Their Secret Bargain

by Kay Lyons

  “Chicken.”

  Jenn eyed her closet, hating everything she saw inside. “A chicken without a dress. Are you busy later today? Maybe we can shop then?”

  “Absolutely. But first, tell me about this kiss.”

  “He’s a fifteen, Suzanne.”

  “Are we back to the number thing again? I’m telling you, you’re much higher than a five. Anything with boobs is a five. Ask any guy.”

  “But no way am I in double digits, which means Nick still outnumbers me. I might as well hold up the white flag right now. Why would I get involved with a man I don’t have a prayer of keeping?”

  “You are so weird. Nick’s not some twenty-something stud out to score. He’s got a kid and a head for business, and he isn’t as wild and crazy as everyone else seems to believe. Speaking of children, how’s the tutoring going?”

  Jenn closed her eyes and winced. “It’s been rough. Matt is struggling and I’m not sure how to reach him. I’ve tried so many of the tricks we’re taught in college, but nothing works. The problem seems to be more with reading than math.”

  “At least you’re narrowing it down. That’s good.”

  “Maybe. Nick’s not any help, though. Matt needs supervised practice—you know how important it is for parents to be involved. That’s partly why I was so insistent about him taking me to the family dinner. I made it part of our deal because I was still angry over the way he blew me off when I asked him to pitch in with reading lessons.”

  Suzanne chuckled. “I’ll bet he didn’t see that one coming. But he does run two businesses. His time is in pretty short supply.”

  “Yeah, yeah, but are his businesses more important than his son?”

  “Of course not. Nick’s not like that at all, and you know it. I just meant that of all the parents we deal with who slack off where their kids are concerned, at least Nick has a legitimate excuse. And a lot of them don’t, as you well know.”

  “I know. I get that, but how am I supposed to get Matt to read in his spare time, if Nick won’t help out a little bit? Reading to himself and getting the words all wrong isn’t going to help Matt. And I’m not asking for a huge commitment, just a short session every day.”

  “Well, I could think of a way or two you might be able to coerce Nick into doing what you want,” Suzanne said, suggestively.

  Jenn sat on the edge of the bed, and since she wasn’t able to do anything else she lay back and began doing stretches. “Tell me more about him. What’s the problem between Nick and his parents?”

  A pause filtered over the line. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because obviously there’s some tension but I don’t quite have the nerve to question Nick, given his responses last night.”

  “I thought you said you kissed and talked?”

  “We did, but I’d like more information.”

  Once again Suzanne hesitated a long moment, then sighed dramatically. “It’s no secret in town, so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to fill you in on the details. To be honest, I thought Nick would’ve told you by now—or you would’ve heard.”

  “Heard what?”

  “What do you know about the Tulanes?”

  “Other than surface information, nothing. I take it you knew Nick has a twin?” Jenn held the phone with one hand and raised the other over her head, holding in her stomach and stretching as far as she could.

  “Ahhh, Luke. Now there’s another hunk, huh?”

  “They’re all gorgeous. It’s yet another reason for a chubby girl like me to beware.”

  “Stop it or I’ll come over there and kick your butt, even though I’m supposed to be resting. Don’t you believe in inner beauty versus outer beauty?”

  “Only when the outer beauties are on a par with each other.” Jenn covered her face with her palm. “And where are my manners? I forgot to ask about the baby. How are you?”

  “Just fine. So far, so good.”

  “But you said you were going to do laundry, and you’re supposed to be resting. Does Tuck know?”

  “Shut up, I’m fine. Do you know how awful I’ll feel if I sit around for nine months and then try to give birth? Talk about out of shape. Anyway, back to Nick…You got that all his brothers and sister, and his parents, are highly successful, right?”

  “The country-club thing kind of delivered that message, but what does that have to do with Nick? He’s successful, too.”

  “Yes, he is, but not like them. Did you talk to them last night? Do you know what they do? Jenn, Nick feels inferior.”

  “Inferior—you’re kidding, right?” Her laugh was met with silence. “You’re not. But why?”

