Mystic Park (18 page)

“Yes, it is.” A satisfied smile curved Ramona's full red lips. It made Quincy hungry for something more than dinner. “You threatened to order my meal for me. Would you really have done that?”

Ramona tilted her head to the left. Her hair swung behind her left shoulder, exposing a silver and gold earring she'd recently bought at a modest jewelry store in Philadelphia.

Quincy returned his eyes to hers. “Yes, I would have. You were being obnoxious to our server.”

“That would have taken a lot of guts.” She shook her head in amazement.

“If you hadn't noticed, Ramona, every day with you takes guts.” His smile was meant to soften his words.

An unreadable expression flashed across Ramona's classic features. Quincy tensed.
Did I say something wrong?
But then she smiled and his worries seemed unfounded.

The first time they'd had dinner at this restaurant, they'd been with Megan and Ean. Although Ramona's brusque behavior had been embarrassing to Megan and Ean, they'd allowed her to get away with it. Quincy hadn't in part because he'd recognized it for what it was: insecurity. Now that she was more secure in who she was and what she wanted, Ramona was much more fun to be around.

Quincy had recognized their server, Agnes Benchley, as a Trinity Falls University student. She remembered him as well. He enjoyed catching up with her. While they waited for Agnes to return with their drink orders, Quincy asked Ramona whom she'd seen and what she'd done their first full day back in town. She was curious about his day as well. Quincy left out his meeting with Foster Gooden. He'd wait for a persuasive opening to spring that news on her.

“Have you offered Jack any feng shui tips for furnishing his cabins?” That seemed like a safe topic for now. Besides, the image of Jackson practicing feng shui was a source of unholy amusement for Quincy. Wait until he told Darius and Ean.

“I don't have any tips, not yet. I might e-mail a list of suggestions to him so he has it in writing.”

Better and better.
Ean and Darius would love that.

A comfortable silence settled over the table as they studied their menus. Specialty items included herb-roasted chicken, wood-fire-grilled steak, and lemon-broiled salmon.

Agnes returned with their drinks, lemonade for Ramona and root beer for Quincy. She took their dinner orders—fresh salmon and vegetables for Ramona, wood-fired steak and potatoes for Quincy—then disappeared.

“I'm glad you suggested this date night. You've seemed preoccupied.” Ramona swept her gaze up at him, then away.

“Have I?” It was a lame response, but he couldn't think of a better one.

“You know you have.” Ramona held his gaze. “What's bothering you?”

“Nothing.” Even worse.

Ramona reached across the table to squeeze his hand. “Don't lie to me anymore.”

He was cornered. But he wasn't ready to tell her the truth. Then what could he say?

“I'm worried about you.” This wasn't a lie.

“Why?” Ramona seemed taken aback.

“Are you happy in Philadelphia?” Quincy had the curious sensation that his response had disappointed Ramona.

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“I'm at work all day and you're alone in our town house.”

“Don't worry about me.” Ramona waved a dismissive hand. “Everything's fine. And I'm proud of what you've accomplished at Penn.”

Quincy was grateful for her support of his career. But wouldn't she be proud of his accomplishments at TFU? “Aren't you bored being on your own all day?”

“Is that why you've been so moody? You think I'm bored on my own?” She gave him a dubious look.

“I don't think I've been moody.” Even he could hear the defensiveness in his tone.

“You have. But you can stop worrying. My interior design business will pick up.” Ramona sipped her lemonade. “Then I'll be as busy as I was here in Trinity Falls.”

Quincy was doubtful. The residents of Philadelphia wouldn't be as impressed with Ramona's interior design vitae. The McCloud name didn't have as much stature outside of Trinity Falls. And her time in New York wouldn't be as persuasive to potential clients.

How could he gently break that news to Ramona? “Philadelphia isn't Trinity Falls.”

“That's true.” Ramona's ebony eyes twinkled at him. She'd misunderstood his meaning.

Quincy tried again. “You have family and lifelong friendships in Trinity Falls.”

“I'm making friends at the fitness club I've joined in Philadelphia.” Ramona reached across the table and pressed his hand again. “Really, Quincy, you don't have to worry about me.”

“I want you to be happy.”

