Anne Mather – Nights of Passion: Mendez's Mistress / Bedded for the Italian's Pleasure / The Pregnancy Affair (страница 17)
‘Hey, Joe!’ Steve came into the room with an air of phony confidence, holding out his hand towards the other man as if certain of his welcome despite Joe’s expression. ‘How are you?’
Joe shook hands with some reluctance, accepting the kiss Lauren bestowed on either cheek without response. Her hands clutched his arms, and she took the opportunity to press her scantily clad breasts against his chest as she did so. It wasn’t the first time she’d come on to him in this way, and he was well aware of what she was trying to do.
He wondered fleetingly if Steve had put her up to it. Was he prepared to turn a blind eye to Lauren’s indiscretions if it ensured his advancement at Mendez Macrosystems? It was a cynical thought, and one Joe wouldn’t have considered a couple of weeks ago. But meeting Rachel and Daisy had changed his opinion of Steve’s character.
‘I hope you don’t mind us turning up like this,’ Steve was saying now as Lauren returned to slide a sinuous hand under her husband’s arm. ‘I just wanted to thank you for meeting Rachel at the airport.’
Joe swallowed a mouthful of his Scotch before saying, ‘How did you know I went to the airport?’ He crossed to the bar to refresh his drink and held up his glass enquiringly.
‘Oh.’ Steve’s colour had deepened a little. ‘Nothing for me, thanks.’ Then, after Lauren had asked for a glass of white wine, he continued, ‘Bill Napier told me where you were. I’d heard you were in the office today, and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you visiting Daisy.’ He pulled a wry face. ‘When I heard you’d gone to pick up Rachel, I had to come and thank you. I mean, it’s not as if she needed to make the trip.’
‘You don’t think so?’
Joe handed Lauren her wine and regarded the other man over the rim of his glass. Sensing some tension here, Lauren said quickly, ‘What Steve means is that Rachel has never trusted us to look after Daisy properly. You can’t imagine how galling that is, particularly as he’s been denied a father’s rights for years.’
Joe arched a quizzical brow. ‘Daisy did have an accident,’ he reminded her, and Lauren met his gaze with an appealing look.
‘You’re surely not blaming Steve for that?’ she protested in a little-girl voice, pouting in a way Joe was sure achieved positive results with her husband. Though not, unfortunately, with him. ‘The girl is so clumsy. Anyone can see that. If she wasn’t so fat, she might have been able to save herself.’
‘Lauren!’ Even Steve seemed to realise she’d gone too far, and Lauren widened her eyes indignantly.
‘You said that too,’ she accused sulkily. ‘You said she was just like her mother.’
‘Lauren!’ Steve spoke again, and this time there was no mistaking the anger in his voice. ‘I don’t think this is the time to be discussing whether Daisy’s fat or not. We came to thank Joe for visiting her. You know better than anyone that it’s no fun spending time in a hospital.’
‘Oh, that’s so true.’
Lauren shuddered dramatically, and Joe’s brows rose in surprise. ‘I didn’t know you’d been in hospital, Lauren,’ he said politely. ‘I hope it was nothing serious.’
‘Lauren’s not been ill,’ said Steve swiftly. ‘She’s talking about when her mother was dying and she had to visit her every day.’ He put an arm about his wife’s shoulders. ‘She had such a tough time. She and her father both did.’
Not to mention the late Mrs Johansen, thought Joe drily, wondering why he’d never noticed these flaws in Steve’s make-up before. It was as if he was seeing a whole new person, one he didn’t particularly like.
‘Anyway, I guess you told Rachel where Daisy is being treated,’ went on Steve conversationally. ‘Knowing her, she’ll probably spend all her time at the clinic. Still, it’ll give me a break. Trying to keep a kid of thirteen entertained is no joke.’
Joe’s brows ascended again. ‘You’ve been spending a lot of time at the clinic?’ he queried mildly. ‘I didn’t realise that.’
Steve pulled a sheepish face. ‘Some,’ he said, looking a little defensive. ‘But you know how it is. I’m no good in the sick room. And looking at Daisy’s face just makes me feel sick.’
