Gotta Get Next To You (17 page)

“Good.” He looked away. “See you later.”

“Yes, at the clinic.” Andrea wanted it plain
that she did not want to see him again tonight.

“Right,” he muttered, and walked off without
looking back.

“Yeah, right,” she shot back, determined to
have the last word.

Andrea congratulated herself on being a
blue-ribbon idiot. Her hard-won common sense had turned to mush.
She watched him go. At least she’d told him off. Her moment of
triumph was tempered by the memory of being in his arms. Andrea
shook her head as though to clear heated fantasies from her mind.
When she glanced up again, she gasped.

“Lord, can things get any worse?” She
groaned.

Charlene’s grand entrance on the arm of the
hand-some George Leduc told her the answer was obviously yes. Leduc
was a well-known sculptor in New Orleans, and equally well known as
a womanizing prima donna. John Mandeville and his wife were across
the ballroom. Andrea watched the scene unfold with dread. The crowd
was smaller now as people were leaving in groups. Charlene’s
musical laughter floated across the room.

Suddenly John spotted Charlene and his smile
froze. Victoria followed his gaze, then spoke close to his ear. At
first it seemed John did not hear her. Victoria spoke to him again,
this time with an angry expression. Then they turned and headed for
the nearest exit. John could not resist glancing back just once at
Charlene. So did Victoria, but with a look of pure hatred. Andrea
gasped when Charlene smiled sweetly and waved to them.

“Hi, darling,” Charlene gushed as she
approached Andrea. “Let me introduce you. Oh, but you met him
several years ago, didn’t you?” She hugged George’s arm and beamed
at him.

“Yes, I certainly remember your lovely
daughter.” George wore a smarmy expression.

“Hello,” Andrea said dryly. “You’ve missed
most of the party, Charlene.”

“Sorry, baby. We got a late start. But I’m so
proud of you.” Charlene made a kissing motion toward her without
touching her lips to Andrea’s cheek. “My Andrea is the director of
the local clinic. She’s saving lives every day.”

“How marvelous.” George looked at Andrea as
though something very different was on his mind.

“George, how wonderful to see you. How is
your work going?” a woman called out.

“Excuse me. Must make nice to possible rich
patrons.” George stroked the thin mustache he wore and sauntered
off.

Andrea rolled her eyes. “Good God, Charlene.
Where do you get them?”

“What?” Charlene flipped the long white silk
scarf she wore over one shoulder.

“That,” Andrea said, nodding at George. He
simpered and flattered a rotund woman in a shocking pink chiffon
dress.

Charlene eyed her date for a moment before
replying. “George isn’t so bad. And he is so absolutely fine.”

“He knows it better than anyone else, too,”
Andrea said with a scornful expression.

“Don’t let that arrogant pose fool you. He
spoils me like crazy.” Charlene wore a catlike smile of
satisfaction.

“Your taste in men hasn’t improved,” Andrea
muttered.

“What, sweetie?”

Charlene’s attention had drifted to John and
Victoria. They stood at the door, trapped by another socialite from
a prominent family who kept talking. Victoria’s expression was
stretched so tight her skin seemed about to crack as she nodded at
the woman. John darted furtive glances at Charlene. The minor drama
was not missed by a number of people present, including Gran.
Charlene flashed a dazzling smile at him. John looked at George and
then back at her. He turned away sharply and guided Victoria out
with one hand on her elbow. The socialite’s startled expression
told Andrea that he’d cut through her chatter, interrupting her in
midsentence. Andrea groaned under her breath.

“You had to make a scene, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Charlene wore an
innocent expression.

Andrea shook her head slowly. At that moment
she caught sight of Jamal across the room. His gaze shifted between
Andrea, Charlene, and where the Mandevilles had stood seconds
before. Andrea tensed with anger to-ward him again. She’d come
close to making a big mistake tonight. Charlene’s antics brought
the age-old fear that she was indeed like her mother, always
choosing the wrong man. Andrea tried to learn from Charlene’s
mistakes. Yet she had not seen through her former husband. And here
she was caught up in the beguiling charms of another man, one whose
motive seemed clear. Andrea glanced away when Jamal looked at her
and smiled.

“I think that puts an end to this evening for
me,” she said. “I suppose you’ll be leaving soon.” Andrea knew
Charlene’s main purpose had been achieved, to taunt John and
Victoria.

