Jade
FINALLY, I REACHED my destination. With quick short decisive steps, while being cautious not to trip and fall in my heels, I entered the emergency room at Mount Sinai. Approaching the reception desk, I asked for Blaze Morgan’s bed. The receptionist behind the desk seemed confused and stated no patients had been admitted to the hospital through the emergency room that evening with the name of Blaze Morgan.
I immediately called Blaze. She didn’t pick up. I was just about to tell the receptionist there had to be some mistake and see if she could please check again when Blaze appeared from a doorway that led to the patient beds.
“Jade, thank God! I’m so glad to see you.” As she put her arms around me, I met her embrace with additional concern noticing the wash of red combined with a myriad of dark blues and black streaks coloring the skin below her lower lashes, exposing not just exhaustion, but tears.
“Did they release you? What happened?” I was confused.
“Release me? What do you mean? I was never admitted.” She looked at me like I had three heads.
“Then why did you call me in such a panic?” I waited for her explanation, yet was met with an embarrassed grin instead.
“Oh no…You mean to tell me you dragged me all the way back here to the city to help you with the guy you slept with tonight?” I raised my voice, realizing I misunderstood her previous phone call and her tears. She wasn’t crying because she was injured. She was crying because her little romp caused her client some sort of medical emergency. I didn’t want to know, and I knew I was going to regret it, but I asked anyway.
“Well, if you must know, I was the one who called the ambulance. They said he had a slight heart attack and with some further cardiac therapy and medications, he should be as good as new.” Blaze seemed satisfied with herself for saving this person’s life after she screwed him, literally.
“Why exactly do you need me here? You clearly have the situation under control.” I snapped back.
“We need you for moral support.”
“We? We who? The we, meaning you and him?” Looking her straight in the eyes, I asked her why I would give moral support to a man she just slept with and whose heart couldn’t handle the sex, based on the results of this evening. It was apparent my sleep deprivation finally had gotten the better of me. Rather than deal with this, I turned to go.
“Jade, please we need your help. I need your help,” she begged to keep me from leaving.
Examining her white knuckles grasping my skin, I turned back with an expression mimicking short on patience and more of shock.
“Why would I help the guy you slept with?” I stopped, I had the answer, but I questioned her anyway. “Wait. He’s married, isn’t he? I’m right, aren’t I?”
“No, no…He’s single… I mean divorced, and to answer your question, you know him.” She continued to ramble, giving me more than I wanted to hear. “I myself was handling all of this just fine, but he asked me to call you.” She revealed more, but still not everything. I thought I was hearing things. Who the hell was he?
“I know him? Who are we talking about exactly?” I was getting more agitated as this conversation went on.
Silence.
“Blaze…who did you fuck?” I was loud and I didn’t care who heard me at this point. The people in the emergency waiting room were aghast at my statement. I didn’t apologize; I was tired and pissed and wanted the truth.
After she let out a deep sigh and looked around at the people in the ER, she apologized to them while scuffling away with me in tow to hurry into the nearest corner to reveal the name of her lover for the evening.
“Reece” Her tone was flat, low, and somewhat embarrassed.
“What?” I was dumbfounded and shocked all at once.
“I said, Reece.” She repeated the name I had already heard her say but wished I hadn’t heard at all. There was only one Reece that both Blaze and I knew.
“I heard what you said the first time. Are we talking about the same Reece? Reece Montgomery?” I carefully asked through shallow gulps of air.
“Yes, Jade, we’re talking about Reece Montgomery, the one and only.” She started to get annoyed by my interrogation, but I didn’t care. Especially, now that she confirmed who her lover was.
“So, you fucked Damien’s father? Are you out of your mind?” I couldn’t believe this happened. Let alone now I had no choice but to face my ex’s dad, who was just through those swinging doors. Since he and his wife had divorced, I noticed Reece liked them younger, but Blaze, of all people? Being twenty-five years older than her wasn't half the problem…they hated one another.
