EntangledTrio (14 page)
Authors: Cat Grant
“Now that we don’t have performances to worry about, is there anyplace you’d like to go?” Colette asked at breakfast the next morning. “Outside of Paris, I mean.”
David glanced up from his brioche, blinking blearily. His brain still felt foggy from the champagne last night, despite getting ten hours’ sleep. “Actually, I need to get back to New York pretty soon. My landlord gets a bit twitchy if I don’t hand him a check every first of the month.”
“Oh.” She slumped in her seat, clearly disappointed. “How silly of me. Of course you have your life in the States to attend to. We’ve been living in our own little fantasy world these past three weeks, haven’t we?”
Smiling, he reached for her hand. “I’ve had a great time. Too bad it has to end.”
“It doesn’t. Not if we don’t want it to.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re welcome to stay here with us, if you like. Indefinitely.”
Talk about being knocked for a loop. He blinked again, taking a long sip of strong black coffee. “You’re serious?”
“Completely. The notion’s been hovering at the back of my mind for a few days now. There’s no reason we can’t make our arrangement work on a more permanent basis. The three of us seem eminently compatible.”
“Have you already discussed it with Aleks?”
“Not in so many words, but I doubt he’ll object.” She smiled. “He truly likes you. And besides, what man in his right mind would refuse such a sweet, beautiful lover in his bed every night, with not only his wife’s permission but her outright approval?”
Flattering though it was, David still had to sit back and ponder it for a minute. He’d never considered leaving the United States before—but then, what exactly was he leaving? A crappy studio apartment and a family he only saw once or twice a year anyway. He could run his career just as easily from Paris as New York.
So if Colette and Aleks really did want him to stay…well, that settled it. It was good to be wanted. So good, David’s heart was ready to thump its way out of his chest.
“Guess this means I should get back to New York and pack,” he said. “If I’m moving in, I’ll need more than one suitcase and a laptop.”
Suddenly all smiles, she jumped up and threw her arms around him. “Oh I’m so delighted! You don’t know how much I was dreading having to say goodbye to you.” She shook her head. “This is wonderful. Even if I can’t quite believe it.”
“You didn’t think I’d say yes?”
“I didn’t want to take it for granted, especially after the way I ignored you at the party last night. I’m sorry,
cheri
. I got so caught up in chatting with people, I didn’t notice how exhausted you were. Aleks got a bit peeved with me. He practically dragged me out of there by my hair around two in the morning.”
Now David grinned. “Did anybody get pictures?”
She rolled her eyes at him, then cast a much more critical glance around the room. “Perhaps we should think about moving to a bigger place. Aleks’ study is bound to get crowded with three of us needing the piano for practice. And I wouldn’t mind a larger dining room and maybe another bath—”
Her enthusiasm was so giddily infectious, he burst out laughing. “Sounds great, but aren’t you mixing up the cart and the horse? Let’s get me settled before we start making future plans.”
“Fair enough.” She sat back down and refilled her coffee cup. “But speaking of future plans, you now have no excuse not to sign with Dieter. Believe me, you won’t be sorry. He’ll do more for your career than Merritt Langham ever could.”
Which reminded him, he still needed to give Merritt a call. No point putting it off any longer, although now the prospect filled him with dread. Considering Merritt’s prickly temper, it was probably best to fire him long-distance rather than face-to-face, even if it did feel like the coward’s way out.
Luckily, he’d remembered to recharge his phone this morning. When Colette went to talk to Simone about planning that evening’s dinner, David stole into Aleks’ study, plopped down on the piano bench and dialed Merritt’s number. No sooner had he hit the “send” button when he realized it was still the wee hours in New York. But before he could hang up, a very gruff, groggy “H’lo?” rumbled over the line.
“Hey, Merritt. It’s me, David.” God, could he sound any lamer? “Sorry it took me so long to call you back, but—”
“Oh please, don’t bother apologizing. It’s only four in the fucking morning here.” A disgusted sigh, followed by the rustle of bed covers. “Shouldn’t complain, I suppose. If not for all your stellar reviews, I would’ve thought you’d fallen off the face of the planet. Paris must still be as wild and ribald as I recall from twenty-odd years—” His posh British accent suddenly cracked, split in half by a hacking, phlegmatic cough that reminded David of all the times he’d seen him chomping a cigar. “Sorry. Good thing we finally connected. I’ve got offers to discuss, one of them pretty damn urgent. Ever been to Buenos Aires?”
