Текст книги "Lunch at the Club"

Автор книги: Kate Kane

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Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 11 страниц)

Chapter 24

Some play football

They missed the kickoff and had some trouble finding seats.  Jamie played offense and luckily the other team had first possession so they hadn’t missed any of Jamie’s time on the field.  Ben held her hand as they sat in the bleachers watching the game.

Ben’s cell phone vibrated against his waist.  He checked the caller id.  It was Jess.  He answered and started to walk down the steps toward someplace quiet where he could carry on a conversation.

“I know you’re at the game.  I called Mom, but I’m sure she couldn’t hear it ring.  Tell her I think the audition went really well and I should hear something next week.  I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Ben.” And he was listening to dead air.

He walked back to where Lane sat.  He leaned close and told her what Jess had said.  She picked up her purse and got her phone out.  Yes, there was a missed call.  She sent a text to Jess. “Keeping fingers crossed call u later.”

The game was a bit of a blow out, the Hawkettes winning by three touchdowns.  Ben held Lane’s hand as they walked toward the parking lot.  She leaned her head against his arm as they walked.  As they approached his Lincoln Navigator, they saw Jake and Meg across the lot.  Lane waved. Jake and Meg walked toward them.

“Jandy had a good game,” Jake said, and he and Ben began discussing the game in intricate detail.

Lane looked at Meg.  “So, what are your plans now?  Did y’all eat before the game?”

Meg shook her head.  “No, we were talking about pizza.  Jake said you used to have pizza every Friday night.”

Lane laughed.  “Yes, I’d clean out the fridge on Thursday, reheating all of the leftovers from the week.  Then on Friday we’d order pizza.  Habits are hard to break, I guess.”

“Well either that or it’s just an excuse to get pizza. I think we’re heading to Minsky’s”

It was date night and they should be spending the night alone, so Lane was surprised when Ben asked if she wanted to join Jake and Meg for pizza.  After she agreed, he pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to Jamie.  “Minskys pv.” He knew Jamie would probably have plans with friends, but he wanted to give the Bambino the chance to join them for pizza.

Ben helped Lane get into the SUV.  He walked around and got in himself.  After the interior lights had faded, he leaned over and kissed her.  “I love you.  I know it’s date night and we should be alone.  Do you mind joining the kids?”

She laughed.  “I don’t mind at all.  I like having the people I love around me.  Did you just text Jamie?”

He grinned.  “Yes.  He probably already has plans, but I thought I’d offer.”

It was Friday night and it was busy, but they didn’t have to wait too long for a table.  They ordered more pizza than four people would eat in one sitting.  If Jamie came alone, they’d probably be fine.  If he came with other players, they’d need more pizza.  If he ditched them, they’d have pizza to take home.

They were talking about Jess’s audition when they saw Jamie come in.  He appeared to be with another player and they both seemed to have dates.  Ben nodded the way men do at each other. The teenagers approached the table.  The football team hung out at the Parker house a lot, so Lane, Ben and Jake all knew Tyler.

“This is Ashley and Chloe.  This is my Mom, her fiancé Mr. Bellini, my brother Jake, his friend Meg.”  Jamie looked at Meg.  “Oh, Meg, this is my friend Tyler.”

Polite hellos were exchanged. Ben asked if the teenagers wanted to join them and the guys began looking for a table they could commandeer and move.

The girls were agog as they sat down.  They stared at Ben.  A month ago, Jamie had told Ben that he didn’t plan to get serious with anyone since he knew he was going away to college in a few months.  He’d also said he didn’t know any girl who was ready to be subjected to all of the Parkers, let alone the Bellinis.  But, he’d brought Chloe anyway and he watched as she stared at Ben.  He wasn’t sure if it was because she thought Ben was good looking or if it was the Bellini name that had caught her attention.  Either way, Jamie knew he didn’t have her full attention.

Ben looked at Jamie.  “We have three larges coming, but we can order another if you think we’ll need it.”

Jamie looked at Tyler.  Everyone knew the girls wouldn’t eat much in front of their dates, but Jamie and Tyler had just played a game of football.  Jamie grinned.  “One more couldn’t hurt.” He started to get up, but Ben motioned for him to sit back down.

“I’ve got it.  Jumbo combo?”

Jamie and Tyler nodded.

Lane asked the girls where they went to school.  Jake, Jamie, Ben and Tyler talked about the game.  Meg and Lane tried to engage the girls in conversation about school, what grade they were in, what their plans for college were.  They were relieved when the pizza came and conversation was allowed to subside.

