Consume Me (A Burning Desire Novel) (27 page)

I laughed at the absurdity of the comment.

"Simon..." Landon warned.

"Don't you Simon me, big bro, we both
know you know it."

Simon doubled over in laughter.

I was staring at Landon. I remembered that
he did track me down all the way from Paris.

I wasn't going to ruin the moment,
especially not in front of my friends and his family. He would eventually tell
me everything he knows.

I hoped that sealed thing would remain
buried. I wasn't ready to tell him about it, and if he's feigning ignorance,
I'll uncover it another time.

“Either way, this means I'll be in New
York sooner than I’d initially planned."

Uncle Robert stopped the tension growing
between his sons, and I squeezed Landon's hand to reassure him.

“That’s so sweet, but you don't have to,
I'm sure you have more important things to do."

“Well now I do, I have to find a suitable
gift for a beautiful young woman."

 He announced with his drop-dead
smile.

“Damn! I got chills!" Jude muttered
not-so-discretely gesturing behind us.

Landon and I turned to find Evelyn walking
through the door. I laughed unconsciously about Jude’s reaction, and Landon bit
out his laugh.

“Hello everyone, looks like I'm late for
the party."

She said walking to our table.

“Just the way you like it."

Landon growled, seemingly not very pleased
with her presence.

“My thoughts exactly. Hello daddy."

Okay so Renee and Joseph were her parents.
They never mentioned it, and thankfully, my friends didn't talk about it once
Simon and Robert got in.

The
conversation kept flowing smoothly despite some snarky comments between Evelyn
and Landon. Simon was like a referee in a boxing ring. Uncle Jimmy really did
make a feast; succulent grilled steaks, burgers and vegetables. He had some
sort of secret recipes that he was the only one to possess.

The meal was mouthwatering; we all cleaned
our plates, drank cool beers, and chatted.

“You know Landon; I'm still not okay with
you spending the whole week in New York. We have work to do on the Braden
Ellis' case"

I blinked at Evelyn announcement.

“Good thing I don't need your
permission."

Landon snarled acerbically.

”And by the way, thank you for ruining my
surprise, I hadn't told Clea yet."

I was processing the news. That's why he
didn't seem impressed when I’d expressed my concerns about us.

I was stressing out; all the while, he had
planned to spend the week in New York.

However, it didn’t feel right.

As much as I hated to admit it, Evelyn was
right he had responsibilities. Even on a Sunday, people kept calling him.

“Oh boohoo, it's not like I ruined a
marriage proposal."

I officially hated the woman.

“Evelyn!"

Her mother admonished.

“Stay out of this Mother!"

She bit at Renee and we all fell silent.

I’d never witnessed that must disrespect
in my entire life.

The scene was just outraging –
unbelievably so.

I was ready to double over in a nervous
giggle, but thought better of it, especially after the way she talked to her
mother. I looked around me, my friends were suffering the same fate, and they
were suppressing their smiles, for the sake of Renee. Otherwise, the way she
seemed to intrude in our business, I was either going to laugh at her or slap
the damn out of her botoxed cheeks.

The others seemed to be used to these
kinds of scenes, not attempting to interfere. Well except for the mother for
whom I’d felt deeply. I couldn't imagine what a mess it must have been raising
a spoiled brat, with a husband that didn't even have the good sense to defend
his wife.

“Just mind your damn own business
Eve."

Landon grew frustrated; I didn't know what
to do.

“I am minding my business, you are my
business Landon."

I blinked at her arrogance. Oh, to hell
with it.

“Business partner that is."

It was my turn to get snarly.

“Whatever, I’m not talking to you."

What are we, eight?

“Well, as it happens; I am talking to you.
I'm sure Landon wouldn't leave work if he didn't think he can manage from New
York, and thank you for ruining a surprise intended for me. Hopefully you won't
ruin the marriage proposal."

The words got out without me processing
them, just yet!

I avoided Landon's gaze, my friends were
all I could bare not to crack an apology right then.

She had no boundaries, she was actually
laughing, venom out of her damn mouth.

“Yeah right.”

She snorted derisively.

“Good luck with that. Don't hold your
breath just yet."

Oh I had an urging need to slap the bitch
out of her.

“Well, in that case I suggest you do the
same."

I prompted dryly.

It was
all it took for her to shut that big mouth of hers. I muttered an apology and
gestured for Jenna to accompany to the restroom. I didn't look back, didn't hear
a sound, and I took the most suitable person to crack the tension for some best
friend support in the confinement of the ladies room.

Jenna got into the small restroom, and
found me flexed on my knees laughing my brain out; she joined me in giggles.

What in the hell had just happened?

I was holding it in for some good ten
minutes, and I just exploded, laughing loudly.

“I would pay a chance to see that face
again."

Jenna said, laughing hysterically.

“I know me too.”

I wiped out a tear; from the forceful
laughter.

“Bitch is cray-cray!"

Jenna was all over the place.

“Let’s hope Landon Davis doesn't run for
the hills thinking he has to put a ring on it."

I motioned to my ring finger.

