The Billionaire's Best Friend (The Sherbrookes of Newport) (14 page)

When she picked up the phone, Kevin
’s name glared back at her. Right away, hope sprang to life. He never called this early. Was it possible something had come up, and he needed to change their plans? It had happened several times in the past. On those occasions it had annoyed her. If it happened today, she’d do a little jig right there in the middle of her classroom.

“
Hi, Kevin.” Lauren tried to infuse some cheer into her voice. “Is everything okay?”

A hacking cough came through the phone.
“No,” he said in a raspy voice. Another coughing fit came over him. “I’m sick. The flu.”

Lauren almost didn
’t recognize the voice. He sounded as if he’d placed a clothespin over his nose.

“
There is no way I can make it this weekend. I went to the doctor this morning and have been in bed ever since. If Olivia hasn’t gone back to California yet she’d love to go with you.”

A crazy mixture of relief and guilt washed over her. The poor guy sounded miserable, and she knew how awful the flu made you feel. She
’d had her own run-in with it around Thanksgiving. Yet, thanks to his condition she was getting out of their weekend together.

“
I understand. Is there anything I can do for you? Bring you anything?”

“
Kill me, maybe,” he moaned, before another cough assaulted her ears. “Every part of my body aches.”

“
I know the flu is brutal. Make sure you rest. I spent three days in bed sleeping when I had it.”

“
Trust me, unless the house is on fire, I don’t plan on leaving my bed,” Kevin said. “If I feel better, I’ll call you on Sunday. I’ll text you Olivia’s number if you want to try her. Have fun in New York.”

“
Thanks. Feel better.”

Lauren stared around her empty classroom. Now that Kevin couldn
’t go, she had an extra ticket. Should she ask a friend or give Olivia a call? Her first choice of companions was out. Callie hated the ballet. The only way she’d get her there was by physical force. Kelly was out, too. Not many of her friends enjoyed the ballet, but Kevin’s sister did. Would she enjoy a whole weekend with Olivia? They’d only met that one time. She’d have to think about it, and, worst-case scenario, she would go alone. Just because she had an extra ticket didn’t mean she had to use it.

***

Under three layers of blankets, Kevin shivered again and cursed his bad luck. He could not recall when he’d last been sick. And never like this. Every inch of his body ached, one minute he was hot and the next freezing, and the cough medicine did not even take the edge off. He just wanted to die and end his suffering.

His physical ailments only added to his foul mood. Of all the weekends, it had to happen on this one. While not a huge fan of the ballet—in truth he found it downright boring—he had been looking forward to a getaway with Lauren.

He had postponed his Friday afternoon appointment until the following week just so they could leave when she got out of school. Rarely did he change business meetings for anything or anyone, much less something as trivial as the ballet, but he knew how important this was to Lauren. Not to mention he figured it was a great opportunity to further develop their relationship. Even before she’d asked him, he had been considering a romantic weekend getaway. Especially considering her distant behavior as of late. Although she never called on a regular basis, her phone calls had become even less frequent. When they did talk on the phone, she sounded preoccupied and kept their conversations short. The last time they’d gotten together, she remained stiff and rigid most of the night. Only twice had he glimpsed the woman he’d first met: once when she discussed the ballet with his sister and then when she slipped her hand into his under the table. Of course, he could chalk up her behavior that night to meeting his parents for the first time.

When she
’d dropped this weekend in his lap, it had alleviated some of his worry over the change he’d noticed in her. How important could the guy from her past be if she invited him away for the weekend? Not that it mattered now. Thanks to the damn flu, he was stuck in bed, his hopes of pushing their relationship closer to an engagement put on hold.

Although, maybe it didn
’t need any further encouragement. If Lauren wasn’t fully invested in them, would she have asked him? She could have just as easily invited along a friend like Callie. She hadn’t, though. She’d asked him, and she’d sounded genuinely disappointed when he’d just talked to her.

Despite the drummer in his head using his brain to compose a rock song, Kevin smiled. He had nothing to worry about.

***

“
That was amazing.” Suzanne Miller followed Lauren into their suite at The Sherbrooke Plaza Hotel located in the heart of New York City. New to Ridgefield, Suzanne taught tap and ballet with Lauren, and they had become friends over the past winter.

Amazing was only one of the many adjectives Lauren would use to describe the show. It had been everything she
’d imagined a New York City performance to be and then some.

“
I could have sat there all night and watched them perform,” Lauren said, fingering her gold hoop earring. Her eyes once again took in the elegant suite, an odd sense of unease forming inside her.

