A strange expression passed over his face. “No, I don’t. I never did.”
“Well, then don’t tell me I’m caving easily. You would cave too if you couldn’t get a job to support yourself.”
He scoffed. “You could easily get a job with your skills. I’ve seen your portfolio. You have talent. Your designs stand out from the crowd.”
“What?” Was he actually paying her a compliment?
“You’ll be a wonderful designer if you only set your mind to it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You bastard! You’re saying this to soften me up, aren’t you? Of all the rotten things you could say, that’s the lowest.”
“I’m not lying. I believe in you. And I’ll prove it to you.”
“Oh yeah, how?” she challenged him.
“I’ll make you a deal.” His gaze drifted past her to the interior of the house. “We don’t have much time. Your admirer is bringing reinforcements. They’ll be throwing me out as soon as they find me.”
He made a quick turn, dancing past another couple. The man was as tall as Jay and would provide some cover, but not for long.
“What deal?”
“Give me four days to prove to you that I’m not like the other rich guys, that I’m just like the guy you met. I’ll prove to you that the man you spent time with on the boat is the real Jay.”
“And how’s that going to prove anything? All you’re gonna do is turn on your charm and get me into bed. It’s not gonna change anything.”
“If at the end of the four days, you’re not convinced that I’m different and want to leave me, I’ll set you up with your own design business and refer you to so many clients that you’ll be busy for the next twenty years.”
She stared at him, her mouth dropping open. The music was still playing, but Jay wasn’t dancing anymore. He was simply holding her in his arms and staring at her.
“Make your decision. They’ve just found us. You have about thirty seconds before they haul me away.”
Tara gazed past him, spotting Brad flanked by two security people. Just behind them, her father reared his head. He’d seen her, too. And he was on his way. He didn’t look pleased. Not only would the Willamotts’ security people forcefully remove Jay, her father would read her the riot act.
“Ah, shit!” she cursed.
“Tara? Your answer.”
“Fine. You’ve got four days.”
As soon as the last word left her lips, Jay pulled her to the opposite side of the dance floor. Then he paved a way through the people crowding around the outside bar and charged past it, dipping through an opening in the tent that covered the bar.
“Where are we going?” Tara asked, a little bit panicked. Had she made the right decision?
“To my boat.”
“And then?”
“We’re going to visit my past.”
23
Rather than navigating around the northern tip of Long Island to get to the Atlantic, which would have cost him easily an additional two hours, Jay headed south through Peconic Bay and then made his way through the Shinnecock Canal, the yacht gliding smoothly through the water.
“They’ll come after us, you know,” Tara now said, standing next to him on the flybridge.
Jay glanced at her from the side. “They’ll figure out very quickly who whisked their daughter away and do nothing at all.” After all, he was richer than the entire Willamott family, and Tara’s parents would quickly realize that he was a much better match for their daughter than Brad Willamott.
“And let me go off with a penniless waiter? I don’t think so. They’ll move heaven and earth to stop me from making a huge mistake.”
“Waiter? Didn’t you tell them who I am?”
“Why should I? Don’t you think I felt humiliated enough?”
“Why would you feel humiliated?”
She braced her hands at her hips. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“I don’t think I do.”
“The first time in my life I defy my parents, and what happens? I rebel with a rich guy! Pathetic. Can you imagine the laugh my parents would have if they found out?”
Jay chuckled involuntarily. “So you didn’t tell them. You let them believe I’m a poor working class guy who doesn’t have two nickels to rub together?”
She lifted her shoulders in a so-what gesture.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side, Tara.”
“You already are on my bad side. Don’t kid yourself. The only reason I’m here is because I want independence from my parents. Or was your offer just a trick?”