One Night with a Star (Second Chances Book 2) (4 page)

“Maybe you could arrange to drop a huge load in your diaper so we can have an excuse to make ourselves scarce, huh?”

Daniel answered with a big yawn.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

“Jenny,” Simon greeted her, raising his glass to her. What she’d assumed was red wine from across the room turned out to be Coke. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing standing here alone?”

“Enjoying myself immensely,” she answered. “Besides, I’m not alone.”

“Of course not. You’re with our son.” He met and held her eyes with something that felt a little too close to scolding for her liking. “When are we going to deal with this?”

“Some other time,” she answered, swaying to rock Daniel to sleep.

“No time like the present,” Simon fired back.

“I don’t know how they do things where you come from,” she fired right back at him as best she could with a sleepy baby in her arms, “but around here, we wait until the time is right and we won’t be spoiling someone else’s day to have the knock-down, drag-out fights.”

“This doesn’t have to be a fight,” he said.

Jenny frowned. Simon looked tired. Not the kind of tired that came from staying out late. It was barely eight o’clock. It was more the kind of weariness that comes over someone when they’ve been through an emotional ringer and were waiting for life to get back to normal. She knew that feeling all too well. She was still waiting for normal herself. Learning about Daniel must have been a shock, but Simon had only found out a few hours ago. Exhaustion like that didn’t hit you in a few hours. There was something else.

Something else that she didn’t know and didn’t care about, she told herself. Simon could have his own problems. She had enough of her own.

“You want to dance?” he asked, changing his tone and his expression to be charming.

“Nope,” she answered.

“Did I hear you say dance?”

Jenny twisted to discover that her mom was only a few yards away and closing in fast. A chill ran through her blood. She would have to pay more attention to who was around her when she was talking to Simon if she wanted to keep her secrets to herself.

“I’m not dancing, Mom,” she said. “In fact, I was just about to put Daniel to bed.”

“Here, let me do it,” her mom said, rushing in to pry Daniel from her arms. “You go enjoy yourself. It isn’t every day you get to dance with a man like Simon Mercer.” Her mom flashed a wide smile to Simon and giggled when Simon winked back. Maybe Neil was right about obnoxious celebrities disrupting everything after all.

“Shall we?” Simon extended an arm to her, acting so British she thought the queen might swoop in to back him up.

“Fine,” she sighed. She didn’t take his arm, but walked beside him until they reached the grassy patch that was serving as the dance floor.

The music was slow enough for Simon to pull her into his arms and hold her close, but thank God it wasn’t a love song. People were watching them and the photographer’s face lit up as though he’d struck pay dirt, so she smiled her best smile.

She waited for Simon to say something, to give her an excuse to lay into him. He was quiet. He smiled at her and held her close. The longer that went on, the more her body remembered the feel of him, the contours and plains of his torso, the warmth of his lips against hers, sliding their way across her body, exploring her with expert skill. She remembered the way he fit inside of her, the pleasure he’d drawn out of her and the sound he made when he came.

She couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I would give so much more than a penny for your thoughts right now,” he said, low and seductive.

“Well, you’re not going to get them,” she said, hating the tremor in her voice. She brazened her way into meeting his eyes. “You’re not going to get it, Simon.”

“How do you know that I want ‘it,’ Jenny.”

He was teasing her, damn him, and it raised prickles along her skin. That blasted arrogance of his had turned her on last summer, and it was turning her on again now. She wouldn’t let it. She couldn’t.

“I’m dating Neil,” she said. “I don’t have time for your shenanigans.”

“Why are you dating that stuffed shirt anyhow.” He made light of her declarations.

“Neil’s a great guy,” she defended him, not feeling it the way she should. “He was really sweet to me when I was going through a hard time. He’s been supportive of me raising Daniel on my own.”

Simon laughed, obviously not buying it. “You know what one of the first things he said to me was?”

“What?” She scowled.

He opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything. Right in front of her, his expression morphed from irritated and bitter to kind and concerned. “He told me to stop ogling his girlfriend.”

That wasn’t what he was about to say. Neil had said something else, something she wasn’t sure she would like if Simon had been honest.

“Were you ogling me?” she asked.

He flickered an eyebrow. “Might have been. You’re incredibly ogleable.”

“Stop it.”

“I’m just telling you the truth. You’re hot as Hades in that bridesmaid’s dress.

“Not gonna happen, Simon. Stop being a jerk.”

