Better Than Before (RightMatch.com Trilogy) (28 page)

Her vehemence didn’t make sense.
“What
is going on with this vendetta against Spence?”

Julia almost never cried, but now tears welled in her eyes. “When work was so bad with Lance, he ignored me and the kids for over a year. I finally got fed up with it. I knew it wasn’t right, but I had an affair with a guy at the club who was like Spence.”

“What? Lauren and I knew you were upset about the business, but you never gave us an inkling of another man in your life.”

“I was ashamed of myself. And embarrassed. Lance never found out, either. In any case, the guy was a shark like Spence. He dumped me and went on to somebody else. I won’t stand by and see you get eaten alive by a man like him.”

“I don’t know what to say. Except that I’m truly sorry you went through all that.”

Julia was quiet for a moment. “I realize my personal experience is clouding my judgment. But I worry about you, especially if you’ve really fallen for Spence. And no matter what, I don’t think he’s a positive influence on Alex.”

“Honey, my relationship with Spence isn’t like what happened to you. Spence and I aren’t married to other people. And more so, this isn’t an affair. It’s a serious relationship.”

“I disagree. You could be so wrong about him.”

Unnerved, she tried to stop Julia’s tirade. “I realize you’re saying this because you care about us, but I don’t want to discuss this anymore.”

Despite understanding Julia’s motives, Annie was glad her friend left before Spence and Alex got home. Annie spent some time cleaning up the kitchen, then glanced at the clock. They’d been gone a long time to play miniature golf. Her worry escalated after another half hour, and she was reaching for the phone to call Spence’s cell when the front door opened.

Hope came running downstairs yelling, “You’re back.”

Jake rose up from his bed and raced from the kitchen.

Alex’s chatter floated back to her. He sounded happy! When she went to the living room, she took in the scene in the foyer. Squatting down, Spence was scratching Jake’s ears, with Hope at his side.

But it was Alex who caught her attention. In one hand, he gripped a huge leather cylindrical bag. Padded gloves dangled from the other. It took her a minute to realize what they were.

Still she managed, “Hi. What do you have there, Alex?”

“Mom,” her son said excitedly. “Spence took me to his gym and I had a boxing lesson. Then he bought me the equipment so I can practice at home. Isn’t it great?”

She stared at Spence, who’d been watching her carefully. A muscle in his jaw pulsed. He knew she’d be unhappy about the boxing and he’d done it anyway. Even now, his expression was challenging. Damn him!

Julia’s last words echoed back, louder and clearer this time.
No matter what, I don’t think he’s a positive influence on Alex.

o0o

Spence watched Annie pretend nothing was wrong in front of Alex and Hope. She put on her mother face and spoke in her mother tone. She went upstairs to check on Hope, and Alex followed her, then she came back down. On edge, he was pacing the living room when she entered the living room.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” she said coldly.

He hadn’t realized he was leaving so soon.

At the Mercedes, she went around to the passenger side and got inside. He did the same on the driver’s side, then angled his body to hers. Despite the thunderclouds in her eyes, he joked, “I don’t suppose you’re here for a make-out session?”

“How dare you take Alex to that gym without asking my permission?”

It wasn’t simply her autocracy that got to him. The underlying implication that he couldn’t make a simple decision for Alex infuriated him. It felt like a punch to his gut. But he squelched the hurt that she could bring out so cavalierly and let his other side surface right there in his front seat. “I don’t like your tone, Annie.”

“My tone? Hell, Spence, you go explicitly against my wishes—after we talked about this—and you’re complaining about my tone?”

He scowled. “You don’t trust me with your son, is that it?”

“Rightly so. You counteracted a decision my husband I made about Alex, so I have reason not to.”

Letting his temper spark was easier than dealing with the implications of her words. “He’s your ex-husband, but I see you’ve forgotten that.”

Her face blanked. She hadn’t realized what she’d said.

“And second,
you
didn’t make the decision against boxing. Kennedy did.” He knew how to go in for the kill. “He never signed Alex up for self-defense, because there weren’t enough kids to participate.”

