Page 58 of Corkscrew You
I squeeze her shoulder, and she pats my hand, drops a kiss on my knuckles.
“We’ll make it happen,” I assure her. “Ipromise.”
Another promise, to another woman I love.
I used to think I relished a challenge but I realize that, before now, the consequences of failure were limited to my humiliation. Even Anton’s winery would have limped on if my marketing ploy had flopped.
Now, if I fail Mom and Shelby, I shatter their hearts, hopes and dreams. I ruin their lives.
Better get it right, Nate. That’s all I’m saying.
ChapterTwenty-One
SHELBY
Jordan, Chiara, and I agreed that meeting for drinks two days in a row is warranted, despite the risk that Brendan will kick us out if the bar gets too full, owing to us taking up valuable seating space without spending actual money.
“If you look sad, he might take pity on you again,” says Jordan.
“Think that was a one-time offer,” I reply. “Brendan’s cup of care appears about as often as Halley’s comet.”
Jordan gazes toward the bar, where Brendan is ignoring two guys who’ve been waiting there for a good couple of minutes.
“He will notice meoneday,” she says.
“No, he won’t,” says Chiara. “Brendan has a girlfriend.”
“He so doesnot!” protests Jordan. “I’ve never seen him withanyone! And I’ve followed himseveraltimes!”
“She lives in LA,” Chiara informs her, with a certain relish, I might add. “Actress. She comes up every so often, only for a day or two at a time. Guess we never see her because they’re, you know … busy.”
“That sounds like astupidarrangement.” Jordan folds her arms in a sulk. “I’mright here. All. The. Time.”
“And only fifteen years younger,” I point out.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Jordan demands of Chiara.
“Just found out,” she replies. “I was doing some digging for Shelby here, and I happened upon that juicy little tidbit, too.”
“How could those pieces of information possibly be related?” I have to ask.
“One of the nurses on Mitchell Durant’s ward is the actress’s sister,” is the simple answer. “We ended up having alooongchat.”
The world’s intelligence community is seriously missing out on Chiara’s talents. You’d think they’d be more onto that.
“And so?” I prompt. “What’s the deal with Nate’s father?”
“He’s got a potentially fatal heart condition brought on by a virus. Happens more often than you’d think. My new nurse friend says it’s manageable. If youwantto manage it, that is…”
She pauses significantly.
I am her faithful stooge. “Why wouldn’t you want to?”
“We-ell.” Chiara’s enjoying this. “Seems Mr Durant senior is a bit of a … shall we say …fringedweller when it comes to medical science. He believes the human body has all it needs to heal itself.”
“Wrong!” says Jordan. “I knew this super-fit guy once who got bit by some bat in Africa, and he got freaking Ebola!”
“But medical science fixed him, is what you forgot to say,” I suggest.
