The Way You Make Me Feel (11 page)

“Then we'll just have to live with that. Listen, honey, I want to place a conference call to my family.”

“We have time before dinner.”

“I'll set it up.”

“You'll do no such thing. I'm going to be your wife and helpmate. I can certainly set up a call for you.”

He kissed the tips of her fingers. “I'm going to drive you crazy with kissing you every chance I get. And it isn't fair to you or me. I just can't help myself.” Grinning, he began to hum that old country hit, “I Want to Kiss You All Over.” And Stevie blushed all over.

She got busy setting up the call from his address book. When it was done, there was only one family member left—his twin, Dosha. They would call her last because the time difference was such that she and her husband, Christian, wouldn't be home until later. Damien's mother, Rispa's voice came on the line first. “Damien, what a lovely surprise. I've been thinking and dreaming about you. I dreamed you got married the other night.”

Damien laughed. “Mom, I want you to meet someone. Her name is Stevana Simms. She's a famous country singer and everyone calls her Stevie.”

“Oh yes, Stevie Simms. Honey, you know how crazy we are about country music and she's one of the best. We have her CDs. Hello, Stevie.”

“Hello, Mrs. Steele.”

“And say hello to Mel, that's me,” Damien's father cut in. “How are you, Stevie? Any friend of Damien's is a friend of ours.”

Damien introduced her to his two brothers, Marty, the oldest, a famous artist, and his wife, Caitlin, and to Adam, a D.C. police lieutenant, whose wife, Raven, was on assignment for the TV station where she was an investigative reporter.

“You certainly sound wonderful, Stevie,” Marty said. “Whatever did Damien do to deserve a friend like you?”

Stevie chuckled then. “I'm afraid the shoe is on the other foot. Do I deserve
him?
”

“Okay,” Damien said, “I got you all together to tell you that Stevie and I are getting married day after tomorrow on Diamond Point.”

“Oh, Damien, love,” Rispa cried. “We wanted to give you a big wedding. All the trimmings. But of course that's up to Stevie.”

Stevie thought of her own deceased mother and what she would have wanted. “This is my second marriage,” she said quietly. “I had a huge first wedding. Now I need something quieter. I can understand how you feel and I'm sorry.”

“Darling, you do what you have to do. I'm just so happy he's getting married, I'm crying,” Rispa assured her.

Congratulations tumbled over congratulations. Marty said, “You rascal. You waited all this time and you got somebody worth waiting for. I'm so happy for you. I know how I've teased you all this time. Maybe it drove you to do something about your single state.”

“Boy, I
feel
married already,” Damien told them. “You're gonna love Stevie and she'll love you.”

“We already love her, son,” Mel said. “Just the fact that she'll be your wife makes us love her.”

Adam's deep voice cut in, “Hey, I haven't said anything except to offer my congratulations. Just listening like the cop I am. Bro, you've always had my blessings. Have you talked with your twin?”

“Not yet. They'll be home by the time this call is finished.”

“Damien and Stevie,” a dulcet voice said, “this is Caitlin. You say you're getting married on Diamond Point. You will send lots of pictures? Marty and I were there last year. Next year we're taking our twins.”

Stevie laughed. “I've heard about your wonderful twins. Damien never tires of talking about when they were in their terrible twos. I've seen their photos and they're darling.”

“Yeah,” Marty cut in. “Get started. None of us is getting any younger.”

For a moment, Stevie drew shallow breaths. What would they say if they knew that Damien cared about her deeply, but was so shattered he couldn't love her? What if they knew this was a marriage not of convenience, because they enjoyed being with each other and fed each other's hunger, but that although they were good for each other, they weren't in love? At least, he wasn't. Her feelings for him were so deep she didn't see how it could not be love. Somehow, she didn't think the Steele family would understand. They seemed like a family of passionate lovers whose love ran to their bone marrow.

They talked then of Nubian Gold and Stevie's songs and singing. Proudly, Damien told them about the new song Stevie was writing that he was helping her with, and they were delighted.

“Now you
will
be home when you get back,” Rispa said.

“Yeah,” Damien replied. “I've got just one more little ax to grind after the wedding and we'll be there.”