“I came to support you, but George is giving
me the silent signal that he wants to leave. Bye-bye, my brilliant
baby girl.” She rattled out the words so fast they sounded like one
long sentence.

Charlene hugged her and blew another kiss
before she breezed off. Soon she and George were leaving. All eyes
followed the handsome couple who’d caused such a stir. Andrea
avoided Jamal. She collected Gran and managed to leave without
feeling too conspicuous. Gran was silent for the first five minutes
of the drive home.

“The party was really nice,” Gran said,
stealing a sideways glance at Andrea.

“Most of it anyway.” Andrea kept her eyes on
the road ahead.

“Charlene’s got too much nerve.” Gran huffed.
“I’m gonna tell her just what I think.”

“Don’t waste your time, Gran. When has she
listened to you or anyone before?” Andrea spoke with
bitterness.

“Well, she shouldn’t have spoiled your night.
Down-right selfish is what she is. And you were having such a good
time with Jamal,” Gran blurted out, then pressed her lips
together.

“And by the way, no more matchmaking stunts,
especially not with him of all people,” Andrea said angrily. “He’s
exactly the kind of man Charlene would choose.” “But he’s not—”

“No more,” Andrea cut her off.
“Understand?”

“You don’t have to bite my head off,” she
grumbled. “Just trying to help you come out of your shell.”

“Like Charlene?” Andrea said, sarcasm
dripping like acid from the words.

“Okay, okay.”

They rode in silence all the way home. Though
she was angry with Charlene, she also was grateful. She’d needed a
dose of reality. Andrea felt she’d had a close call with Jamal
tonight. She promised herself it would not happen again.

Denny sat at the desk in the clinic pharmacy,
filling out a stack of forms in triplicate. Lee watched him for
several seconds, backed up a few steps down the hall, and whistled
as he approached. He came to the open doorway in time to see Denny
stuff the forms in a desk and lock the drawer.

“Hey, man. What’s up?” Lee said in a
happy-go- lucky tone.

“Nothing. I thought everybody had left.”
Denny stood and crossed to a shelf of labels and other items. “I’m
here getting everything set up for tomorrow. Bill will be here, you
know.”

“Yeah, I know. Pretty nice outfit you got
there.” Lee leaned against a cabinet and crossed his arms. “Worth a
nice chunk of change.”

“I guess.”

“I knew this guy back in L.A., did a great
business on the side selling medical equipment.” Lee picked up a
box of cotton swabs, examined them, and put them down again.

“Oh yeah?” Denny spoke without looking at
him. He set up the electric typewriter used to print labels for
medicine packages.

“Yeah. Made good money, too. Real good
money.” Lee leaned forward to speak right over Denny’s shoulder.
“Bet you know what I mean.”

“I don’t,” Denny said quickly. Too
quickly.

“Look, I didn’t just get off the bus from
Stupidville,” Lee tossed back at him. “I got eyes.”

“You’ve got nothing but some wrong-ass idea,”
Denny said angrily.

“Uh-huh.” Lee sidled up to him with a swagger
and lowered his voice. “I’ve made a few contacts around town. And
you hangin’ with Ty’Rance Wilson is my imagination?”

Denny grew still for a second, and then
continued arranging supplies on the counter. “What do you know
about Ty?” he said, his tone cautious.

“Enough to put two and two together. I’m good
with math.”

Lee let his words sink in. His old
undercover-cop instincts took over. This opportunity was too good
to pass up. He’d set up a deal and then let the local police take
over. When Denny said nothing, he went on.

“I wouldn’t mind meeting the dude myself.
I’ve just been looking for the right hookup.”

“A college boy like you?” Denny looked at him
from the comer of his eye. He was still on guard.

“Like I told you, I have contacts in L.A. We
made big money, too. I can help you out, man.” Lee adopted the
bragging gangsta tone he’d heard so often as a cop.

“Maybe you’re full of big talk and nothing
else.” Denny now turned to face him. There was a spark of interest
in his black eyes and a cunning expression on his boyish reddish
brown face.

“Nah, I can deliver what I’m talking about.”
Lee gazed back at him with a serious expression.

“I don’t know.” Denny rubbed his face with
one hand.

“Set it up and I’ll do the rest.”

