Lucky Charm

CHAPTER FIVE

GABRIELLE STEPPED INTO the muggy summer air, a direct contrast to the air-conditioned library. Yet despite the humidity outside, she breathed more easily. It helped that she had Derek by her side. She stepped closer so her arm deliberately brushed his as she walked. A ripple of awareness shot through her and she inhaled deeply, only to be surrounded by his masculine scent.

His overpowering presence enabled her to focus on the more positive parts of the evening, including her successful speech and the fact that she’d openly revealed the idea for her next novel.

Because it was summertime, the sun hadn’t yet set and there were still vestiges of light in the sky. In the meantime, the streetlamps were already turned on in anticipation of darkness.

“Can I hitch a ride home?” Derek asked.

She smiled, happy to have more time with him. “Sure.”

His steps slowed but they continued their walk, pausing at her car. “I need to talk to you.”

Something in his tone had her stomach churning uncomfortably. “What is it?” She shielded her eyes from the setting sun, squinting as she met his gaze.

“Here.” He held her arm and moved her around so he could swap places with her, taking the brunt of the glare. He leaned against the car and shaded his eyes with his hand.

She waited for him to speak.

Finally he cleared his throat. “This afternoon? That kiss?”

Gabrielle’s entire body stiffened in automatic denial. “Oh, no. No way are you going to tell me it was a mistake.” Not when everything about it, and them, had been-and could still be-so right, she thought.

“Maybe I should tell you more about my past few years so you’ll understand why I still believe in curses. Now more than ever.” The set of his jaw told her he wasn’t kidding.

She stepped back, needing space so she could think. Argue. Fight. Because she wasn’t going to let him go as easily as she had the last time. She was older now, wiser. Stronger emotionally and at a point when she’d experienced more of life, and she knew what she wanted. She wanted Derek and she wasn’t going to let him use ancient history as an excuse not to try again.

“Look, I’m only in town for another few days, but I only live an hour from here. We have all the time in the world to talk things out. It’s been so long, can’t we just enjoy getting to know each other again?” she asked, in an effort to buy herself time before he made a final decision.

She turned around to see his face and caught sight of her car. Her beloved black convertible, purchased with her first big advance, had been keyed. An ugly scratch mark split the paint from below the handle across to the end of the single door. “Bastard!”

“Hey, I’m just looking out for you,” Derek said, clearly upset.

“Not you! My car. Someone keyed my car!” She pointed to the long, jagged mark in the paint.

He jerked around in surprise and studied the damage for himself. “That wasn’t an accident,” he said under his breath a few moments later.

“Merde!” She cursed in French. “Who would do such a thing?”

Derek ran a hand over his eyes. “I have no idea.” But he didn’t like the fact that someone thought nothing of doing this with a huge crowd inside.

“Come on. Let’s get you back to the Rhodes Inn. I’ll call Harry at the garage and talk to him about getting it painted.”

She shook her head. “I’ll take it into the Lexus dealer when I get home,” she said, her mood deflated.

She pulled out her keys and unlocked the doors. The beep echoed in the night air. She climbed inside.

He joined her around the other side, unsure of what to say. He sure as hell wasn’t going to upset her any more by bringing up the curse. He leaned back against the seat and heard a crunching sound of paper beneath him.

He reached down and pulled out a piece of paper. “Sorry,” he muttered, smoothing the crumpled paper in his lap.

Gabrielle reached to snatch it back but it was too late. He’d already read the red scrawl. Go home or else. “What the hell is this?”

“It’s nothing.” She leaned back in her seat and exhaled hard.

“I don’t call a threat nothing.” If someone had a problem with Gabrielle, they were going to have to deal with him first.

“It’s hardly a threat. It’s more like a welcome note I received this morning.” She put the key in the ignition and started the car.

“It’s still a threat. Did you tell Sharon? The police? Anyone?”

She laughed. “Come on, Derek. It’s written in crayon, for God’s sake. Nobody in their right mind would take this seriously.”

She backed out of the parking spot and started to drive.

“I want to go back to your room with you. I want to make sure you get inside okay.” Derek reached out and brushed her hair from her face.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye before returning her gaze to the road. “I appreciate that, but I can take care of myself.”

“Did I say you couldn’t? I’d just feel better knowing you were locked safe and sound inside. In case the note and the damage to the car are related.”

“Do you think that’s possible?” She gripped the steering wheel harder, causing the muscles in her arms to tense.