“We're putting our heads together and we're coming up with something really good,” Mel told them. “Already my mind's working overtime. Boy, I love you both, and now
all
my kids're going to have the kind of life Rispa and I have. I couldn't wish a better life for anyone. We can't wait to meet you, Stevie.”

 

After they had hung up, Stevie turned to Damien. “They sound wonderful. I can see where you come from. Now on to Dosha and Christian.”

A surprised Dosha cried, then both Dosha and Christian congratulated Damien and Stevie.

“Another celebrity in the family,” Dosha said. “We've got Marty and now Stevie. You sound so good, Stevie. I've enjoyed your CDs. We were raised on country music and gospel.”

“Oh Lord,” Stevie said.

She wondered what Damien's family would think about her present predicament? Would any of the Steele daughters have married a man like Jake? She didn't think so. She'd been young, foolish, lonely and he'd simply swept her off her feet.

The way Honi had told Damien the island prime minister had swept her off her feet.

“H
ey, you two are full of surprises! Congratulations!”

Jessi, Nick, Rip and Mia were at the door and Jessi held a tall package wrapped in red foil. Nick and Jessi hugged Stevie and Damien. Mia clung to Stevie's legs, then Damien's, and Rip was every inch the fourteen-year-old man.

Mia stood wide-eyed and Stevie bent to her. “Love, you're silent today. What's with you?”

Mia shook her head, keeping her counsel. Then she suddenly smiled and her face lit up. “I love you,” she told Stevie who picked her up and hugged her tightly.

“And I love you.”

Rip extended his hand to Stevie. “I'm happy for you two,” he said. Stevie grabbed him and hugged him again.

“You couldn't say it better when you're twenty-five,” she told him. “How about a bite to eat? Mrs. Patton's in the kitchen preparing all kinds of delectable things.”

Jessi shook her head. “We ate early so we could get over here. He's having a good spell, so we left the club with Ron. We can only stay a little while, but we had to come. Oh Lord, this is the most wonderful news I've heard for some time.” She nodded at Stevie. “We'll have to have some girl talk.” She thrust the package at Stevie and grinned. “We brought you some of our choice bubbly. It's so old it probably came over on the
Mayflower.
” Damien and Stevie were all smiles.

“I'll go open it,” Damien said, and went out with the champagne.

“You've got it,” Stevie said, laughing. “In fact, we'll leave Nick with Damien and the kids and take our champagne upstairs since you don't have much time.”

The women stayed until Damien came back with a tray holding the champagne and glasses. They stood as Damien poured the flutes, with a little in a flute for Rip. Mia looked up at them, eager for attention.

“Hey, I didn't forget you,” Damien told her. “You got great Evian water.”

Nick picked Mia up and handed her a small glass and her chubby fingers closed around it. He cleared his throat as he picked up his champagne flute.

“My toast is that you live long in the world of happiness you now enjoy! Have a great marriage!”

The men and kids stayed in the family room while Stevie and Jessi climbed the stairs to Stevie's bedroom. Once there, Stevie grew serious. “We'll talk about us getting married, yes, but I want to open Bretta's little case and look at her jewelry. I started to do it this afternoon, but it just felt so lonely. After you called I thought I'd wait until you got here.”

Jessi only nodded. Stevie went to the closet and got the case, put it on the bed and opened it. The light from some of the jewels sparkled as Stevie took the pieces from their chamois covers and leather boxes.

“The sapphire bracelet you gave her for her last birthday,” Jessi said, naming some of the jewels. “The diamond studs she bought herself just as a feel-good present.” Jessi sighed. “I put her engagement and wedding rings in the bank vault, but I knew you'd want to see them. I thought I'd let you decide. All this is yours and when you get around to looking in the vault, any other pieces you'd like to have.”

A lump lodged in Stevie's throat, and for a moment she couldn't speak to say thank-you. Then she found her voice and expressed her appreciation. “Have you heard of any progress on Bretta's case?” she asked Jessi. “I talk with Detective Rollins from time to time, saw him this morning, in fact, but he said nothing about it. He was called away on a shooting.”

