Natalie Buchanan sat stiring her coffee absent mindedly. She was a jinx, she knew that now. Years of Roxy telling her she was hadn't convinced her of that. The way her life constantly seemed to fall apart hadn't convinced her of that. Her only love, Seth, leaving her for her sister hadn't convinced her of that.
But one thing on top of the other. Viki losing her mind and nearly being committed, Ben being shoved out the window because Natalie had let him in on her suspisions, the destruction of her fragile relationship with Jessica. It was now blaringly apparent, she was a jinx.
And then there was Cristian. He'd kissed her outside the hospital in the park and she had kissed him back. It was wrong but it had felt so right to be in his arms to feel his lips against hers. The first time they'd kissed it had been about curbing her hurt over losing Seth and his anger at Jen. But in the park it was something more.
Cristian picked up the paintbrush delecatly and stroked some amber paint across the canvas. He stood back and studied his efforts. They weren't as impressive as they might have been two or three years before. Before the car accident had damaged his hand. But finally there was an effort. He was glad he'd never given up the lease on the studio because it would kill Jen if she saw his muse.
Washing off his paint covered brushes and his hands he could almost feel the fairly accurate portrait of Natalie Buchanan watching him, waiting.
Natalie sighed softly taking a deep breath to make up for the the fact that she'd barly been breathing for the past minutes absorbed so heavly in thought. She she tell him how she felt.
No, how could she when she didn't even knew how she felt.
Cristian waved to a few people he knew as he walked through Angel Square. Natalie. Natalie with her shining red hair and her sarcasm. She was so...real. That was the exact word he was looking for. But did that make Jen fake?
Jen who he loved..."Right?" he said out loud. He did love Jen. He'd taken her virginity. She trusted him. He knew that. She'd never been able to trust anyone in her life and he'd begged her to trust him. Her mother had tried to destroy their love. She'd failed. Shawna had tried to and failed.
Al Buchanan Holden or whatever Al was calling himself these days had tried to steal Jen and he'd eventualy failed to.
So that was true love, right?
Tell him, her heart cried. But she couldn't he loved Jen and they'd been through to much for her to further complicate her only friends life.
Tell her how you might feel about Natalie, Cristian thought guiltly. Just tell Jen, but he couldn't hurt her like that. And Natalie had pushed him away and said they'd never discuss that kiss again.
Those weren't the words of someone in love, right? Cristian walked ino the Pearl Art supply store. He had a sinking feeling that his returning talent would continue to return as long as Natalie was in his life.
Natalie threw out her coffee cup and left Break Bar with no particular destination just in time to run into Al Holden.
"We need to talk," said Al smirking slightly.
Natalie threw out her coffee cup and left Break Bar with no particular destination just in time to run into Al Holden.
"We need to talk," said Al smirking slightly.
"We have nothing to talk about," replied Natalie trying to walk around Al. She wouldn't let him see the pain that she knew was still evident in her eyes.
"That's where you're wrong," said Al gripping her roughly by the elbow. "You and I have loads to talk about."
"You need to let me go and back the hell off," snarled Natalie trying to pull her arm out of his brusing grip.
"You don't get to tell me what to do Natalie, not after..." That, however, was as far as Al got.
A blond business woman had been walking past the grappling pair. She'd just opened her mouth to offer assistance when Natalie yanked the steaming cup of coffee from the woman's hand and threw it directly on the crouch of Al's pants.
He began to dance around howling.
Natalie quickly turned to the stunnd woman. "Thank God you came when you did, I don't know what this guy was trying to do to me."
The blonde nodded, Should I call the police?"
Without even waitng for a response she quickly pulled the door to Break Bar open, "I'll use their phone.
"Hey Al, you should get those pants off before you get some serious burns," Natalie taunted.
"Go to hell."
"I've aready been there baby."
Natalie laughed and sauntered away leaving a still fuming Al in her wake.
Walking into the loft Cristian checkd to make sure Jen wasn't home before he quickly slid the just purchased art supplies under the bed. He couldn't say why he didn't want her to know he was beginning to be able to paint once more. He didn't want to hurt Jen, he loved her. Right?
Jessica’s bedroom door swung open to reveal her redheaded sister.
“Natalie?” asked Jessica, her tone neither cold nor warm but rather questioning. “What’s the matter?”
“You keep saying you want us to be a family, right? You want us to really be sisters?”
Jessica blinked “Well yeah, I guess..” Her voice became firmer, “I mean Yes, I did say that I want us to really be sisters. Like we should have been all along.”
“Because I need to talk to someone and I honestly can’t think of anyone who has a single reason in the world to listen to me...” Natalie’s voice became small and honest, “I’ve never asked anyone to listen to me, would you?”
