at the dry straw. No, he was being melodramatic again. What did it matter? He’d known all along that he was going to lose
his
Lily. But Lily wasn’t his; had never been his. He drank down the liqueur with one swallow and felt it sear a path to his stomach. Lily was his good friend. He’d do anything for her and Gram—well, almost anything.
Jake asked for another ouzo and drank it down with the same eagerness as the first. Another followed shortly after that. His eyes found a woman sitting on the sofa on the other side of the room, and she smiled. Hey, Jake mused, maybe this party wasn’t such a loss after all. Maybe Lily wasn’t the only one destined to have a good time.
He stood, surprised that a house as expensive as Rick’s had a floor that swayed like a ship at sea. Suavely, he tucked one hand in his pants pocket and paused to smooth the hair along the side of his head. There wasn’t any need to look like a slob.
Just when he was prepared to introduce himself to Goldilocks across the way, he heard the piano and stopped cold. “Moon River.” Oh no. Rick had convinced Lily to entertain him. Jake knew how she felt about that song. Rick couldn’t do that to Lily. Jake wouldn’t let him. Rushing forward, he raised his hand and started to say something when the floor suddenly, unexpectedly, came rushing up to meet him.
* * *
“Jake.” The soft, soothing voice sounded like an angel’s and Jake struggled to open his eyes. The piercing overhead light hurt and he lifted his hand to protect his eyes from the glare. He was astonished to feel heavy bandages wrapped across his forehead. His head felt as if little men were standing at his temples and alternately pounding away with miniature sledgehammers.
“What happened?” His words were barely audible. He swallowed and moistened his mouth, which felt like the bottom of San Francisco Bay.
“You’re going to be fine.”
Jake recognized the voice as Lily’s. “The hell I am.” The volume of his own voice caused him to wince. “What happened?” he repeated, much quieter this time. “Where am I?”
“You fell, and to be on the safe side, Rick insisted that we call an ambulance.”
Jake snorted. Sure, Rick would say that. He’d fallen in Rick’s house and Rick wanted to be damn sure Jake would have no cause to sue him.
“I’m at the hospital?”
“They’ve given you ten stitches. It was a nasty cut.”
Rolling his head to the side, Jake avoided the light glaring down at him from a thousand-watt bulb. Something was wrong, and his eyes refused to focus properly. Instead of the lovely gold dress Lily had worn to the party she was dressed in red. He tried to swing his legs off the table and properly investigate his circumstances.
“Jake,” Lily cried, her sweet angel’s voice laced with concern. “Lie still.”
“I want out of here.”
“Oh, Jake, no. Rick has insisted the hospital keep you overnight for observation.”
“Like hell.”
“Would you stop swearing?” she admonished. “Now don’t worry about anything. Rick’s picking up the tab.”
Swear! If she knew the thoughts that were going through his head she’d blush from now until doomsday. “Lily, I want out of here. And for heaven’s sake, what happened to your dress? It’s covered with blood.”
Lily didn’t ever want to feel again the terror that gripped her the moment she’d seen Jake lying on the floor. She’d rushed to him and lifted his bleeding head into her lap.“Honestly, you scared me half out of my wits. Now don’t argue. I’ll be back in the morning. Just take care of yourself and don’t worry about a thing.”
“Lily.” His hand held her fast to his side. “How will you get home?”
“Don’t worry. Rick’s taking me. And before you feel guilty over my dress, Rick wants to buy me another one to replace it.” She leaned over him and lightly brushed her lips over his. “Good night, Jake. Sleep well and take care of yourself. I insist.”
The
his
Lily. But Lily wasn’t his; had never been his. He drank down the liqueur with one swallow and felt it sear a path to his stomach. Lily was his good friend. He’d do anything for her and Gram—well, almost anything.
Jake asked for another ouzo and drank it down with the same eagerness as the first. Another followed shortly after that. His eyes found a woman sitting on the sofa on the other side of the room, and she smiled. Hey, Jake mused, maybe this party wasn’t such a loss after all. Maybe Lily wasn’t the only one destined to have a good time.
He stood, surprised that a house as expensive as Rick’s had a floor that swayed like a ship at sea. Suavely, he tucked one hand in his pants pocket and paused to smooth the hair along the side of his head. There wasn’t any need to look like a slob.
Just when he was prepared to introduce himself to Goldilocks across the way, he heard the piano and stopped cold. “Moon River.” Oh no. Rick had convinced Lily to entertain him. Jake knew how she felt about that song. Rick couldn’t do that to Lily. Jake wouldn’t let him. Rushing forward, he raised his hand and started to say something when the floor suddenly, unexpectedly, came rushing up to meet him.
* * *
“Jake.” The soft, soothing voice sounded like an angel’s and Jake struggled to open his eyes. The piercing overhead light hurt and he lifted his hand to protect his eyes from the glare. He was astonished to feel heavy bandages wrapped across his forehead. His head felt as if little men were standing at his temples and alternately pounding away with miniature sledgehammers.
“What happened?” His words were barely audible. He swallowed and moistened his mouth, which felt like the bottom of San Francisco Bay.
“You’re going to be fine.”
Jake recognized the voice as Lily’s. “The hell I am.” The volume of his own voice caused him to wince. “What happened?” he repeated, much quieter this time. “Where am I?”
“You fell, and to be on the safe side, Rick insisted that we call an ambulance.”
Jake snorted. Sure, Rick would say that. He’d fallen in Rick’s house and Rick wanted to be damn sure Jake would have no cause to sue him.
“I’m at the hospital?”
“They’ve given you ten stitches. It was a nasty cut.”
Rolling his head to the side, Jake avoided the light glaring down at him from a thousand-watt bulb. Something was wrong, and his eyes refused to focus properly. Instead of the lovely gold dress Lily had worn to the party she was dressed in red. He tried to swing his legs off the table and properly investigate his circumstances.
“Jake,” Lily cried, her sweet angel’s voice laced with concern. “Lie still.”
“I want out of here.”
“Oh, Jake, no. Rick has insisted the hospital keep you overnight for observation.”
“Like hell.”
“Would you stop swearing?” she admonished. “Now don’t worry about anything. Rick’s picking up the tab.”
Swear! If she knew the thoughts that were going through his head she’d blush from now until doomsday. “Lily, I want out of here. And for heaven’s sake, what happened to your dress? It’s covered with blood.”
Lily didn’t ever want to feel again the terror that gripped her the moment she’d seen Jake lying on the floor. She’d rushed to him and lifted his bleeding head into her lap.“Honestly, you scared me half out of my wits. Now don’t argue. I’ll be back in the morning. Just take care of yourself and don’t worry about a thing.”
“Lily.” His hand held her fast to his side. “How will you get home?”
“Don’t worry. Rick’s taking me. And before you feel guilty over my dress, Rick wants to buy me another one to replace it.” She leaned over him and lightly brushed her lips over his. “Good night, Jake. Sleep well and take care of yourself. I insist.”
The
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