Operation Revenge (2 page)

"I suppose that makes her angrier," Haley muttered, her eyes lit with laughter.

"You suppose right," he said.

"Does she demand great-grandchildren from your brother?"

"According to her, Daniel is a lost cause." Simon seized his glass and downed the rest in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "He's too busy partying and having a good time. He doesn't take anything seriously. I'm her last hope." He glanced at his watch. "I guess I should go."

"I guess I should too." Haley snatched up her purse and slid off the barstool.

"I'll walk you to your car." Simon nodded at Mickey. "Send me a bill."

The bartender grinned. "I was planning on it."

Simon placed his hand on the small of Haley's back and ushered her out of the bar. The sun was setting. The sky had streaks of orange, pink, purple and blue. A cool breeze caressed Simon's face, refreshing him and momentarily erasing his fatigue. He took several deep breaths. At Haley's car, they turned to face each other, both reluctant to say goodbye.

"Thank you for the drink and the company," she told him.

"It was my pleasure." A flowery scent wafted to him on the breeze and he wondered where it was coming from. When Haley leaned in close and kissed his cheek, he realized he was smelling her perfume. Before he could stop himself, he asked her the name of her perfume.

"It's called
Endless,
" she explained.

"I like it."

"It was a birthday present from my-" She yawned, "sister. Sorry, but it's been a long day and I'm tired."

Simon opened her car door for her. "Go home and get some sleep."

"I'll see you soon."

"See you soon," he said. He watched as she got in her car and drove away.

Chapter 2

He was late. Sighing, Haley glanced around the small diner and spotted a couple two tables away. They were holding hands and talking while they waited for their breakfast to arrive. It was obvious by the way they gazed at each other that they were in love. A pang of loneliness shot through her. She longed for the old days when she and Chad would hold hands and look at each other with love shining in their eyes. Her heart aching she turned her head and saw him approaching the table.

"I'm late, I know." He pulled out a chair, unbuttoned his suit coat, and sat down. "My damn alarm clock didn't go off. You should have seen me. I was running through the apartment like a mad man, trying to get ready for work. The cleaning lady is going to have a fit when she sees how I left the bedroom and bathroom." He picked up the menu and opened it. "Anyway, I'm starved. Let's order."

Anger flared to life inside of her. How dare he carry on as though he had done nothing wrong. He kept her waiting for more than ten minutes, and what was worse was that he didn't apologize for it. She opened her mouth to tell him where he could stick his breakfast. Before she could speak her cell phone rang. She leaned over and picked up her purse. Searching through it, she located the phone and took it out. She flipped it open and pressed the talk button. "Hello?"

"Hello, Haley, it's Simon. Am I catching you at a bad time?"

"Not at all," she assured him. "I'm glad you called. I wanted to tell you that I had a nice time last night."

"So did I," he said. "We'll have to do it again soon. Is Chad with you?"

"Unfortunately . . . yes."

"What has he done this time?" Simon demanded to know.

"I'm not going to involve you in my problems," she stated.

"All right. Have it your way, but I'm here if you need someone to talk to. Would you please tell Chad to answer his phone? I've been trying to call him."

"I'll tell him," Haley promised.

"Thank you." He cleared his throat. "I will let you go. Take care, Haley."

"You too. Bye, Simon."

"Bye."

"What was he doing calling you?" Chad asked from behind his menu.

"He wanted me to tell you to answer your phone," she replied coolly. "He's been trying to reach you."

"I must have forgotten to turn my phone on." He closed the menu and glared at her. "You had a nice time last night? What were you two doing?"

Haley smirked. "Jealous?"

Chad gritted his teeth. "Answer the question."

She saw an opportunity to get back at him for being late and took it. "I don't think I will. You know, suddenly I'm famished." She grabbed her menu only to have it ripped out of her hands. "I guess I don't need it. I'll just order the-"

"You're not ordering a damn thing until you tell me what you were doing with Simon last night."

Haley studied him for several seconds. Her eyes took in the muscle that twitched at his jaw and the anger that flashed in his chocolate brown eyes. He didn't frighten her one bit. If anything his anger brought her a sense of satisfaction. She smiled at him cheekily. "Go to hell." Seizing her purse, she got to her feet and left the diner. She was almost to her car when Chad caught up with her.

"Wait!" he said. "Don't leave."