When they had checked in the previous afternoon, the hotel concierge had immediately descended on them. Despite her protests that it wasn
’t necessary, he’d escorted them up to their suite. When she realized their floor could only be accessed with a VIP room card, she’d known Callie hadn’t booked her in any ordinary room. Still, when the elevator doors opened she’d been surprised. Nothing around her resembled the hotels she was used to. Then the concierge unlocked her suite door, and she’d stared at it once again, reminded of just how different Callie’s life had become.

“
I still can’t believe this whole trip was a birthday present.” Suzanne stood near the window looking down at the city. “Half my friends forgot to even wish me a happy birthday this year.”

No question about it, she was lucky to have a friend like Callie. Few people had friends they could depend on the way Lauren and Callie depended on each other.
“We’ve been friends for a long time. She’s more like a sister than a friend.”

“
You’re still lucky.” She nodded toward the city outside. “What do you say we go to some clubs? It’s still early and we’re both single. Let’s have some fun. See who we can meet.”

A few hours at a dance club sounded fun.
“I’m not single, Suzanne, and neither are you. Or are you and Bryan done?”

Suzanne rolled her eyes.
“I don’t see rings on either of our fingers, Lauren.” She held up her hand and wiggled her ring finger. “Bryan’s okay with me seeing other men. He went out with a woman from work last night since I was here with you.”

Ring or no ring on her hand, the last thing she needed was another man in her life. Even now guilt slammed her over the head every time she saw Kevin or talked to him. It might not have been intentional, but she
’d now kissed Nate on two separate occasions. Something she had no business doing while still with Kevin.

“
You pick up anyone you want, but I’m only dancing tonight.”

“
Suit yourself,” she said with a shrug. “I’m going to change. See you in a few minutes.”

Lauren shook her head and headed to her own bedroom off the living room area.
To each her own
. If Suzanne spent the night with some stranger, she wouldn’t get a lecture from her, as long as she didn’t bring him back here.

Alone in her room, she hung up the gown from Callie. For a second, she considered calling Kevin to check on him. He had sounded terrible when he called and a good girlfriend would call and see how he felt. Even knowing this, she held back. First and foremost, he needed his rest. That reason alone didn
’t hold her back, however, and she knew it. So far the trip into New York and the ballet had been a terrific distraction from her relationship woes, but calling him would only reinforce the fact that she had a decision to make.

Should she stick with the safe path and stay with Kevin or risk her heart again and give Nate another chance? Every time she thought she had made up her mind, a memory or a thought occurred, and she again found herself pondering her choices. The way she saw it, both choices had repercussions. If she stayed with Kevin, not only might she find herself in a relationship with a man she never loved, but she
’d also have to see Nate go on with his life without her. On the other hand, if she jumped headfirst into something with Nate, not only was she setting herself up for possible emotional devastation, she might be throwing away something special with Kevin.

“
What a complete mess,” Lauren said as she pulled on her black boots.

***

“You might want to check on those steaks,” Nate said, referring to the Porterhouse steaks his  brother had put on the grill. Older by three years, Ryan and his wife lived on the opposite side of town from their parents.

“
I know how to grill, and they’re fine. But if you don’t like the way I do it, be my guest,” Ryan answered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Nate refused to take the bait, knowing if he got up and checked now, he
’d have grill duty for the rest of the night.

“
How’s it going living back at Mom and Dad’s?” Ryan asked when Nate stayed seated. “Is Mom constantly stopping by?”

When he
’d moved into the apartment he’d expected that from his mom. Except for the few times she’d brought by his mail because it had been left in his parents’ mailbox instead of his, she never stopped over. She called once or twice a week to invite him for dinner, but otherwise she gave him his own space.

“
I hardly see them. But it’s still just a temporary arrangement. I haven’t had enough time to find something else.” One more problem on his list.

“
Heard you and McDonald got into it at O’Donnell’s.”

He didn
’t need another reminder of Lauren. He had enough of them back in his apartment. Every time he walked into his bedroom, memories of what they’d done in there while in high school ambushed him. In fact, he’d been searching for a distraction from those memories when Ryan called and invited him over.

“
Who’d you hear that from?” Who else had been in the pub that night? At the moment he was drawing a blank. The shock and grief had overwhelmed him. If he’d handled things differently that summer, what would’ve happened? What if she’d had the baby? Would they be a family today?

The shock had since worn off, but not the grief. His heart still ached for what they
’d both lost. The only thing that helped ease it was the knowledge that Lauren still cared. Their kiss that night had sent his body and mind spiraling out of control. That kiss and Lauren’s request for time to think kept his hopes high. If no chance existed for them, she would have told him upfront. She wouldn’t string him along and play games with him.

“
We had words. It was no big deal.”

