First Love Last Love Read online

  The remotenessleft Beth’s face when she turned to the stunned young man. “It was a long time ago. Actually, I’m surprised Mr. Forrest remembers me.” She gestured toward the other chairs, placed in a semicircle in front of Will’s desk. “Won’t you gentlemen sit down?”

  It took every ounce of control that Jake possessed, but somehow he managed to pull himself together. Carefully schooling his features, he took the chair closest to Beth, placed his briefcase on his lap, and snapped it open. As he shuffled through it, his shock began to recede, and his anger grew. She’s Daniel Prescott’s widow! No wonder she’s so damned cool. She knew I was coming.

  The outer door opened and Greg Rydell, the head of Prescott’s legal department walked in. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, hurrying across to take the chair on the other side of Hal’s.

  As Will made the introductions Beth watched Jake sizing up the new arrival in that intense, unnerving, steely-eyed way of his, his eyes narrowing on the other man’s thin, handsome face, his hazel eyes, his expertly styled reddish-brown hair, the conservative elegance of his navy suit.

  “Would you gentlemen care for some coffee before we get started?” Beth asked politely.

  “Sure thing,” Hal replied, as both Will and Greg declined the offer.

  Jake looked up and met her eyes, and his mouth tightened. How he hated that remote look, that cool politeness in her voice. Dammit! We were lovers, not casual acquaintances! But then, maybe that’s what she wants her brother-in-law to think. Maybe she’s even convinced herself of that. “I don’t care for any coffee, thank you,” he snapped, returning his gaze to the papers in his briefcase. It’s probably how she quiets her conscience.

  “Well, Mr. Forrest,” Will began as Beth rose and walked to the credenza, which held the coffee service. “As Mr. Thorpe has probably told you, Beth and I are pleased with your company’s proposal on the whole. There are, however, a few items we’re concerned about, and others we feel need to be more fully explained.”

  “I understand,” Jake assured him. “And certainly we are open to negotiation. Within reason, of course.” He withdrew the merger proposal and sat his briefcase on the floor beside his chair. “I suggest we start with those items you feel need clarification.”

  “Fine. First of all there was one point concerning the employees. Let’s see, I believe it was on page . . . “

  As Will began to flip through the papers on his desk, Jake studied Beth. The tailored navy blue dress she wore was very businesslike, but in no way detracted from the feminine curves it covered. His eyes ran over her full breasts, her narrow waist, then dropped lower, noting the way the fitted skirt revealed the slender curve of her hips, the firmness of her rounded derrière.

  Fury welled up inside him. She had no right to look like that! For years he’d been telling himself that by now she was probably dowdy and overweight, that if he ever saw her again he’d probably laugh at himself for ever wanting her, ever loving her. But the yeaers had not taken the toll he had expected. Beth was as beautiful at thirty as she had been at twenty. In some ways even more so.

  “Ah, here it is,” Will announced. “Page nine, paragraph three.” He scanned the paper through his bifocals, then looked at Jake over the top of his glasses. “It was our undrestanding that Brewster’s would retain all the current Prescott employees, but according to this, that agreement is only binding for one year.”

  “Mr. Prescott, our main reason for wanting to acquire your company is because of your heavy involvement in veterinary medicine. As you know, it’s a field that Brewster’s has yet to crack. There is little redundancy involved, therefore your valued employees, those who are competent and reliable, are n no danger of losing their jobs.” Jake smiled reassuringly but his eyes were steel hard. “But Brewster’s doesn’t carry dead wood. A year should give us plenty of time to evaluate everyone and weed out those whose performance is below par.” His expression said plainly that he wasn’t going to budge an inch.

  Will looked as though he were about to argue, then thought better of it, weary resignation stamping his features. “I see. Well, I suppose that’s fair,” he muttered gruffly, and began to search through the papers once again.

