Rekindling Love (British Billionaires Series) (10 page)

“
He was playing in the Jets with his father?”

“
Don't be idiotic, Rupert. He was playing. Me and Hank's dad were watching Hank smash the Miami Dolphins.”

“
Sounds painful.”

“
Only for Miami.”

“
Meeting the parents. That is something.”

He was losing his sister. She'd always been flighty and naughty and incredibly fun, but she was growing up.

“
Stay and finish the white wine with me?”

“
Rupert, it's Monday tomorrow we've got work.”

“
Please.”

“
On one condition.”

“
What?” he asked, sitting straighter on the couch.

“
Ring Susan. If you promised you would, do it. Bite the bullet. It's Sunday night. It's well past the three-day rule. Pick up the phone and call.”

She dangled the bottle of white wine in front of his eyes. Going to snatch it, she jerked back suddenly.

Rupert reached for his cell phone nervously.

“
What did you say?”

“
I said yes.”

Dylan hated hearing that Susan-Marie was going on a date with Rupert. Whatever her plans were, he had an underlying feeling she wouldn't be able to see them through. She was a good person. Though Rupert deserved being taken down a peg or two and public humiliation, but Susan's soft heart hadn't hardened over the years as far as he was aware.

“
The plan being?”

“
The plan is to make him fall for me. Lead him in a merry dance, then let karma bite him in the ass.”

“
It doesn't sound very you, Susan-Marie.”

“
It's not a side of myself I'm proud of. It's something I’d hope I'd never have to stoop to. But fate crossed our paths and I vowed long ago if I got my chance I would turn the tables on Rupert Locke-Smythe.”

Sitting in a cafe near the theater, the two were enjoying lunch. Dylan opted for a hamburger and beer, whereas Susan restricted herself to a salad and soda water. It was too cold to sit outdoors, but the hustle and bustle of the over-priced venue gave the chic coffee-bar warmth and atmosphere. Sitting by the window frontage, they could have people watched for hours. As it was, people were looking in at the handsome couple. Her jet black hair and green eyes suited Dylan's blonde hair and blue eyes. Gothically dressed in black, Dylan's clothes remained sleek and stylish in and out of the office. His black trousers and satin shirt gave him a gaunt Halloween inspired style, not inappropriate given it was that season. Dressing in brighter, bold colors, Susan's patterned genie pants were sixties inspired, complimenting her ballet pumps. Content to wear a singlet in rehearsals because of the heat exuded by a cast of fifty singing and dancing on stage, she flung on her favorite pullover bright orange fleece to cover up for lunch, knowing the sudden exposure to the autumn cool might affect her throat – not something she or the production could afford. The rehearsal timetable was strict. Composing her own timetable of events to formulate a scheme to ruin Rupert's heart required Dylan's assistance. Susan was focusing solely on the task in front of her, not the company of Dylan or her tasty plate of food. Checking her watch she realized she had quarter of an hour before she was due in the theater.

“
I'm seeing him tonight for dinner. That'll start the ball rolling. A lot of flirtation. A little prick-teasing. Come opening night, with your help, I shall recreate the scene he, Nikki and I had to partake in before the after-show party all those years ago. This time we'll be playing different roles.”

“
And my role is?” asked Dylan, knowing exactly what part he would play.

“
If you can bear it. You'll be playing my lover.”

“
I can manage that.”

“
Are you sure you're okay with it? I understand if you're uncomfortable. I could 'borrow' David, but as wonderful as he is on stage, his off stage persona leaves no scope for question regarding his sexuality.”

“
Susan-Marie, I was there. I was in the gymnasium when Nikki announced to the cast the 'joke' they'd played on you. I was the guy scouting the school grounds for your whereabouts. I was the boy telling you one day things would be different. I was the kid that was right. What Rupert did was unforgivable.”

“
What you did though, I'll never forget. It was ironic you landing my first major role in
Hairspray
after I'd completed my degree in musical theater.”

“
Any up and coming agent would've landed you that role. You were gifted. You fit the part. Now you fit every part of every female lead currently going.”

“
Not for too much longer. I'm thirty now. My star is fading.”

“
Not at all. You won't be playing Sophie in
Mamma Mia
, you'll be graduating to the role of Donna, her mother. It was good enough for Meryl Streep.”

“
I know. Getting older and growing up I suppose is hard to face. Might be the body-clock ticking but I'm getting waves of wanting to settle down somewhere stable.”

“
But not here,” he stated ruefully.

“
Dylan. My heart lies in London. You know that. I completed most of my education there. I graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama – it's where Dame Judi Dench trained! I've tried to ensure the majority of my work is based there.”

