Lucky Break

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

LOUD BANGING woke Jason. He tumbled out of bed, his head pounding as if a freight train was rolling through it. Why did he have a hangover the likes of which he never wanted to experience again?

Another loud, banging knock sounded at his door. “I’m coming!”

He swung his door open wide to find his entire family standing outside. With a groan, the reasons for his hangover came flooding back.

Two days ago, he’d found the diamonds. Then Lauren had made the connection between the jewels and the Corwin Curse and she’d immediately called Clara to come over. Clara, with her otherworldly wisdom, had revealed that the offering-in this case the diamonds-was the key to breaking the curse. It was up to Lauren Perkins to figure out how.

Lauren had figured it out immediately. She’d turned the jewels over to the Corwin family, giving the offering to the cursed family and thereby breaking the curse forever, at least according to Clara.

All good news until in the midst of the chaos, Lauren had snuck out, leaving his family to celebrate and Jason with a note. I hope you find what you’re searching for. Love, Lauren. To add insult to injury, she’d asked Sharon to look after her cat while she was in Paris. Not Jason.

Which brought him back to his current hangover.

And his family who’d followed him inside his house.

“Tell me why I can’t get any peace in my own home?” Jason asked.

“It’s not your home, it’s mine. You just live here,” Hank said, stepping forward.

“Nice, Uncle Hank.” Jason glanced around, waiting for his father or another relative to step up and support him.

The way they’d done for Lauren.

But his entire family stood by and let Hank abuse him.

Jason groaned. “Okay, why are you all here?”

Thomas straightened his tie and grinned. “To tell you those diamonds were worth a fortune. Split among the three families, we’re not broke anymore!”

“We weren’t broke before,” Jason reminded him. And Lauren needed the money a lot more than he did.

“Neither were we,” Derek said, glancing lovingly at his wife, whose books sold well.

“The point is, we have a nest egg now,” Thomas said. “Jason, you’ll get your share, too.”

Jason would make sure his share went to Lauren.

“Even Edward said he would accept the money,” his father added.

“Because his medication and therapy are working.” Gabrielle turned to Jason. “Maybe we could put you on the same regimen and you’ll come to your senses, too.” Her pregnant belly protruding from beneath her jacket, she poked Jason in the shoulder.

“Hey, what was that for?” he asked.

“After all our hard work getting you two together, you let Lauren just pick up and leave!” Amber said, obviously upset.

The two women were like a tag team. “I’d call it meddling, not work,” Jason muttered.

“He does have a point,” Mike said.

Amber hit her husband in the arm.

“Let’s not forget, if it wasn’t for the mice we brought over, you wouldn’t have found the diamonds, so I’d quit complaining about our so-called meddling.” Gabrielle eyed Jason with frustration.

“Leave it to the women to twist things,” Derek said, stepping out of his own wife’s reach.

Jason rubbed his burning eyes. “They happen to have a point about the mice and the diamonds.” Even Jason knew when it was smart to concede defeat. “As for Lauren, it’s more complicated than it seems.” And he didn’t intend to discuss this with his entire family. “Can everyone go home and let me deal with my own life?”

Gabrielle frowned. “Fine. Amber and I will go with Hank and Thomas back to their house. I’ll let your cousins knock some sense into you.”

Amber ushered the older men out the door and Gabrielle followed.

Mike waited until they were alone before turning to Jason. “You look like shit. We both know it’s because Lauren’s gone, so cut to the chase. What will it take to get her back?”

Jason decided to suck it up and admit the truth. Who better than his cousins to understand? “She asked me to go with her and I said no.”

Derek shook his head. “Have you learned nothing from all the years I lost with Gabrielle? So tell me why the hell you’re sitting here hungover instead of being with the woman you love?”

Wasn’t it obvious? “What the hell kind of life do I have to offer her?”

“If this is about the bogus drug test-”

Jason scowled at Mike. “Hell no. It’s about life. I’ve lived my whole life going after the gold, then one day it’s gone. I’m home running a contracting business that’s boring as shit and I don’t recognize the guy I see in the mirror each day.”

“So do something about it!”

“I have. Before I got stinking drunk, I called a couple of snowboard companies-Venue, Flow and Sapient to start-and offered my services for testing. I’d kill to get back on the mountain again.” And though testing wasn’t the same as sponsorship, Jason would start somewhere and work toward proving himself. If he could get a company to ignore his jaded past.

