Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
M urder Mystery Monday. Last night, and the night before, when Jade had been working to prepare a trail of mystery and intrigue around the wharf and along the waterfront, helped by Jeremy, Mary and a flirtatious Adam, she’d been convinced it was a great idea.
So far today, she’d had two more sales than the same time yesterday. Not exactly what she’d had in mind when she’d bragged she was going to use the next two weeks to show Liam what an asset the store was to his resort. He’d probably made as much money in the last second as she had all afternoon.
‘Hey, don’t look so glum, these things take time to gain momentum.’ Adam, who’d breezed into the shop a few minutes ago to “check on progress”, patted her hand. And took the opportunity to look down her top. Or had that been accidental?
Pulling her hand away, Jade took a step back. ‘Thanks, and on one level I know it was never going to have immediate results, but on another level, I really wanted to be unable to move in here for the mass of people.’
The door opened and two customers strolled in. Relieved to have something to do besides worrying if Adam was going to ask her out, Jade breezed past him and gave the elderly couple a bright smile. ‘Have you come to take part in the murder mystery?’
‘Oh, no, who can be bothered with that?’ The woman glanced around her. ‘I’m looking for Richard Osman’s latest. Do you stock it?’
Well, that told her. Keeping the smile on her face, Jade found her the book and consoled herself with the fact that at least it was another sale.
The couple made a swift exit, ignoring the displays she’d agonised over. Her heart fell when a tall, dark-haired figure strode in after them. Hard enough to deal with Liam when she was feeling her best. Right now, her confidence was so squished she wasn’t sure it could ever unsquish.
It really wasn’t fair that he looked so bloody yummy. Or that her stomach started performing happy somersaults the moment her eyes registered his presence. Or that she spent way too much time remembering how earnest he’d looked when he’d told her he cared what she thought.
Like she could trust any words that came out of the mouth of a guy who’d had sex with her knowing he was about to screw her over.
His gaze swept the shop, expression tightening when he saw Adam, before he carefully rearranged it into a neutral mask.
‘Have you come to gloat?’
He halted, dark brows coming together. ‘Sorry?’
Crap, why had she said that. ‘Nothing.’
‘I suspect he’s here to check Ocean Haven is the only boat moored to the wharf.’ Adam turned, slotting his pockets into his chino shorts. ‘We didn’t have time to talk about this when we last met,’ he continued, glancing in her direction before staring back at Liam, ‘but not content with getting rid of Little Bay Book Shack, the new owner of the wharf has declared the moorings private property, stopping the rest of us from using it.’
‘Oh.’ She wasn’t sure she could get worked up over something that sounded like a rich guy problem.
Liam’s mouth twisted as he stared back at Adam. ‘How does it feel to have something you thought was your right to use, taken away from you?’
Adam’s expression lost some of its cockiness. ‘For Christ’s sake, Haven, that was nearly twenty years ago.’
‘Seventeen, to be exact.’ Liam turned to her and indicated towards the blue sofa. ‘I’ll wait here while you finish your meeting with Adam.’
‘Oh, we’re not having a meeting,’ Adam countered, regaining some of his swagger. ‘We were planning tomorrow.’ He gave Jade a flirty smile. ‘I’ll see you later.’
The door closed behind Adam, and Liam slowly rose to his feet again, a muscle flexing in his jaw.
‘I know what you’re thinking.’
He raised a brow. ‘Try me.’
‘You’re thinking I’m a flirt. Probably on account of my blonde hair and the way I dress.’
His mouth formed a tight-lipped smile. ‘Wrong.’
‘Then you’re thinking that because I slept with you without knowing you, I must be continually jumping into bed with guys.’
‘Whom you sleep with is none of my business.’
‘Good, I’m glad we cleared that up.’ It was hard to fight when the person you were fighting refused to hit back. ‘Look, I don’t know the history between you and Adam, but obviously there is one. He’s using me to try and wind you up.’
‘It’s working.’ Liam let out a deep sigh. ‘I don’t like the idea of him using you.’
‘That’s rich, coming from you.’
He let out a humourless laugh. ‘Okay, I deserved that.’ Swallowing, he shifted on his feet. ‘I also don’t like the idea of him flirting with you.’
Okay, she was going to ignore that little bubble of pleasure. ‘Why? We hooked up, that’s all. No biggie. Well, aside from the small matter of what you didn’t tell me in the second hook-up, but that’s all water under the bridge. Or I guess I should say under the wharf.’