“Promise me you'll stop worrying. Then I'll be happy.” She squeezed his forearm this time. “I'm having a better experience in Philadelphia than I had in New York. I'm making more of an effort to fit in.”

“I'm glad.” Could she hear the disappointment in his voice?

“What about you?” Ramona leaned forward, her hand still on his arm. “Are you happy?”

Come clean
, the voice in his head shouted.
Tell her how you feel. Explain you made a mistake
. Quincy knew he should admit that he wanted to return to Trinity Falls University and their hometown. He needed to confess that Foster was willing—indeed anxious—to give him his old job back with full tenure.

But what if Ramona refused to leave Philadelphia? She'd just confirmed that she was happy there. What if she forced him to choose between Trinity Falls and her? What would he do? How could he choose between his heart and his soul?

Quincy smiled. “Being with you is what makes me happy.”

As if on cue, Agnes appeared with their dinners and the moment was lost. The savory, seasoned fragrance of their entrées should have made his mouth water with anticipation. Instead, his stomach clenched with dread. The love in Ramona's expression should be all the reward he needed.

Then why was he so unhappy?

CHAPTER 22

“May I join you, Ramona?” Benita had spotted the other woman seated alone at a table at Books & Bakery Wednesday afternoon.

“If you must.” Ramona could be so deliciously grouchy.

“Yes, I must.” She set her tray of chicken-and-wild-rice soup, turkey and cheddar on wheat bread, ice water with lemon, and a Trinity Falls Fudge Walnut Brownie on the table and sat on the chair opposite her reluctant companion.

Ramona spooned up her vegetable soup. “I'd've thought you'd want to spend every waking hour with your great-aunt before returning to L.A.”

Amused, Benita returned her high school classmate's skeptical stare. “I do. But apparently she doesn't want to spend her every waking moment with me. One of her civic committees is having a lunch meeting. Where's Quincy?”

“He's having lunch with friends. For these first few days, we've agreed to visit with friends and family during the day. But the evenings are for us.” A smile softened Ramona's disapproving expression. Something very much like envy pinched Benita in the gut.

“That sounds like a good plan.” Benita spread a paper napkin on her lap and prepared to dig into her lunch.

“I'm glad you agree.” Ramona slid aside her empty soup bowl and lifted her glass of lemonade.

Benita lowered her spoon. “Ramona, why are you always sniping at me?”

“It's residual resentment from when you ran against me for homecoming queen.”

Benita gave her undeclared rival credit. Her reasoning was ridiculous, but at least she didn't deny her behavior. “Our
high school
homecoming competition?”

“That's the only one we had.” Ramona responded in a singsong voice.

“That was almost two decades ago. You're still holding a grudge?”

“It seems that way.”

Benita frowned. “But you won.”

“Yes, but you still ran against me. And you're a big success in Los Angeles.”

“You were mayor of Trinity Falls. And now you're living in Philadelphia.” Benita paused as a curious expression feathered across Ramona's face. “What is it?”

“It's nothing.”

“Don't say it's nothing when it's clearly something. Tell me.”

Ramona blinked at her. “I've got to use those words and that delivery on Quincy.”

“Be my guest, but I don't think it works on men.”

“Probably not.” Ramona turned her head to look around Books & Bakery.

Benita followed her gaze. It was high noon and the café was packed. Several groups had crowded around the café tables and didn't look as though they were in a hurry to leave. The bar stools were all taken and a line stretched the length of the café. To-go bags were being packed as Doreen and the older couple she'd hired hustled to keep up with customer orders.

Benita returned her attention to Ramona. “So what's on your mind?”

“I'm not sure I'm happy in Philadelphia.” Ramona shrugged. “I supposed I can tell you that. Since we aren't friends, I don't really care what you think of me.”

Benita uttered a surprised laugh. “That's good, because I think you're strange.”

Ramona frowned. “No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you really are.” Benita sipped her water. “We may never be friends, but could we at least agree to bury the past? High school was eighteen years ago.”

“I suppose you're right.” Ramona picked up her sandwich, avocado and provolone on whole grain.

“Thanks.” Benita smiled at Ramona's grudging acceptance. “Listen, Philly's a big change after Trinity Falls.”

“Mansfield is a big change after Trinity Falls.”

