Fool That I Am Page 16

  Stopping dead in his tracks, Sam stared at the woman in his arms. “She’s in love with me?”

  Connie pushed his shoulder roughly while exclaiming, “Stop being so stupid, Samuel! Of course she loves you! Do you not hear her singing for you right now?”

  As if on cue, the song came to a close as Billie crooned, “Oh, but I still care, fool that I am.”

  As the crowd erupted into fervent applause, he escorted Connie away from the floor and to the side, making sure to keep her in direct eyesight of her glaring boyfriend. Dazed and a little shell-shocked, he told her, “She never told me. I swear, she never told me, Con.”

  Putting her hands on her hips, she replied saucily, “Really, genius? You mean that she didn’t tell her ex-husband’s best friend that she was in love with him? I am sooo shocked!”

  Sam felt like he had been punched in the gut. He had wasted all these years, just to find out that she had loved him, too? He felt a little bit sick and a lot angry at himself. Why had he never been able to see it?

  Before he could formulate a reply, however, Connie continued her harangue. “What does it matter now, though? You are too late to the game, pendejo. She is dating the club owner now. He is rich and handsome and he is loco for her, okay?”

  Sam’s stomach fell to his feet. “She’s dating that Daniel?” he demanded, thinking back to the conversation with Derrick and Lola.

  “Sí, this Daniel and he has no silly rules keeping him from what he wants,” she sassed him, wagging her finger in his face. “Now is the time for you to go away so she can finally be happy and forget about you, okay? It is not fair to keep stringing her along.”

  Having said her piece, Connie spun on her high heel and flounced back to the table to drape herself over her boyfriend and whisper furiously with him. Sam was in a daze as he digested all that Connie told him while he made his way back to his own table. Mercifully, Chad and Tanya Delaney were missing when he collapsed back in his chair and watched Billie sing Someone Like You by Adele. His vision narrowed, shutting out everyone and everything else but her on that stage. He could taste the bile coming up his throat as he realized that she really did find someone else and this time could be for keeps. Could he really let her go? Could he live with himself if he never even tried?

  What seemed like mere seconds later, when in fact it had been closer to an hour, Billie crooned the last words of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and took a final bow. The thunderous noise of clapping, whistling, cheers, and shouts made his head ring as she beamed a dazzling smile and blew kisses to her fans. Daniel Petrosky took this opportunity to come back on the stage and take the microphone while placing a familiar arm around Billie’s waist to draw her in close to him.

  “Let’s give it up one more time for Valerie Jones!” he crowed, as the crowd responded enthusiastically. When they quieted a little more, he laughingly added, “Don’t get your hopes up, gentlemen. I’ve already called dibs.” Then, much to her surprise, he folded her in his arms, dipped her back over his arm, and kissed her soundly. That caused another raucous round of cat calls and cheering, especially when they saw the embarrassed flush crawling up Billie’s face. Daniel thanked everyone, reminded them to stay for more dancing and socializing, and then disappeared behind the curtains with Billie.

  Jealousy and anger warred within Sam, even as he smugly thought that Daniel didn’t know Billie very well if he thought such a public display would please her. Billie detested that kind of gratuitous affection, especially in front of a crowd of people she didn’t know.

  His hand shook with emotion as he raised his glass to his mouth for a quick drink. The house lights had brightened enough to make table-hopping and socializing easier and the stage retracted in order to free up more of the dance floor as music began to play over the speakers. The sound of people talking, laughing, silverware tinkling, and ice cubes clinking invaded Sam’s mind as he looked around for Chad. They really needed to leave now so he could think straight.

  Throwing a $100 bill on the table as a tip, he shrugged on his suit coat and took off to find his childhood friend. He weaved in and out of the tables, dodging harried-looking servers, politely rebuffing the hostesses, and ignoring the wealthy members. After ten minutes of searching, including in the restroom, he finally found Chad and Tanya walking together back into the club smelling like winter air and cigarette smoke.

  “Where the hell have you been? C’mon, we’re leaving,” Sam announced crankily.

