The Playboy (Chandler Brothers 2)

She lowered the instrument but didn’t release her grasp. “I’m a schoolteacher. Very little embarrasses me.” She then raised the mike and spoke again. “I just wanted to wish Rick a happy anniversary too.”

Kendall sucked in a deep breath. “What?” She hadn’t meant to speak out loud but she was obviously discovering why Rick hadn’t mentioned his birthday to her earlier. The day was too painful. Her heart clenched, twisting with a pain of her own.

Hannah came up to Lisa. “You are so pathetic.” Kendall knew things could unravel fast from here. Apparently so did Rick because his gaze searched out Roman’s, and seconds later Roman and Charlotte herded a grumbling Hannah away from Lisa.

“We’ll keep her for the night,” Charlotte called over her shoulder as they guided the young girl out the door. Hannah complained until the door closed behind them.

Kendall exhaled a sigh of relief. One problem down. Another to go, she thought, turning back to Lisa. It didn’t escape Kendall’s notice that the rest of the town stood eating and drinking and gaping as if they considered Lisa’s behavior a part of the evening’s entertainment. For them it was.

For Kendall it was an awful revelation and she refused to give Lisa the satisfaction of knowing she’d gotten to her. Not even when Lisa turned back to Kendall.

“You’re probably the only one in town who didn’t know that Rick’s birthday coincides with the day he married his pregnant friend. Not that it matters since she dumped him for the baby’s father. But he never got over it. Never got seriously involved again. So don’t think you’ll be the one to change that—”

Rick grabbed the microphone out of her hand while Chief Ellis walked up to Lisa. “Sorry, Rick,” the chief said through a mouthful of food. “I was in the kitchen sampling Izzy’s petit fours or I’d have been here sooner. This lady invited?”

“Hell, no,” Rick muttered.

“Trespassing, disturbing the peace . . .” Chief Ellis rattled off a list of violations and along with Rick, they propelled Lisa to the door.

Meanwhile Kendall’s mind whirled with words she couldn’t assign a meaning to. Anniversary. Pregnant. Baby. She’d wanted insight into Rick’s mind, his past. She’d just been handed that information in spades. And she’d rather have heard it from him.

Kendall’s stomach twisted as she tried to process what being left by a pregnant wife would do to a man like Rick. A man with a strong honor code. A man who’d been willing to marry a pregnant friend. She rubbed her aching temples with her hand. No wonder he steered clear of relationships. No wonder he was wary of women. And no wonder he was probably even more wary of Kendall, because she’d told him from the beginning she was leaving.

* * *

“Okay, folks, show’s over.” Chase clapped his hands and murmurs of assent rose from the crowd. Then he turned to Rick who was ready to leave. “You sure do know how to throw a party.”

“If you’ll recall, I’m the guest of honor. If it was my choice there wouldn’t have been a party.” He rubbed the muscles in the back of his neck that had grown tenser by the minute.

“And I now know why that is.” Kendall came up beside them. “Why you never mentioned your birthday . . . or your anniversary.”

Chase cleared his throat. “Do I see a lovers’ quarrel coming on?”

“None of your business,” Kendall and Rick replied at the same time.

Chase laughed. “Just like an old married couple. I can remember when Mom used to finish Dad’s thoughts.”

“We’re out of here,” Rick said, grabbing Kendall’s hand.

“I’m only leaving if you promise to talk to me,” she whispered in his ear.

“I’ll talk if you’ll listen,” Rick promised.

Kendall took his words as a challenge. After all she’d heard tonight, she had no doubt listening to him retell his past would be as difficult for her to hear as it had been for him to live.

Rick wasn’t much of a talker. For all his joking ways, for all the people he befriended, serious discussion about his life was something he avoided. He’d never realized that particular piece of information about himself before now. But as he led Kendall into his apartment, a sense of claustrophobia overtook him and he broke into a sweat.

He tossed his keys on the counter and inspiration struck. “Come with me.”

“Where?” Kendall asked. “I thought we were already here.” She gestured around the apartment. “Four walls and the bedroom, which I refuse to enter by the way until we’re talked out.”

Rick walked to the set of windows leading to the large fire escape and lifted one high enough for even a tall person to bend and get through. He waved his hand outside. “Come join me on the terrace.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. When Charlotte rented this place, she used the fire escape as a deck of sorts. It’s secluded and it seats two.” He ducked and stepped outside, then held his hand out to help Kendall do the same.