A Modern Love Story (33 page)

It took her a minute to realize what Lizbeth was talking about, then her eyes landed on Luc. His posture was stiff, his stare, intense. She averted her gaze. “No. It’s almost over, then we’ll slip away. I wanted to give Payten my condolences… I don’t think I can.”

“No one would expect you to,” Lizbeth reassured, shifting Robbie so the tall man in front of her blocked Luc’s view. She handed her a Kleenex from her purse. “
Here.
He’s wrapping up. Let’s go.”

Lizbeth guided Robbie to the side and they nearly crashed into Conrad, blocking their escape.

“Lizbeth, I need to talk to you.”

“Not now,” she snapped, scooting around him with Robbie in tow.

“You won’t take my calls. You returned my flowers. What else am I supposed to do?” he asked, trailing after them.

Once they were away from the bulk of the crowd, Lizbeth let go of Robbie and whirled on him. “Get this simple fact straight, Conrad. I don’t have anything to say to you.”

Robbie felt a twinge of guilt, as if their fight was her fault. And, she supposed, in a fashion, it was. Lizbeth was only mad because he kept Luc and Payten’s affair a secret. If Robbie wasn’t her friend, she wouldn’t have cared less.

“Lizbeth, please,” Conrad pleaded, reaching for her hand. “I miss you. I miss being with you.”

She snatched her hand back. “Ugh, you are so going to Hell. Hitting on me at a funeral? What’s
wrong
with you?”

“Dinner. That’s all I’m asking for.” She scoffed. He changed tactics. “Lunch then. Anything. Just
talk
to me.”

“I told you. I’ve got nothing to say to you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Luc. If I had it to do over again, I would have. Come on, gorgeous. You know you mean the world to me.”

She crossed her arms. “You are so full of shit, I’m surprised your eyes aren’t brown.”

Despite the verbal lashing, Conrad’s mouth twitched into a smile. “There’s my girl. Come on. Give a guy a chance.”

Robbie was so captured by the confrontation in front of her that she didn’t even notice Luc’s approach.
 

“Robbie?”

Robbie flinched at the sound of his voice and Lizbeth spun around. “Uh uh. No way, buddy. Get the hell away from her.”

“Robbie, please. I just want to talk to you a minute. Can you give me that?” The insecurity in his voice disarmed her as she nodded.

“Rob, you don’t have to do this,” Lizbeth said, eyes blazing as she stared Luc down.

“I know. It’s okay. Finish up with Conrad. I’ll be right over here.”

“And
you
,” Lizbeth said to Conrad, jabbing a finger in his chest. “You better not have been running interference for him so he could get Robbie alone.”

“Swear to God, Lizbeth,” Robbie heard Conrad say as she turned, “I had nothing to do with it.”

“You better not have, you asshole.”

Luc walked beside Robbie as she distanced them from everyone else. “What did you want to talk about?”

They stopped to face each other. Luc looked like he wanted to reach for her, but shoved his hands into his pockets instead. His dark eyes settled on her, searching her face until she wanted to squirm from the attention. She hated it when he did that. He knew her too well to hide from that probing stare.

“Are you okay? I mean…I know you’re not
okay
, but with the funeral and everything…” He took a deep, steadying breath. “I saw you crying. Memories haunting you?”

She nodded, blinking back the tears threatening to resurface. “Just saying my own goodbyes again.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

She decided to take it as an open invitation. “Yes. I need you to keep your distance from me for awhile. I get it, okay? I just need time to get used to the idea and adjust my”—she fumbled for the right word as the moisture crept into her eyes—“thinking. I need space to do that.”

He kept his hands to himself, but stepped closer, his brow creasing and eyes pleading. “I’ll give you whatever you need, Robbie, but can I say something first?”

She bit her lip and waited.

Dragging his hands through his hair, he took another step closer. “I know that I screwed up, and I’m so sorry. I know that’s not enough, but…” He tentatively cupped her face in his hands, then wiped at her tears with his thumbs. “You’re my family and I lost sight of that. I’m sorry I hurt you.” Seeming to remember himself, he quickly took a step back. “I know I’ll never be able to redeem myself in your eyes, but I have more I want to say. Only when you’re ready though.”

Robbie stared at him, not sure how to take him. It wasn’t very often he opened up, and she hated that she struggled to believe his sincerity.

“You ready to go, Rob,” Lizbeth said, stepping next to her.

“Yeah.” She glanced over her shoulder as they walked away. “Bye, Luc.”

He closed his eyes and nodded.

*****

A week after the funeral, Payten’s frustration level was at an all-time high as she punched a number into the
TracFone
. She drummed her fingers impatiently as she waited for Kate to answer.

“Ms. Carmichael. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, don’t give me that Ms. Carmichael business.” Payten smiled, feeling more relaxed already as she kicked her feet up onto her desk, her long, slim legs crossing at the ankles. “I need your help.”

