Breaking Even (3 page)
Authors: Lily Bishop
Ben spoke up, either not noticing or
ignoring the fact that she had directed the question to Lindsey. “Sure it does.
We’re friends and we’re both moving to Clemson. It makes sense to share space.
Everything totals at the bottom for you accounting types,” he added, for
Brittany’s benefit.
Kayla laid her hands flat on the table,
palms hovering just above the wood. “Lindsey, you may not realize this, but Ben
and Brittany have an arrangement."
“What is this, the twelfth century?”
Lindsey asked before she could stop herself.
Brittany spoke up then. “Ben and I have an
understanding. Kayla thinks she's Ben's keeper, and she doesn't want you to get
your hopes up."
“I have a boyfriend of my own, so I’m not
interested in Ben in that way," Lindsey explained. She couldn’t resist
digging a little bit. “But it seems to me that if you have an understanding, he
would be moving to Coral Gables, not Clemson.”
“You have a point, but he doesn’t want to
move to Coral Gables. Ben, since you asked, I did talk to Dad, and he has
worked out an arrangement with Scott.”
“Scott is my uncle,” Ben told Lindsey. He
turned back to Kayla, his voice wary. “What is this alleged arrangement?”
“Well, he found out about the bar. You
knew he would,” she said when Ben rolled his eyes. “He found out and he wants
in on it. So he’s going into a partnership with Scott, to offset some of the
risk, and you’re going to help manage it.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “This was my thing.
He has to stick his hands in everything, doesn’t he?”
Kayla shrugged. “You wanted me to talk to
him; that’s what you get. If it doesn’t work out, you can always move back here
to South Florida.”
Brittany was not happy with the
announcement. “It’s silly for Ben to be tending bar when he turned down grad
school offers from Duke and Georgetown.”
“I told you I’m not ready to settle down
yet. I deferred my enrollment—we’ll see what happens next year. Right now, I
just want a break.”
“And what do you want, Lindsey?” Kayla
asked, her voice cold.
“I’m enrolling in the graduate program in
Mathematics at Clemson, and then I don’t know. I’ll either teach somewhere or
get a job in industry.”
Brittany leaned back, smirking. “I’ve
always seen pure math as a waste. Without an applied field, such as accounting,
it’s all theory.”
“Math forms the base of the computer
systems that we work with every day,” Lindsey explained. She grew tired of
explaining her career choice every time someone asked.
“Even if Lindsey doesn’t stay in academia,
there are other jobs out there. Math doctoral students are always in demand at national
laboratories and at tech firms. The list is endless,” Ben said. He was
repeating Lindsey’s words from a few months ago, but it felt good for him to
defend her.
“What are your thoughts on … illegal
substances?” Kayla asked.
“What?” What had felt like the job
interview from hell just turned into some kind of weird reality show.
“You know, pot, meth, coke—you ever take
any of that to help you study?”
“No… Not my scene. I don’t know why you’d
think it would be.” Lindsey glanced at Ben. He sat ramrod straight and his leg
bounced under the table.
“Just asking. Our dad wanted to come meet
you, but he couldn’t get away.” Kayla smiled her Miss Congeniality smile, which
only made the moment more surreal.
Lindsey got a reprieve when the waitress
returned with their drinks. Lindsey squeezed the lemon into her tea and then
dumped it in the glass. Brittany’s eyebrows shot up, and she looked at Kayla.
“You know that lemons are covered in bacteria,
right? I saw it on the news.”
“It’ll be fine,” Lindsey said. “After four
years in the dorm, I’m sure I'm immune to most germs.”
“You lived in a dorm for four years? I
never knew that about you,” Kayla said, as if she had just learned Lindsey had
hailed from Mars.
“It was just easier. But I’m excited about
the house I’m renting in Clemson. It’s the first floor of a Ranch house close
to downtown Clemson. Three bedrooms and a large kitchen.”
Kayla pounced on the idea of an extra
room. “Who’s going to be in the third bedroom?”
“I might turn it into an office.” She
glanced at Ben. They hadn’t talked about that.
“Hell, Kayla, can you let up on the
questions? I feel like I’m watching the damned Spanish Inquisition.”
The waitress dropped off a basket of rolls
and cornbread, and Ben grabbed one, glaring at his sister. Lindsey hadn’t eaten
since breakfast. She spread butter on a cornbread muffin and took a big bite.
“Kayla, Ben says you’ve moved to Miami.
Where do you work?”
“I’m a nanny for a local attorney. Her
husband’s a plastic surgeon. I take care of their twins while they work and I
travel with them.”
“Kayla lives on site in their ten thousand
square foot mansion,” Brittany explained.
“I have my own apartment over their three
car garage. Just a little perk.” She smiled that fake smile again. “It doesn't
feel like work to me. Their parents are old college friends with Dad. For the
most part, they treat me like family.”
