One Love Page 15

  “Thank you, ma’am. That goes for you, too.” Lanessa gave a mock bow.

  “Speaking of the bad. Up pops the devil.” Jeanne faced Lanessa. “Metoyer just slithered in. That loathsome Glenn Curtis is right behind him.”

  Lanessa discreetly looked over Jeanne’s shoulder to see the handsome profile. She was relieved at least to see he was alone. Three women circled him like hungry cats just catching sight of cream. Lanessa had a feeling he would not be alone much longer.

  “He’s got his faults. But I’d hardly call him evil incarnate.” Lanessa followed Jeanne as they slowly walked in the opposite direction of Metoyer and his admirers. “Glenn is a chump, but small time.”

  “Take it from me; Metoyer is a real piece of work.” Jeanne sounded bitter. “And Glenn’s influence is growing.”

  “There’s a story behind that advice. I want to hear it, Jeanne.”

  Jeanne shook her head. “Too long, and I can’t go into now.” She glanced around to make sure no one was paying close attention to their talk.

  Lanessa grabbed her arm. “Come over here.” She led them to an alcove with two chairs. No one could stand nearby without them knowing. “I’ve got to know.”

  I’ll give you the short version. Metoyer is toxic waste. He poisons whoever gets too close to him. Especially women.”

  “Details, Jeanne. It’s really important.” Lanessa leaned toward her and spoke in an intense voice.

  “Don’t tell me you’ve gotten mixed up with him.” Jeanne frowned. “Believe me, honey. Alex is better for you. Sure he’s less glitzy, but—”

  “That was the old Lanessa, honey. Bright plumage and a great strut don’t excite me anymore.” Lanessa watched Charles move with confidence around the room.

  “Good.”

  “But I know two very nice women who are dating him. Unknown to each other naturally. One is a dear friend.”

  “Humph, then keep a supply of tissues handy,” Jeanne said. “She’s going to be crying on your shoulder one of these days.”

  “I’m going to tell her the truth.” Lanessa was surer each day she was right to do so.

  “Remember Brianne Thurgood? We were close at one time. I tried to tell her not to trust Charles.” Jeanne shook her head. “She hasn’t spoken to me since. The man has them mesmerized until nothing anyone says matters.”

  “Yasmin and I have been through it together. Our relationship goes deep.”

  “I’m telling you it’s happened over and over. Let her find out for herself.”

  “I can’t. She’s been through too much all ready.” Lanessa kept an eye on him without staring.

  “Then all I can do is wish you luck. You’ll need it.” Jeanne placed her now empty glass on the small table between the two chairs.

  “What else happened to make you despise the man so much?” Lanessa felt a thrill at getting real firsthand knowledge about his misdeeds.

  “You’re only one of a very few I’d tell. But…”

  “I’m getting a real creepy feeling. You sound like he’s a vampire or something,” Lanessa joked.

  “A stake through his heart wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Jeanne retorted with a malicious glint in her eyes.

  Jeanne spoke in a rapid undertone. In a few minutes, she told Lanessa of three incidents in the last two years where Charles stabbed someone in the back, drove one lover to attempt suicide, and betrayed a business partner.

  “I can’t believe no one’s kicked his butt!” Lanessa was amazed at the audacity of the man. “He just goes through life stepping on people!”

  “I could tell you more, but you get the picture. I’d bet money that the worse he’s done hasn’t seen the light of day yet.” Jeanne cast a glance at Metoyer. “He’s an accomplished escape artist.”

  “Thanks, Jeanne. I appreciate the info.” Lanessa mulled over this added evidence against Charles’ character.

  “No problem. Now I’m going to make one last circuit, kiss up to the hostess and go home.” Jeanne waved to her. “Let’s have lunch soon.”

  “Sure enough.”

  Lanessa watched Jeanne do just as she said she would. Jeanne strolled toward Nadine Hoffman, the woman who had given the party. Few people could entertain like Nadine. Lanessa was about to look away when she caught sight of Charles Metoyer. He said something to Glenn, and then headed straight for Jeanne.