  Beth placed Hal’s coffee on the small table that sat between his chair and Jake’s. From the corner of his eye Jake watched her bend over, watched her hair tumble forward over her shoulder like ripplin silk. Its sweet fragrance drifted to him. Mingled with it was the scent of her perfume, and the exquisite woman smell that he remembered with painful, sharp clarity.

  Heat seared through Jake, and he stiffened, cursing inwardly the desire she could so easily arouse. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to feel anything where Beth was concerned. She placed a small sugar bowl and creamer beside the cup and Jake lifted his gaze to her face, his resentment deepening as he studied its classic beauty.

  Eyes downcast, her incredibly long lashes cast shadows on her high cheekbones and shielded her light blue eyes from view. Her skin was pale but still creamy and flawless, her nose delicately sculpted. Jakes eyes dropped to her lips. They were soft, full, tempting. He remembered how sweet they used to feel against his, quivering and warm, and his jaw clenched.

  Suddenly Beth turned her head and their eyes collided and locked. She looked at him steadily for a moment, her impassive blue gaze revealing nothing. Then averting her head, she adjusted the items on the table and murmured something to Hal.

  Jake seethed at her calmness.

  Striving for control, Beth straightened and swallowed hard. Anger and a disturbing awareness surged through her. Her senses were overwhelmed with Jake. She could see the tiny dark circles of rain on his suit, see the droplets of moisture clinging to his dark hair. The smell of damp wool and lemony cologne and healthy male invaded her nostrils with every breath she took. Helplessly her eyes dropped to the crescent-shaped scar on his left cheek, and her hands clenched. Even now, she could feel that ridge of white flesh against her fingertips.

  Shaken, Beth returned to her seat. Staring straight ahead, she gripped the arms of the chair and breathed deeply. Every nerve in her body was quivering. She hadn’t expected him to be pleased to see her, but neither had she expected him to be angry. But he was. She had seen it in her eyes. A chilling, icy fury.

  But why? What right does he have to be angry?

  She cocked her head and pretended to listen as the four men debated a point, but she hadn’t the slightest idea what they were saying. From behind the veil of her lashes she covertly studied Jake. She had forgotten how disturbingly masculine he was. In college there had been a mysterious brooding quality about Jake, a stony reserve, an aura of past pain and struggles overcome that had made him appear both mature and touchingly vulnerable. It had drawn her like a magnet.

  But now the vulnerability was gone. In its place was only hardness, a tough, urbane invincibility. Beth’s eyes skimmed down over his expensive tailored suit to the polished toes of his hand-sewn shoes. Jake’s attire was a far cry from the jeans and sweat shirts he’d worn on campus, she mused thoughtfully. It was obvious that he had achieved the success he had wanted so badly.

  But success had not softened him. His body was still lean and hard and tough. His face had a few more lines and creases and was more weathered, but it was still ruggedly appealing, all sharp angles and planes, unyieldingly masculine, with a strong, stubborn jaw, lean cheeks, a bold nose and deep-set, piercing gray eyes that coud look right through you. Against her will, a smile pulled at her mouth as she noted the errant lock of hair that, even now, defied discipline and fell across his broad forehead.

  Yes, Jake Forrest had changed, but there were still many things about him that were the same. Distubingly the same.

  Will directed a comment her way and Beth started. With an effort she pulled her mind away from the past and her contemplation of Jake and forced herself to concentrate on what the other were saying. The sooner this merger business was settled, she reminded herself grimly, the sooner she would be rid
of Jake.

  During the next couple of hours they slogged through the points at issue, one by one. Through it all, Beth was painfully aware of Jake, sitting just a few inches away. Each time he spoke the deep rumble of his voice jolted through her like a mild electric shock, and she tensed at his slightest move. She longed passionately for the meeting to end, and caught herself glancing at her watch several times as she made notes. The hours seemed to drag by, but finally they had covered everything and jake returned his notes and the merger papers to his briefcase.

