Untrusting Hearts: A Contemporary New Orleans Romance (25 page)

“Can’t we let bygones be bygones?”

“Maybe you can. You’re not the one who was used, accused, and abused.”

“I’d hardly say you were abused, Jade.”

“It was a sort of mental abuse, whether or not you want to admit it.” Her muscles tensed. “Let’s not forget the emotional aspect, either.”

He at least had the decency to look uncomfortable. “Jade, about that night we...”

“Stop.” She put up her hand. “That’s one subject that is strictly off limits. I mean it, Gage. Not another word about it.”

“Alright. I understand,” he said with a nod. “But as far as the other issues regarding the trip to Baton Rouge...well, Maylene indicated it was all worked out. In her emails to you, didn’t she tell you she explained to me what happened?”

“If so, I must have missed that. Do you still think I conspired with Ty to get Maylene’s money?”

“Not anymore. At first, it seemed that way and Ty certainly perpetuated the idea. But after talking to Maylene, I realized there was no reason for you to sneak around to score the cash. She was happy to give you whatever you asked for.”

“What I asked for? You think I asked her for money?” As usual, his insults were just cloaked enough to be deniable.

“No, of course not. Not in so many words. But your constant hints about
finding a job
and about
watching your money
, well, they went straight to Maylene’s kind heart. What else could she do but help you out?”

Heat rose in Jade’s cheeks and anger washed through her like a flash fire. They hadn’t gained any ground at all. Her face felt stiff as she glared at him. She kept her voice low. “I have my faults, like anyone else. For one thing, I’ve always been too forgiving. Sometimes I indulge in treats I know aren’t good for me. I don’t wash my dishes every single day. I don’t go nuts over cute puppies. But, I’m not a money-grubber or a mooch. And I’m sick to death of being cast in that light. I never threw out hints for money and it’s a cold, hard fact that I need to find a job. I’m taking additional classes to become more employable. Why would I do that if a simple phone call to my rich aunt in New Orleans would solve all my money problems? God gave you a good brain, Gage. Use it.”

He studied her for a moment. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I didn’t mean them the way they sounded and I’m sorry. Regardless of your intentions, the fact is you were good for Maylene; having you around brought her a lot of joy. The two of you are family and you belong there, with her. And you were good for me, too.”

“
Regardless
of my intentions?” Fury raged inside her. With a shot of irony, she recalled their peace treaty. How brief it was, how easily violated. She’d warned him then that she would tolerate no more of his insulting allegations, his snide jabs. “You just can’t resist getting in a little dig, can you?”

“Was that a dig?”

She practically snorted. “Here’s an idea. Rather than always focusing on my supposed faults, why don’t we take a look at yours instead? Not only are you suspicious, over-protective, moody, unpredictable, mistrustful, and arrogant, you can also be extremely unpleasant. You know the one thing I disliked most about being around you? The feeling that I had to watch every word that came out of my mouth. I refuse to put up with it.”

“I see.” He sat silent for a long moment. “What did you like best?”

“What?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“You’ve told me what you disliked the most about being around me. What did you like best?”

With a shaky hand, she smoothed her hair back from her warm cheeks. “I think this conversation is over.” She grabbed her purse, tossed some bills on the table, and slid out of the booth.

He started to rise.

“Just stay.” She lifted a hand, palm outward. “I’ll see myself home.” She spun on her heel and marched out. At the corner, she pulled out her cell phone and called a cab. While she waited, she kept an eye on the restaurant, expecting Gage to emerge, looking for her. But he didn’t appear.

The taxi pulled up and she got inside. After giving the driver her address, she settled into the back seat and fumed. His question had thrown her. She didn’t want to think about what she liked about him, convinced that he was only looking for an ego boost or trying to divert her attention away from his bad manners. Only then did Gage’s other words come to her. He’d said she was good for him. How could that be? Rarely had they managed time together when they weren’t off kilter with each other. And did he really think the sentiment mattered, coming on the heels of an insult? The situation was hopeless. He was impossible. It was a broken relationship, doomed from the start. They were truly oil and water.

They pulled up in front of her house, she paid the cabbie, and then went straight to her car. Backing out of her driveway, she had no idea where to go. As she drove, she found herself near the Green Dragon. She hoped Jeff was working; it would be nice to see a friendly face.

Before getting out of the car, she checked her face in the rearview mirror, rubbed at a smear of mascara below her left eye, and straightened her hair.

Jeff was busy but he gave her a quick wave as she slid up to the bar. “Hey, Jade. Just a sec,” he said as he filled a couple of mugs with beer.

Shortly, he worked his way down the bar to her and cocked his head.

“Hi, Jeff.” She hated the morose sound to her voice and forced her lips into an upward curve.

“That’s the worst excuse for a smile I’ve ever seen. What’s wrong?” He leaned forward.

“I’d rather not talk about it. It’s nothing, anyway.”

“Okay.” He shrugged, but his eyes held a combination of sympathy and curiosity. “How about a beer?”

“White wine, please.” She laid her purse in her lap.

He brought her drink and placed it on a white napkin in front of her. “If you need to talk, let me know. I can have Garrett cover for me for a few minutes.”

“Thanks, but I’m okay.”

He returned to work and she sipped her wine, thinking. Several guys at a nearby table were hooping and guffawing, which got on her nerves. In fact, the place was packed with rowdy people. This wasn’t where she wanted to be. She was overcome with the desire to curl up in bed and cry her eyes out. She signaled Jeff for her bill. Hands full, he shook his head and mouthed, “It’s on me.”

She stepped from the noise of the crowded bar into the soft warmth of the spring evening and took a deep breath.

