Rekindling Love (British Billionaires Series) (22 page)

“
I'd no idea that was the nature of your work.”

“
It's just a job.”

“
It's more than that and you know it, Rupert Locke-Smythe.”

“
Doesn't matter does it?”

“
Of course it does. It's selfless, tireless work.”

“
I'm a billionaire, Susie; I can do as I please.”

“
That's precisely the point. You can do what you want to. You choose to work. You choose to help those that need protecting.”

“
I do. Because I didn't protect someone who meant the world to me. I lost them. I saw this avenue as a means of never letting that happen again. I hoped it might erase my mistake.”

“
Lucas and Leith didn't die because you couldn’t protect them. You were six years old and trying to protect them. You didn't fail them. The car crash was an accident.”

“
I wasn't talking about Lucas and Leith. I was talking about you.”

Susan's mouth gaped.

“
You were young and vibrant and full of life and love and I knew that. I think for a while there, as we rehearsed, I actually believed I knew you best. It might have been projection on my part, because at that time you knew me best. I watched Nikki destroy you, in fact it wasn't Nikki doing the damage, it was me. I was cruel and thoughtless. I was destroying you, knowing how vulnerable and precious you were. Then you left. Here one day, gone the next. I let you down. I swore I wouldn't do that after the twins, but I did with you. Every day at work, every person I help, reinforces that vow. It lets me sleep at night. Contrary to what you might hear, I do have a conscience. I was never a bad person; I was a weak person. I find strength in my profession and hope I contribute positively to society.”

“
Put like that, maybe what happened at school wasn't that bad if it means you spend your life helping those less fortunate than us,” reflected Susie.

“
The price was too high. You will always mean more to me than what I do. I would take back what I did in an instant, even if it meant losing all those cases, if I could give back what you lost.”

“
What did I lose Rupert?”

“
Innocence and belief. Probably the two most essential human qualities.”

“
Maybe now we're together you can help me find those qualities.”

“
Your sunny disposition will take you far, Susie Thompson.”

“
Will it take me far with you?” she asked demurely.

“
I'm certainly hoping it will.”

“
Even though you said we've gone too far.”

“
We have gone too far to be returned to our childhood days, but maybe something new will be born out of this.”

Susan could see the lights of New York City below.

“
We're coming in for landing,” he announced.

Confident and settled with his skill, her fear of taking off and landing had diminished over the flight to Colorado and back. As the plane hit the tarmac and taxied towards its hangar, Susan saw the black limousine ready to take them home.

“
Your place or mine?” asked Susan, placing her head on Rupert's lap and stretching out on the long sofa in the limousine.

“
I would say I don't care, but if we share a bed tonight you'll get no sleep, I promise you. I'll be chivalrous and not deprive Broadway of its star and we'll be sleeping single. Tomorrow, after opening night, perhaps we can discuss permanent sleeping arrangements.”

Susan sat up startled.

“
What's wrong?”

“
You don't even have tickets for opening night, do you?”

“
There was a subtle hint in there, I confess.”

She cursed under her breath.

“
You said you wanted me there.”

Harassed, Susan's concern was infectious.

“
It's okay if you'd prefer not to have me there. I've already seen you in the performance. I can meet you at the after-show party if you want.”

“
Don't be ridiculous, Rupert. Of course I want you there.”

“
You're out of tickets?”

“
Dylan can arrange a comp and have it couriered to you tomorrow.”

“
Don't fret then. If a courier's involved it's not like Dylan and I will be mounting our horses to joust for your affection.”

Susan laughed in spite of herself at the mental image.

“
It's nothing to do with that. I had this harebrained idea that I was going to play out the scene I encountered with you and Nikki after the opening of the
Hairspray
. Let you see what it's like in the other person's shoes.”

“
Why didn't you?”

“
Rupert, even if I was still in denial about being head over heels for you, I wouldn’t have carried out the plan. Not after all you've told me. I finally have a modicum of appreciation as to what thoughts fill that dark, complicated, and intelligent head of yours.”

“
I think there was a compliment in there somewhere,” he clicked his tongue. “I'm not going to walk in on you tomorrow night then and find you making out with a handsome cast member?”

“
No. All you're going to do is walk in on plain old Susan-Marie Thompson who'll be grateful for your presence.”

“
Then there's not a problem. If you were fishing, let me assure you Susie, you aren't old or plain.”

“
Thanks, but I wasn't. I guess there isn't a problem.”

Home in her flat, under normal circumstances Rupert's text attention would have been thrilling. Right there and then she had another British billionaire to handle and he wasn't going to like what she said one bit.

Dialing him, he picked up the call right away.

“
Are you okay?”

“
Dylan, I'm absolutely fine.”

“
Did anything untoward occur?”

“
No. Rupert has his faults, but he's no monster.”

“
He behaves monstrously.”

Susan was protective of Rupert, ready to jump to his defense. To do a 180 turn in twenty-four hours was never going to be what Dylan expected. He was talking to the same Susan that left for Colorado, not the enlightened Susan that returned.

