The Long Way Home (27 page)

He nodded, "The whole gang is here. Arthur, Tex,
Daniela, Sal,
me and Will.
We all came."

I nodded, "Thank you."

My mother bustled in, no doubt smelling the money and
position all over his Armani suit. "Jacqueline, who is your friend?"

I nearly laughed, "Lucian
Nooruddin
,
this is my mother, Mrs. Jillian Croix."

My mother held her hand out like he might kiss it. Of course
he did. She blushed, "Not of the
Nooruddin
family in Bahrain?"

I would have to murder my big-mouthed sister.

He blushed, "Yes, but I'm more like
Nooruddin
who plays for Boston."

My mother's face got tight, "With Michael?"

He nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

She gave him the fake smile and me a
slightly-worried
look, "It was lovely to have met you. Thank you for coming, but I must get
back to my guests."

He gave a subtle nod, "I am so sorry for your
loss."

She didn’t even try to accept the condolences.

He gave me a look, "If you ever have the misfortune of
meeting my parents, you will see that look perfected."

I rolled my eyes, "I am so sorry."

He shook his head, "Jacqueline, never apologize for
other people. I have long been the wrong kind of
Nooruddin
,
your mother has nothing on my parents."

"I know that story all too well." I stepped closer
to him, wanting so badly to mention the handkerchief, but I loved the mystery
and romance of it.

He looked down on me, "How are you holding up?"

I bit my lip, "I would love to be sad for his death, but
I am sadder for his life."

His dark-green eyes sparkled, "I pity our parents, they
have no idea what a simple glass of wine and a sunset can feel like."

I sighed, "Or a painting of a man when he was a young
man. Long before he was beheaded for his beliefs and humble ways." He lit
me up inside with a
joie de vivre
.
I could have gotten drunk off of the inspiration he put into the air.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me back into the
rest of the house, "The funeral was lovely."

I laughed, "It was far too lovely but his friends are as
fake as he is."

Will walked up to us, opening his arms for me. I hugged him,
"Thanks for coming."

He shook his head, "Of course. How are you?"

I smiled, "She is upstairs, crying still, but I doubt
very much it has much to do with our father's death."

He narrowed his gaze, "Does everyone know?"

I nodded.

He shook his head, "I came to be supportive. That’s
all."

I gripped his hand, "Thank you."

Sal, Arthur, Tex and Daniela made their way over to me. I
hugged each and stepped back into our circle, "Thank you for coming."

Arthur shook his head, "Sorry about your father."

I smiled, "Thank you. Are you making a trip out of
it?"

Daniela gave Tex a pout, "No. We have to go back. They
have games."

Tex wrapped a beefy arm around her, "Now come on. We
talked about this. We'll be stateside all summer long." He winked at me,
"I heard someone might be opening a winery and we could all stop by for a
tasting, since Mike ruined the last one."

I laughed, "Who told you such lies?"

He nodded his head at Will. Will put his hands in the air,
"I heard it through the vine of doom."

I cocked an eyebrow, "I'm not sure. I doubt I'll be able
to pull it off."

Will crossed his arms, "Well, the way I heard it, you
wouldn’t have much choice."

I shrugged, "I have two weeks to think about it."

Luce looked down on me, "A villa of your own to drink
your own label and make it as amazing as that castle in Rome?"

I couldn’t stop the smile crossing my lips. I noticed the
hateful looks I was getting from the people at the funeral and toned it down a
little, "Yes. It would be mine."

Luce shrugged, "I think you should do it."

Arthur and Sal nodded. Tex slapped me on the arm, "Make
a villa like the one in Rome and we'll be there all the time."

I laughed. Even with that threat lingering in the air, I
couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Mike came over to our little chat with a tray of drinks. I
smiled, "What are you doing?"

He looked back at the kitchen, "There aren’t enough
people to serve what's made. Your dad firing all the staff really put your mom
in a bind."

I took a drink and shook my head, "You are too nice to my
mom. She hates you."

He whined at me, "Jack, that’s all an act. She hit on me
an hour ago." He nodded at Will, "Get a tray, slackers."

I stood back and watched as three NHL stars and three Italian
league stars served the drinks and food at my father's funeral.

Daniela slid up next to me with her drink, "What's up
with you and Mike?"

"Nothing. Friends." I looked up at her, "I am
sorry for what happened."

She shook her head, "Not me. Tex is the right one. He
keeps me on my toes. Mike was too easy."

I laughed, "He is still too easy."

She winked, "I know."

I almost sneered, but I managed to keep my hateful
expressions to myself. If he was having sex with her, that was his choice. Of
course, the fact I'd offered myself to him and he'd turned me down made me feel
a little sick.

Eleanor came slinking up in a cute grey dress and huge
crimson heels. She smiled, "I am so sorry to hear about your father."

I smiled politely, "Thanks."

She glanced at Daniela, noticing she was no longer the
prettiest girl in the room, "How is your mother holding up?"

I shook my head, "Devastated."

On queue, my mother laughed from the kitchen with Muriel.
They just needed one more widow to complete the
Bitches of
Eastwick
, the Hamptons version.

"So you are still friends with Mike France?"

I smiled again, desperate to keep the plastic look on my
face, "Yes. He's a dear friend."

She winked, "You can give him my number if you
want."

Daniela laughed, "Let me guess, you tried to give it to
him and he turned you down?"

Eleanor's face grew tight.

Daniela waved a hand, "It was lovely of you to
come." And with that, Eleanor was dismissed.