“Your man denying you again, Payten?” Kate asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice. “What’s wrong with him?”

“Another woman keeps drawing his attention away.
Ex-girlfriend
of all things. I simply need to keep him focused on me for a time, and everything will be fine.”

“Just jump him and be done with it. The man wouldn’t resist you. After all, he’s a
man.
”

“I’m the grieving daughter. He’s supposed to want to comfort me. I can’t be all aggressive while I’m in mourning. Suggestive, yes. But that’s not cutting it…hence the need for a little assistance. That’s where you come in.” She angled her foot, admiring her Jimmy
Choo’s
, then leaned forward to swipe at some dust on the toe.

“You want me to slip him some ketamine again?”

“Oh, God no! That was almost a disaster last time.”

Kate’s voice took on a defensive edge. “Look. I slipped it in his shot right at closing. If he didn’t come straight home before the effects wore off, then that’s not on me. I can only do so much.”

“No, he came straight home. The problem was, I misjudged his mood when he wouldn’t take my call. I thought he was being all pissy, but he must have been depressed. The ketamine only heightened that. I swear, by the time he got home, he was ready to jump off the nearest bridge.”

“Oh, shit. What’d you do? How did you talk him down?”

“I reminded him that I was the one there for him. That I wouldn’t leave him.”

“
Ahh
…exploited his abandonment issues, huh? Told you that would work.”

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. I had to improvise.”

“How so?”

“I’d brought some ice cream and toppings, ya know…in case he got the munchies later.”

“Oh, I see where this is going.” Kate boomed a laugh into the phone. “Whip cream and ketamine. Sounds like the greatest of all aphrodisiacs. That would be a hit at the clubs around town.”

“It worked. That’s all I cared about.”

“Look, Payten. Be straight with me. Are you sure this man is worth it? He’s hot, given, but it sure seems like a lot of trouble to me.”

“He’s definitely worth it.
And
he’s mine.”

“To each their own. I
gotta
admire your tenacity though.”

“Any suggestions as to what we could try this time?”

“How about Ecstasy? That ought to tame him for you. I’ll be sure to give it to him earlier in the night so the effects are in full swing by the time you sink your claws in.”

“Sounds good to me. Why don’t you pay him a little visit tonight?”

“Done. It’ll be 5K to the usual account.”

“You’ll have it as soon as I hang up. And remember, Kate. I’m paying you for your discretion as well.”

“I’m just as liable as you. I’m not saying a word. Besides, this deal is pretty sweet for me, too. Where else would I make five grand for having a shot with a
hottie
.” She barked another laugh and hung up.

Payten turned off the
TracFone
and removed the SIM card. “Who knew PI’s could be so multi-faceted in their duties,” she mused, tossing the phone in the trash and snapping the card in two.

*****

 
“Hey, good-looking. Get me a couple of shots of whiskey.”

Luc glanced as the busty, dark-haired beauty and nodded. She looked familiar, but couldn’t quite place her. Probably a repeat customer. “My kind of woman,” he commented, pouring two shots and setting them in front of her.

As he turned away, she said, “Not so fast, gorgeous. You wouldn’t let a lady drink alone, would you?”

He turned back as she cupped her hand over one of the shots and slid it his way. Lifting hers to a set of full lips, she locked her eyes on him. “Bottoms up.”

He grabbed the shot. “Cheers.” And tipped it back.

They both slammed their shot glasses down at the same time, and then she slid off her stool. She slapped a twenty on the counter as she winked. “Keep the change. Have a nice night.”

“You too.”

“How come all the babes hit on you?” Conrad asked, watching the curvy woman meander through the meager crowd.

“They see my inherent charm,” Luc said with a humorless chuckle.

“Still down about Robbie?”

“What the fuck do you think?”

“I think you need to figure out what you’re gonna do there.”

Luc sighed and leaned back against the counter. “I have to wait this shit out with Payten. I may be a cold-hearted sonofabitch, but even I’m not gonna break up with a chick when she’s mourning the death of the only family she had left.”

“How long is that gonna take?”

Luc shrugged. “Beats me. So far she still seems pretty broken up about it. The challenge is being there for her without
being
there.
”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Notice the attempt at subtlety.”

“I’m a guy. I don’t do subtle.”

“I’m in love with Robbie, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And I want her back, right?”

“I’m following.”

“So, I’m not gonna fuck Payten when all I want is to get back with Robbie.”

“I gotcha. Wait. How’s the blonde taking it? Isn’t she like a nympho or something?”

“I tell you what, man. It’s getting harder to put her off without hurting her feelings. If she doesn’t back the fuck off, I’m gonna have to break up with her—grieving or not. Shit. I hope it doesn’t come to that though. I’d rather get it done with minimal female drama.”