He still didn’t answer, just stared straight ahead at the television, watching a show she couldn’t even understand.
For a moment she considered really letting him have it, really saying something awful to get his attention. He was being a big, selfish baby, and taking it out on her.
But then Nicole thought better of it. She was angry, too angry to deal with Red in his current mood.
So instead she went to bed, thinking he might wake her in the night like he had yesterday.
His touch never came.
***
When Nicole woke up, Red was coming out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist. “Morning, sleepy head.”
She yawned. “Are we still fighting?”
He stopped and smiled at her. “I sure hope not. The last thing I want to do is argue with you during our meeting with Kane Wright today.”
“What? What meeting?”
“I thought about what you said to me last night, and I realized you were right. I should at least consider partnering with that bastard, even if it’s the last thing I want to do right now.”
“Oh, Red. Don’t do it because of what I said!”
He laughed at her anxiety. “Don’t worry, I’m a big boy and I make my own decisions. But I’m smart enough to know good advice when I hear it.”
Now she felt distinctly guilty about what she’d said to him, most of which was just parroting what Kane Wright himself had told her over the phone. It was as if she was in league with Kane—a double agent—and she didn’t like the way that made her feel inside.
“I’m not so sure if it was good advice,” she said, sitting up. “Maybe you should just trust your instincts.”
He shook his head, moving to the closet, where he took a freshly dry-cleaned suit off the rack. “You sure do like to confuse a guy,” Red said.
“I’m sorry. I just—I was drinking last night. I don’t know what I was saying.”
“Whatever. I already made the meeting and my instinct tells me we should go. Let’s play this thing out, see what he’s willing to do.” Red threw the suit across the bed, then went to the dresser drawer and grabbed an undershirt, boxers, and sox. “Kane Wright doesn’t want some drawn out battle that bleeds Jameson International dry before he takes it over. He’d much rather get the company now, while there’s still something left of it.”
“Okay,” Nicole said, debating about whether or not to tell him about the phone call she’d gotten yesterday.
And then Red turned and looked at her, and his eyes were bright, shining—like his old self. “For the first time since things went bad recently, I finally feel clear,” he told her. “I think I can see the road in front of me again. It’s a nice feeling and I owe it all to you, baby.”
She sighed and fell back against the pillow, knowing she couldn’t possibly bear to tell him now and see the look of disappointment on his face as he realized that he’d simply been outmaneuvered once again by Kane Wright.
The truth was, Nicole still thought it was the right thing to do. And she’d find an opportunity to tell Red about that phone call—when the time was right.
***
“This is the way to begin a great partnership,” Kane Wright said, as the three of them stood on the deck of his private yacht, sailing down the Spree River and watching the buildings and streets of Berlin as they passed by.
People standing on a bridge overlooking the water waved at them as they sailed underneath.
“Very nice,” Red agreed, watching the scenery with a smile on his lips. “I’ve always wanted to buy a yacht.
“Soon you’ll be able to buy two or three of them,” Kane replied, glancing at Nicole, who had chosen to speak as little as possible on this excursion.
“I could buy two or three now, if I wanted to.”
“Still?”
Red looked at the older man. “Still.”
“Certainly,” Kane agreed. “The billionaire mogul Red Jameson is never at a loss for words or for funds.” The wind blew Kane Wright’s light brown hair, ruffling it as he stood and opined on the deck of his massive boat. He was wearing an open collared, blue and white striped Polo shirt, white pants, and immaculate white shoes. He looked vibrant and muscular, betraying the fact that even for a man nearing senior citizenship, he was obviously in tremendous shape.
Red looked back to the canal, as they drifted near a large double-decker boat with tourists on board. Red waved and some of the tourists returned his wave. Many of them were peering through binoculars. “So where does this canal lead, anyway?” he asked.
“Eventually, the Baltic Sea or the Rhine,” Kane said. “We can go to Poland if you’d like.”
Red turned and grinned at him. “Maybe next time.”
Kane smiled in return. “As you wish.” The he turned to Nicole, fixing her with his sharp gaze. “And you? Where would you like to travel today?”
She simply shrugged.
“Is she always so quiet?” Kane said to Red.
“No, she’s not,” Red told him. “Maybe she just doesn’t like you.”