Passion Play

“Oh, Rose. I’m so sorry.” Concern darkened Lily’s whiskey eyes. “I can understand how that would hurt.”

“Thank you.” Rose had never been comfortable expressing her feelings, but Lily’s caring made it easier. “I’d been uncomfortable about going to my reunion when I thought it was going to be just Ben and his wife. Now that I know his wife is pregnant, I’m even more uneasy.”

“What do you have to be uncomfortable about?” Lily tilted her head. “You’re not the one who was cheating on your fiancée for two years. Ben and his wife should be the ones who are uncomfortable.”

“I agree with what you’re saying, logically. But you know feelings aren’t always logical.” Rose wished she was more like Lily, calm and rational.

“I know.” Lily inclined her head, the image of grace and serenity. “That’s why we have to think before we act so we aren’t impulsive. That’s what you’re always telling Iris.”

Iris, the impetuous one.

Restless and impatient, Rose stood from the love seat to pace the living room. Her stocking feet sank into the plush, violet carpeting that Lily had had installed last year.

“I have thought about it, Lil.” Rose crossed from the love seat to the fireplace. “I’ve given it a lot of rational consideration, and I’ve decided that I want to hurt Ben. A lot.”

“I understand.” Lily’s voice carried from behind Rose, where she remained on the sofa. “When Ben hurt you, I wanted to hurt him a lot, too. But you’re going about it the wrong way.”

“You think the right way is going to the reunion alone?” Rose turned toward her sister. Irritation flooded her veins like an electrical current. “I’m after revenge, not a higher level of enlightenment.”

“How will showing up at the reunion with a fake date avenge you?” Lily’s voice was frustratingly calm.

“Not just any fake date—someone who’s more attractive, successful and intelligent than Ben.” Someone like Donovan, her mind whispered. Rose shook her head to banish the voice.

“But he’d be a fake. That doesn’t prove that you’re over Ben. That just proves that you’re creative.”

Rose didn’t appreciate her sister’s attempt at humor. “The Constant Classmates are pitying me. I don’t want to get the same looks and comments from the rest of my class.”

Lily shifted forward on the sofa. “Rosie, if you pander to other people’s reactions and judgments, you’ll exhaust yourself. Don’t follow other people. Be yourself.”

“I am being myself.” Rose paced away from the fireplace and back to the love seat. “It’s my own idea to get a fake fiancé.”

“Can you even hear yourself?” Lily seemed part amused, part frustrated. “You’re going to be yourself by doing something fake. That doesn’t make sense.”

“Not to you because you’re a confident person.” Rose leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees and linking her fingers together. “I used to be confident, too. Ben took that from me.”

“Then take it back.” Lily ran her fingers through her wavy, shoulder-length hair. Her movements were graceful. “I know Ben shook your self-confidence. Do you think it’s easy for me to see you like this?”

“I’d feel better if I could get even.”

“You’re giving Ben too much power.”

Rose expelled an impatient breath. She rubbed the knotted muscles in her right shoulder. “Lil, are you going to help me or not?”

Lily frowned her confusion. “What can I do?”

Rose hesitated. “Do you know any eligible men who might be willing to be my date for the reunion?”

Lily seemed to consider the question. Rose appreciated that. At least she didn’t dismiss Rose’s request immediately.

“No, I’m afraid I don’t.” Lily offered a smile. “The men I know are either in relationships or you don’t have to ask why they aren’t.”

“It sounds like we know a lot of the same men.” Rose’s tone was wry.

“Have you asked Iris?”

“She doesn’t know anyone suitable.” Donovan’s image taunted Rose.

Lily nodded. “You and I disagree on this fake date idea, but in the end I just want you to be happy. I want you to be Rosie again.”

Rose wanted the same thing. She wanted to get rid of this bitterness, anger and jealousy, and move on with her life. But how could she do that? What was the first step back to herself?

* * *

Donovan didn’t want to have this conversation again. However, it seemed that Cecil Lowell, the newest member of the Hope Homeless Shelter’s board of directors and the most junior member of the five-person legal subcommittee, didn’t have anything better to do.

“We already voted on this motion last week.” Donovan regarded the young banker. He drew a deep breath to hold on to his patience. The conference room in the shelter’s offices smelled as old and musty as the rest of the building.

The subcommittee had voted during its previous meeting, and presented their decision and reasoning to the entire board of directors. Now with the board’s support, they were preparing to move forward with their challenge to allowing a pawnshop to move into Hope Homeless Shelter’s neighborhood. Why did Cecil want to revisit that near-unanimous decision? Was it because he had been the only nay vote?

