Learning Curves (20 page)

He turned toward her. “Brandon told me about his job at the rehearsal dinner.”

“You knew?” her mother asked in hurt disbelief. “And you didn’t say anything? You didn’t warn Leanne what the consequences to her career might be? Or think to tell me beforehand?”

Dad ignored the outburst, continuing as if his wife had never spoken. “He told me in confidence.”

“I don’t want you to think badly of him—”

Her father waved away her explanation. “I know that, sweetie. It doesn’t matter to me what he does for a living, as long as he makes you happy.”

Leanne let go of Brandon’s hand and hugged her father, hard. Around them, the murmurs had grown into a loud hubbub, many seemingly unconvinced by the bride’s over-the-top reaction. As though sensing the shift in opinion against her, Gillian tried to recoup the lost ground.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she dabbed at them with a tissue commandeered from one of the hovering bridesmaids. “Jeremy, I just want our day to be perfect! But they’re ruining it with lies,” she wailed.

His jaw tight, Jeremy jerked his head toward his groomsmen in an unmistakable signal. They began to step forward, their intentions of removing the disruptive presence from the celebrations clear.

“We’ll go,” Brandon promised, squeezing Leanne’s hand, “but before we do, Jeremy, you should know Larry is telling the truth. Gillian made the mistake of thinking that just because I dance for a living, she could hire me for sex too.” He stretched out his hand toward Jeremy, a card held between his index and pointer fingers. The groom took it and turned it over to read the words printed on the reverse.

“‘I like what I see,’” Jeremy read slowly, his face growing more indignant with every word, “‘and I’d be happy to make it worth your while if you’re willing to show me more.’”

There was a pause as he digested the suggestive words, and then, in one swift motion, he crumpled Gillian’s business card and tossed it to the floor. “Did you think you could cheat on me again and I wouldn’t find out?”

The collective gasp of amazement at this charge was loud enough to nearly drown out the bride’s response. Barb began to sob; as one, the bridesmaids began to back away.

“No,” Gillian lied, her face distorted with anger and disbelief. “Of course not—”

“Don’t, Gillian,” Jeremy said implacably, brushing aside her hands angrily. “Don’t. I forgave you once. But I’ve been blind, haven’t I?” He shrugged, tugging to loosen his meticulous bowtie. It hung limply round his neck as he wrenched at his shirt collar button. “I loved you. But you don’t love anyone but yourself. We’re through. You’ll be hearing from my lawyers.” He turned to Brandon, but instead of socking him, Jeremy simply shook his hand.

“I’m sorry you were caught up in all this,” he said stiffly. “If I can help straighten out any damage she’s caused, you let me know. I have some pull with the Alumni Board, if it helps. And I hope—I hope everything works out for you two.” Nodding, he wheeled around and stalked back down the hallway. As the heavy door swung shut behind him, the mother of the bride sank into a chair and began to sob in earnest while the fathers of the bride and groom shouted and stormed at each other. The bride swore, her ugly accusations turning the air blue as she railed at her mother, her bridesmaids and her publicly absent husband.

Gillian and Jeremy were likely headed for a far less celebratory occasion in the near future—one that involved solicitors, divorce decrees and an ironclad separation agreement. Not that Gillian didn’t deserve it, but Leanne felt a pang of sympathy when she thought of the blindsided groom. He looked as though he’d been socked in the gut by the news of his wife’s repeated infidelities. She could sympathize with his dismay. His life had turned disastrously wrong through no fault of his own and the aftermath would be anything but pretty.

She couldn’t change the outcome but wished Jeremy well all the same. He was better off without Gillian, although it would doubtlessly take him some time to accept it. Leanne didn’t want to watch any more of the ugly scene. “My car’s outside.”

“Okay.” Hand in hand, they walked toward the parking lot.

Her concern for the groom was eclipsed by a more imperative question occurred, and she stopped short. “Gillian’s card…Why on earth would you keep it?”

Brandon reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Gazing into her eyes, he smiled. “Don’t you know?”

“No,” she whispered, a wild sense of hope surging through her. “Tell me.”

He laughed then, his beautiful blue eyes glowing with emotion. “Because it was my only link to you. I concocted an elaborate, Machiavellian plan to call her and invent a lost wallet or something that I needed to return to you. And then I could call you and maybe ask you out and well…”

He shrugged, clearly embarrassed at his simplistic plan, and her heart warmed at his admission. Then a giggle escaped her as a glaring hole in his plan occurred to her. “Except that if you’d had my wallet, wouldn’t you have had my name and address too?”