"I'm fed up." She whirled around and jabbed him in the chest with her fingernail. "I'm fed up with you canceling our plans and I'm fed up with waiting around for you. My time is just as important as yours. If this relationship isn't working for you anymore then tell me. I'm a big girl. I can take it. As for Simon, nothing happened last night. I stopped at O'Connor's for a drink and he was there. He bought me a drink and we talked. I would never cheat on you and Simon is not the kind of man that would sleep with his best friend's girlfriend. If you don't know that then you don't know him."

"I'm sorry," Chad muttered. "I'm sorry for being an ass. I don't want to call off our relationship." He brought a hand up and touched her cheek. "I love you, Haley. Please forgive me. Give me another chance. Please."

"You screw up one more time and we're done," she informed him.

"Fair enough." He kissed her on the mouth. "Stay and have breakfast with me."

Haley nodded and allowed him to lead her back inside.

"Good morning, Mr. Wilcox," Paula said as Simon strolled into the reception room.

"Good morning," he responded.

"I put several messages on your desk," she told him. "Also, your grandmother is waiting for you in your office. She wouldn't wait out here and - I'm sorry, sir."

"It's all right, Paula." He smiled at her. "Let me share something with you that might help in the future. When it comes to my grandmother it's best to go along with her rather than argue. Nine times out of ten you will lose."

She returned the smile. "I'll remember that, sir. Shall I hold your calls?"

"Yes, please." Simon made his way toward his office. He opened the door and stepped into the room. His grandmother was sitting at the desk, searching through the top drawer. He stopped and stared at her with an amused expression on his face. Marian Wilcox was in her mid seventies with blue eyes and white hair she wore in a bun. She was small in stature. Her appearance led people to believe she was fragile and she liked to use that to her benefit. The truth was she was as tough as steel and one of the shrewdest people he knew. If you got on her bad side heaven help you, but if you were lucky enough to get on her good side you had an ally for life.

"Are you going to stand there all day and gawk at me?" she asked.

"Are you going to tell me why you're searching through my desk?"

Marian slammed the drawer shut. "Don't question me, boy."

"Yes, ma'am." Simon walked to his desk and placed his briefcase on the desktop. He moved around to the other side, bent down, and kissed her on the temple. "May I ask what brings you here?"

"I wanted to tell you in person that I am having a cocktail party tomorrow evening," she announced. "Seven sharp and I expect you to be there."

Simon groaned inwardly. Her cocktail parties meant one thing. She was going to try to fix him up with someone. She always threw a party when she wanted to introduce him to a woman she thinks would make a suitable wife. He wanted to tell her he could not make it, but he knew she would not take no for an answer. She never did. "Would it be all right if I invite a few people?"

"It depends on whom you want to invite." Marian reached for her cane and slowly rose from the chair.

"Haley and Chad."

"I don't like that boy." She limped to the large window behind the desk and looked out. "I never did. There is something wrong with him. Now Haley is a good girl. The kind of girl that would make an excellent wife and mother. Don't you think so, dear?"

"Yes, Gran, I do," Simon agreed quietly.

"She's lovely too."

Simon rolled his eyes. "Don't get any ideas. She's with Chad."

Marian turned slightly and eyed her grandson. "You are handsome and wealthy. I am sure it wouldn't take much to steal her from him."

"I won't do that." He ran a hand through his dark brown hair and sighed. "He's my friend."

"Friends can be replaced."

"Enough!" he snarled. "Gran, I love you, so please don't take this the wrong way. Get out."

Marian shot him a filthy look. "Very well."

Not long after she left the phone rang. Simon leaned across his desk and snatched up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hey, man," Chad said. "Sorry you couldn't get a hold of me. My phone was off."

"You should leave it on."

"I usually do, but I was busy last night and I didn't want any interruptions so I turned it off," he explained. "So what do you want?"

"I want to tell you I rescheduled the meeting I canceled yesterday. It's Monday at nine-thirty. Make a note of it. I don't want you forgetting."

"I won't."

Simon sat back in his chair. "Are you and Haley busy tomorrow night?"

"No. Why do you want to know?"

"Gran is throwing a cocktail party." He thought of the last one and the women that eyed him as though he was a piece of meat and they were hungry. Suddenly his tie felt like it was choking him. He reached up and loosened it. "I know it's not your idea of a good time, but you would be doing me a favor, which you owe me one. I seem to recall getting a certain someone out of jury duty not too long ago."