“Never say never, love.”

The whisper in his voice, the deep resonance of that one endearment, took Jenny right back to where they’d been that night, walking hand-in-hand on the beach. It had been a night of dreams, a hot night full of wonder. He’d made her feel so good, better than any man before. And then he’d walked away and trampled on her heart.

“I can’t do this,” she said, trying to pull away from him.

He held her close. “Flinch now and half a dozen cameras will come to their own conclusions,” he said, too serious. “I know.”

She swallowed. He probably did know.

She forced herself to smile again. “As soon as this song is over, I’m walking away from you and I want you to keep your distance.”

“That might be difficult,” he said.

“Why, because you can’t help yourself? Because I’m gorgeous and sexy and you can’t stop thinking about me?” She threw back every beautiful thing he’d said to her that night last summer.

“No,” he replied. “Because I have a son.”

The well of emotion that spread through Jenny’s gut was almost too much to bear. She lowered her head, scrambling for some way to get out of this crazy situation, for some way to go back to the normal, everyday struggle of raising a child on her own. Raising him with Simon would be infinitely worse. She’d never be able to forget the agony and the ecstasy if he was there all the time.

“Simon, I can’t—”

“I’m cutting in,” Neil said beside them, shaking her out of her emotions.

“What?” She turned her head to him, debating whether it would be better or worse to switch partners.

“I don’t like you dancing with him,” Neil said. “I’m cutting in.”

“Neil, don’t be—”

“She’s all yours, mate.” Simon surprised her by letting go and taking a huge step back. “Cheers.”

“Wait, what?” Her question hung, unfinished, as Neil picked up where Simon had left off.

Neil’s arms were stiff and he had to look down at his feet and count for a few beats before he started moving. Once they were dancing, or something along those lines, he said, “There. Isn’t this better.”

“Sure,” Jenny answered.

It was a lie. She smiled at Neil, but her eyes followed Simon as he stepped away. He would keep walking, she knew. He would just keep walking and break her heart all over again.

Chapter Four

After the cake was cut, the speeches were made, and Tasha and Spence had their first dance, the wedding began to wind down. Jenny was relieved. The night had turned out to be harder than she’d anticipated. She was grateful when her mom took Daniel home, and she promised that she wouldn’t be that far behind. All she needed to do was get Tasha changed to leave for the honeymoon and wave her off and she would be fine.

“How are you holding up?” Tasha asked her as she and Olivia lifted her wedding dress over her head.

“I’m fine,” Jenny answered without thinking about it.

Tasha gave her a look.

“You two want a second alone?” Olivia asked. She was a smart one, Spence’s sister.

“That’s okay, you don’t have to—”

“Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind,” Tasha rode over her.

Olivia gave them an understanding look, hugged Tasha with, “You’re so beautiful. I’m glad we’re sisters now,” and tip-toed out of the room.

Tasha turned to Jenny. “I saw you dancing with Simon earlier.”

“It was just a dance.”

“You looked…upset.”

“Well of course I was upset,” Jenny laughed, taking Tasha’s dress across the room to put it on the hangar. She was responsible for taking it to the cleaners and having it put in storage.

“What did he say about Daniel?” Tasha went on, grabbing her cute, blue going away dress from the closet.

Jenny shrugged. “Everything you would have expected. Why didn’t I tell him and how can he be a part of his son’s life.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Tasha paused as she climbed into her dress. “I mean, that he wants to be a part of Daniel’s life. Didn’t you want that?”

Jenny bit her lip. She stared out the gap in the curtains, out over the dark beach and on to the few lights glowing from the marina and some of the houses. She’d deliberately avoided thinking about what she wanted for the last year. It’d been easy to tell herself she was living for the moment, figuring out how to be a mother. Seeing Simon again made her question all that. The old pull was still there, much though she hated it.

“Jenny?” Tasha stepped up behind her, laying a hand on Jenny’s shoulder.

“He’s going to cause trouble,” Jenny admitted with a sigh. “He’s going to turn my life upside down.”

“Don’t let him do that.”

Jenny turned to her. “Like I can stop him?” She shook her head. “Neil’s already got Simon on his shit list, and the two of them have hardly met.”

“Well, I wouldn’t build your life around what Neil wants,” Tasha said. She scooted away and sat on the bed to put on comfortable shoes.

