J.T. was impressed. He had no idea that his mother was so real estate savvy.
“You need to have a bit more faith son. Open your eyes. There’s a lot more to life than computer software. I learned that the hard way.” Jace looked at his son’s still troubled brow. “You’re still not convinced?”
“My gut tells me that there’s something’s not right.”
“You think there’s more to this?”
“I’d bet that million dollars on it.”
Jace knew that look well. When Taylor painted, her eyes would sparkle and shine as the creative juices flowed. J.T. was just like Taylor in that respect. Whenever he felt that he was on to something, he’d get that same glimmer in his eyes.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You must have some idea. What are your thoughts?”
“Nothing yet, I’m just curious about some things, one being Mamma Lou,” he said warily.
“Louise Gates? She’ll be visiting for a few days to keep your mother company while Otis Wheeler and I go on that fishing trip.”
“I know and that’s what concerns me.”
Jace chuckled. “That’s it, isn’t it? It’s not Taylor you’re trying to save, it’s yourself—from a nice old lady.” He shook his head still chuckling. “You think Louise is trying to set you up with someone, don’t you?”
“The thought has crossed my mind.”
“So, not only will Taylor, Louise and Lena be altering the landscape of DC’s cultural landscape, but Louise is using Taylor and their new venture as a way of getting you down the aisle?”
It sounded ridiculous, silly and paranoid. Even J.T. had to admit to that. “As I said before, I don’t know anything, yet.”
Jace nodded. “You’ll let me know when you do,” he offered obviously answered.
“Mom invited me to the ballet last night,” J.T. said as they approached his outer office.
“Yes, she told me. I couldn’t make it and your sisters are both away. So as CEO, the responsibility now falls to you.” Knowing J.T. considered the arts as a waste of time, Jace was surprised that he even agreed to go. “What did you think of it?” Jace asked as J.T.’s secretary handed him his messages.
J.T. nodded absently. “Interesting,” he said as he smiled slyly, remembering the private dance in the dark studio and the passionate kiss he and Juliet shared in her dressing room.
“That’s an odd way to describe the evening, particularly
Carmen
. I understood the performance was supposed to be extremely moving. And the lead dancer, what was her name,” he pondered thoughtfully.
“Juliet, Juliet Bridges,” J.T. responded quickly, maybe a bit too quickly.
“Yes, that’s it, Juliet Bridges. She’s supposed to be breathtaking.”
“She is that,” J.T. muttered, just loud enough for his father to hear. His smile broadened. Juliet Bridges had certainly taken his breath away on more than one occasion.
J.T. opened the door of his office allowing his father to enter first. Jace stepped inside and looked around at the newly redecorated office. He frowned at seeing the lack of warmth and personality around him. The office had a minimalist design, sparsely decorated with ultra-slick modern furniture and a bank of monitors lining the desk. It was, given J.T.’s personality, functional and impersonal—exactly what he’d expected to see.
J.T. walked over and stood behind his desk. He punched a few keys accessing the multi-screened control system. He touched a button and all of the monitors booted up. A final access code was keyed in and he was automatically logged in.
J.T. shuffled through the messages his secretary had given him, putting them in order of importance. He read through the notes focusing on two in particular. One from Trey and the other was a request to join Phillip Waverly at the theater later that afternoon. “Tell me about the Arts Commission?”
“It’s your mother’s pet project. She and a few friends of hers conceived, developed and organized the Commission as a way to generate interest in the arts.”
“Have you met Phillip Waverly?”
“Yes, he’s the president of the Washington Cultural Center.”
“What exactly does he do?”
“Money,” Jace stated plainly. “His main objective is always to raise, as much money as possible, as often as possible and as quickly as possible. He has an uncanny knack for attracting funds from wealthy patrons and forging lucrative corporate sponsorships. He’s also a very talented man when it comes to developing arts programs and performances for the center, but his primary objective is money.”
“This is DC. Money is everybody’s focus.”
“True, but Phillip is an enigma of sorts. Unlike a great number of fundraisers in this area, personal recognition has never been his primary ambition. He is, in my opinion, a passionate advocate for the arts—ballet, opera and the symphony, and has always put funding the arts above everything else.”
J.T. nodded understanding.
“Occasionally your cousin Trey does an investigation of the organization for your mother, just to make sure everything is still copasetic.”
“What’s his relationship with Mom and her new venture? Wouldn’t that be considered a conflict of interest and taking money from his programs since she won’t be as active with the Cultural Center?”
“Not at all. As a matter of fact, Phillip was delighted when Taylor told him about the idea.” J.T. looked at him oddly. “Remember, Phillip is foremost a lover of the arts, another program to advance the arts in the community only enhances his agenda. His main mission in life is to bring the arts to the world anyway he can,” Jace said noticing the orchid on the desk for the first time.
