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‘‘Rachel is…’’
‘‘Backstage with Jason.’’
Tina glanced at the table where they’d all been sitting. The seats were all empty now. ‘‘Reid, I—’’
He dipped his head, brushed his lips over hers. She forgot what she’d been about to say.
‘‘I…I need a minute,’’ she said breathlessly, shivered when he touched her cheek with his hand.
‘‘I’ll wait for you at the table.’’
Nodding, she turned, and on weak knees headed for the ladies’ room. What kind of spell had he woven over her? she wondered. Whatever it was, it was as potent as it was formidable. A heady mix of excitement and fear.
Anticipation shivered through her.
Inside the rest room, Tina squeezed her way through the mass of buzzing females and made her way to a sink. Dampening a paper towel, she pressed it to her cheeks and neck while the women around her slicked on fresh lipstick, smoothed their hair and adjusted their low-cut dresses and tops.
She looked at her own dress, and though it was pretty and she thought she looked nice enough, she still felt like a sparrow in the midst of swans. A daisy next to roses. For the hundredth time she wondered why Reid would want her. Even if all he wanted was a one-night stand, he had his pick of the most beautiful women in Savannah. For that matter, in the world. It simply made no sense to her.
But did it have to?
For once, did she have to be so damn logical, so sensible? she asked herself. While the women chattered and laughed and pressed all around her, Tina stared at her own reflection, not even certain who she was anymore. For once, couldn’t she just let herself be? Let herself feel? Just enjoy the moment, the night, and not worry so much about tomorrow?
She felt a hand on her arm and blinked.
‘‘Tina,’’ Rachel said, her voice quavering. ‘‘We have to go.’’
‘‘What?’’ When tears spilled from Rachel’s eyes, Tina quickly pulled her sister into a stall and closed the door. ‘‘Rachel, honey, what’s wrong?’’
‘‘We have to go. Please.’’
‘‘What’s happened? Are you all right?’’
‘‘I—’’ Rachel swallowed, then choked on a sob. ‘‘I broke up with Jason.’’
Six
He sat at the bar, nursing a beer, but he wasn’t drunk. Not yet, anyway. At 2:00 a.m., the night was still young.
Reid figured he wasn’t the first man to close down a bar thinking about a woman, and was even more certain he wouldn’t be the last. In the ongoing battle between the sexes, womankind would forever remain a confusing and incredibly frustrating creature.
Reid decided that no woman could possibly be more confusing, or more frustrating, than Tina Alexander.
‘‘Mind if I join you?’’
Reid swiveled a glance at Jason. If the singer’s face dropped any lower, it would be scraping the wood floor. After two encores his group had finished a few minutes ago. The club was starting to thin out, and even Ian had left after the music ended. But there were still plenty of late-nighters scattered in the bar. ‘‘You buying?’’
‘‘Sure.’’ Jason slid onto the stool beside Reid, then gestured to the bartender for a new round.
‘‘That was a hell of a performance.’’
‘‘A record producer was in the audience.’’ Based on Jason’s tone, he might as well have said his best friend had died. ‘‘He wants the group to come to Los Angeles next week and cut a demo.’’
‘‘Congratulations.’’
Jason shrugged, took a long pull from the beer bottle that appeared in front of him. ‘‘I asked Rachel to come with me.’’
Reid waited, didn’t think he needed to ask the obvious question.
‘‘She broke it off.’’ Jason dragged a hand through his hair. ‘‘Told me she was happy for me, but she didn’t want to see me anymore. She asked me if we could just be friends. Friends, for God sakes! Why the hell would she say something like that?’’
Reid shook his head. As if he had any answers when it came to women. But he realized it just might explain why Tina had left without even saying goodbye.
When she hadn’t come back from the rest room, he’d assumed she’d made up her mind about coming home with him and the answer had been no. He’d also considered it might be payback for the way he’d left her in the garden the night before. Somehow, though, he didn’t think that was Tina’s style, and when Rachel hadn’t come back, either, even after the band started playing again, and Sophia seemed to disappear, as well, it hadn’t taken a rocket scientist to figure out something was up. Now he at least had an inkling why the Alexander women had all vanished like smoke in the wind.
His expression dark, Jason looked at Reid. ‘‘I wanted to put a fist in your face. Nearly jumped off the stage a couple of times. You’re bigger than me, but I figured the element of surprise would be in my favor, in the short run, anyway.’’
Reid lifted a brow. ‘‘What did I do?’’