Donovan sat at the head of the honey-wood conference table. The other four subcommittee members—two women and two men—were on either side of the small, rectangular table. Cecil was on his immediate right.

“I know.” The flush on Cecil’s round cheeks almost matched his curly red hair. “But I’ve thought of some other things that we need to consider.”

“Like what?” Kim Lee, seated across from Cecil, had served on the board longer than Donovan. The retired university professor glanced at her silver watch. It was the only sign of her impatience.

“The reason we need a lawyer pro bono is because the shelter’s low on dollars.” Cecil glanced around the table as he spoke.

“That’s one of the reasons.” Salma Vargas propped her elbow on the table and balanced her pointed chin in the palm of her hand. The certified public accountant eyed Cecil with vague curiosity.

Cecil continued as though Salma hadn’t spoken. “If the city allows Public Pawn to open in our neighborhood, the owners could be persuaded to become regular donors. They could increase our fund-raising base.”

“You said you had something new to add,” Kim said, crossing her arms over her dark green blouse. “You said basically the same thing last week.”

Cecil shook his head. “I hadn’t suggested how we could use the extra money.”

“Your new proposal is that we ask the pawnshop owners to make regular contributions to the homeless shelters. Is that correct?” Medgar Lawrence’s brown eyes focused on Cecil seated beside him.

“Exactly.” Cecil seemed excited that someone understood his plan.

“I don’t think supporting homeless shelters is Public Pawn’s primary mission.” A few more creases lined Medgar’s dark, weathered brow as his frown deepened.

“We could at least ask them. There’s no harm in asking.” Cecil leaned forward on his seat.

“Medgar is right.” Donovan nodded his understanding of Medgar’s point. “Cecil, these are two separate issues. If Public Pawn’s owners wanted to support the shelter, they would already be donors. The other issue is that this committee has already voted to oppose the pawnshop locating here.”

Cecil glanced between Donovan and Medgar. “You don’t understand—”

“No, Cecil, you’re the one who’s confused.” Donovan turned to the younger man. “The subcommittee voted on this matter last Wednesday and presented our position to the board, who approved our decision. Now we’re moving forward.”

“All right.” Cecil threw up his hands. “I thought you’d want to hear different ideas.”

“We heard different ideas last Wednesday.” Donovan spoke slowly and clearly. “Now it’s time to act.”

“I agree. What’s our next step?”

Donovan inclined his head toward the accountant, acknowledging her support. “We need to find a lawyer who’ll take the case pro bono. I can’t stress that enough. The shelter doesn’t have the money for legal representation.”

Kim glanced around the table. “But we need someone who’s experienced with filing statements with the city.”

“I’ve already checked with a couple.” Medgar shook his head. “Neither one was interested. They said it was too many hours not to get paid. And a lot of those hours are spent following up with the city.”

“Can we offer some nominal fee?” Salma asked. “Maybe we could at least get a deep discount.”

Donovan looked around the table. “If it comes to that, we’ll see if someone will take the case for a modest fee.”

“A very modest fee.” Medgar held Donovan’s gaze. “If we sneeze in the wrong direction, our budget will end up in the red.”

Donovan pushed away from the conference table. “And remember, everyone, the clock’s still ticking. We need to find help fast.”

* * *

Donovan winced after his first sip of coffee Friday morning. He turned to Tyler, seated beside him in front of Xavier’s desk. “You call this coffee? Why bother?”

Tyler cradled his twenty-ounce, silver-and-black coffee mug between his palms like a day-old baby. “This is actually the way most humans drink coffee. We don’t usually use it to peel off the soles of our shoes.”

Donovan scowled into his coffee mug. He really could have used something stronger this morning. Worry about the shelter had kept him from sleeping, but unfortunately, he hadn’t gotten to the office early enough to make the first pot of java.

Xavier gave him a considering look. “How was your conversation with Whitley last night?”

Donovan drank more of the warm water masquerading as coffee. What were the chances it would taste better if he just added more grounds? “She’s not interested in the project.”

Although she had made it quite clear that she was interested in a physical relationship with him. If he’d been eighteen, he might have accepted her offer. Whitley Maxwell was a beautiful woman. At one point, he’d considered spending the rest of his life with her. But at thirty-six, Donovan was done playing games. He was looking for something more serious.

Tyler set his right ankle on his left knee. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out.”

“So am I.” Today was June 26. They had two weeks left to file a statement with the city council. Donovan could almost hear the clock ticking. It had kept him up late last night and driven him out of his house early this morning.

“This confirms you were right to break off with Whitley in the first place.” Xavier sat back on his executive chair.

