Chapter 1

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Cathy sent him a pulverizing look that had him laughing, golden eyes crinkling and white teeth dazzling against coffee and cream complexion.

“Talk or get out.”

“So touchy!” Justin tsked, lifting the wine glass to his lips. His first sip, had him grimacing. “I should have brought over a proper vintage.”

“No one invited you.”

“Who are you kidding?” Stretching his long legs out, he nudged her with the toe of his Italian loafer. “You were here rusticating in your isolated location. I am here to rescue you.”

“I happen to love my home and the peace and solitude it offers. It helps me to concentrate on work. And why on earth, do you think I need rescuing?” Cathy turned her head to stare at the dazzlingly beautiful man who was also her best friend. Justin Moncrieffe was one of the hottest bi-racial models on the runway.

With his smooth complexion, dreadlocked hair and golden-brown eyes, he turned heads wherever he went. His acerbic wit was also famous and had people determined not to get on his bad side.

“You are in dire need of a man.” He intoned, attempting a second sip of the wine.

“It’s a pity you don’t qualify.”

“Ouch. You don’t have to be such a bitch. We could try…”

“No, we couldn’t.” It was the same banter each time and she didn’t take it to heart.

But sometimes Justin did. Cathy was beautiful. Her caramel complexion was flawless and compared with the thick dark brown hair, tipped in gold at the ends streaming past her shoulders, she was exquisite.

Right now, she was seated on the hardwood floor with her designs strewn all around her, wearing an oversized black shirt opened at the front and showing expanses of her generous breasts, she was mouthwateringly sexy.

She was not thin. Far from it. She was a size twenty female with generous hips and breasts and her thighs were strong and firm. Justin was always surrounded by razor thin models with lackluster personality every single day, so it was a welcome relief whenever he came home for a visit with his best friend.

They had been friends since that fateful day at the group home. He recalled the scene vividly.

Having lost his parents to a fateful vehicular accident, he had been dumped at the home by his only remaining relative, who had decided that taking care of a six-year-old was too much work. The skinny bi-racial kid had been the fodder for all the bullies in the system.

Until Cathy had taken it upon herself to be his protector and defender. He had been curled up on the floor nursing a bloody lip, when she charged in and lit into the three boys who were making his life a living hell. She had been there for him ever since and he had fallen in love with her.

She had helped him through the ribbing, the cruel taunts and later, his own sexual confusion and orientation. She had told him bluntly to deal with what life had thrown at him and make something of it.

“I love you,” he said suddenly, meaning it. She was his family and no matter how far he travelled; he always came back to her.

She swung around to stare at him, eyes quizzical. Her hair, which she had piled haphazardly on top of her head, shifted, and came tumbling down her back.

“I love you too. What brought that on?”

“Just thinking.” He shrugged, his eyes on the untidy strands flowing down her back. “And I think you need a man.”

“Okay, don’t let me regret your coming back,” she warned.

“Darling, when was the last time you got laid?”

“None of your damned business,” she muttered. “I am not a slut like you.”

“True,” he nodded sagely. “But you are getting moldy. Your vagina…”

“Stop right there.”

He merely grinned at her. He was the only one afforded the privilege of speaking to her like that and she was the only one he allowed past the barricade he had placed over his heart.

“I really think you should start getting back out there. I know you had some unfortunate turns with members of the opposite sex…,” he tutted. “We can be such bastards. But that does not mean you should close yourself off from all of them. What about online dating?”

“What about it?” Putting away the design she had been working on, she realized he was never going to allow her to have any peace until he said what he had to.

Abandoning the really awful tasting wine, he left his position on the sofa and risking ruining his expensive tan slacks, he joined her on the floor. “You should try it.”

“How profound.” Pushing away the papers strewn around her, she scooted next to him and settled her head on his shoulder.

Kissing the top of her head, he wrapped a hand around her shoulders. “I am serious, darling. You need a long hard penis to jar you out of your solitude.” He winced when she poked him in the ribs.

