Just One Taste...(16)

"But I-"

Vanessa grabbed her friend's arm and tugged her away. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

A short, somewhat heated discussion in the corner followed. Lucas kept  his face impassive, though he was pretty certain he was the topic of  conversation. While Vanessa was wary of him, Mia seemed to be solidly on  his side. He wondered if it would be appropriate to send her flowers.

When the women came back, Mia was in the middle of a fake yawn. "Sorry  to poop out on you guys, but I'm exhausted." She crossed to the sink and  dropped off her mug before she headed toward the door. There, she cast  an impish wink over her shoulder. "Be good, you two. Or better yet … don't  be." With a waggle of her fingers and a wiggle of her hips, she was  gone.

"Cute friend you've got," he said casually when Vanessa continued to glare mutely at the door.

"Way too cute."

"But she left us alone, which figures nicely into my plans." He patted  the stool next to him. "Have a seat, Ms. Douglas, and tell me about your  day."

Surprise overcame the exhaustion in her eyes. "You know who I am then? Who my family is?"

"Yes."

"And?"

He shrugged, though he felt everything but nonchalant about her lineage.  Apprehensive, off balance, troubled and even inferior-something he'd  sworn he'd never feel again. He was trying to change his life, to be a  person worthy of the gifts and fortune he'd been given. He was working  for others and not himself for the first time. It felt good. And right.

But he wasn't sure it was enough.

"I need to know who you are," she said.

"I imagine you do. But not tonight." The possibility of her rejection  loomed. He didn't want to take that chance. Not now. Not yet. He tapped  the stool again. "Sit before you fall."

To his surprise, she did. He didn't want to consider the implications of  her family connections. They would be rivals in the best of  circumstances. But given the information he had regarding "two wills,"  the distance between them was much more vast.

He'd known from the first moment he'd seen her that she came from money.  Now he had to reconcile himself with whose money it was.

Joseph freakin' Douglas. It wasn't possible that a woman as lovely and  free-spirited as Vanessa had sprung from his genes. Lucas wanted her no  matter who her parents were, but it certainly made his task more  difficult.

"Tonight, I want you to tell me about your day," he repeated.

To his surprise, she did. She told him about the prep, the gift bags,  about Mia and some guy named Colin hooking up, about Rex Johnson and him  showing off for his cardiologist guests.

"Everything was going great until … "

Not yet. He'd never apologized to anyone for his choices. He certainly didn't intend to start now. Did he?

Ridiculously, he tried to postpone the conflict he knew was coming. "You realized one of the guests was drunk?"

"We realized that when he walked in the door."

"One of the guests made a pass at another guy's wife."

"Handled that, too."

"Somebody got sick."                       
       
           



       

"Not from my food, honey."

"Somebody refused to eat."

"Actually … your name came up."

He widened his eyes. "At a dinner party of Atlanta cardiologists? Imagine that."

She jumped to her feet, and he applauded her renewed strength.  Nervousness didn't suit her. "We're not going to talk about this  tomorrow, because there isn't going to be a tomorrow for us until you  answer a few questions."

He fell back on an old defensive mechanism he'd used many times to cover  up his pain and anxiousness-flippancy. "I'd be delighted to."

She paced. "Don't get cute with me, buddy. I'm starting with a tough one."

"Please do."

"Are you an ambulance chaser?"

"You mean have I ever engaged in high-speed pursuit of an emergency-services vehicle?"

She stopped and glared at him.

"Maybe not. I'm a lawyer, darling. I do tend to take everything  literally." When she said nothing, he realized his light answers, while  protecting himself, were making her angry. He sobered his tone. "No, I'm  not-nor have I ever been-an ambulance chaser. I got my clients through  referrals."

"But you're a personal-injury attorney."

"At one time, I did practice with that specialty."

"Do you have the best case-win record in Louisiana?"

"How flattering." Her deepening scowl wasn't a comfort, however. "I have no idea if that's true, I'm afraid."

"Have you ever taken out an ad on the back of the Yellow Pages?"

"Ah … no."

"Are you and my father rivals?"

"We work for firms that have undoubtedly been on opposite sides."

"But have you personally ever faced him in court?"

"No. Your father hasn't been in a courtroom for nearly ten years, Vanessa."

"How do you know that?"

She was right. The questions were tough. "I keep track of the industry. I  researched Atlanta specifically when I knew I was coming here. Your  father is a big influence in this city. I know of him. I've never met  him." And maybe his never-met opinion of the man as a pompous ass was  off base. But Lucas doubted it.

"How did you find out who I was?" She paused. "And when?"

Here's where vowing to tell the truth got sticky. "I was doing some  research on your father-related to a professional matter. I found a  picture of him with you and your sister." He glanced at his watch.  "About three hours ago. I made some calls, found out about your bakery  and came over."

"Were you surprised about my background?"

"No."

She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"You're a classy woman, Vanessa. It shows, no matter that your job is one some people would consider less than ideal."

She nodded. "Is your father in prison?"

By damn if that didn't catch him off guard. And it shouldn't have. "No, he's dead. I told you that last night. I didn't lie."

"I'm sorry." She turned away. "This is all none of my business."

"It is if you want it to be. The answers just may not be what you  expect." He rose, laying his hands on her shoulders. He was cheered when  she didn't pull away. "You need to know if the man you met last night  is real or not, and it doesn't help that I'm not the most forthcoming  person around. I'm not used to confiding in anybody."

She glanced back at him. "No argument there. I still don't feel like I know much more than I did."

"Then we'll have to get together and exchange life stories. How's dinner tomorrow night?"

"I … tomorrow's Saturday. I have a bachelorette party to cater."

"Then lunch. I usually work until noon. Why don't you come by the office?"

"Fine." She narrowed her eyes. "You were prepared for these questions."

"Yes, I was."

"How? How did you know I'd found out? Did someone at the party tip-"

"No!" He thrust his hand through his hair. "Like those people would ever  lower themselves to talk to me." He drew a deep breath, trying to find  control again. "No one at the party tipped me, though I could probably  give you the guest list. I can also imagine the derision in their voices  when they talked about me. I've heard it all-including all the rumors  and speculation-many times over. Hell, some of them I've encouraged.                       
       
           



       

"I knew you'd heard just by looking at your face. The suspicion in your eyes was the only tip I needed."

Her face paled. "Lucas, I didn't mean to-" She stopped and sighed. "This  whole thing is way out of my orbit. I'm crazy about you, but I don't  know you. I never meant to hurt you."

In two steps, he had her in his arms. He didn't want to admit, even to himself, how much he needed her warmth and her touch.

"We'll figure it out. I'll find a way."

Hadn't he accomplished everything he'd set his mind to? Hadn't he  battled odds longer than most people even dreamed? But he'd attained  those dreams with ruthlessness and a careless attitude toward the means.

He'd only just begun the journey to redemption. He needed more time,  more proof of his intentions, before meeting a woman like Vanessa. Would  his flaws and mistakes deny him this new and precious relationship?  Something he'd never had before but never realized he was missing until  he'd looked into her eyes.

Leaning back, he kissed her forehead. "I need to get going."

Surprise and disappointment flickered across her face.

He didn't want to leave either, but he needed time to figure out how to tell her the things that might drive her away.