She paused and caught Luke’s gaze. When he didn’t comment or judge, the floodgates opened.

“I was a mistake. I cost her her precious figure. I cost her a movie role. I cost her the unadulterated, exclusive, and obsessive attention of her husband because he, unlike her, wanted and adored me. Or so my grandma, my dad’s mom, told me before she passed away. I don’t remember my dad. I wish I did. He died when I was two.”

Luke listened as she described her life as the daughter of Olivia Deveraux. A woman who’d abandoned her daughter’s care to nannies, allowing her to concentrate on herself and husband number two. The woman who’d shipped her daughter off to school the moment she married husband number three. The woman who always chose the spotlight over school awards ceremonies or family vacations or even holidays with her only child.

Luke pulled his best poker face because he knew Rae didn’t want his sympathy, but by God she had it. Given his upbringing—his loving parents and tight-knit family—Rae’s situation was beyond his imagining. And to think he’d mixed one of his best appletinis for her selfish witch of a mother.

“No matter how many times she pushed me into the background,” Rae went on, “I held out hope that we’d bond someday. That she’d put me, our relationship, above her obsessive need to be the center of attention. All my efforts to establish a deeper relationship failed. It doesn’t help that she’s married to someone as egomaniacal as herself. It doesn’t help that she ignores his indiscretions. I thought it was a money thing. Olivia couldn’t afford the extravagant lifestyle she adores without Geoffrey’s money. Once I gained full access to my inheritance, I offered to support her in the means she was accustomed to if she left Geoffrey. I told her we could move anywhere. New York, maybe. Or London. It wasn’t the life I wanted for myself, but I saw it as her chance to break free from that bastard. I saw it as our chance to spend quality time together. To bond.”

Rae shook her head, forecasting the outcome with a bitter laugh. “She pretended she knew nothing of Geoffrey’s wandering eye. Accused me of trying to break them up because I’m jealous of what they have.” Rae snorted. “What they have is a shallow, dysfunctional relationship. I can’t support it. Can’t be around it. Them. Him. Her.” She nailed Luke with dry, bright eyes. “I didn’t run away from my problems. I walked away from a life I don’t want. Not for me. Not for my child.”

It was all Luke could do not to pull her into his arms. Yes, he wanted to comfort her, but right now, boosting her confidence seemed more important. “I don’t blame you.”

“You don’t think I’m an awful person because I want to sever ties with my own mother?”

“From what you’ve told me, Rae, Olivia doesn’t deserve the privilege of being part of your life.”

“I’m not cutting her off completely,” she said. “Not financially. I mean if she’s ever desperate. If Geoffrey ever dumps her. I couldn’t let her flounder.”

“Something tells me she’d get by. There’s always husband number five.”

Rae’s lip twitched with the semblance of a smile. “She’s always admired Elizabeth Taylor. I thought it was for the icon’s talent and beauty. But maybe it’s more about her ability to collect husbands. I think Liz had seven or eight. Olivia has a way to go.”

Feeling a break in the tension, Luke offered a gentle smile. “I know this thing with Olivia is a point of pride with you. I know you don’t like to talk about, but I’m glad you did.”

Rae swallowed then reached for Luke’s hand. “Thank you for listening and understanding. I’m glad you pushed because, now that it’s out, now that you know, maybe I can truly put Olivia behind me.”

“Unfortunately that media blitz Harper incited plays up the fact that you’re the daughter of a Hollywood celebrity,” Luke reminded her. “Olivia’s name and picture appeared in those gossip features almost as much as yours.”

“Oh, yeah.” Rae sighed. “No doubt Olivia’s basking in the attention.”

Luke raised a brow. “She was referred to as a “has-been” and there was mention of plastic surgery and botox.”

“Doesn’t matter what they’re saying as long as they’re talking about her. That’s the way Olivia looks at it.”

Luke shook his head. “God, I’m glad you’re here and not there.”

Rae swallowed. “Me, too.”

He sensed lingering anxiety, traced his memories for any holes in their discussion. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

“No.”

Brain still scrambling he flashed back on a discussion a few days prior. Something Rae had said and then tried to brush over.

“The thing about being smart and influential is that there’s always someone smarter and more influential than you. And if that person wants to derail your life, well, then you’re sort of screwed.”

