Page 34 of Mending Fences
It was tempting to hit speed dial then, but anyone would be able to hear his conversation in the middle of JFK. The car-service vehicle was not the best place for a conversation either.
He squelched the urge to try to hurry the driver through the Sunday-afternoon traffic. The messages on his voicemail did little to calm his nerves. Bonnie’s was almost word for word her text, and Summerset’s voice was more needy than sultry, but there was no way he was going to eat dinner with her, tonight or any other night. He may be a witness for the prosecution in the legal case, but in her civil case, he was testifying for the defense. Once she realized this, she was going to toss one of her patented billion-dollar-heiress fits. It was best he avoid her altogether.
Colin texted again:Are you at the hotel yet?
Two blocks.
I expect to be your first call, before Bonnie.
Interesting. They must have been conversing.
If he hadn’t been preoccupied with his phone when he got out of the car, the next few minutes would have been very different. But he did not hear the high-pitched squeal of “Da-a-rli-i-i-ing!” until the last syllable was far too close to his ear. Daniel looked up in time to be simultaneously blinded by a camera flash and Summerset’s lips nearly upon his. A quick move offered only his cheek for the landing. He set her back from him as swiftly as he could.
“Miss Vandemark, I didn’t expect you here.”
She sidled up to him, forcing him to take a step back. “Didn’t you get all my messages?”
The calculated batting of her eyelids curdled his stomach. What had he ever seen in her? He took a sidestep and moved to the door of the hotel. The paparazzi already had too much fodder. Depending on the angle, a photo could tell a thousand lies. He passed the doorman. Behind him, Summerset gave a little squeak. Several curious onlookers suddenly remembered they had something else to do as he approached the desk. Maybe he should consider getting an apartment in Manhattan. Two weeks of this might kill him.
