Untrusting Hearts: A Contemporary New Orleans Romance (24 page)

“You used me. But that wasn’t enough for you. You twisted the facts to make me look guilty. I’m not just upset, I’m furious.” She took a deep breath and reminded herself she’d soon escape from this madness, that she’d soon be back in the comforts of her home. “But regardless, I’m really not in the mood to discuss any of this.”

Jade stood and moved to the railing, turning her back on the obnoxious young man.

Ty wouldn’t let it go. “I bet Pichot hit the ceiling. Come on, Jade, give me some details. You owe me that, at least.”

Jade said nothing.

“Fine. Be that way. No gratitude whatsoever.”

Spinning to confront the arrogant, smug-faced man, Jade snapped. “You take great pleasure from this entire episode, don’t you? After all the snarking you did over Maylene’s money, I’m surprised you could bring yourself to advise her to part with any of it.”

“It was only a hundred thou, not like it was going to break the bank.” Ty frowned. “Come on, Jade. You benefited nicely here.”

“You know what? I’m sick of being judged by other people’s motives. I didn’t come here for money, Ty. I came to meet family. And if it weren’t for having met Maylene, I would rather have stayed away. Money doesn’t make a family, people do.”

“Hunh! Can you really be that naive? It’s all
about
the money, babe. You’re sounding about as dense as Gage.” The day had grown hot and sweat greased his brow. He wiped it on his sleeve

“What about Gage? Didn’t you tell me he was after Maylene’s money?”

“That’s not what I said, no. I said he had things he would like to do with Maylene’s money. While she’s living. He has his eyes set on hospital wings, educational programs, and such. Hell, he romanticizes over anything that he can stick Jean Pierre’s name on. He yearns to immortalize the man.”

“Actually, that’s not what you told me before. Like all liars, I guess you can’t keep your stories straight. So Gage wants to invest in charitable efforts but spending money to help people goes against your grain? You insinuated there was more than enough money to go around. But you don’t share; do you?”

“Not with people I don’t know, no! Actually, I don’t see why anyone outside the family should touch Jean Pierre’s money.”

“But I understood the money was Maylene’s. Didn’t she bring the wealth into the relationship?”

“Don’t be sacrilegious. Maylene might have had a generous dowry, but Jean Pierre turned it into much more than it would have ever been without him.”

“And you feel entitled to it?”

He gave her a guileless look. “I
am
entitled to it. I’m a Dubois.”

“Conversations like this sicken me.” Jade went inside and closed the door behind her.

Ty had the sense to vacate the premises, for which Jade was grateful.

Later, Maylene and Jade had a quiet dinner. Afterward, they sat together and talked about everything with the exception of money, Gage, or Ty. If Maylene tried to broach one of those subjects, Jade diverted her to a safer topic.

Before they parted for the night, Maylene seemed compelled to get Gage into the conversation one last time. “So, Jade. Gage should be here bright and early to drive you to the airport. I’ve already called and let him know what time to arrive.”

“Maylene!” Jade briefly pressed her fingertips to her forehead. “Please. Let’s not bother Gage. I can call for a ride.”

“But I wish to accompany you; I can’t do that in a taxi.”

“Why not?”

Maylene waved a dismissive hand. “I wouldn’t be comfortable riding back home with someone I don’t know.”

“Then you can drive me.”

“Oh goodness, no. I don’t like to drive on the highways anymore. I get flustered. Maybe we could have Ty take us. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. He’s probably already gotten over all that earlier unpleasantness. That’s one thing about Ty, he’s resilient.”

“Fine.” Jade gave in. Anything that would allow her to escape to her room.

She leaned down to kiss her aunt on the cheek. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.” Maylene patted her arm lovingly.

Once completely packed with only the necessities for the morning lying out, Jade had second thoughts. The notion of occupying the same vehicle as Ty made her stomach clench. She couldn’t take even one more glimpse of his smirking face. Searching Google on her cell phone she found the number of a taxi company. A simple phone call arranged for a pick up at the corner of the block at five-thirty the following morning. She’d slip out before anyone knew she’d gone.