“
Leaving me without an income.”

Swatting his hand, she gave him a suspect look. “Do not pretend for a second that I'm your biggest earner.”

“
No, but you're my favorite.”

“
Then don't take me off your books. The West End is something else, but Broadway has its own reputation and status. It was finishing high school here. It was living in a house I barely knew as home. It was the absence of a parent and supervision of an Aunt and Uncle who I’d never previously met. Those combined evoke disappointment and drama.”

“
All that and a broken heart.”

“
Yes, all that and a broken heart. Are you in, Dylan?”

“
What? Making out with Broadway's hottest star to teach Rupert Locke-Smythe a lesson? I'm with you all the way, Susan-Marie.”

Seeing him approach the restaurant, Susan's heart went to her throat. He was traffic-stoppingly handsome. Dressed down in navy chinos, a slim-fitting pink shirt, casual, open navy blazer and blue suede shoes, Susan wondered if Rupert had been styled by one of New York's hippest fashionistas.

Wearing her typical color of black for evening functions, she knew how bland she was next to him. Five stone lighter or not, she would never compete with Rupert in terms of panache. A shawl surrounding her shoulders was passed to the cloakroom. Susan wore a simple Laura Ashley dress. The velvet dress had a hidden zip and fastener. The inch wide straps were a corduroy fabric. The shaped bodice had a black satin ribbon tracing the outline of her cleavage. Black lace frills were scattered close to the hem. It was a perfect reliable black number, but she felt less than perfect compared to Rupert.

“
Don't you ever wear a suit?” The greeting was a tad abrasive. Undeterred he planted a kiss on her cheek.

“
Every day at work. Once I'm out of the office, I'm out of the suit. It helps separate play from work.”

“
Your clothes determine your attitude?”

“
Absolutely. You look stunning, by the way.”

“
I look like everyone else here.”

“
Sweet talk aside Susie, you don't.”

“
I feel over-dressed next to you. I automatically assumed you'd be wearing a suit.”

“
We aren't at Brighton College now. I'm not obliged to wear a uniform,” reminded Rupert.

“
It was so rigid wasn't it? You must've loved changing into rugby gear.”

“
God no! Every time I did, I knew I was going on a field for at least eighty minutes of hazardous play that could leave me broken, bloodied, bruised and potentially ruin my aspiring dreams of becoming a model. I loved the drama club because we all dressed down and there was a sense of…” Rupert stopped his reminiscing mid-sentence.

Heading into the magnificent Trump International Hotel & Tower a doorman guided them to the three Michelin-star restaurant, Jean-Georges.

Rupert had gone to town booking a table there. Close to Broadway, the restaurant itself was elegant. Curving banquettes, bay windows facing the street, soft, sheer white drapes were clouding the view of the autumn leaves painting the sidewalk and the almost whirling fixtures gave the room a round, smoothness to its neutral interior.

Tensely, Rupert gave his name. His slim frame seemed stiff and ungainly.

“
Everything okay?” Susan couldn't help her genuine concern.

“
It is now. While this isn't the strictest dress code, I wasn't sure I'd be let in.”

“
Seriously?”

“
I just read 'no tie required' and dressed as I pleased.”

“
You look dandy. Did I say that already?” she asked batting her eye-lids.

“
No. Thank you, though. Am I tastier than the menu?” he asked, flipping through the pages of one.

He is phenomenally handsome, but my God sometimes he knows it, thought Susan. I think he genuinely believes this dinner will smooth everything over. I bet he's even planned on taking me home. If he wants dessert, he'll be ordering off it menu. There will be no sugar from me tonight.

“
Sadly with my current appetite, no.”

Selecting from the French cuisines with an Asian twist made for an array of interesting dishes. The talk at their table was shallow and surface.

“
This new show of yours then. Is it going to be good?”

“
Rekindling Love
. It's fantastic. Will you come?”

“
Only if I'm welcome.”

“
Rupert. Everyone needs to put the past behind them at some point. I spent years carrying extra weight. That was a drain physically. Now I've shed the pounds I don't want to load my weary shoulders with emotional baggage from teenage traumas that happened eons ago.”

Susan almost believed her own spiel.

“
You've had a change of heart.”

“
No, you did. When you sorted out your harem. How did it go by the way?”

“
Liz took it badly. It was awful. I can't believe how I'd misread the signs. Jacqui was alright. She knew it was casual. Not sure if she'll be turning up at any more of our work functions. Hopefully she'll steer clear, because that'll be a hard situation for me to walk into. Jacqui’s sister is Judy, my personal assistant, and she is hating me at the moment. I can barely get her to perform the simplest tasks and I don't feel I can discipline her.”