“Everybody's got a gun,” Jessi said bitterly. “No, I've heard nothing. I'm just praying this doesn't go into a cold case. Police say the best cases are solved in forty-eight hours. Then the trail begins to cool, evidence begins to get lost.”

Stevie nodded. “Having Bretta's jewelry seems to help me. I'll be taking it out and looking at it from time to time. We're leaving for Diamond Point Sunday morning. Damien's made arrangements for me to pick up wedding finery there, and we'll be married the same day. He knows all kinds of people there. We'll only be gone for a few days. He has a series of production meetings for a young singer Nubian Gold's promoting, so we have to get back.”

Stevie hugged herself. “Jessi, this seems like a dream, a wonderful, delicious dream. Lord, if only Bretta could share this.”

Jessi nodded and smiled at her friend. “Damien's eyes light up when you're around. He's a man in love, my girl, and don't you forget it.”

Stevie couldn't talk about it to just anybody. Bretta would have understood, and she could say to Jessi, “Damien's afraid of love just like I'm afraid of love. We need each other and we're hungry for children and companionship. Can it work, Jessi? I'm praying that it can.”

Jessi studied Stevie a few minutes before she said slowly, “You're both the most levelheaded people I know and the most loving. And you know, I think you're both on the edge of love—dipping your toes in the ocean, so to speak. One day I predict you'll dive in.”

But Stevie thought Jessi didn't know Damien the way she did. She hadn't watched him falling apart, wanting to die and thinking about bringing that desire to fruition. She could understand his fear of love. And was her fear any less? Jake had used her, abused her, come close to destroying all the passion she had felt for life when she met him. He had succeeded in making her feel ashamed of her sexuality that helped make life worth living. If Damien did nothing else, he had succeeded so quickly in bringing her back to being on the way to feeling whole again.

“What's that wonderful smell?” Jessi lifted her chin and inhaled deeply.

“Mrs. Patton likes plenty of vanilla beans when she cooks fruit pies and she's making fresh apple pies. She has three, so there's plenty for you to have some.”

“Oh, love, I wish we had time, but we've got to get back. You know tonight's a big night. We have a name combo coming in for the next three nights. You know Nick Redmond.”

“I have to say I do remember him and his family. If I weren't going to be here I'd be there all three nights. Please give him my best regards. Him, Janet and the anklebiter.”

Jessi nodded. “I'll do that.”

“I'm going to pack a pie for you to take with you. They're too good to pass up and Rip could eat a whole one by himself.”

“Girl, you're not kidding. That boy has to have elephant blood the way he eats. We tell him he's eating himself out of house, home and college. You tell me your memory's returning fast,” Jessi said. “Anything spectacular lately?”

“No, nothing spectacular. Things just come in. I didn't remember an hour ago and I do suddenly. Dr. Winslow says it works differently for different people. He and Damien are so pleased.” Her face clouded then. “I've asked Dr. Winslow this question and we can't find an answer. Why do you think I'm afraid I'll be killed if I remember just that small—well, that block of time with the orange-red ball? I say
small
—it could be five minutes, an hour, a day…”

Jessi nodded sympathetically. “That part worries me all right. I'm glad you have Damien and that Detective Rollins is checking on you. Keith and Jake are scoundrels, not fools.”

Stevie sniffed. “Being a scoundrel never stopped anyone from also being a fool.”

They looked at the other pieces of jewelry and commented on them. But it was a yellow diamond ring that brought tears to both their eyes.

“Bretta bought this when she thought she was pregnant while she was still married to Keith. She was so happy…” Stevie's face was sad, remembering. “She wasn't pregnant and she cried for a long time in my arms. How could anyone have killed her?”

“God knows, she was happy seldom enough when she was married to that bum. Has he given you any more trouble?”

“Not that I'm certain of.” Stevie told her about the note on Damien's lawn. “It could be Keith, but Jake was furious last night. Either man's enough of an ass to do it. Keith's going to strike back in some way, I'm sure of it.
If looks could kill
applies to him or Jake.”

“Well, both men are in the crosshairs of the law. If Keith doesn't watch it, he could go back to prison for parole violation.” Jessi was indignant at the thought of anything bad happening to Stevie.