“She broke off with me, remember?” Donovan rubbed his forehead. “But now I’m officially out of options for legal representation. None of the other board members have found someone willing to represent us for free, either.”

Tyler cocked his head. “You’re not completely out of options.”

“You’re talking about Rose.”

“You haven’t even asked her if she’d be interested in your case.” Tyler gestured toward Donovan with his mug. “You’re basing your decision on your first impression, which I admit was not great.”

“Did she come across as that bad?” Xavier looked from Tyler to Donovan.

“Yes, she did.” Donovan sighed. “But I was thinking of calling her later today. As Ty said, there’s no harm in asking.” He didn’t feel any more optimistic about asking Rose than he’d felt asking Whitley.

“Good luck.” Xavier saluted him with his coffee mug.

“I’ll need it.” Donovan looked to Tyler. “Do you have any suggestions on how to approach Rose?”

“Let her know how important this filing is to you and how many lives would be impacted.”

Xavier inclined his head. “That’s good advice. You may also want to let her know what’s in it for her.”

Donovan gave his friend a puzzled look. “Which would be what?”

Xavier grinned. “Having you in her debt.”

“Very funny.” Donovan stood to leave. But Xavier’s comment raised an interesting question. If Rose did this favor for him, what would she want in return? And would he be willing to cut a deal?

* * *

Later Friday morning, Donovan’s phone rang. Apple & Spencer LLC appeared in his caller identification display. Donovan stared at his phone in disbelief. How could one of the most prestigious law firms in the city have his direct phone number, and why were they calling him? Had someone on the board’s legal subcommittee reached out to Apple & Spencer about their situation?

He tamped down his excitement and grabbed the receiver by the third ring. “Donovan Carroll.” Silence met his greeting. “Hello?”

“Van, this is Rose Beharie. I know this is short notice but I wondered if you were free this evening? I’d like to discuss a, um, business proposal with you.” Her voice poured over the phone like warm Scotch. It took him a moment to focus on her words.

“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you.” Was he hallucinating?

“Am I calling at a bad time?”

It was never a bad time to listen to a voice like hers. The soft, smooth tone made him think of silken sheets and turned-down lights. A little Teddy Pendergrass music playing softly in the background.

Donovan gave himself a mental shake. “No, this isn’t a bad time at all. It’s good to hear from you.” He winced. He’d sounded stupid.

“I’m glad that you think so.” Rose chuckled. The sound caused the muscles in his lower abdomen to dance.

Donovan pictured her as he’d last seen her in the restaurant. Her dark red blouse had made the honeyed tones of her skin glow. Her pencil-straight, knee-length skirt had hugged her slim hips. But her aloof demeanor had distracted him from her grade A, sexy voice. “You said something about a business proposal.”

“That’s right.” She hesitated. “Are you available to meet with me after work today? Perhaps I could buy you a cup of coffee.”

This was perfect. Donovan had been intending to call Rose later this morning, but he hadn’t figured out how to get the conversation started. Now she’d called him. He imagined himself pumping his fist in victory. He wasn’t out of the woods yet, though. He stared blindly across his office while his mind spun with questions. “What kind of business proposal do you have in mind?”

“I’d rather not go into the details over the phone.”

Now he was really curious. “Could you give me a hint?”

She gave him another sample of her sexy chuckle instead. “I promise that it’s nothing illegal or morally compromising. It’s nothing that would show you or Anderson Adventures in a poor light.”

“I hadn’t imagined it would be.”

“Then you’ll meet with me this evening after work?”

“Yes, I will.” In fact, he was looking forward to it, perhaps more than he should be.

They took a few minutes to select a time and place. They settled on a downtown coffee shop at six o’clock.

“I appreciate your agreeing to meet with me on such short notice, Van.”

Donovan frowned. Rose still sounded uncertain. Should he be concerned? What was this business proposition, and why did she seem unsure as to whether she wanted to involve him?

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later.”

They ended their conversation. Donovan recradled his phone, then sat back on his chair. This was an interesting development. Finally, something good had happened. He was cautiously optimistic about the evening ahead. What was her business proposal and how could he use it to his advantage?

* * *

When Donovan entered the little coffee shop near downtown Columbus Friday night, Rose experienced the same reaction she’d had the first time they’d met. Her heart bounced. Her breath stuck in her throat. Her skin heated. That afternoon at lunch with Iris, Tyler and Donovan, she’d thought her reaction was just nerves. Was it nerves again tonight?

