That Night with You (11 page)

Hayden reached for the tube beneath
her arm. “Is this your design?”

“
Yes, I finished it this
morning.”

As he unscrewed the red plastic top
from the tube, he said, “Working after hours. I like
that.”

Mike shook her head. “Must you talk
shop so soon? The poor girl doesn’t even have a drink,
Harry.”

Hayden glanced over to Madison’s
hands. “We can remedy that.” He waved to a passing waiter. “Bring
us three cranberry martinis.”

Madison was about to protest, but then
thought better of it. She would just have to pretend to
drink.

Hayden went to a black iron table next
to them and began to spread out the long sheet of paper with her
computer drawing. His eyes studied the paper for several moments,
making Madison itch with nervousness.

Stay calm. Just stay calm,
Mads
.

“
This is very good,
Madison,” he finally admitted in a hushed tone. “Very
good.”

When he looked up at her, the fire in
his eyes was so intense Madison thought she would be utterly
consumed.

He tore his eyes away from her and
glanced about the small crowd braving the chilly night air on the
patio. “Let’s go and find Stevie and Pat. Show them what you’ve
got.”

“
Stevie and Pat?” Madison
inquired.

“
The Martins. They are the
clients and hosts of this party.”

“
It’s their fifth wedding
anniversary,” Mike explained. “The third marriage for each,” she
reported with a wistful roll of her eyes, “but at least they
haven’t killed each other yet.”

“
Mike, play nice,” Hayden
scolded. “They’re my clients.”

“
They’re your neighbors,
Harry.” She leaned in closer and lowered her voice, adding, “And I
know why you’re so hot to build this house for them. You just want
to buy their house across the street and tear it down.”

“
That’s because it’s an
eyesore, Mike. I want their property, not their house.”

“
Why do you want their
property?” Madison questioned.

“
Because they own five
acres on Exall Lake that I want to build my dream home on.” He
sighed. “My current house is…a problem.”

Mike let go a deep, hoarse chuckle
that surprised Madison. “He means his current house is being sought
after by the bloodsucker he was married to. The pretentious bitch
wants everything he owns and then some. I swear, Harry, I don’t
know why you married that social climbing gossip whore. I told you
it would never last.”

His face reddened and his lips
blanched as he mashed them together. “Enough, Mike,” Hayden
snapped. “You don’t have to remind me of your reservations about
Ellen. I get plenty from Mom and Dad, I don’t need it from you,
too.”

“
Fine, fine.” Mike pouted.
“I still don’t know why you want to give her your house. Two years
of marriage hardly seems worth it.”

“
I’m not giving it to her.
She is fighting me for it, and…. This is not the place to discuss
it.” He glanced over at Madison apologetically. “Why don’t you stay
here and I will go and get Stevie and Pat?”

“
Sure thing, Mr.
Parr.”

When he exited the patio, Madison
noted the way his hands were curled into fists. He walked away, and
she admired the cut of his tuxedo from behind and the way his
butt—

“
You’ll have to forgive my
brother, Madison.” Mike’s voice pulled her back from her lurid
observations. “Talking about his ex always puts him in a foul mood.
But I think you can help with that.”

“
Me?” Madison knitted her
brows. “What can I do?”

Mike’s elegant hand waved down
Madison’s dress. “My brother always had a thing for tiny, slender
brunettes with green eyes ever since he graduated from UT
Arlington. Before that he was a real player. Harry never met a
woman he didn’t like in his college days. I think he dated half the
women on the Arlington campus.” She winked. “You remind me of Ellen
in a way. She has your face, but not your smile.” She paused, and
slowly a knowing grin eked across her red-painted lips. “I think
you might be just what he needs.”

“
Another reminder of his
ex-wife?” Madison curtailed her desire to snicker. “I don’t think
so, Mrs. Chaplin.”

“
You misunderstand me,
Madison.” Mike stroked the front of her gown, fondling the satin.
“My brother needs someone to listen to him. He has no one these
days, and I worry that he spends too much time alone.”