“Are you waiting for me to applaud?” Mike asked, his tone laced with sarcasm. He paced the den before turning back to stare at Jason. “Do things your way and you’ll have a career and no one to share it with. Is that what you want for yourself?”

No. “Hell, no.”

Jason’s head suddenly cleared. Not just from the hangover but from the idiocy that he’d been hanging on to.

Mike and Derek were right. What good would it do him to carve out a new set of goals without Lauren to share them with? Hadn’t he gone that route once before, when he’d been too young and stupid to understand what he was giving up?

Did he really want to tackle that slope again?

No.

Jason needed a shower. Then he had to look up flights to New York. Or Paris. Or wherever he could find Lauren right now.

Without a word, he turned and headed for the stairs.

“I think he caught on,” Jason heard Mike say.

Derek laughed. “It’s about damned time.”

Jason wasn’t as amused as his cousins. Because, unlike them, he understood Lauren’s insecurities, where they stemmed from and why she couldn’t let them go. By rejecting her, he’d hit on each and every one. It didn’t matter that he’d basically told her she was too good for him. She’d never see it as a compliment. He’d refused to accept her for who and what she was. In Lauren’s book, he’d committed a huge sin.

He only hoped it wasn’t an unforgivable one.

LAUREN MOVED UP her trip to Paris. She’d been back in New York for a few days, but after so much time away, it felt like she’d been gone for a year. After living in the large house with Jason, she found being alone in her tiny apartment claustrophobic and lonely. She truly hoped a change of continent would help her find herself again.

Because she wasn’t the same person who’d left Manhattan for Massachusetts. Back then she’d wanted only to finish the job and get on with her life. Yet now the life she’d been so eager to return to seemed less fulfilling than she’d remembered and she resented Jason for doing that to her. She wanted to rediscover the driven professional consumed with her goals and getting to the top of her field.

It had been too long since she’d sketched or even thought about what she wanted to create after the show in Paris. She’d put her designs on hold to help her family, and for what?

Whoa. Lauren gave herself a mental shake. She’d promised herself she would not second-guess the choices she’d made. She’d done right by her family and she could live with her decisions. Nothing else mattered.

Time to turn the page and move forward. She’d packed her sketch pads, certain France would provide fresh new inspiration for her designs. She’d clear her head, meet people and expand her horizons. And hopefully she’d also get over having her heart broken by Jason Corwin.

She pressed her palms against her temples. Okay, so it was going to be more difficult to stop thinking about her time with Jason than she’d hoped. But she’d promised herself she wouldn’t dwell there, if only because she couldn’t change the past. Especially since in this case, she should have known better than to hand Jason her heart.

She glanced at her watch. She had about half an hour before she had to leave her apartment and catch a taxi to the airport. She pulled a soda from her refrigerator and settled onto a couch to watch TV. Unable to find anything on regular television, she turned to the cable news channels in time to catch a sports recap. From football, the newscaster moved on to the upcoming winter Olympics in February 2010, Lauren’s least favorite subject, and one that wouldn’t aid her quest not to think about Jason Corwin.

She had picked up the remote to change the channel when she caught sight of the name below the photo on the screen. Rusty Small, Jason’s nemesis. The snowboarder who, along with a woman named Kristina, had set Jason up to test positive for banned substances.

Instead of channel surfing, Lauren raised the volume.

“Rusty Small became the United States’s hope for snowboarding gold after leading contender Jason Corwin tested positive for drugs and was banned from competition. Small’s status and even his ability to compete in Vancouver are now in doubt following his own positive drug test.”

“What in the world?” Lauren leaned forward in her seat.

“The IOC is still investigating. However, there is one common element between Small and Corwin testing positive. Both men were involved with the same woman at the time their tests proved positive. Kristina Marino is currently missing and authorities are searching for her. More information as it becomes available.”

Lauren checked her watch again, then shut off the television. She had to leave for the airport, but the story stayed with her. It was unlikely Rusty Small’s problems would lead to Jason being cleared, but it did show Karma hard at work.

Impulse had her reaching for her cell to call Jason, but hard-earned lessons made her put the phone away. Focus forward, she reminded herself.

“Paris awaits,” she said aloud.

Too bad Paris was the city of love, and she’d be visiting alone.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS MEANT long wait times in the airport. Lauren remembered waiting with her parents for hours at a time while traveling abroad. She and Beth would play word games to keep themselves busy. One of the few good memories she had of Beth.