  Chad was so drunk he could barely stand up, but he was still grinning like a fool while Tanya Delaney helped to steady him with a smirk on her face. Chad grabbed a full drink off a server’s tray and lifted it to his lips for a long swallow. Smacking his lips in appreciation, he said, “Mmm, s’good. I looove a good Com Tollins. Lom Tomkins. Oh, you know what I mean,” he slurred with an obnoxious laugh.

  Raising a tweezed eyebrow, the cougar with suspiciously red hair told Sam, “What’s your hurry, dear boy? Don’t you want to greet the lovely Valerie Jones? I heard she was a friend of yours,” she purred with a conspiratorial look at Chad.

  Sam had a very bad feeling about this woman. She was acting much too pleased with herself. In fact, he was pretty sure he could see savage glee sparking in her eyes as they focused on something behind him.

  A wicked smile curved her lips as she said, “Oh, goody. Here comes the happy couple now.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Billie was still riding the adrenaline high from their successful performance on the stage as Daniel escorted her around the club introducing her to influential people in the community. Even though she wasn’t terribly impressed with any of them or their money, she took this opportunity to talk up the children’s hospital and let them know how generous and kind it would be if they were to drop an extra donation into the box she had talked Diana into setting up at the bar. This was the part she liked the least about performing; the act continued even after she left the stage. She had to smile and make small talk with people she had nothing in common with while they laughed and talked with fake enthusiasm. Until she started playing the part of Valerie Jones, she had never truly understood what the term “sycophant” meant and it shocked her that Daniel didn’t seem to notice that people treated him with such deference because of his money.

  Billie was flustered, especially after that stunt Daniel had pulled on the stage with that kiss. She tried to brush it off, but it galled her that he would treat her that way in such a public manner, even after she had explained to him that they should keep their relationship separate from the club. That kind of PDA was more along the lines of something Connie would enjoy, but not Billie. Thinking about Connie prompted Billie to crane her neck in search of her best friend. Her friend had been frantically gesturing at her from the audience at the end of the show and trying to tell her something, but she couldn’t figure it out.

  As she fervently looked around for her friend, her eyes slid across someone that looked familiar before coming back and zeroing in on his face. A sharp intake of breath alerted Daniel to her distress and his eyes followed hers. With confusion clouding his face, he asked her, “What’s the matter, Val?”

  Billie ignored the nickname that Daniel had taken to calling her so he never slipped up in public by calling her by her real name. The color began to drain from her face as she replied shakily, “That man over there. That’s my ex-husband. How did he get in here?”

  Daniel’s eyebrows lowered in consternation. He had an idea of how it happened, especially if the hulking man standing in front of her ex was who he thought he was. Then he noticed who was standing next to her ex-husband and a quiet oath escaped his mouth. “There’s more bad news, I’m afraid. That woman he’s standing with is a reporter for an online gossip blog. She’s been determined to get the scoop on you for the past month. I’m afraid she may have finally found her source.”

  Dread curled in her belly as she thought about her real identity being revealed. Now there would be no escape b
ack to her own life. Valerie Jones was going to follow her home. “I guess we have no choice but to confront them and try to convince her to keep this information to herself.”

  Even though he knew she was right, he almost spun on his heel to lead her away. She still hadn’t noticed who else was in attendance, but that was about to change. He could see the spiteful glee spread across Tanya’s face as they drew nearer and he knew that Billie’s hope to contain her secret was in vain.

  His suspicions were confirmed when she called out to them, “Hello, Daniel! What a lovely concert this evening. Please come introduce Miss Jones to us all. Oh, but I forget!” she laughed wickedly. “They already know her, but they call her Billie Jean Hardesty.”

  Billie stopped in her tracks as her true name rang across the distance between them. To compound her distress, the tall man with his back to her turned to look at her and she saw Sam’s blazing blue eyes searing into her own.

  “Sam?” she whispered in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

  A small commotion ensued as the crowd parted willingly for Connie who was being hotly pursued by Hank. “I will tell you why he is here, mija!” she cried angrily. Pointing her finger accusingly at Daniel, she explained, “Your new boyfriend told my new boyfriend to invite him!”