“Wow! How things change…”
“Do you have to be so shocked and horrified? It’s not like I just announced that I slept with your father.”
I ignored her last comment and must admit, I did get it. That was the point. Reece Montgomery was a very attractive and powerful man. He was a huge food and wine industry mogul. In his early years, he worked as a chef in some of the most well-known restaurants in the country. He made his way up to owning seven of the top dining establishments around the world, as well as acquiring three vineyards—one in Napa, one in Italy, and one in France. I admired his perseverance. Yet, what I didn’t admire was that he used that same tenacity to get what he wanted in his personal life—namely women. He treated them like property—disposable property. If they were no longer valuable to him, by that I mean his definition of valuable, then they were gone without a second thought.
When it came to pursuing the opposite sex, Reece went after them with an unstoppable force and a no holds barred attitude. His looks and the way he carried himself made him very attractive to many women, and he knew that and used it to his full advantage.
Although I had to admit I was somewhat surprised Blaze would fall for his undeniable charisma. Especially since she never liked him when we were growing up. I remember as teenagers she threw him attitude anytime we were at the Montgomery home. She never gave a definitive reason for her negative persona when she was around him, but it was palpable anytime they crossed paths. Now she was sleeping with him. I guess she got over whatever was bothering her back then.
“He wants to talk to you. That’s why I called you tonight,” she announced, pulling me from my thoughts and back into this nightmare.
“Me, why me?” I sounded irritated because I was. There was absolutely nothing Reece and I needed to speak about.
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me, but you know how he gets when he wants something. I didn’t want his requests to further hinder his recovery or worse, so I called you because he demanded you come right away.” She was being honest. Reece was demanding to the point of being almost obnoxious. No, let me correct that…he was obnoxious. What bothered me was that Blaze also seemed worried about Reece’s request to see me, just as much as I was.
Although so many emotions ran through me at this point, I had to find out what he wanted. I couldn’t change what went on between Reece and Blaze, nor did I want to. They were grown people. They could do what they wanted when they wanted and with whom they wanted. They didn’t need and I’m sure they didn’t want an opinion from me, but Reece summoning me here meant there was more to all of this than meets the eye. It was time I found out what that something was.
I took Blaze by the hand and pulled her close. I gave her a strong supportive hug. Then, we broke our embrace and smiled at each other.
“Okay, let’s go see what Reece wants. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can get back to the shore to my warm bed.”
Blaze nodded and continued to have a firm grip on my hand, as we walked to Reece’s room. I think the reason she kept a hold of my hand was more for her than me.
We approached the glass doorway behind which Reece’s ER bed was located. We could hear his voice bellow before we even entered the room. Just before we arrived at the threshold, a screech from a young woman’s voice came from inside. Then a plastic cup filled with water and that same young woman crossed in front of us. Both our heads turned in the direction of the nurse and the pink, flying object.
Blaze released my hand and rushed in to see what was going on. I took the lighter approach and strolled to the opening. Smirking with arms crossed as I leaned on the door jamb, I said, “Wow, Reece, even a silly thing like a heart attack doesn’t stop your antics.”
“Jade, come closer and give your father-in-law-to-be a big hug.” He smiled widely. Almost as wide as his dramatically outstretched arms.
I paused briefly, then as I walked over to hug the man who would have been my father-in-law, if his son hadn’t decided to sleep with my other good friend, or should I say ex-friend, Courtney Reynolds.
“Reece, please give it up. Damien and I are never getting back together.” I said in a soft whine, as my shoulders collapsed in frustration.
“He’ll come to his senses. I can promise you that. I will not have my son marrying that bleached-blonde twit.” He stated with pure disdain for Courtney.
As much as I wanted to ride the wave of hatred for Courtney like Reece did, I couldn’t. I wasn’t in any way pleased with what had happened, not by a long shot, but after some time to cry, smash things on the walls, and burn the mattress they commiserated on, I realized, none of it had done me any good. They were off fucking one another and I was in the house distraught, feeling sorry for myself and binging on anything chocolate I could find.
