She nearly dropped the phone when he startedlaughing.
“What’s so funny? I’m asking you a serious question. Answer me,dammit.”
He gasped a couple of times, trying to catch his breath. “Candy? You think I shagged Candy? Oh, that is brilliant,chérie. Candy does not even possess the intelligence of a log. But she’s my brother’s conquest of the month. As long as he continues to support her expensive shopping habit, she will enjoy being his slave. I take it there was aphoto?”
She paused. “Yes.”
“And is she wearing a diamond collar around herneck?”
“Yes.”
“That is my brother’s. The collar symbolizes their relationship. If you meet him some day, he can explain. It isn’t a dynamic I enjoy, but it works for him. He left her with me while he got her a drink. It was the longest ten minutes of the entire night. She asked me why none of the players attending were wearing red socks and where Jimmy Fund was. When I tried to explain that the Jimmy Fund was a charity that the Red Sox support, she was quite indignant that Mr. Fund warranted an entire ball when he couldn’t be bothered to showup.”
Elizabeth laughed in spite of herself. “Really?”
“Yes. Admittedly, Candy was knackered when she arrived, and alcohol does nothing for her intelligence level. My brother is usually more responsible than that. He was distracted lastnight.”
Alexander sounded worried, and she regretted jumping to conclusions. “Is Nicholas all right?” Elizabeth curled up on hercouch.
A long pause hung in the air. “I don’t know. My brother has a gambling problem, Elizabeth. I fear he lost a significant amount at the tables last weekend. I worry about him, but I’ll talk to him onMonday.”
Alexander’s admission touched something in her. He trusted her with information that could be detrimental to their company’s reputation after she’d jumped down histhroat.
She swallowed hard. “And youdidn’t…”
“I spent the entire evening with my brother and Ryan Lavarnway. He’s a fellow Yale grad, but he’s all of twenty-six. We have very little in common other than our alma mater. After a disappointing meal and more small talk than anyone should tolerate, I went to bed at midnight. Alone. Wishing desperately that I’d sent my regrets to the party’s organizers and shown up at your flat with a pizza and a bottle of wineinstead.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped on you likethat.”
“You were jealous, yes? Don’t lie tome.”
“I was...something. Angry with myself maybe. And yes, a little jealous. And sad. I wish I fit into yourworld.”
“You are the one who seems to think you do not.Ithink you’ll fit in perfectly. I want no one but you, Elizabeth. Come to dinner tonight. Wear anything you want. Jeans. Flannel pajamas. Nothing at all. Third time’s a charm for ameal?”
God, she’d missed his voice and that slightly arrogant swagger his words seemed to convey. She needed something to focus on besides the abysmal state of herlife.
One meal doesn’t make arelationship.
She could have dinner with him, enjoy his company, and maybe even see what it would be like to kiss him without any strings attached. “Okay.”
“Really? And you won’t run out on me halfway through dinner? I require your promise, Elizabeth.” There was a hint of amusement in his words, but also a hard edge. He did want her promise, and God help her, she was going to give it tohim.
“I won’t run away. Ipromise.”
“Thomas will pick you up at six. Thank you,Elizabeth.”
“You’re welcome.” She hung up and stared at the photo of him on her laptop. She hoped she wouldn’t regretthis.