Lauren had taken a few days to calm down before calling the prison to check on her sister. They had her in some form of psychiatric solitary confinement. For her protection and for the safety of others, they’d said. Lauren completely understood their rationale. She also hadn’t been surprised when Beth’s lawyer had informed her that Beth would be charged with additional crimes.

Although it pained Lauren to do it, she’d told the lawyer she had no more money to spend on her sister’s case. If that meant Beth would be at the mercy of a court-appointed public defender, then so be it. Lauren hadn’t washed her hands of her sister. They were still siblings and Lauren loved her-or maybe she loved the sister she remembered. Lauren wasn’t sure about anything except the fact that Beth was criminally insane. All beyond the scope of Lauren’s comprehension. Or her responsibility. She was only sorry it had taken her so long to accept the truth.

Annoyed with her train of thought-yet again-Lauren decided to break up the airport monotony and head to the sundry shop. She bought herself a bottle of water and some magazines for the long flight. Then, returning to her seat, she stuck her earbuds in her ears and began to page through the most recent issue of Vogue. But for the first time in memory she was unable to get lost in the world of fashion. Her thoughts kept drifting to recent events: the fire, her sister and, yes, even Jason.

Especially Jason.

Yet when someone tapped her on the shoulder, the unexpected touch nearly made her jump out of her seat.

She yanked on the wires, pulling the buds out of her ears, and looked up-into Jason’s eyes. “What are you doing here?” she asked over her rapidly beating heart.

“I thought you invited me to Paris?” He sounded out of breath.

She frowned. “I recall you turning me down. Flat.”

He treated her to a cocky smile that would have had her blind with anger had she not caught the uncertainty in his eyes. But just because he doubted his welcome didn’t mean she’d let him off the hook easily.

She still didn’t know why he was here. Or what he really wanted.

She wrapped the white headphone cord around her iPod and shoved it into her travel bag, taking her time before leaning back into the chair.

Jason eased himself into the seat beside her and reached for her hand. “I’m an idiot,” he said at last.

Lauren folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “You don’t hear me arguing.”

“And I didn’t expect you to make this easy.” He laughed, the sound brittle. “Look, I deserve your anger and suspicion and any other emotion you want to throw my way.”

“Still not arguing.” But her heart pounded in anticipation and her throat swelled with unexpected emotion as she waited for him to explain.

Instead, he first brushed away a tear she hadn’t realized she’d shed.

“Before you arrived, I’d lost everything that ever mattered to me. I was working a job that passed time but wasn’t fulfilling, and I was just going through the motions of living.” He leaned closer. “Then you showed up, and suddenly there was everything I didn’t know I was looking for. Life suddenly mattered again.”

It was time to call him on his behavior. To hold him accountable. “So you pursued me. You manipulated the situation so you’d get my job, and then you went about making me feel things.” She glanced down at their intertwined hands. “Things I didn’t want to feel for you again.”

“Guilty,” he admitted.

She nodded. “Meanwhile, all I wanted was a fling while I was in town. I’d planned to leave without any regrets or emotional ties, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it?” In the end he’d stolen her heart.

“How could it be enough?” he asked. “I wanted you. All of you. And I wanted you to give yourself to me freely.” His deep eyes bored into hers.

“Yet when I finally did, you tossed it back in my face. Just like-”

“Just like your parents. Just like your sister. I made you feel like everything you offered wasn’t enough.” His voice was gruff as he admitted to understanding her heart and her soul.

In his eyes, she viewed the warmth and love she’d been searching for all her life. “Why are you here now? What changed? Other than the fact that you realize you’re an idiot?” she asked, tears finally flowing. “Why did you push me away?”

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “Because I thought you deserved someone better. Someone who hadn’t lost everything and who was happy with his life. Who could be your equal.”

“So what changed your mind?” she asked, because if she didn’t understand, she’d never trust him not to do a one-eighty again and abandon her.

“That’s easy.” A wry smile twisted his lips. “You left me. And I discovered what it meant to really be alone. Then Mike and Derek asked me what getting back into snowboarding would mean if I’d lost you, and that’s when I knew. Nothing has any meaning without you.”

His voice cracked and Lauren leaned forward and kissed him, sealing her lips over his, savoring his taste and his warmth. His familiar scent wrapped around her, giving her comfort and arousing her at the same time. Suddenly life had color again.

She never wanted to let him go.

“Flight six thirty-nine to Paris, France, is ready to board.” The announcement penetrated the cocoon they’d wrapped themselves in, but she still didn’t want to release him.

