The Relationship Coach (4 page)

Dean frowned at the public display of affection and shook his head. Lacey knew from experience he wasn’t into PDA.

“Long,” he responded. They stood watching the carousel go round, the thump, thump, thump of luggage as one after another hit the belt. “It took forever to go through customs in Atlanta.”

“Your trip was successful? Did you find the plants you were searching for?”

His face looked tired, his eyes bloodshot. A month had passed, and she needed some reassurance from him that nothing had changed between them.

Yes, her thoughts were irrational, but her mother’s voice echoed in her head, and her sister’s engagement had rocked her self-confidence. She wasn’t wrong. Her whole life revolved around relationships that were sane, rational, and worked. Hers worked.

“Yes, we found what we needed. I think I’ve got a deal where we can harvest these plants for the company. The landowner is all grins at the offer we made him. I think management will be pleased with our results.”

“Great, so you won’t be returning to the rainforest anytime soon?” she asked, hoping they would have some time together. She’d missed him. She wanted some normalcy in their relationship. She wanted him home by her side. She wanted to wake up beside him in the morning.

“I wish, but until all the details are worked out, I’ll be traveling back and forth between here and Sao Paulo.”

A rock of disappointment sank onto her chest. She took a deep breath trying to shove the emotion away. “Oh honey, I just hate it when we’re apart.”

He smiled. “Yeah, I missed you too, but if I get this deal completed, then my bonus this year should be enough that I can buy that new Mercedes I’ve been looking at.”

A Mercedes. Dean didn’t mention marriage or a nice vacation or even a house, but rather a car. “That’ll be nice.”

What could she say? It was his bonus, and they weren’t married.

His bag came around the carousel, and he grabbed it. “Let’s go. I’d like to eat some American food and hit the bed early tonight.”

“I thought we’d go to that restaurant out on the lake, and then we could go back to my apartment and relax in the hot tub.”

He placed his arm around her. “Love the idea of the restaurant at the lake, but I think I’m going to pass on the hot tub. I’d really like to sleep in my own bed tonight. I’m exhausted.”

Another rock of disappointment landed on Lacey’s chest almost knocking the breath from her lungs. Her mother’s voice reverberated through her head. After being separated for a month, the lure of his own bed and a good night’s rest was more tempting than sex?

“How’s the relationship business?” he finally asked.

She snuggled into his side, needing to feel his body against hers. It seemed like forever since they’d experienced sex, and she craved his touch. She wasn’t a needy woman, but right after her family luncheon, she required the reassurance that Dean was perfect for her.

Her mother’s dysfunctional hypothesis about love, passion, and marriage had planted seeds of doubt in Lacey’s mind, even though she struggled against such nonsense.

“Good. I had a man approach me about doing a documentary about my business. I’m waiting to learn more about his films before I make a decision. And one of my clients set me up with a television producer. I have an appointment with him this week about a possible television show. “

“Honey, that’s great. That’s been your dream all along.”

“Yes, I’d love to have my own talk show.” Both of them had great careers, were over-achievers, and wanted the same things in life. They were perfect for each other. Weren’t they?

“You get the television show, and when I get my bonus, we’ll go to Italy,” he said, his voice warm, promising, and so convincing she wondered about her doubts.

She turned and gazed at him. “Really?”

“Of course. We could spend a week traveling the countryside. It’d be fun.”

According to Dean, they were unofficially engaged, though he’d not presented her with a ring or even gotten down on his knee. It was just a matter of time and Italy would be the ideal honeymoon.

They slid into her Toyota Prius, and he glanced around, his expression one of disdain. “You know, when we move in together, you should really see about getting a different car.”

“Why? I like my car,” she asked perplexed.

“It’s not the right image for a successful television personality.”

Lacey shook her head and smiled at him. God, she’d missed his pompous goal setting. “I have to get the show first.”

“You will. It’s what you’re working towards. You’ll achieve your goals,” he assured her. “It’s one of the things I love about you. Your determination.”

