Billionaire Novelist's Fiery Debutante (13 page)

All eyes turned to Josh, who wondered for the umpteenth time how two fictional characters he’d created in his head a decade ago could appear so real to his readers. “Look, guys,” he told them. “First of all, I never intended for Frankie and Jacqueline to get together. In keeping them apart, I thought I’d add to the tension these stories invariably need.”

A howl of protest rose, and he had to shout over it. “However! Since I met Chloe, she’s convinced me to make the stories more personal. So at the end of Fire Storm, Frankie and Jacqueline are— And don’t tell this to anyone, you hear!” He grinned, savoring the moment. “They’re going to kiss for the very first time.”

Cheers rang out from his audience of five, and he had to laugh. This was so great! Looking over to Chloe, he saw that she sat gazing at him with shiny eyes. He mouthed ‘Thank you’, and laughed when she mouthed back ‘You’re welcome.’

The only one who didn’t look happy was Kiki. “I’m sorry,” he boomed, his face a mask of confusion, “but do you mean to tell me that you’re not Lee Child?”

They laughed a whole lot more after that.

“So what line of business are you guys in?” he finally asked, deciding to change the topic.

“We’re dancers?” replied Frank. “Normally we’re touring this time of year, but we managed to get a special gig in town? So we’re staying put for the summer?”

“Dancers? Like in a show or something?”

“We’re exotic dancers,” explained Caleb. “Like the Chippendales? Only we go all the way. No holds barred.”

“The Five Riders of the Apocalypse are the real deal, baby,” boomed Seth, pumping his fist.

“They’re really good, too,” Chloe added her two cents.

“Chloe’s been our number one supporter?” added Frank. “She’s got our back, don’t you, sweetie?”

“Always!” exclaimed Chloe.

“Say, why don’t you come watch our performance, Mr. Poole?” suggested Caleb. “You could call it research.”

Chloe nodded. “You really have to see them, Josh. They’ve got a great show.”

Looking into six pairs of eager eyes, Josh didn’t have to think twice. “Of course I’ll come. But only if you’ll come with me.”

Chloe grinned happily. “I’ve got tickets for tonight. I was going with Mom, but I can always get one more.” Then it hit her, and she beamed, excitement making her glow. “That way we’ll kill two birds with one stone! You can see the guys
and
you can meet my mom.”

Josh watched her face run the gamut of emotions, and thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

CHAPTER 29

The show was a great success. Though Josh had never heard of the Five Riders of the Apocalypse, he cheered and jeered along with the rest of them like he’d been their biggest fans since they started touring.

And what was more, Chloe found that her mom liked him, too. Actually liked him as a person, not the nebulous celebrity she’d created in her mind. Though initially intimidated by his so-called fame, she quickly forgot who he was after they’d drank a couple of beers after the show.

The guys dropped by to show their appreciation for Josh’s support, but then returned home for their beauty sleep. Only a regular diet of rest, proper nutrition and workouts kept them in the kind of shape they were in. They were athletes working their way through the season, with not much time for leisure.

“How did you get to live with those guys?” asked Josh, after they’d said their goodbyes to the five musclemen. “I mean, there must be a great story there, right?”

“There is,” assured Mom, sipping her beer. “But I’ll let Chloe tell it herself.”

“It was after I quit singing. I made my big announcement, changed the color of my hair—”

“Wait. You weren’t always a blonde?”

“Nope. The Phenom was a perky brunette.”

“Well, you’re still perky.” He then became aware of her mother’s presence and had the decency to give her a bashful grin. “Sorry. That was the beer talking.”

“That’s all right, Josh. If you can’t compliment my daughter in front of me, what kind of a mother would I be?”

“I’m sure you’re a fine mother, Mrs. Thomson.”

“Grace. Please. Only my worst enemies call me Mrs. Thomson.”

“Of which I’m sure you have none.”

With a girlish giggle, she turned to Chloe. “Is he always this charming?”

“Always,” confirmed Chloe dryly. “Now if I could tell you my story?”

“Sorry. I won’t interrupt again,” stated Josh, holding up his hands in apology.

“If it’s to dole out compliments, interrupt all you want, young man.”

“Mom!”

“Sorry. Carry on, dear. Josh and I are all ears, aren’t we, Josh?”

“We sure are, Grace.”