“My god Clea, the guy didn't flinch a
beat. I think he even smiled from the corner of his cheek. I mean I was hoping
for wide-eyes, tensed shoulders, some facial expression of any sort.”

Jenna told me with a confused tone.

“Nothing?”

I frowned, mirroring her confusion.

“Zilch; it was disturbing really.”

She announced; then laughed.

“One the other hand, Jude squeezed the
life out of my hand; I swear I think his heart stopped beating for a minute or
ten.”

Jenna climbed on the counter, and started
scrambling through her purse.

“I knew you must’ve had a
brain-to-mouth-filter malfunction when you’d said that. But dear god, your
little guardian angel’s heart got a freaking’ adrenaline pump."

She finished and applied some blush and
lip-gloss.

"Yeah I've no doubt about it."

I saw it coming the second I glanced at
his face, the
“Fucks"
and
"What the
Fucks"
were
painted on his drained face.

“I think it's so sweet that he's spending
the week with you. He told us to get your things ready, and about the lunch,
but nothing about coming to New York with us, I hope Jude likes to sit alone,
because there's no way in hell I'm giving up on Ryan."

“I’m not sure about it, I admit I was
stressed out about not seeing him and figuring out how we will possibly make it
work, but Ice Queen is right; he had to work. He's been ignoring calls all
through the day, except for her and Alec."

Jenna acknowledged my statement, her eyes
full of sympathy.

“I can only imagine. He’s not Landon Davis
for nothing. But trust his judgment, because as you said, he wouldn't allow himself
to leave work if he didn't think he can make adequate arrangements."

We
finished talking, freshened up, and got back outside. I breathed out my relief
when I saw that she’d left. I sat back next to Landon and took his hand under
the table for some courage.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Crawley;
I'm really not in the habit of causing a scene.”

I apologized truthfully.

“But truth be told, and with all due
respect, she has been attacking me since last night, and I'm simply not used to
anyone treating me that way."

I explained truthfully.

“Oh don't you worry kid, you must think
I'm a terrible husband for not stepping up. But , every-time I intervene, she
and her mother ended-up kissing and hugging, and I was put on a bench. So for
ten years now, I've not interfered once."

Stupid idea, I’d thought; the woman had
disrespected her mother in front of complete strangers, if the mother was so
easy to forgive that, she deserved a slap too.

“That being said, I admire your bravery.
My daughter has proven to be the worst enemy you can have. And I have no faith
whatsoever that she inherited any of her mother's kindness to let this incident
slip." He sounded compassionate as if I was some charity case or a
defenseless little kitten.

“That much can be said about me,
Joseph."

Landon said dryly.

“Ever since my mother's death, she thinks
she can control our lives. Now unfortunately my mom isn't here to stand up to
her, and my father wouldn't dare, because first, he's used to mom handling it.
Second he respects you too much to do anything.”

He calmed down.

“As for me, I guess I've been putting up
just enough, I didn't mind when she interfered in previous relationships,
because frankly, I didn't care all that much. But this..."

He gestured between us.

”Well, I'll be damned if she messes with
this."

His tone was nothing short of resolute.

Joseph just nodded and his father shrugged
in resignation.

It was a shame really, we had such a nice
lunch, and I ruined it. I kept apologizing to the Crawleys, I really hated
being disrespectful, especially with my elders.

“Oh my god Boo, it's almost four. We need
to leave.“

Jude stood in a hurry and brought me to a
state of panic. Our flight was in less than two hours.

I looked at Landon; was he leaving with us
or taking another flight.

I just didn't want to leave him.

“When is your flight?"

I asked incredulously.

“Whenever I want it to be."

He smirked, ever the ego-centrical SOB.

“You know, this might surprise you, but the
fact is, you're not the center of gravity, and people do have schedules to
respect instead of shaping a flight as it suits you?"

I was condescending; he could be so
arrogant...

“Why the hell not? It is his plane after
all."

Simon announced.

“You own a jet?”

I babbled.

“Of course you would have a damn
jet."

Landon Davis had a national treasure in
his lake house; how wouldn't he own a private plane.

“Yes, I do own a jet, and as it happens,
you are all flying with me."

Just like that. He was no better than his
partner was, he just decided for other people.

I mean if he only did it for me, would
understand, but my friends.

“I mean if you want to."

Well that's better.

“I don't know, ask them!"

I gestured to the guys.

“Well, Mr. Davis is really making it difficult
for me not to sound like a total cliché. But that is the stupidest
question."

Ryan turned to Jenna and Jude.

“Don’t you two dare rain on my parade, you
two flew in private jets with Clea, and this is my chance."

“I can't believe you really got the
opportunity to play that card with us Ryan."

Jenna had us doubled over in laughter.

“Well here goes your private jet
card."

Jude said; and feigned throwing an
imaginary card.

It was funny really - Ryan had so many of
those kinds, every time he had an opportunity to participate in something Jude
and I already did, he played it as an excuse for us to do it again and include
him.

But never in a million years, especially
after my dad died, had I thought he will he get to play that card.

“It’s settled then, what do you guys think
about tasting the best ice cream on the planet."