FullDisclosure (7 page)

Walmart?
he’d thought silently. For a woman who had been accustomed to Gucci and Chanel, the thought was inconceivable. She still had a lot to tell him. Of that he was sure.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged.

He picked up her hand and held it gently in his. “Look, Sadie. We’ve been in the mall more than half an hour, and you’ve vetoed every store I’ve suggested. I—”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be difficult.” She forced a smile. “We can go in here.”

“No, no. I’m not trying to coerce you into anything. But why don’t you tell me where you’d like to go. The choice is yours. I am but your servant.” He bowed gently at the waist, and then looked up at her and grinned. He was gratified to find her smiling back at him.

“Okay. Well…” She glanced around, considering her options. “For now I’d just like some more…casual wear. You know, jeans and T-shirts. I don’t really need anything else right now.”

He nodded understanding, even though he was confused. She had mentioned something about finding another job. How would she apply for a decent position without the clothes to go with it? He had no desire to make her uncomfortable by bringing that up now, however.

“We could just go back to my place,” she suggested again. “I do have
some
decent things there.”

“Where is your apartment, by the way?”

“A couple doors down from the diner.”

He shook his head. “No way. I know you’ll have to go collect your things eventually, but for now I don’t want you going near that place.” He hesitated, not wanting to come off like some sort of dictator. “Unless you really want to. Would you prefer your old clothes?”

She glanced down the hall at the storefronts and all the beautiful things they had to offer. “No. Not really. To be honest a lot of the stuff I have was from the Salvation Army.”

“Good. Then it’s decided. So where would you like to shop?”

“Well, there’s a Gap a few stores down. And I wouldn’t mind checking out FCUK.”

“FCUK? Nice. So you’re a rebel!” He laughed.

“Not really. Well, maybe. But—”

“Sadie? Sadie Ballantyne?”

Sadie jumped as if she’d been hit with a Taser gun. They both turned to see two women with designer hair, overpriced purses and plastic smiles approaching.

“Oh my God, Sadie. How
are
you?” They opened their arms for a hug, which Sadie accepted…albeit warily. In fact watching the exchange Jake was reminded of the old joke about how porcupines mate. Carefully.

“I’m fine,” replied Sadie once the ritual had been completed. She said nothing more, merely met their gazes evenly. Jake did notice, however, that she had slipped her arm through his.

“Well, that’s good to hear,” said the blonde whose lips looked just a little too full. Jake was tempted to ask if she’d been stung by a bee recently. “And you look…good too.” The once-over she gave Sadie felt like a slap, even to Jake. “Doesn’t she, Jennifer?”

“Yes, lovely,” replied Jennifer. She had red hair and a lithe body, and under any other circumstances Jake would have found her attractive. Today though, he found her vaguely repulsive. “You’ve held up remarkably well considering…” She shuddered visibly. “You know…”

“Prison?” offered Sadie. “Yeah. That part was a bit of a bitch.”

“Oh yes. What a perfectly horrid experience.” The blonde talked right over top of Sadie. “But you’re out now. What a relief that must be. None of us believed you did it.”

“No,” replied Sadie, her tone dry. “Of course not. I really appreciated all the cards and letters.”

Both the women’s eyes went wide. “You got letters?”

“Oh yes. Tons. And then, after my conviction was overturned, they
really
started to pour in.” She rolled her eyes grandly. “All the invitations to teas and parties.” She giggled. “Such a show of love and support. It was all quite overwhelming, wasn’t it, Charles?” She looked up at him and he nodded, in awe.

“Yes. Overwhelming.”

“This is Charles, by the way. I’m sorry. How rude of me. Charles is my transitional fuck. You know, the arm candy I plan to bring to
all
the parties just to make everyone jealous.”

The women were just staring at her, blinking.

“He’s quite gorgeous, don’t you think? I think Daniella will be just
green
with envy when I show up with him at her annual spring ALS benefit.”

“Y-y-you’re going to the benefit?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it! I’m just here to pick out a gown for it. I was thinking of something in prison orange. I think that would be quite fitting, don’t you?”

Unfortunately they were already out of earshot, whispering to each other and glancing back at Sadie and
Charles
as if they were afraid he might pull out an Uzi and start firing.

“Holy crap!” exclaimed Jake. “That was amazing!”

But when he looked at Sadie he didn’t see the triumph or smugness he expected to see. Rather she looked spent, exhausted. “Thanks, but it didn’t feel amazing. Dealing with their kind just isn’t fun no matter how I choose to do it. And…” She gave him a sheepish look. “And they’re a big part of the reason I didn’t want to go into those stores you suggested. I wasn’t lying when I said I just want more casual clothes, but more importantly, I’m a lot more likely to run into
them
.”

“I take it your old friends haven’t exactly been supportive.”

“They were never my friends, Jake. Even when I was married to Philip I was a curiosity. The girl from the mail room
never
hooks the CEO. I had breached their etiquette, jumped too many rungs on the ladder, broken the chain of command. Or…whatever.
” She shrugged. ”I never fit in and they knew it. And the moment the news of his murder hit the papers I was officially outcast. Mind you they did love to talk about me.” Her gaze lingered on the crowd where the two had disappeared. “And they still do.”

”So you weren’t a secretary?”

“No. I had only worked in the mail room at Philip’s company for six months when he spotted me. I’m completely unskilled I’m afraid. I was a waitress before I worked there. I
was
working toward getting enough cash together to go to school, but then Philip proposed and…it all seemed unnecessary. I felt like a princess, but turns out I was just an idiot.”

“No. Not an idiot. Young and hopeful and naïve.”

“Not as young as I used to be, I’m afraid.”