But she couldn’t leave without explaining to Maylene. She hurried down the rear stairs to the den and searched out some stationary. After careful consideration, she had a letter composed that should let the older woman understand how pleased she had been to meet her and how much she looked forward to their future correspondence. She folded the letter and wrote her aunt’s name across the page.

Jade felt a sense of grim satisfaction as she crept back to her room. She’d solved the problem of Maylene’s tearful goodbye, Gage’s very noticeable absence, and the displeasure of dealing with her
cousin
one more time.

After a night of tossing and turning, Jade finally rose and readied herself to travel. Just before time to meet the taxi, she tiptoed into the front hall. Holding the letter tightly, she almost didn’t leave it, but then she placed it gently on a side table. As she slipped out the front door she met the gaze of Ciana who stood nearby with a sad face, her large eyes filled with silent understanding.

Chapter 18

Jade was welcomed by mild spring weather upon her return to Kansas. Flowers had bloomed and lawns had reemerged from their winter sleep. It was the time of year when a storm could bring gentle rains or the threat of tornadoes. The time of year for beginnings. Planting gardens, spring cleaning, new projects.

Pulling up to the curb in a taxi, climbing up the steps, walking through the front door felt so good, like a balm on her troubled mind. She sank into the couch and just sat for a while, absorbing the familiar comfort of her home. At last, she stirred; it was time to move forward with her life.

The task of going through the rest of her grandmother’s things loomed over her and she needed to brace herself to face her loss all over again. But she felt up to the task. Furthermore, she should look for a job, though finding employment wasn’t as pressing as before, thanks to Maylene’s generosity. She felt the need to keep busy and looked forward to reordering her life, redecorating the house, and getting into a regular routine. Anything to block Gage’s memory from her mind.

She picked up the pile of mail Jeff had left on the coffee table and shuffled through it. It was mostly advertisements and condolence cards. She tossed it aside and leaned back, running a hand through her hair.

Hard as she might like to fit back into her old life, too much had changed with the passing of her grandmother and the ill-fated trip to Louisiana. And she might as well face it, Maylene, Gage, and even the annoying Ty had become a part of her experience, her history, and the time she’d spent with them had made a surprising impact on her. Especially, of course, Gage. The fiery passion they’d shared and the heartbreaking conclusion of their brief, doomed romance. She shook the thoughts away. With a sigh, she rose and went to unpack.

The first time she opened her email she found a letter from Maylene. It was full of apology and regret that Jade had left without a formal goodbye. The two fell into a pattern of sending emails back and forth. Jade had to chuckle when Maylene informed her that Ty had entered into rehab, but checked himself out after only two days.

“He has the Dubois stubborn streak,” Maylene wrote. “He can’t abide anyone telling him what to do. A regimented medical setting just won’t work for a free spirit like Ty; he has to handle things on his own. I’m allowing him a bit more latitude with some of our out-of-state interests. I think a show of confidence will do more to encourage a better work ethic than anything else we might try.”

Stubborn streak
, Jade thought, shaking her head.
What a polite term for chronic irresponsibility.

“Ty and I have discussed those last days of your visit and we both regret not being more forthcoming with you,” she continued. “I hope you’ll not harbor any grudges against us. We only had your best interests at heart.”

Maylene, whose loyalty to family perpetuated an unrealistic viewpoint, probably thought of the whole episode as just a little family misunderstanding. She was so used to exerting her gentle influence to get her way; she wouldn’t recognize that she had used Jade as surely as Ty had. Jade was learning to accept her for what she was, an elderly woman who felt compelled to press ideas on other people.

Jade thought back to that wretched last day in New Orleans. Gage’s low opinion of her. Maylene going behind her back. Ty’s cynical boasting. Jade’s hurried early-morning escape. It was a sour end to what had started as such a promising adventure and the whole affair saddened her.

Her aunt eventually extended an invitation. If Jade had not found a job by autumn, Maylene wanted her to come for another visit. A longer one this time. “Parker came across a trunk in the carriage house that we overlooked when you were here. There are some marvelous treasures in it,” she cajoled. “Besides that, we all would enjoy seeing you again.”