  “If you don’t mind, Will, I’d like for Hal to take another look at the books. Afterward he can go over those inventory figures with you, “ Jake said decisively, rising to his feet and flexing his shoulders. “And while you’re doing that, I’ll have a look at the facilities.” His gaze shifted to Beth, his gray eyes hard and challenging, and a feeling of alarm feathered down her spine. “You don’t mind conducting the grand tour, do you, Beth?”

  Chapter Two

  Beth’s first reaction was to refuse. It made more sense for Will to show him around while she went over the books with Hal. And Jake knew it. But the look in his eyes quieted her protest. It was obvious that he thought she would refuse, and equally obvious that he had no intention of letting her.

  All right. If he’s so determined to prolong the agony, let him, she thought grimly. By not so much as a look or a twitch would she allow him see how much he had hurt her. With cool dignity, Beth rose and headed for the door. “Very well, Jake. We’ll start our tour with the lab and the plant, then we’ll return here and I’ll show you around the offices.”

  The strained silence between them remained unbroken as she led the way down the hall. Her stride was brisk, her expression closed. When they stepped inside the empty elevator beth gazed determinedly at the lighted panel above the doors, impatiently counting off the floors as the cubicle descended.

  Jake folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall, watching her. “So . . . how have you been?” he asked quietly.

  The deep rumble of his voice, cutting across the thick silence, caused Beth to start, and she flashed him a quick look. She had suspected sarcasm, but his face was expressionless. Giving a tiny shru, she murmured, “Fine,” and returned her attention to the floor indicator. Both her tone and the brevity of her reply were intentionally dampening.

  When the elevator doors opened onto the lobby Beth quicly led the way down a corridor and out the back entrance, to the covered walkway that connected the main building with the rest of the complex. The rain had slackened to a fine mist, a gauzy veil of moisture that floated slowly downward, blurring the landscape to a dull ray. Only the sound of grit underfoot and the steady drip-drip of water from the roof broke the taut silence.

  “Have you been living in Houston since you left college?” Jake asked as they neared the first of the sprawling buildings.

  “Yes. We have another plant on the west coast, but Daniel preferred to live in Houston.”

  From the corner of her eye Beth saw his mouth thin at the mention of her husband, and she frowned, puzzled. He was angry. She could feel it radiating from him in white-hot waves. But why? What right did he have to be angry? She hadn’t been the unfaithful one. His attitude made her resentment soar even higher, and glancing up, she gave him a coolly inquiring look. “So, how’s Arlene?” she asked, deliberately reminding him of his perfidy.

  “I wouldn’t know,” Jake replied in a clipped voice. “We were divorced eiht years ago.”

  The unexpected reply sent a strange mixture of emotions rippling through Beth. She didn’t know if she were glad or appalled to learn that Jake was single. Though she had stopped loving him years ago she had always hated the thought of his being married to Arlene.

  All of her life, Arlene Fisher had been a thorn in her side. They had grown up together in the small town of Navasota, and from grade school on, the other girl had despised her. And envied her. Beth had never understood why. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, Arlene was beautiful. She came from a well-to-do family and had never lacked for attention or material possessions. Yet anything Beth had, Arlene had wanted-toys, clothes, grades, friends, it hadn’t mattered. And later it had been men. During high school and college, whenever any male had shown an interest in Beth, Arlene had made a dead set for him. When Jake dropped her she had been stunned and deeply hurt, but somehow she hadn’t been surprised to learn that it had been Arlene who had lured him away.

  Though she experienced a pang of guilt, Beth could not help but feel a certain amount of vengeful satisfaction that the marriage had not been a success.

  “I see. I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” she murmured insincerely as they arrived at the first of the enormous buildings.

  “Don’t be. It was a disaster.”

  Drawn by the strange note in his voice, Beth looked up as Jake reached around her to open the door, but his face wore that hard, implacable look she remembered so well, and she knew the subject was closed. Forget it, she told herself silently. What do you care. It’s none of your business anyway.

