Loe raamatut: «One Breathless Night»

1

“GUESS HOW MANY James Bonds there are in this room right now.” Jenna Delaney tugged up her neckline as she watched the Bonds interact. Some were short, some rotund, some blond; quite a few had the beginnings of beer bellies. But they were all clearly dressed as the one and only Double O Seven.

Jenna and her friend Mindy were stationed perfectly: close enough to the New Year’s Eve buffet table that they could nibble all they wanted, yet still have a great view of the reunion suite. “Ten? Twelve?” Mindy shook her head. “I give up. How many are there?”

“They’re all Bonds,” Jenna said. “Every single man here. All they had to do for their costume was rent a tux. That’s it. Unless they already owned one, which would have made it even easier. Meanwhile I, silly fool that I am, shelled out big bucks for Mimco bloodred lipstick, OPI blackish-purplish nail polish that’s the perfect shade but hideous, a necklace that looks like a noose, nearly cried putting my hair up in this awful twist and I’m wearing a dress that is far too revealing, just to match the outfit Vesper Lynd wore in Casino Royale.”

“You looked all that stuff up, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. All the Bond girls have their own wikis.” Jenna took her cosplay as seriously as she did her job teaching middle school English.

“Bless your heart,” Mindy said, lifting a brie-covered cracker to her mouth. “I stole my costume from the men’s playbook. None of it’s new. I put it together using stuff from my own closet.”

Jenna eyed her friend’s black blouse and slacks. “That’s supposed to be a costume?”

Mindy nodded as she chewed.

“So what are you? A background extra?”

“Don’t be silly. I’m Judi Dench’s ‘M.’”

Jenna turned to face her now. “But she wasn’t a redhead.”

Mindy grinned wickedly. “I’m M in disguise.”

Jenna laughed.

“For what it’s worth, you look sensational.” Mindy looked her up and down, and then zeroed in on her neckline. “Well, you would if you’d quit trying to hide your breasts.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been tugging on your top all night. You’re not showing off that much, you Victorian prude, you. Look around. There are women here who are barely clothed, for God’s sake. It’s a James Bond–themed party.” Mindy reached over and tugged down Jenna’s top an inch. “It’s called a plunging neckline for a reason. Why didn’t you just come as Miss Moneypenny?”

Jenna clutched her bodice. “I have. Three times, as you well know.”

“Right. Because we come here every freaking year. There are things to do all over Boston. I mean, it’s New Year’s Eve and First Night, yet every year, we get stuck coming to the same old party. It’s criminal, all that we’re missing. It’s not being disloyal to their alma mater if we want to see other things, too.”

They were Jenna’s fiancé and Mindy’s husband, both graduates of Boston University. “You have a very good point.” Jenna picked up what looked to be a salmon puff. “It’s time to expand our repertoire. Just...Payton has the whole routine down—”

“Tough.” Mindy might not look like M, but right now she sure sounded like her. “I like you guys a lot, but I’ve had it. No more parties where we have to play dress-up. If the guys miss our skimpy outfits, they can wear them.”

Jenna laughed until she realized her hand was still covering her décolletage. It wasn’t as if her boobs were big enough to cause a stir. And she never used to be a prude. But then she’d started teaching twelve-year-olds. And dating Payton. Not that he made her a prude, but they did go to a lot of functions for his ultraconservative accounting firm, and she had learned to dress and act the part. She let her hand drop and straightened her back. “Okay, next year, you make the plans. I’m sure Payton will get on board.”

Mindy raised one eyebrow. “And if he doesn’t?”

“He will. Where are they, anyway?”

Mindy made a face. “Probably tucked in a corner somewhere discussing the newest thrilling tax requirements.”

Zane, Mindy’s husband, had not only gone to BU two years ahead of Payton, but he was also an accountant at the same firm. Jenna liked the couple a lot but they really only saw each other at events like these. They lived in a different suburb, and both Mindy and Jenna worked full-time.

“Have you seen him?” Mindy nodded toward a tall, dark-haired man standing at the other end of the buffet.

“Who? Oh. I hadn’t, no. But I... He’s...good-looking.”

Mindy nabbed a chocolate-dipped strawberry, now that they’d moved the few steps over to the dessert section. “Good-looking? That’s like saying the Mona Lisa is a nice painting.”