Joe knew an almost uncontrollable urge to hit him. ‘I don’t suppose it’s much fun for Daisy either,’ he retorted, unable to hide the irritation in his voice. ‘For God’s sake, Steve, she’s your daughter! And if you’re not exactly responsible for what happened to her, you can’t deny you were supposed to be looking out for her when the accident occurred.’
Steve looked indignant now, and Lauren squeezed his arm before giving Joe a reproachful look. ‘You didn’t mean that, did you, Joe?’ she said in a baby voice. ‘Steve loves his daughter. He can’t help it if Daisy’s injuries make him squeamish.’
‘Of course he can help it!’ Joe was angry now. ‘Daisy’s injuries will heal, please God, no thanks to him. But what irritates me is the way the two of you seem to have absolved yourselves of all responsibility for what happened. If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you’d informed Rachel of the accident just so she’d take up the slack.’
‘It wasn’t our fault,’ protested Steve, sounding resentful. ‘It’s all right for you, Joe. You swan into the clinic whenever you feel like it and you know that the staff will fall over themselves to lick your boots. Me, I’m just Daisy’s father. They tolerate my presence and that’s about it.’
‘Perhaps if you spent more time with Daisy they’d have more respect for you,’ said Joe harshly. ‘As I understand it, you’ve only visited the kid a couple of times since she had the operation.’
‘Three times,’ said Steve sharply, as if that let him off the hook. ‘And as soon as she’s out of there, we’ll take her to Disney World.’
Joe rolled his eyes. ‘She won’t want trips to Disney World,’ he snapped in exasperation. ‘What she’ll need is a little rest and relaxation when she’s discharged. Personally, I’d suggest you take a couple of weeks off work and spend time with her. Talk to her, find out what she’s been doing since you last saw her. Show her you’re her father in more than just name.’
‘Oh, but Steve and I are going to New York next weekend!’ exclaimed Lauren at once. ‘Isn’t that right, babe?’ She looked up at her husband. ‘Daisy’s only staying for another week and then she’s going home.’
‘Daisy won’t be flying back to England any time soon,’ said Joe finally. He slammed his glass back onto the bar. ‘Have you given any thought to Rachel’s feelings at all?’
‘Rachel?’
Lauren looked nonplussed, and even Steve appeared taken aback by the non sequitur.
‘Yeah, Rachel,’ said Joe shortly, half wishing he hadn’t brought her name up. ‘When were you planning to tell her how serious Daisy’s injuries were? Damn it, she didn’t even know she’d been moved to a specialist facility.’
Steve scowled. ‘She’d have found out soon enough,’ he muttered, staring down at the Chinese rug beneath his feet. But when he lifted his head and met Joe’s accusing gaze, his expression shifted. ‘What’s it to you? What has she been telling you about me? Was it my fault she was out with some guy the night I called?’
Joe’s jaw tightened. Was that true? Had Rachel been spending the evening—night?—with another man when Steve had tried to ring her? He felt a tightening in his gut that had nothing to do with Daisy and everything to do with her mother. Was that why she’d got only half the story? Was he jumping in with both feet when he’d only got half the story too?
‘I suggest we say no more about it,’ he declared flatly. ‘As you say, it’s really nothing to do with me. My only concern is that Daisy gets the best treatment possible.’
‘Hey, that’s my concern too!’ exclaimed Steve, his tone indicating some relief at Joe’s capitulation. ‘And we’d better be making a move. I want to visit Daisy before her mother can poison her mind against me again.’
Rachel’s room at the
She was so tired. Her body didn’t care what time the clock said; she’d flown the Atlantic and she felt utterly exhausted. Finding out that Daisy’s injuries were more serious than she’d been told hadn’t helped either. Without Joe’s support and guidance, she’d have been whistling in the wind.
She refused to consider what meeting Joe again had meant to her. She’d been so sure that if they did meet again she’d be able to handle it. But she was afraid she was beginning to rely on him more and more. And that was stupid. Joe Mendez was not a man a woman like her could depend on, and she was fooling herself if she thought he found her anything more than a minor distraction.
It had been dark outside when she’d closed her eyes, but when she opened them again the room was filled with sunlight. Scrambling up, she managed to bring her watch into focus, her breath catching when she saw the time. Not that she needed the watch to tell her it was morning. She’d slept for twelve hours straight, still dressed in the shirt and trousers she’d worn to travel in.