Susan couldn't help giggling. “Is it mistyped letters and not putting through phone calls?”

“
All that and more. Changes to my calendar making me late for meetings, but nothing I can pin on her as deliberate. She's clever.”

“
You deserve it.”

“
Probably, but what gets me is of everyone Jacqui, was the most blasé about me explaining the 'relationships'. It's her sister that's taken umbrage. It's been a hard couple of days, I'm telling you.”

“
What about Jasmine, the gym junkie?”

“
She wasn't pleased. And you can sit there smirking, but she knew exactly what initiated the change of affairs. Keep an eye for a knife in your back next time you're on the rowing machine. Mikaylah was outrageous. She went from screaming and ranting, to crying and proclaiming her undying love. I was getting drunk dialed. She tried to get into the building where my apartment is. I found her terrorizing the doormen last night. Mikaylah's young. Early twenties. She parties hard. She was definitely on something, because she was exceedingly violent and aggressive. It was ugly. Security wanted to call the police; I insisted on an ambulance. I stayed with her, but she's pretty hard-core with the clubbing and takes a lot of illegal substances to get her through her nine to five job. After they sedated her, I talked about funding her rehab but the offer set her off onto the misguided pursuit of true love and me.”

“
That's not so funny. How'd you leave it?”

“
I thought about what I'd want someone to do if Imogen was in the same situation. It was a tough call to make, but I rang her parents. Filled them in on their daughter and her habits. Explained my infrequent hookups and said if they needed any financial assistance to call me.”

“
Those are the actions of a caring friend.”

“
I think what makes a good friend is taking the time to get to know the person whose company you enjoy. Learn what you can about them to understand them. I didn't do that. I clicked with them and let nature run its course. I was completely in the moment, which a lot of Eastern philosophies claim is Zen, but I think knowing someone's past can make you a better friend. I'm not sure about love at first sight. I think you have to invest time in a person to love them. I thought I did love in my way, but it was an affection. It couldn't be true love because I didn't know Liz was a weeping willow; I had no idea Jasmine was a vindictive bitch; I didn't have a clue that Jacqui's sister, my PA, was a psycho—they’re twins how different can they be?— and I had no notion that Mikaylah had serious problems.”

Why does he have to mean what he's saying? wondered Susan. Why sit there as though he's learned something or has a modicum of self-awareness? Why look at me as though my approval might mean something to him?

“
Something virtuous came out of it then. A lesson was learned.”

“
True. My flat is so empty though.”

Cynicism crept into Susan's mind. I knew it was only a matter of time before the real Rupert came out. He's got all the right words to perform as a romantic lead. Mr. Locke-Smythe is nothing more than a repressed actor at heart.

Pleased her assumptions about Rupert were right, Susan sipped her champagne feeling less guilty about her devious plan.

“
Are you seeking company then, Rupert?”

“
Not in the way you're thinking. I kind of miss Imogen, if I'm honest. She was always at my flat. It seems now she's always at Hank's.”

It was not the response Susan was hoping for. Rupert Locke-Smythe gets lonely for company. Rupert actually has strong feelings for someone other than himself. Did I ever see a sign of that at high school? Pushing her shrimp salad around her plate, she tried thinking of the past, thinking of the hurt and pain of catching Rupert and Nikki.

“
The food not up to scratch?”

“
Sorry, the food is divine. I was lost in thought. Thinking of you in your empty flat. I feel the same. My cast-mates, the lead roles from the London production, were all imported and we live on the same block, but settling in with a new cast and crew is unsettling and unfamiliar. In London we all knew each other. I know the same will happen here, but that bond takes time to develop. I feel lonely too.”

“
Perhaps we're old conservatives like our teachers back at Brighton College, who we thought were mundane and banal with their family units, family homes and family activities. God, I thought them so boring. Thinking what an unrewarding life they had. You'd think with billions in the bank and a flourishing career in law, my lifestyle would easily surpass anyone on a teacher's salary, but I'm not sure. Without Imogen there's a real void in life.”

“
I never realized how close you two were. I didn't know you'd traveled out here together.”

“
Yeah. I couldn't leave her behind. She's my best friend. Plus, no one takes better care of her than me.”

“
Not even Hank?”

Rupert took his napkin to dab his mouth. Scratching his chin, Susan was drawn to the stubble on his jaw-line that accentuated his masculinity.

“
If he makes her happy, as an American football star, I can't say no. He's built like a brick wall. I'd never have pictured her for falling like someone like him.”

“
He's not good-looking enough?”

“
Let's face it. He's no stunner. She could have her pick of any man. Yet it's him she's spending her time with.”