  “Now this is going to be interesting,” Lanessa said to herself.

  She sat forward in her chair as though at movie that was riveting. Charles smiled and greeted Jeanne with warmth. Even from this distance, Lanessa could sense Jeanne’s chilly response. Charles bent his head forward and led her to a corner. They spoke quietly for a few minutes. Finally Jeanne said something and left him standing alone. Charles watched her leave with a stony expression on his face. Lanessa felt a prick of frustration. She would have to wait another entire day before getting the scoop. She was deep in thought about Metoyer and her all too soon discussion with Yasmin when a voice startled her.

  “Hello. My I’m Karin Roan.”

  Lanessa glanced to her right. Karin stood with a drink in her hand. “Hi,” was all she could think to say.

  “You don’t know me but I’ve heard a lot about you,” Karin said. Her tone was heavy with the implication that what she’d heard was all bad.

  “Oh, yeah,” Lanessa said. “I’m famous in certain circles.” She sat back and crossed her legs in a relaxed pose.

  “Yes.” Karin let a short silence pass before speaking again. “Mind if I sit down?”

  “Not at all.” Lanessa wore a brief stiff smile.

  “As usual, Nadine has everyone enjoying themselves.” Karin took a sip from her glass.

  “She knows the right combination of good food, drinks and music will please a crowd every time.”

  “I noticed you at several functions in the last few weeks.” Karin glanced around the room. Her tone was casual.

  “I like to keep in touch with what’s going on. Having my own business, it’s important.” Lanessa put down her glass of melted ice and watered down soft drink.

  “I understand. It must really take you away from your personal life.” Karin waved to someone across the room.

  “Not as much as you’d think,” Lanessa said. Looked at her for a long moment. “Alex and I do find time to be together.”

  Karin started at the mention of his name. “I suppose I should have guessed as much,” she said in a taut voice. “But he’s used to more attention than you seem to give him.”

  “Is that a fact?” Lanessa turned toward her. “You’re the expert on Alex St. Romaine.”

  “No.” Karin wore an icy smile. It pulled her lips up and made her look more grim than amused. “But I do understand what he needs. Alex wants someone who will be there for him.”

  “This is so fascinating. Please go on.”

  “Look, let’s get down to it,” Karin said in a curt voice. The veneer of upper-class manners slipped away. “You’re only going to hurt him again. Now I could be patient and wait to pick up the pieces. But I don’t care to.”

  “So what are you saying?” Lanessa was amazed at the audacity of this woman!

  “I know the routine. You toy with him, wrap him around your finger and then move on when something more amusing comes along.”

  “My goodness, does everyone know my secrets?” Lanessa put a hand to her cheek and affected a wide-eyed look. “And I thought I was being so clever.”

  “Alex wants someone he can trust. He also needs a wife who is a wholesome influence on his daughters.” Karen looked at Lanessa with disdain. “We both know that someone isn’t you.”

  Lanessa still had control of her temper despite Karin’s attempts to provoke her. “Honey, I think I have a handle on what he wants and what he needs.”

  “Really? Where is he tonight?”

  Her aim was perfect. Karin had found the tender spot of vulnerability. Alex was not happy at the long hours she’d been putting in making the social rou
nds. Lately he had refused to accompany her, claiming other obligations. Guilty and unease settled in her chest. She had promised to ease up. Yet in the six days she’d been out three times. Four counting tonight. Lanessa struggled mightily with the urge to lash out at Karin. But she was a changed woman now, Lanessa reminded herself. She stood up.

  “You’re wrong. Things have changed.” Lanessa brushed back her hair.

  “I don’t things have changed very much. You’re here, he’s not.” Karin got up from her seat. “And I’ll bet you’re worried now.”

  “About you? Not at all. You see, he may not be here with me.” Lanessa let a slow smile spread across her face. “But he hasn’t called you.”

  Karin looked as though Lanessa had just spit in her face. “He’ll see through you,” she snapped.

  “Goodbye,” Lanessa said biting off the word. She could not trust herself to say more. Anger burned inside threatening to explode. She spun around and walked off before Karin could answer.