Ryan reclined in his chair and crossed his arms.
“That’s not how I heard it. Harry Evans said he expected some blows. Said he heard McDonald warn you to stay away from Lauren.”

Harry Evans had always acted like an eighty-year-old busybody. It looked like some things never changed.
“Evans is an ass.” He wasn’t sharing what he learned that night with anyone.

Ryan shrugged one shoulder.
“Never said he wasn’t, but he usually knows what he’s talking about when it comes to rumors.”

Had others heard Matt
’s outburst? They’d raised their voices but not until later in the conversation, after Matt dropped the news on him.

“
Yeah, Matt told me to leave her alone. He made sure he reminded me she was with someone.”

“
Yeah, I heard she’d been dating some wealthy business executive from Rhode Island. So what’s your plan?”

“
She asked for time, so I am giving her that.” He left out the particulars of why and when she’d made the request.

Ryan stood and clapped him on the back on his way to the grill.
“Anything I can do to help. Say the word.”

His brother could not do anything, no one could. Still, he appreciated the offer. It helped to know his family wanted them together, but he wasn
’t going to tell his brother that, either.

“
Yeah, you can get those steaks off the grill before we need a sledgehammer to cut them.” Now seemed like a good time for a change of topic. Especially before his sister-in-law came home and started poking around.

Chapter 8

“
You’re quiet tonight.” Kevin took the seat next to her, a glass of white wine in each hand. She’d driven to his estate in East Greenwich and they’d driven into Providence for dinner and a play. Now they were back at his house for the night. Or at least that had been the original plan.

Unease about spending the night nagged Lauren. In the months they
’d been dating they’d never spent the night at each other’s home. Doing so now gave the impression she wanted to take their relationship to the next level, to something more serious. Before Nate walked back into town, she’d wanted that with Kevin. Or at least she’d thought she had. Now, she had her doubts.

Lauren accepted a glass, a forced smile on her face.
“Just tired. I’ve had a lot on my mind that’s kept me up at night.” She spoke only the truth. She just left out some key information.

Kevin
’s hand settled on her shoulder, his skin smooth and warm. “One of those weeks? Well, tonight you can relax.” He pulled her closer and kissed her.

She held her breath and waited, hoping for a rush of heat or excitement. Kevin
’s touch brought nothing. Not a single ounce of emotion sparked with him so close—unlike with someone else. Nate merely entered a room and her body reacted.

Stop comparing the two
. Lauren snuggled closer. “I’m glad you invited me for the weekend.” His invitation had come out of the blue. Before his phone call, she hadn’t expected to see him until sometime the following week.

“
I hated not making the trip to New York with you, so I thought we could spend this weekend together. I’ve missed you.”

He moved in for another kiss, taking her by surprise. Lauren responded, hoping that at any minute fireworks would go off or doves would start to sing, but she got nothing. Not even a pigeon chirped.

She went with the flow when he coaxed her lips apart. When he shifted his position so he could wrap both arms around her, she moved and looped her arms around his neck. All the while, though, she remained strangely detached. Her body went through the motions, yet her mind remained elsewhere, passing the time until the kiss ended.

The cool metal of his watch brushed against her back when he slipped a hand under her top. Still, her body remained unaffected. And when Kevin pulled back, her eyes popped open, and she found him staring back at her. His eyes searched her face. Exactly what did he see? Could he tell the kiss had no effect on her? Did he somehow know her thoughts were filled with images of Nate?

“Lauren, I want to ask you something.” He held her gaze, his voice confident and business-like. Leaning back he reached into his pants pocket.

In slow motion, Lauren watched him pull out a ring box.

Popping open the box, he held it up to her. “Will you marry me?”

She heard the words. Saw his lips move but her brain couldn
’t put the two together. For years she’d dreamed of a handsome man proposing with a beautiful ring. Now she had her dream in front of her, yet she couldn’t reply. Couldn’t comprehend the situation.

Lauren glanced down at the intricately set diamond then back up at Kevin as her utter confusion set off warning bells in her head. Nothing had prepared her for this. He
’d never once hinted that he loved her. That he wanted their relationship to be permanent. Heck, she didn’t know if
she
wanted their relationship to become permanent.

“
I . . . Kevin, I don’t know what to say.” Somehow she managed to get the words from her brain and out her mouth.

Kevin
’s lips curved upward. “Usually a woman says yes when a man asks her to marry him.” He pulled the ring from the box and held it toward her.

Yeah, but usually they love each other.
“We’ve only been together a few months.” She fought down the hysterical laugh threatening to escape.

“
So? My parents only knew each other a month before they got engaged. They’ve been married for thirty-eight years.”