  Another pause. “I really wish he’d told you this. I hope what I say won’t change how you look at him, because Nick is wonderful.”

  “Suzanne, tell me!”

  “Nick is a high-school dropout. In fact, he’s the only one in his immediate family—his entire family from what I’ve heard—that didn’t graduate high school, much less go on to college. He barely has a sophomore education.”

  She paused mid-stretch. “Seriously?” But…How was that possible? He was so smart, so intelligent. Why drop out?

  “Yeah. As soon as he was legally able to quit, he did. His family went nuts. We’re not talking a little nuts, but completely ballistic. You have to grow up in a small place to really understand how weird it is for everyone to be involved in your business. The whole town talked about it and the more everyone talked and stirred things up, the angrier and more distant Nick became. There were times when they passed each other on the street and didn’t speak. It was horrible.”

  Jenn lowered her leg onto the bed. “I had no idea.”

  “Nick doesn’t like to talk about it. Anyway, not long after this happened, Nick’s grandfather died. They were all close to Rosetta’s husband and the funeral helped bridge the distance. At least a little bit. You know how things like that bring people together. Then Nick’s girlfriend got pregnant and the whole mess started up again, when he refused to go to his parents for help. The girlfriend thought Nick would go back to the fold and she’d sort of sit back and enjoy the benefits of being a Tulane, but at the time Nick was a mechanic and he had no interest in his family at all. When things didn’t go her way, she took off for Nashville.”

  Poor Nick. Poor Matt.

  “Trust me, it was a big deal. The Tulanes aren’t snobs, but image is important to them. Uh-oh, Tuck’s home. I’ve got to run. I’ll see you later. We’ll talk more then.”

  “Okay, but…’ Bye,” Jen said after the phone clicked in her ear. She pressed the button and lowered it to the bed beside her. A dropout?

  Rolling to her feet, she finished dressing, her thoughts consumed by the surprising revelation. A dropout. A sophomore education. Her head whirled. And eventually her thoughts led her to more questions. But did she have the courage to ask them?

  Chapter 14

  NICK NOTED THAT Jennifer seemed preoccupied as he put her through the paces of her workout. Sweat beaded her forehead and dampened the hair at her temples, and her T-shirt—this one reading Teachers Have Class—clung to her chest and distracted him more than he wanted to admit. It wasn’t a good idea to get involved. He already knew the outcome. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about that kiss? About spending the summer with her as more than her trainer?

  He walked back to where Jennifer sat on a padded bench and handed her a heavier set of hand weights. “Do the lifts exactly as I showed you.”

  She waited, but then wet her lips and stared up at him. “Do you, um, have to stand there?”

  Nick frowned, then realized why she’d asked. Clearing his throat, he moved behind Jenn, facing her in the wall of mirrors.

  He shouldn’t have kissed her, because now that he had he wanted even more.

  Jenn began doing the lifts.

  “Nick? I need to talk to you about something and…I don’t know how to bring it up.”

  Her words snapped him out of his thoughts and brought his ga
ze to her face. She’d closed her eyes, and her cheeks were hot pink.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong.”

  He waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. “What did you want to ask?”

  “Never mind. It’s nothing. I need to finish my reps. How many did you say?”

  “I’ll double them if you don’t tell me.”

  Her eyes snapped open. “That’s mean.”

  “That’s life. Spill it. It’s important, or else you wouldn’t be dodging right now. Something to do with Matt?”

  She inhaled and sighed, a trickle of sweat slowly gliding down the V of her shirt. He fought back a groan of awareness. He’d have to be dead not to notice that Ms. Rose was stacked. Good thing she taught little kids instead of adolescents. The boys in her class would be goners.

  “Well, um, it’s about…you. Why didn’t you tell me you dropped out of high school?”

  Her question hit him like a bomb. Heat, impact and then a surge of fallout in the form of embarrassment and humiliation. In an instant, he was sixteen again. And Jenn was the straight-A girl he’d asked to the winter dance. Back then he’d been shot down because the girl thought he was a dumb loser. The same held true now.