  By this time, Hank had caught up to her and gently took her arm in his beefy paw. “Connie, don’t be mad. Come on, sweetheart. There were no bad intentions-“

  “Don’t you ‘sweetheart’ me, cabrón! I told you about Samuel in confidence and you run and tell your jefe. I do not care what your intentions were doing. The fact is that you brought him here just so he,” she pointed emphatically again at Daniel, “can mark his territory!” she spat before launching into a full-fledged tantrum in Spanish.

  Hank, even as the head of security with arms that had won title bouts, looked ready to panic. With an apologetic look at Daniel and Billie, he called back to them as he dragged Connie away, “Sorry! We’ll be back in a minute!”

  Billie was stunned. Apparently, so was Sam, but he was the first to speak. “You brought me here on purpose? Why would you do that? I’ve never even met you.”

  Daniel had a sinking feeling that this night was not going to end as he had hoped: with Billie in his bed. Sucking in a deep breath, he stuck his hand out toward Sam and introduced himself. “Daniel Petrosky. You must be Sam Garrett.”

  Sam didn’t hesitate as he slid his hand into Daniel’s. If he squeezed a little harder than necessary, no one knew of it but the two men and Daniel barely winced. From behind him, Chad stumbled forward, knocking Sam aside and slurred, “Hey, whadda ‘bout me? I’m the one that was married to her.” Thrusting his hand toward Daniel, he missed his hand and continued to try to make contact until he finally grasped Daniel’s hand and pumped it enthusiastically. “Chad Hardesty, goodtameetya.”

  Daniel freed himself from Chad’s sweaty palm and surreptitiously wiped it on his trousers. “I see that you are indeed having a good time tonight,” he replied drily before turning to Billie. “Billie, l can explain-“

  Billie raised her hand in a stopping gesture without even meeting his eyes. She couldn’t seem to pull them away from Sam. “Connie already made it perfectly clear why Sam is here. I guess that’s what that display up on the stage was all about,” she added sardonically. Dismissing Daniel for the moment, she turned to Chad. Her eyes narrowed in anger as she watched him make a fool of himself in front of all these people. “What did you do, Chad? What did you tell this woman?” she demanded of him.

  The woman answered for him with a false smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Why, he only told me a little bit about you, dear. I was very interested to hear that the sexy siren Valerie Jones is actually a single mother of two kids who works as a receptionist of all things!” she laughed in savage delight. “My, my, Daniel. You really are slumming it this time.”

  Daniel’s face turned red with fury, but it was Sam that stepped between them. “You will not speak about her that way,” he growled threateningly.

  Pulling her cell phone out of her clutch, Tanya cackled happily. “What do we have here? A love triangle? How incredibly scintillating! My readers will be on pins and needles to watch the drama unfold! Who will get to be the new step daddy? Daddy Warbucks or Joe Schmoe?” she exclaimed, tapping on her phone rapidly.

  Billie, long used to taking care of herself, pushed Sam out of the way and plucked the phone out of the woman’s hand. Tanya squawked with indignation, but Billie very calmly dropped it in the full glass that Chad had just liberated from the server. Everyone ignored his unhappy exclamation.

  Though she tried to project a calm she didn’t feel, inside she was a boiling mass of hurt and anger. Narrowing her eyes on the hateful woman, she said, “Let me explain something to you, lady. You can write whatever you want about me, me and Daniel, or even me and Daniel and Sam. But if you mention one word about my children, I will make it my mission in life to systematically destroy your precious blog and have my lawyer bury you under so many injunctions that you will be litigating from your grave. Do you understand me, Ms. Delaney?” She was blatantly bluffing, but the witch didn’t have to know that.

  Nodding her head stiffly and shooting daggers out of her eyes, Tanya liberated her phone from the liquid and turned to slink away. Billie faced Daniel and said, “Call Hank and tell him to stall her from leaving. I don’t care if he has to slash her tires. I need an hour’s head start on her. Can you also find that woman you just introduced me to, that reporter for the social column in the Louisville newspaper? I need to speak with her.”

