The Adventurer (6 page)

Devon stepped inside and inspected her eclectic decor with an expression of disbelief that would have been comical had Jessica not been so embarrassed.

She sighed. “Not what you expected? “

“Hardly. ” He frowned at the vintage dinette, a chrome stripped hangover from the 1950s. “It’s almost an antique, ” she explained. “In a few decades , those vinyl chairs will be worth a fortune. “

The corner of his mouth tilted in a quirky half smile. “

“If you say so. ” Moistening her lips, she backed awkwardly toward her bedroom, acutely aware that she hadn’t so much as fluffed the pillows on her unmade bed.

“You can see the ocean from the balcony. I’ll, uh, be right back. “

With that, she ducked into her bedroom and shut the door before he got a glimpse of the mess inside. Sighing, she glanced around the disheveled room. A pile of clothing had been heaped over the chair that served as a laundry hamper Her dresser was covered by loose change, costume jewelry and an untidy assortment of cologne bottles. A silky hunk of satin protruded from a nearly closed drawer. All in all, it looked like the result of a bomb blast. She’d planned to tidy up later. Of course, it always seemed like housecleaning was more plan than action. She’d never been particularly meticulous about such things, although before illness had sapped her strength she’d certainly done a better job of shoveling away the biggest chunks of clutter. Since she rarely had company, there hadn’t been much incentive to exert herself. Now Devon was in her tacky living room, probably wondering how anyone could live in such a pigsty. Swallowing her humiliation, Jessica reminded herself that all the man wanted was a bandage. It wasn’t her job to impress him, or anyone else, for that matter. She lived the way she lived. If he didn’t like that, tough. Thus fortified, she went into the bathroom, wincing at the intimate display of lingerie draped over the shower rod. She cleared a spot on the littered vanity and rifled through her well-stocked medicine cabinet.

A few minutes later she returned to the living room with the supplies.

The French doors were open and Devon stood in the doorway with one foot on the balcony.

He looked up as she entered the room. “You’re right. The view is great.

“That’s why I bought the place. ” She set the first-aid supplies on the counter, grateful that a pile of dirty dishes were concealed in the dishwasher instead of heaped in the sink. After closing the balcony doors, Devon joined her in the kitchen. “I like your place. It’s… cozy. ” Aware that he was watching her closely, Jessica avoided his gaze as she carefully removed the saturated tissues and held his hand under a thin stream of lukewarm water. If he was waiting for an explanation as to why a pricy penthouse was furnished with Goodwill discards, he’d be sadly disappointed Her financial situation, like her personal life, was nobody’s business but her own. The pipes rattled as she turned off the faucet with more force than necessary. Without a word, she grabbed a clean towel and dried his injured hand. His fingers were lean and strong, with clean, well-groomed nails and a faint wisp of dark hair accentuating each knuckle. It was a handsome hand, rugged, tanned, exquisitely masculine. Gracious, it was warm in here. She wiped a forearm across her moist brow then inspected his palm. The jagged cut was about an inch long, extending from the base of his thumb into the fleshy webbing. “This will heal better with a butterfly bandage. “

With his head bent forward, his breath warmed the top of her head.

“You’re the doctor, ” he said softly. She issued a jerky nod then snatched up a tube of anti biotic ointment and went to work. When she’d finished, he held up his bandaged hand and flexed his fingers.

“As field triage goes, this would definitely pass muster. “

“You’re too kind. ” ‘ Smiling, he glanced around the kitchen. His gaze lingered on the electric coffee machine beside a black glass cooking top. “Say, didn’t you mention something about making coffee? ” Jessica fidgeted, increasingly uncomfortable with his nearness and her own peculiar reaction to it. “I may have to give you a rain check on that”

He pursed his lips, regarding her thoughtfully. “Have I upset you? “

Yes, she thought miserably, but not the way you think. “Not at all. ” Sidling a safe distance away, she casually gestured toward the blinking light on her telephone answering machine. ” It’s just that I should return Crandall’s call. “

The excuse was as lame as a three-legged mule and they both knew it.

Fortunately, Devon proved himself too much of a gentlemen to call her on it.

“All right, ” he said pleasantly”

“Another time. ” “Yes. ” She clasped her hands together and followed him to the front door.

“I’ll look forward to it. “

He opened the door and hesitated. Jessica held her breath. Finally, he lifted his bandaged hand and said, “

“Thanks again. “

She exhaled all at once. “You’re welcome!”

He touched two fingers to his forehead, spun on his heel and was gone.

Trembling, Jessica closed the door and sagged against the jamb, wondering what on earth had come over her. She glanced at her watch. Since her next dose of medicine wasn’t due for hours, that obviously wasn’t the reason for her sudden weakness. Changing spark plugs hadn’t been strenuous enough to account for her physical symptoms and the minor chore certainly had nothing to do with the erotic images flashing through her troubled mind. Cooling her fare with her palms, she issued a lusty sigh and returned to the kitchen, realizing that life would have been a whole lot easier if her boss’s son had turned out to be a real dog.