Jenny took the wedding dress to the closet and hung it over the door. “I used to be such a go-getter,” she said. “Heck, a year ago I was a go-getter. Now I’m a mom, struggling to hold it together. How the hell did that happen?”

She twisted to look at Tasha for an answer, but Tasha kept her mouth shut and only raised her eyebrows.

“Okay, I know how that happened,” Jenny sighed. “I just miss myself is all. Simon reminded me of that.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing.” Tasha stood, stepping to the room’s mirror and patting her hair. “I guess I can go to the airport like this.”

“You’ll be fine.” Jenny scooted to her side, hugging her, glad they’d changed the subject. “Besides, Spence has hired a private jet to take you to the Bahamas anyhow.”

That brought a smile to Tasha’s lips and a giggle that came close to making Jenny feel better. “I did it,” Tasha said, squeezing Jenny tight. “I married the man of my dreams.”

“Yes you did, babe,” Jenny hugged her back. “I’m so happy for you.”

“I know it’s the stupidest thing to say and everyone hates hearing it, but I’m gonna say it anyhow,” she said, stepping back and holding Jenny at arm’s length. “It’ll happen for you too. I know it.”

Jenny laughed. “Yeah, that really is the stupidest thing anyone can say.” But the two of them laughed together anyhow.

They left the room, heading down the stairs and out the front door, where the rest of the wedding party and guests were waiting with tiny bottles of bubbles. Spence met Tasha in the downstairs hall, kissed her soundly, then the two of them burst out of the house and ran the gauntlet of bubbles to the waiting limo. Jenny watched, tears welling. Their whole lives, she had always been the lucky one and Tasha had been the “nice friend.” Well, those tables had turned, hadn’t they?

“Come on, sweetie, let’s go.” Neil came marching up behind her, sliding his arm around her waist and plopping a kiss on her cheek.

She should have been comforted by the gesture, but it came off as creepy.

“I’ve got stuff to do before I go,” she told Neil, peeling away without looking at him.

“What stuff?” he balked, following her as she marched around the porch and back to the lawn.

“Clean up, organizing,” she said. “You know, the stuff I’m good at.”

“That’s bullshit,” he huffed. “You said that when Tasha and Spence left we could go too.”

He caught up to her as she reached the table that had held the flowers earlier and was now littered with wedding gifts. She leaned over to check the tag on one of the bigger ones, and Neil pressed against her. He brushed her hair aside and kissed her neck.

“I have a couple ideas of what we can do once we get back to my place,” he murmured, nipping at her earlobe.

A chill shot down Jenny’s spine. She edged away from the bulge in Neil’s pants as he pressed it into her backside. Ugh. Usually she liked sex, no matter who was offering it. Neil wasn’t half bad in that regard, but for some reason, his blatant overture made her feel like she wanted to take a shower.

“Neil, I’m tired,” she said with a sigh. “It’s been a long day.”

“So? Let me make you feel better.” He reached for her. It would have been nice if he’d intended to hug her, but he clamped a hand over her breast instead.

She winced with the jolt of pain and pushed him away. “I told you not to do that while I’m breastfeeding,” she said.

“I can’t resist it,” he excused himself. “You’re too beautiful.”

“What I am is too tired,” she told him, a little stronger. “I’ve got to get these gifts inside.”

Before she could say more, Simon stepped in from her other side and said, “I’ll help with that. They’re going in the green bedroom, right?”

He grabbed a handful of gifts and turned away, heading into the house, before any sort of conversation could start, but the interruption was enough to prompt Neil to back away and keep his hands to himself.

“Why don’t you leave that celebrity douche to take care of the presents and you come home with me,” Neil tried again.

“No.” Jenny put her foot down. “I’m not leaving my responsibilities. And besides, once I leave here, I have to go home and check on Daniel.”

“Daniel,” Neil sniffed. “He’s with your mom. Just leave him there.”

Jenny turned to him, eyes wide. “He’s my son. I’m not ‘just leaving’ him anywhere with anyone.”

Neil huffed and crossed his arms, frowning out over the nighttime ocean. “I’m beginning to think that kid was a bad idea,” he said. “He’s got your priorities all messed up.”

“My priorities?” Jenny barked. “Daniel is my son. That is my first and most important priority, no matter what you think.”

The screen door opened behind her and Simon reappeared on the porch. He stepped to the table and began piling gifts to take inside. Jenny ignored him.

“Why don’t you just go home,” she told Neil.

“Without you?” he barked.