His gaze locked with hers. ‘It doesn’t feel like it’s over.’
‘What, the hook-up? Or me being mad with you?’
‘Both.’
She let out a squeal of frustration. ‘Stop trying to confuse me, okay? We had sex, you were a git, you apologised. Let’s move on.’
‘Move on to what?’
‘A polite, professional relationship.’
‘Fine.’
A few beats of tense silence followed.
‘Was Adam one of those people fourteen-year-old you wanted revenge against?’ Liam rocked back on his heels at her question and she rolled her eyes. ‘I’m crap at maths but even I can do fourteen plus seventeen equals about the right age for you now.’
‘I’d… forgotten I shared that with you. I don’t make a habit of sharing my private thoughts. Especially not with people I only have a polite, professional relationship with,’ he added, mocking her words.
He might have hurt her, yet it was clear he’d also connected with her in a way he didn’t with others. ‘We both shared things that we’ve never shared before.’
He nodded and glanced away. ‘To answer your question, yes.’
‘So you bought the wharf to get back at him?’
‘Them.’
‘The classmates?’ she hazarded. ‘The gang twelve-year-old you wanted to be part of?’
A shadow crossed his face. ‘It was a reason, and yes.’ He exhaled heavily. ‘It sounds petty, I know. Poor kid vows to take revenge on group of entitled rich pricks.’
It wasn’t what he’d said, but what he hadn’t said. This imposing, impressive man had once been bullied. ‘What was the “something” they took away from you?’
‘Somethings.’ He emphasised the plural.
‘Give me an example.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want to understand why this wharf is so important to you.’
His mouth flattened in a thin smile. ‘There was a small private cove we used to go to every summer. Nobody else used it, just me and my grandma. One day, we turned up to find the path fenced off.’ She watched his Adam’s apple work up and down in his throat as he swallowed. ‘They knew it was our place, and they decided we’d enjoyed it for long enough.’
He only ever mentioned his grandma, she realised. Not his parents. ‘So now they can’t moor their boats to the wharf. How does it feel to get your own back?’
‘On this occasion?’ He exhaled heavily. ‘Not as good as I’d hoped.’
‘Well they say revenge is a dish best served cold, but seventeen years… that’s like being in a deep freeze.’
‘That isn’t the reason…’ He started to pace around the store, as if he couldn’t keep still. ‘I didn’t come here to discuss the past. I came to warn you that the construction team will be here tomorrow to survey the waterfront. They may need access to the shop.’
‘Of course. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of the eagerly anticipated luxury holiday cottages that Nantucket is absolutely crying out for.’
He gave her a level look as he passed a book display.
‘Come on,’ she said. ‘You know I’m going to give you a hard time about this. Just like I know the reason you’re really here is to remind me I’m wasting my time trying to promote the store. Why else would you, Mr Haven Resort himself, come here in person to tell me something you could have emailed or sent a minion to inform me?’
* * *
Yeah, Haven, what other reason could you possibly have for coming to the book shack twice in three days?
‘I might have come in person because I’m aware I wasn’t upfront with you before, and I want to make amends.’ It was partly the truth, and saved him having to admit he’d spent the morning fighting a compulsion to see her. And finally given up.
Silence followed his words and he turned to find her staring at him. ‘Okay, maybe I can believe that. But as I need to hate you for a bit longer, I’ll reserve judgment for now.’
He halted in his pacing– something he’d had to do to keep his mind occupied and prevent himself from blurting out that his revenge hadn’t felt as good because she’d been hurt in the crossfire. ‘Why do you need to hate me?’
‘You might be my boss, but I don’t have to answer every question you ask me, do I? Don’t you Americans have something about pleading the Fifth?’
A slow smile spread across his face as he watched her try to squirm from his question. ‘You need to hate me so you won’t be tempted to sleep with me again.’
She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks reddened. ‘Even if I did get past hating you, and past the bit that you’re my boss?—’
‘Temporarily,’ he qualified. ‘It’s an important distinction.’
‘Whatever, I’ll still not get past being disappointed in myself for succumbing.’
‘ Succumbing ?’ Like he’d set out deliberately to lure her into his evil web. ‘This from the woman who said she was trying to seduce me?’
‘God, okay, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant I succumbed to your stupid looks and limited charm.’
‘After that description, I can see why you did.’
She waved a frustrated hand at him. ‘Just… shut up, okay? I am officially immune to you.’ Her gaze swivelled towards the coffee table. ‘What do you think of my latest display?’