Lindsey couldn't imagine Kayla as a nanny,
but she withheld judgment. Perhaps Kayla was more fun with children than
adults.
“How old are they?” Lindsey asked, expecting
young infants.
“Three. Two girls. I take them to
preschool in the morning, pick them up, and then I take them to different
classes. Ballet on Monday, Spanish on Tuesday. Wednesday is a break, and then
they go to a jazz/tap combo class on Thursday. I fix them dinner if their
parents aren’t home in time." Kayla continued to chat about “her girls” as
she called them, and Lindsey zoned out. Those twins sounded busier than she
was.
“When I have babies, I’m staying home,”
Brittany proclaimed. “I can’t even imagine having a nanny to raise my kids.
Kayla’s great and all, but still. What about you?”
Lindsey shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about
it much, but I’ll keep working. If that point comes. I’m not ready for kids
anytime soon.”
Brittany sighed and stared at Ben. “I
can’t wait to have a baby of my own.”
“Don’t look at me. I told you, I’m not
ready to settle down yet. I’m just twenty-two.”
Brittany held up her hands. “I know, I
know. That doesn’t mean I can’t think about it.”
Ben stayed silent at that comment and took
another drink from his beer. Lindsey had never seen a couple act that way. The
two of them didn't sit together, and Ben acted like she wasn't there.
When the food came, most of the
conversation dwindled to nothing. For the moment at least, Kayla had run out of
questions. When they finished eating, Lindsey made her excuses that she had to
go finish packing.
“You’re not going to stay and hear the
band with us? I hear they are great,” Kayla said.
Lindsey tried to act disappointed. “No,
I’m afraid that I need to finish up those last few boxes.”
“Don’t worry about the check. I’ll pay for
your dinner,” Ben offered. “We’re the ones who dragged you out. I’ll walk you
to your car and come back.”
“Kayla, it’s been nice to see you again.
Brittany, nice to meet you.”
“And you too. If you need us, give us a
call.”
“Will do,” Lindsey said. Ben stood up and
she gave a half-wave as they left the table.
When they reached her car, she leaned
against the door, unable to resist. “Well, that qualifies as one of the
weirdest evenings ever. What on earth was that?”
“That was just Kayla. Don’t mind her. She
thinks she’s in charge of my life.”
“I get that, but still. When I told my
sister Laura that you were my roommate, but she didn’t demand an interview.”
“I’m lucky like that,” he said, deadpan.
“So you and Brittany?” she asked, trying
to keep a straight face.
He shrugged. “Mom and Dad expect us to get
married. We’ve dated a bit.” His voice was formal, as if he were discussing a
job interview.
Show a little bit more enthusiasm. “But
you have an understanding.”
“Our parents have an understanding. I’ve
said all along that we’ll see what happens.”
Lindsey had no answer to that. She didn’t
want to sound like a grandmother, but she wasn’t sure this would work out how
Brittany wanted. Ben didn’t seem that into the girl.
“You’ve got the address for Laura’s?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be there at nine.”
“I’ll be ready.”
As she got in her car to go back home,
Lindsey realized that she forgot to ask Ben why Kayla had brought up the issue
of drugs. She would have to find that one out later.
CHAPTER
THREE
Making the Move
Lindsey came home
from dinner and found Laura sitting on the stairs crying.
"Honey, what is it?" Lindsey
asked. When Laura didn't respond, she took her hand and helped her up. “Come
on—sitting on the stairs isn’t going to help.”
“I’m not an invalid,” Laura protested,
when Lindsey followed her to the bedroom.
“I know. I’m sure you’re sore from
falling. Fox is gone now. You can tell me what happened.” Lindsey straightened
Laura’s covers and closed the blinds.
“I did.”
“No, I mean what happened tonight.”
“Nothing. It’s just stress.” Laura grabbed
a tissue from the nightstand and blew her nose.
Lindsey had never seen Laura looking so
small and vulnerable. Even when their mother died, she had been a rock. She sat
down beside her and slipped her arm around Laura’s shoulders in a half hug.
“You’ll be all right. Did you call and cancel that job interview tomorrow? Do
you want me to try to get in touch with them?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m going.”
Lindsey just stared at her sister.
“Wouldn't you be better off rescheduling and letting your wrist heal first? I'm
sure they would understand.”
“No, I have to go.” Laura said and then
let another sob loose.
Lindsey took a deep breath, reminding
herself that her sister had been through a lot in the past week. “Then why are
you crying?”
None of this was making any sense. Laura
acted like the two of them had an argument. Fox had seemed to care for Laura,
so Lindsey didn’t know what could have gone wrong.
“Fox was here.”
