Runway Romance (Love in the Air Trilogy) (13 page)

Jenny whipped around in mid-step, almost losing her balance. “No, we cannot see each other. Why in the hell would you think that? You and your morals and values! That should have been a tip-off right there. Anyone who espouses morals and then goes ahead and sleeps with women he doesn’t even love certainly isn’t someone you can trust.”

“Now you’re starting to piss me off.”

“Well, good, now you’re beginning to feel the way I do.”

“You’re making a lot of assumptions that you’re going to have to apologize for later.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You were right about one thing, you definitely are stubborn.”

“Don’t call me. Don’t e-mail me. I don’t want to have any contact with you ever again. And,” Jenny tried to think of the perfect line to end their relationship. Nothing came to her.

“And?”

“And, I hate Korean food!” Jenny turned on her heel and walked quickly toward the parked car. “Dammit! I don’t have a car. That’s his car. I’m not getting in his car. Ever!”

She kept walking until she was out of eyesight, then called AAA Taxi. There were many people she could have called, but there would be questions. She didn’t want to answer any questions. She wanted a hot bath and to never hear the name Richard Novatney again.

“Why can’t there be just one decent, regular, nice guy for me to love? Just one. I only need one.” Tears spilled out of her eyes and her nose began to run. Gentle sobs turned deeper as she realized just how much she had come to like Richard, and how much she had been looking forward to seeing him again.

There was nothing he could say to make things right. Why did he think that ten minutes of conversation would change anything? “He’s deluded. He just wanted to string me along until I really fell for him and then he’d just happen to mention he had a kid and a wife. Imagine how much it would have hurt then? This is nothing compared to what that would have been like. It’s better it happened now. I can just forget about him and move on.”

Jenny wiped her eyes one last time. “No tears for an immoral, valueless liar.”

She waved to the taxi as it approached, then got in and headed for home. When they pulled into the driveway, she noticed Patricia’s car. “Not now. I just want to be alone,” she whispered.

She took a deep breath, paid the driver, and exited the car. When she entered the house, the contents of Patricia’s bags had erupted into the living room. Blouses, shirts, shorts, and bags of all kinds were strewn around.

“I couldn’t help it. Everything was on sale! I have to show you.” Patricia’s eyes were sparkling, even as her jet lag tried to pull her toward her bed.

“Can we do this later? I mean, I love that you thought of me, I just…” How could tears be forming again?

“What’s wrong? Jenny, why are you upset?”

“It’s really nothing. I just need to be alone for a while.”

“Okay, but you know the rule. You have to at least say what you’re upset about so we can figure out a solution behind your back.”

Jenny half smiled. “Rich has a kid and he’s married. You figure out a solution while I go take a bath.”

“Oh.” Patricia watched her friend walk slowly down the hall.

About ten minutes later she tapped on the bathroom door, then walked in and sat on the counter. “Just how married is he?”

“Married married. What other kind of married is there?”

“There’s married because of circumstances, married but waiting for a divorce to be final, married because you get more money from the IRS, married…”

“As far as I’m concerned there is only kind of married. They both said, ‘I do,’ signed paperwork and are legally married.”

There was a long pause.

“What did Kate say?” Jenny asked.

“You know Kate, wedding vows never stopped her from following her heart. Do you love him?”

“I hardly know him.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I like him, a lot. It hurts more than I expected. I believed his words about trust and values. I feel so stupid for believing him now.” Jenny took a deep breath. “He taught me to drive, but more than that. He empowered me to not be so scared. Not only of riding in a car, but in other areas of my life, too.”

“Do you think he was setting you up? Building up your confidence so you wouldn’t want to leave once you knew the truth?”

“I hadn’t thought of that. I just didn’t think he thought like that. You know, ulterior motives and manipulation. He was just this nice, hard-working guy. He was what I wanted. What I specifically asked for.”

“Except the married with kids part.”

“Kid. Don’t make it worse by adding more.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. I’m just… Why is it that we can’t find a good man to love? Are we so unlovable? I mean, do we emit some kind of scent that repels decent men and lures the icky ones to us?

“I don’t know. I met a guy.”

“Not another long distance romance. Patricia, you know those never work out.”

“I know. I know. But, Jen, he’s amazing. He’s a field worker…”

“What crop?”