“Listen to me, please. Your son made his feelings apparent when I walked into my house and the two of them were in the bed Damien and I shared. He and I are over, now let it be.”
“No, you listen—”
This time Blaze cut him off.
“Reece, will you for once hear what Jade is saying? She’s done, and if hearing her tell you isn’t enough, would you like for me to play the recording of her dragging the mattress out of the house and burning it?” She held up her cell phone and gave him a silly, practical, flat-lipped smile.
I mumbled to her comedically. “You saved it?”
“Of course. I thought if nothing else, we could look back at it and have a good laugh.” She smiled and gave me a quick wink.
I smiled back, yet our conversation was not amusing to our cranky patient.
“Ladies, if you're both done playing games, there’s a reason I asked Blaze to call you.” He looked at each of us to make sure we were through kidding around.
Spoilsport.
We both looked at him and waited for the unveiling of his reason why he needed me so desperately in the city at such an ungodly hour of the night. I should say morning. It was after 1am.
“I need a favor from you.”
“Which is?” I knew what was coming, but I wanted validation.
“Well, I want you to call Damien and ask him to fly out here.” He was hesitant but unabashed, so that didn’t stop him.
“Why would I want to do that?” My question sounded flatly uninterested.
“You would do that for the sole purpose that I asked you to do it and because we are family.”
Both Blaze and I outwardly moaned in disbelief at the same time, but he didn’t miss a beat. What gall that man had. He didn’t care about family, as he put it. He wanted to see his son, so he could disrupt Damien’s personal life or whatever he had planned in that self-indulgent brain of his. Then he wanted me to do it because he felt it would have more impact if it came from me.
Although, I was pretty sure Damien wouldn’t buy it. After all that happened between us, Damien knew I wouldn’t pick up and call him out of the blue in the middle of the night. Reece knew that, so he believed if I did call his son, then Damien would be concerned and come out here right away. Reece felt he could use the situation to his advantage, especially since their father and son relationship had grown tense in the past few years.
“And because if I have Blaze call him, then Damien will wonder why Blaze and I were together at such a late hour,” he stated in an aloof manner, as he straightened his nonexistent collar, stretched his chin up, and smoothed the front on his hospital gown to visually show the practicality of his motives.
“I see. So, here’s what you should do. You should pull out your cell phone and contact him yourself,” I stated unsympathetically.
“You know as well as I do he won’t come if I ask him to.” He mildly snapped.
“You’re right. He will probably screen the call, and when he finds out it’s his pushy father, he’ll shut off the phone for the evening altogether. Better yet, he’ll probably block you for good.”
“Jade, you don’t want that to happen, now do you? Damien is all I have as far as family is concerned.” He unsuccessfully played the victim.
“Don’t give me that shit. It serves you right that Damien doesn’t speak to you, except other than for business. You don’t know when to stop.”
“And I won’t stop now. Please call him, for me?” He tilted his head as he waited for my answer, but knew I would do it for the sheer reason that he would have just continued with his banter.
“Damn it, Reece. You just don’t give up.” I rolled my eyes at him.
His grin was methodical. “Conceding is for the weak.”
“It’s also for the tired that wants to go home,” I stated as I pulled out my phone.
Blaze giggled.
I called Damien against my better judgment. If it was 1:30 in the morning here on the East Coast, then it was 10:30 in the evening in Napa. I hit the call and waited for Damien to pick up. I tried to convince myself that this wasn’t wrong. It’s not like we hadn’t spoken at all in the last couple of years. He always checked in with Aunt Viv, so on several occasions, I picked up for her. When he and I made small talk, it was always uncomfortable and very, very brief.
“Jade, what is it? What’s wrong?” He sounded sincerely concerned, as he answered the call without the traditional greeting.