Warm fluttery butterflies flew through her midsection, spreading their heat and reminding her of why Dean was so perfect for her.

“What kind of car does a successful talk show hostess drive?”

“You need a Lexus or a BMW.”

“I don’t know. I like my Prius. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling like I’m doing something good for the environment.”

He shrugged and gave a little sneer, his voice condescending. “It just doesn’t have the right image. When you’re on TV, image is everything, sweetheart.”

“When I get the show, I’ll consider it,” she said, wishing he wasn’t quite so materialistic.

“How is the apartment hunting going? You know I want a place where we can entertain,” he said.

“I know, but we also need to be close to DFW.”

He sighed. “Yes, I know, or we’d be searching Highland Park.”

Neither of them made enough money to live in the most exclusive suburb of Dallas. “I have three properties ready for us to see. We just need to compare our schedules for the next week and decide when we can look at them.”

“I’m good until Wednesday, and then I have to fly to New York for a meeting.”

“Oh, I was hoping we’d get to spend more time together,” she said with a sigh of disappointment.

“Yeah, me too. But I should return on Friday.”

Lacey drove into the restaurant parking lot at Grapevine Lake. They got out of the car and walked toward the door.

Dean reached over and slid his finger along her cheekbone. “Let’s eat, and then you can take me home and tuck me in for the night. Maybe we can have breakfast tomorrow morning and spend the day together.”

She glanced at him, wondering why she’d spent so much time prepping for this date. She’d shaved, lathered on lotion and misted perfume in all the right places, anticipating a night of satisfying sex.

Lacey shot him a sly smile. “What if instead of tucking you in, I stay the night and we spend some time in between the sheets together?”

He glanced at her and grinned. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

For a moment, she thought maybe the date could be saved, but he quickly dashed that idea.

“Frankly, I’m worn out. I’d like to sleep alone in my bed. Maybe we can catch up on the sexual side of things tomorrow. Tonight I’m just too bushed.”

What could she say? Business trips were exhausting. She wanted him to covet tearing her clothes off as much as she desired stripping him naked.

Lacey sighed, her chest tight with unshed tears. It was as if her mother were standing there handing her the bitter pill of being with Dean. Her voice echoed in her mind.
That relationship is about as exciting as a Funeral Director and an accountant at a medical convention. You’d see more action at the bowling alley.

Never would she confess to her mother or her sister that when Dean returned after a month apart, she’d taken him home to his apartment with no sex. To them, it would only confirm that this relationship lacked passion.

And there was passion. Wasn’t there? So why did this feel wrong?

Another pleasure-filled evening spent with BOB-her battery operated boyfriend-awaited her.

Chapter Three

O
n Monday, as the film credits rolled Lacey sat stunned, her brain reeling, her stomach churning from the power of Reed Hunter’s work. The man had deftly showed the bankers cheating the American Government during the bank collapse. Shocked by the man’s talent, she turned to Amanda. “He’s a great filmmaker.”

Amanda stretched in her chair and yawned. “Reed Hunter films things that are controversial, and puts an edge on the subject matter. I never thought about financial reform that way. Now I’m ready to fire my banker and my broker.”

Lacey couldn’t help but frown as she popped the CD out of the DVD player. Her mind churned in a thousand directions, challenging, searching, and suspecting everything about Reed Hunter’s motives. “Why does Mr. Hunter want to film relationship coaches? We teach people how to find the right person. Why is he interested in doing a project on people, rather than corporations or morality?”

Amanda shrugged her shoulders like even a simpleton knew the answer. “We help people look realistically at love. We don’t solve world peace.”

“For some people, we are tampering with destiny,” Lacey said, still considering why Mr. Hunter wanted to film her business.

“A divorce destiny maybe. What do you think? Should we do this documentary?” Amanda asked.

Lacey sank onto the couch, her mind still in that mental warp exploring all the possible reasons why he would do a film about her business.

“I can’t make a decision yet. I need to know how Mr. Hunter’s going to portray us. If he’s here to ridicule what we do, then no, he can find some other sucker to film.”

