The Trouble with Valentine’s (17 page)

‘Was Nick your first?’

Hallie nodded.

‘Did you wait for your wedding night?’

‘No.’ Not exactly a lie, but Hallie still felt the bite of it. ‘But I still waited until I felt like I was with the right man and that it was the right time.’

Kind of.

‘I wouldn’t regret it,’ said Jasmine stubbornly. ‘Being with Kai tonight – if that happened, I wouldn’t regret it. Not for one minute.’

‘Okay. Let’s assume seduction is a possibility,’ said Hallie. No point rowing against the tide. ‘How are we off for protection?’

‘I have nothing.’

‘Well, that has to change. You need to be prepared. You can’t rely on stopping in the heat of the moment. Your brain may not be working – trust me on this.’

‘Maybe I can send Kai out for some,’ Jasmine’s expression was deceptively demure.

‘Yeah …
No
,’ said Hallie. ‘I vote we get the hairdresser to shop before she gets here.’

‘He,’ said Jasmine. ‘The hairdresser’s a he.’

‘Even better. What else do you need for tonight?’

‘I need to choose jewellery,’ said Jasmine. ‘I have all my mother’s jewellery to choose from, and my own, but I was wondering about wearing this.’

Jasmine went over to a small wooden jewellery box and lifted out a long silver chain so fine Hallie could hardly see the links. There was a single teardrop pearl a shade lighter than the colour of her skin dangling from the end of it. ‘I thought this. It’s not expensive, more of a trinket really, but my mother gave it to me to play with when I was very small and then she let me keep it. There’s no clasp; it slips over the head. But it’s too long.

‘Not if you wear it backwards,’ said Hallie.

‘Oh.’

‘With the front of it just skimming the bones below your neck. Pretty. ‘And it’d work for Kai too, because it’s not ostentatious. It won’t remind him of your family’s financial status, and that’s important. Believe me, I’ve seen this one in action.’

Jasmine’s bitter little smile looked out of place on one so young. ‘It turns out Kai’s family has wealth too.’

‘Good news,’ said Hallie. ‘Makes you more equal.’

‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you?’ said Jasmine quietly. ‘So, about what we were speaking of before. Me seducing Kai. I don’t suppose you have any tips?’

‘Well, there’s the dress that makes you look amazing,’ said Hallie. ‘And with your hair up, and all that skin on show …’

‘I could ask him to dance,’ said Jasmine.

‘You could. It
is
a ball. You could wait for a slow dance. A waltz, so that Kai has to put his arms around you and deal with all that skin. And then you just kind of … feel your way from there. Although not literally. No inappropriate feeling of Kai on the dance floor or anywhere in front of an audience. That would be bad.’

‘I’ll be very discreet,’ offered Jasmine.

‘And, just for the record, I’m still of the opinion that there’s nothing with giving the man chocolates to remember you by. Do it every Valentine’s Day. There’s nothing wrong with making your overall seduction routine last
years
.’

‘You sound like my—’

‘Friend,’ said Hallie firmly. ‘I am.’

Nick called Hallie in the lunch break of what
was turning out to be a very long day. He’d kept his mind on business all morning and he needed his reward. He didn’t want to dwell on just how much he’d come to count on the support of one Titian-haired woman who sold shoes in her spare time. Nor did he want to dwell on his growing urge to lock her up so as to keep her safe. He just wanted to hear her voice.

‘Nick!’ she said when she picked up the phone. ‘What are you up to?’

‘Lunch break,’ he said. ‘You?’

‘Hairdresser Wu is currently doing Jasmine’s hair and telling us all about the fight he had with his boyfriend last night. It was a doozy.’

Nick laughed; he couldn’t help it. ‘Hallie, does the world ever stop giving you fodder for enjoyment?’

‘Never,’ said Hallie. ‘Not ever. Hang on, I’m taking you out to the terrace. Are we still set for the ball?’

‘So far.’

‘Good, because this hairdo I’m wearing needs to be admired. ‘Wu’s a magician.’

‘Glad to hear it. You on the terrace yet?’

‘Just. Did you tell John about us not being married?’

‘No. John and Kai have been out of the office
all morning. It’s just me and the lawyers here today.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t know. But before he left, John gave his lawyers the go-ahead to wrap this negotiation up. John has extensive and impressive business interests. I’m not his only priority. I’m assuming something else came up that needed his personal attention.’

