A Gentleman’s Offer Page 13

“Everyone looks at Nate like that. They can’t help it.”

  Yvette knew it wouldn’t be an ordinary night the moment she entered the grand hall. The throng of photographers and reporters made any movement nearly impossible. Once they discovered who she was, everyone wanted her picture. Nate, who was very adept at avoiding cameras, guided her through the crowd, leaving Lewis to fend for himself.

  Cathleen stood waiting for them. “You look great. Wow, those stockings are unbelievable.”

  “Thank you. You look wonderful, too.”

  She blushed. “Thanks. Where’s Lewis?”

  A hand appeared above the crowd. “I’m coming.”

  Cathleen touched Yvette’s arm. “I’m so glad you’re doing this for me.”

  “You’re welcome.” Love had changed Cathleen. She looked lovely in a dress that fit, and Yvette noticed how her face shone and the way she carried herself.

  Lewis finally emerged. “It’s like trying to get through a forest.”

  “I’m glad you could come,” Cathleen said.

  He kissed her on the cheek. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”

  They began to hold hands, but Ellen pounced on the small group.

  “There you are, Yvette! You’re just as stunning as I’d hoped you’d be. We’re going to make a killing tonight.” She took Yvette’s arm and glanced at Lewis. “Are you her date for the evening?”

  “Yes.”

  She looped her arm through his. “Good. You two make a very attractive couple. Come with me. I’ll show you where you’ll be sitting.” She led them to a reserved table. It was only after Lewis and Yvette had been seated that Ellen noticed Nate standing nearby. She smiled at him. “I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ll be back.” She sauntered off.

  “You can’t just stand there,” Yvette said.

  “I’m not in anyone’s way.”

  “You’re making me nervous.”

  Lewis fought to see through the crowd. “Did you see where Cathleen went?”

  Nate nodded. “Yes, her mother dragged her to the far table over there.”

  Lewis frowned. “So much for our brilliant plan.”

  “There will be enough time for the two of you to sneak off later.”

  Ellen returned and took Nate’s arm. She looked at Yvette. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.”

  Yvette tried not to laugh as she led Nate away.

  “Can you believe we’re in a place like this?” Lewis said.

  “It is amazing.” Yvette looked at the trays full of exotic cheeses and hors d’oeuvres and the different drink concoctions available at the bar.

  “This is the way to live. I don’t think I could ever go back.”

  “It’s a shame that Cathleen couldn’t be sitting here instead of me.”

  Lewis shrugged. “It’s all right. You heard Nate. I’ll get to see her later.”

  “She looks lovely tonight,” Yvette said, a bit surprised that he hadn’t said anything. “She’s really come out of her shell. What do you like most about her?”

  “Everything.”

  Before Yvette could challenge him to be more specific the lights dimmed and Ellen approached the podium. She welcomed everyone and expressed how delighted she was with the turnout. Yvette didn’t hear a word. Her heart was beating too fast. She just wanted it to be over.

  Lewis nudged her. “Yvette, she just called you.”

  Yvette jumped to her feet and approached the podium like a wooden doll. She adjusted the microphone and looked out but saw only darkness. Relieved that she didn’t have to look into anyone’s face, she glanced at the teleprompter, ready to begin. Then she saw the words and froze.

  They were different. It wasn’t the speech that she had practiced. Panic gripped her and at that moment there was no Nate to offer her comfort or even Rania to tell her what to do. She gripped the side of the podium, wondering whether she should run off the stage or faint. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar figure: Margaret. But this wasn’t the Margaret she remembered. This Margaret wore a striking green hat and glittery dress. Margaret nodded her encouragement and Yvette gathered courage as she remembered Rania’s words: “You will be representing The Black Stockings Society.”

  Yvette opened her mouth and began. The speech was flawless. She even added some lines that had been in the original speech Nate had written. Resounding applause followed and she left the stage feeling renewed. She had buried the old frightened Yvette, the one with the speech impediment and no friends, forever.

  Many people wanted to meet her and overwhelmed her with their need for attention. She tried to find Margaret but failed. Fortunately she didn’t let her disappointment dampen the evening. Lewis and Cathleen managed to escape for some alone time together and Yvette became the most popular woman in the room. The evening improved from there.

  At least for Yvette. Nate wasn’t having as good a time. This was his last night with her and he hadn’t been able to manage a minute alone with her. After her speech he’d wanted to jump on the stage and kiss her. But instead he’d been relegated to the back of the room. For once in this whole damn plan he wished he wasn’t her valet.

  He wanted to claim her. He wanted to be sitting at the table where Lewis had been. He wanted to have Ellen say what a good-looking couple they were. But he’d had to keep his mouth shut and watch another man take his place.

  That’s what bothered him most. Once he was gone he knew another man would replace him. Yvette didn’t have to stay alone for very long if she didn’t want to. The thought gnawed at him.

  He hadn’t slept well last night or the other six nights. The reason wasn’t nightmares. It was Yvette. She filled his thoughts. And he wasn’t thinking of her schedule. He wasn’t thinking about her clothes or her meals. He was thinking of her smile, her legs, her sleeping in the bed beside him and how it was all going to end one day.