She shook off the distracting thought and pushed the Message button.

Crandall’s voice boomed out of the machine’ Jessica Pick up.. Are you there? Dammit. ” Click. The tape whirred into another message. “Jessica? Call me at the hospital. It’s important. ” Click. Whir. “Where are you, Jessica? Why haven’t you called back? If I don’t hear from you in fifteen minutes-” The worry in Crandall’s voice stabbed her like a guilty sword. She couldn’t stand to hear another word and pressed the Next Message button. “It’s been fifteen minutes, Jessi-” g She hit the button and was startled by her stepfather’s soft voice. “Hello, sweetheart. Give me a call when you can. We have to… make arrangements. ” ‘ Gasping, Jessica quickly shut off the machine. Her blood ran like ice in her veins. Dear God, it was time. She’d have to go home soon. And that scared her to death.

Chapter Three.

Devon drove directly from Jessica’s place to the hospital. He found Crandall sitting up in bed, calmly studying what appeared to be a financial report and looking much stronger than he had yesterday afternoon. The IV tubes had been removed and much of the color had returned to Crandall’s ruddy complexion. Massively relieved by his father’s obvious improvement, Devon stepped inside the room and closed the door. “Since you’re not screaming at the 911 operator, I assume you’ve heard from Jessica. “

Crandall peered over his reading glasses. “

“Yes. She called a few moments ago. ” “Did she tell you that I found her in the parking lot with a wrench in her hand and grease on her nose? “

“Really? What on earth was she doing? “

Devon dropped his jacket on the tubular steel foot board and pulled up a chair. “Changing spark plugs. ” “Ah. ” Crandall nodded sagely, readjusted his glasses and returned his attention to the fat sheath of bound papers.

“You don’t seem surprised to hear that. “

“I’m not, actually. She repaired a forklift once. ” For some reason, that news wasn’t particularly shocking Devon was getting the idea that there was very little Jessica Newcomb couldn’t do if she put her mind to it.

“Don’t you have mechanics to handle that sort of thing?

“As I recall, the incident occurred after-hours. ” Still staring at the report in his lap, Crandall cleared his throat. “By the way, your efforts this morning were appreciated. “No problem. ” Devon leaned back in his chair and propped his ankle on his knee. ” “Since you expect her to be at your beck and call, I’m surprised you haven’t gotten her a beeper. ” Crandall’s bushy brows dipped in an irritable frown. “She refuses to use one. ” “Good for her. ” The more Devon learned about the elusive Jessica Newcomb, the more he liked her. “So, what was the emergency? “

The older man glanced up apprehensively. “Emergency ?”

“Yeah. Your call this morning sounded like a matter of life and death. ” “Oh. I, uh…” Crandall bought a moment by searching the cluttered nightstand for a pen. He plucked one from beside a boxed deck of cards, removed the cap and tediously fitted it over the plastic handle. Only when the writing instrument was poised over the paper did he brusquely respond to his son’s query. “I needed a file from the office. ” “A file, ” Devon repeated dumbly. “You dragged me out of bed to chase down a woman on her day off so she could bring you a lousy file. ” The pen tapped a nervous cadence on the crisp white margin. “All of my executives are brilliant, effective and extremely well paid. They understand, as you apparently do not, the competitive demands of a global economy. ” “So that gives you the right to work people into the grave and turn a vibrant, beautiful woman into an exhausted shell? ” Crandall threw the pen into the folds of the report and slammed the cover shut. ” “It gives me the right to expect excellence and loyalty, two more terms with which you are evidently unfamiliar. ” Stung, Devon leapt to his feet and lashed out in anger. “What the hell would you know about loyalty? You’ve never pledged allegiance to anyone but yourself and your unending pursuit of the almighty dollar. ” “Those dollars bought you the fanciest clothes and the finest schools, ” Crandall snapped. “And you took it all, soaked up luxuries like an ungrateful sponge then refused to give anything back. ” “I refused to become your clone, if that’s what you mean. ” The memory of his father’s previous manipulation throbbed like a raw nerve. Two years ago, when Devon had turned down his offer of an executive position with the company, Crandall had secretly informed the Associated Press that their prized correspondent was burned out and emotionally unstable. The underhanded ploy hadn’t succeeded, of course, but Devon had been infuriated by the attempt. “That still galls you, doesn’t it? You can’t stand the fact that after pulling every devious trick in the book, you still couldn’t break me, couldn’t get want you wanted. ” Leaning back into the pillows, Crandall emitted a snort of disgust. “I offered you a future. “

“Bull, ” Devon snapped. “You tried to destroy my career”

“That career nearly killed you! What was I supposed to do when my only son comes home with a bullet in his gut and a leg full of shrapnel? ” Frustrated, Crandall raked his fingers through hair that was still as thick and dark as was his son’s. “There’s no reasoning with you. You’re just like your mother. ” The comment struck with the force of a fist. Then an image floated through Devon’s mind, a vision of the smiling, blue-eyed woman that he’d seen only in photographs. He swallowed a sudden lump and spoke softly.