“Anyway,” repeated Chloe, rolling her eyes. “Like I said, when I walked away from the stage, I needed a place to lay low for a while, figuring out what I wanted to do next. I’d known Kiki all my life. We were Cub Scouts together.”

“Cub Scouts? You were a Cub Scout? How cute!”

“Thanks. I guess.”

“Do you have pictures?”

“I do not!”

“I have pictures.” Mom took out her phone and started flipping through the set, trying to locate what Chloe simply knew would be a most unflattering picture of her in pigtails.

“Mom!”

“Sorry, hon. Don’t mind me.”

“Well, I knew that Kiki was bunking with some friends down here on Long Island, so I called him up and asked if he had a room to spare. He talked to the landlady and that’s how I ended up living here.”

“Did you know he’d joined a troupe of male strippers?”

She grinned at the recollection of her first meeting with the boys. “I didn’t. They’ve been nothing but nice to me, though. They’re like the big brothers I never had.”

Mom purred, “Aww. That’s so sweet.”

“You’re an only child?”

“I am. After Mom and Dad created me, they knew they’d achieved perfection, so they left it at that.”

“Ha! Those are my words, honey. Imagine you quoting my own words back to me.”

“Imagine that. Now could you please put those pictures away? You’re embarrassing me!”

“This was before the braces,” pointed Mom. “She had quite an overbite.”

Josh, judging from the silly grin on his face, was having a ball. “You were such a pretty little girl! If I’d only known you then, we could have been married by now.”

A tremor went through Chloe at these words. Though she knew it was partly the alcohol talking, she still exchanged a quick glance with her mother.

“Be careful with the M word, Josh,” she heard her mother say. “It freaks her out.”

“The M word?” replied Josh, confused. “Oh, you mean marriage?” He turned to her, a puzzled look on his handsome face. “The thought of getting hitched up freaks you out?”

“Big time,” she admitted, lowering her head and refusing to meet his gaze.

“I think it’s because she saw my marriage fail. Her dad and I divorced when Chloe was in her teens. And then Mark fell ill and passed away three years ago. I never remarried, and Chloe swore she’d never marry either, didn’t you, honey?”

Chloe merely gave a curt nod and nursed her drink. Not really a topic she cared to discuss at this point. Though Mom appeared real eager, and so did Josh.

“She doesn’t believe in marriage. Says it’s just a lot of hooey. If two people love each other, why should they get married? They don’t need society’s consent.” She gave Josh a wink. “Those are her words, mind you. Not mine.”

“You still believe in marriage, Grace?”

“Oh, you damn skippy I do! I think marriage is the most wonderful institution on earth. If not for marriage, we’d all be ships lost at sea, doomed to sail the waters of life without ever dropping our anchor and making a home.”

“Mom,” groaned Chloe. “I’m sure Josh doesn’t want to hear your theories about the virtues of marriage.”

“I’m sure he does. Now don’t you listen to her, young man. When you see something you like, you grab it, you hear me? And no matter how strongly she protests, you hang on tight!”

She clenched her fist in demonstration, and Josh’s mouth quirked up in amusement.

“It’s the only way you’ll ever nail her down, you know?”

“Is that so?”

“Just so.”

Josh’s eyes flickered. “Thanks for the words of wisdom, Grace. I’ll be sure to take it under advisement.”

In spite of herself, Chloe felt her cheeks flush.

God, that’s just what she needed. Her mother putting all kinds of ideas into Josh’s head.

She gulped down the last of her drink and blinked against the bitter taste. When she looked up, Josh was still studying her.

Oh, dear. He wanted her. She could tell. He wanted her bad.

And if she was absolutely honest with herself, she wanted him too.

CHAPTER 30

Josh couldn’t keep his eyes off Chloe. She was so different from her mom, and yet so similar. The differences were of a physical nature—Grace Thomson was skinnier than her daughter, her face prematurely aged. And yet they shared a similar sense of humor and obvious zest for life.

He loved being in their company, probably more than Chloe had enjoyed being in his mother’s company. He’d heard an eyewitness account of the events from one of the waiters who’d described the scene as reminiscent of the great westerns of old: High Noon and Bad Day At Black Rock. Oh, boy. He could just imagine what would happen if Grace met Deirdre. Would there be a case of spontaneous combustion the moment they drifted into each other’s ken?

He had a good idea there might.

“Chloe tells me you’ll be leaving us soon?”