“Okay, fine. He’s gorgeous,” Jenna said. “Honestly, I stopped listening to you the moment I saw him.”

“You’re forgiven. I mean, he actually looks like James Bond. Better than Daniel Craig, if you ask me.”

Jenna nodded, even though she knew Mindy wasn’t looking. “He must be a swimmer. Right? That’s a swimmer’s body.”

“I don’t know. I think runner. No. Martial arts,” she said, her voice lowering an octave.

“Hmm. Quite possibly,” Jenna said in a British accent.

Mindy laughed. “I’m sending him a telepathic message to take off his jacket.”

“While you’re at it, you might as well ask him to take everything else off, too.”

“That seems greedy.”

Jenna was giggling now. “Oh, damn, he’s with someone.”

“So are we.”

“Of course we are. I’m just window-shopping. Ah, his girlfriend’s beautiful.”

“I never did like blondes.” Mindy eyed Jenna for a second. “You’d look good with him,” she said. Then she started loading a plate with petits fours.

Jenna laughed. She scooped up a bite-size brownie, while scoping out the rest of the goodies, ignoring everything that wasn’t chocolate.

‘He looks...dangerous,” Mindy said. “If only he’d take off that damn jacket. Let us see what he’s got under the hood.”

Jenna looked up from the buffet table and stared at her friend, who was unashamedly checking out the guy.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding a Walther PPK.”

Almost choking on the brownie, Jenna cleared her throat and said, “I thought that sentence would end in a completely different way.”

Mindy’s eyes lit up as she turned to Jenna. “I take back the Victorian comment. And give you extra points for the classiest way of subverting the ‘is that a gun in your pocket’ joke I’ve ever heard.”

“That’s me. Classy as—oh, crap, he’s coming closer.”

Mindy bumped her shoulder. “Don’t look him straight in the eye.”

Jenna nodded absently at Mindy, more interested in the gorgeous dress the guy’s date was wearing than in him. A few seconds later, she realized what her friend had said. Her gaze flew back to Danger Bond. “Damn it, I just looked him in the eye. He caught me. Stop saying things.”

“Jenna?” Mindy poked her in the shoulder. “Jenna.”

“Yes, what? Hello?”

“Payton,” Mindy said, a little too brightly. “Zane. Thank goodness you guys are back. We were beginning to think you’d asked some Bond girls if you could do their taxes.”

“Ha,” Mindy’s husband said, without the least bit of humor. “I never get tired of accountant jokes.”

Mindy waved dismissively before she accepted her double Scotch from him. Jenna’s gaze caught on her wedding ring set. The rings were Vera Wang. Diamond and sapphires on white gold. God knew how expensive they’d been.

Then she looked down at her own engagement ring. She and Payton had picked it out together. The lovely three-quarter-carat princess cut on platinum had been a perfect choice. The money they’d saved by being careful was socked away in their new-house account. The wedding was set for the following June—if they didn’t postpone it yet again.

Regardless, by then she’d have paid off the balance of her student loans and they’d have a significant amount for a down payment in Easton, a very nice suburb equidistant to both their jobs. There was a reason they’d decided to have the wedding in his parents’ gorgeous backyard. It was very important to both of them to enter the next phase of their lives debt-free.

She took her White Russian from Payton, and gave him a kiss. “You should eat. Everything’s very good.”

“I’m grateful you went to the trouble of tasting it for us. In this place, it’s impossible to tell the villains from the heroes.”

“You’re welcome.”

Payton pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, and then went to get a plate. But he didn’t make it that far. The beautiful blonde with Danger Bond gasped when she caught sight of him. “Payton?”

“Oh, for God’s sake... Faith! You never come to these.”

She was even more beautiful when she smiled. “I didn’t know you did,” she said, putting her plate down and giving him a really big hug. Jenna and Mindy raised their eyebrows at each other.

It lasted just a few seconds too long, that hug. It was so unlike Payton that Jenna barely noticed when Danger Bond joined them.

Faith stepped back. “This is Rick. My boyfriend. We’re in Boston because of him.”