“Anything’s possible. What’s more probable is that someone didn’t want you to speak at the library tonight and left you a note, while stupid kids keyed your car as a prank.” At least that’s what he hoped had happened.

But because he couldn’t be sure, he was going to keep an eye on her. Just in case.

“How will you get home?” she asked.

“I can walk. I’m just a few blocks away.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry I took my anger out on you. It’s just been a crazy night ever since…” She trailed off.

“Ever since my father opened his big mouth.” He shook his head. “I wish the night had ended with the standing ovation. You deserved it.”

He’d been so proud of her in that moment. His heart had swelled at the sight of her speaking to her hometown. He’d even been able to overlook the personal subject of curses and just enjoy her the same way the crowd had.

“Thank you.” The beginnings of a smile curved her sensual lips. “I was happy with the way the talk went.”

He nodded. Having distracted her, he continued talking about her speech and her books. He didn’t bring up the subject of the kiss again, either.

Even though at the moment, her lips were the only things he could focus on.

Gabrielle drove straight to Rhodes Inn. From the set of her jaw, Derek knew she didn’t think she needed his protection, but he felt better giving it, anyway. She parked out front in one of the few unpaved spots and together they walked around back to her room.

“It’s not well lit back here,” he said, concentrating harder so he wouldn’t trip on a rock or tree branch.

“That’s an understatement. I tried to get a room at the Quality Inn but they were booked.”

“Tourists and vacationers,” he muttered.

“It’s fine. Mrs. Rhodes still rents out rooms because she likes having people around, but she only lets relatives of local residents stay here. She feels safer that way,” Gabrielle said as she found the key to her room.

She opened the door and they walked inside. She turned on an old bedside lamp and waved her arm around the room. “See? Safe and sound,” she said to Derek. “Do you feel better now?”

“I’d feel better if there were lights out in the parking lot and that lock wasn’t a hundred years old.”

She tossed her bag onto the bed and her keys onto the nightstand. “Home sweet home,” she said.

He glanced around the small room. “Where are you living now?” he asked.

“Boston. I bought a brownstone in the Back Bay.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s an impressive area. The book business must be treating you well,” he said, unable to squelch the pride in his voice.

She nodded. “My first release hit the New York Times bestseller list. It’s difficult to get authors on prime time or morning shows, but right now, anything paranormal is hot.” She shrugged. “I’m smart enough to know it may not last. But real estate is a solid investment, so I feel good about putting my money there.”

“I agree. I’ve advised my clients to diversify and real estate is something you can count on, or at least ride out over time. Especially in the area you bought in.”

She grinned, obviously pleased he approved. “It’s great to be back home. Florida is nice but I love New England. How ’bout those Red Sox?” she asked, laughing. “Maybe you, Holly and I can catch a Red Sox game before the summer is over?”

“Baseball,” he said reverently. He slapped a hand over the left side of his chest. “A woman after my own heart.”

“I could be persuaded to sit through a football game in the fall…for the right price,” she teased.

“And what would that be?” he asked.

“Something delicious, something decadent, something-”

“Chocolate,” he said, as soon as he realized what she meant. “I didn’t realize you were so easy.” He chuckled, enjoying their easy banter.

“Only with you. And only because you know me so well. How did I get along without you for the past fourteen years?” she asked lightly.

He stepped closer. Her warm scent settled over him, causing a distinct stirring inside his chest. “That’s a good question.” His mood changed from teasing to serious in an instant. “How did you get along?” he asked, suddenly needing to know.

“Not easily,” she admitted, as she reached out and linked her hands behind his neck.

As she looked into his eyes, she aligned her lower body with his. No way could she miss the evidence of his wanting her. If she remembered him mentioning that he wanted to talk about the kiss, about not getting involved, she obviously wasn’t going to bring it up now. And although he should, he couldn’t.

He could use the threats against her as an excuse, but in his heart, he knew that’s all it was. An excuse to be near her. He grabbed on to it as tightly as she held on to him now.

“I’m assuming you had relationships.”

She nodded. “More than a few. I was searching for someone who…” She paused and bit down on her lower lip. “Someone who could live up to the memory of you. Of us.”

His heart slammed hard against his chest. “Did you find him?” He must be a glutton for punishment to ask such a thing.

“What do you want to hear?” she asked, a teasing smile on her lips. “That even at eighteen you set the standard by which all other men fell short?”

She slid her hand up the back of his head and played with the ends of his hair with her fingertips. Her touch was electric. Her words seductive.

Selfishly that was exactly what he wanted to hear, but he’d been the one to do the leaving. “I wanted you to go on with your life. To be happy.”

