and looked around for a waiter to get rid of the flute. “You’re half right, half-wit. It is about time for Patrice and I to go our separate ways, but it’s not bothering me, as you so eloquently put it. It’s not bothering me at all,” he said.
Todd raised an eyebrow. “That’s what’s got you so upset, Slappy. You’re getting tired of tossing away perfectly nice women, but you don’t know how to stop,” he said wisely. “You have no reason to dump her, but you’re gonna do it, anyway. You need help, bro.”
Jason didn’t even bother to roll his eyes at his brother. “Drop the psychobabble, would you? If I wanted to hear that crap I’d start watching talk shows. Talk about something you know for a change.”
Todd didn’t hear the edge in his voice because he was looking at some people who’d just arrived. “Isn’t that Nick Hunter? Didn’t you say he just got married? Dang, his wife is fine,” he said reverently.
Jason glanced in Nick’s direction and he had to agree. Nick was hard to miss, even in a crowd, because of his towering height. Tonight he was impossible to ignore because of the woman next to him. Todd was right, she was a beauty. He’d heard a lot about the prizewinning journalist Dakota Phillips and he was looking forward to meeting her. But his eyes were drawn to the woman on Nick’s other side. Her head was turned away from Jason, but even from a side view she was a treat for the eye. He was wondering if Nick had a sister he’d never mentioned when she turned so that she was full-face to the two men. A flash of recognition raced through Jason, and Todd took a deep breath.
“Man, that’s Wilhelmina! You didn’t tell me she was coming tonight! Damn, she looks even better in person than she does in pictures.”
Jason tried to act nonchalant, but he had to agree with Todd. The woman was beyond fine and he’d seen her in magazines, on magazine covers, in commercials and in a couple of movies. Suddenly there was no place he wanted to be more than where he was right now. He gave Todd his usual cocky smile and said, “I’ll see you later. There’re some people I want to say hello to.” And with no hesitation he went down the stairs to meet the fascinating new arrival.
Chapter 2
Billie looked around the gathering with a smile on her face. She wouldn’t have admitted it to Dakota, but she was scanning the crowd for a glimpse of Jason Wainwright. She didn’t see him, but she was pleasantly surprised to see some people she knew. A tap on her shoulder was accompanied by a deep, chastising male voice. “When did you get to town and when were you planning to call us?”
She whirled around and looked up into the face of one of her dear friends, Antoine Brown, a point guard for the Chicago Bulls. His wife, Chloe, was a college classmate of Billie’s and she had been close to the couple for years. Billie laughed at the mock-stern expression on his face and gave him a big hug.
“I’ve been here since December and I promise you I haven’t been ignoring you on purpose! I’ve talked to Chloe a couple of times, as a matter of fact. You were on the road and I know she’s been too busy to mention it. I’ve just been going a million miles an hour, is all. My sister got married and I’ve started a whole new career and I’ll tell you all about it later,” she said with a smile. “Where’s Chloe?”
“She’s sitting over there—” he pointed “—waiting for me to drag you over. She’s got a surprise for you,” he added.
After introducing Antoine to Nick and Dakota, Billie went with him to greet his wife. She was a petite, pretty woman whose pregnancy was just beginning to show. Billie gave her a tight hug while expressing her joy. “This really doesn’t qualify as a surprise, you guys. I was expecting this,” she told the beaming couple. “After the first baby I knew you couldn’t wait too long. How is my goddaughter, anyway?”
She was deep in conversation with her friends until she was claimed by another old friend. This time it was Kareem Davis, a linebacker for the Chicago Bears. He didn’t waste time chiding her in the way Antoine had, because he knew she was now living in Chicago. Still, he was pleased to see her, which he demonstrated by picking her up in a huge bear hug.
“You’re looking extra-fine, girl. Seems like the Windy City agrees with you,” he said once he’d put her down.
She smiled up at him. “I love it so far. I’ve been working with my brother-in-law to learn how to rehab houses and I’m learning more than I did in four years of college,” she told him. “He’s going to let me be a project manager once we find the right house.”
Kareem nodded his approval. “You’re at the right place tonight, then. Jason Wainwright is like the real-estate god of Chicago. Have you met him?”
“Not yet, but I’m hoping to,” Billie answered.
“Well, come with me and let me introduce you,” he said.
Billie’s face lit up and she took the hand he offered her. “Let’s go. He’s the reason I came here tonight.”
Jason was heading toward Billie like a guided missile when Patrice stepped in front of him. “I’ve been looking for you,” she said in her low, modulated voice. “Where have you been?”
She was looking at him calmly, without a hint of recrimination in her voice or anger in her face. It was one of the things he liked about her, actually. Patrice had the demeanor of a well-trained geisha. She was virtually without emotion of any kind and if she ever desired more passion from him she never expressed it. In a way being with Patrice was like being with an android, a beautiful empty shell that would only do what she was programmed to do. He had to force himself to smile at her and pay attention to her words, because all he wanted to do was find Wilhelmina. There was something irresistible drawing him to her and he couldn’t wait to find out what it was. He couldn’t be rude to Patrice, however.
“I’m sorry I was gone so long. I was talking with some people. Are you enjoying yourself?”
She gave him her usual automatic smile that didn’t express amusement or humor; it merely seemed like another programmed reaction. “It’s a wonderful party, Jason, but I’m getting a little tired. I had an early call this morning,” she said.
Jason looked at her solicitously. “If you’re tired why don’t you go home? I can have the limo take you now, if you like.”
Her eyes, made larger with the clever application of individually applied false lashes, blinked. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, that would be nice. You’re so thoughtful, Jason. Will you be coming by later?”
He took her hand and squeezed it gently, which was for him an overt public display of affection. “Sure, honey. If it’s not too late I’ll come by. You go get your coat and I’ll have the limo in front in two minutes.”
In minutes he was looking around for the elusive Wilhelmina again. His date was gone and there was nothing to prevent him from resuming his trajectory. He caught sight of her on Kareem’s arm and he frowned slightly, although he wasn’t aware of it. That was the third man he’d seen her talking to that night. He could certainly understand the attraction, because she was the most desirable woman in the building. He couldn’t hate all the men who were salivating over her, but if he could he’d tell them that their efforts were futile. He was a man who’d gotten what he wanted out of life by learning to trust his instincts and go after what he wanted, and what he wanted was the laughing woman in the spectacular blue dress.
Billie and Kareem had to work their
