To Win His Heart

“Well, I lifted my arms to help him take off his tux jacket. But he grabbed my hands and pushed me away.”

“He didn’t physically hurt you did he?” Olivia couldn’t believe they were talking about the same Nic.

Piper bit her lip. “No. He did something a lot worse. He explained he was wearing a black armband for a reason. But because I was one of the notorious Duchesses of Kingston, he would excuse me this once for not knowing how to behave in polite society.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No. I thought it was a joke, too, until he made it clear that his family and the family of his deceased fiancée Nina were in official mourning until next April. If you recall, his dad was wearing an armband at the wedding, and at the party in Monaco.”

By now Olivia was so hurt for her sister, she was ready to throw rocks. “How dare he speak to you like that after the way he flirted with you on the Piccione! He wasn’t wearing an armband then!”

“Ah—that was different. The Varano cousins were working undercover to expose us as jewel thieves.”

“So it’s okay to take it off while in the line of duty. What a hypocrite!”

“I smiled and told him he’d just passed up an experience he would live to regret. Then I walked back to the villa and had a limo take me to the train. After buying a one-way ticket, I headed for Genoa. What an irony when you consider Tom would have given anything if I’d thrown myself at him like that.”

By now Olivia’s tears had dried up. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I was too busy trying to make Luc jealous to think about anyone but myself.”

“We were both idiots. It was probably a reaction to losing Greer.”

“I’m sure you’re right.”

Olivia spied the Arrowhead Rock Shop on the corner and pulled into the parking area around the back. Within twenty minutes she returned to the car carrying a tumbler that vibrated. Piper followed with some packages of polish and three barrels to hold the rocks for each stage of the process.

Once back at the apartment, Olivia set up her paraphernalia in the kitchen and got started. Every so often Piper came in from the living room to see how things were going.

“I won’t know what I’ve got here until we go to bed.”

At eleven she checked her first batch. The rocks had disappeared. They’d been pulverized.

When she thought things couldn’t get any worse, the phone rang.

Piper checked the caller ID. Her mouth tightened. “It’s out of area.”

“It could be Greer.”

“No. We already spoke to her earlier today. This late I bet it’s Nic. He put you on the plane yesterday. He knows what Luc did to you was unconscionable. No doubt he wants to know if you got home safely.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “That’ll be his excuse, but what he really wants is to hear your voice.”

“He’s in mourning, remember?” Piper snapped.

Angry for her sister’s sake, Olivia reached for the receiver. “I’ll take this call with the greatest of pleasure.”

After waiting five rings, she picked up. Using a heavy Bronx accent she said, “You want the Duchesses of Kingston? Leave yohur name and phone numbah. If yoh’re lucky you might hear back from us, but it’ll prwabably be next yeahr.”

As soon as she hung up the receiver they both laughed hysterically. They were still giggling out of control when they climbed into their own beds. Then the tears started, drenching Olivia’s pillow.

“She’s home.”

His expression grim, Luc folded his cell phone and put it back in his pocket.

On the heels of his relief that Olivia had arrived safely in New York loomed the growing fear that he’d done too much damage and she’d never be able to forgive him. Knowing she wasn’t aboard the Gabbiano filled him with a gnawing emptiness.

A steady breeze had kept the sail filled during the night. Now he and Nic were in the waters of the Costa del Sol. The sun had been up several hours. Marbella lay off the starboard bow.

The plan he’d discussed with Nic during the night had to work, or his life really wouldn’t have any meaning.