“Ty don’t play. He’s into some heavy stuff,”
Denny said.

“Humph, heavy as it can get out here in the
sticks.” “You got into it with Bo. He’s one of Ty’s boys.” Denny
stabbed a forefinger in the space between them. “He won’t like you
too much.”

“Bo is a chump. Ty won’t get too far if
that’s the kinda help he’s using,” Lee said with a grunt of
derision.

“Yeah, well...” Denny rubbed his face again
and thought some more. “They don’t know you.”

Lee decided not to push him for now. “Okay,
man. But we can still do business. Then once we show him a profit,
he’ll probably be a lot more friendly.”

“Whatcha mean?” Denny took his hand down and
relaxed somewhat.

“You and me can work inside the clinic. He
won’t know the difference, right? Long as you give him what he
wants.” Lee wore a sly smile.

“Right, right.” Denny nodded and stared at
the wall, deep in thought.

Lee eyed the young man. Denny was more than
cautious, he looked scared. Lee played a hunch. “How much you owe
him, man?”

Denny looked at him sharply. “Who says I owe
him anything?”

There was no mistaking it; there was fear in
his eyes. “You shakin’ bad to get your hands on money. I figure you
either owe somebody dangerous or you’re on drugs.” Lee cocked his
head to one side. “Maybe both.” Denny licked his lips and shook his
head. “Look, man, I don’t know you.”

“Yeah, you do. I’m the brother that’s gonna
get you outta that hole you’re in.”

“Uh-huh. And what’s in it for you?”

“Same as what’s in it for you, cash. Only I
know how we can make some profit without sharing it with Ty.” Lee
winked at him.

“I’ll think about it,” Denny said after a
while. “I’m not saying anything else.”

“You’re too paranoid, dude.” Lee slapped his
back and grinned.

Andrea walked past the door and paused. “Hi.
You guys are here late again?”

Denny smiled at her. “Yes, ma’am. But I’m on
my way out now. ’Bye.” He slid past Lee without looking at him
again.

“’Bye, Denny. Thanks again for taking care of
those invoices,” Andrea called after him. She glanced at Lee again.
“I’m headed for home myself in a few minutes. I’ll lock up.” She
seemed to be anxious for him to leave.

Lee crossed his arms. He could not afford to
slip again. This attraction had worked its way beneath his skin,
and he was not happy about it. Only two nights ago he’d lost his
senses. His whole body had responded to Andrea under some stars and
a crescent moon. Now he tensed in anticipation of another
onslaught.

Andrea wore a light gray tailored pantsuit,
the jacket open at the collar. Sterling silver hoop earrings
gleamed against her brown skin. No amount of effort she made to
dress in a conservative, businesslike manner could disguise the
lush curves of her breasts and hips. How would it feel to run his
hands over her skin, to follow the curve of her body with the tips
of his fingers? Was her bare flesh beneath the fabric as smooth as
that exposed at her throat? Lee’s libido stirred to life and he
hastened to cut it off at the pass.

Whether it was her fragrance, the way her
lips glistened like ripe dark fruit, or moonlight madness, the
reason didn’t matter. Lee was not one of those brothers with brains
in his crotch. Somehow she’d almost gotten through to that place in
his heart he closely guarded. The last thing he needed was to lose
his head over a woman, especially this one. She could be just one
more cute crook.

“Hey!” Andrea said, waving her hands at him.
“Did you hear me?”

“Sorry, I was thinking about something I’ve
gotta do later,” Lee stammered.

“I’m sure your social life is busy, so I’ll
hurry up.” Andrea brushed back her hair and walked to her
office.

“I—” Lee almost blurted out a denial but
caught him-self. Luckily she seemed not to have heard him anyway.
“I’ll wait at the back door,” he called out.

“Okay,” she answered from a distance.

What was his problem? The simplest thing was
to let her think he was a player, act as though he indeed had a
lover. Maybe that would help. In fact, he should contact one of the
women he saw occasionally. Being with Katina was pleasant enough.
An evening with a woman who made no demands might just do the trick
to help him fight off this madness. Yet the thought of being with
any other woman left him feeling flat as week-old cola. This was
really crazy! Lee had never felt this lost, even when he’d courted
his ex-wife, Kristen. There could be something to this Louisiana
voodoo after all, he mused, shaking his head.