She narrowed her eyes. “Do you need someone to show you how to use a toothbrush or something? Yes, without me.”

“We never spend any
quality time
together anymore,” he complained. “You’re always taking care of the baby or working or doing something for this damn wedding.”

“The wedding is over, and so will you be if you don’t watch it,” she snapped. The pressure of so much anger and confusion was too much. She let out a breath that had serious potential to become tears and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m just overwhelmed. Go home and we’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

Neil stared long and hard at her, then turned and marched off without another word. It should have made her feel better, but instead it only felt like she’d created one more problem she didn’t have the energy to solve.

Simon clenched his jaw, drawing on every bit of willpower he had not to step in and punch Neil in the face. The man had a thing or two to learn about how to treat a girlfriend. He’d have been more than willing to teach him, but Jenny had done a fair job in the end.

“You handled that like a pro,” he complimented her.

Body tense, frustration plain in her face, she turned to him and scowled. “Mind your own fucking business.”

Simon’s brow flew up. A zip of lust hit him hard. She had no idea how hot she was when she had her ass-kicking boots on. She grabbed an armful of gifts from the table and stepped past him to the screen door. He would have kept on smiling and made some sort of joke, but the genuine misery in her eyes was too much for him. He loaded up with gifts and followed her inside.

“Why are you with that wanker anyhow?” he asked, trailing up the stairs.

“I said it was none of your business,” she said, reaching the second floor and turning left.

“I’m not impressed with him at all.”

“Fine. Then don’t date him.”

She crossed into the green bedroom and deposited her load of gifts on the bureau beside the ones Simon had already put there. As she passed him on her way out, she gave him the most resentful look he’d ever gotten.

“What was that for?” He dropped his gifts and rushed after her.

“It’s for butting into my life when you’re not wanted.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” he fired back.

“What, that this is my life?”

“No, that I’m not wanted.”

She turned on him at the top of the stairs and leaned close to hiss, “You left me, Simon. After one night, you left. Did you ever stop to think about how that would make me feel?”

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed hold of the banister and swung herself around to charge downstairs.

“As a matter of fact, yes,” he called after her. “I did think about how you would feel.”

She didn’t stop or answer, and when she got to the bottom of the stairs, she was greeted by a friend who hugged her and said she looked beautiful and the whole thing was fabulous. Simon blew out a breath as he walked past them and continued hauling gifts upstairs. He wasn’t going to be able to get a proper conversation in with Jenny until everyone else had left the house. At least he didn’t have to go anywhere. Sand Dollar Point was his home away from home until Spence and Tasha got back from their honeymoon.

It was a full fifteen minute before Simon so much as saw Jenny again.

“What happened to all the gifts?” she asked, striding back onto the porch from the yard. Most of the guests were gone now, leaving only the hard-working catering staff dashing around as they cleaned up.

“They’re all upstairs,” he said. “Come sit down.”

“I’m not going to sit anywhere with you,” she said, stomping the rest of the way up the stairs.

“Fine, then stand.” He shifted to lean his backside against the porch railing and to cross his arms as she stopped in front of him. “I’m not so sure I want my son around the kind of guy Neil is.”

Jenny flinched as though he had spit at her. “How do you know what kind of a guy Neil is?”

Simon shrugged. “Doesn’t take much.”

“You don’t know anything,” she went on. She took a few steps toward the empty table, but there was nothing for her to do, no way for her to get out of the conversation. She turned back to Simon and crossed her arms in imitation of him. “Neil was nice to me when I needed someone to be nice,” she said.

Simon puffed out a laugh. “You sure he wasn’t just trying to get in your pants?”

Her face went red. “I was six months pregnant and big as a blimp at the time. I’m reasonably certain that wasn’t his first thought.”

“
Reasonably
certain?”

Jenny narrowed her eyes at  him. “I’ve known Neil since middle school, for your information. He helped me with my math homework in seventh grade. He’s smart and he’s steady.”

“If you say so,” Simon said.

“I
do
say so,” she overreacted.

Simon just smiled in response. Her tone of voice and her stance were dead giveaways that she was trying to convince herself more than anything else. If that was the case, Neil wasn’t his real problem.

“I don’t want to talk about this,” Jenny said at last, shaking her head and turning to walk away. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

“I want to be a part of my son’s life,” he said, stopping her before she could get more than three paces.

Jenny froze and turned back to him. “Why should I let you.”

“Because he’s my son.”