Her wave caught his attention and his half smile trapped her breath again. He moved with the fluid grace of a natural athlete. He was so deliciously tall and wickedly fit. Did he know his forest green jersey molded to his chiseled biceps and his cocoa slacks hinted at the strength of his thighs? She imagined Benjamin gnashing his teeth in envy and smiled.

Once again, Rose was left to wonder why a strikingly handsome, dangerously sexy, successful, intelligent man was free on such short notice on a Friday night. There must have been someone in his little black book that he could have hooked up with.

“Have you been waiting long?” Donovan folded his long, lean body onto the seat on the other side of the small circular table. He sounded concerned.

“I was early. Nerves, I guess.” Rose could have pulled her tongue right out of her head. Why did I say that?

“Sounds like you could use a cup of coffee.” Donovan’s hazel eyes were bright with curiosity, but he didn’t push. Rose appreciated that.

She led the way to the customer counter, aware of Donovan’s presence close behind her. At the cash register, Rose ordered two cups of coffee.

Donovan placed his hand on her forearm. “I can get it.”

Rose tilted her head back to meet his eyes. He was a bit taller than Benjamin. That was another point in his favor. “I invited you. I should pay.”

A stubborn light flashed across his bright eyes before he dropped his hand from her arm. “I’ll get the next one.”

Rose smiled. He already envisioned them sharing coffee a second time. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?

At the coffee station, Rose filled her mug, then doctored her coffee with cream and sweetener. Donovan drank his coffee black and sweet. They returned to the table. Fortunately, no one else had taken it.

“Thank you again for meeting me this evening.” Rose reclaimed her seat.

“I was curious about this business proposition you mentioned.” Donovan angled his chair to sit with his long legs away from the table.

She still wasn’t sure how best to ease into her request. “It’s actually a bit of a long story.”

Donovan shrugged his remarkably broad shoulders. “I don’t have any plans for the night.”

Why was that?

“My law school class’s ten-year reunion is this September. It’s actually September eighteenth through the twentieth. I need an escort.”

“An escort?” Donovan’s almond-shaped eyes held her gaze as though he could read her mind and separate truth from fiction.

Rose took a deep breath, drawing in the scent of every item on the café’s menu. “I need someone to pretend to be my boyfriend for the weekend.”

Donovan blinked. He was silent for too many seconds. “Are you asking me to do that?”

“Yes.” Rose’s voice was thin, the word barely audible. She straightened her shoulders and tried again. “Yes, I am.”

Again Donovan was silent. “There’s got to be a story in there somewhere.”

“That’s not important.”

“I think it is. If you want me to play this part for you—for an entire weekend—I need to know what I’m walking into.”

Rose gave Donovan her best prosecutorial stare. The sales executive held her gaze while he sipped his coffee. He wasn’t backing down. Rose smothered a groan. What could she tell him?

“All right.” Rose heaved a sigh. She took a drink of her cooling coffee, then told him just enough. “My ex-fiancé and his newly pregnant wife will be at the reunion.”

“So?” Donovan shrugged again.

Rose followed the movement, fascinated by the play of muscles beneath the dark jersey. “So we didn’t part on the best terms, and I’d rather he didn’t know that I’m not dating.”

“How long ago did you break up with this guy?”

“Why does that matter?”

“I’d like to know the circumstances that I’ll be walking into.”

Rose gritted her teeth. She hadn’t counted on having to reveal so much of her background to a virtual stranger. “It’s been almost a year and a half.”

Donovan’s thick, dark eyebrows jumped up his broad forehead. “And you haven’t dated anyone else in all that time?”

Rose’s temper started a slow burn. “Are you willing to help me or not?”

He cocked his head as though giving it some thought. “Why did you break up?”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sorry, but I think it does. It will help me to understand how you’ll react when you see this guy. What’s his name?”

“Ben Shippley.”

“Why did you and Ben break up?”

He was persistent. Rose usually admired that quality in a person; not this time.

“Our values were too different. We didn’t want the same things.” She wanted monogamy; Benjamin did not. “And those are the only questions I’m going to answer for you. Are you willing to help me or not?”

Donovan stared into her eyes as though once again trying to read her mind. Rose held his intense gaze—and her breath. What would she do if Donovan turned her down? She wasn’t going to her reunion with a perfect stranger. And the registrations were due next week. If she were going to decline to attend, it was now or never. But she didn’t want to back out. She didn’t want Benjamin to even consider that her absence had anything to do with him, the Snake.

“All right.” Donovan broke the tense silence. “I’ll accompany you to your reunion as your boyfriend—”

Rose’s features relaxed into a smile of relief. “Thank you—”

Donovan held out his left hand, palm out, to stop her. “But I want something in return.”

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