The Billionaire's Best Friend (The Sherbrookes of Newport) (15 page)

A twinge of doubt flickered through his mind.
“I thought you planned to spend the weekend.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “It’s late, Lauren . . . stay.”

Despite his efforts, ten minutes later, Kevin walked back into the house alone. He bypassed the open bottle of wine and headed toward the back of the house. After changing into shorts and a T-shirt, he hit the weights. He
’d learned a long time ago that exercise helped him plan. Some of his best business decisions came to him when he worked out.

By the time he punched out half of his hour-long routine, his annoyance had subsided enough for him to look at things from Lauren
’s point of view. She would come around at some point, but maybe he did spring it on her too soon. Looking at a marriage as a business deal was the norm for him. In his world, people did it without blinking an eye. In fact, most of the time he didn’t consider marriage as anything more than a business deal. Other people did, though. He needed to remember that. He also needed to show Lauren that, even without love, a marriage between them could thrive. His own parents never claimed to love each other, at least not in his presence. Regardless, they worked well together. They complemented each other. His mother left all the business and financial details to her husband, while his father left the social and charitable details to his wife. But Lauren wasn’t his mother.

Sherry Miles had come from a family already well-established in society. When she
’d met Clinton Walsh, she’d already set her mind on taking her position in society to the next level. From the start, she’d known marriage to Clinton would do that for her.

Lauren didn
’t think in those terms, which sucked. He’d spent his life around women like his mother. He understood how they thought and what they wanted. His relationship with Lauren threw him into new territory. At times the challenge of figuring her out exhilarated him. Made him realize how routine everything in his life had become, including his relationships with women. Other times, like now, it drove him up the wall. Since he’d met her at a charity dinner, he’d known she could be the catalyst to push him and his company into the elite circle of the Sherbrookes and Talbots. Before that chance run-in with her, he’d never been able to quite breach the inner sanctum where the Talbots and Sherbrookes lived and worked. At the same time, his association with Lauren—and thus her friend Callie Talbot—would help launch his political career.

Kevin took a seat on the rowing machine. Of course, his decision to propose hadn
’t only been influenced by how their marriage could benefit him. Not only did they have a lot of interests in common, she was hot. In fact, the night they’d met, that was what had drawn him to her. Only later during dinner did he learn she and Callie were best friends.

He exhaled as he started rowing. If Lauren needed flowers and romantic dinners before she said yes, then that was what she would get.

***

Come on
. Lauren glanced at the clock again, but only a minute had passed since the last time she checked. Was it possible for time to run slow? It sure as hell felt like it. All she needed was for the clock to hit nine then she would head over to Callie’s.

Tapping her fingers against the counter, she watched the second hand move around the clock that hung on the diner wall. The waitress refilled the coffee mug in front of her, and Lauren gave her a smile. So far that morning she
’d drunk enough coffee to keep an elephant awake. The night before she’d left Kevin’s and started toward home. Half an hour from his house, she’d changed her mind and headed for Greenwich, Connecticut where Callie and Dylan spent most of their weekends now. She’d arrived in a small town not far from Greenwich around five o’clock. Too early to visit Callie, she found the twenty-four-hour diner and had been drinking coffee ever since, waiting for the clock to hit nine. While still on the early side, Lauren figured Callie and her husband would be awake by then.

Lauren reached for her coffee, more to give herself something to do than because she wanted any more. The box with Kevin
’s engagement ring dug into her leg, a constant reminder of the previous night’s events. She’d tried to leave it with him. No matter what she said, though, he refused to take it back, insisting she hold onto it until she made her decision. Fed up with arguing with him, she stuffed it into her jeans pocket and had not looked at it since. Now, as the extra-strong coffee slid down her throat, she pulled it out and slipped it on her finger. Even in the florescent light, the ring sparkled. She’d expected the large diamond to look gaudy on her hand, yet the unique ring looked perfect. As if it’d been made just for her. Knowing Kevin, it had been designed with her in mind. In the time they’d been together she’d learned Kevin liked to have the best of everything. He’d view an engagement ring in much the same way.

She glanced up at the clock again as the cell phone in her purse rang.
Anyone but Kevin, please.
Lauren pulled out the phone.
Should I answer it?
The number didn’t appear familiar. Regardless, she answered it anyway. She had time to kill.

“
Hey,” an oh-so-familiar male voice said.

Before she realized it, Lauren dropped her left hand into her lap so that the large diamond no longer glared up at her.
“Nate, hi. What’s up?” Since his last visit when she’d told him she needed time, they hadn’t spoken. Not that it had mattered. He’d still been on her mind and in her dreams.

“
I got two tickets to a Celtics game from someone at work. Interested in going tonight?”

She hadn
’t attended a Celtics game since college, but before that she and Nate had gone all the time. “I’m not around today.” Under the counter she played with the ring on her finger.

“
Right.” His single one-word answer spoke volumes.

“
I’m visiting Callie.” She didn’t owe him any explanations. She had the right to go wherever she pleased with whomever. Still, something pulled at her, insisting she confirm that she wasn’t with Kevin. “I haven’t seen her since the retirement party.”

“
Tell her I said hello.” The suspicion she’d heard moments ago disappeared from his voice.

“
I will. Have fun at the game.”

He should not have called her. When he left her house, he promised Lauren space and time. He’d meant it, too, but the wait was killing him, as was the thought of her with someone else. Every time an image of her with Kevin popped up, his insides rolled over. So even though he’d intended to give her the space she wanted, when two Celtics tickets fell into his lap, he thought of her first. Over the years they had attended many games in Boston together. He’d hoped some time together at a game again would help remind her of what they’d once shared.

