Breath of Scandal(125)
"I ain't in on no scheme, Ivan."
"Weil, it sure as hell looks like that to me. There's my offer still lying untouched on the table. And here I am, figuring we were friends, figuring I'd promote that son of yours who's working for me. Yes, sir, I was about to promote him to a foreman's job and give him a big raise, just on the basis of our friendship. Figured he could use the extra money with another baby coming." He snorted, leaving the Parkers to fill in what had been left unsaid.
Neal picked up his cue. "You ready to go, Daddy?" "I reckon I am, since it looks like no deal is going to be struck tonight." Ivan motioned for Neal to come and get him. "I'm tired of this dilly-dallying around, Otis. I'm ready for you to make up your mind about this, you hear?" Forlornly, Otis nodded.
Neal gathered Ivan into his arms and lifted him out of the chair. Otis ambled toward the door and held it open for them. As they went through, Neal said, "I can't believe you'd do business with Jade after Gary hung himself on account of her. If you sell this place to her, he'll roll over in his grave."
Mrs. Parker made a small, injured sound. Neal shot each of them a contemptuous look, then carried his father across the creaky porch and strapped him into the front seat of the El Dorado.
As they pulled away from the house, Ivan said, "Good
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work. Putting in that last dig just might make the difference. "
"We can't count on that, though." "What do you mean?"
"Money's a better motivator than sentiment. Instead of matching Jade's offer, we should come back with a better one. "
"In hell's name why?"
"She's waiting for him to call her with his answer, right? We could get the jump on her, bowl the old fool over and get his name on the dotted line before he has a chance to recover his wits. This game could go on indefinitely. With the resources she's got behind her, she can keep upping her bid till doomsday. And there must be a lot riding on this acquisition or she wouldn't have increased her offer by so much so soon."
"Do whatever it takes, boy," Ivan grumbled, absently rubbing the center of his chest. "I'm not going to get a good night's sleep until that bitch is out of my life."
CHAPTER
Twenty-Four
"Do you think I could play professional soccer, Mr. Burke?"
"I told you to call me Dillon." "I know, but it feels weird."
"Call me Dillon. That was a good move you made with that knight, Graham. In answer to your question, yes, I think you can make it to the pros, if you want it badly enough."
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"That's what my mom says, too. She says I can do anything I want to if I want to bad enough."
From the hallway where she stood unseen, Jade smiled. "Smart lady, your mom."
"Uh-huh. Did you see her picture in the Sunday magazine?"
"Sure did. That was some write-up. You should be proud of her."
"I am. " Graham's enthusiasm gradually dimmed. "But she's still being uncool about me riding my bike out to the site. "
"She's got her reasons." "They're dumb."
"Not to a mother who cares about her kid."
M be Dillon's coming to dinner hadn't been such a bad NtDer all, Jade thought as she listened to the conversation idea a
that was running concurrently with their chess game. Cathy had continued to harp on inviting Dillon for dinner, so she had asked him that afternoon. She had made it sound spontaneous and casual, saying something like, "Why don't you come over for supper tonight? Graham's been wanting to play chess with you."
He had hesitated for several seconds before accepting. "Sure. I'll be there as soon as I clean up."
"Fine. See you later. " Her attitude had been light and carefree, reducing any significance he might place upon the invitation.
Dinner had been a convivial affair. They treated one another like old family friends. As they joked and bantered, it was hard to believe that, only a few weeks ago, his mouth had plundered hers with passion, that his hand had caressed her breast, that his body had ground against hers in sexual excitement.
Nor would Jade have ever guessed that so many days later, she would recall that embrace with such stark clarity, or that the recollections would induce the same ambivalent and foreign responses in her as the actual kiss had.
"What are you doing out here in the hall?"
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She jumped guilty when Cathy came up behind her and caught her eavesdropping. Whispering, she explained, "They were deep into male bonding, and I didn't want to interrupt. "
Cathy gave her an arch look that said she knew better and preceded Jade into the living room, where the chess board had been set up on the coffee table. "There's more peach cobbler, Dillon, whenever you want another helping. "
"Thanks, Cathy, but no. Dinner was delicious." "Thank you."
"Mom, Dillon said that maybe this fall, me and him could go to a Clemson football game."