“There is this new online dating app, called ‘Hook Up’ and it is taking the dating world by storm. You send in your profile, without any photo whatsoever, you hook with someone or a few some ones, explore likes and dislikes, see what you have in common and just talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yes!” He twirled a fat strand of hair around his finger absently. “Chat, have a conversation. No meeting, no asking what the other person looks like. Just honest to goodness conversation. Complete anonymity. No last names, nothing like that. No telling each other what the other does for a living, no such thing”

“In other words, the person could be a serial rapist or worse.”

Tilting her chin up, he brushed his lips on hers. “The candidates are carefully vetted.”

“I am not interested.”

“Darling, you need a man.”

“Why?” She demanded, moving her head to stare at him. “I have decided that I don’t need anyone to validate me. I am successful and my designs…”

“Are phenomenal.” He finished, rolling his eyes at her. “But what about someone in your life? A warm body to take to bed? Sex? Just chilling out and taking a walk. What about companionship?”

“You make it sound like I am a doddering old woman on the verge of checking into a nursing home.” Reaching for her glass of wine, she took a sip and privately agreed that it was awful. “And you are starting to sound like Teresa.”

“God forbid!” Justin shuddered, causing her to laugh.

They were her two best friends, but they could not stand each other, and she suspected that it was jealousy over her that caused most of the friction. Whenever they were in the same room together, the spite would spill over, and they would start calling each other names.

“Now you are just being a bitch. How is the dried-up old prune these days?”

“Dating a lawyer.”

“That poor bastard. I hope he doesn’t get frostbite when he takes her to bed.”

“He already has, and she says he is a hunk.”

Justin’s lips curled in disdain.

“She is just lying to make you feel bad.”

“Stop it.” She ordered mildly. “How was your trip?”

He gave her a knowing look but decided to indulge her need to get off the topic of Teresa. “Fabulous. Madrid was a wonder and even though I have been there several times, it always takes my breath away.”

“How long are you here for?”

“Several months. You are going to be sick of me.”

“I am already sick of you.”

“No, you adore me.” Tunneling his fingers through her hair, he wrapped them around the strands and kissed her full on the mouth. “Nothing?”

“Zilch.” She grinned at him. “You do absolutely nothing for me.”

“You really are a bitch.” He complained. “Now back to the subject.”

“I thought we already exhausted it.” She groaned.

“Not until you at least agree to check it out. Hand me the laptop.”

“What, now?”

“Nothing like the present.”

*****

He could not believe he was contemplating it. But damn her! His sister had placed the idea in his head, and it had burgeoned until it was all he could think about.

“Darling, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you are not getting any younger and you are going to eventually need an heir. In order for that to happen, you are going to have to start dating again.”

She had shrugged and tried to hide her concern. “I know after what that bitch did to you, it is still a sore point, but there are some wonderful women out there, someone you can trust. There is this dating app…”

He had blinked smoky gray eyes at her with a frown. “Online dating?”

“It’s all the rage.” She had rushed to assure him. “It is called ‘Hook Up’, a trite and completely juvenile name, but it says everything. The candidates are carefully vetted. The meeting is done through the app at first, you get to know the other person.

No surnames are used, no photos. You get to know the other person on an elementary level, just conversations at first and when the time is right, you exchange photos and see if you want to take things to the next level.”

His frown had deepened. “What if she is unattractive?”

Evelyn had taken the question seriously. “They are also vetted where physical appearances are concerned.” She explained patiently. “Darling, I am married with no hope of ever conceiving a child.”

That had been a constant source of bitterness and regret for her since she discovered she had cancer in her ovaries and the doctors had had to perform a hysterectomy. Her husband, bless his soul had not kicked up his heels and gone running off, but stuck with her.

The option of adopting a child did not appeal to either of them in the least. So, they had resigned themselves to being a childless couple. Earl had suffered significantly when he heard the news and supported her as best as he could.