Every word, every excuse and explanation David had rehearsed flew right out of his head. “Argentina? Why would I want to go there?”
“Because Pappano’s mounting a new production of
Don Carlos
at the Teatro Colón. The full five-act original version in French. Alagna was supposed to do it, but now he’s sick and can’t make the trip, so they’re scrambling to recast the role. Rehearsals start a week from Friday. If you’re game, I’ve got the contract on my desk.”
“Are you kidding? They’re just offering it to me without even—”
“David, I don’t think you understand what a splash you’ve made. Haven’t you read the latest reviews? Everyone’s raving about your Don José. My phone’s been ringing off the hook with new offers for you. Hence all my frantic messages.”
Oh Jesus.
And to think he could’ve known about this days ago, if only he’d stopped fucking Colette and Aleks long enough to check his voice mail. “But
Argentina
? How long would I be gone?”
“Four weeks of rehearsal, then eight performances spread out over another month. First-class airfare and accommodations. Fifteen thousand per performance.”
David’s chin nearly hit his chest. That was a top-ranked artist’s fee. No other house had ever offered him anywhere near as much. “Holy shit.”
“That’s what I thought you’d say.”
“But it’s still one hell of a long trip.”
“Look, if you don’t want to go to South America for two fucking months, fine. I don’t blame you. But Pappano’s planning to bring this production to the Met next season. Impress him, and he might ask you to sing it there too. He’s one of the opera world’s biggest movers and shakers. Work with him, and your career’s on its way. But what do I know? I’m just a lowly agent.”
David could practically
hear
Merritt’s Cheshire-cat grin spreading across his fleshy lips. “You’re a damn snake-oil salesman, is what you are.”
“I speak only the truth. And the truth here is, this is the best offer I’ve seen come across the wire in ages. Most tenors have to work their asses off for ten years before a plum like this lands in their laps. Frankly, you’re an idiot if you don’t do it.”
“Well, don’t hold back, Merritt. Tell me how you really feel.”
“Haven’t I always?”
And the truth here was—yes, he always had. Even when David wasn’t making him a dime, Merritt always had his back. For all his bluntness and crude language, he was a straight shooter, unfailingly honest in both word and deed. Now David hung his head, feeling like a first-class heel for even thinking of firing him.
But as for the offer…
Shit!
Talk about the world’s worst timing. However, Merritt was right. It was the engagement of a lifetime. A true career-changer. He really would be an idiot if he turned it down.
Aleks and Colette would understand. They were professional musicians, after all. They knew how the business worked. When opportunities like this popped up you had to grab them, because there was no guarantee they’d ever come around again. Two months wasn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. It would zip by in a flash, just like the last three weeks. Then he’d be back, ready to start their lives together.
“You realize I don’t even know the role yet,” David said finally.
“Then get a score and study it on the long plane ride down. You’ll have another four weeks to make it perfect.”
“Okay, fine. But you’ll have to overnight me the contract and the airline ticket here in Paris. I’ll fly directly to Buenos Aires out of De Gaulle.”
“You’re not coming back to New York first?”
“I won’t have time. There’s some stuff I need to take care of here.” Best not to let Merritt dwell on that, so he pushed on. “If I wire you the cash, would you pay my rent for the next two months? I’d rather not come home to find everything I own sitting out on the sidewalk.”
“Don’t worry, you can owe me until you get back. I’ll email you with details on the other offers. Be sure to let me know about them in a
reasonable
amount of time, yes?”
He laughed. “I get the hint. Thanks, Merritt. Talk to you later.” Then he hit the “end” button and shoved the phone in his pocket with a sigh. So much for the easy part. Now he had to think of a way to break this to Aleks and Colette.
All Colette could do for a long moment was stare, her coffee cup nearly slipping from her hand. David couldn’t have said what she thought he just said. Could he? “I-I don’t understand. This morning you were ready to move in with us permanently, and now you’re
leaving
?”
“Only for a few weeks,” he replied, his gaze flitting from her to Aleks and back again. “It’s an engagement, Colette. The lead in
Don Carlos
. I’d be ten kinds of foolish to turn it down.”
“So you just decided to take it? Without even asking us first?”
“What do you mean, ask you? Are you saying I need your
permission
?”
Dear God, what was wrong with him? Was he really that obtuse, or just pretending to be? How could he change his mind so capriciously, without even a thought for how she felt? “If we were married, you would’ve discussed it with me beforehand, wouldn’t you? I discuss all my prospective engagements with Aleks.”
