Seducing His Heart (26 page)

Pride filled Bess’s
heart.
He’s incredible. What a story.
Delivered it all perfectly.

As the women were cleaning up, they asked
about Terry.

“
So, he left you in
danger, but then you found the notebook, and now you’re safe?”
Brooke raised an eyebrow.

“
Something like that.”
Bess covered the leftover meatloaf.

“
And you decided, right
now, to give it to Whit?” Miranda stopped and looked at
her.

“
Okay, okay. It sounds
fishy. I can’t talk about what happened. I’m grateful the notebook
is with the police and not in my apartment anymore.”

“
Whit looked like a hero,”
Rory said.

“
He is. He’s my
hero.”

The women froze. They stared at Bess. Heat
rose to her cheeks.

“
What?”

“
Whit belongs to you? I
thought he’d never belong to any woman?” Brooke asked.

Bess didn’t answer. She tucked the
containers of leftovers in the refrigerator.

“
Whit, Mr. No Commit, is
the love of your life?” Miranda cocked an eyebrow at
Bess.

“
Bess, you didn’t fall for
him, did you?” Rory chimed in.

Unable to avoid their questions, she turned
to face them. “Well, maybe. A little. I mean when someone’s done
what he’s done for me…”

“
He got you a job, after
losing yours in the first place,” Miranda said.

“
It’s the house. It’s…it’s
more than that.”

“
It’s sex, right?” Brooke
stared at Bess.

Bess sensed an increase in the heat in her
cheeks. “That…and other things.”

“
Are you going to get
hurt? Please, Bess. I don’t want you to get hurt,” Rory
said.

“
You said it was fun and
games with him. Nothing more,” Brooke said.

“
I lied. I know I’m
probably in trouble, but I can’t help it. He’s…amazing. And it’s
too late. I’m already in love,” Bess said.

Joy seeped out of the
celebration as each friend expressed her doubts about Whit. Bess
defended him until she couldn’t.
They’re
right. I’m probably on the road to disaster, but I can’t stop. I
love him.

The knock on her door at eleven pulled her
from her bed. Yawning, she opened the door to a triumphant Whit. He
held a bottle of champagne and wore a wicked grin. “Did you see it?
Did you see the broadcast?”

She nodded, rubbing her eyes.

“
The whole city is talking
about it. I had several phone interviews with newspapers. That’s
why I’m so late. You were in bed?”

“
Been a long
day.”

“
Damn. I wanted to
celebrate.” Whit put the bubbly in the fridge. “We can wait until
tomorrow.” He kissed her. “And it’s all due to you. How can I ever
thank you?”

“
You’ve saved me from
those bad guys. No thanks necessary. I’m going back to bed. Care to
join me?”

Whit pulled on his tie and followed her.
Once in bed, they snuggled together.

“
I want to take you out to
a fancy dinner tomorrow. We can celebrate my story and your new
job.”

“
Sounds good,” Bess said,
the warmth of his body lulling her to sleep.

“
I have something to tell
you, too,” he whispered.

“
Fine,” she
muttered.
Oh my God. He’s going to
propose!
She smiled once before she was
asleep.

* * * *

Bess tore her closet
apart, looking for the perfect outfit.
What does someone wear when a marriage proposal is on the
menu?
She was so excited she couldn’t keep
still.

The early morning meeting
had gone well. Sam had been curt to the point of rude, but she had
approved Bess’s ideas.
I’ll have to get
used to her style.
Her new producer didn’t
know much about cooking, but he knew about ratings and advertising.
They had given her the green light to hire Ned, who had been
thrilled at the news.

Whit’s marriage proposal
would be the whipped cream, the hot fudge sauce, and the cherry on
the sundae of her life. She paced, trying to calm herself. She
spied a teal blue, scoop-necked dress.
Perfect!