“I don’t know. I’m not into agriculture. Something that grows from the ground up.”

“That narrows it down.”

“His body is like a god. Sculpted pecs, twelve-pack, thighs that send me to the moon.”

“So, it’s all physical?”

“It started out that way, but then it shifted. He’s into philosophy and world religions. He’s so smart. I know absolutely nothing about what he’s talking about. I just love to hear his voice.

And he has these calloused hands. The way the roughness hits my skin is…”

“Mind-blowing?”

“Exactly! I didn’t ever want him to stop touching me.”

“You had time for shopping, though.”

“I did the shopping before I met Malelough.”

“Spell that.”

“I don’t know how it’s really spelled. I just imagine how it’s spelled.”

“How was the goodbye?”

Patricia sighed. “Difficult. He’s coming to the States in two weeks. I told him he could stay here with me. He’s only going to be here a week.”

“Better reinforce the springs on the bed.”

“That’s no joke. Soundproofing the walls wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Kate’ll be back by then and she hates listening to me have sex.”

“It doesn’t help that your bed is directly above hers.”

“I never complain about her sexcapades, and she is way louder than I am.”

“You’re both loud.”

“And you aren’t? Miss Oh, Oh, OOOOOHHHHH!”

“We’re all loud. Of course Rich doesn’t know I’m loud because we never got that far.”

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t even get a chance to meet him.”

“It’s better this way. Now no one can say, ‘Oh, we really liked Rich, why’d you break up with him?’”

“There is that. The introduction is so fun. The explanation about why you split is a pain in the ass.”

“Thanks for talking with me. It helps to not feel so alone.”

“Do you want some hot tea?”

“No.”

“Vodka?”

“Numb therapy. Now that sounds like something I could use.”

“I have all the bottles from the plane. Choose your poison.”

“Rum and Diet Coke.”

“I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

“Malelough. I hope you’re the one for Patricia. One heartache per household at a time.”

Chapter Sixteen

Jenny opened her eyes the next morning to the sound of jackhammers plowing into her head. She blew out a breath. “How many drinks did I have last night?”

She rubbed her temples and headed for the bathroom for some aspirin. One look in the mirror told her what she already knew, she’d had too much to drink. Her eyes were sunken as she squinted. “Don’t know why we need four lights in here.”

Then she remembered why she’d begun drinking in the first place.

“Why didn’t you just tell me from the start that you were married? Men are such liars.”

“Not all men.” Kate said, slipping past her and turning on the shower knobs.

“What are you doing here?”

“I live here.”

“No. I mean what are you doing here now? You’re in Ireland.”

“I was in Ireland. Now, I’m not.”

“But why are you here?”

“I cut my vacation a little short. No big deal.” She stepped into the shower and reached for the shampoo.

“You’re leaving something out.”

“Did she tell you?” Patricia asked as she jumped up on the counter and settled in.

“You know? One of you better tell me right now, and talk quietly, please.”

Neither woman said a word.

“Spill it, Boudreau.”

“I wasn’t feeling very well.”

“Did you go to the doctor?”

“Of course.”

“And? Man, you’re usually talking a mile a minute. Now, I’m pulling words out of your mouth. What’s going on?”

Kate pulled back the shower curtain. “I’m pregnant.”

“Pregnant? Who? When? How?”

“How?”

“Who? When?”

“I’m two months pregnant, so that makes who Dan Aldridge.”

“The helicopter pilot?” Jenny asked.

“No.”

“The fill-in captain from Spain?” Patricia questioned.

“No.”

“We could go on like this for days. Tell us who Dan Aldridge is.”

“He’s not exactly a pilot.”

“What is he exactly?” Patricia said.

“He’s the putt-putt golf guy at the indoor game place.”

“Back up a sec. Since when did you start dating non-pilots?”

“I didn’t really date him. We just had this great vibe right from the start. You could say we were incredibly sexually compatible. Thing is, he’s barely twenty-one.”

“Kate!” Patricia’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about little Danny Aldridge, the guy who cut our grass this summer? He’s still wet behind the ears.”

“If his ears were wet, it was because my tongue found a sweet spot.”

“Okay.” Jenny put her hands in the air. “I really don’t need to hear this. He’s just a kid. How’s he going to feel about being a dad?”