“Dang, I was looking forward to spending several months of staring dreamily at him. He’s not hard on the eyes.” She stood and stretched, raising her arms above her head.

“You’re in a committed relationship,” Lacey reminded her friend. Yes, looking at Reed Hunter was anything but hard on the eyes.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the scenery.”

“Hot, sexy, with a six-pack that begs me to take a drink. Mr. Hunter is well aware of his attraction to the ladies,” Lacey said, a tingly flush of heat dancing along her nerves. She was in a committed relationship.

Amanda laughed, her hazel eyes shining with a mischievous sparkle that matched her smile. “Yeah, I knew you’d pick up on that right away. And speaking of committed relationships, you’re in one as well.”

“Men like him are dangerous. I can look at them all day, but that doesn’t mean I want to sample the merchandise,” Lacey replied, thinking of her mother and the men that had traipsed through their lives.

“How did your date with Dean go? Did you guys catch up?”

Lacey put her fingers to the bridge of her nose and shook her head, still trying to understand what had happened the other night. “Dean caught up on his sleep. We went to dinner, and then he went home alone to rest. We had plans for Sunday, but an emergency came up and he flew to New York.”

Every time she thought of their date, her chest tightened and her mother’s voice vibrated through her head.
No passion.
Dean’s career was important, but what about the two of them?

“I’m sorry. Jason and I went to dinner, then to the baseball game. He loves the Rangers.” Amanda twisted a pencil in her hand and shook her head. “I reminded him how much I dislike baseball. To which he responded, ‘
But it’s the Rangers playing the Yankees
.’ Later, he redeemed himself by giving me the best damn sex I’ve ever experienced.”

Lacey sighed all her pent-up frustration rolling through her like a locomotive. Thirty long days had passed since she and Dean had actually spent time in a bed together. Between his job and her job, it seemed that either they were too tired or one of them was out of town.

“An orgasm sounds wonderful. I wish my weekend had sex in it. We’ve got to find some time to spend together this week. Of course, Dean did promise me if I got this TV show we would go to Italy.”

“Hey, that would be fun.”

“Yeah, but there’s no guarantee for a television show,” Lacey said, trying to keep her case of nerves under control. She wanted this show more than her next breath. More than Dean.

Wow! Where had that thought come from?

“Do you have the proposal ready?”

“Mailed him a DVD of my group and individual sessions and sent a proposal along with the DVD of what the show would entail over a week ago.”

“And your appointment is the day after tomorrow?” Amanda asked, her eyes drawn together, her expression serious.

“Yes. Let’s hope that either TLC or the Oxygen channel will consider a couple of test shows.” Lacey’s heart and soul and brains had been a part of the proposal she’d personally delivered. If only one channel would deem interest in her dream.

“When do you meet with Reed Hunter again?” Amanda asked.

She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed her heart dancing the carumbai in her chest. “He’s on the schedule for tomorrow. Seriously, I may turn him down. There’s no point in taking a chance on how he’s going to portray us if we get the television show.”

“Agreed. After watching his filmmaking style, I want to be certain he’s not going to make us look as bad as those bankers. He really showed them as greedy bastards.”

Lacey nodded and stood, smoothing imaginary wrinkles out of her skirt. “I get enough grief from my mother. It would confirm for her that…that love is not a choice, but a chance meeting of two people’s souls on the highway of life.”

Amanda laughed. “Gag me! My soul keeps finding the wrong men.”

“Yes, well, my perfect match has left town again. I just hope he gets back before I have to leave next week.” No time for the two of them. No time for sex. No time to spend with Lacey. So far his homecoming had been less than stellar.

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then it will be another two weeks before we get time with each other. Two long, lonely weeks.”

In addition to the month they’d already spent apart. Her stomach clenched and her body shivered. Why did he seem so distant?

***

Reed walked into the offices of Mate Incorporated. Beige and blue overstuffed chairs and paintings meant to soothe visitors graced the hunter-blue walls. He felt as if he’d walked into a doctor’s office-a love doctor who cheated people out of their money.