Page 47 of Mr. Scandalous

Agitatedly he tapped his foot against the leg of his desk and plowed his hands through his hair. He was so lost in thought that at first he didn’t hear Randy come into his office. It wasn’t until his best friend plopped down on the love seat and heaved a deep sigh that Alec looked up.

Randy’s eyes were blood-shot, his hair mussed as if he’d been repeatedly raking his hands through it, his clothes rumpled, and his shoulders slumped.

“Hey, man. You look awful. What’s up?” Alec asked.

“I feel worse.”

“You sick? If you’re sick, stay away from me.” Alec raised his palms to ward off any germs Randy might be harboring. “I’m seeing Eden tomorrow night and I want to be in tip-top shape.”

Randy pulled a hand down his face and shook his head. “It’s Jill.”

“Is she sick?”

“She’s called off the wedding.” Randy’s voice cracked and there was no mistaking the unshed tears.

That brittle, heartbreaking noise brought Alec up short. He’d never seen his friend meltdown emotionally. Not even when he’d broken his ankle skydiving. Not even when Randy had been forced to put down his fourteen-year-old Labrador retriever.

Alec got up from his desk and walked over to sit beside him on the love seat. He lightly punched his shoulder to comfort his distraught buddy the only way he knew how. They sat there staring morosely at each other for a long moment.

“What happened?” Alec asked. Seeing his friend looking so torn up knifed him hard in the gut.

“I don’t know. All Jill said was that maybe we needed to take a breather and reevaluate our relationship. She doesn’t want to see me or talk to me for at least two weeks. What the hell does this mean?” Randy shot him a baleful glance.

Helplessly Alec shook his head. “Women. Who can figure ’em?”

“Do you think she’s cheating on me?”

“Of course not.” He didn’t know whether Jill was being faithful or not, but he didn’t want to feed Randy’s upset.

“I love her, man. I mean serious, stone cold love her. It’s ripping my heart out that she won’t even discuss the problem with me. I guess I’m just a typical, clueless guy, because I didn’t even know therewasa problem. I thought everything was great between us.”

“When did this happen?”

“Saturday night. After we’d left the wedding shower.”

Alec grunted and got to his feet. It certainly didn’t sound optimistic. To think Randy had waited twenty-eight years to find his true love and now this. It made no sense. His heart gave a strange jerk of disappointment.

Alec shoved his hands in his pockets. This was exactly why he avoided permanent relationships—too much opportunity for heartache.

“I’m losing her, and I don’t even know what I’ve done wrong.”

“You’ll work it out.”

Randy shook his head. “I’m beginning to think you and your uncle Mac were right all along. Marriage—the ties that bind and gag.”

“We weren’t right. Love is crucial. Love is what life’s all about.”

“Huh?” Randy’s eyes bugged.

What? Where in the hell had that come from? Of course marriage was a ball and chain around your neck. Love ensnared you in a stranglehold and sucked the life right out of you. Hadn’t he witnessed his father’s slow descent? Hadn’t he enjoyed the delicious fruits of singledom for a blissful twenty-eight years? Hadn’t bachelorhood provided him with an excellent way to make a living?

Why tempt fate? Why mess with perfection? Why fix it if it ain’t broke?

His life was good. Very good. So why did he suddenly feel antsy and claustrophobic? Why did he have a powerful desire to go dive off a cliff with a parachute just to prove he was alive and kicking?

You’re just trying to make Randy feel better. Don’t panic.

Alec clamped Randy on the shoulder. “Obviously, Jill’s just got cold feet. She loves you. I’ve never doubted that.”

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