  He stood there, frozen in time, as memories slid over him. Jennifer had arrived at the gym ten minutes late, with the excuse that she’d taken Suzanne’s call. Looked as if Suzanne had filled Jenn on the details of his life in between vacation stories. “It’s…old news. And none of your business. None of anyone’s business but my own.”

  Jenn flinched, her eyes avoiding his. “Forgive me if I’m overstepping boundaries here, but I’m trying to understand. It doesn’t change how I view you as a person.”

  “Doesn’t it?” He didn’t buy that. Not at all.

  “Of course not. Look at everything you’ve accomplished.”

  “Some people say it’s been given to me.”

  “But it hasn’t been. You’ve worked hard to succeed.”

  “And you’re wasting time. Thought you were supposed to go shopping with Suzanne? Finish your workout and get going.”

  “I’m trying to talk to you.” She blinked up at him, her lovely gray eyes wide. “Nick, please. You’ve achieved a great deal. Your family might have impressive degrees, but you are just as successful running your businesses.”

  “My father disagrees.”

  “Maybe he does, but surely you don’t need a diploma to tell you who you are?”

  “No, but…” He ran a hand over his hair, messing it. “Look, I don’t want to discuss this with you.”

  “Why not?” Her eyes softened. “I told you about my sister and the things my father said to me.” When he didn’t answer, she looked down and blinked. “All I’m saying is that I think this news makes it even more important for you to play an active role in Matt’s education. So you dropped out. It doesn’t mean you can’t help me help your son.”

  “For the love of—”

  “Does Matt know you didn’t graduate?”

  He kept his silence and Jenn knew.

  “Nick…Oh, Nick.”

  “It’s not a big deal.”

  She shook her head slowly back and forth. “Who was it that said if you’re bringing it up now, you haven’t let it go? Why haven’t you told him?”

  “You’re the one bringing this up. Drop it.”

  “No. No, I won’t, because if it’s pride that’s stopping you, you’re going to have to decide which is more important.”

  He glowered at her. “You think my son needs to know I dropped out? That his friends’ parents laughed and talked about me back then, made fun? You think that’ll help him? The longer it stays quiet, the better.”

  “I disagree. I think Matt needs to know you care enough to keep him from getting so frustrated he makes the same mistake in the future.” She lowered the weights, her rapid pulse visible in her throat. “Matt needs to practice his reading, and if you won’t practice it with him, then you should find someone who will. Your grandmother or another family member.”

  “No.”

  “Because you don’t want them to know he’s having problems? Nick, I know you don’t get along, but it’s obvious how much they love him. They wouldn’t hurt Matt for the world.”

  “Maybe not intentionally, but it would still happen. Believe me. It’s my job to protect him, my job to look out for him and that includes this. Your father said some nasty things to you growing up, the same as mine did. But I won’t be that way with Matt. I won’t undermine his self-confidence by going around telling everyone he—” he lowered his voice even more “—has some trouble in school. What kid needs that? It’s like printing a label and plastering it on his forehead for the world to judge him by.”

  This wasn’t the place for their argument. Granted, the gym was nearly empty, but this was a private matter. One he didn’t want dragged up again, especially today of all days. Maybe he could claim an emergency at the grill? Not go to the wedding? “Finish your reps.”

  She hesitated a long moment, but when Nick turned away to go make a call and possibly come up with an excuse, he heard her inhale and knew she wasn’t going to give up.

  “He needs help, Nick. Would you rather finish our discussion at the wedding later?”

  Her words stopped him in his tracks. His knuckles popped. The mousy Ms. Rose had a backbone after all. Too bad she hadn’t found it where her ex was concerned. “You wouldn’t do that.” He turned to face her.

  “You have to begin taking the time to read with Matt. And if it takes making it part of our deal, I’ll make it part of our deal.”

  “I’ll get another tutor.”

  “No, you won’t. You don’t want anyone to know, and doing that would require telling more people. You know I’m discreet, even if I’m giving you a hard time about this. Plus, we have a deal, and it’s one I’m holding you to.”