When she said she wasn
’t around, anger and dread sucker-punched him. Only her admission about visiting Callie helped relieve the coil of dread wrapped around his heart. His Lauren wouldn’t lie to him. If she said she was with Callie, then that was where she was. Even if she had been with Kevin, he would have had no grounds for objection. She had every right to spend time with whomever she chose, just like him. In his case though, he had no desire for any other woman. In truth, during their years apart he’d hardly dated, and he had never developed a lasting relationship. On those rare occasions when he did date, it had been more for something to do rather than because he wanted a woman in his life.

What about her? How many relationships had she been in? Had she looked at another man and thought about marriage?

Thanks to his mother, he knew she’d never been engaged. His mom had always hoped they would get back together and made sure she dropped him hints about Lauren’s life over the years. He had almost convinced himself she had never gotten engaged because she still loved him. But her reluctance to take him back made him wonder. Maybe the real reason was because she’d never been asked.

Doesn
’t matter.
The important thing was that she had not outright said no to him the other night. She’d merely asked for time and space while she sorted out her emotions. If no chance for them existed, she would have told him to leave and never come back.

He had to hang on to that. Right now it was all he had as the wait slowly killed him. In the meantime, he needed a distraction. That brought him back to the two Celtics tickets on the kitchen table. A game at the Garden would provide him with a few hours of mindless
entertainment.

Picking up his cell phone, he dialed his brother
’s number. Maybe Ryan would be up for a game tonight.

Chapter 9

After a drive through town to kill time, Lauren pulled onto the long driveway leading up to the Talbot estate. She
’d remained at the diner as long as possible, but eventually self-preservation won out. If she sat around consuming any more of the black ink the restaurant called coffee, she’d have a permanent hole in her stomach.

She
’d visited Callie’s new home a few times since its completion, but when she pulled up near the multi-car garage she once again gaped at the structure in awe. Dylan had spared no expense, and it showed.
I could have something similar with Kevin.
While not quite as grand, his parents’ estate, as well as his home, was gorgeous.

Marriage is about more than a nice house
. Lauren pushed open the car door and slammed it with all her might. She’d never approached a relationship in terms of what she could gain from it. The fact that she just had didn’t sit well with her.

Before ringing the doorbell, she slipped a hand into her jeans pocket. Her fingers wrapped around the velvet box. Then she took one more step and rang the bell.

Moments later the door swung open, but rather than the housekeeper who’d answered on her last visit, or Callie, Jake Sherbrooke stood in the foyer.

“
Long time no see. Come on in.” Jake graced her with his legendary smile and then gave her a hug.

Unable not to, Lauren returned the embrace. Since their first meeting, Jake had been friendly and welcoming.
Not at all what she’d expected after years of reading about him in magazines.

“
Callie’s not up yet, but you can hang out with us till she comes down.”

Great.
Callie has guests.
That’s what I get for not calling first.
“I can come back later.” She liked Callie’s family but didn’t want to intrude.

Jake gave her hand a little tug.
“It’s just me and Charlie and Sara and Christopher. Besides, Callie would be pissed if I let you leave.”

Lauren refrained from arguing. If Jake and Callie shared any personality trait it was stubbornness. In fact, the
Sherbrookes, or at least the ones she’d met, seemed to have a monopoly on the characteristic.

Jake made polite conversation as he led her toward the dining room. Lauren held up her end, although if someone were to later ask what they talked about she
’d draw a blank. Her mind was busy taking in her surroundings. Although not overdone or showy like Cliff House, the Sherbrooke mansion in Newport, there was no mistaking the refined elegance and wealth that ran through the estate. Unlike the penthouse apartment Callie and Dylan lived in while in New York City which favored a modern style, their new home showcased a turn-of-the-century traditional décor. She hadn’t thought much about it on her previous visits, but now she wondered what had influenced the design.

Regardless of what inspired the home, the place was nothing like the apartment Callie had once lived in or the homes Lauren normally visited.

“Help yourself if you’re hungry.” Jake stopped next to his chair in the dining room and inclined his head toward the far wall. “Nancy set out plenty of food.”

Must be nice
. The sarcastic thought remained safely in her head. She wasn’t jealous of her friends, but who wouldn’t love to have a gourmet buffet breakfast set out for them? “Thanks, but I’ll just grab some tea.” The greasy egg sandwich she’d eaten at the diner still sat in her stomach.

“
You don’t know what you’re missing. Maureen gave Nancy her blueberry-lemon muffin recipe.” Jake held up a golden brown muffin.

Across the table from her, Charlie rolled her eyes in Lauren
’s direction.

“
I see some things never change.” For the first time since leaving Kevin’s house, the stress in her stomach lessened.

“
If anything, it has gotten worse since Ma started sending him care packages full of baked goods.” Charlie winked in her direction. “I’m starting to think he only married me because of Ma’s cooking.”

“
I told you, Charlie. That was only one of the reasons.” Jake popped the rest of his muffin in his mouth.

In response, Charlie punched him in the arm.
“Be careful, or you’ll be sleeping on the floor tonight.”

Lauren sipped her tea and struggled to ignore the envy growing inside her. From the outside at least, Jake and Charlie had the perfect marriage. They teased each other, but at the same time showed affection for each other. They appeared to be friends, partners, and lovers all rolled into one. Sara and Christopher did as well. That type of relationship was what she
’d always thought she wanted.