Chapter 7
"Drink?"
"Thanks." Kenneth waited as his father went to the cabinet and selected a bottle of bourbon.
It was the end of the work day and most of the staff had already left.
His day had been filled with meetings, barely giving him time to check in on her.
He was trying to tell himself that was a good thing. He figured they needed some space.
Forcing himself not to think of her, he accepted the glass his father passed him.
Kingsley Tierney was in his sixties but could have passed for a man ten years younger.
His son bore a startling resemblance to him, with the same shade of sable brown hair, even though his was shot through with steel gray.
His posture was straight. His body was lean and fit because he refused to let it go to hell.
Instead of going to sit around his massive oak desk, he sat on the edge of it facing his son.
"The airline."
Kenneth nodded. There was no need to say anything more. He understood perfectly.
"It needs streamlining. Uncle Kevin's solution of overhauling the entire thing is a good idea."
"We have investors to think of." Kingsley lifted his glass and took a thoughtful sip.
"We have less than fifty percent which does not give us enough voting power."
"You're thinking we should pull out before it's too late."
His father shrugged. "We're a farming company. That's where our strength lies. Buying into an airline was a foolish idea."
Kenneth stretched his legs out. "I don't agree with you. At the time it had been practical. Yes, that particular industry has been wavering, but if it's run the right way, with less delays and better customer service, it would start making a profit."
Kingsley eyed him for a minute. "Any brilliant ideas how to go around the rest of the investors?"
"Uncle Kevin is very good at getting people to sit up and pay attention." A smile played around his lips.
"He's not only charming, but he's also diplomatic."
His father took another sip of drink and said nothing for a minute.
"I've been thinking more and more about your mother lately. Even having dreams of her."
Kenneth felt his heart contracting. It had been years since her death, but the pain though lessened was still there.
"What about?"
"How she would light up a room." A smile hovered before disappearing.
"She's the only woman I will ever love. No one comes close."
"She was easy to love." Kenneth reflected.
"She never scolded," he swirled the liquid in his glass. "One look was enough. She would make it seem as if you were disappointing her. She had quite the talent."
Kingsley laughed softly. "That she did." Lifting his head, he met his son's eyes.
"She loved you so much."
"I know. Even so, she never spoiled me."
"I did the spoiling." His father's smile disappeared.
"Tell me about this woman."
Kenneth wondered how it took him so long to circle around to the topic. He had told his uncle he had found the woman he was going to marry and there was little doubt that had been reported to the man in front of him.
"She's beautiful," he murmured simply.
"Any reason she has not been to dinner at the house?"
"She's not ready." He took a sip of drink to ease his dry throat.
"I haven't asked her," he corrected.
"Why not?"
Feeling the need to stretch his legs, Kenneth rose and went over to the towering glass.
His father's office offered a stunning view of mountains and breathtaking foliage.
The rain from the past two days had washed the earth clean, removing every vestige of winter.
The Birch trees that had given the place its name were visible even from this far and dotted the hills like giant sentinels.
Turning to look at the man who had been his steady support over the years, he knew he could not hide anything from him. He had never been able to anyway, he thought wryly. So why start now?
"We..." He paused.
"I'm in love with her." He crossed the room and sat.
"Just like that. I saw her the first time and bam, my heart took a slow dive, and I knew it was her. The woman I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with." He lifted his shoulders in a shrug.
"She's hiding something."
His father's shoulders straightened. "What makes you think that?"
"She doesn't talk about herself."
"She's not ready to share. You only just met the woman." His father pointed out dryly.
"That's not the issue." He had put his glass on the solid oak table in front of the chairs and picked it back up again without taking a sip.
"I decided to wait, give her time to open up to me. I told her what I do, the part I play in this company. I told her my life story..." He glanced at his father.
"I took her to the park. Mother's park."
"I see." Easing off the desk, Kingsley decided he was going to switch to coffee and call and break the date with a very attractive widow he had been seeing. The woman would understand. And all this talk about his deceased wife was making him angry and sad.
"Coffee?"
