Read Online One Night With You by Candace Schuler - Free Book Online Page B

brunet, of course, and had much more bosom. You young girls these days seem to have no bosoms at all. No hips either, come to think of it," she stated with characteristic forthrightness.
    "Red hair, though, that makes up for a lot." She leaned toward Desi with the air of one imparting a priceless pearl of wisdom, "Most men do so admire red hair, dear girl. Remember that. You redheads can get away with a great deal where men are concerned if you handle it right," she rambled on. "They think it hides a passionate nature, poor fools. Even that good-looking devil, Jake, goes for redheads. He—"
    Desi had stopped listening at the mention of Jake's name.
    "Jake who?" she asked quietly when Dorothea paused for breath. But she already knew.
    "Why, Jake Lancing, dear girl. Jake who, really." She glanced sideways at Eldin, smiling coquettishly. "I thought every red-blooded woman in the world knew who Jake Lancing was."
    "Yes, of course. Jake Lancing. Is he on the picture?" Desi's voice shook a little as she asked the question.
    "Why, he's the star, dear girl," Dorothea informed her grandly, "and the producer, of course. My dear, is anything wrong?" Desi's face had gone deathly pale. "Eldin, quick, I think the poor child's going to faint."
    "No, Dorothea, I'm fine, really. Please, Eldin, sit down. I'm fine. It's just... I suddenly felt very weak. Maybe... maybe I'd better not stay for lunch. I think I had better go before—" She almost said before Jake gets here. "Before I get sick," she mumbled, grabbing at the first excuse that popped into her head.
    She stood up and reached for her leather satchel from the floor by her chair. "It was very nice to have met you, Dorothea, thank you for the drink. I'm sorry I can't stay for lunch." She was almost running in her haste to get out of the restaurant before Jake arrived.
    Jake was the producer! How could Eldin have done this to her?
    Simple, she answered her own question, Eldin doesn't know. Or, he didn't know yesterday. But today? Oh, yes, before he left today Eldin would know. He wouldn't leave until she'd finally told him the truth.
    "Tell me something," she said then, untangling a lock of her hair from Stephanie's chubby fist. Her eyes were deliberately on her task, avoiding Eldin's. Her voice was as casual as she could make it. "Did Jake Lancing know you were hiring me?"
    "Not specifically. As art director I'm free to hire whatever staff I want. I doubt Jake has any interest in exactly who I hire? Why?"
    "No special reason," she lied, feeling something inside her let go and relax. Jake didn't know that she was going to be on his picture. Her secret was still safe. She put a pink rattle in Stephanie's flailing hand.
    "Jake," Eldin said then with utter conviction, as if something had just that minute fallen into place.
    Desi's eyes flew to his face, to ask him what he meant, even though she already knew. Eldin's eyes were fixed firmly on Stephanie's pretty pixie face, as if searching for something in her big brown eyes.
    "I didn't even know you knew him." His voice was faintly accusing and incredulous at the same time.
    "I don't," Desi snapped, hoping somehow to head him off before he actually put it into words. If he didn't say it she could still pretend that he didn't know.
    "Come on, luv. This is Uncle Eldin, remember?" He sat down beside her and reached for her hand. "I don't know why I didn't see it before... those eyes..."
    "Her eyes are brown," Desi said. She pulled her hand away and stood up. "Just brown. Nothing unusual about that. My father has brown eyes. Even you have brown eyes."
    She laid Stephanie back on the quilt. "Watch her for a minute, will you? I'm going to make us some tea," she said, and escaped to the kitchen, away from Eldin's too-knowing eyes.
    If Eldin saw, who else would see? Jake's face, Jake's eyes were known all over the world. Would everyone know just by looking at Stephanie?
    No, no, you're being paranoid , she told herself. It's just that Eldin knows