“That’s right. I’ve sold the house and will be moving back to Pleasant Springs next week.”

He darted a quick glance over to Chloe, who at that moment conveniently looked away.

“Such a pity. I would have loved to pick your brains on anything and everything Frankie Knox and Jacqueline Spark.”

“Pick away. I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“How is it that those two never seem to get hitched up?”

Josh laughed. “You’re the second person to ask me that today. Mike asked me the same question this afternoon.”

“Great minds think alike, I guess.”

“They do. And I’ll give you the same answer I gave the guys. At Chloe’s instigation, I’ve decided to have Frankie and Jacqueline exchange their first kiss at the end of the next book.”

Grace clasped her hands together, and her face lit up with obvious glee. “That’s wonderful! I’ve been waiting for this moment for the longest time!”

“All credit will go to your daughter. She’s the one who made me see the light.”

“He was suffering from a major case of writer’s block. So I told him to dig a little deeper, and make the next book all about the characters. Make it personal for Jackie and Frankie?” She shrugged. “Just my two cents.”

Grace eagerly agreed. “You know, she’s right? I’ve read every single Knox cover to cover several times over, and the only thing that irked me was that there was so little romance in the stories.”

“There’ll be plenty of romance now.” He grimaced. “Though I still have to hear back from my editor. I hope he doesn’t slam this new direction I’m taking. Editors notoriously hate surprises. Especially when a series has been as long-standing and successful as this one.”

“I think it’ll breathe new life into it. You’ll tap into a completely new audience with this one.”

Josh clinked his glass to Chloe’s. “I hope so.”

“What about you, honey? Didn’t you tell me Josh’s help gave you a fresh start as well?”

“He sure did. I was completely stuck, but with a little help from the great Joshua Poole, I’m breaking new ground.”

Josh leaned in. “Have you finished your first draft?”

“Not yet. Still merrily pecking away. It’s much harder to write here. My production has pretty much ground to a halt.”

“It’s that house, honey,” opined Grace. “You really need to find a more peaceful place to live. One with a little solitude. It will do wonders for your writing. Trust me.”

“In Pleasant Springs things are pretty quiet. There’s a small cabin by the lake I used to work at. No one to disturb you. I mean, it’s not Eden Island—nothing is—but it’ll do in a pinch.”

He could see a flush suffuse Chloe’s face, rising up her cheeks. He didn’t know whether it was from embarrassment or anger—he didn’t know her well enough to make that distinction yet.

“Pleasant Springs, huh? You know, I’ve always wanted to retire to a nice little town on the edge of nowhere. A place where everybody knows your name?”

“Mom. Everybody here knows your name.”

“I know. I know. But still. The virtues of a small town have always drawn me in. Don’t you agree, honey?”

“No, I don’t.” Chloe’s temper suddenly flared up. “For one thing, the place could be filled with annoying busybody nosy parkers who can’t stop interfering in other people’s lives. At least in the city you can live your life undisturbed by well-wishers and other infernal creeps.”

Josh, taken aback by this sudden outburst, felt defensive. “I can assure you that there’re no such people in Pleasant Springs.” Then he thought of one of his former neighbors and reconsidered. “Well, perhaps one or two.”

“There’s plenty of nosy parkers where I live, honey—I live just around the corner from Chloe’s, Josh. To take an instance, Candace just can’t stop commenting on my balcony flower arrangement. If she told me once that I shouldn’t mix gardenia with wisteria, she’s told me a million times. That woman is death in installments.”

Josh shot her a look of concern. “I don’t think it’s the small town people you object to, is it? It’s the idea of moving in with me.”

Chloe rolled her eyes, as Grace let out a tiny squeal. Oops. She hadn’t told her mother yet. His bad.

“Move in with you? Did you really—did you—have you—”

“Mom, it’s not happening, so chill, all right?”

“But, honey!”

“But honey nothing. It’s just not happening, Josh. I mean, look at us. I barely know you. You barely know me. It’s simply insane.”

“It’s not insane to me.”

“Look, if you wouldn’t be moving, we could have gotten to know each other, like normal people do? And then, perhaps, down the road, if things worked out, we could have discussed the possibility of living together at some point. But now? We’ve only known each other a week. Barely. And if you think I’m going to live with you in Pleasant Springs, a place I’ve never been, filled with people I’ve never met?” she shook her head adamantly. “Forget about it.”