“I know. I told him it was okay for him to
stay, remember? Should I not have left him here with you? You seemed close. I
thought it would be fine.”
Laura looked up, and Lindsey saw the hurt
in her eyes. “He asked me to move in with him.”
“Oh. But you’re still going to Vegas for
the job interview?” That made no sense. She thought Fox lived in Atlanta.
Laura nodded, hiccupping with sobs. “It’s
for the best.”
“What did you want to happen?” Lindsey
asked. Maybe if she understood more about what was happening, she could help.
“I don’t know. When you said he told Ric I
was his fiancée, I had hope. But when he asked me to move in with him,
practically in the same breath, he said I could move out if things didn’t work
out. It just felt so temporary. I would have to move all the way to Atlanta and
I can’t go into something like that thinking about when it would end.”
“Well, maybe it’s for the best. I heard
the phone message he left on my voice mail. He has a temper. Have you thought
that maybe he’s not the man for you?”
“Lindsey, I was so mad at him, but his
heart was in the right place. He thought he had evidence of a theft. I lied
about some things. I can see why he jumped to conclusions. I love him. He makes
me feel things I never thought possible. But I just can’t move to Atlanta
without more of a guarantee.”
“Is there ever a guarantee? We’re all
human.”
“There has to be more than what he’s given
me.”
Maybe Laura would be able to find some
perspective in Vegas that she couldn’t get in Miami. “A little distance
couldn’t hurt. Another trip to Vegas could be good for you, I think.”
“I hope so. You’re leaving tomorrow, too.
What time?”
Lindsey shrugged. “In the morning. We
talked about leaving today, but I’m not finished packing. Ben is staying
tonight with his sister in Coral Gables. He will be here at nine.”
Laura frowned. “Who is Ben?”
“I told you in the hospital, remember?”
“Not really,” Laura admitted.
“He’s a friend of mine from Tallahassee,
and we’re going to room together. He’s moving to Clemson to help his uncle open
a bar. We’re driving up tomorrow in a caravan.”
“He’s moving in with you? Why haven’t you
mentioned his?”
“Well, he’s moving in with me, but not
like you think. We’re not even dating. He’ll have his own bedroom. He wants to
start over in Clemson.”
Laura frowned. “At least it’s not that man
in the Bahamas?”
“What man?” Lindsey asked, hoping Laura
would change the subject.
“The man I saw you kissing at the airport.
You know who I’m talking about.”
Lindsey shrugged. She didn’t want to talk
about Ric. “Things were just crazy down there. I didn’t tell you about Ben
because there was nothing to tell. I needed a roommate and he offered.” She
tried to shift the focus back to Laura. “Are you sure you want to go to Las
Vegas? Maybe you should ask them to postpone the interview, or do a video-call
or something.”
“It will be fine. It’s a sprained wrist,
not the end of the world. I was just a little bit out of it from the pain
medicine they gave me at the hospital. It would be tough to drive with it, but
that won’t matter. I’ll just call a cab to the airport in the morning.”
“If you want me to, I’ll get up and drive
you to the airport—” Lindsey offered.
“Honey, there’s no need for that. You need
your rest. After that horrible man held you captive—”
“I’ve explained about that,” Lindsey
interrupted. “He wasn’t horrible.”
“I guess it’s a Stockholm Syndrome thing.
Otherwise, why would you keep defending him?”
Lindsey hated that Laura couldn’t see how
special Ric was. “Let’s just agree to disagree,” Lindsey said.
“Did he rape you?” Laura asked, her eyes
intent.
“No! I know you don’t like him, but that’s
no reason to assume he would hurt me. Or anyone for that matter.”
Laura stared at her for a minute. “I’m
sorry. You’re right. I won’t say another word. Now, if you will help me twist
my hair up, I’ll take a shower.”
Lindsey twisted Laura’s long blonde curls
in a quick bun then left her to her shower. She had promised to call Ric.
#
Lindsey had promised she would call later
that night. When he didn't hear from her, he worried that something bad had
happened to her sister. Frustrated by the delay, he dialed her phone again,
only to get her voice mail. So much for that.
Patience was not his biggest strength, but
he was working on it. He went back inside to go over paperwork while he waited.
He pulled out the quarterly statements for his different profit centers. He
left nothing to chance, and analyzing activities in each report kept him
grounded. The casino remained his moneymaker, although the new spa was
beginning to bring in money. It should break even by the next season. He tapped
his pen in a staccato rhythm, skimming the reports.
He answered a call from his Human
Resources Director, but kept his eye on his cell phone. He had recommended
Jacquetta to the board for the promotion, and he felt obligated to give her the
support she needed. Finally, in the middle of a discussion about new uniforms
for housekeeping, Lindsey called.
“Jacquetta, I have another call. Go ahead
and order those. That’s fine.”