Like an oasis in the middle of the desert, it was delicate and alive and as far from J.T.’s style as it could be. In a room filled with hard lines, polished dark wood floors, brushed chrome and leather, it was completely out of place.
It was also obvious that it had been placed there by his wife. Jace smiled, knowing her taste well. He was confident that the look of the office would change in the coming weeks. After a few months and without J.T. realizing it, Taylor will completely redo the room bringing life and personality to J.T.’s sterile office. Jace reached out and gently touched the white blooms and shook his head knowingly. Taylor had done the same thing to his office and he couldn’t be happier.
J.T. sat down at his desk. He watched his father’s face and wondered why he hadn’t discarded the orchid. Jace pointed to the plant. “It was a gift,” J.T. said.
“From your mother I presume?”
J.T. nodded and shrugged. “It’s different.”
“Very. Get used to it.”
Jace looked at his watch then stood. “I need to get to another appointment. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
“Tomorrow evening?”
“Yes, your mother is having a small dinner for Louise and Otis. She’s invited family and a few friends to join us.”
“Friends,” he asked suspiciously, “as in matchmaking?”
Jace smiled and chuckled knowing exactly what J.T. had in mind. “Friends as in people we know. Other than that, I have no idea. I’m only extending the invitation.”
“I think I’ll bring a guest just to be on the safe side.” J.T. stood and came around to the front of the desk to walk his father to the door.
“Someone you met recently?” Jace asked.
“Yes and no, a friend from New York.”
Jace nodded. “I’m sure there’ll be no problem to add one more place setting to the table. I’ll let your mother know. In the meantime, think about those proposals, some of them sounded promising after a few minor changes of course.” As J.T. held open the door for his father, Jace turned to face him. “J.T., if this venture of your mother’s really concerns you, check with Trey. He’s been on top of this from the beginning.” J.T. nodded as he walked with his father to the reception area.
“Dad,” J.T. began, and then paused a few seconds standing at his father’s side, “have you ever met Juliet Bridges?”
“Yes, in passing a couple of times.” The two began walking toward the elevators. “Although I didn’t know that you knew her.”
“What makes you think that I know her?” J.T. said.
Jace gave J.T. a knowing look. “I mentioned her name and it was written all over your face.” He nodded his approval at his son’s apparent new choice in women.
“What was your impression of her?” J.T. asked.
“I believe the question is son, what’s yours?” Jace smiled at J.T.’s expression. He reached out and hugged his son. “It’s good to have you back home.”
“It’s good to be back.”
J.T. watched as his father stepped into the elevator and the doors closed. He turned. Mamma Lou visiting, a million dollar investment and a ballet dancer to die for—how did his life get so totally out of control? One thing he knew for sure, there was definitely something going on, and it looked like whatever it was, he was right in the middle of it.
J.T. walked over to his secretary’s desk. She looked up from the computer monitor. “I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day.” She nodded and went right back to her screen.
Chapter Nine
The night had been long as Juliet was consumed by thoughts of seeing J.T. again after so long. Dawn had come and gone as sleep had eluded her since she’d gotten home. One question played over and over again in her mind.
Why, after all these months, had he suddenly showed up?
Now, with her life at a crossroads, the object of her fantasies—J.T.—had appeared out of nowhere.
A slow tear fell down her face and onto the pillowcase. He had come back into her life at a time when everything was falling apart. Time, which seemingly stood still for so long, was now betraying her by quickly bringing to an end the only thing she ever had in her life—dance. Everything was changing. She laid in bed wide awake staring into the darkness, the same darkness that had brought them together.
She closed her eyes hoping to erase the image of their bodies locked together in passion, but the memory was too vivid. She sat up in bed, then stood and walked to the window. The early morning hour was quiet as she looked down onto the dark empty street. She asked herself again,
Why had J.T. returned to her life?
She looked at the clock, five in the morning. It was going to be a long day.
Two and a half hours later she was paying for her sleepless night and all the coffee in the world couldn’t help. With bags under her eyes she walked down the bright hallway. Between sips of hot black coffee she glanced up at the portraits of herself and others that lined the hallway of the dance studios.
As she reached the end of the hall, she came to the portrait of her friend and mentor, Lena Palmer, who was by far the most talented dancer in a generation. She’d danced classics like
Giselle, Romero and Juliet, Carmen
and
Swan Lake
to name a few. Each performance was sheer perfection. This particular portrait was of Lena in the role of the flirtatious Kitri from
Don Quixote
.
Charming and alluring, she had danced with perfect technique and line. The critics raved that she, with her dazzling playful portrayal and whimsical interpretation, had forever claimed the role as her own.
Juliet stood in front of the portrait and smiled. As a young dancer Lena was the best. She had danced with Nureyev and Baryshnikov and had traveled the world. Then the day came as it always did, and she retired, never to perform on stage as a principal dancer again.
Juliet turned away slowly. The thought that she would one day soon be relegated to the portrait at the end of the hallway had quickened her pace.