Causing a Commotion (15 page)
Read Causing a Commotion Online
Authors: Janice Lynn
Tags: #Humor & Entertainment, #Humor, #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Romantic Comedy
Enough.
Enough of this whining and feeling sorry for herself.
It wasn’t as if what she was doing was actually hurting anyone. It wasn’t.
She straightened and shoved her hands beneath the automatic faucet yet again, needing to feel clean, to wash herself free. Perhaps, she could get Jessie’s hypnotist to help her.
“You okay?”
Beverly blinked at one of the jr. gophers. She hadn’t realized someone occupied one of the stalls.
“Fine. Just menopause kicking in.”
“Oh, my mom’s going through that.” The young girl bought Beverly’s excuse. “Wakes up drenched with sweat. The most awful experience she says.”
“It’s the pits.” Any day now God would likely bless her with an abundance of hot flushes and night sweats for the lies she told.
“Sure hope you feel better soon.”
So did she.
The perky girl went on and on until Beverly escaped the bathroom.
Too bad she ran smack dab into that cocky J.P. Scott.
She didn’t like him.
Didn’t like any man.
They all spelled trouble and took, took, took. It’s what her father had done to her mother. What her own husband had done to her before leaving her for a woman half his age. Men.
J.P. was worse than most. Six wives. What kind of man had six wives? And most of them young enough to be his daughter. His granddaughter even.
He was no different from her ex. Worse, even. Much worse.
“What’s the rush?” J.P. steadied her and she fought the urge to jerk free from his hold.
How long since a man’s hand touched her bare skin?
Why such an inane thought? She didn’t want a man’s touch. Particularly not J.P.’s. A woman who cared for him only begged to be hurt. Besides she was a couple of decades too old for his tastes.
“I’ve got work to do.”
“That’s what you’re in such a rush for?” He looked puzzled, like he saw right through her words.
“Yes.”
“You’ll hear soon enough, but Colin’s office was vandalized. Nothing was stolen as far as we can tell, but someone sprayed warnings on his walls.”
“What kind of warnings?” Did her voice sound level? Steady?
“Just for him to quit snooping around.”
“In what?”
“That’s the million dollar question, now isn’t it?”
Beverly’s gaze dropped to where J.P. held her arm. His grip was surprisingly warm and stronger than she would have expected with the arthritis she knew plagued him despite his arrogant pride. Unfortunately, she understood why women flocked to him. He had an appeal that defied time.
She gritted her teeth and cursed her treacherous thoughts. “Let me go.”
His gaze dropped to where his hand covered her arm and he sighed. He let go.
Beverly ran. Ran as fast as her feet would carry her without drawing more attention.
The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention.
* * *
An hour later, Colin cut his gaze toward where Jessie sat in the front seat of his car. She flipped down the visor and applied lipstick. Keeping one eye on the road, he watched her pucker and rub her lips together. She’d answered all the police officers’ questions, kept it together, kept him close.
He wasn’t sure what he thought about the fact he liked her keeping him close. That she repeatedly checked to make sure he stood at her side. That any time he let go of her hand, she sought the comfort of his touch.
Jessie needing him close prevented his doing a thorough check over the mess in his office. For now, he’d have to rely on Wolf security and the police, but later, he’d check out the sprayed-on artwork himself, see if he could find any clues.
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” he asked, when she put the cap back on her lipstick.
She glanced his way, her smile overly bright. “You don’t think I’m going to let you change your mind about showing me that you can have fun just because some jerk pulled a Van Gogh-from-a-can in your office?”
That was one way of putting it.
“I doubt it.”
“No way.” She flashed him another smile, this one appearing more real. “I want to see this fun side I keep hearing about and after today, I need some fun.”
“Just remember,” he warned. “You asked for this.”
Jessie liked how Colin drove cautiously, concentrating on the thick traffic around the black BMW. Which she also liked. Somehow the sleek lines of the car fit Colin. Dependable yet one pretty ride.
Walking into his office and seeing the dripping red paint had caught her off guard. Had thrown her completely into a tailspin after last week’s “accidental” electrocution. Having Colin’s arms around her, cradling her, comforting her had thrown her even more. She’d been the one to launch herself at him, but he’d responded like they were lovers. Which was ridiculous as they’d only shared one kiss.
For the few months she’d known Colin she’d wanted him more than she’d ever wanted any man, maybe anything including an acting career. Yet, although she teased, she knew that for them to become lovers would be a mistake in many ways.
Silly how life changed one’s perspective so quickly.
Once upon a time, sex had been just another physical act. With Colin it wouldn’t be. Instinctively, she knew that and feared it.
When they pulled up outside a large boys’ home, Jessie glanced toward Colin. “Why are we here?”
“To have some fun.” His gaze traveled over her dress and heels. “You’re probably not dressed appropriately.”
Jessie frowned, glancing down at her aqua skirt and matching shoes. “Hey, this is wash and wear. I’m ready for anything you can bring on.”
Colin smiled, really smiled. A smile like she hadn’t seen since that first day in the taxi cab. A smile that stole her breath.
“You should do that more often.”
Reaching for his door handle, he gave a puzzled look. “What?”
“Smile, Colin. I’m talking about curving your lips upward and showing those dazzling white teeth.”
Without waiting for a response, she opened her door and climbed out of the car.
Palm trees lined the drive leading to the old Spanish-style brick building. The fronds swayed to and fro in the light breeze. Fresh white paint covered the window and door trim. A small sign proclaimed the facility as the Community Boys Home and Center.