  Daniel deduced what her plan was and smiled tentatively at his date. “Of course, Val. I will return with her in just a moment,” he assured her. Looking to Sam, he offered a brief nod and a hard look that Sam stonily returned.

  Chad had wandered off to sit at an empty table and had promptly passed out with his head resting on a dirty plate. Now that Billie and Sam were alone, the tension between them was palpable. Steeling herself not to cry, she said to him, “I’m sorry you got dragged into all this, Sam. I didn’t know he was going to do any of this.”

  Sam shook his head in denial of her apology. “It’s not your fault, B.J. Hell, if I was in his position, I probably would have done worse,” he offered with a roguish smile. “Besides, I got to watch you perform and listen to you sing. You took my breath away,” he confessed softly.

  A pink flush colored her cheeks at his words and set her pulse to dancing. Funny how a few words from Sam could make her body thrill more than all the kisses and caresses from Daniel put together. “Still,” she insisted, “It wasn’t very well done of him.”

  Without his volition, his body moved closer to her. His fingers itched to bury themselves in her thick, silky locks and devour her mouth until her lipstick was nothing more than a memory. “Why didn’t you tell me about this, Beej? I feel like such an ass for the way I left things the last time we talked. If I hadn’t screwed up so badly, I could have done more to help.”

  Billie, without noticing, moved a little closer to him as she replied, “No, I’m sorry. I totally overreacted and blew up at you. I was just so shocked after talking to Renata-“

  Cutting her off, he scowled, “What do you mean ‘after talking to Renata’?”

  Flustered, she explained, “I ran into her at the attorney’s office when I was having my employment contract reviewed. She said that you two were having a baby and would be getting married after Christmas. It was just so unexpected, especially since you had just told me that you had broken up with her.”

  Sam ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. “She flat lied to you, Billie. While it is true that she’s pregnant, the likelihood of it being my baby is slim to none. The only thing happening after Christmas is a paternity test. She was just angry and trying to cause trouble, because she found out that I…” he hesitated, unsure of whether to continue. At her prompting, he took a deep breath and a big risk. “…have feelings for you. She knew
that I could never love her, because I was already in love with you.”

  Her ears began to ring and her vision tunneled. Her brain cells deserted her and she repeated blankly, “You have feelings for me? You are already in love with me?”

  He nodded his head slowly. “For as long as I have known you, there has never been another woman that could come close to holding a candle to you. I wasted so much time trying to be noble. Instead, I have been such a fool.”

  Billie thought her heart would beat out of chest. She had so much to say to him, so much to tell him. Her mouth opened to reply, but instead, Daniel’s voice cut into the tense moment. “Val? I’ve brought Karina Thompkins from the paper with me,” he said.

  Billie hastily moved away from Sam and blinked as if she were waking from a dream. She looked regretfully at Sam, but he just smiled sadly and said, “I’m going to take the jackass home. Congratulations, B.J. You were phenomenal.”

  Wordlessly, she lifted her hand in a weak farewell as Daniel claimed her arm and steered her over to an empty table where a classy 30-something woman was sitting regarding them all quizzically. When she turned back again to look for Sam, he and Chad were gone.

  Taking a seat along with Daniel at the table, she regarded the new acquaintance with determination. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Ms. Thompkins.”

  “Of course, Miss Jones. I hope you have changed your mind about an interview for my column?” she asked politely.

  “Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of a scoop. You also run the Louisville Society Pages online, is that right?” At the woman’s eager nod, she continued, “In that case, please call me Billie.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  By one in the morning, the club was empty, Billie was drained, and Daniel was pulling his bowtie off from around his neck. Walking over to where she sat resting her feet at the table, he silently held his hand out in invitation. Billie glanced up at his handsome face and read resignation and defeat. Slipping her hand in his, she allowed him to pull her to feet and escort her from the club and down the hall to his office. Neither of them spoke just yet, not wanting to spoil the moment of peace as they strolled down the dim hallway where the moonlight illuminated their path. There was so much that had happened in such a short time that Billie felt weary and sad. She refused to dwell on Sam right now. She owed Daniel that much.