Naturally Naughty - Leslie Kelly [72]
A half hour later, after one of the most shocking and revealing conversations she’d ever experienced, Kate hugged Eileen goodbye and headed home. She wanted more than anything to call her mother, just to hear her voice. Edie seemed so different to her now, not a victim anymore, but a woman in love who did the best she could with what she was dealt.
Kate didn’t know whether to applaud her or to cry for her.
When she arrived home, she immediately looked toward Jack’s side of the duplex, to see if any lights were on. He’d told her he’d wait up, saying he wanted the full scoop on the Bunko orgy. Judging by all the lights, he’d kept his word.
She pulled into the driveway, surprised when she saw a rental car parked there. Unsure who would be visiting at this late hour, she walked up to the porch and glanced in the window.
When she saw the dark-haired person sitting on the couch, and realized who it was, she hurried into the house and launched herself into his arms.
11
IF JACK HADN’T ALREADY figured out that Kate’s business partner was gay, he might be feeling seriously concerned right now. The two of them hugged and chattered with the easy camaraderie of long-time companions. They acted as if they hadn’t seen each other in months, rather than a week.
“Armand, what are you doing here? I can’t believe you came all this way,” Kate said.
“I missed you. I had a fabulous new design I wanted to show you, and since we seem to have a decent staff for a change, I figured we could both be gone for a day or two.” Armand sat on the couch, pulling Kate down to sit beside him.
Jack, who’d taken a seat on the other side of the small living room, couldn’t help smiling at Kate’s obvious excitement.
He hadn’t quite known what to think when he’d seen this tall, dark-haired man knocking on Kate’s front door an hour ago. When Jack had stepped outside to see what he wanted, the other man had asked about Kate. Jack’s first instinct had been to tell the guy she’d left town and had left no forwarding address. Then, when he’d recognized the stranger as the one who’d been hugging Kate at her Chicago shop all those weeks ago, he’d invited him into his place to wait for her.
The first rule in any battle—know your competition.
He’d figured out the man’s sexual preference within five minutes. Not that Armand had tried anything—if he had, he sure as hell wouldn’t still be sitting in his living room, friend of Kate’s or no friend. No, what had tipped Jack off was Armand’s reaction upon learning his name.
He’d acted just like one of Kate’s gal pals.
“Oh, so you’re Jack.” He’d looked at Jack’s arms and hands, raised a falsely surprised brow and said, “Hmm, no broken arms or fingers, did your building simply lose phone service for a month? Is that why you never called her?”
Yep. Definitely gay.
Once they’d gotten past those first awkward minutes, with Armand trying to punish him for not calling Kate, and Jack trying to change the subject, they’d actually enjoyed an interesting hour of conversation. The guy had even brought a six-pack of beer, two-thirds of which they’d already killed off.
Armand was part of Kate’s other life. Her Chicago life. The life Jack fully intended to share when they both finished up what they had to do in Pleasantville and closed this door behind them. He wanted to see her through Armand’s eyes.
Most of what he learned did not surprise him.
She loved the theater and saw nearly every touring production that came through town. A given.
She hated snow. Unusual, considering her Chicago address. But she did like long walks on windy days.
She’d put herself through college at night while working any job she could get, not finishing up her bachelor’s degree until a few years ago. That reinforced what he already suspected—everything she had, she’d worked damn hard for. Nothing had been handed to her; she relied on