“But he doesn’t tell you which ones to accept, does he?”
“Of course not. But this affects all of us, for God’s sake! Why can’t you see that?”
“My angel, don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?” Aleks interjected. “Perhaps David’s made a mistake here, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. This is new territory for all of us.”
“Fine.” She sighed, turning back to David. “Just tell Langham you’ve changed your mind, and there’s an end to it.”
Now it was David’s turn to stare at her. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Have you signed the contract?”
“No. But I’ve given my word, and I’m sure Merritt’s already called the
Teatro Colón
to tell them I’ll do it. I can’t back out now.”
Colette bent her head, her eyes stinging. Anger and devastation washed over her, both warring for dominance. While her professional side understood David’s decision, her personal side felt as if she’d been gut-punched. For ten years she’d endured awful separations from Aleks for the sake of both their careers. The empty, lonely ache in her heart during those times had become her definition of sheer hell. She’d thought that was all over, but now here it was again—same problem, different man.
No. Just
no
. She couldn’t do it again. She couldn’t take the garbled long-distance phone calls, or lying awake every night staring at the ceiling. Or the niggling fear that David might not come back.
Oh God.
Now she knew how Aleks felt every time he’d put her on a plane to San Francisco or New York or God knows where else. How had he kept from losing his mind?
David fell to his knees before her, reaching for her hand. “Look, I’m sorry. Don’t cry, okay? It’s only for a few weeks. I’ll be back by the tenth of April, and then we—”
“You’re not going. I refuse you permission.”
He jerked back as if she’d just slapped him. “Colette, c’mon. This is my
career
we’re talking about, not some silly bedroom game.”
“You weren’t calling it silly when I had my hand inside you. And I thought you
wanted
to belong to me.”
“And I thought I had the right to say no.” He stood. “Well, I call ‘mercy’ on this. Where my career’s concerned, you have no right to dictate terms. Do you honestly think I’m only going to sing in productions with you for the rest of my life?”
“You make it sound like such a horrible fate.”
“Oh stop playing the temperamental prima donna! It’s not horrible, and you know it. But it’s not what I want.”
“Ah yes—your ambition to become the next Pavarotti. Good luck with that. But I think you’ll find that fame in our profession’s nowhere near as glamorous as it looks from the outside. All those bravos from adoring fans only go so far. An empty hotel room doesn’t love you back. Then again, I doubt yours will be empty for very long.”
“That was cruel, Colette. And really beneath you.” Still, his pale blue eyes looked more sad and disappointed than angry. “I guess there’s nothing else left to say. I’ll pack my stuff and go to a hotel tonight.” Then he turned and walked out of the dining room.
“I’ll go talk some sense into him,” Aleks said, getting up to follow him.
“Don’t.” Colette caught him by the sleeve. “Let him go. He’s obviously made up his mind.”
With a sigh, he gave her hand a quick kiss, then held it to his chest. “Angel, listen to me. You know you’ll regret it if you let him leave with your harsh words still ringing in his ears. Go tell him you’re sorry, at least.”
Tears burned behind her eyes, ready to spill forth. “I-I don’t know if I can…”
“Do it for me, if nothing else.”
Oh how sly and devious Aleks could be when it suited him. Now he’d just played the one card he knew she could never refuse. Sucking in a shaky breath, Colette nodded and followed him back to the bedroom.
David’s valise sat open on the bed, shirts and socks already piled in it. He emerged from the bathroom, shaving kit in hand, and stopped short. “I’ll be out of here as soon as I can.”
“We have something to say,” Aleks began. “Neither of us wants you to go, but we understand why you have to. Please know you will always be welcome here. Won’t he, angel?”
It hurt to nod. It hurt to smile. But Colette did both, her heart nearly shattering when David came to her, wrapping her in his arms. “I’ll be back soon,” he whispered. “I promise.”
“I know,
cheri
. But then in another few weeks or months, you’ll have to leave again. And I can’t bear it. I’m sorry.” Another deep breath. “When you return, feel free to visit us as a dear friend. But nothing more.”
David’s gaze flicked to Aleks, then back to her. At last he nodded, swallowing hard. “If that’s the way it has to be.”
They walked him to the front door and exchanged their final embraces. Henri brought the car around for him, and Colette and Aleks watched as it pulled away from the curb and crept down the snowy avenue, finally fading away in the distance.
Afterward, Aleks took her to bed and fucked her hard, until the tears finally flowed.