Her eyes welling with tears Jessica held out her arms and without a seconds hesitation Natalie flung herself into them. Her sobs muffled by Jessica’s shoulder Natalie cried and Jessica smoothed back Natalie’s red hair and said things that had no importance yet meant everything in the world...”Shhh you’re important, we love you, even when you make it impossible mom and I love you...”
Natalie looked up and Jess looked back into her sister’s eyes and wondered how could she have not known Natalie was her twin. “I have made the biggest mess ever. I don’t know how to get out of it.”
“Well start from the beginning and I’ll help you figure it out, it’s probably not even really as bad as you think and...”
“Jessica, I love Cristian Vega, he loves Jen, I got drunk at Break Bar and then I woke up naked in Al Buchanan’s bed and now I haven’t had a period in three weeks…I think I’m pregnant.”
“Whoa yeah that is pretty complicated. Yeah you know what this sounds like the kind of thing we should talk to mom about.”
“NO!” exclaimed Natalie, “You can’t tell mom, you need to swear.”
“Natalie, I can’t keep this from mom, I have to tell her…” Jessica started to stand but Natalie grabbed her sister’s wrist.
“Swear to me, you want to be sisters that means I can trust you with anything especially this.”
Jen rolled onto her side and traced the bridge of Ryan Coldridge’s cheek. “You were amazing. Really, I can never really get over what you do to me.”
“I’d love to do it again.”
Jen sat up smirking and wrapped herself in one of Ryan’s glorious sheets. “So would I really, but I have to meet my parents and Cristian for dinner at the Palace at 6.”
“Why do you bother with that Spic?”
“Oh a racial slur, jealous?”
“Sorry Jenny Poo, but no. I mean don’t get me wrong you’ve got a great body and well…a great body but I don’t do jealous, but” he ran his hand down her bare back, “I would do you again.”
“Ohhh tempting but again no.”
“So if you love this…sorry what is he again anyway? Anyway if you love Cristian why so eager to spend quality time with me?”
“Cristian is a doll, 100 percent grade A husband material but not much in bed. Don’t get me wrong he’ll be a great daddy to my children, but it’ll be boring to conceive them that’s for sure.”
“Jen I doubt anyone suspects half of what goes on in your devious little blond head.”
“Why Ryan was that a compliment?”
“As close as you’ll ever come to one from me Jen.”
“Well then,” said Jen leaning toward Ryan, “I think that deserves a special thank you.” There lips came together and then Jen allowed him to roll her onto her back for one more round of naughty debutant and big strong athlete.
“It’s not like I don’t think he’s good enough for Jen it’s just that he is really an odd boy, moody and I can just tell he completely thinks that I’m the worse mother in the world.”
Dorian stirred her martini and sighed. “Lindsay, Carlotta Vega worked for me for years her sons were both wonderful boys and I am sure Cristian has grown into a wonderful man.”
“I hope you’re right Dorian. Anyway why did I have to meet you at such an extremely out of the way place?”
“Because darling it’s still a secret that I’m back in America and I don’t want anyone to know till I’m ready for them to know.”
“Dorian it’s wonderful to have you home.”
“Why thank you Lindsay, I thought the exact same thing myself.”
“Cristian if you don’t love Jen anymore you owe it to her to let her know.”
“Hijo I don’t want to hurt her, I loved her I really did. At least I thought I did but Natalie is like no one I’ve ever met in my entire life, I want to be with her.”
“Does she feel the same?”
“I don’t know, I kissed her…”
“Really,” Antonio grinned, “And…
“And,” Cristian smiled in spite of himself. “And it was incredible.”
“I would like to hear more about in love with my ex-boyfriend.”
“Oh Jess I’m sorry I didn’t mean to tell…”
“Natalie, Cristian and I were over years ago but what about Jen?”
“I think he loves me…he kissed me.”
Jess smiled “And it was?”
Natalie managed a weak smile, “It was like the entire world just started for me with that kiss, it was incredible.”
Jen breezed into the Palace restaurant cool as ice. She gave little waves of recognition to those she knew and promising smiles of what could be to those she didn’t know. Jen sat with her parents and beamed at Cristian. “How are you sweetheart?”
“Fine.”
“You don’t look fine, does he mom?” Jen chirped.
“No,” replied Lindsay.
“I am fine Jen really? How come you’re so late, we’ve been waiting for a while now.”
Sam nodded in agreement. “Jen you really should have called we were waiting for over an hour.”
Jen smirked, “Sorry daddy, I was a little tied up.” And that she thought with a grin was no lie.
“Cristian I really wish you’d consider doing a show in my gallery.”
“I don’t have anything to show right now Mrs. Rappaport. I haven’t painted in over 3 years.”
“Oh that’s right, you stole a car? Did you break your hand in jail?”