After selecting gold
jewelry, she ran a bubble bath.
Grandma’s
gold watch. Aunt Delia’s earrings and matching necklace.
By seven thirty, she was ready. She called down
to Crash to hail a cab for her. She was meeting Whit at Belle
Culottes, a pricey French restaurant on West
55
^th
Street, at eight o’clock, and she didn’t want to be
late.

Wine!
She poured a half-glass of wine and downed it quickly, hoping
it would settle her nerves.
It’s not every
day a woman receives a marriage proposal from the man of her
dreams. I’ve got a right to be nervous.

She slipped into the
waiting taxi. Always careful with money, Bess had been dying to try
the food at Belle Culottes, but didn’t because it was expensive.
Her mind raced, wondering what was on the menu. Her stomach
growled. She’d been too jumpy for lunch.
Something delicious and French. Hmm, lamb? Whit? Food,
girl.
She giggled in the backseat as the
vehicle cut through the late, rush-hour traffic.

The doorman at the restaurant opened the
door and gave a short bow. She mentioned Whit’s name to the Maître
d’ and was shown to a table in a quiet corner. Whit was waiting. A
bottle of Moet et Chandon was chilling in a silver ice bucket.
Butterflies invaded her stomach.

“
You look gorgeous,” he
said.

She smiled, too excited to speak.

“
Champagne?”

She nodded, watching the waiter fill two
flutes.

Whit raised his in a toast. “To a wonderful
life.”

Bess cocked her head
slightly.
Not exactly the toast I was
expecting.

“
This is the perfect time
for both of us. You’re starting a new career in the big-time at
Eagle, and I’m following a new path, myself.”

Marriage. Got it.
Right.
She grinned at him.

He looked down before making eye contact
with her. Something in his expression made her appetite go south.
He took both her hands in his. “I’ve been searching for a way to
say this…”

A tightness gathered in
her chest.
Ask me! Ask me!

“
I suppose there’s no easy
way. Kinda like ripping a bandage off. Gotta pull and it only
stings for a second.”

Sweat gathered under her
arms. The constriction in her throat choked back words.
No easy way? Bandage? Sting? Can proposing be
that difficult?

“
Bess…” he began then
hesitated.

“
Yes?” All she could hear
was the loud thumping of her heart.

“
I don’t know how to say
this.”

“
Spit it out.” Her
heartbeat doubled.

“
I got an opportunity…I
mean…I’m taking a new job.”

“
New job?” Her heartbeat
tripled.

“
I’m going to Asia to
write for
New York News
Review
.”

Her heart ran into a brick wall. Her throat
dried up like a worm on the pavement in the Caribbean sun. Her mind
went blank.

“
I’m leaving in two weeks.
It’s sort of a dream of mine. To get away. Do something different.
Leave the usual behind.”

She stared at him with wide eyes.

“
I’ll miss you. We’re so
great together. But you know I don’t commit. I’ve always said that.
You’ve probably got some terrific guy in your back pocket, waiting
for me to move over and give him some space. If not, I hope you’ll
still want to see me when I get back.” His words sounded brave, but
his eyes looked worried.

Bess thought she’d gone deaf. All she heard
was blah, blah, blah…“going to Asia” and, blah, blah…“leave you.”
Emotion pushed up against the wall of her chest, but she shoved it
down. Her hands twisted the cloth napkin, and her breathing came in
short spurts. She stared into space, feeling the blood drain from
her face.

“
Bess?”

She rolled her gaze back
to his.
He looks pale.

“
Are you all right?” He
peered into her eyes. “Do you want some water?”

As quickly as it shut off,
her mind flipped back on.
Get out of here.
Now. Leave.
She put her hands on the table
and braced herself. “I don’t feel good. I’m going home.”

“
What? Bess? Are you
okay?”

“
No, I’m not.” She felt
his hand at her elbow. His eyebrows were knitted. “I’m going home.”
Uncertain if her knees would hold her, she stood, her fingers
gripping the chair back.

