“She’s what?” Zach probed. “Driving you mad? Yeah, some women have that effect on men. So what did she do? Dump you, because the novelty of sleeping with Joe Ordinary was wearing off?”
“I’d advise you to shut up. It’s nothing like that.”
“What then?”
“You can’t let it rest, can you?”
“Apparently you can’t either, or you wouldn’t be moping around like this.”
“Who’s moping around?” Paul suddenly asked from beside them.
Jay turned to the groom. “Nobody.”
“Jay is,” Zach said simultaneously.
Paul’s gaze ping-ponged between Jay and Zach. “I’m inclined to believe Zach. Is something wrong? Are you still pissed about your designer getting poached? Man, you really take things too seriously sometimes. Didn’t you like any of the applicants?”
Jay tilted his head. “Oh, yeah. About that.” He paused for an instant. “Why the fuck did you not tell me that Jane York was Tara Pierpont?”
Paul shrugged. “I didn’t want you to be influenced in your decision. Besides, she wanted to remain anonymous.”
“Huh?” Zach threw in.
Jay ignored him. “I would have never given her an interview if I’d known it was her.”
“Why not? Didn’t you see her portfolio? She’s actually good!”
“Hey, would somebody fill me in here?” Zach asked.
“I recommended Tara Pierpont for a job at Jay’s company,” Paul offered.
“Ah, now I get it. That’s how she found out. And then she got pissed at you,” Zach said, looking at Jay.
Before Jay could reply, Paul asked, “Found out what?”
“That our friend Jay here isn’t the poor waiter she was sleeping with.”
“Poor waiter?” Paul stared at Jay in disbelief. “Why would she think that you’re a poor waiter?”
Jay raised his hands. “Why don’t I let you two sort this out, since you’re both obviously so interested in my private business?”
Paul’s hand on his forearm stopped him from stepping away. “Not so fast, my friend. What did you do to Tara?”
Jay went toe-to-toe with Paul. “Nothing! I did nothing to her. She mistook me for a waiter at your parents’ damn party, and I played along.” He stabbed Paul in the chest with his index finger. “And then you have to destroy it all by helping her figure out who I am. Thanks a lot!”
Deep ridges formed on Paul’s forehead. “What do you blame me for? Why didn’t she know who you were anyway? What were you playing at?”
Zach jerked his thumb toward Jay. “Lover boy here thought he could win Tara’s heart by pretending to be poor and ordinary.”
“That’s just sick,” Wade chimed in from the sidelines.
Jay huffed. “Well, that’s just great. Why don’t we air my dirty laundry in public so that everybody can voice their opinion on what a jerk I am?”
Because he did feel like a jerk. He wasn’t proud of what he’d done, how he’d deceived Tara. But at the time it had sounded like a good idea to find out if a woman could develop real feelings for him without being blinded by his money. Well, the joke was on him.
He tuned out as his friends exchanged the pieces of information they each had and filled each other in.
Hunter had joined them. He put a hand on Jay’s shoulder. “So, what now?”
Jay shrugged. “Nothing. It’s over. She doesn’t want a rich guy, okay? She’s made that abundantly clear to me. End of story.” However, it was easier said than done.
Paul hummed. “Mmm, that’s odd then that she would accept an invitation to the Willamotts for the weekend.”
Jay spun around. “What?”
Paul motioned to where his parents sat talking to Holly. “Yeah, Mother mentioned earlier that the entire Pierpont family is going to be at a house party on Shelter Island. And Mrs. Pierpont has made it her mission to find a suitable match for Tara. It appears Tara is finally giving in to her mother’s wishes.”
Over his fucking dead body!
“Do you know the address?”
Paul grinned and exchanged a conspiratorial look with Zach, Wade, and Hunter. “Looks like our friend hasn’t lost interest in Tara after all.”
Lost interest? Not fucking likely!
22
“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” Veronica asked as she sat on the bed and watched Tara through the open bathroom door, putting gel into her still-wet hair and styling it into place.