Jade politely declined the invitation, claiming her days were too full to let her get away. It wasn’t just an excuse; having no luck finding a job, she’d decided to take a summer course in business management to enhance her resume. That, plus perking up the house with new paint really wouldn’t leave her much time to think about her trip to New Orleans, much less plan another. As it was, she was constantly finding herself absorbed with some daydream or another involving Gage.

She’d decided she’d continue to write to her aunt, but she’d keep her correspondence lighthearted and concise. Eventually the relationship would taper off and Maylene would move on to other interests.

The day Jade met with her academic advisor to set up her class, she ran into an old friend in the university parking lot. On impulse she invited the young woman to join her at The Green Dragon for a drink. As soon as she introduced Diane to Jeff, she could see they made a connection. She ended up leaving alone since Jeff had asked Diane to wait around until his shift was over. Jade wasn’t jealous; her feelings for Jeff were strictly platonic. In fact, she was oddly relieved that he seemed interested in someone else. She wondered briefly if she should warn her friend about his infidelity, but decided against it. She’d leave them to their personal lives and concentrate on her own.

The following Friday, less than two weeks after Jade returned home from New Orleans, she had a job interview. It went okay, but not great, and it didn’t seem likely she’d be chosen among all the other candidates, but it was good practice. On the way home, she stopped by the store to pick up a salad, some snacks, and a bottle of soda. With plans to spend the evening in front of the television watching movies, she could almost feel the soft comfort of her favorite t-shirt and shorts. Pulling into the drive, Jade breathed a sigh of relief. She felt like she’d finally regained her equilibrium.

As she carried her things into the house, her cell phone rang. She figured it was Diane, wanting to chat about her blossoming relationship with Jeff. Fumbling the phone from her bag, she put it to her ear without checking the caller ID. “Hello.”

“Jade.”

For a second, she froze as feelings tumbled inside her. She dumped her burdens on the sofa and gripped the phone tighter. Her voice trembled when she said his name. “Gage?”

“Yes, it’s me. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” she hesitated as she tried to pull herself together. “A little shocked to hear your voice. Are you calling about Maylene? Has something happened?”

“Maylene’s doing great. I’m calling for another reason. There’s something in Kansas that needs my attention so I thought I’d give you a call.”

“You have business...here? Are you opening a restaurant?”

“Not exactly,” he said. “But I could hardly come to Kansas without getting in touch. I wondered if we might get together.”

Get together? After the way they’d parted? If she’d had some warning or expectation he would call, she might have been able to think of an appropriate response. But dropped on her out of the blue, she was rendered almost speechless. She could only stammer a reply. “I…I guess we could. I’m not sure why we’d want to, but...” She took a deep breath, released it slowly, reminding herself to be polite. “When do you plan on coming?”

“Actually, I’m already here.”

Her heart exploded in her chest. “What?”

“I landed in Wichita late this afternoon and rented a car to drive to your city. I just passed the town’s welcome sign. You don’t have plans for the night, do you?”

I had planned on never seeing you again! I had planned to forget you.

“No, not really,” she said. “I’m just so surprised by your visit.”

“I know; I’m sorry about that. It was kind of spontaneous. If you’d rather not...”

Rattled as she was, courtesy prevailed. “No, don’t be silly. I mean, you’ve come all this way. Of course, we’ll get together.” She gave him directions to her home.

“Thanks, Jade. I’ll see you shortly.”

Still stunned, she dashed into the downstairs bathroom and stared in the mirror above the sink. Even her own eyes could detect that she looked shell-shocked.
Gage is in town and he’ll be here any minute.
This thought jolted her into action. Moving with quick efficiency, she brushed her teeth, combed her hair, and freshened her makeup. Racing to her room, she threw off the business suit she’d worn to her interview, replacing it with a light green silk blouse and clingy multicolored knee-length skirt. She traded sensible black flats for a pair of strappy emerald green heels.