“How do you know that?”

“Alex told me.” Spence was furious now and let his anger show. “As a matter of fact, he confided more in me than he has to you or Keith. Including that he thought boxing might
help him.
Do you know what that means, Annie?”

She was maddeningly silent.

“It means I got further with him about what’s going on at school than you or Kennedy did. Probably because I’m more objective than you two are.”

Annie waited a beat. “That’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t change the fact that you took Alex to box without consulting me.”

“No, I can see the good that came out of what I did with your son isn’t as important as your
unwise
, strict control over your children.” He stuck the keys in the ignition and started the engine. “For the record, I did try to call, but you didn’t answer. So I went on my own instinct about what was right for Alex. However, I’ve gotten the message. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m leaving before I say something I might regret.”

“Spence…”

He had to get away from her and her ability to slice him to the core. “Get out of the car, Annie.” When she just sat there, he barked, “Now!”

Without saying more, she did as he asked. He didn’t wait until she got into the house. He backed out of the driveway and drove carefully away. Carefully, because what was seething inside of him was very dark. And very dangerous.

But at least it diluted the pain.

o0o

Annie kept taking surreptitious glances at Spence, who was seated next to her in the tenth row of the Eastman Theater. His features were set in stern lines, and he’d been unerringly polite since he’d picked her up. But she could practically feel the negative emotion radiate from him.

Leaning in close, she whispered, “You could at least pretend to be happy to be here with me.”

He cocked his head.

“The free pass didn’t work?” She touched his arm and felt his muscles soften a bit. “I’ve got another in my pocket.”

“I—”

But the lights dimmed and the music started, so he never answered. Instead of concentrating on the world famous soprano who’d come to Rockland tonight, Annie worried. She’d known as soon as she got out of Spence’s car Saturday that she’d done serious damage to their relationship by what she’d said to him. She hadn’t changed her mind about the kids, but she’d handled the situation badly. She was even more sure of it when she replayed the course of events in her head the next day. She’d implied he couldn’t be trusted, and that was cruel.

When she didn’t hear from him that day or the next, she emailed him a light, newsy note. When there was still no word, she left a message on his cell. She apologized only for hurting him and told him about Julia’s visit. How her friend’s concern had been partly responsible for her own kneejerk reaction. And she’d try to do better, but that her kids had to come first. He hadn’t called her back. Finally, she’d emailed with a facsimile of the free pass and sent along an invitation to come here tonight, which he’d finally responded to.

He seemed to relax during the performance and Annie began to hope they’d passed this hurdle. They had to find common ground about the kids, but she wasn’t willing to give in to whatever Spence did. Still, he was right about some things. When they filed out of the theater and retrieved his car from the valet, he said without preamble, “I’d like to make love. Your place or mine?”

A bit taken aback, she said, “Yours, I guess.” She didn’t particularly like going to his fancy condo and he knew it. But if she wasn’t willing to compromise about her children, she could go along with his suggestion. Besides, she wanted to make love to him, get the closeness back that had faded away in the argument over boxing. When they arrived at his home, he led her straight upstairs. His room was dim and he was a dark silhouette against the small light in the corner.

His touch was gentle when he caressed her, when he slid her dress down, when he disrobed her completely. He placed her on his bed, undressed and joined her, covering his body with hers. His kisses got hotter, but there was something detached, restrained, about him. His mouth trailed to her breast and she starting slipping away. His clever hands aroused her fast and she spilled over the peak in record time. Then he began again.

He still hadn’t been inside her yet, so she said, “You, too, Spence.”

“No, this way. My way.”

Once again she spiraled. And he didn’t.

Finally, he plunged into her. He began to move, fast and faster. He groaned and grunted and moaned. He even swore, but he came hard and when he collapsed on her, she cradled his head into the crook of her neck and shoulder.

Contentment from the release he’d given her soon gave way to unease about what had just happened here. Their lovemaking had an ominous feel to it and she had to address the issue.

When he rolled off her and onto his back, she came up and braced her forearms on his chest. “Want to tell me what that was all about?”