She tipped her head to one side. He loved the sassy sway of her hair. He couldn’t resist running his fingers through the strands. “I went on. I’ve been successful in my career. Not so much in my personal life.”

“I shouldn’t be happy that you didn’t find someone special. But I am.”

“I shouldn’t be happy that you’re divorced,” she countered. “But I don’t think I could have handled running into you again and knowing you belonged to someone else.” Her voice sounded like a husky purr.

Every fiber of his being was on alert. His skin was hot. His body strung tight. He desired her in a soul-deep way. He was dying to reconnect with her now and worry about the repercussions later. But mention of his divorce reminded him of the reasons he needed to be careful how far he let things go. “I still need to tell you about Holly’s mom and what happened between us.” Why the curse ruled his life now more than ever.

“Mmm. You do.” She touched her forehead to his. Her mouth hovered close, tantalizing and tempting him.

Finally, she allowed their lips to touch, featherlight but enough to send his pulse racing. She toyed with him for a while, a few light pecks at first, but each one lasted longer than the last.

He grasped her waist, his grip tightening with his desire until nothing mattered but the here and now. His head spun with her scent, her taste, his need.

“I want to hear everything you have to tell me. But not tonight,” Gabrielle said, her voice cutting through his fuzzy thoughts.

“Hmm?”

She stepped back. “You need to get home to Holly,” she reminded him. “I’m sure she’s confused by what she heard at the library.”

She was throwing him out? After reeling him in, she was kicking him out?

He swallowed hard. “You’re right. Holly is probably waiting up for me.” He stepped back and tripped over nothing. He righted himself quickly.

“Say hi for me.”

“I will.”

Gabrielle clasped her hands behind her back and grinned.

At that moment, he realized she’d played him. She’d deliberately seduced his senses, reminding him of their potent chemistry, all so he would be too consumed by her to worry about why they couldn’t be together.

He met her gaze. “I’m on to you, you know.”

“Moi?” She raised an eyebrow in fake innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But the smile pulling at her lips told him she was lying.

“Good night, Gabby,” he said softly.

“’Night, Derek.” She walked him to the door.

“Lock up behind me,” he instructed.

She nodded. “I will.”

He meant to reach for the door. He reached for her instead. Next thing he knew, she was in his arms, melting backward as he caught her in a hot, searing kiss. His tongue tangled with hers and a low, sexy sigh escaped from the back of her throat, driving him crazy.

It took everything he had to step away, keeping his hand on her back as she caught her balance.

“Sleep tight,” he said. Then he walked out before he picked her up and carried her to bed.

He’d wanted to one-up her in her sensual game. A light, teasing moment to prove to both of them that he was in charge, that he might want her but he could still walk away.

Instead he’d learned a hard lesson. She was definitely the one with the upper hand.

GABRIELLE WOKE UP EARLY. She’d called Sharon the night before and asked if she wanted to take a ride into Boston for the day. Gabrielle needed to pick up clothes from her apartment. Despite the threats, she had decided to stick around her hometown for a little while longer.

Derek Corwin, watch out, Gabrielle thought wryly. But he wasn’t her only mission. Talking to people about the Corwin Curse was.

Gabrielle stopped at the Dunkin’ Donuts in town, a new addition to Main Street, and headed for Sharon’s parents’ place. She pulled up front just as her friend was putting letters in the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

Sharon waved. She pulled out a stack of mail, placed her envelopes inside, flipped the door closed and the flag up, before joining Gabrielle inside her car.

“Good morning,” Sharon said, her mood upbeat.

“’Morning. Coffee?” Gabrielle asked, pointing to the cup in the passenger-seat holder.

“Love some. Thanks.”

“It has milk and sugar, the way you like it.”

Sharon took a sip. “Hot and good. Thanks!”

“No problem.” Gabrielle pulled onto the street and they began the hour’s drive.

“How are you doing?” Sharon asked. “Still upset over last night?”

Gabrielle brushed her hair out of her eyes, but the wind from the open convertible blew it right back. “I’m okay. Derek’s father has always been crotchety. I didn’t take it personally.”

“You’re a better person than me. I think I’d be devastated if Richard’s family spoke to me that way.”

Gabrielle nodded. “I’d probably be hurt if I didn’t know how badly that curse affects the whole family.” It was something she wanted to explore in more detail, for her book and for herself. “Know what I mean?”

“Hmm,” Sharon said, sounding distracted.

