Hot Stuff

'That's a fantastic idea!' Mara's voice rose in excitement.

'Hey. Don't get carried away.'

'Both of you listen. We should hire one of those airplanes with a banner to advertise the lodge! I'll put it on my list of things to do.'

He nodded. 'Sounds like a plan. Since you two are busy, I'm gonna let you go.'

'Promise to think about one thing for me. If you're talking with your mother, you've made strides you don't even realize. And remember, you're just as special as Annabelle is,' Mara said.

An awkward silence followed.

'So don't let her get away,' Mara said before. Vaughn heard the click ending their connection.

And leaving him alone.

So alone, he climbed into his truck and took a ride to the football field where it had all started. His career. His life. It was the place he'd first found something he excelled at and where he felt worthwhile.

During and after a game, the cheers of the crowd had always sustained him, but never enough to compensate for the fact that his parents weren't in the stands. He thought he'd come to terms with that. Just as he thought he'd come to terms with misjudging Laura and how she'd belittled his abilities. But had he come to terms or was he still running away?

He couldn't believe the way he'd come full circle. He'd made peace with everyone from Yank to Laura, and had even made strides with his parents. He'd suffered through an awkward family dinner, one where everyone had discussed what was going on in their lives and actually acted interested in each other's answers. Both his mother and father had proclaimed to accept the lodge as Vaughn's dream for the future.

A dream, he realized, that wouldn't mean a damn thing to him if he had to live it alone. Without Annabelle.

Yet to bring her into his life, he had to know he believed in himself. That he had come to terms with everything. Which meant an end to the running. Running from both the boy he'd been and the man he'd become.

He parked his truck and walked to the field which was as empty as his house felt with Annabelle and her pets gone. As he stared over the vast landscape, he couldn't help but take Mara's words to heart.

Was he just as special as Annabelle? Worthy of her love and spirit and generosity? He didn't know if he'd ever completely believe in himself that way but, dammit, she did and for Annabelle, for them, he had to try.

ANNABELLE WALKED into her uncle's office. He greeted her with a loud catcall, followed by a frown. 'Go home and change. No niece of mine is going out of the house dressed like a damn floozy.'

Annabelle grinned and twirled around. 'What's wrong with Oscar de la Renta?' she asked of her pale pink, strapless cocktail-length dress. 'Sarah Jessica Parker wore this dress. I saw the picture in Vogue magazine.'

He snorted. 'I don't care if Sarah Bernhardt wore the damn thing. You'll have the young buck drooling. The twins are fallin' out, for God's sake,' he muttered, speaking of her breasts.

If she hadn't grown up with his frank talk, she'd blush now. 'I have a very supportive bra. It's fine. Can we change the subject, please? So tell me, have you spoken to Lola?' she asked him.

'Have you spoken to Vaughn?' Uncle Yank shot J back.

'Nice comeback,' she said through clenched teeth. 'I came by to look through the list of people who'll be at the event tonight. I like to know who I can hit up for client coverage.'

Tonight was a party hosted by Oakleys and covered by Entertainment TV. She'd gotten a ticket to the A-list event for a new client she'd recently taken on-a young baseball player who'd been brought up from the Minors and who would benefit from meeting key sponsors. He'd asked her to join him.

At first she'd declined. She was through with men and though she'd sung this tune once before, she meant it even more now. Because now she understood the difference between ego bruising and devastating heartache.

Thank you, Brandon Vaughn.

But she wasn't an antisocial person and she wouldn't be happy sulking in her apartment every night. So here she was, covering her hurt by attending a charity event with a client. The man wanted arm candy and arm candy was what she did best. In the meantime, she'd make and renew contacts to help all clients of The Hot Zone.

A win-win situation if only she weren't so unhappy inside.

'What are you doing here so late?' she asked her uncle.

He glanced down. 'I got nothing better to do.'

Annabelle knelt beside his chair. 'Call her. All Lola wants is you. That's a simple, easy thing to give if you feel the same way in return.'

He patted her head like he used to do when she was a little girl. 'When'd you get to be so smart?'

'Same time you got to be so stubborn. Just think about it, okay? Lola doesn't want perfection. She just wants you.' Hearing her words, Annabelle laughed and jumped back before Uncle Yank could react to that comment.

'I love you, Annie,' he said gruffly.

'I love you, too.'

His smile faltered as he said, 'If Vaughn hurt you I'm going to go after him with my Mickey Mantle Louisville Slugger.'

Annabelle shivered. Vaughn had swallowed too much of his pride and made too much progress with her uncle to lose ground because of her.

She shook her head. 'Vaughn's fine. The job ended and I came home. That's that.'

'Bull. I know something was going on between the two of you.'

Not for the first time, Uncle Yank actually made her blush. 'Well I was the one that ended it, not him,' she lied. 'If anyone's hurt, it's Vaughn not me.'

Uncle Yank nodded slowly and Annabelle hoped he accepted her answer.

He might never know it, but Annabelle considered that fib her farewell gift to Brandon Vaughn.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

VAUGHN SHOWERED, changed and drove into Manhattan, arriving late at night. He'd long since finished with the city scene but just knowing Annabelle was. here gave him a jolt of anticipation and excitement. For the first time in his life, he allowed himself to admit that he needed someone and he was damn well going after her. But he had one obstacle to overcome first.

He stopped at Yank's New York apartment, then the old guy's favorite sports bar and even Lola's place, with no luck. Finally he pulled into The Hot Zone's building, and seeing Yank's vehicle in his VIP spot, Vaughn headed up the elevators. He didn't know why the older man would be here so late at night but he figured that, like Vaughn, Yank was running from his fears.

The elevator doors opened and Vaughn stepped inside. The reception area was fit with its fluorescent rights but devoid of people. The other offices were dark except for Yank's, squelching the hope he might find Annabelle here as well. Vaughn supposed it was for the best though. He had business to take care off here first.

He rapped on the door to make Yank, who was dozing with his feet propped up on his desk, aware of his presence.

Yank snapped to attention. 'I've never seen those panties before,' he said as he dropped his legs to the floor and sat up straight in the chair.

'Sounds to me like you got caught cheating once or twice in your life,' Vaughn said laughing.

'Oh, hell. I was dreaming.' The other man ran his-hand over his scruffy beard. 'Every man's worst; nightmare, you know? It's come more often lately,” he muttered.

'It's guilt,' Vaughn said with certainty, 'You let the woman of your life walk out and you can't live with it.'

Yank waved for him to come in and have a seat. 'I'm gonna assume that's yourself you're talking about, my boy.'

Vaughn let Yank appraise him with those all knowing eyes. 'You'd be right,' he dmitted.

'I knew Annie was lying through her pearly' whites.'

'What'd she say?' Vaughn asked as he leaned forward in his seat.

'That you didn't hurt her, she hurt you when she dumped your ass back in Greenlawn. But I knew better. I