Jason had dug out his passport, packed quickly, flown to New York and finally tracked Lauren down. He didn’t want to break this long-awaited kiss, but he had no choice. “They’re boarding.” He unwrapped her arms from his neck, separating them with difficulty.

Lauren groaned. “Do you really think I’m getting on that flight without you?”

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his ticket. “Why do you think I was so out of breath? I got to your apartment only to have your neighbor tell me you’d left an hour before. Luckily for me, you’d given her your flight information and she believed I wasn’t a stalker. I had to hightail it to the airport, buy my ticket and make it to the gate in time.”

“And I’m glad you did. But you still haven’t told me what happens after Paris.”

He drew a deep breath, still in shock himself by everything that had happened in the short time since she’d been gone. “Well, I’d put a call into some snowboard companies, asking if they’d be interested in having me test their boards. I saw it as a way to get back into the sport in some small way.” Just the thought had given him a renewed sense of purpose.

“And?”

“When they finally called back, not only did they agree, but apparently my notoriety doesn’t bother them anymore. Get this. They’re currently bidding against one another to get me to endorse their product.”

“That’s fantastic!” she said, genuinely pleased for him.

“My former agent’s on top of things while I’m out of the country. And my family is convinced they have you to thank.”

“For God’s sake, why?”

“They think you broke the curse when you gave them the diamonds.”

“Come on.” She raised an eyebrow, obviously not a believer.

“I’m serious! Look at the evidence, at least from their perspective. First Rusty gets nailed doing steroids…”

“I just saw the news on television. How was he dumb enough to get caught, knowing what happened to you?” she asked.

“Ready for this? I got a call from Kristina. She sweet-talked Rusty into getting back together just so she could set him up. She used the same tricks he’d put her up to for me. Then she called the IOC and tipped them off.” He shook his head. “She’s now off sunbathing on a secluded island waiting for the scandal to blow over.”

“I’m stunned.”

“Never underestimate a woman scorned.”

“Exactly.” Lauren gave him a pointed look.

“So back to why they think I ended the curse?” she prompted.

“Right. There are plenty of other reasons. For one thing, Uncle Edward proposed to Clara-”

“He what!” Lauren blinked. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

Jason shook his head. “Then the sponsorship opportunities came up-this after I’d been banned from boarding and dropped by every company known to sports.”

Lauren took one look at his pleased expression and couldn’t help but smile herself. “I guess the tides are turning.”

“Final boarding, flight six thirty-nine to Paris, France,” a voice said over the intercom.

Somehow they’d missed the row-by-row boarding announcements.

Jason stood. “So, are we going?”

She rose to her feet beside him. “I’m going. As for you…”

Uncertain of what to expect, Jason held his breath.

“You still haven’t told me your post-Paris plan.” She tapped her foot on the floor, glancing back and forth between Jason and the boarding gate.

He knew it was the time to lay it all on the line. “I was hoping we could take our share from the sale of the diamonds and use it as a down payment on a house,” he said, speaking quickly. “Somewhere close enough to the city so you can commute to Galliano or whatever smart label snatches you up.” As he spoke, he grabbed her bag along with his and started walking to the gate. “But also someplace where we can hop a flight or drive to the nearest ski lodge,” he said as he handed his ticket to the agent.

“Four C,” the woman said, scanning his paper and handing it back to him.

Lauren blinked in surprise, then slid her ticket across the counter.

“Four B,” the attendant said. “Have a nice flight.”

They started down the gateway and she turned to him. “How did you manage adjoining seats?”

He grinned. “I told you, ever since you handed over the diamonds, it’s been one lucky break after another.” And then he played his final hand.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a velvet box. He bent down on one knee and opened the box to reveal an emerald-cut diamond ring. “Marry me,” he said, rather than asked. “That’s my post-Paris plan.”

Lauren squealed and nodded, tears flowing. He placed the ring on her finger, grabbed her hand and together they made a mad dash for the plane.

ON TAKEOFF, Jason recalled Clara’s tarot reading, back when he’d been skeptical of ever finding happiness again.

“Ace of Cups reversed,” she’d said, telling him he had no hope of finding love. Informing him he feared being alone forever. She’d been right. She’d gone on to explain that he needed to stop hiding from his past. She’d been more right than she knew. He grasped Lauren’s hand, knowing that he now had everything Clara had dangled in front of him-the white picket fence and the happily ever after. With the woman he’d always loved.

Talk about a lucky break, he thought, happier than he’d ever been.