“
I’m just his employee,
Mrs. Chaplin. I don’t plan on being anything else.”

Mike’s deep chortle reminded Madison
of Hayden’s soulful laugh. “I wasn’t suggesting that. I was merely
saying he could use someone in his life that isn’t going to judge
him based on his success or bank account. He’s had enough women
doing that.”

Madison had no idea what the strange
woman was alluding to, but she decided to venture a guess. “Are you
saying you want me to be his friend?”

“
Why not? Don’t you need a
friend, Madison?”

Madison nervously gripped her gold
purse and shifted it under her arm. “I guess we could
all—”

“
Here are your martinis,
ladies,” a short waiter broke in.

Madison took one of the red drinks
from his tray, while Mike picked up the two others being
served.

“
Thank God.” Mike took a
large gulp from the glass in her right hand, downing the contents
in one swallow.

Madison watched in amazement as the
woman finished the drink. Just as the waiter was about to turn
away, she stopped him.

“
Here.” She placed the
empty glass on his silver tray. “Bring me two more like that one,”
she held up the drink in her left hand, “while I finish this
one.”

The young man just grinned. “Yes
ma’am.”

Mike surveyed the guests in the main
dining room beyond. “You’ve got to have at least three stiff drinks
in you to be able to put up with this pretentious
group.”

Madison held her drink, but refrained
from taking a sip. “You don’t like these people?”

“
Honey, snake charmers have
more merit than half the people in that room.” Mike nodded to the
leaded glass doors to the dining room. “The only reason I’m here is
because Harry asked me to come.”

A very handsome man wearing a black
Armani tuxedo eased up behind Mike and wrapped his arm about her
slender waist. “Still drinking like a fish I see, Mike.”

He was tall, over six foot, and his
toned body oozed sophistication and sex appeal. Black, wavy hair
tinged at the sides with gray outlined his determined, square jaw
and high forehead. As his deep-set, dark eyes lingered over
Madison’s dress, his thin lips curled into a seductive
smile.

“
Tyler, it’s good to see a
friendly face amid this den of thieves,” Mike commented, giving his
chiseled cheekbone a peck. “I didn’t know you were
coming.”

Tyler grinned at her and then tipped
his head to the side. “Moe and I decided to come at the last
minute.”

Mike waved to Madison. “Tyler Moore,
meet Madison Barnett, Hayden’s newest architect at the
firm.”

Tyler held a tapered hand out to
Madison. “Ms. Barnett. It’s a pleasure.”

Madison felt the man’s eyes linger
over her face and figure, causing her pulse to quicken.

“
Tyler is a client and owns
Propel Oil and Gas.” Mike patted his tuxedo sleeve. “His house has
even won Hayden an award for architectural design.”

“
I remember. The stone
contemporary home in Turtle Creek,” Madison stated. “Yes, Mr. Parr
showed it to me and another architect last week. Lovely place, Mr.
Moore.”
“Thank you, Ms. Barnett.” Tyler turned to Mike. “Have you seen my
wife?”

“
Probably signing
autographs.” Mike shifted her gaze to Madison. “Tyler’s wife is
Monique Delome, the writer.”

The name rang a bell with Madison.
“Really? I love her books.”

“
I’ll be sure to let her
know. Thank you.” Tyler glanced around the patio. “If you see her,
Mike, tell her I’m looking for her.” He checked the gold Rolex on
his wrist. “We need to get home before my mother has Eva clothed in
Chanel and picking out her first Mercedes.”

“
How is Barbara doing these
days?”

He offered a sad smile. “Still coming
to terms with Gary’s death, but she’s been spending more time with
Eva, which is a good thing.”

“
I was sorry to hear about
your stepfather, Tyler.”

“
Thank you, Mike. Give your
parents my best.” He kissed the elegant woman’s cheek, and nodded
to Madison. “Ms. Barnett. I hope we meet again.”

“
Thank you, Mr.
Moore.”

