“No promises.” Audra leaned in and kissed Vic one last time before dragging her tired body upstairs and into her bedroom. By the time she washed her face clear of makeup and changed out of her work clothes and into a long silk camisole, Victoria had still not made it upstairs. Preferring not to wait, Audra crawled under the covers of her waiting bed and drifted off to sleep, leaving the day far behind her.
GENTLEMAN TWELVE
I t was a full twelve hours later when James Fitzgerald rang Audra’s doorbell. She opened the front door and ushered him in, taking note of his casual jeans and tee shirt, the same jeans and tee shirt she’d seen him wearing when he found his Candidate in the garden of The Golden Palm the night before.
“I guess I don't need to ask you how your night went,” she mused as she led James to her kitchen. She picked up her half-full cup of coffee and tried to keep her demeanor casual as they each took a seat at the island.
“Brought you a check,” he announced as he slapped a rectangular strip of paper down on the marble.
“You could have just transferred the money.” She picked up the piece of paper and raised her eyes at the amount before folding it and slipping it into her jeans pocket.
“And miss seeing that look on your face?” he deadpanned.
If she’d not been looking at him she might have thought there was gloating in the tone of his voice. But she was looking, and there was no denying that the charming smile was incongruent to the heavy look in his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days.
Audra turned in her seat until she was facing him. “What’s wrong, Fitzgerald? Afraid your check might bounce?”
Without asking, he picked up what was left of her coffee and downed it in one eager sip. The clanking of porcelain on marble was deafening compared to the silence of his answer.
“That bad?” she asked after the silence stretched with no relief in sight. Whatever was bothering him, it had to be about work. Suddenly she was envisioning having to spend the day working from home, rather than enjoying the weekend off like a normal person. On the other hand, work would be distraction enough against the pending conversation she was meant to be having with her girlfriend about moving to New York.
“Please don’t tell me the stone we are paying an obscene fortune to have imported from Italy is delayed. We absolutely cannot push back the soft opening of Eden again, James. I’ve got more than half the staff hired and ready to start training.”
When he finally met her eyes, she knew before the words came out of his mouth that he was about to say something she wouldn’t like.
“I need you to talk to your sister.”
Ah, shit, she cursed to herself. To him, she said, “Absolutely not.”
“Audra, please-“
“No!” she repeated more firmly this time. “And don’t you dare look at me like that, Fitzgerald. I’m immune to your charms, remember?” She grabbed her now-empty coffee mug and stalked to the sink to set it down in the basin.
“Just hear me out!” he pleaded from his place at the island behind her. Audra exhaled so hard her shoulders sank into her torso. It didn’t take long for her to deduce that whatever it was he was about to ask her, it was important. Especially if it involved her sister. After a quick lift of the faucet handle to fill the mug with water, she turned around and faced her business partner, arms folded over her chest.
“I’m listening.”
He nodded once before beginning. “Did Celine ever talk to you about opening some high-end boutique? Even mention it in passing?”
“You’re asking me?” Audra asked incredulously. “James, you slept in the same bed as her. You know her better than I do.”
The kitchen’s bright overhead lighting revealed the dark circles under his eyes, the stress wrinkles that pulled at the corners of his face. There was no mask of charm concealing the real man underneath.
“My knowledge of her spending habits begins and ends with monthly credit card statements. She wouldn’t have talked to me about something like this.”
Audra shuffled through memories of conversations with Celine, scrubbing through the long-forgotten words to find what he was looking for. She wasn’t joking when she said James probably knew her sister better than she did. He certainly talked to her more often. That didn’t change even after he began the process of divorcing her.
“No, I don’t think she said anything to me. All she ever talks about is gossip. Gossip about friends, Frankie’s play dates, about everyone. She’s a walking-talking-breathing stereotype.”
James slouched against the counter, his weight supported on his arms, and cursed under his breath. “So, it is just about money. Figures.”
Audra stepped forward from the sink until she stood opposite him at the island. “She’s trying to get money out of you?”
James looked up and rolled his eyes, an unspoken Of course she is in the movement. “Early this morning I get a call from Mark notifying me Celine wants to make amendments to the divorce settlement. Apparently, alimony, child support, and our house in New York aren't enough for her. She thinks I should finance some high-end store for her and all of her rich friends to shop at.”
Audra felt a spark of indignant rage bubbling up from inside her. “She has the nerve to ask you for child support? After what she did?” It was all she could do not to scream the questions at him. Even though she’d known for years how self-centered her sister was, there was nothing about her behavior that didn’t still shock her.
James dropped his hands and looked at her like the answer was obvious. “What am I supposed to do? Submit the private paternity test to the judge to prove I’m not Frankie’s biological father?”
“If it means she gets less of the money you worked your ass of for, then yes!”
James leaped from his seat and paced the length of the island as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “I’m not going to do that, Audra. That’d be like publicly admitting I don’t care for my daughter.”