Gabrielle glanced out of the corner of her eye.

Sharon was opening a large manila envelope.

“What’s that?” Gabrielle asked.

“I’m not sure. There was no return address.” Sharon pulled out a photograph with a note clipped to it. “Oh, my God.”

“What?”

“I’m going to be sick.” Sharon laid her head against the window and shut her eyes.

Worried, Gabrielle pulled over, into the nearest side street. They were still fairly close to home. She parked the car and turned to her friend. “What’s going on?” She reached for the pictures, but Sharon smacked her hand on top of Gabrielle’s. “Don’t,” she said in a hoarse voice.

“Then you tell me. What’s got you so upset?”

Sharon met Gabrielle’s gaze. “Remember Tony DeCarlo?”

“Your ex-boyfriend from college,” Gabrielle said carefully, not wanting to stir up too many bad memories.

“Oh, please, just call it what it was. My big mistake. While I was blindly in love with him, he was in it for blackmail.”

Gabrielle remembered. Tony had put something in Sharon’s drink, drugged her then taken sexually explicit photographs that he’d threatened to turn over to the dean of the college and any magazine who’d take them unless she came up with one thousand dollars.

He’d hit up the wrong girl.

Sharon, though mortified, had gone to her father, who was an attorney. He’d hired a private investigator. It turned out that Tony DeCarlo had a history of being the perfect boyfriend until he’d drugged, photographed then blackmailed other women. Sharon hadn’t been his first. She had, however, been the only one to press charges, putting Tony behind bars.

“I thought it was over. I thought all the photographs had been confiscated by the police.” Her voice shook as hard as her hands as she lifted a grainy copy of a photograph. “The police obviously didn’t find them all,” she whispered. “Someone got hold of one and is threatening to turn it over to the newspaper unless I pay.”

“Is it from Tony?” Gabrielle asked.

“There’s no signature, but who else would have the old photos?”

“That son of a bitch,” Gabrielle said, her temper rising. “He obviously didn’t learn from his time in jail. He’s still underestimating you. Do you want to drive straight to the police station?” Gabrielle relished the idea of turning this guy in.

Sharon shook her head. “Are you nuts? Do you know what these pictures would do to Richard’s campaign?” She shivered at the prospect. “We live in a conservative small town. The only reason there wasn’t a huge scandal all those years ago was because Tony pled to a lesser charge for reduced time in jail!”

“He’ll get thrown right back in for resorting to extortion again.” Gabrielle had been so proud of her friend for having the guts to tell her parents what had happened and for following through with pressing charges.

But Tony had taken that confident part of Sharon’s personality with him when he’d been carted off to jail. The incident had changed Sharon from being a bubbly, outgoing person to little more than a shell of her former self. Gabrielle had talked her friend through many difficult, sleepless nights. Only lately, with the patience and love of Richard Stern, had the old Sharon begun to reemerge. It had showed up tonight when she’d defended Gabrielle at the library. Gabrielle shuddered to think what this would do to her friend’s self-esteem.

She wouldn’t let Sharon backpedal. “You can press charges again,” she said, urging her friend to do the right thing.

“It’s different now. I don’t have just me to think about. I have Richard.”

“Exactly, and he loves you for who you are.”

Richard had grown up in Perkins, rivals to Stewart in football, basketball and other sports. Gabrielle and Sharon had seen Richard around a lot, considering he was Perkins’s star basketball player. And they’d made sure he had seen them. So Richard knew the woman Sharon had been. And he seemed to love everything about her.

When Sharon remained silent, Gabrielle continued. “It’s not like you haven’t confided in Richard about what Tony did. He’ll support you.”

“He knows about my past, but he’s also very traditional. He doesn’t blame me, but he’s never been interested in the sordid details.” Sharon shivered as she spoke.

Gabrielle considered herself a decent judge of character, and Richard seemed like one of the good guys. “I’m sure he just doesn’t want to put you through the pain of reliving it,” Gabrielle assured her friend.

“Or maybe the thought of it just disgusts him.” Sharon ran her hands up and down her arms. “So far we’ve been lucky that nobody’s dug up that old dirt on me. But if these photos get out, his political dreams will be ruined and I’ll be to blame.”

“Honey…”

Sharon’s eyes filled with tears. “As much as it goes against what I believe in, I’ll just have to pay whoever it is to keep this quiet.”

“No!” Gabrielle slammed her hand against the steering wheel. “You can’t give in to blackmail.”