  The next five minutes were a blur. Lanessa did at least recover enough to say goodbye to a few people who were good business contacts. She complimented Nadine and made her exit. All the while she could feel Karin watching her. Glenn waved at her and approached. Lanessa ignored him. She turned and walked out the door while he was still across the room. The heels of her pumps tapped across the pavement as she went to her car. Twenty minutes later she was at Alex’s front door ringing the bell. Seconds ticked by without an answer. All kinds of thoughts went through her head. What if he’d gone out? Maybe he wasn’t alone. The automatic garage door was close so she could not tell if his car was in there. When the locks clicked, Lanessa let out a slow breath of relief. He opened the door and beckoned her inside.

  “Hi,” Alex said. He was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and jeans. “I sure wasn’t expecting to see you.”

  “I just had a powerful feeling come over me.” Lanessa put her purse down on one of a set of slender oak tables in the foyer.

  Alex shut the door and locked it. He turned to face her with a look of concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “I need a dose of you.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His warm body melded to hers. Lanessa poured every ounce of passion she had for him into this kiss. She wanted to claim him, to prove Karin wrong. This was her way of trying to make him immune to any influence the other woman might have.

  When they finally parted, Alex cupped her face with both hands. “I need you, too.” He led her into his bedroom and proceeded to prove it.

  ***

  Yasmin sat in her office rubbing her eyes. She glanced at the wall clock and sighed. There was a rustle down the hall and a tall blonde man stuck his head in the door. Shane McConnell was working part-time while earning his second graduate degree in political science. He was only two years younger than Yasmin.

  “What’s next, Shane?” Yasmin wore a weary smile.

  “Why don’t you go home? We’re just about finished anyway. The senator left over an hour ago.” Shane jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Take off. No need for everyone to suffer.”

  “No, I can stay. Besides my plans for tonight were cancelled.” Yasmin’s expression darkened briefly before she smiled again. “Anyway, pretty soon you and Pete will be growling at each other if I’m not here to referee.”

  Shane groaned. “He has this nervous habit of tapping his heels on the floor. Pat-a-tat-tat, all night long. I tell you it’s sending me up the wall.”

  “I knew it. Here is the rest of the information for the committee meeting tomorrow. We might as well get to it.” Yasmin shoved a thick report across her desk. “He’ll need our summaries.”

  “If you’re sure,” Shane said. “You should be out being wined and dined.”

  “I agree, but this is what I’ve got. So let’s get to it.”

  She led the way to the conference room. Pete Wilson, Senator Trent’s aide, glanced up when they walked in.

  “I was wondering where you two had gone.” Pete apparently did not see their late night as unusual.

  “Just out dancing by the light of moon,” Shane teased.

  The joke was lost on the serious man. “Senator Trent will be in the office at seven. And he expects to have those notes to review.”

  “Gotcha.” Shane did a mock salute and sat down at the other end of the long table. “Okay, Yasmin. Snap to.” He shook a finger at her.

  Yasmin tried to give him a look of censure but ended up grinning at his antics. “You’re like a bad little boy,” she mumbled when she got close to him.

  “Gotta do something to make the load seem easier. Now come on. I’ve got my notes from the meeting with the boss. I’ll highlight the sections he wants to review again.”

  “Okay. Luckily in between filing my fingernails and brushing my hair, I managed to summarize certain sections.” Yasmin made a face at Pete.

  “Don’t waste your time.” Shane looked at him. Pete was absorbed in a singled-spaced tiny print document. “He’s in his element, reading some of the red tape he helped write.”

  “He goes through that stuff the way some people read comic strips.” Yasmin shook her head.

  She turned on Her Gateway notebook computer and began to format the notes they would print out for the senator. They worked in silence for twenty minutes. Shane cleared his throat.

  “Well I see someone you know may be coming into a load of cash.” Shane pressed his lips together.

  “I hope it’s a close friend,” Yasmin quipped. She looked up at him. “If not, they’re going to be soon. Who are we talking about?”