Jake and Meg were the first to leave.  Lane leaned toward Ben and whispered that she thought they should go too because she still needed to call Jess.

“Jamie, we’re heading out,” Ben said as he stood and helped Lane up.  “Tyler it was good to see you again.  Girls, nice meeting you.”

“Yes, Chloe, Ashley, nice meeting you.  Tyler nice seeing you.  Y’all have a nice evening.  Jamie, see you later at home,” Lane said as she picked up her purse and turned to go.

Ben put this hand in the small of her back as they walked to the door.

He held the door as Lane got into the SUV and leaned in for a quick kiss before he closed the door.  He walked around and got it.  “The girls seemed nice.”

Lane laughed.  “They were certainly enamored with you.”

Ben smiled.  “Surely not.  I’m old enough to be their father.”

Lane laughed.  Bellini fever, she thought.

“You don’t think the Bambino is serious with Chloe, do you?  He told me a month ago he wasn’t planning to get serious since he’d be leaving soon for college.”

Lane laughed.  “You were 17 once, what do you think?”

He looked at her.  Yes, he’d been 17 once, his senior year was spent making Natalie Stanton think he was serious.  And he was.  Serious about getting into her pants anyway.  God, he hoped Jamie remembered the rules.

He wondered what Lane had been like at 17.  He knew she’d been a virgin until she met her first husband although he didn’t know whether they’d waited until after the wedding to have sex.  He imagined any number of teenaged boys trying to get into her panties.  He shook his head.  It was completely insane to be jealous about oversexed teenaged boys in the past.

“What about you?  What were you doing at 17?”

“I didn’t even date until I went to college.”

He gave her hand a squeeze.  “I find that hard to believe.  What was wrong with those Omaha boys?  I’d have been all over you.”

She laughed. “First of all, you were five when I was 17, and secondly I went to a Catholic girl’s school and I went from school to home and home to school.  There was no time or place to meet boys.  No regrets though.”  She smiled at him.  “I’m very happy with the way my life has turned out.”

He lifted her hand to his lips.  “So am I, Red.  So am I.”

He drove to her house, aware as each block passed that he had failed to figure out something that would prevent Jess from taking matters into her own hands tomorrow.  Besides, Lila showing up today was just another point in Jess’s favor.  What had she said to him?  “How many more are out there?”

He and Lane had never had a fight.  Not when they were just friends, and not in the three months since they’d started dating, but he needed to find a thread he could tug on.  Something that would fray enough for them to take a little break, but nothing so big that there’d be no coming back from it.

In his past, he’d just tell the woman that it just wasn’t working for him, or that he wanted to see other people.  Neither of those things was true now.  Maybe he could make up a family emergency that he had to take care of, something that would give him an excuse to create some distance.  This was hell.  The last thing he wanted was distance.  He’d marry her right this minute if she were willing.  He pulled into her driveway and turned to look at her.

“We need to talk.”

Those four words that indicate the death of relationships everywhere.  What had she told him, the truth was the most important thing to her in a relationship?  So here he was about to lie to her.  The question was how big a lie could he tell and still be forgiven for it later because he wasn’t ready to see this end forever.  Just a little break until they knew who really killed Carol Anne and why.

She looked at him.  What the hell?  Everyone knew those words were never good.  What could there be to talk about?  “All right, do you want to come in?”

Want?  Hell yes he wanted to come in.  He wanted to come in and stay forever.  This wasn’t about what he wanted.

“Let’s talk here for a bit.  The other night you brought up a prenup.  I’ve been thinking about it, and I think that if you want a prenup, then you aren’t sure, and if you aren’t sure, then we’d better take a little break until we figure things out.”

She looked at him.  Was he asking to take a break from their four day engagement?  That was what it sounded like to her.  She lowered her voice the way Parkers do when they were pissed.  “You’re suggesting that we take a break from our four day engagement?  Is that what I’m hearing?”

“I’m saying we might need a little space.”

Not four hours ago, he’d made love to her and said he wanted to love her and make love to her alone for the rest of his life.  Four hours ago he was professing his undying love and now he wanted a break?  Well, he could have a break.  He could break his neck for all she cared.  He needed some space, well she’d give him some space.

Lane opened her door.  “All right, counselor.  When you’ve finished with your break, you let me know,” she practically whispered.

She quietly closed the door, walked to the garage, entered the code and went in.

Ben sat there until the garage door closed.  He thumbed through his recent calls and pushed to call Jess.

“It’s done.” And he ended the call.