The reminder that she would never be a mother, was one of the reasons he was contemplating this online dating nonsense, as well as the fact that she was right, and he was too disheartened, cynical, and much too busy running his company to try and start a relationship.

At least doing this online deal will take up less of his time than he was prepared to give.

“I could set it up for you.” Evelyn had instinctively realized that he was softening.

“You do not have to do anything. I know you are in the middle of the negotiating with the oil company in Texas.”

“That’s right. I will be away for the better part of next week.”

“And when you are back, everything will be ready and waiting for you.”

“I haven’t said yes.”

“You are on the verge of agreeing. And I know my brother happens to be smart and pragmatic. This will work, darling, you’ll see.”

He had been gone for most of the week and had been too busy to think about it. Now he was back, and she had been true to her word. It was set up, only for him to log in and start going through the different candidates.

He hated that it sounded so businesslike and impersonal. But he had done the traditional dating thing, and it hadn’t worked out for him. The last one had been particularly disastrous because he had felt something for her.

His mind unwillingly drifted to the night he had come back early from a business trip and thought to surprise her. Like a fool, he had even shopped for an exquisite ruby necklace she had been admiring. He had been seeing up and coming actress Diana Codling for six months and had decided to make it official.

He had spoken to her last night and told her he would not be back for another couple of days, but the business meetings had wrapped up earlier than he expected, leaving him free to do some shopping and ask his pilot to get the jet ready for takeoff.

Letting himself into her townhouse, even before going to his place had been such a good idea at first. Until he heard the unmistakable sounds of moans and grunts coming from her bedroom.

At first, he thought it must be the TV. Ignoring the warning bells going off inside his head, he pushed the door open, only to see the couple writhing on the bed.

The bastard had been behind her pumping away, with Diana moaning as if she was in pain. He stood there long enough for her to look up. He would have laughed at the comical expression on her face if he hadn’t felt like murdering them both.

The man had lifted his head at that time and after a few seconds of immobility, he sprang away and fell off the bed.

Earl had stood there for a few more seconds before leaving without saying a word. He was at the door when Diana, wearing a red silk robe intercepted him.

“Let me explain,” she had pleaded.

“Let me guess- Wakefield felt on top of you.” Earl knew that the man was her co-star in the action flick she was doing. And the man was ten years her junior.

“It’s not what it looks like. He came over and we were doing some lines and…, Oh Earl, I am so sorry!”

“I am not.” Shaking off her clingy hand, he had left the building and told his driver to take him home.

She had tried calling him several times, but he refused to take the call. She had also turned up in his loft, but he refused to see her. He had also changed the combination to the lock on his door, denying her access. He was through with her, and he made it plain.

Whenever he was at a function and she was there, he would look right through her as if she was not there. No one got a second chance with him. And what she had done was unforgiveable. She had fooled him into thinking she was in love with him. Told him all the right things, talking about having children and eventually giving up her acting career.

“It’s not fulfilling anymore,” she had told him softly. “I want a husband and as corny as it sounds, a home with a fence and a huge backyard. And children.”

He had stared at her skeptically.

“You don’t believe me.”

“It’s difficult to swallow that you would give up your career, one you have worked so hard to accomplish for changing diapers.”

She had laughed then. “You make it sound so unglamorous.”

“I have been told it is.”

“I want children, Earl.” Her tone had been so sincere, it had lulled him into thinking she was speaking from her heart. But all she had wanted was a wealthy husband who would secure her future.

She was thirty-five and the other actresses were getting younger every day. He suspected that was the main reason she had for sleeping with her co-star. The need to assure herself that she was still young.

His sister had told him that it must have been divine purpose that had him coming back early.

“Or else you would have made the mistake of marrying that selfish bitch and finding out afterwards that she was a slut.” Evelyn had been so angry; the words could not be contained. “She would have taken you for everything you worked so hard to achieve.”

Sitting behind his desk, he stared at the blinking cursor and wondered what the hell he was doing. It shouldn’t be so difficult, he thought bitterly. But his track record with the fairer sex had driven him to this and he hated it.