His expression was smug. “Complaining? You came. Twice.”

“I know. But you were—”

“For God’s sake, Annie, stop overanalyzing everything! We had good sex. Don’t pick that apart, too.”

Stunned at his tone and the import of his words, she pulled away. When he said no more, she got out of bed, angry now herself. He lay there, tracking her every move as she dressed. Hands linked behind his head, he didn’t speak. Nor did she, until she was ready to go.

“Maybe we need to take a break from each other.” Even as she said the words, her heart clenched in her chest. She really didn’t want this, but she was hurt, upset and angry. Before she could take it back, he answered.

“I think you’re right.” He didn’t sound distressed at all about not seeing her for a while. As a matter of fact, his whole demeanor was cold and uncaring. Who was this man she’d made love with moments ago?

Without saying more and trying to ignore the yawning devastation inside her, she headed for the door.

He called out, “Annie?”

Oh, thank God. He didn’t want this, either. She turned to him. “Yes?”

“Lock the front door when you leave.”

Suddenly, she realized he was the Spence he used to be before he met her. The one she didn’t like at all and maybe could never accept, if this was how he behaved. No wonder they couldn’t make their relationship work. They were so different.

As she left him, the hopelessness of their situation overwhelmed her.

Chapter 16

Spence sat in the cab on his way to Club 51 in Manhattan for a celebratory drink with Jacob and Eli Henderson. Twenty companies had decided to go with environmentally sound uniforms and AllGreen and Global Industries had signed the papers today to renew their partnership. Now, they’d work on other green products. They were going to make some serious money together.

And Annie would be pleased at the deal he’d made with AllGreen. As soon as he had the thought, he banished it from his head. The two of them were done and he was glad of it. He’d returned to who and what he was before he’d made the ill-fated bet, and it was a relief not to have to consider his every move, his every word, worry about disappointing anybody. He was free of her criticism, of her making him feel bad about who and what he was. Having no contact with her was a lot better than the regret he experienced over how primitively he’d behaved that night after the Philharmonic.

He’d wanted to be in control, to possess her, to be in charge, for once, in their relationship. And though he’d been gentle, tender even, he wished he hadn’t done it. Which was why, when she’d suggested the break, he’d agreed. He needed distance to regain his equilibrium. Now, he had it back.

The club was crowded, but he spotted Eli and Jacob at a table in the corner. As he approached them, he noticed they were both grinning broadly. Their delight made him want to share it.

“Hello, Spence,” they said almost simultaneously.

“Hi, guys.” He took a seat.

“We ordered champagne.” Jacob indicated the bottle of Cristal in the center of the table.

“Hmm. Our deal calls for it, right?”

“Does for us.” Eli beamed. “We wanted to say one last thank-you for giving AllGreen another chance.”

“You guys did all the work.”

“Yeah, but without your consent and guidance, none of this would have happened.”

They toasted to the company, then Jacob asked, “Why did you do it, Spence?”

Thinking of Annie, he said, “I don’t exactly know. It felt right.”

“We didn’t hold out much hope. Your reputation in the business world precluded giving us time.”

“Maybe people will start liking me more,” he joked. “In any case, what you did worked, we’re all going to make money, so everybody’s happy.”

After they’d signed the papers, Spence
had
been excited about the deal. He liked playing Fairy Godfather better than Hatchet Man.

He noticed Eli checking his BlackBerry.

“Got somewhere else to go?”

“Yeah, I, Mary’s—” His phone buzzed. He picked it up without explaining. “Honey? Uh-huh. Oh, okay. I’ll be right there.”

Eli was leaving their celebration?

“That was Mary. She’s in labor. We weren’t sure before I came, but—” Eli broke off, his eyes shining like the sun. “Dad, I’m gonna be a father.”

“I know, son.”

“I need to get a cab home. I’m sorry to cop out on tonight, Spence.”

Feeling vaguely jealous, Spence said, “Go ahead. Don’t worry about me. And congratulations.”

As Eli left, Jacob gazed after his son. “Nothing quite like this,” he said aloud. “You got any kids, Spence?”