“I wouldn’t know. “

Crandall looked away. “No, you wouldn’t. ” Balling his fists into painful knots, Devon stared out the window, stifled by silent recrimination. All he knew about his mother was that she’d been young and beautiful and that she’d died giving him life. Although Crandall had never directly blamed his son, the resentment had been reflected in every frigid look, every stinging word. As a child, Devon had guilelessly knelt beside his bed asking God to return his mother and take him instead. He’d thought it a fair trade, one that would make his father smile again. Apparently the Almighty hadn’t agreed because Devon had always awakened each morning, disappointed and besieged by shame.

That shame had never gone away.

Sighing, Devon gazed out from the tenth-story vantage point absently watching miniature cars moving along a distant freeway, and trying to ignore the palpable tension that always existed when he and his father were in the same room. It seemed that they were bound only by blood, sharing nothing except common ancestry and bitter memories. But Devon was tired of the pain and anger. Life was too short. So he pushed the hurt aside and changed subjects. “I hear you’re going to be released on Monday. ” “IYS about time, ” came the peevish reply. “The production schedules are already a week behind. “

Devon glanced over his shoulder. “

“You do realize that it’ll be a few weeks before you can go back to the office. ” “In a few weeks I’ll be bankrupt. ” Crandall’s jaw set into a stubborn line. ” I’ve got a business to run. ” The idiotic rationale set Devon’s teeth on edge. “And who do you suppose is going to run the damned company after you’ve worked yourself into a massive coronary-those brilliant executives you keep bragging about? ” “What difference does it make? ” Crandall flung the report onto the nightstand and sent an empty plastic water glass and the box of cards clattering to the floor. “You sure don’t give a damn” Devon spun away from the window, his voice rising to a shout. “If that’s what you think, then what in hell am I doing here? ” “I didn’t ask you to come. ” Crandall, too, was shouting. He leaned forward in bed, his puffy face growing redder by the minute. “Go back to the career that means so damned much to you. You’re not needed here. ” “Yeah. I can see that. ” Snatching his jacket, Devon strode furiously to the door but as he grabbed the knob, an echo from the past whispered in the back of his mind. I didn’t ask you to come back. ! I don’t need you.. ! I don’t need anybody.. !

Devon remembered the moment as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.

He’d been studying in the dorm room with Larkin and Roberto when one of the vicechancellors had shown up. Devon had been told to pack his things. Fifteen minutes later, he’d been marched to the administrative office to face the father he hadn’t seen in months. Crandall had pinned him with frigid eyes. “My son the car thief. How proud you make me. ” Deep inside, Devon had been shattered by his father’s contempt but had long ago learned that displaying weakness was a fatal flaw. Besides, Crandall’s fury had hardly been unexpected. After all, a man without anger doesn’t abandon his son to a state lockup for three months. So Devon merely lifted his chin and held his father’s cold gaze with one of defiance and said nothing. After a moment , Crandall emitted a scornful snort and strode to the door, holding it open. “Hurry up, ” he growled. “I’ve just spent twelve hours on an airplane. I’m hot, I’m tired and I’m definitely not in the mood to indulge a dawdling child. ” ‘ Devon followed without remarking that he was no longer a child. He’d tasted terror; he’d seen death. He was a man now. A cowardly man. The drive to Bel-Aire was a silent one. Only when the big Cadillac pulled into the gated drive did Crandall announce that Aunt Emmaline would not be there to greet them. “Your aunt has been relieved of her guardianship responsibilities, ” Crandall told him. “Please don’t delude yourself into the mistaken belief that you can continue to run wild in the streets. The new housekeeper has been instructed to keep me apprised of your every move. ” With a stoic shrug, the sullen twelve-year-old conveyed that he couldn’t have cared less. Besides, he’d always disliked his Aunt Emmaline, who found caring for her nephew to be a bothersome, albeit lucrative, lifestyle interruption. Devon doubted the new woman would be an improvement. It didn’t matter one way or the other. Devon didn’t care about anything anymore. He was dead inside. The moment Devon stepped into the house, he was swept up in a pair of strong, loving arms. “Gott im Himmel! What a handsome boy you are!” Startled, he dropped the small suitcase he’d been carrying , pushed frantically away and stumbled backward, gaping at the brick of a woman whose bright blue eyes reflected sudden bewilderment. “Forgive me. I forget my place. ” Tossing the fat ecru braid back over her shoulder, the woman managed an awkward curtsy and respectfully bowed her head as Crandall entered the foyer. “This is Gunda Meineke, ” he told Devon brusquely. ” Make no mistake, she is quite capable of making you tow the line. Isn’t that right, Gunda? “