Laurel Heights: Return To You Part 9

"Oh." Lainie pointed to the lamps that lit the room. "Did you design those as well?"

"Yes."

Lainie leaned over to look at one more closely. "They're lovely."

It'd been over a week since Lainie walked into Romantic Notions. Earlier this evening she'd run into the woman on her way out of the house and, on impulse, she asked Lainie to join them.

Olivia hadn't been sure how Lainie would fit in, being so reserved. After a gla.s.s of wine, she'd kicked off her shoes, curled her legs under her, and burrowed into the other end of the couch. She contributed to conversation shyly, but it was charming rather than off-putting. Eve and Gwen certainly took to her. There was something endearing about her, something that made you want to take her under your wing and protect her.

At the same time, she knew without a doubt that Lainie was hiding something. And she couldn't figure out what that might be.

Gwen turned to Olivia. "So you think I should do something more cla.s.sic?"

"More cla.s.sy. Your shop is in Laurel Heights. You want to differentiate yourself from the craftsy types. I think your art could become fas.h.i.+onable. You could charge a b.u.t.tload once your name gets out."

"I don't want my name to get out. Not in a big way."

"But you do want to be known for beautiful art."

"Yes."

Olivia nodded. "The grand opening idea was great though. Don't rule that out."

"I'd be happy to help you cater it," Eve offered.

"We should talk about something else," Gwen said. "Lainie must be bored."

Lainie shook her head. "Oh no. Don't stop plotting on my account."

"Olivia hasn't even started," Eve said. "She can plot better than John Grisham."

Gwen poured some more wine for herself and offered some to Lainie. "I didn't say Olivia couldn't still plot, but we should talk about something other than work. Get on with girls' night."

"What do you usually do on girls' night?" Lainie asked, holding her gla.s.s out.

Gwen shrugged. "The usual kind of girl things, I suppose."

Eve held her gla.s.s out for a refill too. "Like eating, drinking, and talking about men."

"It's been a long time since I've had a girls' night," Lainie admitted. "Working at Parker Pictures doesn't give me much free time."

Olivia grunted. Of course it didn't. Her father was demanding. She could just imagine Lainie's schedule. She hoped the woman received war pay.

Eve patted Lainie's knee. "We're glad you could come tonight."

"Enough of this." Gwen punched the pillow in her lap. "Let's talk about men."

Lainie's brow wrinkled. "What about men?"

Olivia laughed. "Well, usually Eve tells us how scrumptious her husband is and we all drool with envy."

Gwen perked up, her curls bouncing around her face. "Speaking of scrumptious, I saw this guy hanging around Olivia's shop."

"What guy?" Eve asked.

"He looks like a surfer G.o.d. He's tall and tan and gorgeous." Gwen rolled her eyes back in rhapsody. "He has wavy hair that's the color of syrup drizzled on French toast-"

"That sounds like Michael Wallace," said Lainie. "He's the director of the movie."

"He's a stud." Gwen sighed.

"He's a jerk." Olivia pointed at Gwen. "Stay away from him for your own good."

Eve c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at her. She shrugged in reply. She was concerned about Gwen's welfare. She didn't want her friend to be taken in by Michael's sweet-talking. It had nothing to do with the thought of Gwen and Michael together. Not at all.

Lainie looked at her with wide eyes. "How long have you known Michael?"

"Too long."

"How about you, Lainie?" Eve asked quickly. "Do you have anyone special waiting for you at home?"

Lainie blushed. "No. There's no one."

Happy Eve maneuvered the conversation away from Michael, Olivia leaned closer, studying her. "You look guilty. There is someone, isn't there?"

Gwen smiled. "You might as well confess. She'll pry it out of you eventually."

"Olivia is nothing if not relentless," Eve added.

Lainie's gaze darted to each of them and back. "Okay, there is a man I'm interested in."

Gwen scooted closer. "Details! We want details."

"There really isn't much to say. He doesn't know I'm alive."

"He must be an idiot then," Olivia said.

Lainie's head snapped up and her eyes flashed. "He is not. He's quite intelligent. And very kind, despite what people think of him."

She rolled her eyes. "Then what's holding him up?"

"I'm not his type."

"You're every man's type, Lainie," Eve said. "Don't believe anyone if they say otherwise."

Lainie shook her head. "I'm drab."

"You don't have to be," Olivia said. "I think you wield your wool suits like camouflage. Underneath all that gray, there's a red lace kind of person."