"No, thanks." Kenneth watched as he poured it from the coffee pot and came back. This time he went around and sat behind his desk.
"You never took anyone there before."
"No. Is there a problem?"
"Of course not. It happens to be a public park. Your mother wanted to share her love of nature." He eyed his son over the rim of his cup.
"What concerns me is your involvement with a woman you know absolutely nothing about. I checked the rental, made some discreet inquiries. She paid by cash for a month."
"I already know that." The irritation in his voice was evident and had his father's brows raising.
"And you're troubled by it."
Leaning back, he crossed his feet at the ankles. "Yes."
His father nodded. "I've always looked out for you, and God knows after your mother passed, it weighed heavily on my mind to do my best to step into her role as well as functioning in mine." He picked up his cup and took a sip.
"You're my son, the heir of everything our ancestors, your uncle and I built. I want you to fall in love..." A smile touched his lips.
"Meeting your mother, falling for her like a ton of bricks motivated me to want as much for you. So what are you going to do?"
"Try and get the information out of her.
She's hurting." Even thinking about it was making him angry and restless.
He had been witness to her heartbreaking tears, tears that had torn his heart out and it pissed him off that she would not share anything of a personal nature with him.
She had soaked his clothes with tears, made love to him as if he was the only man who ever meant anything to her and then turned around and refused to tell him anything.
"You know that how?"
Putting the cup down, he rose, restless and edgy. "She cried in my arms."
"Did you ask her why?"
He spared his father a glance. "What do you think?"
"I see. And she refused to share."
"No." Even now it still burned his ass to think about it.
"So what's next?"
He shrugged.
"Why don't you invite her to dinner?"
He whirled to face his father and saw the support there. Always. His shoulders sagged and the tension that had made it so rigid slid out of him. He was fortunate, had always been.
"I'll try that. Thanks, Dad."
Kingsley nodded, his brow creased.
"What is it?"
"It might be another man."
Because the thought had entered his mind and stayed there, he felt his gut clutching. Having been with her, making love until they were exhausted, he knew the attraction was fierce.
"It might be." He eased out a breath.
"I have thought of that."
His father's eyes searched his face. "Invite her to dinner. Sunday. We have nothing planned."
"Thanks, Dad."
Kingsley nodded and waited until his son had left and closed the doors behind him before picking up the phone and calling his brother.
"Where the hell are you?"
"Dealing with some very pesky associates." The sigh was heavy.
"You give me the shittiest assignments, brother. Remind me to kick your ass the next time we have a round in the boxing ring."
Kingsley let loose a laugh. "As if you could. I just spoke to my son."
"I see. He told you about the love of his life. She's pretty hot. All ebony complexion and long, loose limbs. Had a glimpse of her when I was in town the other day."
"Keep those thoughts to yourself. Kenneth is completely gone over."
"Yeah. I know. What of it?"
"He knows nothing about her."
"He said that too. What do you intend to do about it?"
Kingsley picked up the utterly ridiculous and ugly paperweight his wife had given to him for his birthday several years ago.
"He's going to have a go at her again and if that does not work, I'll simply have to put our investigative team on it. We need to protect him. This woman is hiding something for a reason. We have to have cool heads."
"I agree completely."
"See you later."
He hung up and leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Picking up the framed photo of the laughingly beautiful woman, he studied the flawless complexion, the blonde hair flowing over one shoulder and the golden eyes that had caught his attention from the beginning.
The aching grief and emptiness hit him like a front loader truck.
Missing her was so keen, it fairly bent him over double.
Putting the photo down, he took several deep breaths, the sadness settling around him like a heavy cloak.
*****
He had bought her flowers. She felt her heart taking a slow dive as she opened the door to him.
And considered that he had probably bought out the entire floral shop.
And he had bought an iridescent blue-green vase.
A big ass one. The charming smile on his lips had her knees weakening.
She had spent the entire morning and afternoon thinking up ways to tell him it was over.
"Are you going to let me in?"
Realizing that she was just standing there staring, she stepped back and allowed him to pass her, closing the door.
"What did you do?"