Perhaps Ramona was right. After all, Mansfield, Ohio, boasted almost forty-seven thousand residents compared to Trinity Falls's mere fifteen hundred.

Benita continued. “Give yourself some time to adjust.”

“I don't have a choice.” Ramona put down her sandwich and absently traced a line through the condensation on her lemonade glass. “Quincy's happy at Penn. He says his work is challenging, although he has less of it since Penn's history division has more support staff. He advises a lot of students, which means he isn't able to get to all of them as often as he'd like.”

Benita frowned. “Then what does he like about it?”

A new voice interrupted their discussion. “Benita, I'm glad I saw you sitting here.”

Benita turned to greet the new arrival. “Why don't you join us, Ethel? Are you ready for tonight's rehearsal?”

“Of course.” Ethel Knight took the empty seat beside Benita. “Hello, Ramona. How long will you and Quincy be in town?”

“We're staying until after Doreen and Alonzo's wedding.” Ramona seemed surprised by the warm greeting.

“Good. You'll be here for Vaughn's play.
Mystic Park
is a great musical.” Ethel's voice bounced with enthusiasm. “The only drawback is Simon's presence in it.”

“What do you mean?” Ramona tilted her head.

“He's making a
pest
of himself.” Ethel sighed with exasperation. “He calls,
pretending
he wants to talk about the play. What makes him think I
want
to talk with him about the play? I
don't
.”

“How do you know he's pretending?” Benita watched the older woman methodically arrange her lunch on her tray.

“Because I didn't come down with the last
rain
.” Ethel snorted. “He may
say
one or two things about the play. But then he starts hinting
hard
that he wants to come over for dinner. What makes him think I'd
want
to have dinner with him? I
don't
.”

“I can see how that could be a problem.” There was humor in Ramona's voice.

Benita exchanged an amused look with Ramona before returning her attention to Ethel. “Would you consider reconciling with Simon?”

“Absolutely
not
.” Ethel shook her head adamantly. “He lied to me for
years
. I can tell he
wants
me back, but he could hold his breath.”

Benita nodded at the confirmation. “There are other good-looking men in Trinity Falls.”

“Speaking of which, I saw Quincy while I was at TFU Tuesday morning.” Ethel turned back to Ramona.

Ramona frowned. “He had breakfast with former colleagues.”

“I don't know about
that
.” Ethel returned to her soup. “But I
do
know that it was Quincy Spates coming out of Foster Gooden's office first thing Tuesday morning.”

“I believe you.” Ramona's tone was pensive. “I just don't understand why Quincy never mentioned meeting with Foster.”

Benita exchanged a puzzled look with Ramona. “He probably just forgot to mention it.”

“Probably.” Ramona nodded.

Neither of them seemed convinced. Was there trouble in paradise?

 

 

“I still can't believe Ginny missed rehearsal.” Vaughn pulled his black Acura into his townhome's garage Wednesday night. He'd stewed the whole drive home from Trinity Falls University after rehearsal.

“I can.” Benita unfastened her seat belt. “I hate to say I told you so.”

“Do you?” Vaughn didn't want to hear how right Benita had been. He pressed the button to unlock the car doors, then unfolded himself from the driver's seat. “Don't get me wrong. I appreciate your filling in for her. And you were wonderful.”

She really was. Benita was a natural actor and a gifted singer. If she wasn't busy managing other celebrities, she could have a successful career of her own.

“You know Ginny Carp has been unreliable since birth.” Benita stood from the passenger seat and shut her car door. “Aunt Helen claims Ginny's mother was pregnant with Ginny for ten months. She swears that's the real reason Ginny's an only child.”

Vaughn chuckled. He gave Benita a grateful look as her ridiculous story eased his tension. He offered her his hand, enjoying the feel of her much smaller one.

“We only have nine rehearsals left.” He unlocked his breezeway door, stepping aside to let Benita enter first.

“The rest of the cast is making remarkable progress. They have their marks down, and they've memorized most of their dialogue and their songs.”

“But Ginny's a lead actor.” Vaughn followed Benita into his town house and secured his door. “Last week, she struggled through both rehearsals.”

“And she really butchered the musical's signature song, ‘Forever Love.'”

“Yes, she did.” It had been hard to watch and listen to Ginny sing that song. “You performed it beautifully.”