“
Let me settle up for the
champagne, and I’ll take you.”

She touched his forearm.
“I’d rather go alone.” The wall in her chest cracked bit by
bit.
Get out now, while you’re holding it
together.
Emotion seeped through the
cracks and oozed its way up her body, landing first in her stomach
then continuing north.

“
I can’t let you go like
this. Are you sick?”

“
I’m fine. I’m going.” She
moved in slow motion, picking up her coat. “Goodbye,
Whit.”

He rose from the table, still holding her
elbow. She ripped her arm from him, took a huge, shuddering breath,
and headed for the door.

“
Wait! Bess! I’ll only be
a moment.” But she kept going.

The doorman smiled. “Taxi, miss?”

She nodded. Her mind
blanked out as she rode home. Once inside the house, she was
greeted by the pugs. Bess went into the bedroom, peeled off her
fancy outfit, and slipped naked into bed.
I’m a stupid fool.
Tears pushed
through. She buried her face in her pillow.

Some time later, the dogs began to bark. She
raised her head and heard the pounding and her name being called.
After donning a robe, she padded to the kitchen. She attached
Homer’s leash and took him to the front of the apartment.

“
Bess! Open up! Come on.
Please?”

She opened the door and put Homer in Whit’s
arms. As she closed it, he put his foot in the way.

“
Wait! Please. Can we
talk?”

“
There’s nothing to talk
about. You’re going to Asia. That’s that. Here’s your dog. I wish
you luck.” She concentrated on her breathing.

“
Wait! I don’t want to
part like this.”

“
Oh? And the dinner was to
let me down easy? I’ve saved you a big tab. You’ve let me down
without the dinner. Let’s call it over, okay?”

“
Not okay. I don’t want to
never see you again.”

“
You’re going to be pretty
far away for a quick dinner out, Whit.”

“
Look, I thought we were
on the same page. A terrific affair, but one with no
future.”

“
You made that very clear
from the beginning. So, now it’s over. Goodbye.”

She slammed the door and locked it. Her
heart hurt. Every part of her body ached. She threw on sweats and
leashed Dumpling. When Whit left the hall, she tiptoed to the
elevator and walked her pug through the bitter cold to the edge of
the park. It was dark by the playground. She sank down on a bench
and let out the emotion that could no longer be contained. She
sobbed, causing Dumpling to bark.

As soon as she could stop, she hurried back
to the building, hiding her tear-stained face from Crash. The heat
of his concerned expression penetrated her.

“
Did that asshole break
your heart, Miss Bess?”

She couldn’t look at him and didn’t answer.
Dumpling stopped to be petted. Bess jerked on the leash. “Come on,
girl.” When she raised her gaze, Crash met hers. The knowing look
on his face sent shame through her. She picked up her dog and
headed for the elevator.

Once the pug had received her treat and was
unleashed, Bess broke down again. She cried so hard she threw up,
running into the bathroom. She hung over the toilet bowl, like a
drunk, sobbing and puking. Dumpling curled up outside the door.

After fifteen minutes, she stood up, washed,
and went to bed. Her mind shut down, welcoming sleep. Bess was out
cold until morning.

Chapter
Fourteen

Even with Pick’s help, Whit had a ton to do.
There were Visa’s to worry about, travel and living expenses to
hash out with the publisher, and his broadcast to continue,
especially the police corruption investigation.

Even so, the next morning
as he leased Homer for a walk before work, he thought of Bess.
Their paths had not crossed yet that day, but Whit made a mental
note to send flowers.
Roses. A dozen. Red.
Maybe pink.

On the way out the door, Crash grabbed him
by the lapels.

“
You broke her heart. You
piece a shit. I’d like to mess up that pretty face of
yours.”

“
What? What are you
talking about?”

“
Don’t give me that crap.
You know damn well. You broke Miss Bess’s heart. Asshole.” Crash
let go and opened the door to admit another resident.