“Mother,” snapped Jen but in an almost amused sort of way. Wussy Cristian stealing a car, where was that little hoodlum now? God he was so boring. Not like Ryan or Matt or Jefferson or R.J Gannon…well not R.J, at least not yet, he was still on her wish list. Her Uncle Colin had been her best lover; he’d had no problems doing anything anywhere. Or rather doing her anywhere. But finally she was ready to slow down and Cristian was the door mat she’d always dreamed of.
“Are you going to tell Al about the baby?”
“No way Jess, I don’t even know if there is going to be a baby.”
“Natalie, take it from me I lost a baby, it’s like having your heart ripped out. It never feels right again, don’t do something you’ll never be able to take back.”
“But you wanted that baby, I don’t want this one.”
“I never said I originally wanted Megan, honestly she was the worst thing to happen to me but in the end she was also the best.”
“Jess I’m scared.”
“Natalie Buchanan don’t you dare lie to me, you’re not scared.”
“But I am.”
“Natalie, you’re a Buchanan, we don’t get scared, we get what we want.”
Cristian closed his eyes as he slid his hands down Jen’s back gently, reverently stroking up and down her soft tan silken skin. His hands ran higher to run through her cascading red hair… red?
Cristian opened his eyes as Natalie tipped back her head arching her back like a cat as he continued to stroke her hair. His hands slid further forward to tip her head back as her lowered his lips to hers. He could feel her lips curving into a smile against his and then she spoke almost purring…
“What took you so long to find me?”
“So long?” asked Cristian lost in her green eyes and flame hair.
“All my life seemed like a long time,” she said teasing.
“I’ll never leave you now,” said Cristian.
“You’ll have to, you’re with Jen.”
“My heart wants to be with you.”
“I want to be with you too.”
“Can I kiss you again?” asked Cristian softly.
Natalie smiled “It’s your dream you can do anything you want.”
“Is this really just a dream?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be,” replied Natalie leaning forward to reclaim his lips.
“Natalie,” murmured Cristian rolling away from Jen.
Jen stared wide-eyed at the ceiling; it was one thing for her to have a lover. After all it wasn’t her who was so incompetent in bed. That was Cristian. She smiled cruelly; he’d actually thought she was a virgin the first time she went to bed with him because she faked some tears and a moan or two.
But for Cristian to have the nerve to actually claim to be in love with that piece of red headed trash. Just because some Buchanan blood was suddenly flowing in her veins she thought she was actually as good as a Rappaport. Well, thought Jen running her hand down Cristian’s back we’ll see who’s just as good as who.
“Cristian,” she whispered making her voice as husky as possible.
“Hmm Nat?” he muttered.
“Who else?” whispered Jen as he rolled toward her and began to stroke her in ways she could not have imagined he’d even known about let alone would do.
“Blow,” said Jessie, handing her sister a tissue.
Natalie obediently blew her nose like a small child.
“We need to talk to someone who’s an expert in double dealing”
“…and getting what you want,” added Natalie
“… and probably underhanded tricks,” added Jessica.
Natalie and Jessica fell silent for a moment. Then in unison they both uttered the name of the only person who was well versed in all those arts.
“Uncle Todd.”
Al Buchanan threw another rock in the quarry. Natalie Balsom or Buchanan or whatever. Sure he didn’t like her, he couldn’t stand her. But his guilty mind ended that thought with didn’t like but didn’t want to hurt her. He hadn’t taken advantage of her; at least he hadn’t thought he’d taken advantage of her. She seemed really willing when they left the Break Bar that night three weeks before. He’d invited her to go for a spin in the Spyder that Asa Buchanan had bought him….
Who would have thought that Asa and his mom would give up whatever scheme they’d been cooking up to fall in love with one another instead. She’d been pretending that there hadn’t been a scheme, that they’d been in love all along but he knew that wasn’t true.
Back to Natalie though… She hated him, his burned thighs from her flinging coffee on him at Coffee Nervosa proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Did he care? Probably not, although she’d been incredible in bed; a little uncoordinated because she’d been drunk, but still she had been wild. He grinned it was really true what they said about redheads.
But then a sobering thought struck him, what if Natalie told other people, what if she told Jessica…Jessica was still friends with Cristian and he might tell…
“Jen!”
“Jen.” Cristian’s eyes popped wide open.
Jen lay back languidly. “Oh Cristian,” she purred contentedly.
“I…um… I’m sorry if I was too rough Jen, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
Jen hid her roaring thoughts which threatened to reach a boil. “Oh Cristian,” Jen reduced her voice to a near reedy whine, “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”
She let a few tears roll down her face as she turned away from him, knowing just knowing he’d…
He gathered Jen closer to him and rocked her gently with his body while his mind tried to wring drops of pure pleasure from his dreamed encounter with Natalie.
