And He Cooks Too (26 page)

He cocked his head, apparently caught off guard by her accusation. “Used you so you could keep receiving a paycheck after being blacklisted? Used you so you could put television experience on your resume? So that within weeks of starting here you’d become a co-host who would dazzle the audience? Okay, fine. You want to put it in those words, sure, I
used
you. But who’s gained the most so far, Reese? Me? I’m still here. I haven’t gotten what I wanted. Yet.”

This couldn’t be happening. Not again. Maybe Nick hadn’t exactly lied to her, but he hadn’t come clean with her about his real reason for bringing her on the show. He’d been her mentor and supporter because it served his purposes, not because he cared about rebuilding her career.

What a fool she’d been to believe him. She even gave him her body. No, that part she’d done willingly for her own pleasure. But she hadn’t asked for the feelings that accompanied the sex. Those had snuck in under the radar.

And she’d thought Leonie was a manipulator. Apparently it ran in the family.

A sharp pain drilled through her forehead, settling into a dull throb between her eyes. She dragged the chair from her dressing table and fell into it. “I think you’d better leave.”

“Reese, c’mon. You’re obviously upset with me, but for the life of me, I don’t know why. You’re the one who’s benefited the most.”

“I thought you enjoyed co-hosting with me.”

“I do.” He paused, grimacing like he was seeking something else to say but couldn’t figure out how to put it. “I do enjoy co-hosting with you. More than I thought I would, which is why I stayed as long as I have when I could have used my ankle as my way out. But I’ve got to get back on the stage before they forget me. All you have to do is settle back, watch me leave, and take over.”

“Take over a show called
And He Cooks Too
?”

He opened his mouth to reply but closed it.

“Go, Nick. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re not going to cut out over this, are you?”

“I don’t know. I’ve had too much come at me today. It’s making me ill. Physically.”

“You’re sick? Should I get a doctor?”

“No. I just…need…to lie down.” She waved him away.

He backed out of the room, his forehead wrinkled in bewilderment. Clearly, he couldn’t understand why his actions troubled her. He still believed he hadn’t done anything wrong.

To think she’d been about to tell him her plans for her own show. The DuPre woman’s article had been a wake-up call, and she’d been berating herself for keeping him in the dark about her intentions. Her omissions were small potatoes to what he’d been holding back.

She rubbed the area between her brows, which pounded from the effort to hold off tears all day. Further work on tomorrow’s program was impossible while her head was erupting.

She swallowed a couple of painkillers and crumpled on the bed. Cuddling the pillow Nick had fondled just minutes before, she willed the events of the last twenty-four hours to evaporate along with the hammering in her brain. Within minutes, sleep provided temporary escape.

Chapter Twenty

Nick remained on the other side of Reese’s dressing room door, his hand arrested in midair, debating whether to go back in. Obviously, he’d angered Reese, but he wasn’t sure how. Okay, he hadn’t gone ballistic when she suggested Leonie had sabotaged the DuPre thing. But having it out with his aunt wasn’t going to gain them anything. Either she would have denied having had any part in the article or she would have seized on all the half-truths and insisted they fire Reese.

What about Reese’s accusation that he’d
used
her? Sure, he’d used her, but she was the one coming out on top.

This had been a tough day for her. She needed more time to calm down. Surely she wouldn’t continue to brood about his having used her, or, God forbid, leave the show. She hadn’t replied when he asked her that question. Said she was confused and didn’t feel well. But Reese wasn’t like all the other women in his life who’d run off when things got difficult. She’d come around and realize he’d done all this for her.

To be honest, he hadn’t done it all for her. Okay, none of it had been for her at the start. The fact that she’d gotten a job as a result played right into his plan to make her his ticket off the show. Then Fortune smiled her direction and gave her the opportunity to prove herself before the camera. Which she’d done superbly. And now here she was, famous enough to attract the attention of a journalist out to knock her down a peg. Except, Reese didn’t appreciate the significance.