Payton introduced himself. Jenna watched the two men shake hands. Evidently Faith was partial to good-looking guys with dark hair. Jenna sighed at her foolishness. It was an alumni New Year’s extravaganza. People were consuming great food and lots of alcohol. So they hugged. It didn’t mean anything. Even so, she moved right up against Payton’s side.

Payton put his arm around her. “Jenna, this is Faith Quentin. We were friends in college.” They shook hands, and Faith gave her a quick head-to-toe. It made Jenna feel superior when she didn’t check out Faith in return. No one but Mindy needed to know that she’d already scrutinized the woman.

Danger Bond held out his hand, too. “I went to school across the Charles River, but Faith lets me come here, anyway. Rick Sinclair.”

His smile was great close up, genuine but at odds with his steely jaw and piercing blue eyes. It occurred to her, as Payton finished the introductions with Mindy and Zane, that the college across the river from Boston U was MIT.

“So you stuck with journalism.” Payton smiled at Faith. Or maybe he’d been smiling all along.

“I did. I’m very lucky. Journalism has—wait. How did you know?”

“I—” Payton seemed startled. He recovered quickly, so no one noticed. Except Jenna. She saw the telltale tic that meant he was flustered. “I must’ve read something in the alumni magazine,” he said easily. “If I remember correctly, you won a National Magazine Award.”

Jenna blinked. Either he’d followed Faith’s career or he’d read his alumni magazine cover to cover, something Jenna could have sworn he didn’t do.

“Damn straight she did.” Rick pulled Faith in for a quick hug. “She’d only been working for Discover for a year and a half. The NM award is the magazine equivalent to the Pulitzer.”

Faith blushed and tossed her perfect blond hair behind her shoulder. “He’s only bragging because he was a major part of the series.”

“Really?” Zane, who’d lost no time filling his plate, rejoined the circle. “What was it about?”

Payton hadn’t gotten his dinner yet. He should have been starving. Jenna was about to point out that he was drinking on an empty stomach, but when Faith said, “Climate change and the formation of supercells,” Payton looked as if he’d never heard anything more fascinating.

When Payton asked her what part Rick had played, Jenna gave up. If he wanted to wake up to a hangover, that was his business.

Seemingly taking her fiancé’s curiosity in stride, Rick said, “I’m a meteorologist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory.”

Faith gave Rick a look. A couple’s look. “More like a professional storm chaser who also happens to hold several advanced degrees.”

That certainly got Jenna’s attention. “Storm chasing. Well, that sounds terrifying and dangerous.”

Rick shrugged. “It can be dangerous, but it’s also an incredible rush. I don’t think I caught what you do?”

“She’s a teacher,” Payton said. Another thing he rarely did. Speaking for her wasn’t really necessary. “Middle school English. At a very good school in Scituate.”

Jenna stared up at him. It was clear by his tone and the reference to South Shore, which was a good school but not like Thorndyke Road or Amigos, that he was trying to glam up her job. He wasn’t even the least bit convincing. But that he’d thought she needed glamorizing squeezed her heart. What was it with him tonight? Maybe he’d already had a second whiskey before he’d come back to join her.

Faith gave her a charming smile. Rick, however, looked at Payton for a bit before turning to her. “That’s where all the real action is,” he said. “What excites students in those formative years makes all the difference. I’ve wanted to study tornadoes since I was fourteen. Kids are so passionate at that age.”

“They are,” she said. “I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was thirteen.”

There was a pause then, just long enough for a change of subject. Mindy was being awfully quiet. It was Payton who broke the ice. “Oh, wow, I need to eat,” he said. With his hand on his stomach, he turned to Jenna. “Can I get you anything?”

She shook her head. At least that was more like the Payton she knew. Then he surprised her with a kiss. Not the usual peck, either. There was a little bit of tongue and everything, right there in front of everyone. She ended it quickly. “Thanks, Mr. Bond,” she said, hoping she’d hit the right teasing note.

Payton winked at her. “You’re welcome.” He faced the group again. “Okay, then,” he said. “Great seeing you again, Faith. Will you be in town for a while?”

“A couple of days.” Faith smiled at Rick, and then at Payton. “I’m sure we’ll run in to each other again soon. Nice to meet you all.”

The beautiful couple eventually blended into the crowd.