Jason shrugged. ‘‘I see you sitting with my girl, then she breaks up with me. What would you think if you saw the woman you love with another guy?’’
‘‘I have no idea,’’ Reid said honestly. ‘‘I’ve never been in love.’’
‘‘Lucky you.’’ Jason shook his head. ‘‘It hurts like hell. Walking around with your heart on your sleeve, it’s damn embarrassing.’’
Reid might have agreed, but why kick a guy when he was down? And anyway, if that’s what love felt like, he wanted no part of it.
‘‘Anyway—’’ Jason sighed ‘‘—once I calmed down a little, I figured out she didn’t break up with me because of you. I’ve just been jealous since you showed up. Everyone’s talking about seeing you and Rachel together, and what a great pair you’d make. I know she wouldn’t cheat on me, but the thought of you making a move on her made me crazy.’’
‘‘Women do that to a man,’’ Reid said with nod.
They clinked bottles and drank.
‘‘All Mariska talks about is having a Danforth for a son-in-law.’’ Anger narrowed Jason’s eyes. ‘‘How’s that supposed to make a guy feel?’’
Not so good, Reid figured. Unless the guy happened to be a Danforth and had a thing for one of Mariska’s daughters. Not that he was interested in marriage, of course, Reid thought. Hell, no. Maybe one day he’d settle down, but that was way in the future. He was attracted to Tina, very attracted, but he sure wasn’t ready for picket fences and baby carriages.
When Jason indicated another round to the bartender, Reid could see that an already long night was going to be even longer. What the hell, he thought with a sigh. There were taxis outside and he didn’t have any better place to be, anyway. He’d pay for it in the morning, as would Jason, but somehow getting drunk tonight seemed to beat the alternative of being alone.
‘‘If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never love again.’’ Her nose red, her eyes swollen from her tears, Rachel stared unseeing at the cup of peppermint tea that Tina set on the kitchen table. ‘‘My life is over.’’
After two pots of coffee, and because it was nearly three in the morning, Tina had brewed a pot of organic tea. With all the caffeine buzzing in her system, she doubted she’d be able to fall asleep for three days. In the corner, Delilah slept peacefully in her cushioned basket.
‘‘Your life is not over,’’ Tina said. ‘‘We’ll figure something out.’’
Rachel shook her head. ‘‘The minute he told me he was going to Los Angeles, I knew we had to break up. He’s going to be a star, Tina. A big star. I’d only be in his way.’’
Tina sighed. They’d been over this a hundred times since they’d left Steam, but Rachel was being ridiculously stubborn. ‘‘He loves you, Rachel. You know he does.’’
‘‘Did you see the way all those women were looking at him tonight?’’ She reached for another tissue from the nearly empty box on the table. ‘‘Why would he stay with me, subject himself to all the hassels from Mom and Dad, when he could have any woman he wants?’’
‘‘He wants you, Ray.’’ Tina couldn’t understand why her sister had suddenly become so incredibly unreasonable and emotional. ‘‘He adores you. Don’t give up so easily. We’ll call Jason tomorrow.’’
‘‘And you.’’ Delicately Rachel blew her nose. ‘‘I ruined your night, too. You should have gone back to the club with Sophia.’’
‘‘For one thing, I only went there for you,’’ Tina said firmly. It killed her to see Rachel like this, frustrated her that she couldn’t talk any sense into her. ‘‘And for another thing, do you think I’d leave you alone when you’re hurting like this? If Sophia hadn’t already promised the owner she’d help him close tonight, she wouldn’t have gone back, either.’’
‘‘Still, if it wasn’t for me,’’ Rachel said forlornly, ‘‘you’d be with Reid right now.’’
Tina’s pulse jumped. ‘‘What are you talking about?’’
‘‘For heaven’s sake.’’ Rachel rolled her reddened eyes. ‘‘I’m not blind. I saw the way he was looking at you.’’
Hoping her hand wouldn’t shake, Tina calmly picked up her cup of tea. ‘‘What way was that?’’
‘‘Like he wanted to cover you with whipped cream and lick it all off.’’
‘‘Rachel!’’ Tea sloshed out of Tina’s cup. ‘‘You didn’t just say that!’’
A smile, the first one since they’d left the club, curved Rachel’s lips. ‘‘Why shouldn’t I say it? It’s true, isn’t it?’’
Reaching for a napkin, Tina wiped up the spilled tea. ‘‘He looks at every woman that way.’’