‘Makes sense,’ said Hallie.

‘If he comes in this afternoon I’ll tell him,’ said Nick.

‘You may have to wait until you get back here,’ said Hallie.

‘Why?’

‘Because John and Kai just pulled up and John’s getting out of the car and Kai’s pulling back out. You know, maybe you could tell John
at
the ball. Find a quiet moment.’

‘You just want to get
to
the ball.’

‘This is true,’ said Hallie. ‘But I also have faith in your ability to make John understand why you told him we were married. It was a lie for a reason.’

‘Hallie, I can’t
tell
him the reason. That’d implicate Jasmine. No one wants that.’

‘This is why I adore you,’ she murmured. ‘I’ve
been thinking up possible reasons for our deception all morning. Tell him I wanted a trial run.’

‘A
what
?’

‘A trial-marriage run, with all the trappings. It’s what all the cool kids are demanding these days.’

‘You
really
think he’s going to believe that?’

‘I’ll have you know that people often think I’m nuts. It’s not such a stretch.’

‘You’re not nuts.’

‘Well,
I
know that.’

‘You’re too generous,’ he said quietly and knew it for truth. Generosity of spirit had never been at the top of his list of qualities the ideal woman should possess.

But it was now. ‘Henry from Tiffany’s thinks you’re exactly my type. He thinks I’m doomed.’

‘Killjoy,’ she said. ‘Do
you
think you’re doomed?’

‘Nah,’ he said gruffly. A little short on weapons with which to shield himself from her, maybe. But not doomed. He could still walk away at the end of this week if he wanted to.

Not that he … wanted to.

‘Gotta go,’ she said. ‘John’s here. I’ll see you later.’

She made it sound like a promise and an adventure all rolled into one. Nick sighed and returned
his phone to his pocket. It was entirely possible that he was a little bit doomed.

‘Mr Cooper,’ said one of John’s lawyers from the doorway through to the conference room. ‘Clause twenty-eight B has been revised. We’re ready to continue when you are.’

Only five more clauses in two different languages to go. ‘I’m on my way.’

‘Your hair looks—’

‘Magnificent,’ said Hallie with an inward grin for the slightly perplexed expression on John Tey’s face. Hairdresser Wu had twisted and pinned, cajoled and tucked, and the resulting upswept bun would not have looked out of place in a golden era Hollywood film. ‘The rest of me does not match,’ she said, referring to her ivory-coloured trousers, lime-green cotton Tee and flat pink sandals. ‘But it will. Jasmine’s inside getting her hair done too. We bribed the hairdresser here rather than go to the salon.’

‘Resourceful,’ said John. ‘I’m sorry that your sightseeing has had to be curtailed.’

‘These things happen,’ said Hallie. ‘Your daughter and I are still managing to have a very good day. Have you heard any more about the diner from the crab restaurant?’

‘He died.’

‘Oh. How sad.’

John inclined his head.

‘So … he was poisoned?’

‘We still don’t know.’

‘Do
you
think there’s a threat to Nick’s life?’

‘It could be just coincidence,’ said John. ‘The extra security is staying in place, regardless. Hopefully, we are being over-cautious.’

Hopefully.

‘Nick tells me that this is the first time you’ve chosen to venture into computer game distribution,’ she said. ‘Why now? Why Nick?’

‘Diversification is always welcome,’ countered John with a smile. ‘Nicholas has developed an excellent and extremely marketable product and he’s a very intelligent young man. He looks to the long game when it comes to building a business. I like that. Together we can make a lot of money.’

‘You already have a lot of money. Why do you want more?’

‘Men always want more, no?’

‘Women too,’ said Hallie. It hadn’t escaped her notice that for all her and Nick’s wheeling and dealing when it came to the terms of their ‘wife for a week’ agreement, she’d swiftly broken every one of those agreements in her haste for more of Nick.

‘Perhaps it’s our nature,’ offered John.

‘Yes. Perhaps it is.’ Hence Nick’s insistence on a bunch of rules to govern this week in the first place. Hallie shrugged off her sudden bleakness and offered John what she hoped was a corporate wife smile.

‘Your daughter has been a marvellous hostess. Far better than I would have been at her age.’

‘Ah, but you’re not more than a few years the older.’

‘Four and a half years,’ said Hallie. ‘We figured it out today.’

‘My daughter tells me that you lost your mother at an early age too.’

‘Yes.’

‘What do you miss the most about her?’