  That day had arrived and he wasn’t handling it as indifferently as he would have liked. He wanted to be casual about it, nonchalant. But he couldn’t. He gripped his hand, forming a fist. This was his last night with Yvette and he was going to seize it. But first he would have to find her. He pushed his way through the crowd.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” a female voice said in amazement.

  Nate turned and saw Ayo, the maid from Mrs. Reynolds’s house. She noticed his surprise. “I took your advice and quit. This job doesn’t pay the same as working for that witch, but at least I don’t get the same treatment.”

  “Good.” He turned to leave.

  She touched his arm. “You know, I have a day off tomorrow.”

  He glanced away. “I’m busy.”

  “She’s out of your league.”

  He turned to look at her. “What?”

  “The lady you work for. I’ve seen the way you watch her, and trust me, I’ve seen other guys look at her the same way. If she has the choice, she’ll choose the guy who can pick up the tab, not her laundry. Just a thought.” She turned over his palm and scribbled down her number. “Just in case you come to your senses.”

  “Right,” Nate said, then weaved his way outside, but Yvette wasn’t there. He looked around but couldn’t find her.

  “I had hoped to find you,” Ellen said. “You look lost.”

  “I’m looking for Yvette.”

  “Don’t worry; she’s being well taken care of. But as you can see, I’ve been neglected.” Neglecting Ellen was impossible. Nobody could miss the ravishing woman whose red dress put nearly every other woman to shame.

  Nate thought it best not to reply.

  “I pay very well.”

  “I’m happy where I am.”

  She moved closer. “You could always be happier.”

  “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  She touched his face, then his leg. “Yes, do.”

  “There you are,” Cathleen said. “Yvette needs you.”

  “Excuse me.” Nate rushed over to her, relieved. “Where is
she?”

  Cathleen motioned to a small enclosure. “I don’t know. I just thought you needed a little help.” She nodded toward Ellen. “I see you’re still getting into trouble.”

  He shoved his hands in his pocket, thankful for the rescue. “It’s not my fault.”

  “Yes, women can’t help but find you irresistible. But you care for only one.”

  “Don’t speak in code.”

  “I don’t think I need to speak at all.”

  “Good.” He began to walk away.

  “Are you going to look for her?”

  “No.” He was tired of looking for her. Of seeing her and having her out of reach. He couldn’t make the evening become something that it wasn’t meant to be, just like he couldn’t change fate. “I’m going for a walk.”

  On the drive home, both Yvette and Nate let Lewis do all the talking. They said their goodbyes to him in the parking lot, then Lewis drove away and Nate and Yvette returned to the apartment. James eagerly greeted their return while King and Queen briefly brushed against them, then returned to their comfortable positions on the rug.

  Nate watched Yvette sit on the couch ignoring James’s request to be petted. “It was a perfect evening and you were a tremendous success. Why are you so quiet?”

  She stared out the window. “I guess the finality of all this is hitting me. Tomorrow we go our separate ways.”

  Nate sat on the other end of the couch. “We knew this was only for a time,” he said in a quiet voice.

  Yvette folded her arms. He was right. Unfortunately his words didn’t stop her heart from breaking. “Yes.”

  “My life is back East.”

  She gave a brief nod. “I know.”

  “You’ve made great connections and have plenty of money left. You can still shop and travel—”

  “It’s not enough,” she said in a flat tone.

  “What do you mean it’s not enough? I’ve given you everything you’ve ever wanted. We had an agreement and I—”

  Yvette jumped to her feet and shouted at him. “I know all that! I know about our damn agreement. I know I have the clothes and the connections and the money I’ve always wanted, but it doesn’t matter right now because I love you and I can’t stop you from leaving me.” She spun away, not wanting him to see her flow of tears.

  “Yes, you can.”

  She paused, but did not turn. “What?”

  Yvette heard him get up from the couch and briefly closed her eyes as his footsteps grew near. Then she felt his hands on her shoulders. She kept her gaze to the floor when he turned her to face him. “Yvette,” he said softly like a caress.

  “I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to hear you say you can stay another week or another month because it won’t be enough.”

  “I know.”

  She gazed up at him startled. “You do?”

  “Yes.” His words were barely a whisper. “Will you marry me?”

  She backed away from him, certain she’d misunderstood. “Is this some sort of joke?”

  “No. Please don’t look at me like that. I wouldn’t tease you this way.”

  “But I don’t understand.”

  He took a deep, steadying breath, but when he spoke the strength of his emotions made his voice shake. “You’ve captured my heart and I’ve never been happier in my life. I wasn’t sure what my future would be until I met you. Money didn’t change you. I was afraid that it would, but it didn’t. I’ve learned that not everyone can be corrupted by wealth, and that living in the moment is a gift. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. All that’s mine will be yours. You allowed me to take care of you for one month. Now I want to take care of you for the rest of my life. What do you say?”