  He could easily imagine her adding “So there” to her statement.

  “I’m only looking out for Matt’s best interests. And yours, for that matter.”

  He hadn’t asked her to. Didn’t want her to. Nick counted to twenty, glaring at Jennifer. “I told you, I’m too busy to play teacher.” Nick narrowed his gaze on her, remembering how she wouldn’t say she was worth it. Problems like that didn’t just go away. “Or maybe you’re doing this to pick a fight, to try and get me to renege on the deal so you won’t have to own up to wanting to quit?”

  “I’m doing no such thing.”

  He took in her appearance, letting her see what had been on his mind of late. Jenn gasped, and he smirked again. He could tell she’d lost weight. Could see the muscle tone developing in her arms and legs. He thought she looked fine before, but he’d admit that healthy foods and exercise had her glowing. “Sure about that?”

  “Y-yes.”

  He surveyed her, his expression suspicious. “You’re several weeks into your diet and you’ve been good, but now it’s really sinking in. The junk food is calling you and you’re obviously cranky from withdrawal. You want to quit, but don’t want to have to say it, so if you piss me off enough to do it for you—”

  “I’m not trying to quit!”

  He could tell by the slant of her eyebrows and the way her mouth flattened into a thin line that he’d hit a nerve. Inhaling through her nose the way he’d instructed, she shoved her chin in the air and lifted the weights, exhaling through her mouth.

  “See?”

  “Yeah, well, keep going and when you finish those, start your next round. I’m going to make some calls.”

  “It isn’t true, you know. What you think. It’s not true.”

  He fought his frustration. Did all women talk this much? Argue? A part of him would admit to liking sparring with her, but another found her interference—

  “It doesn’t change who you are, Nick. Knowledge is power. I admire you for getting help for your son. I respect you for going so far to protect him, but did you ever think that knowing he’s no
t alone in having difficulty might help him? It’s your decision whether or not you tell Matt, but I think he would rather hear it from you.”

  Just like that, his frustration deflated. Did she mean that? Believe it? Or would Matt be embarrassed because of him? Nick couldn’t handle that. Given how Matt was growing up so fast, it would come soon enough, anyway.

  “What decision? What’s going on with Matt?”

  Nick bit back a groan and turned to find his twin studying them both from ten feet away. “Nothing.”

  Luke closed the distance between them, his attention divided between Nick and Jenn. “Looking good, Jenn.”

  “Did you want something?”

  Luke’s eyebrows rose and a slow smile crossed his face. His brother’s gaze lowered to Jenn, sweeping her with an appreciative glance. “Ah, so it’s true.”

  “Luke.”

  Luke’s smile grew to the length of a football field. “What?” he asked innocently.

  Remembering what he’d seen last night as he and Jenn left the rehearsal dinner, Nick widened his stance and crossed his arms over his chest. “You and Shelby Brooks seemed to be hitting it off last night. Does our little sister know you were flirting with her best friend?”

  Luke shuffled his feet, a dull flush rising on his neck.

  “I’ll, uh, leave you two to talk,” Jenn murmured, standing and carrying the dumbbells with her. She walked over to a freestanding bench on the far side of the room, her expression curious as she began another set of lifts.

  Nick waited, hating the tenuous position he found himself in. He’d wanted the subject of Matt to be dropped, but he’d much rather argue his position with Jenn than face off with his brother about whatever it was that had brought Luke here. “What’s up?”

  Luke rubbed his neck the way he always did when he was on the fence about something. “Actually, it’s about Matt. I wanted to know if you’d let him come stay with me for a couple of weeks. I’ll fly him out and bring him back personally.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m working on a computer project that’s right up his alley. When it comes to new games, the company brings in kids to test the products and get their responses. I thought it might be nice to get some input from Matt. You know, something fun. Ma says he hasn’t flown anywhere and we haven’t spent a lot of time together. He’s older now and pretty self-sufficient so…It would also take him off your hands for a bit.”