Can't Stand the Heat (26 page)

“I
'm leaving after Cynthia finishes her speech,” Lauren whispered before gulping down the last of her champagne. She had been at the party for more than an hour and had managed to avoid Cris for most of the night. She spent the majority of her time standing alone, trying to fend off the advances of the men in the room who hadn't been in Chesterton long enough to know about her reputation. The rest of the time she hung around her sisters.

Dawn turned her focus from the lectern at the center of the front hall, where people were starting to gather, to Lauren who now stood beside her.

Dawn was wearing a floor-length taffeta ensemble in canary yellow. An elegant diamond choker adorned her long neck.

“What do you mean you're leaving? You're not going to stay for the actual dinner?”

“No. My head would explode if I had to sit at a dinner table with half of these people. I'll stay for Cindy's speech, but after that, I'm going home.”

“Laurie,” Dawn said tensely, “Cindy asked us to come here because she needs our support. She already feels like she's walking in hostile territory. She wanted some friendly faces in the crowd tonight.”

“Look, I took off of work to be here. You know how crazy things are at the restaurant since Phillip had his heart attack. What more does she want from me? I said I would stay for—”

“Cindy says it's like the whole town has turned against her—against
all
of us—because of the little stunt you and Stephanie pulled at the dress shop a few weeks ago. And quite frankly . . . I feel it, too. I don't get invites to any of the parties anymore. My calls are hardly if ever returned. It's like I'm persona non grata around here.”

Lauren pointed at her chest. “And you're blaming me for that?”

“Well, who else should I blame?”

Lauren's mouth tightened with outrage.

“Look, the
least
you could do is stay for the entire event or until Cindy says that it's OK for us to leave.” She sucked her teeth. “Stop acting selfish for once. This isn't about you! Try to think of someone else besides yourself.”

“Selfish?
Selfish?”
Lauren repeated with disbelief, glaring up at her sister. She pointed her finger up at Dawn. “Let me tell you something! OK? I didn't pull some ‘little stunt' two weeks ago. I stupidly stood up for
our
family . . . something that I now regret!”

“Keep your voice down,” Dawn hissed as people began to turn and look toward them. Dawn forced a smile and waved at one of the couples who now stared at them openly.

“Hello! Great to see you again!” she called to them.

They waved back and regarded her warily before turning back around to face the orchestra.

“And as so far as the town turning against you, everyone in this town
always
has been against you, Dawn!” Lauren continued, undeterred by her sister's angry glare. “Don't you get it? They may smile in your face, but they don't like you! They don't like
any
of us! They've never wanted us here!”

“Keep your voice down!” Dawn repeated in a sharp whisper, yanking the glass out of her sister's hand. “And lay off the champagne while you're at it. You've obviously had too much to drink.”

“I'm not drunk! I'm just telling the truth. They don't want us here because they think we're whores!”

Now more of the conversations in the room fell silent. Ears pricked and eyes widened. Smiles began to curve on random lips. Dawn now gazed at her little sister, dumbfounded and well aware of their growing audience.

“They think we're whores who are out to steal their boyfriends and their husbands. They think that all we care about are money, clothes, and cars. They think we're cheap!” Lauren closed her eyes. “And I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all of them. I'm tired of this whole goddamn town!”

Lauren could feel tears streaming down her cheeks now. She wiped at them furiously with the back of her hands and sniffed. “I-I have to g-get out of here.”

“Lauren,” Dawn called as Lauren began to shove her way through the crowd of partygoers to the French doors on the other side of the room. They led to a brick terrace. Her sister followed her and grabbed her shoulder. “Damn it, Lauren, don't do this now! I know you're upset. I get it! But Cindy is about to make her speech! Pull it together and come on! I'm not going to chase after you.”

Lauren shoved off Dawn's hand and continued her angry strides. This time, her sister didn't follow.

“Lauren, wait up!” she heard Cris shout from behind her.

She picked up the pace, almost stumbling over the hem of her dress.

People turned to stare at her as she crossed the room, alarmed by her rudeness, but she ignored them all. She walked through the French doors and ran down the flight of steps to the gardens below. When she reached the lower level, she gripped the railing, and closed her eyes. The tears still fell but not as heavily now. She opened her reddened eyes and gazed into the dark garden in front of her. The smell of gardenias filled the warm September night air. She could still hear the orchestra music playing upstairs.

“Pull yourself together, chérie,”
she could hear Phillip urging her.

She was a big weepy mess and all because the people in town didn't like her? No, that wasn't the reason. She was falling apart because of Cris.

Lauren couldn't stand it, knowing that Cris was with someone else. She had stubbornly pushed him away and into the arms of his ex and now she would have to live with her decision. She hadn't cared about what people thought when she was with him. But having Cris in this town and seeing him with his girlfriend at parties and on Main Street and at the farmer's market and everywhere she turned would be unbearable. It felt like thousands of eyes were on her, waiting for her reaction. And what would they see on her face? Longing? Disappointment? Heartbreak?

“I can't do it,” she murmured sadly. “I just can't do it.”

“Can't do what?”

Lauren instantly dropped her palms from her face and turned to find James standing a few feet behind her, halfway underneath the shadowy overhang of the terrace.

“Can't do what, beautiful?” Laughter tinged his voice as he circled her and drew near to the banister.

Lauren sniffed and took a hesitant step back. “How . . . how long have you been standing there?”

“Oh,” he uttered slowly, tilting his head and reaching out to run his finger along her jawline. She flinched at his touch. “Long enough.” He chuckled before extending a white handkerchief to her. “Are those tears over Mr. Wonderful upstairs? Did he finally toss you aside?” He smirked.