He trailed his hand down the side of her face. Again, she couldn
’t help but notice how smooth and soft his hands were. The complete opposite of Nate’s. His hands had been callused and dry. The single thought of Nate’s hands brought back memories of their kisses.
Not now
. She couldn’t let him into her thoughts now. Not with Kevin’s gigantic ring in front of her. Lauren jumped to her feet, turned, and took several steps away from him. “Kevin, we don’t love each other. At least not yet.”

His immediate laugh surprised her, and she spun back around.

“What does that have to do with anything? Marriages are a lot like business deals in my family.”

Okay, had she walked into an alternate universe or something?
“Business deals?” Maybe she’d misheard him.

In one smooth motion, Kevin rose.
“My parents were married to solidify the Walsh and Miles merger. Olivia’s marriage to Greg expanded the company on the West Coast. In both relationships they respect each other and support each other, but they didn’t marry for love.” Kevin moved closer. “We respect each other. Have fun together. Share a lot of the same interests. Get along well. What’s the problem?”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. The weight of his arms pressed down on her.
“So if marriage is all about business, how does marrying me make sense?”

“
I can give you financial security for life. You could stop teaching and open the dance school you told me about. In fact, you could open several. You could travel. See those places in Europe you have up on your walls. You’d be part . . .”

He rubbed her lower back as he spoke, but rather than help relax her, the movement increased her unease. The more Kevin spoke, the more she wondered if she
’d left planet Earth.

Lauren pressed her index finger against his lips.
“Stop, please. I get the benefits to me, Kevin. But what do you get out of this business deal?”
I’m not going to like the answer
.

Before he said another word, he pulled her hand back and kissed her knuckles.
“A solid friendship with the Talbots and Sherbrookes. A personal connection would help in the bidding war for the contract to construct Sherbrooke Enterprises’ newest resorts in California. Not to mention the extra boost it’d give me when I run for a seat in Congress in another year.”

Her mind flooded with a jumble of thoughts. For a moment, she felt as if she were back in Mr.
Tasca’s senior calculus class. The one and only class she’d ever failed in high school because nothing the man had ever said made any sense to her.

Rubbing at the sudden throb in her forehead, she took a step back. For the first time that night, she really looked at Kevin. No one would deny that he was a handsome man in a sleek metro way. He always wore the best clothes. His hair always appeared just right. And they did have fun together. They had similar senses of humor, enjoyed the theater and the latest music. He treated her with respect. With the exception of his proposal, she always knew what to expect from him. He was safe and predictable. And at the moment he was offering her the world.

That’s what I want
. The thought ran through her mind, yet she held back from accepting the diamond. Even with everything he offered, something told her to hold off. A marriage treated like a business merger may protect her heart, but was it what she wanted? Since she’d gotten her first bridal Barbie, she’d dreamed of marrying her own prince charming. A man head over heels in love with her, that she’d have children and eventually grandchildren with. The future Kevin presented didn’t come close to her dream. At the same time, though, he could give her everything else she’d always dreamed of. And who knew? Maybe someday they would love each other.

Beneath his hands, her back tensed as the silence stretched out. He’d expected Lauren to be surprised. Never during their time together had they spoken of marriage. Still, he’d assumed she’d accept his offer tonight. Why wouldn’t she? Most women would jump at what he offered her. Lauren didn’t strike him as any different.

“
If you want a long engagement, we can do that. The wedding doesn’t need to be next month. We could wait until the fall or after the holidays if you want.”

Lauren closed her eyes, her chest rising and lowering as she took in a few deep breaths. When she opened her eyes, she met his gaze but remained tight-lipped, not offering him a single hint at her answer.

“What are you thinking?” Over the months, he’d learned that while Lauren may like to be silly and have fun—her crazy earrings were a perfect example of that—she was a practical woman. Once she thought about what he’d just offered, she would agree to the marriage.

She shook her head, her hair brushing against his hands.
“I . . . Kevin, I don’t . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she took a sudden step backward, forcing him to let go.

“
I enjoy spending time with you. But marriage? I don’t know.” Her voice wavered.

He smiled to himself. She hadn
’t said no, and from the sound of it with a little coaxing she’d agree.

“
I need some time to think about it.”

“
I can understand that.” Kevin moved back into her personal space but kept his hands by his sides. “Take as long as you want.” He could be patient, and in the meantime he’d work on swaying her toward a yes.

Lauren flashed him a tentative smile.
“Thank you.” Her relief echoed in her voice.

“
Why don’t you hold on to this for now?” Kevin pressed the ring box into her hand. Before she could offer up a protest, he said, “Let’s put on a movie.”

Her eyes darted down to the ring and then back to him.
“It might be better if I go home.”