He trampled on the desire to grin and walked over to the… what the fuck?
She burst into laughter. ‘You should see the look on your face. It’s Murder Mystery Monday, remember?’
‘It looks more like Bloody Monday,’ he countered, his terrible British accent pulling a reluctant smile from her.
‘I imagined what I wanted to do to you when I was putting it together.’
‘I see.’ He stared down at the grizzly assortment of items. ‘The rope is to…?’
‘Tie your hands behind your back.’
‘That’s a relief. I thought you were going to hang me.’
‘I figured that was too easy.’
He ignored the sting and picked up the black balaclava and leather gloves. ‘And these?’
‘The gloves are so I don’t get blood on my hands, obviously. The balaclava is for you, so I don’t have to look at you while I’m doing the deed.’
Curious, he picked up the plastic knife covered with red splashes of paint. ‘This is to cut off my head I presume?’
‘No, your balls.’
The parts in question shrivelled inside his boxers. ‘When I think of you holding my balls, it’s with something entirely different in mind.’
She let out a spluttering sound. ‘Oh no, we’re not going there.’
‘Going where?’ Discreetly– it might only be plastic but a guy couldn’t be too careful– he slipped the knife into his trouser pocket.
‘We’re not going to the place where I ask if you often think about me holding your balls?—’
‘The answer is yes.’
She muttered a few swear words under her breath, followed by something that sounded like where are the bloody customers when you need them before letting out an audible sigh. ‘This conversation is closed.’ Her eyes strayed to his pocket. ‘I would ask if that’s my knife in your pocket or if you’re just pleased to see me, but I’ll spare us both another cheesy line and wait while you put it back.’ Feeling like he was about five years old, he pulled the toy knife out and grumpily shoved it onto the table. ‘Did you really think I could cut off anything with that?’
‘I didn’t want to risk it.’
A smile almost broke free across her face. ‘For a not-quite billionaire, you can be kind of a muppet.’
‘I can be a green, hand puppet that looks like a frog?’
‘You can be a right plonker.’
‘Just so I have the translation correct, that means?’
‘A dumbass.’
‘Got it.’ He could point out he’d built a whole company from nothing, but he didn’t think she’d be impressed and besides, not telling her who he was that second time? It was one of the dumbest things he’d ever done.
What he’d never know, was what would have happened if he had been up front. Would she have continued to like him? To sleep with him?
Would he, a man who’d sworn never to let anyone get close to him again, have wanted that?
‘You need to go.’ Jade’s voice cut through his inner ramblings. ‘Any minute now I’m going to be inundated with customers who’ve read the flyers and want to do the murder-mystery trail. I’d hate for you to be trampled in the crush.’
Behind the bravado of her words there was an unexpected vulnerability. ‘You never told me why managing this shop is so important to you.’
‘Actually, I did.’
He frowned, his mind churning through their conversations, feeling a hint of alarm at how easy it was to recall everything she’d told him. I’m the one still trying to find her way sprang into his head first. ‘You told me you love books, that you’re currently frustrated you’re not involved with them more, but that’s why you’re here. Not why this job is so important to you. Is it about proving something to yourself? Your family?’
‘Maybe you were listening to some of the things I said.’ Her lids lowered over her eyes for a moment before she looked back at him. ‘I wanted to see if I could do it. Not just manage a bookshop, but do it while living away from home, standing on my own two feet.’ Her chin jutted. ‘Lauren aced all her exams and went on to become a doctor, but she’s never worked abroad, never moved that far from home.’
He’d spent most of his life working to prove that he was better than the people who’d dismissed him, shut him out, treated him like shit. Now, here he was, denying Jade the same chance. The realisation settled heavily over him, yet what could he do? He owed it to his fourteen-year-old self to finish what he’d started.
‘You’re, what, twenty-eight?’
‘Twenty-five.’
No wonder she was so wide-eyed and eager. ‘You’ll have other opportunities.’
‘Oh, sure.’
The weight of her disappointment hung between them. She was all woman, yet it was easy to see the girl who’d wanted to live in a castle made of books.
But that was her dream. And being suckered into it, into her, was dangerous. He’d not spent ten years working his ass off, only to have his own goal derailed by a woman who was only here for three months, as gorgeous as she was. He was too fucking close to achieving it.
‘Good luck with the stampede.’ He gave her a careful smile and exited sharply before he let those big blue eyes suck him in any further.