Audra shut her eyes against the frustration that ebbed beneath her chest. She hated her sister for what she did, for taking Frankie away from James the way she did. He loved that child more than any other person in the world. No daughter could ever wish for a better father than James Fitzgerald. A paternity test couldn’t strip him of his fatherly love.
“Why does she need all this goddamn money?” he continued, his voice growing louder and more frustrated with each word. “She grew up with her own private family jet, for crying out loud. No offense,” he added in deference to Audra.
“None taken.” She turned to the stainless steel coffee dispenser nestled on a counter across the kitchen and set to work on making two new fresh cups of coffee.
“I just-“ James stopped pacing long enough to prop himself up on the marble counter again, his shoulders so tense they were almost shaking. “I just don’t understand how she can keep taking and taking and never… Never actually take anyone but herself into consideration.”
“She's a spoiled rotten entitled princess who believes the world exists to serve her. Why the hell do you think I discouraged you from ever getting involved with her, to begin with? No offense.”
He hung his head. “I know.”
“And let’s not forget she was already seeing Joe Gallo when she met you. Or did you think she was only capable of cheating the one time?”
James bristled at the mention of Joe Gallo, and this time she could actually see his shoulders shaking. Dangerous territory, mentioning the ex-boyfriend who Celine had cheated on him with.
“You mean, did I think she would cheat on me with him and end up pregnant from the affair? No, Audra, that never fucking occurred to me. I had no clue she was even dating him when I met her.”
“Exactly!” she exclaimed. She grabbed the two freshly poured cups of coffee and handed one to him. “She’s a selfish woman who will never think about anyone but herself. At least you can divorce her. I can’t divorce my own flesh and blood.”
Audra
crossed the kitchen once more and took a seat at the ash wood table, coffee cup sealed between her hands. Half a moment later James joined her, looking both irritated and defeated. She felt sorry for him. If he had only listened to her all those years ago he might have avoided falling into her sister’s trap. But then there would be no Frankie - cheating aside - and a world without Frankie was a world James Fitzgerald wanted no part of. Of that much she was sure. Audra didn’t know Joe Gallo well enough to know whether he was a good man or not, but he had to be better than Celine. Frankie needed James in her life, biology be damned.
All her reasons for avoiding love and relationships were being confirmed before her very eyes. If someone as driven, intelligent, wealthy, and good looking as James couldn’t avoid the pitfalls of love, what hope was there for her? Or anyone else for that matter?
“Okay," she acquiesced. "What do you want me to talk to Celine about?”
“Convince her to reign it in,” he started, his face already starting to relax as he made the request. “I know all she’s after is money but I am only going to be so accommodating. Taking care of Frankie is one thing. Taking care of Celine is another. Just get her to back off by a few million dollars. Please.”
Though the idea of having any sort of meaningful conversation with her sister made Audra’s insides curdle, she would do it for James. She would have done almost anything for him. Though she would never admit it out loud.
“I will try. Maybe reminding her that she violated the fidelity clause of her prenup will make her realize that getting even a penny more than she legally deserves is generous on your part.”
James visibly relaxed at her side as he reached out and put his hand on hers. “Thank you, Audra,” he said softly. “And no, the obscenely expensive marble we’re having imported from Italy is not going to be late,” he added with a squeeze of her hand.
“At least something is going according to plan.” She sandwiched his hand between both of hers before gently pushing him away. “Maybe next time you’ll actually take my advice before getting married.”
He smiled, that patented look he gave that made any woman’s panties drop immediately to the floor – her panties being the exception – and all manner of charm returned to his beautiful blue-green eyes. “And deny you the pleasure of saying I told you so? Not a chance in hell.”
By the time she was old enough to vote, Audra Robertson had seen more of the world than most people ever would in a lifetime, thanks to her family’s insistence that travel was as important an education as any private school could provide. The Robertson family dwelling was an austere estate in Connecticut, and the East Coast was as desirable a playground for any teenager, but especially to Audra and her sister Celine. Private schools in Manhattan with peers whose names graced the glittering society pages, names that could invoke such awe and reverence by reputation alone, was second nature to the Robertson sisters, and those connections were worth their weight in gold when it came to Fitson business – the only good thing to come of those people, as far as Audra was concerned.
In grade school, they commuted, but by the time both girls were in high school they were left to their own devices in a posh apartment on the Upper East Side while their parents remained in Connecticut, coming into the city only on the weekends not spent in the Hamptons or Nantucket.
Audra considered it a blessing when Celine opted to attend college three thousand miles away in Los Angeles. Finally, she was free to be on her own, to not be burdened with having to look after her younger sister all the damn time, trying her best to keep her out of trouble. It was always an exercise in futility. Celine Robertson was the template for every rich, blonde, socialite mean girl that pop culture would later become obsessed with creating. She may have been more Serena van der Woodsen than Regina George most days, but to Audra, she was a lightning rod for trouble, and once free from her, Audra thrived.