Madison went to Mike’s side as Tyler
Moore gracefully strolled away.

“
Damn, that man has still
got it,” Mike muttered, lifting her drink to her lips.

“
I can’t believe he’s
married to one of my favorite authors,” Madison
remarked.

“
Apparently, they met in
college and dated for a while, but nothing ever came of it. At
least, not until they met up again a little over two years ago…then
the romance turned serious.” Mike gulped back another mouthful of
the red martini. “Seems the second time around everything worked
out for them.” Mike turned her dark eyes to Madison. “What about
you? Do you have a man in your life?”

Madison shook her head. “No, ah,
I—”

“
There she is…Madison,”
Hayden called from the patio entrance.

When she whipped her head around, she
saw Hayden walking in beside a middle-aged couple. The man was
almost as tall as Hayden, but with thinning black hair speckled
with gray. Wearing a black tuxedo with a red cummerbund about his
thick waist, his arm was linked with an attractive blonde. She
glided along in a silk gown of azure with a cream beaded bodice and
flowing skirt. With a beautiful creamy complexion and scintillating
blue eyes, the woman was draped in glistening gold jewelry about
her neck, wrists, and ears. Her smile was warm and inviting as she
eyed Madison across the patio.

“
Madison Barnett, this is
Pat and Stevie Martin, old family friends, and your new clients,”
Hayden announced with a flourish of his hand.

Madison put her drink down on the
table next to her design before stepping forward. Taking Pat
Martin’s hand, she uttered, “It is a pleasure to meet you
both.”

“
Has Mike been keeping you
entertained?” Pat Martin nodded to Hayden’s sister.

Mike raised her empty martini glass,
giving the man a dubious smirk. The contempt in her brown eyes was
palpable. “I’ve been giving her the lowdown on your sordid past,
Pat.”

“
Hayden has just been
telling us about your design,” Stevie Martin began, ignoring Mike,
“and I must say we are both very excited to see what you have drawn
for us.”

“
He told us you went to UT
Arlington.” Pat Martin gestured to Hayden. “Same as Hayden. Did you
two know each other from school?”

Madison’s eyes shot to her
boss.

“
No, I never knew Madison
before she applied to our firm,” Hayden divulged.

Madison was shattered. She had still
hoped that perhaps he did remember her, but as time went on, it was
becoming evident that he didn’t have the slightest clue as to who
she was.

“
So is that it?” Pat Martin
waved his hand over the long paper Hayden had left on the patio
table.

“
They’re wonderful, Pat,
you’ll love them,” Mike blurted out, and then pointed to Madison’s
untouched martini on the table. “Are you going to drink
that?”

Madison gaped at Hayden’s sister, not
sure of what to say.

“
How many has she had?”
Hayden softly demanded in her ear.

“
Two,” Madison
mumbled.

“
Don’t worry, big brother,”
Mike snickered. “We’re among friends.”

Hayden picked up the drink from the
table and handed it to Madison. “Keep this away from
her.”

“
These are quite
impressive, young lady,” Pat Martin commented, lifting the large
sheet of paper from the table with his chubby hands. “I see you’re
trying to build the house into the ridge.” He turned to his wife,
holding out the plans. “I told you that’s what I
wanted.”

“
I didn’t think it could be
done,” Stevie Martin confided in a soft voice.

“
It can be,” Hayden assured
the couple. “It’s just going to cost you and require a bit more
planning as far as the engineering specs go.”

“
I like that the creek is
so close to the back.” Stevie Martin gestured to the rear of the
home on the drawing. “And these are windows?”

Madison motioned to the plans. “All
along the rear of the atrium, tying in the entrance and the back of
the house, is one sweeping room. I have all the rooms running off
that main room in both directions, with the second story coming off
the atrium via a set of climbing stairs. That portion of the house
will be built into the ridge, but overlooks both the front portion
of the property and the rear, while the first floor rooms will only
have views of the creek. It will give you more of a secluded feel
from the street.” She glanced over at Hayden, and he gave her an
encouraging smile.