Rick Chandler, an open, lively, talkative man, had kept silent. And she hated it. He knew more about her life than she did about his. Until tonight she hadn’t realized how purposefully he’d acted.
The show had piqued her curiosity about Rick and it was time she found out how much this man was willing to reveal. “So back to bribery. Do you mean to tell me there’s nothing I could offer that would entice you to reveal hidden secrets?”
Despite the party and the crowds, his gaze settled on hers, hot and with complete understanding in the darkened depths. “Oh, I’m sure there’s something you can offer that would make me throw my principles to hell and back.” He never broke eye contact, mesmerizing her, tantalizing her with his heated stare.
“Are you sure you won’t jeopardize your job?”
“Something tells me it’d be worth it. What are you offering in exchange for information?” He leaned closer.
His breath was warm on her cheeks, her body on fire with want and desire. But he still hadn’t promised to talk. Hadn’t said he’d reveal what she wanted to know. His life. His past. His marriage. He’d so obviously perfected the art of keeping his distance while giving the perception of closeness at the same time, she wondered if he knew how to act differently. To open up and risk being hurt.
Did she?
She shivered beneath his gaze, knowing that until now, his distance had been enough. Probably because distance had been safer for her as well. Still was. So why fight it, she wondered. Why push him for information?
Without warning, the microphone shrieked again and a female voice intruded on the crowded party, and on Rick and Kendall’s hot exchange. “I wanted to wait until Raina left before finishing up the last of Rick’s surprises for the evening.”
“What’s going on?” Kendall turned around for a better look and Rick stiffened beside her.
“Lisa,” he muttered. “Dammit, I’ll be right back.”
“Oh, no. Not without me.” Kendall wanted to hear this exchange firsthand. She followed Rick through the crowd.
Unfortunately, Lisa continued talking. “This Is Your Life, Rick Chandler wouldn’t be complete without a summary of his later years. I notice no one mentioned Jillian Frank.”
Silence descended upon the room. Rick came up beside the other woman. “Give me the microphone and stop embarrassing yourself.”
She lowered the instrument but didn’t release her grasp. “I’m a schoolteacher. Very little embarrasses me.” She then raised the mike and spoke again. “I just wanted to wish Rick a happy anniversary too.”
Kendall sucked in a deep breath. “What?” She hadn’t meant to speak out loud but she was obviously discovering why Rick hadn’t mentioned his birthday to her earlier. The day was too painful. Her heart clenched, twisting with a pain of her own.
Hannah came up to Lisa. “You are so pathetic.” Kendall knew things could unravel fast from here. Apparently so did Rick because his gaze searched out Roman’s, and seconds later Roman and Charlotte herded a grumbling Hannah away from Lisa.
“We’ll keep her for the night,” Charlotte called over her shoulder as they guided the young girl out the door. Hannah complained until the door closed behind them.
Kendall exhaled a sigh of relief. One problem down. Another to go, she thought, turning back to Lisa. It didn’t escape Kendall’s notice that the rest of the town stood eating and drinking and gaping as if they considered Lisa’s behavior a part of the evening’s entertainment. For them it was.
For Kendall it was an awful revelation and she refused to give Lisa the satisfaction of knowing she’d gotten to her. Not even when Lisa turned back to Kendall.
“You’re probably the only one in town who didn’t know that Rick’s birthday coincides with the day he married his pregnant friend. Not that it matters since she dumped him for the baby’s father. But he never got over it. Never got seriously involved again. So don’t think you’ll be the one to change that—”
Rick grabbed the microphone out of her hand while Chief Ellis walked up to Lisa. “Sorry, Rick,” the chief said through a mouthful of food. “I was in the kitchen sampling Izzy’s petit fours or I’d have been here sooner. This lady invited?”
“Hell, no,” Rick muttered.
“Trespassing, disturbing the peace . . .” Chief Ellis rattled off a list of violations and along with Rick, they propelled Lisa to the door.
Meanwhile Kendall’s mind whirled with words she couldn’t assign a meaning to. Anniversary. Pregnant. Baby. She’d wanted insight into Rick’s mind, his past. She’d just been handed that information in spades. And she’d rather have heard it from him.
Kendall’s stomach twisted as she tried to process what being left by a pregnant wife would do to a man like Rick. A man with a strong honor code. A man who’d been willing to marry a pregnant friend. She rubbed her aching temples with her hand. No wonder he steered clear of relationships. No wonder he was wary of women. And no wonder he was probably even more wary of Kendall, because she’d told him from the beginning she was leaving.
* * *
“Okay, folks, show’s over.” Chase clapped his hands and murmurs of assent rose from the crowd. Then he turned to Rick who was ready to leave. “You sure do know how to throw a party.”
“If you’ll recall, I’m the guest of honor. If it was my choice there wouldn’t have been a party.” He rubbed the muscles in the back of his neck that had grown tenser by the minute.
“And I now know why that is.” Kendall came up beside them. “Why you never mentioned your birthday . . . or your anniversary.”
Chase cleared his throat. “Do I see a lovers’ quarrel coming on?”
“None of your business,” Kendall and Rick replied at the same time.
Chase laughed. “Just like an old married couple. I can remember when Mom used to finish Dad’s thoughts.”
“We’re out of here,” Rick said, grabbing Kendall’s hand.
“I’m only leaving if you promise to talk to me,” she whispered in his ear.
“I’ll talk if you’ll listen,” Rick promised.
Kendall took his words as a challenge. After all she’d heard tonight, she had no doubt listening to him retell his past would be as difficult for her to hear as it had been for him to live.
Rick wasn’t much of a talker. For all his joking ways, for all the people he befriended, serious discussion about his life was something he avoided. He’d never realized that particular piece of information about himself before now. But as he led Kendall into his apartment, a sense of claustrophobia overtook him and he broke into a sweat.
He tossed his keys on the counter and inspiration struck. “Come with me.”
“Where?” Kendall asked. “I thought we were already here.” She gestured around the apartment. “Four walls and the bedroom, which I refuse to enter by the way until we’re talked out.”
Rick walked to the set of windows leading to the large fire escape and lifted one high enough for even a tall person to bend and get through. He waved his hand outside. “Come join me on the terrace.”
“You’re kidding?”