  Yvette clasped her hands together, but it didn’t stop her from trembling. It wasn’t his words that held her entranced; it was his face. She thought she had seen all the expressions that could cross his face, but she had never seen this one. She recognized the emotion that caused it—fear. He had never faced failure before and she had power over him. The power to say “no.” She knew he didn’t give his power away lightly. “You love me?”

  He nodded.

  She fell on the couch and burst into tears.

  He stared at her helpless. “Yvette?”

  “It’s too much to believe. I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

  “But it’s real. Please don’t make me wait for an answer.”

  She leaped to her feet and threw her arms around him. “The answer is yes.” She kissed him and he kissed her back and soon King and Queen had to make room for them on the rug. Yvette stopped before they went too far.

  “We could break something,” she said, zipping up her dress.

  He unzipped it again. “My sister will forgive me.”

  She began to stand. “We can finish in the bedroom.”

  He pulled her down. “I want to finish here.”

  “No.”

  “Is this how you’re going to treat me after we’re married?”

  “After we’re married we’ll have our own place and I won’t care where we make love, but I don’t want to do it here.”

  She tried to stand again, but he locked his arm around her waist. “There’s just one thing.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t want to tell anyone until after we’re married. We’ll have to do a quick, quiet ceremony.”

  “Why? Are you ashamed to introduce me to your family?”

  He shook his head. “No, it’s not that. It would just be better for me this way. We can have a big ceremony later, but for now I just want us and a justice of the peace. We can have our honeymoon in Paris and travel to all the countries you’ve ever wanted to see.”

  She hesitated.

  “Trust me. Let me take care of everything. You trusted me before. We can get a license, then fly to Vegas and get married by next week. Please? I won’t ask you for anything more after this.”

  “Okay,” she said with some reluctance. “If it means that much to you. But can I at least tell my two friends Lewis and Madlyn?”

  He thought a moment. “Sure. What could go wrong?”

  Chapter 13

  Cathleen stared at Lewis, stunned, as they sat in her favorite restaurant. “Get married?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “But we’ve only known each other a few weeks.”

  “But I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. Don’t you feel it, too?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “I know it seems a little crazy, but we wouldn’t be the only ones. Yvette and Nate are getting married.”

  “What!”

  “Yes, she just told me yesterday.” He put a finger to his lips. “But it’s supposed to be a secret so don’t tell anyone.”

  “I can’t believe this.”

  “So do you want to get married?”

  She wrung her hands. “I…don’t know.”

  “I thought you loved me.”

  “I do love you, but—”

  “And with me as your husband you won’t be pushed around by your mother anymore. Don’t you want to live in your own house and come and go as you want and do what you want?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then marry me.” He held both of her hands in his.

  Cathleen looked down at his hands, her mind racing. He treated her so well and no other man had ever paid attention to her like he had. Well, one had, but not like this. “All right.”

  Lewis would have jumped for joy if he could have, but instead he squeezed her hands tighter. “You won’t regret it. I think we should elope, that way no one can stand in our way.”

  “Elope?”

  “Yes. This weekend. Pack your things and meet me here.” He bent over and kissed her. “I love you so much and now we can be together forever.”

  Lewis continued talking about his plans for them, but Cathleen wasn’t listening. Although she looked forward to a life filled with her own happiness all she could thin
k about was Nate’s decision and why he’d kept it a secret from her. At home she called him, requesting they meet.

  She selected a jazz club where no one could see them. When Nate saw her he smiled and took a seat. “This isn’t like you. Why did you want to see me so urgently?”

  “I’m getting married.”

  His expression changed. “To whom? Lewis? Isn’t that rather sudden?”

  She raised her brows. “No more sudden than your marriage to Yvette.”

  He swore.

  “Lewis told me. My question is why didn’t you?”

  “You know why. You’ll tell Aunt Penny, she’ll tell Dad, Dad will tell Kim and before you know it you will all try to talk me out of it.”

  “We care about you. We want to see you happy.”

  “I am happy.”

  “Have you told Yvette—”

  “No, but I’m going to. I promise.”

  “This isn’t fair to her.”

  “Look, she’ll understand when I explain it to her, but I want to explain it in my own way.”

  “After you’re married?”

  “Yes.”

  Cathleen shook her head. “That’s not right.”

  “She’s not like the rest of you. She’ll understand.” He stood.

  “So you’ve made your decision.”

  “Yes, and it’s final.”

  Nate didn’t return home immediately. Instead he walked the night streets trying to get his thoughts in order. He knew that Cathleen didn’t understand, nobody did and he didn’t want to try to make them. This was what he wanted and he wouldn’t let anyone or anything stand in his way. He only had a few more days and then everything would be final. He and Yvette would be married, then off to Paris away from his family and anyone who would try to interfere.

  When he finally reached home, he saw Yvette wiping James’s face with a towel. “Did he get into our dinner or something?”

  “No, I’m just wiping his eyes. You have to do this often with this breed because they are prone to eye troubles. Where were you?”

  He patted both King and Queen, who came up to greet him then went into the kitchen. “Cathleen told me she’s getting married.”

  “What?” Yvette followed him into the kitchen with James close behind. “To Lewis?”