“
He has behaved monstrously in the past, but I don't think he behaves monstrously now.

“
No? Not even though he had four or five girls on the go only three weeks ago.”

“
Sometimes you need to scratch the surface to see what's beneath. I don't believe he's a playboy. Having spent one-on-one quality time with him, I think there's far more substance to him than I ever gave him credit for.”

“
You sound as though you're in love.”

“
It's been too long since I was in love to know what it's like,” said Susie enigmatically.

“
About tomorrow–” began Dylan.

“
Rupert doesn't have any tickets. Can you courier some to him tomorrow? I promised him he could come.”

“
Sure, should I send one?”

“
Send three. Imogen and Hank may want to come.”

“
I thought you were only taking Rupert down, not the entire family.”

“
Dylan you're making me sound like I’m the Godfather running the mob.”

That she was mirthful, cheered Dylan considerably. “I'll send the tickets first thing in the morning.”

“
Thank you. I appreciate you fixing it. With rehearsals tomorrow, I don't have time to be pestering the box office manager.”

“
Consider it done.”

Susan was unsure how to say goodbye. “Dylan?”

“
Yes?”

“
Thanks for everything.”

“
Not a problem, Susan Marie.”

“
No, I mean thanks for everything,” she emphasized the word everything. “You saved my life, you have helped my career, and you have been a support. I sometimes feel like I take and don't ever give anything back. I want to be a dear friend not a user.”

“
You are a dear friend. Few people have stood by me as loyally as you,” he said honestly.

His use of the word loyal punctured her heart. He had been a loyal friend, but had she? Did Dylan deserve compensation for what he'd been through? What was the impact on a loner walking in on a fat girl ready to end her life? How would he feel knowing she'd returned to the instigator years later? How would he feel knowing while he'd always be a friend, it was Rupert who would take priority?

“
I love you, Dylan,” she said softly, hanging up the phone.

Hearing Susan-Marie say she loved him inspired hope in Dylan's heart. Her defense of his critical words relating to Rupert surprised him. He hated the thought of Rupert being near such a delicate creature. She was showing signs that perhaps she wouldn't go through with tonight. Rupert deserved it. Susan-Marie deserved to witness it. He believed it with all his heart, but there was a niggling doubt that Susan-Marie had failed somewhere. Fallen from the position she'd taken with ruining Rupert. Had he charmed his way out of a public humiliation? Had he charmed his way into her heart? It made him sick to think it, but had he charmed his way into her bed?

Susan-Marie was soft-natured. Tonight wouldn’t be easy, but that's why Dylan was there to hold her hand and help her through.

Stepping into the theater box-office, he collected the tickets by hand. Sticking his head into the main auditorium he saw Susan-Marie on stage, in costume singing angelically. A sight for sore eyes, she had talent in abundance. He was pleased she was on his books. Association, even by paperwork, gave his agency incredible kudos.

Walking to the Locke-Smythe empire, he was perturbed that Rupert refused to see him. Allegedly in a meeting, he could see Rupert at his desk. Leaning back in the black leather chair, his feet were resting on his desk and he was holding the phone to his ear by bending his neck to his shoulder.

When he identified this sight to Rupert's office manager, she told him it was a conference call meeting and that she would pass the envelope on. The rebuff energized him for the evening's antics.

Watching Dylan leave, Rupert bounded from his office.

“
Don't give me that look, Maria,” he told his plump, middle-aged office manager.

Rupert didn't care for young and pretty. He cared for experienced and efficient.

“
What was that all about, then?” she said gruffly.

“
What is it ever about when two men are at war?”

“
A woman.”

“
But which woman?” asked Rupert mysteriously.

“
I'm guessing she has something to do with this show you've got tickets for.”

“
She does.”

“
It wouldn’t be Susan-Marie Thompson would it?” asked Maria brazenly.

“
Maria, are you prying into my personal life?”

“
No, I'm not, Mr. Locke-Smythe. Only my husband, a taxi driver, picked her up at the airport a few weeks ago. She's given us tickets to go and invited us backstage to her dressing room for a drink and post-show discussion.”

“
You aren't going tonight though?” pouted Rupert.

He wanted Susan to himself. She struck him as the type of girl who would go the extra mile for fans. Much as he loved her, he didn’t particularly want to spend the after-show party sharing Susan with Maria and her cabbie husband.

“
No siree. We're going in a fortnight. Ms. Thompson assured my husband on the phone, that by that time any problems with the show will be ironed out. She said the production will be at its best when we go.”

“
Nice to know she doesn't think as highly of me. My tickets are for the first performance.”

“
Don't be daft. It's the big night for her. If she wants you there, it speaks volumes about how she feels for you.”

“
Do you think?”

Maria saw the inexperienced boy underneath the confident, masculine lawyer.

“
I'm a woman. I know so. Let me go heat you some lunch.”

As an Italian woman, Maria often believed food was reliable in offering comfort and support. Presenting him with a homemade pasta dish and simple sauce in a tupperware container, she was content to see Rupert wolfing it down. She'd never known Rupert to be in love, but he was finally there.