”
“My brother’s,” he said. “I wanted you to meet some of my family.”
Hayley’s mouth rounded in surprise. While she knew her feelings about him, she hadn’t thought—or she’d tried not to think—about a future. “Oh.”
“Don’t be nervous. My family will love you.”
They traveled in comfort since Sam had driven over in his Porsche. Traffic was heavy with the usual Friday night exodus from the city. A car pulled out in front of them, leaving a parking space free. Sam zipped into the gap and switched off the ignition.
Two torches, flames burning brightly, illuminated the doorway of the Chelsea house. While Hayley watched three couples ascend the stairs, a bright light went off and another.
“Looks like the photographers are here.” Sam pulled an eye patch from his pocket and put it on.
“Yeah.” Hayley’s hand crept up to check her mask was in place. She climbed out of the car and smoothed the creases from her skirt, anxious about meeting Sam’s family. Sam would introduce her as Helen. Her eyes closed briefly. Oh, boy. Tonight. She’d tell him once they’d left the party.
The car alarm chirped. Sam’s arm slid around her waist when he joined her on the footpath. “Don’t look so frightened, sweetheart. We only bite when we’re in the throes of passion. Jase is happily married, so you’re safe on that account.”
Hayley snorted and attempted a grin. Bands of tightness around her chest restricted her breathing, and the need to touch almost got the better of her. “Good to know.” The flare of a flash made her draw back. Not the right time or place.
Reformed Bad Girl Page 11