It was a short drive home. When she rounded the corner of her street she saw a man sitting on the steps of her porch. Gage. Her heart soared at the sight of him; she must be insane!

She pulled into the driveway and took a few seconds to collect herself before getting out of the car. He stood and walked toward her. They met on the sidewalk in front of the house.

“The waiter appreciated the tip you left.”

She bristled. “That money was supposed to cover the cost of my meal.”

“I invited you, which means I paid the tab.”

“Well, aren’t you gallant? I would’ve thought you’d be impressed I was willing to pay my own way.” She started to step around him and head for the house, but his voice called her back. It held a note of misery she’d never heard before from him.

“Jade. I wish you’d please listen to me for a minute. Could you do that?”

Frozen to the spot, she merely nodded. He took her elbow and led her up the steps and over to the porch swing. She slipped her keys into her purse and settled stiffly beside him, careful not to get too close. He didn’t speak right away, but set the swing into a gentle motion. It was surprisingly soothing. She felt her tension and animosity begin to drain away.

“Just when things are going well for us, I seem to stick my foot in my mouth.” He laughed softly. “But I’m not sure where it all went south tonight. Maybe you could help me understand.” He draped his arm over the back of the swing. If she leaned back, she knew it would curl around her, and part of her wanted that very much. She held stubbornly to her upright position.

“It was the remark about my intentions,” she reminded him dryly.

“Oh yes, that. Well, that didn’t come out right. I meant to say I don’t give a damn what your intentions were. I wasn’t questioning them. I was just saying those old concerns of mine don’t matter anymore.” He rocked the swing a few times, slowly. “When you walked out on me in that restaurant, I was in shock. I’ve traveled all this way to see you and things didn’t go at all like I thought they would. I sat there, replaying the evening, hell, our whole relationship, trying to make sense of the way we interact.”

“Did you come to any conclusions?” She barely dared to breathe; his presence was so overwhelming.

“I did. But it’s going to take some painful honesty on my part to share them with you.”

She was intrigued, in spite of her angst. “Can you handle it?”

“I can if you can.”

“Go ahead then.”

“I didn’t want to feel this way about you. I fought it hard, even used my own suspicions to put an emotional distance between us. It’s true I was watching out for Maylene, but I think I was also watching out for my heart. I’ve seen what a bad match can do, Jade. My own parents are a prime example.”

She sighed, certain she knew where this was going. He would tell her they could have an affair, enjoy the fires of passion, but nothing more. “What about Jean Pierre and Maylene? You told me they had a wonderful marriage. And they had a big influence on you.”

“They did. And I thought of that.”

“I don’t see what any of this has to do with you and me.”

“Bear with me. I’m trying to explain some of my actions.” He cleared his throat, as if uncomfortable. “I was, at times, jealous of Ty. I thought you were getting too close to him.”

“Oh, lord,” she burst out. “Ty? Let me tell you something about him. As you know, he not only put the moves on me, he attacked me. But what you don’t know is that he wanted us to combine forces. Marry, for the sake of holding onto all the Dubois money. Can you believe that?”

“Nothing that man could do would surprise me.”

“Maybe it would surprise you to know I can’t stand him. He apologized for his behavior, and I tried to forgive him, but it doesn’t change his basic character. He’s got a long way to go and a lot to learn before he’ll be a decent human being.” She took a deep breath. It was time for some honesty of her own, as long as they were clearing the air between them. “I admit I led you to think I cared about Ty. I’m sorry for those few times I tried to make you jealous. It was childish and I regret it now. But you were just so maddening.”

“Guilty as charged.” His hand moved forward and toyed idly with a lock of her hair. The move rocked her as if he’d wrapped her in an embrace. She felt her breath catch in her throat and she turned to find his eyes boring in to hers. “Jade, you forbade me to talk about the night we spent together, but it’s the reason I’m here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t get it out of my mind. And do you know why?”

“No.” Her voice was a whisper. Here it comes, she thought, the offer of a casual fling.

“Because I love you.” He lowered his sensuous lips to hers.

She was shocked by his admission. After only a second’s hesitation, she yielded to the kiss. It was filled with passion, fire, and yearning, but also something else. Tenderness. Tenderness that left her open and vulnerable. She couldn’t stop the swell of emotion inside her.

When they broke, he held her close. She rested her face against his wide shoulder, listened to the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. She was tormented by the conflicting forces of desire and dread. “We have a problem, don’t we?”

He pulled back and put a hand beneath her chin, lifting her face so she had to look at him. “I don’t see it as a problem.”

“But you don’t trust me.”

“We’ll learn to trust each other.”

“We can’t get along. We’d fight.”

“So? When we do, we’ll make up.”

“You aggravate me.”

“But I make up for it with my boyish charm.”

“I don’t even like you, for god’s sake.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Alright, I do. But there’s the money…and Maylene…” She felt a sort of panic rise in her. “The suspicions, the…the…”

“Jade, calm down,” he said sternly. “I have more to get off my chest. I’m so sorry I was such a jerk over Maylene’s money. But, even though you passed the original background check, I still couldn’t believe you weren’t trying to get into Maylene’s good graces just for her money.”

“Whoa! You had me checked out before I even arrived?”

“Of course we did.” Gage held up a hand, stopping Jade’s tirade before it began. “Do you have the slightest idea how much Maylene is worth?”

Jade burst out, “No! And I don’t care…”

Gage interrupted her with a number.

“What?” Jade’s hand went to her neck.

“That’s how much Maylene is worth. Well, that’s her worth today. Tomorrow it will be more. Now do you understand my concerns? But the fact of the matter is, I should have trusted you from the beginning. All you ever wanted was to get to know your aunt. You didn’t care about her money. Hell, you didn’t even know about it.”