Pushing away from the desk, he strode over to the recessed cabinet and pressed a button. If he really was going to do this, he needed sustenance and a hell of a lot of it.

*****

“I won’t do it.” Pushing away the laptop, she rose gracefully and set about taking away the glasses and the half-finished bottle of wine.

“Why not?”

“It’s…, it’s barbaric.” She gestured the screen as she headed out of the living room with him following behind her. “And I am starving.”

“We could order pizza,” he suggested as he plopped down on a cushioned bar stool and watched her flitting around, taking out shrimp.

“Or we could have shrimp salad.”

“I am making curried shrimp and wild rice,” she glanced up at him as she took out peppers.

“Make yourself useful and hand me the curry from the cupboard behind you.”

“Give me one good reason why you are so against this dating app.”

“It smacks of desperation.” She pointed out. “I am far from being that.” Taking the bottle from him, she turned towards the stove.

“You should hire a maid.”

“Why?”

“Darling, you are making a ton of money, and the place could stand a proper cleaning.” He grinned when she glared at him over her shoulder.

“For your information, I have someone coming in twice a week. I hate people in my space and when I am working, I do not need to hear the vacuum humming or the machine going.”

“You are just too set in your ways.” Breaking off a banana, he peeled it and broke it in half. Leaning forward to pop the half into her mouth.

“And you are not?”

“I guess I am. I spend little time in my apartment because I am always traveling. It wouldn’t be prudent for me to hire a full-time help. But you don’t have that excuse.”

“It’s not an excuse, it’s a reason.” She explained patiently. Very soon, the scent of curry and other seasoning filled the air with an enticing aroma. Tossing in the shrimp, she turned down the knob, allowing it to simmer.

“I hate being distracted.”

“Wine? And if it’s more of that vinegar you served before, I am going to go mad.”

“Check the wine cooler. You are such a snob.”

“I am most certainly not. But my taste buds and appreciation for the finer things have been heightened.” He went searching in the wine cooler and produced a bottle of Cabernet.

“Ah, much better.” Reaching for two glasses, he grappled with the cork and poured the wine. “We have come a very long way since Sanctuary.” He handed her the glass and sat across from her.

“That place was anything but a sanctuary.” Cathy sipped her wine slowly. She kept telling herself that she was over the past, especially her childhood, but every now and again it would come popping back up. Unlike Justin, her mother had dumped her at the group home and never looked back.

Apparently, she had been a teenager who got knocked up by some stranger and he refused to acknowledge the pregnancy or take responsibility for it. She had heard all of this from the woman who had given birth to her.

Cathy had been twenty-five and just starting out in her career when she decided to do some research into where she came from.

She had found Linda Holbrook at a seedy neighborhood in the downtown area, living with a man who looked like her pimp. Apparently, her mother was a no-good whore who had done the sensible thing and had her tubes tied so she did not have to deal with another unwanted baby. She had been none too pleased to see her only child.

Cathy’s world had collapsed again because secretly, she had been hoping that the woman would have been happy to see her and would have had some logical explanation for leaving her in that place.

She had called Justin who had been on a break from his modeling assignments and was in the country. He had come running and drove her car back to his place where he fed her some French takeout and put her to bed.

He had been on his way out on a date and had cancelled it without even thinking about it. Sliding into bed with her, he had held her while she cried.

Thinking about it now, she gazed at him in love and appreciation.

“You are always there for me.”

“I always will be.” He seemed to know where her thoughts had taken her and reaching for her hand, he linked their fingers. “She is dead, darling.”

“I know,” she shrugged.

“And you were pretty decent to bury her.”

“She was going to be dumped in some hole.”

“Which was what she deserved after leaving you like that.” His mouth went grim. “And what she said to you that afternoon.”

Her eyes glittered with tears. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Apparently it does.”

Lifting their joined hands, she kissed the back of his. “Okay fine. Let’s do this online crap.”