Then she returned to the front room, tossed her purse onto the bed, grabbed the sacks from the store, and hurried into the kitchen to put away the groceries. Maybe he would get lost, which would buy a few minutes. She chuckled nervously. Not a chance. Not in a town this size. As if to prove her right, a knock sounded at the door. She opened it with a sense of breathlessness.

All she could do was stare. The impact of his presence hadn’t diminished in the least. He stood with his hands behind his back. The casual white shirt he wore set off his tanned skin and his charcoal slacks fit as if tailored to his form. There was a hint of tension around those mesmerizing eyes. If possible, he was even more attractive than she remembered, and radiated his particular irresistible brand of appeal.

“How have you been?” His deep voice resonated through her.

She covered her reaction with small talk. “I’m well, thanks. I just got home. Please come in; sit down.”

He sat, one hand on his knee, the other holding a smallish box at his side. “Sit with me?” he asked quietly.

Tucking her skirt, she lowered herself onto the sofa beside him, but not too close. “So, you mentioned you have business here? That surprises me.”

“It’s personal business, Jade.” He opened the box and extended it toward her. Inside, nestled in tissue paper, rested the small steampunk bird. “I had to return this little guy to his owner.”

“Gage.” A frown creased her brow. “I don’t understand.”

“This belongs to you, Jade. It was a gift. For some reason, you have a hard time hanging onto it.”

“I think you know I left it behind on purpose. After what happened...” She shook her head. “You could have just shipped it to me.”

“No.” He took her hand and placed the bird into it. His touch sent a small wave of pleasure over her skin. “I wanted to make this delivery in person. If you really don’t want it, you can get rid of it when I’m not looking. But I hope you’ll keep it. I remember how it made you smile that day.”

Refusing the gift now would only draw more attention to the matter, so Jade accepted it without further objections. “Thank you,” she said simply. She rose to place the bird on the mantle, and to gain some distance. Already her senses were going into overdrive at his nearness.

“Jade, would you have dinner with me? Unless you’ve already eaten...”

Even if she’d just consumed a seven-course meal, she wouldn’t have turned down the invitation. It would be best to contend with Gage in a public setting, a place where she wouldn’t give in to the temptation to touch him, to admit how much she’d missed him. “Where would you like to go? What are you hungry for?”

His look was loaded, but he only said, “Let’s choose someplace quiet. So we can talk.”

“Actual conversation? Or more verbal sparring?”

“What do you say we just talk this time?” He brushed the lock of dark hair off his forehead and shot her a hopeful smile. “We’ve managed it before.”

That’s true, she thought, and it had been extremely enjoyable. But just when they’d grown intimate, fate had set them back in to adversarial positions again. Fate, the underhanded machinations of others, and Gage’s damnable suspicious nature. She kept these thoughts to herself.

“I’ll get my purse.”

They ended up in a corner booth at Victoria’s Grill. Their steaks were served on steaming platters with garden vegetables in butter sauce and loaded baked potatoes on the side. Not only was the food mouthwatering, but Jade couldn’t deny the pleasure she felt in Gage’s company again. She was content to enjoy the meal, listen to his deep, smooth voice, and watch the play of expressions over his handsome face as he talked. She saw no point in rehashing old grievances.

They spoke of his work and the class she was enrolled in. He told her about Maylene being invited to speak at the Historical Society’s annual social, and Jade described her redecorating plans for the house. They didn’t broach any serious topics until they’d finished dessert.

Gage took a sip of coffee and set the cup carefully in its saucer. His look was thoughtful when his eyes met hers over the table. Her throat suddenly parched, Jade took a long drink of her iced tea.

“Jade,” he said. “Please come back to New Orleans.”

She paused to let the words sink in. “Is this the personal business that brought you to Kansas? To convince me to return to Louisiana?”

“That’s part of it,” he admitted.

“What’s the rest of it? Does it involve me as well?”

“Let’s save that for later. We’ll cross one bridge at a time. Right now, I just want to discuss the possibility of getting you back to Louisiana.”

“Why would you want that? Aren’t you afraid I’d wheedle more money out of Maylene? Maybe cook up another scheme with Ty to usurp your authority?”

His eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Surely you haven’t forgotten my so-called conspiracy with Ty to trick you.”