The Price of Fame - KJ1 (7 page)

Jay wasn’t sure she could stay standing, Kate’s words slamming her in the gut like a two-by-four as she felt the air rush out of her lungs.

There was a sharp pain in her chest, and it was hard to breathe; how could she have missed something as major as a husband? Good Lord!

Kate didn’t have any rings on her fingers, but then that didn’t necessarily mean anything; how could she have been so stupid? Of course someone as special as Kate would be taken.

Just as Jay was trying to figure out how she could extricate herself gently from the situation without making too much of an idiot out of herself, a beautiful golden retriever came bounding around the corner from another part of the house. The dog had a stuffed parrot in his mouth and what the writer thought passed for a big smile on his face.

“There you are,” Kate said, still oblivious to her companion’s distress. “Now be a gentleman and introduce yourself.” The dog sat obediently, sticking out his right paw for Jay to shake, his tail wagging furiously and his whole body shaking in excitement. “Jay, this is Fred.

Fred, meet Jay.”

The feeling of profound relief that flooded through her left the blonde feeling light-headed. She kick started her brain again, reaching out to take Fred’s extended paw.

“Oh, and Fred,” Kate said in a stage whisper, “no kissing on the first date.” She winked at Jay, who stood there with a lopsided grin on her face. Now that she was pretty sure her heart was going to recover, she was absolutely smitten with Fred.

“How old is he?” Jay asked as she scratched him on the chest.

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“Two years,” his mother replied. “His parents are both breed champions.”

“He’s charming and handsome.”

“Yeah,” Kate agreed with obvious pride and affection. “But don’t tell him that, it’ll go right to his head.”

The anchorwoman indicated that Jay should follow her further into the house, showing her to the living room and inviting her to sit on the couch. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“No thanks, I’m fine.”

“I’d light the fireplace, but I don’t think we have enough time to enjoy it.”

“That’s okay, Kate, you don’t need to worry about me. You must be exhausted.”

After a short silence, Jay decided to take advantage of the moment.

“By the way, I’ve always wanted to thank you for all that you did for me in college,” she started conversationally. Kate made a dismissive motion as if to say, “it was nothing.”

“No, really,” Jay persisted. “You were always taking your clothes off for me,” she said earnestly, referring to the sweatshirt and Kate using her ski jacket to warm her on the ski slope.

As soon as the words were out of her mouth and Jay got a good look at her companion, whose eyebrows had hiked all the way up into her hairline, she realized what she had said. She scrubbed furiously at her face, which had turned beet red.

“Uh-oh. Damn, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I mean, I did mean it but,” she stammered. “Oh, never mind,” she finished miserably.

Kate was utterly charmed both by the adorable blush and the attempted explanation; she tipped her head back and gave a full, throaty laugh.

Jay thought it was the most wonderful sound she’d ever heard. “Let’s just rewind the conversation, okay?”

Kate decided she should let her friend off the hook. “You’re welcome, Jay, I was glad to be in the right place at the right time.”

In an effort to lighten the conversation, knowing that they were both too tired just then for anything really heavy, Kate said, “Listen, I need to take a shower in the worst way.”

“Me, too,” Jay agreed.

“Well, come with me, I’ll give you the nickel tour so you can find your way around and show you to the guest suite.”

Fred led the way out of the living room and into a fully stocked library, complete with built-in floor to ceiling bookshelves. Jay made a mental note to come back and check the titles in Kate’s collection; some of them clearly looked like first editions. On the wall opposite the 45

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bookshelves was what appeared to be a well-used fireplace. Noticing her gaze, Kate said, “This is my favorite room in the house; Fred and I spend a lot of time in here reading by the fire.”

Jay made note of the fluffy dog bed sitting next to a comfortable-looking recliner, which was sitting at an angle to the fireplace.
Boy,
she thought,
I could get lost in here for days.

They exited the library, next entering an office with a rich beige leather couch on one wall and a large dark oak desk on another, a matching oak filing cabinet and credenza sitting against the opposite wall. It was clear from the state of the room that Kate did quite a bit of work there. There were neat stacks of magazines and newspapers in racks next to the desk, which was free of clutter but still managed to look well used.