I snickered and pointed at the group of women I used to call
best friends, "Can you come with me to see the mean girls of the
party?"

She winked at me, "I am the mean girl of the party.
Let's go."

She linked her arm into mine and walked with me to Angela,
Helena, and Diane. They all gave me a sympathetic smile and tilted their heads
perfectly, "Oh, how are you?" Diane asked, giving me a pathetic hug.
I smiled at the three of them, "Wonderful. I mean Dad died, but whatever.
I've been traveling Europe for months, living at vineyards, and drinking wine.
I was just at Daniela's wedding just outside of Rome. It was held at a four
hundred-year-old castle, amazing. How are you all?"

Diane smiled, "Great. The kids are busy with activities
and our eldest is in school now, so that’s really busy."

Helena gave me the same sweet look the others were giving me,
"Spending the summer with my mother in the South of France again. Richard
is working hard this year with land deals. You know how I love the South of
France."

I smiled and looked at Angela. She shook her head,
"Miserable. I have missed you. My mother forced me to go to Phil's joke of
a wedding to that child. She is a spoiled bitch
,
 
who
I heard, has got him
nearly broke. His dad is footing the bill for things because she is so high
maintenance. Speaking of high maintenance, my kids are driving me insane and
it's not even summer yet. I wish I were traveling with you."

I gave her a genuine smile, "Well, I wish I were married
and having babies with someone I loved." I paused, "Maybe not babies,
maybe wine.
But same thing.
I wish I had something
that was mine. The traveling is a lot."

Angela rolled her eyes, "Sounds horrid."

Helena finally stopped faking it and started acting normal,
"I love that the NHL is serving at this funeral. You know you're rich
when."

I laughed, "It was a fundraiser."

She cocked an eyebrow. I shook my
head,
"Father fired all of the staff a few months ago. Mother has been roughing
it."

All three made a face, "Dear God."

I glanced at Daniela but she had the same look. I nodded,
"Yes. It was horrible." I felt like that first-world problems
commercial.

Diane took my hand, "Your father was so crazy the last
year. Your family has been through a lot."

I was sick and tired of fucking smiling. I gave her a sad
face, "Yes, it was an ordeal." Little did they know, how much of one.
If they ever knew how my year had been spent, they would never have believed it.

Daniela excused herself and instantly they started the
gossiping, "Who is she?"

I laughed, "She is sweet. Stay on her good side but she
is sweet."

Luce circled over, kissing my cheek and passing me a drink,
"There you are, my love." He walked off with the full tray.

I was stunned but I didn’t speak.

Daniela, no doubt to blame for that little act, was back with
a drink herself.
She nudged me
,
"You
scored.
Who else would be so lucky to snag one of the richest men in the
whole world, and have him so well trained that he serves at your father's
wake?"

I opened my mouth to correct her but she leaned into my
friends, "Lucian
Nooruddin's
family are some of
the wealthiest bankers in the world, and he is the only son of the family. He
is smitten with Miss Thing here."

I blushed and looked down, "He is not."

She nudged me harder, "He absolutely is."

The girls were green-eyed with jealously. I let it slide. It
wasn’t entirely true, but it would make my mother happy to have it
circulate."

Angela's face fell into a horrified look.

I followed her gaze to where my mother was letting Phil hug
her. Our young neighbor, his bride was standing next to him gushing all over my
mother.

I gagged a little bit seeing him. Daniela also followed her
gaze, "Let me guess—that is your ex that Mike told me about?"

I nodded, helplessly.

She took my hand in hers, leading me away. We got to the
kitchen where the men were reloading trays.

Daniela clapped her hands to get their attention, "We
have a situation."

They all stopped. She looked at Mike, "Phillip is here,
with
the young girl he married."

Luce, Mike, and Will all made a face. She pointed, "Luce
we need you to pretend you are dating and madly in love with Jacqueline."

Mike opened his mouth but Daniela shook her head, "He is
a catch, world wide." She grinned and I could see her enjoying his pain.

I shook my head, "I can't ask that of you."

Luce put down his tray and swept my arm into his, dazzling me
with his green eyes and thick lashes, "I
am honored to
be asked
." He looked at Mike, "We cool?"

Mike looked broken momentarily and then snapped back,
"Do it. Make Phillip look like a chump. It's better than me beating the
piss out of him again."

I didn’t understand why Mike agreed, but Luce was dragging me
out into the great room before I could argue.

We walked back over to Angela, Helena, and Diane. I pointed,
"Diane, Angela and Helena, this is Lucian."

They all blushed and instantly became silly girls. I loved
that about them. A rich man made them crazy.

My mother noticed the way we were standing and motioned for
me to come over. I smiled, "I have to go see my mother."

The girls all giggled, "Of course. It was lovely to meet
you."

Luce laughed, "Yes, you ladies as well." We walked
to my mother, "Are you sure?"

He stopped me from walking and looked at me like I was the
only girl in the room. He tilted my chin and pressed his soft lips against
mine. My head spun as he pulled me into the kiss. He let me back to earth
slowly and smiled, "I want nothing more than to make you happy." I felt
giddy. I was blushing and grinning like a fool when we got to my mother.

Luce made Phil look like he was mini-sized, and he was not a
small man. Luce was Mike's height and just as thick. My mother beamed when she
introduced us, "Phil this is Lucian
Nooruddin
.
His family is the
Nooruddins
of Bahrain. Friends with
the Bush family, if I'm not mistaken."