Nah, too soon to talk her down from her current mood. He pulled his hand back and headed away. Where to? He had a little over an hour to kill before his weekly
rehearsal
with Leonie and nothing at the moment to occupy those minutes. But he couldn’t stay here. He didn’t want to run into his aunt until it was absolutely necessary.

A drink was out of the question, he had to remain sharp for Leonie’s drill, but a late afternoon snack at the deli down the street might just do the trick. Since he’d confessed about his improving ankle to Reese, he swiftly made his way down the sidewalk, although he brought his crutches along just in case. To his surprise, he found Jasper planted in a booth right inside the deli’s front door. “What are you doing here this late in the day?”

The older man scowled. “I’m in temporary retreat.”

Nick sent him a confused look.

“Hiding out from your aunt. I’m worn out after having spent the better part of the day attempting to cool her heels about that confounded piece in
FoodNation
. She wanted to let Reese go, so I threatened to leave myself if she did.”

“Them’s pretty strong words.”

The beleaguered director heaved a sigh, took a sip of coffee. “Surprised myself even. She thought I was bluffing. Which I probably was at the time. But the more I’ve thought about it, who knows? Keeping up with Leonie’s control issues is getting to me.”

The two of us should form a club.

“How’s Reese doing? I haven’t had a chance to get back to her, what with Leonie breathing down my neck.” He set his coffee mug on the table and took a bite of the piece of apple pie in front of him.

Nick glanced up from his menu. “Still not happy, but that’s to be expected.” He didn’t mention Reese’s snit, because then he’d have to tell Jasper about his plans to leave the show. Despite his fondness for the man, he wasn’t ready to confide in him yet. Instead, he added, “She complained of a headache or something, so I left her to deal with it.”

Jasper kneaded his smooth-shaven chin with the palm of his hand. “She’s tough. She’ll get past this.”

Nick slammed his hand on the tabletop, surprising both of them. “Damn Leonie! If she’d just get to know Reese better, she’d stop being so jealous of her.”

Jasper shot him a doubtful expression. “Do you really believe that? Leonie feels threatened by Reese. Can’t say whether it’s professional jealousy or how well Reese works with you in front of the camera. But I don’t see Leonie changing her mind about Reese any time soon.”

Not the reassurance he’d been seeking. “You think I’m kidding myself?”

“You and I both care for your aunt, despite, sometimes even because of, her shortcomings. But we can’t let those feelings blind us to who she really is. Or naïvely expect her to feel or act a certain way.”

“You’re probably right. I tell myself she’ll change. It’s easier than confronting her.”

Jasper played with the small wedge of pie that remained on his plate. Returning his attention to Nick, he asked, “Would that be so bad?”

God knows I’ve tried
. “She doesn’t tend to listen.”

“Any theories why that is?”

Nick picked up one of the extra napkins on the table and ripped it apart. “She’s self-involved and doesn’t care about anyone else’s opinion?”

“She’s certainly all that. I’ve let her walk all over me for years. After my wife’s death, I needed something to do to keep from losing my mind. I didn’t care what. This job was my salvation.”

“You think that’s the story with me, the
walking all over me
part?”

Jasper finished the pie. “We-ell, you don’t appear to challenge her much. Or at least follow through when you do challenge her.” Replacing the fork on the plate, he asked, “Ever wondered why that is?”

“Surely Leonie has told you about my early years, when my mother found touring Europe preferable to child rearing. Leonie took me in. She may not have known any more about parenting than my own mother, but she stuck around. In my book, that earns her my loyalty.”

“Loyalty’s one thing, Nick. But that doesn’t mean lifelong subservience.”

He stiffened. “I’m not Leonie’s indentured servant, Jasper. It’s just easier not to cross her.”

“Yeah, right.” Jasper grabbed his wallet, threw down a few bills. “Next time you decide not to, uh,
cross
her, ask yourself why.” He rose, leaned in for one last comment. “We both need to pick our battles. Decide which are worth fighting. See you tomorrow. I’ve got a five o’clock meeting with the station manager.” He was out the door, leaving Nick alone to ponder his parting comments.