He wanted to ask her about her money situation. Why she was so obviously destitute. Hadn’t her husband made any provisions for her before he died? But those were very personal questions, and this wasn’t the place for them anyway. Instead he said, “Well, you’re not naïve anymore. You’re smart and sexy and sweet. But you
are
in need of some clothes, and I think it’s high time we found some. At the
right
stores.”

“Okay. Let’s do that.” She sounded relieved.

“And then, once we’ve filled up a couple shopping bags, I’m taking you to a salon.”

“Oh Jake. You don’t have to do—”

“No arguments. I already made the appointment this morning before you got up. You’re going to spend a couple of hours getting pampered and then I’m taking you out for a nice dinner where we can really sit down and discuss your future. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Okay. I’m learning not to argue. That does sound wonderful.”

“Good. Now we’re getting somewhere.

“But what will you do while I’m at the salon? You certainly don’t have to babysit me.”

“Don’t worry. It actually suits me fine. I have some errands I need to run.” And the errand’s name was Evan.

Evan stood at his office window and gazed out over the city. The sun was setting, casting many of the streets into shadow. That was the thing about life around sky-rises, the sun set far before its time. He missed his fishing cottage on the lake. Out there, with nothing around but trees and water and sky, you could watch the sun rise or set for hours if you wanted to. And he often did, sitting on his dock with a cup of coffee, wrapped in a blanket, he’d sit there for hours, sipping and watching and just being. But the best times had been when he’d done that with Jake beside him. Talking and laughing over the goofiest things—such as watching crane flies mate.

Even now he smiled at that.

At the lake everything seemed slower, easier, more…manageable somehow. He craved that, especially now—now when his life seemed suddenly unmanageable, as if he didn’t really have control. But he couldn’t complain, he supposed. He’d handed over the control willingly.

His intercom buzzed, a rude reminder that, although he’d gotten virtually nothing done all afternoon, he was still at the office.

“Yes, Denise?”

“You have a call on line one. It’s…Melissa.”

She said the name with hesitation, no doubt because she knew how much calls from Rachel’s mother affected him. Denise was the only other person in the world who knew who Rachel was, and that she’d moved in with him. But even then, her knowledge was limited to the most basic facts. To her credit, Denise was professional enough not to ask too many questions.

“Do you want me to tell her you’re busy?” she asked.

“No, no, it’s okay. I’ll take it. Thanks.”

He sat down, took a deep breath—and picked up the phone. “Hi, Melissa.”

“Evan. Hello.”

There was an uncomfortable silence, and Evan wasn’t in the mood to make small talk. “So what can I do for you? It’s Friday afternoon and I’m almost ready to head home.”

“Well, that’s why I’m calling. Rachel isn’t answering the phone at your place yet, and I was a bit concerned. I wondered if you knew where she might be.”

Evan checked his watch. :. Rachel finished at : on Fridays, and would normally be walking in the door at four. “Actually, no. I don’t know that she had any other plans. But it could be anything. She might have decided to do some shopping. Did you try her cell?”

“Yes. That’s the thing. She’s not answering that either.”

Evan sighed. “How many times did it ring?”

“Uh…I’m not sure. Actually I don’t think it did. I just got her answering machine.”

Evan raked his fingers through his hair impatiently. Melissa’s ineptitude with technology was perpetual and exhausting. It wasn’t that she couldn’t learn but that she refused to. The little bit she had accepted was out of sheer desperation to keep tabs on her daughter. Technology was a manifestation of the devil and was to be feared and loathed. Thank God Rachel had given up that little bit of theology. “If it didn’t ring, that means that either it was out of range or her cell battery died. There’s nothing to worry about, Melissa. Trust me.”

“Don’t tell me that!” she screeched, suddenly agitated. “There’s everything to worry about.” Then she burst into tears.

At that moment Evan almost wanted to cry too. “No. There’s not.”

“You haven’t told her, have you? Please tell me you haven’t told her.”

“Of course not. I promised you I wouldn’t, and I’ve kept my word.”

“Good. Because it would devastate her if she knew how she was conceived. She’d never forgive me.”

“Yes. So you’ve said.”
And it’s your own doing, you idiot
, he thought to himself. Filling Rachel’s head with all this nonsense about hell and sin and the dangers of the flesh. And all because Melissa was so desperate to do penance for her own sins of twenty-six years ago. Sins that weren’t even her fault in the first place.

“And her living there, in the city. Walking amongst all that temptation and evil. What if somebody rapes her?”

“I know it’s hard for you to believe, but women aren’t generally attacked and raped in broad daylight here. Or even on the subway. It’s actually a very civilized city. And very safe.”

“That’s not the way I remember it.”

He wasn’t going there. “Well that’s the way it is.”

“There are other ways to be raped than by a rapist, you know!”

Evan arched a brow. “I have no idea what that means.”

“Well, let me tell you—”

“I’m sorry, Melissa. But I have to go. My assistant is calling me.” And indeed his intercom light was flashing. Without giving her a chance to object, he said goodbye and hung up.

He allowed himself a couple of rejuvenating breaths before hitting the button. “Yes, Denise?”

“There’s someone here to see you.” There was an odd note in her voice, a huskiness that he found strangely…arousing.

“Oh?”

“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “He’s here to deliver some wine.”

He blinked in surprise. “Fuck.”

“Pardon?”

“I-I’m sorry. Send him in.”

The door opened and in walked Jake, looking sexy as hell in his tan Dockers and pristine white golf shirt. He carried a large box with the
Wine Art, Inc.
logo emblazoned across it.

Denise had opened the door for him, and it was for her benefit that Evan said, “I wasn’t expecting a personal delivery.”

Jake stood in the middle of the room, his gaze like a laser beam on Evan’s skin. But his tone was amicable. “I was in the neighborhood, so thought I’d save myself some shipping.”