Against his chest Jen hid her triumphant grin, it was so terribly easy to make noble people do exactly what you wanted.
Al Buchanan rang the doorbell at Llanfair again. Hearing footsteps crossing the foyer floor Al straightened his back bone and tried to look nonchalant. Natalie’s little BMW roadster wasn’t in the drive way so the only people who could be at home were either Jessica or…
“Mrs. Davidson.”
“Al? Al Holden come in, come in. How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. And you, how are you doing Mrs. Davidson?”
“Al, please call me Viki, goodness knows I’ve known you your entire life.”
“I couldn’t…”
“Don’t be silly.”
Al grinned but for a completely different reason than the one Mrs. Davidson believed, this was going to be too easy.
“I have a problem”
“Were you looking for Jessica?”
“Actually I was hoping to speak to you.”
“Oh yes?”
“You see I really like Natalie, but I think I completely messed it up.”
“I didn’t think you and Natalie got on too well.”
“We didn’t,” damn she was slick, “but it was getting much better between us. We actually went on a date a few weeks ago, but we both drank a little too much and we both said some things we really didn’t mean…” Al grinned and turned on his ultra mega watt smile, “actually I think Natalie meant a lot of what she said, but I’d like to try to change her mind about me.”
Viki returned his smile. What a charmer, not unlike his father when he was about the same age. “Won’t you come into the library?”
“Viki, I’d like that.”
“So let me get this straight, you’re knocked up by Maxhole Jr?”
Natalie turned bright read and looked down. “Can we go Jess; please I knew it was a mistake to come here anyway.”
“Cool your jets Natty, no one said I wasn’t going to help you,” said Todd leaning back in his tan leather chair.
Natalie’s head jerked up. “DON”T CALL ME NATTY, EVER.”
“Well good for you Natty you’re finally showing a little of the Viki nerve I assume you must have.”
“Are you deaf or just dense?” replied Natalie coldly, “I said don’t call me Natty.”
Uncle and Niece stared each other down across the expanse of his wide desk. “The last person who spoke to me like that is a corpse,” said Todd in a voice just as cold as Natalie’s.
Natalie raised an auburn eyebrow, “Well that would make for a very awkward Christmas this year wouldn’t it Uncle Todd?”
Todd’s lips reluctantly formed a smile of respect, grudging but apparent. “Maybe you’re not a lost cause after all Nat.”
Natalie’s face wobbled for an instant but she desperately kept it all together. “Thank you Todd.”
“No good Natalie.”
“What?” she asked confused.
“It’s either Uncle Todd or nothing.”
“Really?”
“NO,” Todd teased, “Changed my mind call me my lord.”
Jessica laughed, “Don’t do it Natalie, his head is swelled enough as it is.”
“Oh you’re one to talk Buchanan.”
“Watch it Uncle Todd, it’s two on one now.”
“There’s still hope for Natalie maybe she’ll take after the Lords.”
“Will you help me?”
Todd smiled, “Are you my sister’s kid?”
“Yeah.”
“Then that’s the only answer you ever need to the question will Uncle Todd help me.”
Natalie met his tawny amber eyes with her own wide jade eyes. Todd unconsciously drew in a breath; her eyes were sensational; just like Blair’s.
“Thank you Uncle Todd.”
“You’re welcome. Now lay this out for me really slowly, what do you want to do and what can I do to make Sam Rappaport real unhappy?”
“I don’t want to hurt Mr. Rappaport or Jen.”
“Very admirable of you.”
“I just want to be with Cristian.”
“Are you going to keep your bun?”
“Uncle Todd!” exclaimed Jessica loudly.
“No Jess it’s all right, I came here for his help so I have to put up with his rudeness right Uncle Todd,” Natalie commented sarcastically. “It’s a trade off I need his help so he gets to treat me how ever he wants.”
Todd cleared his throat. “You don’t just pretend to be tough huh?”
“Try growing up with Roxy Balsom and see how weak you allow yourself to be.”
Todd smiled gently, “Natalie I’m going to tell you this now so that I don’t have to repeat it later, I’m not a warm and friendly person, but I’m loyal and I suspect so are you.”
“Then can you not make fun of me?”
“Natalie, if I didn’t like you, which I unfortunately suspect I might, I wouldn’t bother to tease you I’d be short and polite, wait and see how I treat Kevey.”
“You don’t tease him?” asked Natalie.
Jessica smiled after the pain Kevin had cause Joey and Cassie and her mother she no longer minded Todd’s holiday jabs at Kevin.. “It’s not so much that he doesn’t tease…”
Todd grinned at Jessica, “It’s that I’m serious.”
Take on me