Lauren ignored the handkerchief James offered her. “Cynthia's probably starting her speech soon. I should get back—”

“You know, you owe me a thank-you,” James began casually. “One of the women you had that little fight with a few weeks ago wanted to file charges against you and your sister. The sheriff let me know about it and I had a little talk with her husband. He's not a bad guy. He's an old golfing buddy of mine with a bit of a gambling habit. He owes me a great deal of money. I reminded him about that and voilà, she decides she doesn't want to press charges anymore. Isn't that a fortunate coincidence?”

Lauren had wondered why the fight hadn't come back to haunt her. She should have known that James had pulled some strings behind the scenes.

“Thank you,” she said tightly, feeling the words corrode on her tongue.

“See what I can do for you, Lauren? With a snap of my fingers, I can make all your problems go away. All you need to show is . . .” He trailed his fingertip along her collarbone before letting it dip between her breasts. When she shrank back, he smiled. “. . . a little appreciation.”

Lauren tried to walk around James to head back toward the stairwell. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Lauren's eyes instantly leaped to his face. She didn't like what she saw in those green eyes.

“What are you trying to do? Run back to him? I told you he doesn't want you. Not anymore. Did you honestly think a man like that would take a woman like you seriously? He knows your type, Lauren.”

Lauren narrowed her eyes. This is how it always was with James. He could go from syrupy sweet to a poisonous bite in less than a minute. His fangs were definitely out now.

“Just get away from me!” She attempted to walk around him again. This time he grabbed her arm and tugged her against him. Lauren winced.

“When you were with me, you were
exactly
what you should have been. You didn't have to pretend with me, because I
know
what you are. You know what they would have called you in the olden days, Lauren? A concubine. You'd live in your master's house, eat his food, have his children, and in exchange, he'd expect you to shut up and keep him happy. But they don't have fancy words like that anymore. You know what they'd call you now? A hooker on retainer.” He grinned despite the strain of keeping ahold of her as she twisted and turned in his arms. “How do you like that? Our line of work isn't that different. We both work for an hourly rate and we state our fees up front. All we need to do is keep the client happy.”

“Damn it, let go of me!” she shouted, but the orchestra reached a crescendo and Lauren knew that none of the partygoers could hear her. Besides, some of them wouldn't come to her rescue even if they
had
heard her. They would see what's happening now as her just deserts. But where the hell were Dawn and Stephanie? Where were her sisters when she needed them?

“Look,” James said as he shoved her into the shadows beneath the terrace, “I've been very patient with you. I've let this drag for almost a year, but I am tired of playing games! You've had your fun. You've made your point, and now it's time for you to come back home!”

“I am
not
going back! I'm not your damn concubine! I told you, it's ov—”

He silenced her words by wrapping his hands around her neck. Lauren felt herself being lifted and savagely shoved back farther into the shadows and up against the moss-covered brick wall under the terrace. His grip tightened.

With her air supply cut off, she began to flail desperately. Lauren reached around in the darkness for anything possible she could use to defend herself, but grabbed only thin air and flecks of brick that crumbled from the wall as she scratched the damp, aged surface. She kicked, wriggled, and punched her balled fists against his neck and shoulders but to no avail. Just as she could feel herself blacking out, James finally released his hold from around her neck. Lauren took in quick gasps of air, preparing to scream again, but then she felt a hand clamp over her mouth as if he sensed what she planned to do next. With his other hand, he grabbed at the voluminous fabric of her skirt, shoving it upward. Lauren squealed in horror against the palm of his hand. She realized what he was about to do.

She screamed again as the hem of her skirt reached her waist.

“Lauren,” Cris suddenly called. “Lauren! Lauren, are you out here?” He turned and squinted against the darkness into the shadows where James and Lauren were tussling. “Lauren, are you in there?”

When Cris came into view, Lauren took her chance. She bit down hard on the fleshy part of James's palm, making him yell and release his grip. When he did, she shoved as hard as she could, sending him off balance and falling back against the facing wall. She slid to the ground, gathered her skirts, and bolted to the garden railing where Cris was standing. She then fell into Cris's arms, catching him by surprise.

“What the hell?” Cris exclaimed, frowning down at her. He scanned her red eyes and disheveled hair and gown. “What's going on?”

Meanwhile, James was quickly recovering.

“You little bitch,” James muttered as he flexed his bitten hand. “I'm really going to beat the shit out of you for . . .”

His words drifted off when he stepped from under the terrace and realized Cris was holding her.

Lauren's chest heaved up and down as she fought to catch her breath. She pointed at James.

“He . . .” She brought a hand to her chest, trying desperately to steady her breathing. “He . . . tried . . . to . . . rape me.”

James quickly pasted on a smile. “Nonsense!” He adjusted the lapels of his tuxedo and his bow tie. He took a calming breath. “Don't listen to her, Cris! We were just catching up and got a . . . a little carried away, if you know what I mean.” He laughed. “You came down here and caught us by surprise. She's just a little embarrassed, that's all.” He turned to Lauren. “Rape? Why would you say a thing like that, baby? Don't lie to the man.”

“I wouldn't lie about something like that! You tried to rape me!”

James's smile tightened. “Lauren, honey, keep your voice down. Someone might hear you. What are people going to think?”

“I don't care what they think! Let them hear me!”

“Would you listen to her? She's hysterical. It doesn't make any sense. Why would I try to do something like that here at a party with
all
these people? It doesn't make any sense,” he repeated softly. “Come on, baby, you know we were only having some fun. Come back over here and—”

“Look at his hand, Cris!” She pointed at James again. Tears ran down her cheeks. “He's bleeding. I had to bite him to get him off of me! I swear to you I'm not lying!”