Olivia didn’t strike him as smart and she probably wasn’t all that influential. No. That would be Geoffrey Stein. Of Stein & Beecham Industries.

Luke shifted closer to Rae. “Does Geoffrey know you encouraged Olivia to leave him? Is he threatening you in some way?”

She sidled to the edge of the bed, ready to flee, only Luke stayed her. She licked her lips, a nervous tell. “Geoffrey and I have been on bad terms for a couple of years now.”

“Did you catch him with another woman?”

“No.”

“Did you accuse him of having affairs? Of mistreating your mom?”

“No.”

“Was he trying to manipulate you somehow? Coerce you into allowing him to manage your inheritance?” Luke’s temper flared. Rae’s silence on the matter only made it worse. “Dammit, Rae. Is Geoffrey threatening you?”

Her face was beet red now. “It doesn’t concern you, Luke.”

“What?” The anger he’d been feeling toward Geoffrey took a sharp turn toward Rae. He struggled to keep his calm as she wiggled out of his grasp. “We’re a team now, Reagan. Every aspect of your life is of concern to me.”

“That goes both ways.”

Clueless, he spread his hands wide. “Am I stonewalling you on something?”

“Yes. Yes, you are.” She shoved off the bed and scrambled back two steps, fists at her side. “Your dyslexia.”

“I told you—”

“You told me and then you shut me down. You said you didn’t want to talk about it. That you didn’t want my help.”

“I said it would be hell on the ego and you’re changing the subject.”

“No, I’m not. We’re talking about levels of comfort. You’d rather handle your visual challenges on your own and I feel the same way about Geoffrey.”

“So there is a problem.”

“Not as long as I don’t talk about it.” With that she fled to the bathroom and closed the door.

Luke followed and knocked.

In response she turned on the shower.

It reminded him of their blowout in Bel Air. When she’d shut him out. When, in anger, he’d given up and left. Only this time he wasn’t going anywhere. He’d order up breakfast for them both and wait her out. He’d cool off and mull over the best way to handle this new kink in their relationship. He’d always considered himself an expert on women. Always knowing what to say, what to do, how to manipulate the situation. Rae stumped him at every turn.

Maybe Sam was right, Luke thought as he pulled on his sweats then nabbed the menu. Maybe there was something to be said for patience.

TWENTY-NINE

Rae wasn’t sure how long she’d been in the shower. Hands braced on the tiles, chin dipped, she allowed the pulsating water to pound the back of her head and shoulders. A small fanciful part of her willed the water to wash away her problems. Another small part of her beckoned the pounding water to jog her good senses.

Rationally she knew her judgment and emotions were all over the place. She knew for a fact she was a smart person. A grounded person. Yet lately she’d been making questionable choices and acting in irrational ways. Chances were most people didn’t notice. It’s not like she socialized all that much. But she noticed. And she was pretty sure Luke noticed.

He’d mentioned hormones. She’d read something about that. No doubt a contributor, but not the sole cause. She couldn’t pinpoint her reasons for acting rashly or out of character. She didn’t like media attention and yet she’d fully planned to monopolize on her new inheritance and famous mother in order promote the Cupcake Lovers cause. She’d told herself and Luke that she could handle it and then she’d bobbled her composure when the news had actually hit the fan.

She’d put the Cupcake Lovers at legal risk when she’d offered to back their publishing project without fully researching the matter first.

She’d dealt a low blow to Luke by bringing his dyslexia into their argument, but she’d felt backed into a corner and she’d lashed out.

For all her education, for all her confidence, Rae was intimidated by Geoffrey Stein. Olivia had been married to him for five years now. And although Rae hadn’t lived in their home all that much, she’d been there enough to overhear several snatches of Geoffrey’s business conversations, whether in person or over the phone. The man was ruthless. Ruthless and powerful.

And he hated Rae for rebuffing him.

She remembered the first time she caught him looking at her in an inappropriate way. And the second and the third. It made her uncomfortable. Then again, she’d caught him looking at other women as well, his appreciative gaze lingering a scant second too long. Since he was always highly attentive and even affectionate toward Olivia, Rae had chalked Geoffrey’s wandering eye up to annoying, but harmless.

Lots of men ogled.