They moved on to the family room, which sported state-of-the-art video and audio equipment, yet another fireplace, and a light-colored plaid armchair and matching sofa; French doors opening out onto a huge, two-tiered wooden deck completed the space.

Behind the family room was the kitchen, which appeared to have every modern convenience but lacked any indication that it had ever been used. A mudroom that doubled as Fred’s dining area adjoined the kitchen, and a bathroom was situated adjacent to the mudroom.

Finally, the last room on the first level was the dining room, which featured a beautifully intricate Oriental rug on the hardwood floor, and very expensive-looking matching mahogany chairs and a table big enough to seat ten people comfortably. A mahogany sideboard and china cabinet rounded out the furnishings.

“C’mon, let’s go upstairs.”

Kate showed Jay the three bedrooms upstairs, including the guest suite, which included its own large bathroom with a sunken tub. Finally, she stopped at the threshold to her own bedroom suite. With a gesture of her bandaged hand, she motioned Jay to precede her, following her inside.

The room was large and airy, like the rest of the house, but with an intimacy about it that took Jay’s breath away. The colors were warm and inviting, the furnishings tasteful and understated; the ceiling featured a huge fan, recessed lighting, and a skylight through which she could see the moon and stars shining above.

“It’s fantastic,” she breathed. “The whole house is.”

“Thanks,” Kate said simply. “I designed it myself.”

“You designed the house?” Jay exclaimed in wonder.

“Um, yeah.”

“Wow.” Jay looked at her friend with a mixture of awe and respect.

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Kate kicked her shoes off and sighed, beginning to shrug out of her suit jacket, although with her hands stitched and bandaged, it was a challenge.

Jay, seeing the flicker of pain cross her companion’s features, stepped forward. “I can help you with that.”

“No, it’s okay, I’ve got it,” Kate said gamely even as she winced again.

“For all the times you helped me, it’s the least I can do, please.” She looked up into those cerulean blue eyes with pleading emeralds.

Kate lost herself in those orbs for a moment, silently nodding her surrender.

Jay moved forward further, brushing Kate’s hands aside gently, undoing the two buttons on the ruined suit jacket and easing it from broad shoulders, then reaching for the buttons on the silk blouse. She swallowed hard and her fingers shook slightly as she carefully opened each button, revealing more and more beautiful skin, seeing clearly the line where the ash and dirt ended and the flesh that had been protected by the blouse and jacket began.

Exposing more skin, Jay made the mistake of looking up into those incredible deep blue eyes. The expression she saw there precipitated a flush of heat beginning in her stomach and radiating downward. Trying hard to maintain her composure, she lowered her hands and unhooked the button on Kate’s slacks and pulled the zipper down. Finally, reaching behind her back, she released the catch on her bra, stepping back as if a snake had bitten her, not trusting herself to refrain from reaching out and touching that amazing body so close by. She turned away quickly and began studying the artwork on the walls.

Kate, who had seemingly forgotten to breathe for several minutes, recovered enough to excuse herself and go grab a silk robe off the back of the adjoining bathroom door.
Good Lord, Katherine Ann,
she thought.

You are in so much trouble!
Her entire body was singing with desire, which was no easy feat considering just how tired she was and how much pain she was in.

Once she was relatively sure that her body wouldn’t give her away, she returned to the bedroom wearing only the robe and her underwear.

“Um, why don’t you go take a shower first, Jay, you can use the guest suite down the hall; I’ll just rest for a minute until you’re done.”

Glad for a bit of normal conversation, and beyond relieved that she had had a moment alone to compose herself, Jay readily agreed.

When she returned to Kate’s room to let her know she was ready, Jay found her fast asleep curled up in the middle of the bed. The writer took a 47

Lynn Ames

moment to study the sleeping form, acknowledging that she was by far the most beautiful woman Jay had ever seen, even with her eyes closed.

Knowing that her friend was exhausted, she was loath to wake her, though she knew she must; in only another hour the limousine would arrive. But Kate looked so peaceful.