Once they were back to being a foursome, the men went to peruse the buffet table while Jenna sipped at her White Russian. She and Mindy were standing right next to the chocolate fountain, but she wasn’t hungry.

Mindy bumped her shoulder and whispered, “Danger Bond defended your honor.”

“What?” Jenna laughed. “No, he didn’t.”

“Okay, your profession. Still...it was nice.”

Jenna forced another laugh, grateful Mindy hadn’t mentioned Payton’s weird behavior. She did, however, give Jenna a couple of questioning looks, especially when Faith and Rick walked past them again. Jenna smiled as if nothing at all was wrong. She wasn’t jealous. Not really.

But she had to admit she was mystified by Payton’s behavior. He hadn’t mentioned they were engaged. He’d spent most of the brief encounter grinning at Faith. But maybe he’d just been caught off guard, seeing his old friend. Jenna could imagine herself fumbling if she’d run in to her college boyfriend, Martin, at a party. Of course that was a different thing entirely. She didn’t think anything had gone on between Payton and Faith. At least he’d never said as much. Anyway, Faith would be an idiot to roam when she had Rick. He’d been completely charming.

Payton claimed a recently vacated spot at a bar-height table. She would’ve preferred to sit somewhere, but it was nice to be able to put her drink down.

“Now that I’ve looked around,” Payton said, finishing off his whiskey, “I don’t think there’s a more beautiful Vesper Lynd in the whole hotel.”

She smiled, knowing he’d have said that even if she’d thrown a sweater over a workday dress. “I honestly thought there wouldn’t be so many Vespers.” The words were just out of her mouth, as yet another one walked by. “I suppose it makes sense, though. The movie was relatively recent.”

“None of them carry it off as well as you do.”

Another compliment? Interesting. Payton normally kept his praise private. But then, he’d never kissed her like that in public, either. There was no reason why he shouldn’t say those nice things in front of Zane and Mindy, and yet...

“And I’ve never seen your eyes look so alluring.”

Okay, that was really over-the-top. What the hell was going on with him? Did it have to do with Faith? Were these guilt compliments? Or drunk utterings? Like her, he wasn’t a big drinker.

One of the things she appreciated most about Payton was that he was predictable. It might not be an appealing trait for a lot of women, but for her it was. She loved him for his stability. For the fact that their future together would unfurl without a lot of bumps and tears. Still, three compliments in a row? “What did you and Zane talk about for so long when you went to the bar? Ways to woo a sure thing?”

All of them laughed and Payton’s shoulders relaxed as he said, “I haven’t seen George and Cora for a while. Did they say where they were headed?”

Mindy finally piped up. “They’re dancing downstairs. We’re going to meet them as soon as Zane’s finished eating. Want to join us?”

Payton shook his head. “It’s too loud and crowded down there. I’ll probably stick around here.”

Jenna’s chest tightened again, which was ridiculous. He and Faith, they’d been friends. If they’d been more than that, Payton would have told her. She’d been a Wellesley girl. Martin had been her boyfriend for two years. There had been a few others, as well. Payton knew about them. Just as she knew about Payton’s old girlfriends during his years before the two of them met. In all the time she and Payton had been together, jealousy had never been an issue. It had barely been a thought.

She checked her watch before she turned to Mindy. “It’s ten thirty now. How about you two text if you decide to leave early, or we can meet by the second-floor elevator in an hour before the countdown begins?”

“I think it’ll be easier to meet here,” Payton said. “We already know where it is and from what I’ve heard, the reunion committee is doing something special at midnight here in this suite.”

Mindy and Zane agreed before they left, but not before Mindy gave Jenna an odd smile.

“You know what, honey?” Jenna said, catching Payton’s gaze. “Maybe next year, let’s think about going somewhere different for First Night.”

The way Payton looked at her, she might as well have asked if he wanted to go on a crime spree with her.

“Sure,” he said unconvincingly. “Why not? We can talk about it. What say I try and slog my way over to the bar again? We’ve got plenty of time. As long as I’m back before midnight.”

His expression, as eager as a she’d ever seen it, was all wrong. And why hadn’t he asked her to go with him. She’d known him too long to be this surprised. As he made his way through the throng of New Year’s Eve revelers, her heart sank.

Had they been coming to this reunion party every year because of Faith?