That is, until Celine met James Fitzgerald, abandoned Los Angeles, and moved back not just to the same home, but the same school.
The day Fitson Entertainment Groupe set up shop in Los Angeles, Audra moved her entire life from one coast to the other and never looked back. James traveled back and forth between L.A. and New York often enough that they still saw each other on a regular basis, and for years he split his life between the two coasts and two sisters. Celine, once she and James married, blossomed into the East Coast socialite she was always destined to become and Audra came to enjoy the sunshine, palm trees, and vibrancy of Los Angeles.
Adulthood was the best thing to happen to the Robertson sisters and relegated to their separate coasts, both were allowed to flourish in their own way. Were it not for Frankie, Audra might never make allowances to visit her sister during her trips to New York. But the love she had for the diminutive child-genius that was Francine Robertson-Fitzgerald was more than enough of a reason to put aside her feelings and pay her sister a visit.
Still, it surprised Audra that morning when she pulled up in front of the gorgeous Robertson-Fitzgerald house in upstate New York and found her sister waiting at the front door, a genuine smile on her face.
“How was your flight?” Celine asked, crystalline blue eyes sparkling under the early afternoon sunlight. She put on the airs of the perfect hostess right down to the white lace apron tied around her thin waist and the Chanel flats that adorned her feet. The scents of freshly baked bread and blossoming flowers greeted Audra as she stepped into the foyer, but knew better than to attribute any of the work required to produce two such scents to her sister; instead accrediting it solely to the chef Celine employed and the florists who made weekly deliveries to the house.
Celine’s greatest accomplishment was her beauty, and not even she could take credit for it. Twice-weekly blowouts cleaned and polished the exquisitely blonde hair she had touched up every six weeks like clockwork. Regular manicures and pedicures had her nails in tip-top condition. Frequent facials and expensive spa visits kept her skin smooth and clear of any blemishes. Clothes were hand-picked by a personal stylist (a service Audra herself enjoyed). The house was maintained by a well-compensated maid. Meals were prepared by a private chef. Cars maintained by a house assistant. She did little for herself and tasked the rest to hired help, which is why it was so difficult for Audra to imagine Celine actually starting up and running any kind of business that required even an iota of actual work.
Celine was playing at something else, and Audra intended to find out what it was.
After more than an hour of small talk and gossip – all of which Audra abhorred – Celine finally opened the door Audra had been waiting to walk through.
“Are you planning on staying through the weekend? James will be home, and I thought it would be nice to spend some family time together. I’m sure Frankie would love it if you could stay longer than the afternoon.”
Audra narrowed her eyes. It shouldn’t have surprised her that Celine referred to James as though he were just out of town for business and would be coming home any minute to hang up his hat and inquire about dinner. But the total incongruence between the perfect wife façade Celine put on for show while simultaneously trying to squeeze as much money out of her soon-to-be-ex-husband as possible baffled Audra. Was her sister truly a master manipulator, putting on a performance for whoever was watching in the moment or did she really live in denial about her marriage?
“I really wish I could see more of Frankie but we have the soft opening of Eden next week and I’m helping James with the work so he can come here and enjoy a few days off.” She made no mention of the other reason she was in New York – to see Vic in one last-ditch effort to determine if their relationship could continue to survive the difference between coasts.
“Oh, is it opening already?” Celine beamed. “From everything I’ve heard it is going to be your best yet. James is excited, of course. I should get him something special to mark the occasion! Don’t you think? A gift of some sort. Diamond cufflinks or-”
“You could sign the
divorce papers,” Audra deadpanned. She caught the precise narrowing of Celine’s gaze, the undeniable intelligence that sharpened the blue eyes. Manipulator, Audra decided. Celine may have been all froth and prettiness on the outside but inside she was cunning and ruthless and absolutely aware of it.
In many ways, they were opposite sides of the same coin. Both determined to have whatever they wanted by any means necessary, both unaccustomed to anything less than perfection. They just went about it differently.
“You don’t know anything about that,” Celine said, the pretense of hospitality quickly slipping from those perfectly lacquered lips.
“I know enough to remind you that your trust fund alone is worth more than most people will ever make in their lifetime. There’s no reason for you to delay giving James what he wants by trying to milk money from him you don’t even need.”
Celine crossed her arms over her chest as a pert, arrogant smile curled the corners of her mouth upward. She cast her eyes about the lush living room they’d been seated in, probably to hide the irritation in her eyes that Audra could practically feel wafting off her in waves.
“Is this coming from James, or from you?”
Audra rolled her eyes at the unmistakable sound of Celine’s pouting. “From me.” And it wasn’t a lie. James may have asked her to intervene on his behalf but nothing she said was untrue as far as she was concerned. “Don’t do this to him, Celine. You cheated. You lied. You broke his heart. It’s over. Give the man a divorce and let him get on with his life. Let him be happy again.”
The Other Woman: A Steamy Contemporary Romance (The Bidden Series Book 6) Page 3