“Damien, your dad is in the hospital. He had a heart attack.” My approach in telling Damien about his father was possibly too quick and not heartfelt…whatever.
“Is he okay? How’d this happen? Can he speak? What hospital?” The questions flew out of his mouth one right after the other before I could answer him. The one thing I would admit is that Damien loved his dad, even if they were at odds.
“Well, the doctor stated he’ll need cardiac therapy and he shouldn't stay alone.”
“I see. How long will he be in the hospital?” He asked.
“He’s at Mt. Sinai and he is due to go to cardiac therapy next week on an outpatient basis. He’s going to need your help, though.” I fibbed slightly. Reece wanted Damien home for reasons that he had not divulged just yet, but I had a pretty good idea he was warming up his matchmaking skills again because of his earlier statements to me.
“Okay. I’ll make some arrangements and we’ll fly out on Tuesday, sooner if I can get a flight. Many are booked due to the holiday.”
“I forgot about the holiday, but I’m sure they’ll be keeping him over the next few days for observation, regardless. He’s in the ER now and they’re preparing his admittance and room,” I said, as I saw Reece, with a defiant look on his face, shake his head back and forth. Oh boy, here we go. Reece was going to be Reece…very difficult.
“Okay, keep me posted.” There was a pause and then he continued. “If that’s not too much for me to ask of you, Jade?”
“Either I’ll call you or Blaze will should something change,” I added that Blaze would call, that way I would get myself away from this situation and away from having to speak to Damien for anything more than our usual uncomfortable small talk. I wouldn’t let Reece control this situation and make me revisit a completely devastating time in my life. A time I had no intention of going back to.
“Thank you. Wait. Blaze is there with my dad?”
I couldn’t speak. Damien’s grateful tone took me back to happier times.
No, Jade! Don’t let him get to you; remember what he did. There was no going back.
“You’re welcome. Oh, Blaze came with me, so she knows what’s going on as well. One of us will be in touch after the doctor updates his report tomorrow.”
Our call ended. I placed my phone back in my bag. When I turned back to face Reece, all I saw was the look of sheer satisfaction, because everything seemed to be going Reece Montgomery’s way.
“Happy now?” I asked sarcastically.
“Delighted,” he stated with a tone of smug pleasure.
I walked over to Blaze and kissed her forehead, as I place my hand on her shoulder. “Are you staying or are you coming with me? I really have to get back. Tomorrow is the first day of the season for Summertime Sweets.”
“I thought you were renovating the new location?” Reece asked.
“I am, but I’m keeping the old shoppe open until the work is done. I can’t disappoint my regulars.”
“Oh shit! I forgot! I’m sorry.” She looked at me, then she apprehensively looked to Reece for what she should do. I found this somewhat odd. She only slept with him for the first time tonight. Or did she?
He looked at both of us and then looked down while his lips were pursed to keep him from saying something that he might regret. This told me that Blaze was staying put and this wasn’t the first time they slept together.
“How long?” I asked, and Blaze knew what I meant.
Blaze hung her head to the side and took a deep breath in, which she then exhaled in defeat.
“Six months”
“I see. So, for the past six months the two of you have been sleeping together and the only reason why I am finding out about this now is because Reece had a heart attack? Great Blaze, that’s just great,” I reprimanded.
“I didn’t say anything, because I was afraid of how you would react if I told you,” she stated.
“You mean Reece told you not to.” They both looked at me in shock. I was right. Reece then decided it was time he stepped in.
“It wasn’t like Blaze didn’t want you to know. I was the one, you’re right, that stopped her. My reason was to give it some time to see where this was going between us and should it develop into something more serious, then, of course, we both would have told you.” His voice was like velvet. The words strategically rolled off his tongue as he gave his summation of their romp between the sheets for the past six months. I assumed it was a romp and they were still working things out being six months was too soon to know where it was going.
It was true; nothing, not even a mild heart attack could stop that man from getting what he wanted. My only concern was her and her feelings. Reece could and ultimately would fend for himself. He was never worse for wear when relationships he had ended. He would never allow anything to tarnish his image.
