High-Powered, Hot-Blooded(23)

What she really wanted to ask was "What did she say?" but lacked the courage, so instead she said, "How do you know?"

"She's breathing. I didn't know what kind of a scene she would make.  Leaving seemed easier. I don't want you in the middle of anything."

"I appreciate that." She cleared her throat. "It must have been a shock,  seeing her after all this time. It's been what? Three years?"

He nodded. "I could have gone a lot longer without having to deal with her again."

"You're going to be dealing with her?"

"I hope not, but my luck isn't that good. She wants something and she won't stop until she's made every attempt to get it."

Wanted something? As in money … or did Valentina want Duncan back? Annie  told herself she should be happy if that was what was going on. A  marriage repaired was a good thing. Assuming Valentina was sincere.

Annie told herself she was mature enough, in love enough, to want what  was best for Duncan. The ache in her chest and the need to cry were  beside the fact.

Duncan pulled up in front of her small house. "The party tomorrow will  be easier. It's smaller. Quieter. I'll pick you up at six-thirty."

He barely glanced at her as he spoke, making her realize he wasn't even  going to kiss her good-night. Holding in the hurt, she forced herself to  smile as she got out of the car.

"Good night, Duncan. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night."

She barely had time to close the passenger door before he gunned the  engine and drove off. She stood on the sidewalk, watching his taillights  disappear.

Telling herself he hadn't broken the rules didn't make breathing any  less painful. And wondering if he was returning to the party to be with  Valentina only made her wish she could go back in time a couple of hours  and keep the other woman from ever speaking to Duncan in the first  place. Not that she could change the past the two of them shared. A past  that was very likely going to have a big impact on her present.

"Okay, so owning a bank is even better than I thought," Annie said the  following night as Duncan pulled up behind a Rolls, in front of a large  Beverly Hills estate. "Didn't bankers take a financial hit in the past  year or so?"

"Not all of them."

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Duncan had dropped her off  the previous evening. She'd spent about twenty of them trying to  convince herself that even if she wasn't fine, she could pretend. Acting  might not be her gift, but she would work at faking it. He'd been his  normal self when he'd arrived to pick her up, so maybe last night was  like a bad dream-something that would fade in the light of day.

When she climbed out of the car, she stared at the glittering  three-story mansion. It was huge, with lights everywhere, a long, wide  walkway and a fountain roughly the size of a semi.

"This rich thing," she said as Duncan moved next to her. "Looks like fun."

"The taxes would kill you," he said with a grin, then leaned in and kissed her on the mouth.

"Just paying for the lightbulbs would make me whimper." She leaned into  him and laughed. "Do you think they take in boarders? I mean, a room in  this place would be bigger than my whole house."

"Want me to get an application?"

"If they have them lying around."

He put his arm around her and they walked toward the front door. A  uniformed butler let them in. They were shown to a massive living room  with a roaring fire. Sofas and comfy-looking chairs filled the football  field – sized space. To the left was a bar. In front of them were four  sets of French doors leading out to a huge patio.

"There is a light buffet outside," the butler told them. "The area is heated and very comfortable."

Duncan thanked the man. Annie waited until he left before whispering,  "So they're the reason L.A. is always warm in the winter. They're  heating the whole outdoors. Interesting."

Duncan laughed and pulled her close. She wrapped her arms around him,  feeling the vibration of the sound. Then it stopped and he tensed. She  felt every muscle, heard the sudden increase in his breathing and knew,  without turning around, that someone else had walked into the party.

"Duncan," she breathed.         

     



 

He touched her cheek and stared into her eyes. "It doesn't matter."

But she had a feeling that it mattered a lot. More than either of them wanted to admit.

Annie stepped back and turned around. Valentina stood in the entrance to  the beautiful home. Her eyes locked with Duncan's, but she didn't do  anything more than nod at him before walking into the party.

"You going to be all right?" he asked, pressing his hand to the small of her back and guiding her outside.

"I'm fine," she lied.

What else was there to say? That Valentina terrified her? That she  believed Duncan was still in love with his ex-wife? That she'd always  known she didn't have a chance with Tim's boss, but she'd allowed  herself to hope and it was all going to end badly? All she could do was  pray that he remembered not to tell her he wanted to be friends. It was  what she'd asked for, and Duncan was the type of man to remember.

Maybe the problem wasn't Valentina, she thought as they stepped outside.  Maybe it was her. Maybe she should learn to ask for more.

Time crawled by. Annie did her best not to glance at her watch every  five minutes. The party was small enough that she and Duncan had to stay  for at least a couple of hours. So far they'd been outside and  Valentina had stayed inside, avoiding each other. She wondered if that  would last for the entire party.

When Duncan got into a conversation about oil futures, she excused  herself and went in search of the restroom. It was as lovely as the rest  of the house, complete with a marble vanity and dozens of expensive  soaps, hand creams and hair products. After she'd washed her hands and  fluffed her curls, she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.  Only to find Valentina waiting for her.

Duncan's ex was dressed in black pants and a cream-colored  off-the-shoulder sweater. She was tall, thin and beautiful, with the  kind of sleek, straight hair Annie had always envied.

"Hi," Valentina said, clutching a martini glass. "You're Duncan's girlfriend, right?"

Annie nodded slowly. The truth was different, but Valentina didn't need to know about their deal.

"Have you been going out long?" the other woman asked.

"We met in September," Annie said, hoping she didn't look as nervous as  she felt. "I, ah, had a flat tire and Duncan stopped to help."

"That doesn't sound like him at all. You're a teacher?"

"Kindergarten."

"Let me guess. You're sweet and kind. You take in orphans and stray pets."

Annie couldn't read the other woman's voice. There was tension in it,  but the source wasn't clear. Was she mocking Annie or herself?

"If you'll excuse me," Annie said, moving around her.

"Wait. Please. I … " Valentina set her drink on a small table and sucked  in a breath. "I don't know how things are between you and it's really  none of my business. I gave up any rights to Duncan a long time ago. I  was stupid. I thought I could do better. I was wrong. It's not just that  he's the best man I know, it's that I never stopped loving him."

Tears filled Valentina's blue eyes. One trickled down her cheek. She brushed it away impatiently.

"I want a second chance. I know it's practically impossible. He's not  going to forgive me easily, but I have to try. Have you ever been in  love? Have you ever known down to your bones that you'd finally found  the only man on the planet who would complete you?"

Annie nodded slowly. She wanted to point out that love wasn't about  being completed. It was about giving, not getting, but that wasn't the  point.

"I love him," Valentina said. "Before, when we were together, he held so  much of himself apart. I think it had something to do with his past. I  was young and impatient. Now I know better. He's worth waiting for,  fighting for. I made a mistake and he paid the price. I'm back for a  second chance. I'm back to convince him how much he means to me. To me,  he's my husband. He'll always be my husband. I want a chance to make our  marriage work. Can you understand that?"

Annie nodded because it would hurt too much to speak. Valentina had said  the only words that would have convinced her to give up. She couldn't  argue against a chance of Valentina and Duncan making their marriage  work. If they were successful, maybe he could let go of his fear of  being left. Maybe he would learn to love again. Better Valentina than no  one, she told herself. In time, she would even believe that.

The mall might be closed at three in the morning, but the Internet was  always open. Annie clicked on a link, then stared at the picture of the  painting. It was small, maybe twelve-by-twelve, with a plain black  frame. The artist, a famous sports painter, had chosen boxing as his  subject.