Jay decided to delay the inevitable, going instead to the kitchen to throw together something for them to eat. She was certain that her companion hadn’t eaten in at least twelve hours, and she was hungry, too.
Not that that was any great news flash,
she chuckled to herself.

When she opened the refrigerator, it quickly became clear that her initial assessment of the state of Kate’s kitchen had been accurate. Aside from a carton of skim milk, a stick of butter, a dozen eggs, a slab of bacon, some cocktail sauce, half a dozen cans of soda, fresh oranges, some salad dressing, and a jar of pasta sauce, the refrigerator was a wasteland.

“Well, Fred, she’s got eggs, bacon, and...” She spied a bag of English muffins on the counter. “It’ll have to do, my friend.”

Fred waited patiently for something to drop, and, wanting to be sure he had the best angle, he did so by sitting on his new friend’s feet.

Laughing at his antics, she commented, “Fred, you are one beautiful specimen, but your mama, buddy, now
she
is sensational.” Jay noted that he didn’t seem to be too crushed at the prospect of coming in second best.

Putting the food in the seldom-used oven to keep it warm, she went back upstairs to wake the injured woman. Arriving at the bedroom door, she knew immediately that something wasn’t right; Kate was thrashing around wildly on the bed, clearly in the throes of a nightmare. Running the rest of the distance to the bed, Jay called, “Kate, wake up, it’s just a dream.” Getting no response, she leaned one knee on the bed and tried talking to her again. The sleeping woman’s discomfort was increasing by the second. Her eyes moving rapidly under her lids, she screamed out in terror. Reaching out, Jay gently grasped Kate under the shoulders, being careful not to jar her injuries. She slipped in behind her, holding her and restraining her at the same time, fearful that her thrashing would worsen her wounds. She whispered nonsense words of comfort, rocking her in a soothing motion.

Awakening with a start, Kate was momentarily disoriented. Slowly she registered the fact that she was lying on her own bed, then she realized what had happened and that Jay was holding her. Embarrassed, she sat bolt upright, apologizing and moving away; both women felt the loss of contact acutely. Kate covered her disquiet by pointing out that she needed to get in the shower; the limo would be arriving soon.

Jay let her go, padding downstairs to the library, where she tried to focus on the books on the shelves. In reality, all she could think about 48

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was the way it had felt to hold Kate in her arms, to feel that power and strength. She sensed that the older woman was neither used to, nor comfortable with, anyone seeing her vulnerabilities. She wished with all her heart for Kate to trust her enough to let her in anyway.

Kate stepped out of the shower, having spent some extra minutes trying to wash away the residue of the nightmare in which she saw the little boy’s face again, his dead eyes staring upward in plea, his body crushed under a portion of the first-floor ceiling. She wondered if she would ever get past some of the horror of what she had seen in the previous twenty-four hours. But she didn’t need to burden her young companion with that.

After throwing on some worn jeans and a t-shirt, she packed a garment bag with the outfit she would wear on the networks later that morning. She exited the bedroom, feeling badly about the abrupt way she had dismissed Jay earlier. Noticing an enticing smell coming from the kitchen, she followed her nose.

When she didn’t find her companion in the kitchen, she poked her head into the library. Jay was standing in front of one of the bookshelves, looking gorgeous in an off-white Armani pantsuit; Fred was lying at her feet. Kate took a moment to admire the writer while she was unaware of the scrutiny; she seemed lost in thought and a little sad, which made Kate feel even worse about her actions.

“Hey,” she said as cheerfully as she could, “I smell something mouth-watering.”

“Yeah.” Turning, Jay smiled at her friend. “I thought you might be hungry, and I always am, so I whipped a little something up. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? Are you kidding, I’m starving.”

Making their way into the kitchen, the two women sat at the table in companionable silence eating the meal Jay had prepared.

“Thanks for cooking. You didn’t have to do that, but it was fantastic.”

“Judging from your refrigerator, I’d say it’s safe to assume that if I didn’t do the cooking, it wasn’t going to get done.”

“Ayeah, that would be too true,” Kate said sheepishly.

At that moment, the limo pulled up outside; it was exactly 3:30 a.m.