Bastard.
“It may not be the most opportune time to mention this, but so help me God if you hurt her like you did to the others you've been with, you're gonna wish this little heart attack killed you. Do I make myself clear?” Timing can be everything and my timing to threaten him could have been better, but he didn’t seem all that sick, as evidenced by his screaming at the charge nurse when we came in and his ordering of me to talk to Damien on his behalf. For a sick man, he seemed quite capable, so I felt it was important to let him know the shit he pulled with the other women he screwed would not happen to my best friend.
Yet, he was not one bit moved by my threat.
“I admire your loyalty to Blaze, but I can assure you I have no intention of hurting her. On the contrary, once I’m healed, I would like to take our relationship to the next level,” he admitted.
Oh, boy!
Blaze turned to him with a surprised look on her face, surprised, but not excited. “What are you talking about?” Blaze asked, her tone was discreet, disapproving, and slightly jittery.
“Darling, I was saving this as a surprise, but I felt if things kept going as they have been, then perhaps we could move you into my penthouse.”
I hid my smirk. If I knew Blaze as well as I thought I did, I knew Reece’s statement had commitment written all over it. And Blaze didn’t do commitments. At this moment, I almost understood the attraction Blaze had for Reece and why it lasted this long, but I also knew it would never be enough for her. On the surface, he didn’t appear to want a commitment of any kind, just like Blaze. He was attractive, older, sophisticated, and had the funds to keep life exciting without being over the top.
For Blaze, it was a nearly perfect relationship to have with a man, but throw the word commitment in, and Blaze would go into panic mode and start preparing damage control in advance.
Tonight, however, she was remarkably calm. She probably didn’t want to stress Reece out or cause any further complications with his health. Especially because her creativity in bed was partly to blame for the state he was in at the moment.
Blaze did the only thing she could do. She used me to bail out on him for the weekend.
“Now is not the time to talk about me moving in with you. There is plenty of time to talk about that once you’ve completed cardiac rehab and Damien heads back to Napa. For now, let’s take things one day at a time, shall we?” She said to end the conversation. I had to hand it to her for that performance. Her voice didn’t fail her once during the brush off.
Reece yawned and looked at his phone. I think he knew Blaze was torn about staying or running… I mean coming with me to the shore. He made the decision easy for her because he made it for her.
“Well, ladies, I think I better get some rest. It’s after 2. Blaze, why don’t you go back to the shore with Jade. It’s much too late for her to be heading back alone. We can talk tomorrow after all of us have had a good night’s rest,” he stated diplomatically.
Blaze nodded. She didn’t let on, but I knew she was relieved.
Reece reached out to her and she complied. “We’ll talk in the morning, baby,” Reece whispered, which prompted Blaze to lean in and kiss him softly on his mouth.
Baby? I could vomit.
Breaking from their kiss, yet still holding Blaze’s hand, Reece addressed me. “Jade, I appreciate the trip you took here tonight and for calling my son at my somewhat forward request. We’ll talk more during the week,” he said as if he wasn’t quite done with me yet.
I nodded. “I can’t wait.” I turned and rolled my eyes as I said goodbye to Reece and waited outside of the room for Blaze.
Just as we were about to leave, the nurse came to us and stated that Reece’s tests confirmed a very mild heart attack, which was what the doctor had originally suspected and with cardiac rehab and at-home instructions over the next few months, he would make a complete recovery.
She also stated they would be moving him to a private room on the cardiology floor. That explained all of the screaming and dramatics on Reece’s part when I first arrived. He was so self-entitled—when he found out he had to stay, he decided to request, no, demand a private room. I agreed with his prognosis. From the look of things and his actions, Reece Montgomery would walk away from this better than ever. I wondered if Blaze would have the same outcome.
Hopefully, after a good night’s rest, things would seem brighter in the morning.