Strip Me Bare (18 page)

I hurry into my uncle’s office, not wanting
anyone to catch me spying, and place a stack of papers on his desk.
I photocopied at least a hundred briefs this morning, and have just
finished delivering them to all the designated lawyers. I look up
when Ryan and my uncle walk through the door; they’re both smiling
and seem comfortable in each other’s presence. And, for one split
second, I wish it was my father instead of my uncle looking at Ryan
that way.

“So, who’s ready for a celebratory lunch?” my
uncle asks in his deep voice. I glance between both of them,
stunned. “You got the job?”

Ryan rubs the back of his neck, “Guess
so.”

I don’t know what to do next. I want to run
up and fling my arms around him, but how would that look in an
office environment?

Fuck it; I do it anyway, giving him the
biggest hug I can muster, because I know this job could potentially
change his life.

And potentially get rid of Jack the
Stripper.

“Mr. Remington,” a woman’s voice comes in
over the speaker on his desk. “There’s been a development in the
Richmond case, they’re requesting you in conference room
three.”

My uncle sighs. “No rest for the weary,” he
says. “Looks like you two are celebrating on your own.” He walks
over to the filing cabinet under the window and picks out a blue
envelope. “Have a good time,” he says amiably and then rushes out
the door.

“So what do you want to do to celebrate?” I
ask, grabbing Ryan’s hand.

Ryan gets a wicked look on his face and
glances at my uncle’s huge cherry wood desk. “I can think of one
thing.”

I walked right into that one.

“Not going to happen.”

“How bout a quickie at my place then?” he
pulls me into his arms and I brace my hands on his chest.

“You’re not hungry?” I ask.

“Oh, I’m hungry,” he says, kissing my neck.
“But you’re the only one who has the flavor I want.”

Naughty.

“So let’s go then,” I pull him toward the
door by his tie, “and I’ll let you taste the rainbow.”

“Jesus Christ, I love you,” Ryan feigns
fainting, “It’s a good thing I’m wearing a suit jacket.” He wraps
his arms around me from behind and I can feel his hard on poking me
in the back.

“Really, is that all it takes?” I giggle. “A
dirty innuendo?”

“Alana, all it takes is for you to
breathe.”

I laugh aloud, “You’re incorrigible.”

“I know baby,” he groans, “don’t ever ask me
to change.”

“I wouldn’t, and I don’t think you could even
if you tried.”

We walk out into the vestibule holding hands;
several receptionists are behind the desk, including Reyna and
Shelia. Shelia has short black hair, a pear-shaped body and a
devious demeanor. They watch us like hawks as we walk by and just
as we get into the elevator someone yells, “Jack!” and Ryan turns
his head.

Shit.

I circle around to see both Reyna and
Shelia’s eyes sparkling; those two connivers just unmasked Jack the
Stripper.

Easter is late this
year.

The daffodils have popped up, the azaleas are
in bloom and there is just the tiniest hint of warmth in the air.
I’m sitting at the table in my aunt and uncle’s Art Deco dining
room feasting on rack of lamb with pureed sweet potatoes and beet
salad. It’s my aunt’s signature meal for the holiday. The
conversation is light and everyone seems to be enjoying their
meal.

“Alana, did I tell you Alex and I will be in
the city next month? He’s taking me to see Thirty Seconds to Mars.”
Emily wipes her mouth with an excited glint in her eye. She loves
Jared Leto so this news is no surprise. She’s a self-proclaimed
Echelon.

“Oh yeah? Where are they playing?”

“Roseland Ballroom, nice and intimate,” she
smiles wickedly, “It should be a good concert.”

“Sounds like a good one. I’m jealous.” I take
a sip of red wine. I’m a bit of a Jared Leto fan myself.

“I can get you and Ryan tickets if you want
to come,” Alex chimes in innocently and I immediately cease
breathing.

“Ryan?” My father’s low timber vibrates
across the table.

Its official, the universe hates me. First
Emily outs me and now Alex. I swear these two are a match made in
big mouth heaven.

I stare at my father stock-still trying to
figure out a way to answer his one word, probing question. I
deliberate carefully. One wrong slip of the tongue and life as I
know it could be over.

“Yes. Ryan.” I look around the table and
everyone is frozen. My uncle with a forkful of beets to his mouth,
my aunt with her wine glass touching her lips, Emily glaring at
Alex like she wants to stab her knife into his neck. “He’s someone
I’m seeing.”

My father drops his fork. “Why do Emily and
Alex know you’re seeing someone and I don’t?”

The question actually throws me for a loop.
He sounds almost hurt. Which is not in my father’s character
description at all.

“Because I wasn’t ready to tell you.” And
that’s the honest truth.

“Well, who is he? Where is he from? What does
he do?” My father pops off every question I don’t want to
answer.

“Merrick don’t interrogate the girl. She’s
twenty-three years old, she’s entitled to her privacy.” My uncle
John goes to bat for me.

“I don’t recall directing a question at you
John,” my father snaps.
Ouch.

Oh fuck, I glance quickly between my uncle
and my father. This could get ugly if I’m not systematic with my
answers.
Just breathe.

“Daddy,” I say sweetly, calmly, trying to
placate him even though I’m a jumble of overheating organs on the
verge of stalling out. “Ryan and I are only casually dating. Law
school is my first priority. Getting families involved is just too
big of a step for me right now. I don’t want to get
distracted.”

My father grimaces. “Telling me about your
boyfriend and introducing him to me are two entirely different
things,” he says; always the lawyer.