Later, back in his dressing room preparing for his evening session with Leonie, it occurred to Nick that it was almost like Jasper had read his mind. He should just stand up to Leonie and tell her he was leaving the show. And forget about Reese replacing him. He was coming to care too much for Reese to put her through any more indignities like she suffered today. But his reluctance to disappoint Leonie, like he’d told Jasper, that tie that went back to his childhood, continued to hamstring his actions in the present day.

He caught sight of his crutches leaning against the outside of the booth. The fact that he no longer needed them reminded him once again that the time was fast approaching when a decision had to be made. Stay on to co-host with Reese, or leave, whether Reese was chosen to succeed him or not. He straightened, flexed his arm muscles, then braced his legs against the floor. His tangible crutches no longer necessary, it was time to eliminate the emotional supports in his life as well.

Maybe not today, though. Or tomorrow. But soon. Soon.

****

A far-off noise woke Reese with a start. The last vestiges of sunlight strained to penetrate the shades of her dressing room window. She pressed her fingers to her forehead. The headache seemed to have abated.

The time on her phone indicated it was after eight o’clock. She’d been out for hours, but sleep had been good. Not that she’d forgotten about her problems with Nick or the piece in
FoodNation
. All that came rushing back to her like the waves of heat and steam that accompanied the opening of a hot oven. But she felt stronger, the sucker punch delivered by the article gone. She might just be able to cope with the Byzantine twists and turns of life here on
And He Cooks Too.

Besides ridding her of the headache, sleep had also helped her define her intentions. She wasn’t ready to quit the show yet. She hadn’t entirely forgiven Nick for manipulating her into coming on board, but in fairness, he’d only given her his card, she was the one who contacted him when her restaurant options appeared to have dried up. And, she had to concede that she had benefited from the experience. Since Nick’s ankle was doing better than he would have had her believe, the time was fast approaching when she would have to make her break. Co-hosting allowed her to develop her on-camera persona without the responsibility of carrying the show. But in the long run, that’s what she wanted. She didn’t need Leonie controlling the creative part.

Her stomach grumbled. Several hours since she’d eaten. She should go home. Everyone else would have cleared out by now.

Though not frightened by the deserted studio, she made her way along the corridor in silence. She could have fumbled around to find the lights, but there was just enough illumination coming through the glazed over windows at the end of the hall for her to navigate in reasonable safety.

She’d traversed the full length of the corridor and was about to pass the door to the studio when she heard muffled voices. Great. Who was still here? She remembered Leonie’s rule about no one remaining late the night before taping. Someone else had disregarded that dictate.

She slowed her steps, proceeded even more quietly. The voices grew louder and more distinct as she neared. The door to the studio stood open.

“I told you to get rid of that woman,” a female voice she recognized as Leonie’s said. “She let down her guard with that reporter so now even Jasper can’t deny she was out to get me.”

No surprise there. Reese had known Leonie would attempt to get as much mileage from the article as she could.

“Jasper said nothing of the sort,” Nick returned.

“Don’t be naïve, Nick. He knows he made a mistake hiring her. He simply won’t admit that point to me.”

“Brother, Leonie—don’t you ever stop?”

Was that annoyance she heard in Nick’s tone?

“This is my show, Nick. Not yours. Or Jasper’s. And certainly not Reese Dunbar’s.”

“Reese has been good for the show. Look how much she’s helped the ratings.”

“That was already in the works. Long before Reese Dunbar showed up, the network was already showing interest.”

“Let’s get back to work. I want to get out of here at a reasonable hour for once.”

But apparently Leonie wasn’t finished, because she continued with, “From the day she first showed up, I’ve told you she was dangerous. She knows too much about cooking. Sooner or later, she’s going to figure out our secret.”

Reese drew back.
Secret?
Her better sense told her to flee before they discovered her eavesdropping, but curiosity about the secret overrode caution.

“C’mon, Leonie. Cut her a break.”

“Give
her
a break?” Leonie was near shouting. “It hasn’t been easy to stay in the shadows all these months and let you take credit for my work. But keeping this show on the air has been worth the sacrifice.”