  Ruthlessly subduing the disturbing memories, Beth started her spiel the minute they stepped inside the pristine-white corridor. “As you will see, our lab building is actually divided into several separate and distinct scientific labs. We have on staff a biochemist, an organic chemist, a parasitologist and a pathologist, just to name a few, and each heads his own laboratory. All of this portion of our operation, plus the actual manufacturing, is Will’s responsibility.”

  They made a quick stop in all of the labs, then went on to the next building. She showed him the compression room where powders were formed into tablets, the machines that filled capsules, and the huge glass-lined tanks of liquid medicines from which they filled bottles ans aerosol cans.

  They stopped briefly to watch giant conveyor belts carry thousands of bottles through various stages. First they were sterilized, then sorted according to size and usage, then went in several different directions to be filled, labeled, and sealed, all without being touched by a human hand.

  Determinedly, Beth walked Jake through every phase of the manufacturing process, rattling off facts and figures as they went, and carefully keeping the talk on a strictly business level. Because he was familiar with the pharmaceutical business, they didn’t linger long in any one place, and, after only a few hours, wound up the plant tour by visiting a couple of the vast storage rooms, where both temperature and humidity were rigidly controlled.

  From there they returned to the main building, and Beth took him through all the various departmets, from legal to marketing, finally ending up back at the executive offices on the tenth floor.

  “As Mr. Thorpe has probably told you,” Beth announced briskly as they stepped off the elevator, “our sales force currently covers a twenty-eight state area, and so, while we are strong, the growth potential is definitely there.”

  Looking at her through narrowed eyes, Jake noted her remote expression, the rigid set of her shoulders, and his jaw clenched. All afternoon he had sensed the seething hostility behind her cool clipped tone, and it baffled and angered him. What was going on? He was the one who had been dumped on, not her. Where did she get off, putting on that martyred air?

  After introducing Jake to two of the vice-presidents, Beth ushered him into a large room furnished with a long, polished cherry-wood table surrounded by more than a dozen plushly cushioned chairs. “And this is our conference room,” she announced in the same coolly distant voice.

  Hands in his pockets, Jake turned slowly and inspected the room. “Very nice,” he commented. Then, slanting her an insinuating look, he added softly, “The whole set up is. But then, it’s no more tha I expected. We both know you’ve always had an eye out for the main chance, don’t we.”

  For the first time in hours, Beth’s facade of indifference slipped, and she blinked, confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Goaded beyond endurance, Jake ignored her question and asked snidely,
“Tell me, Beth, whatever happened to Ty Graham?”

  Beth stared at him blankly, puzzled by both the question and his tone. It took her several seconds to figure out who he was talking about. “Ty Graham? You mean the Ty Graham who went to the University of Houston with us?” She shook her head. “I haven’t the vaguest idea.”

  Jake tipped his head back and laughed pityingly, a cold, ugly sound that made the fine hairs on Beth’s arms stand on end. “Poor Ty. So he didn’t make the grade either. Obviously he didn’t know, any more than I, just how importatnt money was to you.”

  Beth gasped, her eyes going wide. “What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?” she demanded in a voice edged with anger.

  “All this.” Jake made a sweeping gesture with his hand, indicating the plush offices and the sprawling complex of buildings visible through the window. “When you latched on to Prescott you really hit the jackpot, didn’t you Beth? Money. Position. All the finer things in life.” He shook his head, his mouth twisting with disgust. “My God! You must have really wanted them badly, to marry a man old enough to be your father. But it all worked out very nicely for you, didn’t it,” he taunted nastily, ignoring her shocked expression. “Daniel Prescott had the good grace to kick the bucket and leave everything to you while you’re still young and beautiful. It would seem that crawling into an old man’s bed does have its compensations.”

  The crack of Beth’s open palm striking Jake’s face sounded like a rifle shot, the force of the blow sending his head snapping back.

  It took him only a second to recover. His muttered curse seared the air, and an angry flame leaped in his silvery gray eyes as he made a menacing move toward her.