“We may have to spend extra time with Ginny.” Benita led them into Vaughn's living room. “Which we wouldn't have to do if you hadn't let her siren's voice make you forget all her flaws.”

“Jealous?” Would that jealousy convince her to stay in Trinity Falls?

“Of Ginny Carp?” Benita's expression was dubious. “She's not taking her performance seriously. I'll have a talk with her tomorrow.”

She hadn't answered his question. Was that a good sign?

“I should call her. I'm the director.” Vaughn's eyes moved over Benita's slender, fit figure. Looking at her distracted him from his irritation with Ginny.

Her dark hair fell in soft waves to her narrow shoulders. The thin purple material of her blouse cascaded over her full breasts and past her firm hips. Her black yoga pants clung to her long, shapely legs. After eighteen years, his body still reacted to hers with the eager anticipation of the first time.

Benita crossed to him, raising her right hand to cup the side of his face. “I play the bully in this partnership, remember?”

“I'm not going to hide behind you.” Her touch wrapped around his heart, luring him to agree with her. He resisted her pull.

“As the director, you need to be liked by the cast so you can get the most from them.” Her soft smile was further persuasion. “They're not doing this performance for money. They're volunteers.”

She had a point. “What if Ginny continues to miss rehearsals?”

Benita's hand fell to her side. “We'll have to find an understudy for her.”

“What about you?” Vaughn offered her a winning smile. “You're doing a really good job filling in for her now.”

Benita shook her head. “Don't get any ideas, V.”

“But, Benny—”

She held up her hand, palm out. “You know I get horrible stage fright.”

He was aware of her condition. It was the reason she managed performers instead of performing. But she had so much talent.

“You were great tonight.” Vaughn drew nearer, breathing in her scent, cinnamon and vanilla.

“It was a rehearsal.” Benita retreated. Her movements brought her closer to the sofa behind her. Had she realized that?

“You knew the character's lines and marks.”

Tonight, Benita had embodied the character Vaughn had created in a way Ginny hadn't been able to in any of their four previous rehearsals.

“I've paid attention during the rehearsals.” Her words flattered him, whether intentional or not.

“You have a beautiful singing voice.” Vaughn paced forward, more from a need to be closer to her than to persuade her to agree to his proposal.

“Which conveniently disappears when the curtains rise.”

“That's not true.”

Benita stepped back. Her eyes widened as the back of her legs came into contact with his sofa. Vaughn grinned. He used his body to crowd her onto the cushions. She smiled up at him as he covered her body with his own.

“You were meant for this role.” He touched his lips to hers. So soft. So sweet.

“Let's just hope Ginny's performed her last disappearing act.” She twined her arms around his neck. “I'll speak with her tomorrow. But for tonight, it's all about you.”

He was falling into her hazel brown eyes. Midnight rimmed her irises. The heat in their depth stoked a need deep inside him for this woman, only and always. She was magic, the way she made him feel. The things she made him want. In her eyes, he found his yesterday and today. What would it take to find his tomorrow?

Vaughn lowered his lips to Benita's. She was soft and sweet, responding to his touch. He stroked the seam of her mouth with his tongue, asking her to let him in, into her mouth, into her life, into her heart. Benita opened for him. His tongue slipped inside and he tasted her. Sweet and soft. Hot and wet. She moaned as he deepened their kiss, a lyric he'd never get enough of.

Benita's hands roamed his body. Gentle on his back. Feathering his jaw. Her fingers pressed into his shoulders. He broke their kiss and lifted away from her to slip the buttons free of her blouse.

“You have such pretty clothes.” He smiled into her heated gaze.

“So do you.” Benita tugged his shirt free of his waistband.

“But there are too many of them.” Vaughn stood from the sofa and gathered Benita into his arms. He carried her up the stairs.

She twined her arms around his neck. “Sofa's not your style?”

Vaughn slid her a look. “Not with you.”

He lowered her to stand beside the bed. Benita stepped out of her shoes. Her loose purple blouse hung open over a flesh-colored bra. Her black yoga pants molded her hips. Vaughn leaned in and nuzzled her neck as he tugged off her blouse. He kissed her ear and traced her jawline with his tongue as he freed her bra. The scrap of silk and lace joined their growing pile of clothes near their feet.