"You have a fairy princess kind of beauty," Gwen said. "I'd kill for ivory skin like yours. And to have s.h.i.+ny, frizzless hair." She held up one of her curls.

Eve nodded. "It wouldn't take much to bring it all to the surface."

Lainie looked like she was afraid to hope. "You think so?"

Olivia patted her arm. "Give us an afternoon and your man will be panting after you."

"Olivia hasn't told us about her guy," Lainie said suddenly.

That was news to her. She didn't realize she had one. "What guy?"

"The one you had dinner with last week."

"Are you holding back on us?" Eve teased.

"The only guy I had dinner with was Rick." She laughed as she realized that was whom Lainie meant. "I'm not dating him. He's just a friend."

The way Lainie's face fell was comical. She almost felt sorry for shattering her illusion.

Eve grinned. "Rick's hot. Not as hot as Treat though," she amended loyally.

Gwen pretended to gag.

"Tell us how you really feel," Olivia said, reaching for a piece of cheese.

"What's the man you're interested in like?" Eve asked Lainie.

"He's handsome, not in a weak way like a lot of Hollywood stars but masterful. He has thick dark hair that's silver at the temples. His eyes are pale but hot at the same time. And when he looks at you, it makes you s.h.i.+ver."

Olivia heard Eve and Gwen sigh along with Lainie, but she couldn't make a peep. Shock froze her in place. Lainie was talking about her father.

That was Lainie's secret.

Olivia blinked a couple times and drank some of her water to steady herself. She didn't know how to feel about this sudden revelation.

Feeling eyes on her, she looked up. Lainie stared at her with a stricken expression that said she knew Olivia had figured out who the object of her desire was.

Gwen sighed. "That's so romantic. I'm jealous. I've never felt that way about anyone."

Eve rolled her eyes. "You still have time. What, you're all of thirty years old?"

"I'm thirty-four."

"You're hardly an old maid," Lainie said. "I'm forty-seven."

Olivia did the math in her head. Twelve years younger than Parker. Would her father care? Did she care?

The rest of the evening was clouded by her thoughts. Good thing Eve had to work in the morning-they ended the night early.

Lainie must have sensed her mood because she stayed quiet on the drive home. Until they were minutes from the farm. Then Lainie turned to her and abruptly said, "You know, don't you?"

Olivia glanced at her. She didn't have the energy to pretend she didn't know what Lainie was talking about. "I think so."

"You don't like it, do you?"

"I don't know what to think." She pulled into her usual parking spot and turned off the ignition. Opening her door, she swung her legs out before she felt Lainie's hand clutch her arm.

"You don't know him."

"And working with him has given you insight into his complex psyche?" She shook off Lainie's hand.

"He keeps a picture of you hidden in his desk."

Olivia stopped half in, half out of the car. Sliding down into her seat again, she turned to face the woman. "What?"

Lainie nodded. "I found it accidentally a few years ago. I think that's when I fell in love with him. He keeps himself private, separate from everyone. But then I saw that picture..."

Olivia frowned. As if a picture meant anything.

Lainie turned to her and gripped Olivia's hand in her cold one. "When I saw it, I recognized the loneliness. He hides it away the same way he hides your picture, but it's there just the same."

Olivia rubbed the throbbing point at her temples. "I don't see how this has anything to do with me."

"It has everything to do with you."

"No, it doesn't. This is about you and your crush on Parker."

"It's not a crush. I'm in love with him."

Olivia stared at her. The woman's cheeks were flushed and her eyes snapped, and her hair was slipping from the tight bun at the nape of her neck. Roused with pa.s.sion, she looked alive, like someone had breathed life into her.

This wasn't the Elaine who'd walked into Romantic Notions and longingly fingered a red lace bra she didn't think she should own.

Olivia wouldn't wish her cold b.a.s.t.a.r.d of a father on her worse enemy much less someone she liked, but the hope s.h.i.+ning on Lainie's face made it impossible to say anything negative. Besides, she knew better than anyone that what you wanted wasn't always what was good for you. It didn't make wanting it any less dire.

She heaved a sigh. "Okay."

Lainie frowned. "Okay?"

"I'll help you."

The joy that lit Lainie's eyes was painful to witness. It made Olivia that much more determined to see that Lainie achieved her goal.

The devil help Everett Parker if he broke Lainie's heart.

"I need to learn to read lips," Rick murmured, watching Olivia and Elaine Adams. That, or he could buy the high tech listening devise he looked at last week.

Olivia's door opened and she started to get out, but Ms. Adams said something that caused her to get right back in.