She stood on the sidewalk staring at the building, curious as to what he planned.
“It takes free artwork to get real smiles from me.”
She gawked, not believing he’d just cut a joke about the afternoon’s events, and earned another of those real smiles.
“Come on.” He took her hand, clasped her fingers with his, and led her into the building.
Apparently he knew the layout and was well-known throughout as while they maneuvered down one hallway and through another, several men and boys greeted him with genuine friendship.
“You hang here often?”
“Most every afternoon.”
“Really?” So that’s where he disappeared to after they finished shooting their segment. She’d often wondered what his rush was, if he had a girlfriend no one knew about.
Instead he’d been volunteering at a boy’s home.
This was probably where he’d gone last week after he’d left her apartment.
She liked that much better than all the visions she’d had of him with another woman. Probably some luscious brunette like the actress he’d been rumored to be engaged to at the time of her death.
Jessie had done volunteer work at a battered women’s shelter her sister worked with. During her teenage years she’d had to do community service on several occasions, but never at a youth home. Other than the few things Jill roped her into, Jessie hadn’t done much of anything other than self-serving things. Which pricked her heart.
Surely she could convince J.P. a community service project it would be a good idea. She’d also been meaning to talk to him about adding a short cooking segment featuring Tamara. The woman cooked like an angel and viewers would love listening to that accent and learning all her grandma’s cooking secrets. Which were vast and worth taking note of.
They entered a large open gym. A group of boys, who she guessed were around ten but she really wasn’t much of a judge since she hadn’t been around kids since she was a kid, played basketball on one side. Another group sat in a circle on the opposite end. A bald man with a thick gray mustache and even thicker eyebrows sat with them.
When one of the kids noticed Colin, he jumped up and ran toward him. A tiny blur of boy launched himself into mid air. “Mr. Colin!”
Colin hugged the youth to him. “Hey, Raoul.”
“I did it,” he said. “I tied the knot like you showed me yesterday. I’ve got it in my room.”
Knot? Was Colin a Boy Scout leader or something? Of course, it made sense since he excelled in tying her stomach into knots.
Jessie’s chin rocked back and forth while she watched the boy jump up and down like a bouncing ball.
Colin bent to where he and the boy were eye level. “I’m very proud of you, Raoul.”
The boy’s black eyes turned to Jessie and he stared at her curiously. “Who’s she?”
Colin laughed. “This is my amigo, Jessie. She’s come to watch my game with the boys today.”
“They’ve been practicing,” the boy warned.
“I suspected as much,” Colin sighed. “Guess I’ll have to work twice as hard as normal to keep them from showing me up in front of my friend, huh?”
“Is she your girl?”
Jessie held her breath. She wasn’t Colin’s girl. Wasn’t anything to him except a co-worker. A co-worker he’d kissed like there was no tomorrow, but just a co-worker, nonetheless. Still she waited to hear his answer. Was disappointed when he told the truth.
“Jessie works with me.”
“Oh! I remember now. I watched your new show,” the boy beamed, a front tooth missing.
“You watched
Causing A Commotion
?” Colin frowned. “I’m positive that doesn’t fall onto the approved list of shows a six-year-old should watch.”
A giggle gurgled out of the boy’s mouth. “I snuck and done it, but you won’t tell, will you?”
Colin ruffled the boy’s hair. “As long as you promise not to do it again.”
The boy grinned sheepishly. Colin laughed. Jessie liked the sound of it. Deep and throaty and luscious.
Totally luscious.
She wanted to hear it more, to hear it because she’d caused it.
The vision of him with the boy did funny things to her heart. Funny, foreign, and frightful things.
Coming here with Colin might not have been such a great idea. Just like kissing him hadn’t been.
* * *
Jessie sat on the bleachers with three other adults while two basketball teams duked it out on the court. Colin’s team led by a few shots.
Thank goodness they played basketball. It was the only sport Jessie knew anything about thanks to Jill’s college days. Her sister ruled the court and had offers to go pro. Jill gave it all up to go into law enforcement instead.
Gave up her dreams of playing pro because Jessie had gotten into trouble one time too many.
Jessie propped her elbows on her knees and cradled her chin in her palms. God, she’d been one big screw-up her whole life.
She still was.
No, that wasn’t true. She had a job. A real job. One that she was good at even though she’d always wanted to be an actress. Being a talk show hostess was a job and would do until she landed a role that would prove to the world how talented she was.
Causing a Commotion
was good. Even if Colin did resent her. A good show and people were interested. Interested in the show, in what she had to say, and even in Colin. Was that what this afternoon was about?
Some crazed fan who’d gone overboard.
Colin had been terse while at Wolf, quiet in the car, but from the moment they arrived here, he’d been…fun. Just like he’d promised.
Worry lines hadn’t etched into his forehead. Tension hadn’t harshened his features. Laughter softened his eyes, made him appear younger.
She’d never wanted him more. Not last week when he’d kissed her. Not in the taxi. Not in the elevator. Right now, watching him laugh and interact without any of the icy shield he normally wore, she ached for him.
Was it because of the cryptic message she’d walked in on? Or perhaps her phobia for being alone.
Despite her hypnosis the thought of being home alone night after night still frightened. Not as much as before though. She had Tamara. The past few months had taught her that she was stronger than she’d thought, could do things she hadn’t believed she could.
Although not up to staying at her and Jill’s family home alone, she had found an acceptable solution. One that hadn’t put her in another bad relationship with a man.
