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“Right.” He took a half step back, his onyx eyes glaring in the shadowy light. “You walked away. You didn’t stand up for what you wanted. You didn’t fight for us. You left.”
“I’m sorry you see it that way.” Her throat tightened making it difficult to swallow. “But to me it was the only choice.”
She sidestepped around him averting her eyes. Afraid one look from him would convince her to jeopardize her life, Portia’s life. One weak moment, one second of doubt, one admission of guilt and their lives would spiral. As much as she wanted to believe Nick’s words, she knew the truth. Not even Nick could help her out of this mess. So much had happened, so much he didn’t know. Let him believe what he wanted, it was safer.
“Admit it, you want this as much as me.”
“Maybe more,” she whispered to herself, then drew in a deep breath, turned and put one foot in front of the other.
“I just got one more question.” The intense heat of his gaze burned into her back. “How come you never told me back in Brooklyn Frank was your father?”
His question jolted her to a stop, but she didn’t turn around. Keeping her eyes trained in front of her, she exited the hallway without a backwards glance, and rejoined the party. She returned to their table, slipped onto the leather bench of the banquette, sipped at her champagne, then smiled at the others.
No one seemed to miss her, least of all Johnny who was now regaling them with a story about the time an LA Laker almost knocked himself unconscious on the doorframe at the jazz club in Hollywood.
Cheryl discreetly looked over each shoulder, but Nick was nowhere in sight. She pressed the cool champagne glass against her neck and prayed he was wrong about the social scene in Vegas because she didn’t think she could get through another night like tonight. Keeping her emotions at bay for one night was barely doable.
10
The next day Cheryl sat in her home office staring blankly at her computer monitors idly tapping her pen against her desk.
“So, you think that’s a good idea?” Izzy’s voice cut through her fog.
“Ahhh, yes of course.” She had no idea what the woman said.
“Great. Then I’ll make sure we give all our services away for free in the future.”
“Wait, what?”
Izzy dramatically shook her head. “Come join us here on earth, please.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not, but since I’ve already asked you what’s up, I won’t be the annoying friend who keeps badgering someone and getting in their business until the other person breaks.” Izzy smirked. “As you well know that’s not me, not something I would do, and if you want to keep all the gory details of last night to yourself, fine. Who am I, but your best trusted friend, and business partner to ask for information?” Izzy’s satisfied smirk widened.
“You really are annoying, but I suspect you already know that.”
“Mmm-hmm. I also know it’s the only way to deal with you because you are the queen of secrets. Just one thing—” Izzy leaned forward and bugged out her eyes—“I know all your damn secrets.”
Cheryl bit her bottom lip and sipped at her lukewarm coffee. Cheap moves to stall the inevitable. “Nick was there and we talked.”
“Big surprise. I half believe the only reason he threw a party was so he could see you again.”
“I doubt that.” Although a small part of her thrilled at the idea.
“Okaaaay, so anyway . . .”
“It really wasn’t a big deal. The whole conversation didn’t last fifteen minutes.” It actually lasted fifteen minutes and thirty seconds. Yes, she checked her Apple watch, and yes, that was weird.
“I see, so just normal party talk. The weather in Vegas, your health—and the fact you’re still madly in love with each other, can’t keep your hands off each other and?—”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“But correct, am I right?”
When Cheryl raised her eyes to the ceiling Izzy clapped her hands bouncing in her seat. “I knew it.”
“It was nothing.”