Lane went to her bedroom.  The bed still in disarray from their love making earlier.  What just happened?  Ben loved her.  She knew it.  He loved her kids.  She knew that too.  She felt sick.  She brushed her teeth and washed her face before changing into her night shirt.  She got into bed and dialed Jess’s number.

“Tell me all about the audition.”

“Actually, it went better than well.  I just heard from my agent.  I got it.  We start principal shooting in Europe just after Thanksgiving.”

Lane began crying.  “Oh, Jess, I’m so happy for you.”

“Mom, are you okay?”

“Ben and I just had a fight.  We’re taking a break.”

Italian Translations

Pauli, camicie a tavola!:  Pauli, shirts at the table!

Qualcuno si sta insinuando la famiglia.:  Someone is bothering the family.

Abbiamo bisogno di un test di paternità di Jake è il padre della ragazza:  We need a paternity test done right away to prove Jake is the baby girl’s Papa.

Sì, zio. Mi pare di capire. Sarà fatto oggi:  Yes, uncle.  I understand.  It will be done today.

Congratulazioni, figlio:  Congratulations, Son.

E' una buona notizia:  Is it good news

Sì;  favorevole:  Yes favorable

Godere:  Enjoy

Kate Kane answers your questions

I’ve gotten feedback from readers about some of the characters.

Some of you want to know what happened to Jeff from Favor for a Friend.  He’s in Omaha still working for the construction company and building houses.  You can expect him to make at least a cameo appearance in Book 7.

Some of you have asked if Detective Mick McGuire is going to be a recurring character.  Yes, he’s in several more books.

Some of you want to see more of Collin Burke who was the arson investigator in Family Secrets.  Collin wasn’t originally going to be a recurring character, but by request, he’ll be back.

About the Author

Kate Kane has been working in corporate America as a Computer professional for over 25 years.  She has lived in small towns and large cities in Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas and South Carolina.   She is divorced and currently lives in Topeka, Kansas.  Like Lane Parker, she loves movies.  One of her most recent favorites is the Hunger Games series.

Kate began writing while still in high school.  Her first endeavors were short stories and poetry.  Teachers and friends thought her work was good, but as she likes to say, she has volumes of bad poetry to prove them wrong.  She may publish a book of poetry and allow all of you to judge for yourselves.

Preview Lane’s next adventure

Directing Disaster

It was October first and Lane Parker hadn’t heard from her fiancé Ben Bellini in weeks.  Two dozen roses continued to be delivered each Tuesday, but he hadn’t called.  She’d seen him on the news once or twice.  He was a criminal defense attorney and his trial which was going on week 4 was making headlines on both the local and national levels.  Rumor was that Nancy Grace was coming to Kansas City.  A sure sign that Ben was about to become famous.  Maybe that was why he’d said he needed a break.  Ben had never lost a case.  This was a very high profile trial and maybe his streak was coming to an end.  She wished she could be there to comfort him, but he’d been clear.  He needed some space and she was giving it to him.

She still wore his engagement ring.  He hadn’t told her he wanted to break things off, only that they needed a break.  She ran her finger over the diamond filigree heart necklace he’d given her as an engagement gift.  It was a heart with a key and he’d told her it was to remind her that she held the key to his heart.  If he didn’t get over this soon, her heart would break.

Her assistant Meg, who incidentally was dating Lane’s oldest son, came into Lane’s office.  “You have a call from Detective McGuire.”  A few months earlier, Lane had been involved in a murder investigation.  Well, more like she’d been the prime suspect and Mick McGuire had been the investigator.  Mick was a friend of Ben’s.  They played basketball together, and in the end, Lane had been held hostage by the real murderer and both Ben and Mick had come in guns drawn to save her.  Then last month, Mick had saved Ben from a stalker.

“I’ll take the call,” she said.

Meg looked at the carafe of hot tea on Lane’s desk.  “Do you need some more tea?”

Lane had been feeling tired and a little sickly.  She’d been treating the flu symptoms with tea and crackers.  It seemed to be working. She nodded as she picked up the phone.

“Mick, Hi.  What can I do for you?”

Mick took a breath.  He hadn’t talked to her in a month, since the night Ben had taken him to her house for dinner.  He’d forgotten how much he loved the sound of her voice.  When was she going to come to her senses and realize that Bellini just wasn’t the right man for her?

“There’s a hearing scheduled for Rochelle Jones next week, and I wondered if you had heard anything from the prosecutor about testifying?”  Lane had been on the phone with Ben when Rochelle Jones had come into his house and held him at gun point as she told him how much she loved him and asked why he’d gotten engaged to Lane.  Lane had called Mick and 3-way’d him in so he’d heard the whole thing.  But she’d still had to make a statement.  Rochelle had been put in a treatment facility but apparently there was going to be a hearing.