A dull red flush rose across his cheekbones at her teasing observation and Leanne’s emotions leaped at this sign of vulnerability. He was so self-contained, so in control, yet he let her see behind the mask of his confidence.

“I wasn’t really thinking about that,” he admitted. “All I knew was I had to see you again. After the example my parents set, I thought I was impervious to love. But then I met you and all bets were off.” He gazed deep into Leanne’s eyes. “I love you. I think I loved you from the first moment I saw you, actually, when I saw you sitting in the dark, watching me dance.”

“I don’t know why,” she said softly. “I’m not anything extraordinary.”

His face darkened at her demurral. “Don’t ever let me hear you say that about yourself ever again,” he ordered. “You are the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever known. You’re clever and loyal and sexy as hell. And if I have my way—”

His words were lost as her lips captured his. Their tongues meshed and his strong arms wrapped around her in an embrace that heated her skin and made her heart sing.

Drawing back for a moment, Leanne laughed. “I love you, Brandon. I kept telling myself it was just a fling, but it never was, was it?”

He shook his head and crushed her against him, claiming her lips again. “Never.”

“I’m so sorry Gillian dragged you into this mess. If it hadn’t been for me—”

“I wouldn’t have learned to trust my heart again,” he interjected. “I’m not out of the woods yet, but Dean Rose has gone to bat for me. She’s proposed a solution so I can keep my position at the university without appearing before the Senate. It would mean being on academic probation until at least next term and I have to give up my hours at the club, but if Kessler and the department sign off on it, I won’t have to forfeit my fellowship. It’s not a done deal, of course, but I’m not going to slink away and let the charges stand.”

Leanne gasped in relief. “Brandon, that’s…that’s fantastic!”

He grinned and kissed her fiercely. “You’re fantastic. I’m just the guy who was lucky enough to love you.”

A gentle hand on her shoulder captured her attention and she turned to find her mother and father had followed them outside.

“I wanted to apologize,” her mother said. “I was wrong about Gillian. I was wrong about Brandon. I think I was wrong about just about everything and I don’t think you’ll ever forgive me. But you have to believe, I only wanted you to be happy.”

The long pause was excruciating and finally her mom’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “Well, I’ll let you two get going. If you feel like stopping by sometime, you’re…you’re always welcome,” she finished, her voice cracking a little. Leanne couldn’t let her continue. It was too painful to both of them.

Taking her mother’s hands in her own, she said, “I want you to know that I’m happy, Mom.” She took a deep breath and then continued. “I know we haven’t always agreed. We have different ways of looking at things but I will
always
love you. Even if you drive me crazy sometimes.”

Mom laughed shakily. “I may not understand all of the things you do, Lee-Lee,” she said, reverting to her childhood nickname, “but I do understand what it means to be in love with someone. After all, I’ve loved your father since the moment I first clapped eyes on him.” She turned a fierce gaze on Brandon, skewering him with her best mother look. “As for you,” she chided, “make my daughter happy or you’ll have me to answer to, you understand?”

Brandon nodded, but when she followed up her threat by standing and embracing him, he was clearly startled. Hesitantly, he returned the gesture. She released him. Drying her tears discreetly, she said, “At least I’ll finally have someone in the family who appreciates the arts like I do. What are you doing next Thursday? I’ve got tickets to a Russian ballet.”

Leanne and Brandon both laughed.

“I’ll have to get back to you, Mrs. Galloway.” He flung a strong arm around Leanne’s shoulders, pulling her into him for a loving hug. “But I’ll definitely let you know.”

“You ready to go?”

She smiled, loving the passionate light in his eyes. She’d never tire of looking at him. Even when his body grew older and his hair was gray he’d still be the man she loved. That was something that time would never dim.

“Always.”

He bent his head, brushing his lips against hers in a soft caress that promised so much.

“Always,” he agreed, leading her toward her car. “But only if you promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?” she challenged.

“That you’ll dance for me often.”

Leanne laughed suggestively. “My technique needs a lot of work, I’m afraid.

“Are you willing to put in the rehearsal time?”

“As long as it takes,” she promised. “As long as it takes.”