‘The softness she brought to things,’ said Hallie without hesitation. ‘The female point of view. My brothers … they’ve always been there for me – but they’re not soft.’

‘My daughter has bonded with you.’

Hallie smiled. ‘Your daughter needs more friends.’

‘Will you continue your friendship with her?’ he asked.

‘I’d like to.’ Had Hallie been Nick’s wife she would have been able to. But she wasn’t and
she didn’t know what would happen next. Maybe Jasmine would understand and forgive Hallie and Nick the lie. Time would tell.

‘My daughter tells me that she addressed an envelope for you, to one Jianne Xang of Shanghai,’ said John. ‘I know the family. Very good family. Very traditional.’

‘So I’ve heard.’

‘Jasmine says you’re related.’

‘Jianne married my brother. That relationship ended a long time ago and we never stayed in touch. I thought maybe I’d see how she was doing.’

‘Ah.’ John nodded. ‘And were I to mention that Jianne’s family have another marriage in mind for her? A notably prudent union for that family? Would you still want to get in touch with her?’

John Tey’s eyes were very piercing. She’d never noticed that before.

‘I’m not looking to disrupt Jianne’s life,’ said Hallie finally. ‘I don’t see how my contacting her will change Jianne’s future plans. I mean her no harm.’

‘I’ve also had dealings with the man Jianne’s family has approved for her,’ said John. He is a man of little honour. Jianne’s family are in his debt.’

Hallie frowned. ‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning that an outsider might look at the situation Jianne Xang finds herself in and think that she too could use a friend.’

‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘I’m thinking that should you wish to contact your former sister-in-law, you might want to have my daughter address another envelope for you. One without your Australian address or your family name on it. It would stand a better chance of being delivered.’

‘Nothing is ever simple, is it?’ said Hallie bleakly.

‘Life is complex, yes.’

‘Anything else you want to tell me?’ asked Hallie warily.

‘That was it,’ said John. ‘Anything you want to tell
me
about my daughter’s plans for the ball this evening?’

‘Did you just make me indebted to you?’ asked Hallie. ‘And now you want me to share Jasmine’s confidences in return? Oh, you’re good.’

‘Practice,’ said John.

‘Your daughter is in love with Kai,’ offered Hallie bluntly. ‘This can’t be news to you.’

‘It’s not. Anything else?’

‘Nothing I can recall. Decisions are complex.
Sometimes everyone just has to wait and see what happens.’

‘Indeed.’

‘Remind me never to play poker with you,’ said Hallie. ‘Or bridge. Or Mah Jong. Or anything else.’

‘You flatter me.’

‘I’m onto you.’

‘Poor Nicholas.’

‘He’s not that poor.’

John Tey had started laughing. ‘I envy him,’ he said.

‘He does have many fine qualities.’

‘True, but that’s not what I meant. I had the pleasure of sharing my life with a smart and joyful partner once and I do thoroughly recommend it.’ John smiled wistfully. ‘She was my wife.’

The afternoon passed slowly for Hallie, for all that she and Jasmine had tried to fill it. John spent the afternoon in his home office with the door closed. Kai and Nick returned to the villa just after six. Nick smiled when he saw her and Hallie tried not to remember that this time next week she would be back in London and Nick would no longer need her in his life.

Far, far easier to concentrate on the now.

‘Work, work, work,’ she said as Nick pulled her
towards him for a brief hug. He really had taken her request for hugs to heart. ‘You ready to play?’

‘I will be after a shower and a change of clothes. Care to shower with me?’

‘What and ruin my hair?’

‘Princess,’ he said with a grin.

‘Now you’re catching on,’ she said. ‘Go. Have your shower. Jasmine and I are just putting together a tray of nibbles, and then I too will be heading upstairs to don my golden gown.’

‘Anyone would think you’d never been to a ball.’

‘And they’d be right,’ she said. ‘This is my first.’

‘Cinders,’ he said.

‘Hallie,’ she corrected him.

‘Your hair looks beautiful,’ he said and pressed his lips to her temple and headed for the stairs. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

By the time Hallie made her way to the guest room half an hour later, Nick was already showered and dressed for the ball; a handsome heartbreaker in an elegant black dinner suit that looked tailor-made for him and probably was. She should have been more immune to his looks by now, she desperately wanted to be, but there was something about the combination of dark hair, dark
suit and a snowy white shirt that made her breath catch in her throat.