  “Charles Metoyer. If the committee votes favorably on the agenda item seven, he’s sitting pretty.” Shane looked at her steadily.

  “Charles has no interest in that dry stuff.” Yasmin shrugged off his comment.

  “He’ll pocket a tidy roll. He’s a consultant for Paxton-Waite.” Shane’s brows drew together.

  Yasmin looked up at him sharply. “What did you say?”

  “He’s working with them on a project. Seems they were right to hire him.” Shane glanced down.

  “Let me see what you’re reading. There must be some mistake.” Yasmin blinked at the papers he handed her. “I mean, Charles has his own business.”

  “Metoyer has a reputation for sticking his finger in a lot of pies,” Shane said.

  Yasmin read for several moments. She dropped the sheets on the table. “He’s an influential man, what’s wrong with that?” Yasmin said in curt tone.

  “Nothing.” Shane said no more.

  Pete looked up at them.” Did I hear you mention Metoyer? Yeah, keep an eye on him. He’s been sniffing around the committee members. He’s up to something.” He went back to neatly arranging his files as he went through them.

  “Yasmin, I—”

  “Pete sees conspiracies everywhere,” Yasmin cut him off. “The gossips are wrong. Charles isn’t ‘up to something’.” Her voice was intense.

  “Okay,” Shane said in a soft voice.

  “And don’t give me that look. I’m not some deluded female. Now let’s get this finished.” Yasmin glared at him as though daring him to disagree. When he looked away, she went back to tapping the keys on the notebook.

  Chapter 11

  Alex sat at the Café Bon coffee shop staring at the sparse Sunday morning traffic. Sunlight slanted through the long windows with white lattice. A courtyard and soft jazz gave the place a real feel of New Orleans. He was waiting for Evan. This was their ritual missed only because of work or family obligations. He usually read the Sunday paper and swapped comments about the news with other patrons. This morning he was reflective. Other regulars recognized his inward pose and left him in peace. Evan walked in and went to the counter to get his usual large mug of café au lait.

  “Bonjour, bonjour,” Evan called out in a general greeting. He flirted with the ladies working behind the counter. After giving each a reason to smile, he joined Alex.

  “Hi
,” Alex said.

  Evan took a gulp from his mug and sighed. “Bon. Comment ça va?”

  “Sa va bien.” Alex did not smile.

  “Humph, you said that mighty weak. You don’t sound okay to me.” Evan spoke with a Creole accent. “C’mon, T-Alex, what you got on your mind?”

  “I can always tell when you’ve been back home to Cortableau,” Alex said referring to his small hometown. “How is Papa Martin?”

  “Still driving my aunts crazy. Eighty-five, still cuts his own grass, and got two lady friends. That’s my granddaddy.” Evan chuckled. “Dad has given up trying to talk him into living with him and mama.”

  “Your grandfather is a good guy.”

  “Yeah, he is. Now let’s get back to you.” Evan pointed a thick forefinger at his nose. “When I see you with that deep look, something is wrong.”

  “Just thinking.”

  Evan did not press him. They both gazed out the window content with silence for a time. The downtown streets were almost empty. A few people strolled toward the old State Capitol that housed a museum. Finally Evan spoke.

  “Must have been a bad fight you and Lanessa had.”

  “We didn’t have a fight. In fact, it was the opposite,” Alex said. Just thinking about their lovemaking made his skin feel the heat.

  “Oh.” Evan did not need further explanation to understand. “I’m confused. You oughta be wearing a big grin.”

  “Right. I should.” Alex sat forward. “But… I don’t know.” He shook his head. It was as though he was trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.

  “You said things were going fine.”

  “They were, I mean they are. I think.” Alex rubbed his head in exasperation. “I’m losing my mind.”

  “No, you’re just trying to work it out.” Evan slapped his shoulder in a gesture of fraternal reassurance.

  Alex gathered his thoughts for several seconds. “Lanessa is a great lady. And I thought we finally had it all in sync. You know the emotional thing, the mental thing. Definitely the physical thing,” he said with fervor.

  “I hear another ‘but’ coming.” Evan waved at a waitress with his empty mug.