He ended the call on his office line, but
in his hurry to answer his cell phone, his elbow knocked over a cup of coffee.
The black liquid covered the reports. He ignored the mess and grabbed his cell
phone before it went to voice mail.
“Ric here,” he answered out of habit.
“Who else would be answering your phone,
silly?” Lindsey’s voice rushed over him, calming the anxiety that he hadn’t
even felt building. Something inside of him relaxed. “You sound distracted.”
“I just poured a full cup of coffee all
over my desk. Not a big deal. I can reprint the reports.”
“Did it get on you?”
Ric glanced at his elbow, the white
long-sleeved shirt now brown. “Yes, all over my arm.”
“Now that I’d want to see. You’re always
so well-dressed.”
He smiled, just happy to hear her voice.
“Missed you,” he said, wishing he could
think of something that wouldn’t sound ridiculous. Like I love you, or I’ve
known you for less than a week but I want to get married.
“Missed you, too. I feel strange not being
on the island. What have you been doing today, other than pouring coffee all
over yourself?”
“Pining for you," he said, laughing.
"So I tried to stay busy. At the moment, I was debating whether I should
go ahead and get dinner, but I didn’t want to miss your call.”
“I didn’t mean for you to wait. I went to
dinner with some friends and haven’t been back long. It’s been a crazy
afternoon.”
“What’s going on with your sister?” His
men had fired a Taser at Lindsey’s sister, and he wanted to make sure that she
wasn’t suffering ill effects.
“There was some kind of scuffle, and she
fell and hit her head. The fall knocked her out, and the paramedics had
concerns about a possible concussion. She’s fine now, but she has a sprained
wrist from the fall. They gave her some powerful pain medication for tonight.”
“What happened?”
“I don't know. The FBI raided her office
and arrested her boss for some kind of money-laundering scheme. I don’t know
what’s going on over there. Laura might be the only honest one in the bunch.”
“Who did they arrest again?"
“Let me think. It starts with an L. I’m
trying to remember—Lloyd Baker.”
Ric knew that name, but he couldn’t place
it. He would have to ask Xavier, his head of security. “I hate it you were
going through that without me. That’s a lot of drama for a Wednesday afternoon.”
“Tell me about it! And it’s been that way
all week!”
He laughed at her reference to the fact
that he had held her under house arrest for most of the week. “Calliope offers
a fun-filled vacation…”
Lindsey snorted at his comment. “That’s
the word. Fun. It’s not every week that a sexy pirate holds me prisoner on his
island.”
Ric lowered his voice to match her teasing
tone. “So I’m a sexy pirate now?”
He went with her fantasy and blinked at
the image of her in a full skirt and bodice tied to the mast of his ship. He
almost groaned at the speed of his body’s response to the image. Not a good
idea. She was way too unspoiled for that kind of play.
“Hey, if the fantasy works…”
“You still haven’t seen my lair, remember?
I promise to show you the villa next time.”
“True. Listen, I’m sorry I was so abrupt
earlier. I was just worried about Laura. You’re not mad about the roommate
thing are you?” She didn’t sound impressed with his jealousy.
“Would it make a difference if I were?”
“No. I can’t change it now.”
Ric hated the idea of her living with some
guy. He pulled at his tie until it opened enough so he could breathe. Just
thinking about it made his heart beat faster, and he wanted to punch something
or someone. Fire rushed through him as if he had bit into a Serrano pepper. He
thought through his words before he spoke. “I just want you to be careful.”
“I’m always careful.”
He coughed into the phone, not wanting to
remind her how many mistakes she had made, just on his island. Traveling with
Vaughn Bruce had just been the beginning.
“So, when can I see you?” he asked. “Labor
Day will be here soon. I could send the jet up, and you could fly down for the
long weekend.”
“I think we have classes Labor Day. I’ll
have to check.”
“Well, let me know. I could come up there.
I miss you already.”
“I miss you too.”
Ric ended the call and paced the wide
porch outside his office. In the darkness, the Caribbean Sea looked black.
Silver moonlight highlighted the tips of the flat waves. What good was having a
piece of paradise if he didn’t have someone to share it with? He would just
have to make sure that Lindsey knew all that he could offer.
Back in his office, Jacquetta was wiping
up the coffee and throwing away the soaked reports. Where had she come from?
She crossed in front of him, edging a little bit too much into his space. He
took a half step back.
“You didn’t have to clean that up. I
planned to do it," he said.
“I don’t mind.” She smiled and stepped
closer. He retreated behind his desk. “I was going to get some dinner. Want to
join me?”
“I’m planning to call Xavier to see what
he’s doing. But thanks.”
“We used to go eat together all the time.
Rudy misses you.”
He frowned at the mention of her son. He
enjoyed spending time with her four-year-old, but he didn’t want her to expect
more.