‘‘He never looked at me that way, or Sophia.’’ Rachel pulled her feet up onto the chair and wrapped her arms around her knees. ‘‘And every man looks at Sophia that way. So did he ask you?’’
‘‘Ask me what?’’
‘‘To spend the night with him.’’
‘‘Rachel!’’ Tina’s cup clattered onto its saucer.
‘‘Stop saying my name.’’ Rachel dropped her chin on her knees. ‘‘Besides, it makes me feel better to talk about your love life. You want me to feel better, don’t you?’’
‘‘Okay, okay.’’ Tina rolled her head back. ‘‘So he asked me. But I assure you, it has nothing to do with love.’’
‘‘I knew it.’’ Rachel hugged her legs tighter. ‘‘So what did you say?’’
‘‘I never exactly got around to answering.’’
‘‘And then I pulled you away,’’ Rachel said on a sigh. ‘‘Oh, T, I’m so sorry. To think you’ve had to sit here all night and listen to my problems, when you could have had a glorious night making love with Reid Danforth.’’
‘‘Sex.’’ Her tea had a bitter taste when she swallowed. ‘‘Nothing more than that. You saved me from a big mistake.’’
‘‘You don’t know that.’’ Rachel covered Tina’s hand with her own. ‘‘I saw you two dancing together. There was something there, T. Something more than just sex.’’
If only that were true, she thought. But she couldn’t let herself believe that, couldn’t let herself even think it. If she did, she’d be the one sitting here with red eyes and a broken heart, emptying a box of tissues.
Shaking her head, Tina smiled at her sister. ‘‘It’s for the best, Ray. Reid and I just aren’t meant to—’’
A scuffling from the stairwell outside had both women turning.
‘‘Rachel! Open up.’’ A loud knock rattled the front door. ‘‘I know you’re in there. Open up this door.’’
‘‘Jason!’’ Rachel’s eyes widened in horror. ‘‘Ohmigod, Tina, don’t tell him I’m here. Please!’’
The pounding continued, and despite her sister’s pleas, Tina rose and headed for the door. ‘‘You’re going to have to face him sometime, honey. It might as well be now.’’
‘‘No, Tina, I can’t.’’ Rachel followed, pulling on Tina’s arm. ‘‘I’m not ready. Maybe tomorrow.’’
‘‘It is tomorrow,’’ Tina said and opened the door, prepared to face a lovesick Jason.
At the sight of Reid standing on the doorstep holding up an obviously inebriated Jason, Tina’s heart slammed in her chest.
‘‘Sorry.’’ Reid’s smile was apologetic. ‘‘He was insistent.’’
Rachel rushed past Tina and threw her arms around Jason. ‘‘Jason, oh, sweetie, what have you done?’’
‘‘Rachel, sugar, I love you.’’ Clumsily, Jason reached for Rachel. ‘‘I won’t go to L. A., baby. I won’t go anywhere without you. Come here and kiss me.’’
‘‘You idiot.’’ But she did kiss him. ‘‘You big fat idiot. I’ll take you home.’’
While Rachel slipped her heels back on and tugged on her coat, Reid held Jason on his feet. When he started to sing to her, Rachel’s eyes filled with tears and she kissed him again. Tina shifted awkwardly and met Reid’s gaze. He simply grinned.
‘‘I’ll help you downstairs,’’ Reid said to Rachel when she managed to pull her lips from Jason’s.
She shook her head. ‘‘Thanks, we’ll be all right.’’
‘‘That’s right, baby,’’ Jason mumbled, kissing Rachel’s neck. ‘‘We’ll be all right.’’
Arms around each other, they stumbled out the door, closing it behind them.
‘‘Well.’’ Tina let out a long breath when it was quiet again. ‘‘You want to tell me how you two ended up together?’’
With a shrug, Reid slipped his hands into his pockets. ‘‘Guess he needed someone to talk to.’’
She couldn’t imagine a more unlikely coalition. ‘‘No offense, Reid, but Jason doesn’t like you.’’
‘‘Only because he thought I was interested in Rachel.’’ He leveled his gaze on hers as he slipped off his jacket. ‘‘Now that he knows it’s you I want, we’re pals.’’
His words thrilled her, made her pulse leap and her skin heat up. When he tossed his jacket on the sofa and moved close, her throat turned to dust. ‘‘Reid, I…this is not a good idea.’’
‘‘Maybe not.’’
‘‘We barely know each other.’’
He nodded. ‘‘You’re absolutely right.’’
‘‘We should just say good-night now.’’
