Chapter 19
Logan and Skylar
On Monday afternoon, Skylar sat behind his desk, going over several documents that needed his attention.
With the Napa Valley deal finalized, he could turn his full concentration to his other projects.
He leaned back in his chair, wishing it could be that easy to deal with Haven. He couldn’t get her off his mind.
After walking her to her room last night, he had stayed a while.
With her nestled tenderly on his lap, they had talked at length--about her college days at Yale, and his at Harvard, about the charities she supported, and he’d told her about his.
What he had enjoyed more than anything were the kisses they had shared in between.
More than once, Haven had accused him of deliberately making her lose focus. He smiled. She had been right.
He loved kissing his golden girl, holding her in his arms while she sat in his lap.
Never had he given so much attention to a woman.
But then, he knew she wasn’t just any woman.
She was the one destined to have his heart.
By the time he had left her hotel room, he was certain he had put to rest any concerns she might have had regarding his intentions.
People were always trying to fit him into a mold.
But like his father before him, Skylar was his own man.
And he would be the only one to decide what kind of woman he wanted in his life.
He barely got any sleep since he’d had to leave the Ursala Hotel at five that morning to make a nine o’clock meeting here in San Francisco. Still, spending all that time with Haven had been worth it. He missed her already.
Sighing deeply, he leaned in to resume working and had just picked up another proposal when the phone on his desk rang. He picked it up. “Yes, Patricia?”
“There is a Logan Montgomery on the phone. He wishes to speak with you.”
The name didn’t immediately ring a bell. “From what company?”
“He says it’s a personal call.”
A personal call? Skylar frowned. He didn’t know a Logan Montgomery and was about to tell Patricia that he wasn’t interested in taking the call, when suddenly his hand, shuffling various papers, went still. “You said Montgomery?”
“Yes. Logan Montgomery.”
He then remembered a report Dante had given him a couple of years ago.
He’d never finished reading the whole file, but he’d read enough to recognize the names of Edwina Montgomery’s other children, ones who had been born before him.
Siblings he had figured that he would never get to know.
He was pretty sure one was named Logan. But why would anyone in the Montgomery family be reaching out to him after all this time? Had Edwina put him up to it?
Silas had warned him that the woman who’d birthed him was hard, cruel, and totally without a conscience.
And that even with Mario’s bone-chilling threat of what would happen if she ever contacted the Kingstons again, there was a chance that when she heard Silas had died, she might feel bold enough to try.
Was that what this was about? Skylar’s curiosity was piqued. “Please put the call through.”
He leaned back in his chair, and when the call connected, he said, in his most business-like tone, “This is Skylar Kingston. What can I do for you, Mr. Montgomery?”
There was a pause, and then a male voice came through. “Mr. Kingston, I’d like to set up a meeting with you regarding a personal matter.”
“What personal matter?” Skylar asked.
“A letter addressed to your father.”
“My father passed away a couple of years ago, Mr. Montgomery.”
“I’m aware of that. And I’m sorry. However, I feel I should deliver it to you anyway, since you are Silas Kingston’s son.”
“And who is this letter from?” Skylar asked.
“Edwina Montgomery.”
Skylar frowned. “I’m not sure I want to receive that letter.”
“Welcome to the club.”
It wasn’t so much what Logan Montgomery had said, but rather the way he had said it, that piqued Skylar’s curiosity even more.
Why did he suddenly feel something, some sort of affinity with someone he had never met?
Regardless of the fact that they shared some of the same blood, he never expected their paths to cross.
Why was it happening now, when so many good things were happening in his life?
Not only was business going extremely well, but more importantly, he’d met someone who was fast becoming the love of his life.
Making a choice that could possibly change his life forever, he opted to go with the gut instinct Silas had taught him to use whenever he was faced with a difficult decision. “When would you like to meet so you can deliver this letter?” he asked.
“Will Wednesday work for you?”
Skylar didn’t bother checking his calendar. Regardless of what was on it, he would make it work. “Wednesday is fine. What about around one? At my office.”
“Great. I will see you then. Thank you.”
Because Logan Montgomery likely now knew that he was aware of their relationship, he added, “And I look forward to meeting you, Logan.”
There was a pause, and then Logan said, “I look forward to meeting you as well, Skylar.”
After the call ended, Skylar picked up his cell phone and speed-dialed Dante’s special number. Dante seemed to pick up before the first ring had ended. “What’s wrong, Sky?” he asked in a circumspect tone. This particular number was only used when something serious was at hand.
“I think I know why someone was trying to breach those databases on Dad.” Then he proceeded to tell Dante about the phone call he had just received.
“If he contacts you again, don’t accept the call. I will conduct my own investigation to determine why he is reaching out to you. In the meantime, I will see you on Wednesday.”
Skylar wasn’t surprised that Dante was inviting himself to the meeting. There would never be a time when Dante Avera would not have his back. “Thanks, Dante. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
Logan leaned back in his chair and typed a message in the group text that he, his brothers, and Connor had set up.
Spoke to Skylar. Started off formal. When I mentioned Edwina’s name, I could tell he became cautious, which means he knows about her. Not sure just how much. He agreed to meet with me on Wednesday at his office. Flying to San Francisco tomorrow as planned. Will keep everyone posted.
A couple of minutes later, he received acknowledgments from everyone. He chuckled. Of course, Lance wouldn’t be Lance unless he had something smart to say.
Too much text to read. Next time, just call.