“I'd sure sleep a lot better with both of them somewhere else,” Stevie said heatedly.

Jessi stretched, preparatory to getting ready to collect her family and leave. “When you get back, there'll be the prettiest wedding present you ever saw. You and Damien. A marriage straight from heaven. You're both getting your just deserts.”

 

After dinner, Damien and Stevie went back to the family room with a piece of spicy apple pie. “Now this is the last word in delectable,” Damien said, then eyed her with a look of lust. “Except for you, of course.” He was teasing and he wasn't teasing.

They finished their pie and Stevie took the dishes back to the kitchen, then returned to the room where Damien lay sprawled on the sofa. She sat at the end and had him settle so that his head was in her lap.

“You know,” he said, “I'm remembering your wedding.”

“Ugh. Let's talk of pleasant things.”

“You were so happy riding on the crest of fame. Jake watched you like you were the Koh-i-noor diamond and every man there was trying to steal you. I winked at you from a short distance away and you blushed and winked back. Ah, Stevie, you looked good enough to eat. Honi and I were in seventh heaven there together. She saw us wink at each other and got mad, said I was a woman-chasing dog and I saw Jake scowl at you.

“You had recorded some of our best songs and I was happy for you. Publicists had long labeled you the Queen of Passion and you were setting the world on fire. Fans were devouring you with their presence. And his response to that double wink told me that Jake was the wrong man for you. You have a passionate soul, Stevie. It's part of who you are. I knew you well enough, but not the way I came to know you when you helped me through the days and nights…”

Stevie closed her eyes, and scene after scene of her wedding night and the reception flashed back. It wasn't bad enough to have post-traumatic stress disorder, but the memories shook her as Jake had shaken her afterwards at their huge house.

“You little bitch,” he'd raged in their bedroom. “Am I gonna have to see half the men in Nashville coming on to you? You and Steele winking at each other. You don't record for me—you record for him. Is fooling around the reason?”

She'd tried to remain calm, but she'd been furious—and scared of his brutishness.

“I don't do your type of song and you know it. My songs are tender and Murder In Your Face doesn't do tender. Damien and I are professional colleagues and friends. He's given me a world of publicity and help.”

“Hell, I'm going to pour money into your publicity the way you never dreamed. You're my wife now and you're going to get everything my money can buy. Did you and Steele sleep together?”

“No!” She had been astonished. They'd never even kissed.

“You're probably lying. Women are big liars. They don't call you the Queen of Passion for nothing. You know something, I'm gonna play that line to the hilt. But you're gonna be all mine. I catch you with another man, you'll be pushing up a whole field of daisies.”

The threats had cooled any ardor she might have felt for him. And Jake had been too drunk to notice she didn't respond on her wedding night.

He'd drawn her close then, but she was cool in his arms. “You know something,” he'd repeated. “If I ever catch you with Steele or any other man, you're gonna be dead meat and I'll go scot-free. I hate Steele and I don't want you even looking at him.”

“I record for Nubian Gold, remember.” She had been calm then. He wasn't going to own her.

“Yeah, and maybe we'll be changing that.”

She had dug in then. She was going to continue recording for Nubian Gold, even if it meant divorcing Jake after a very brief marriage. She was on top and she meant to stay there.

“Honey,” she said quietly now.

“Yeah, babe?”

“I remember my wedding night. All of it.”

That night Jake had grown contrite, had gone on his knees and cried, apologizing to her for his behavior. And he'd done this for well over a year until she'd grown sick of him and filed for divorce.

It took a minute for her words to sink in. Her entire wedding night. That was quite a block of time.

“And I remember other things about my marriage to Jake. I would have stayed longer, but he got more abusive and threatened more and more to kill me. I wasn't going to take that.”

He sat up and hugged her. “Baby, baby,” he whispered with moisture in his eyes. He wanted her to remember her entire past, but he knew the fear that paralyzed her when she got to the scene that proved so terrifying.

 

Later that night after Stevie had gotten in bed, Damien came into her room and sat on the edge of the bed. Stevie touched his thigh.