“Maybe so, but I wasn’t ready for either.” I
stand firm.

His brown gaze bores into me. I wish I knew
what he was thinking, but reading him is like trying to interpret
hieroglyphics. I just sit there as the moments tick by, my
heartbeat slow and labored. Like I’m steadily dying.

“Fine then.” He relents and I nearly pass
out. “I can respect the fact you want to put school first and not
get distracted. That’s a very mature attitude.” He looks down and I
don’t understand his reaction. It’s impassive like usual, but it’s
almost like there’s something more. Something that he’s trying to
hide. It’s unnerving. It’s not like him at all. And it actually
frightens me. I glance at my uncle but he just shrugs.

I want to ask if he’s all right, but even if
he isn’t I don’t think he’d admit it. Especially not to me.

Lesson learned from today’s meal? A secret
isn’t a secret unless you keep it to yourself.

“You deserve a freakin’ Academy Award.” Emily
leans on the counter next to where I’m drying the china and
swigging merlot right out of the bottle.

“That was to close.” I place a dried dish
unsteadily on the stack. The Bone china has been in my family for
three generations. It’s a creamy white with a textured surface and
a platinum ring running all around the rim.

“I know, but you didn’t bat an eyelash or
even break a sweat when he started asking about Ryan.”

I laugh manically. “When you’re the daughter
of a judge and the niece of an esteemed lawyer you learn a few
things about composure.”

“Yeah, well, if you handle yourself in a
courtroom the way you handled yourself in the dining room I see a
bright future for you.”

“Let’s hope so.” I take another gulp of
wine.

“Alana?” Emily looks down and it seems like
she has something important on her mind. “Let’s just say for shits
and giggles you did introduce Ryan to your father, it’s not like
you have to tell him what he does. You can say he’s a graphic
artist. It wouldn’t be lying.”

I stop drying the dishes and huff. “Emily,
Ryan’s occupation is the least of my problems with my father. He
convicted him. He’ll never see past that.”

“It’s been almost six years, do you really
think he’ll remember?”

“Maybe not at first, but eventually, yes. And
then the shit will hit the fan.”

Emily gives me a sympathetic look. She
doesn’t like it anymore than me that I have to hide Ryan like he’s
someone to be ashamed of. But it isn’t that at all. “Em, look.
Putting all my wants and needs aside, I can’t subject Ryan to my
father’s ridicule. You have no idea what the last few years have
been like for him. He has so much more healing to do and we’ve only
been back together less than a year. We need to work on us first
before we go adding our families into the sticky mix.”

It makes me want to rip my heart out every
time I think of my loving, affectionate, free-spirited Ryan and all
the deep, dark, demons he still has inside. There’s no way I’m
going to let my father’s elitist attitude provoke the already
fragile side of him.

“Hey.” Alex interrupts us.

“Hey.” Emily and I turn around.

“I’m so sorry about before. I don’t know what
I was thinking.”

“It’s okay Alex.” I cross my arms and lean on
the counter. I think the wine is going to my head
. FINALLY!
“Maybe it’s for the best. Now Ryan doesn’t have to be some
monumental secret, only a really huge one.”

I glance at my watch 7:02 PM. My train leaves
in forty-five minutes. “Can you give me a ride to the train
station?” I ask. “It’s getting late and I really want to get home.”
I throw the dishtowel onto the counter feeling more than a little
bit tipsy.

“Absolutely,” Alex answers, and I can tell he
still feels bad.

As I’m grabbing my coat from the foyer closet
I can smell brandy and cigar smoke coming from my uncle’s study. I
peer in and see my father and uncle each sitting in an oversized
red leather chair by the fireplace.

“Merrick that’s your third Courvoisier. Is
there something on your mind?” my uncle says in his typical jovial
tone. Even though they fight like cats and dogs and rarely see eye
to eye, they have a special relationship. One I will never
understand. Probably because I have no siblings of my own.

My father exhales a puff of sweet smelling
smoke and then says, “She just grew up to damn fast.”

What?
I blanch. I don’t know what to
make of that statement and before I can analyze it any further I
hear Emily calling my name. I walk into the study to say goodbye
with Alex and Emily on my heels. I give my uncle a huge hug and
kiss goodbye then turn to my father. He’s just standing there
regarding me with no outward sign of emotion.

“Goodbye daddy.” I try to sound lively
instead of drunk.

“Alana.” He responds with a nod of his head,
his brown eyes heedful. I don’t know what to make of his energy
tonight. It’s different somehow. But I don’t have time to dwell
because Emily is pushing me out the door. I turn with one last
glance at my father and wonder why I have to have such complicated
relationships with all the men in my life. I climb into Alex’s
Bentley and slide across leather that feels like whipped cream. Did
I say he was filthy stinkin’ rich? I meant disgustingly rich. He
makes my family look like beggars on the street.

“Alana, I really am sorry.” Alex says again,
searching me out in the rear view mirror.

“It’s okay Alex, really. You didn’t mean to
do it.” I drop my head back onto the seat.

“Maybe not,” Emily interjects. “But you are
going to let Alana and Ryan borrow the jet so they can fly to
France or Italy or where ever the hell they want to go to make up
for almost ruining Alana’s life.”

“Yes, dear,” Alex responds drolly as he pulls
out of the driveway. “You know what I don’t get though?” Alex goes
on. “Ryan is crazy in love with you. So what he’s a stripper? You
don’t have to tell your father that.”