“Unless you have a solution that doesn’t involve this photo and God knows how many more becoming public, I have no choice.” Sharon smoothed out the paper with the note. “It says here that I should go to the Wave, a nightclub in Stewart, tomorrow night at eight. I’m to bring the money with me.”

“How much does he want?”

“Five thousand dollars.” She swallowed hard. “If it’s Tony, he’s raised his price.”

Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. “That doesn’t seem like all that much money these days, even with inflation,” she said, trying for levity.

It worked. Sharon smiled. “I know, but that’s his MO. Last time Tony only asked for a thousand. He’d planned on stringing it out, asking for more each time. I’m sure he’s got the same plan now. He’ll keep me on edge by making me wonder if and when those photos will show up in the next day’s paper.” Her face had grown pale at the notion.

Something wasn’t sitting right in Gabrielle’s mind, but she couldn’t put her finger on what was bothering her. “When did Tony get out of prison?”

Sharon shrugged. “I don’t know that he did, but it has to be him, right? Nobody else would have the pictures but him.”

“I don’t know.” She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “It seems odd that your old pictures would resurface around the same time I’m not so politely being asked to leave town,” Gabrielle mused.

“You think the two things are related?” Sharon shifted in her seat, curling her knee beneath her so she faced Gabrielle.

“Yes. No. I don’t know. It’s just weird to have two separate threats against each of us going on at the same time.” She paused. “What if Tony sold the pictures to someone?”

“Anything’s possible.”

“This stinks. Even if you pay, you can never be certain that you have all the pictures. This could drag on forever.” Gabrielle turned and stared out the window, trying to come up with some way to help her friend.

They needed to track down Tony, but Gabrielle didn’t think her friend was up for that conversation just yet. Maybe after the shock wore off. In the meantime, she’d do some digging herself. Research was what she was good at, after all.

“Do you have the money?” Gabrielle asked.

“For this payment and maybe one more. I obviously can’t afford to keep this up indefinitely. I just wish I hadn’t been so stupid.”

“Hey!” Gabrielle whipped around in her seat. “Do not blame yourself. You were drugged. It’s not like you were a willing participant,” she reminded Sharon.

With that, Gabrielle realized what had been bothering her. “You were a victim. Surely nobody will hold that against you or Richard. I say you call his bluff. Refuse to pay and ride out the scandal. Richard loves you. He’ll stand by you and so will I.” Gabrielle reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “It’s the least I can do for the woman who went toe to toe with Hank Corwin for me.”

Sharon glanced out the window. “I think you’re forgetting who Richard’s opponent is. Mary Perkins won’t hesitate to use this as ammunition to hurt Richard and convince people to vote for her.”

Mary Perkins and that damned curse she wielded like a magic wand with the power to bend people to her will. Gabrielle decided the incumbent mayor would be high on her list of people to interview, if for no other reason than to dig into the psyche of someone willing to use other people’s weaknesses against them.

“At least tell Richard what’s going on so he won’t be caught off guard if this leaks,” Gabrielle suggested.

“No.” Sharon swung back around. “Not yet. I need to go to the Wave tomorrow night and see what and whom I’m dealing with first.” Sharon’s voice shook at the idea, but with her decision made, she drew her shoulders up straighter.

“Merde. You are stubborn.” Like Gabrielle herself, once Sharon set her mind on a course of action, like pressing charges against Tony years ago, nothing would deter her. At least some of her spunk remained, despite the fear.

Gabrielle cleared her throat. “Fine. If you insist on going to the Wave tomorrow with five thousand dollars, you aren’t going alone. But we still need to go to Boston today because I don’t have any clubbing clothes with me here.” Gabrielle restarted the car.

Sharon blew out a relieved breath of air. “Thank you. You’re the best. Now, just promise me you won’t tell Richard about any of this.”

Gabrielle frowned. She wasn’t a fan of keeping secrets, but it wasn’t her choice. “I won’t tell him if you insist, but-”

“I do. So you promise?”

“Fine.” She put both hands on the wheel. “I don’t like it, but I promise not to tell Richard.”

But that didn’t mean she had to keep it to herself. Just like in the old days, when something serious happened, there was just one person Gabrielle wanted to turn to. One person she trusted with anything, one who she knew in her heart would help her with any problem.

Derek.

And not just because he’d been back in town long enough to know someone who could quietly help her find Tony. If she and Sharon were meeting a crazy man who’d drugged a number of women, taken nude photos of them and gone to prison for his actions, they weren’t going alone.

She wanted a man by her side that she trusted.

She wanted Derek.