“No, I haven’t heard from the prosecutor.  Is it a competency hearing or something?”

“Yeah, something like that.  I can’t believe Ben hasn’t mentioned it.”  Please, Lord, let her tell me they’ve broken up.

“I haven’t spoken to Ben for a while.  He’s been pretty busy with that trial, you know.”

“How about I pick you up and we talk about it over lunch?  Can you get away?”

She looked at her calendar.  Lane was the Chief Privacy Officer for Telco Unlimited.  Most days it felt like she spent 8 hours a day in meetings, but her afternoon was free, and maybe some fresh air would make her feel better.

“I could do lunch.  I’m free for the rest of the day.”

“Great.  I’ll be there in 10.”

Lane laughed.  During the summer, he’d shown up for lunch 3 days in a row.  That was when she was sure she was his prime suspect.  She remembered thinking that you knew when Columbo started showing up all of the time that you were in trouble.  The other thing she remembered was that Mick McGuire had trouble estimating time.  If he said he’d be at her office in 10 minutes, chances were good that he was calling from in front of the building.

“Meeting Detective McGuire?”  Meg had a tendency to be all up in Lane’s business and usually it didn’t bother her, but since Ben had begun their hiatus, everything bothered her.

“Yes.  I’ll be on my cell if you need me.”  When Meg had first met Mick, who looked a bit like Pierce Brosnan, she had called him tall dark and handsome then she’d met Ben.  Meg had called him tall dark and oh my god gorgeous.  Ben was 37 to Lane’s 49.  He was 6’4” tall and could be George Clooney’s taller, younger much better looking brother.  Women seemed to get what Lane called Bellini fever when he walked into a room.

She met Mick at the curb.  “Where to?  Lady’s choice.”  He noticed that she was still wearing that boulder of an engagement ring.

“How about Aunt Em’s Diner?”

“Craving desert, are you?”  During the summer he had taken her to lunch at the diner because she was craving pie.  Of course, that was the day he’d found the murder weapon that had been planted under her bed, the day he’d had to take her in for questioning.  The day Bellini had come to the station like a knight in shining armor to rescue her from the big bad detective.

He parked and opened her door.  As they walked into the diner, he thought she looked a little pale. But when they entered the diner the smells of grease and sugar hit her.  She turned deathly white and he barely reacted quickly enough to catch her so she didn’t fall on the floor.  He grabbed his phone, dialed 911 gave them his code and asked for an ambulance.

She woke up in the ER with Mick standing over her.  “How do you feel?”

“Good, I’m good.  Where am I?”

“You fainted at Aunt Em’s.  You’re at Shawnee Mission.”  He could barely keep his tone civil.  He was torn between concern for her and contempt for Bellini.

“I what?”  She’d fainted only once in her life.  It was when she was pregnant and the smell of greasy food had over powered her.  Oh, the smell of the greasy diner was the last thing she remembered.  She looked at Mick and tried to turn away, but it was too late.  She vomited all over him.  Oh, God.  Her head was spinning out of control.  Yes, she’d missed her period, but she was 49 and she’d thought she was going through the change.

She squinted her eyes at him.  Her voice was barely audible.  “Am I pregnant?”

~~~~~***

The announcement of Jess for the starring role of Kate and Kit Hart had been made in the trades 3 weeks ago and she’d had a personal appearance every day, sometimes appearing as a guest on a morning talk show and a night time show (which by the way were filmed in the afternoon) on the same day.  But what was that saying?  Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.

She’d gotten it all right, and she really wasn’t complaining except now there was some weirdo leaving presents outside her condo.  For the last week, every time she’d come home from an appearance there was something left by her door with either the name Kit or Kate Hart on it.  So apparently there were fans who were already seeing her as the twins.  Her agent thought it was a good thing, but her agent was a 45 year old man and he wasn’t coming home alone at one o’clock in the morning to find little love letters, or hate letters, or presents addressed to him.

Now the fan had gotten into her condo and left a note for her in the middle of her bed.  She’d barricaded herself in the master bathroom.  She held her gun in both hands as she heard the bathroom door rattling.

“I’ve got a gun and I know how to use it.”  She yelled just as the door burst open and a tall dark and handsome man erupted through it.

She pulled the trigger splattering his expensive Brioni suit with neon green paint right where his heart would be.

“Who the hell are you?”

“I’m the cavalry Toots.  I have a car and a jet waiting to whisk you to Kansas.  So click those ruby red stilettos together 3 times and let’s get moving.”