Chapter 8
"Fancy seeing you here."
"Late meeting with an associate. The Landers deal.
The contract is iffy and needed ironing out.
" Kenneth picked up his drink and took a swallow.
"The place is a marsh and draining it, tilling the land, making it ready for planting is going to take a hell of a lot of money.
We have to look closer and see what else we're missing. "
"That's why you're the legal brains." Kevin strolled into the den and went to help himself to some scotch.
"You're all duded up." Kenneth observed. "Where did you go?"
"Double date with your old man." He flashed his nephew a grin over his shoulders.
"What are you, in high school?" The disgust in the younger man's voice had him laughing as he came back to settle on a comfortable sofa in front of the desk.
"It was lovely. This one's a babe, ten years younger but completely mature. She's a painter. Just arrived in town to get some alone time and work up inspiration. Name is Sable Constable. Goes by the name of Sable on her work. She's quite talented."
"Sure she is."
"I like her."
"You like anyone wearing a skirt."
His uncle sent him an arched look. "Are you saying I don't discriminate?"
"Do you?"
"Looks has to be a requirement and I like a good dose of conversation, so some aspect of intelligence." He sipped his drink and eyed his nephew. "Surprised you're not with your fiancée."
His eyes flared at that. "She isn't. Not yet."
"Hmm. Heard we're having her over for dinner tomorrow."
"Kinda why I gave her the time to herself tonight." He picked up his glass and put it away restlessly. "She's a lawyer. Corporate."
"Oh?" His uncle's brows lifted. "Where?"
"Somewhere in Boston, I think. She did not want to say anything else." He shifted in the chair restlessly. "Said something bad happened and she could not talk about it, not yet."
"You just left it at that?"
He shot his uncle an irritated look. "Of course I did. She was spooked."
His uncle's brows creased. "Must be something awful. A scandal perhaps. Corporate means big businesses. Moneyed clients and all that crap. You could go on the 'Net and do a search. Bet it's not difficult to find."
"No!" Kenneth said sharply. "When she's ready, she'll tell me."
Kevin eyed him for a full second before he responded. "Man, you've got it bad."
"I do." He pushed away from the desk. "I already told you I'm in love with her.
" He wandered over to the window to look out at the pretty begonias made even more so by the light of the moon.
"I'm trying to be patient." He whirled to face his uncle.
"And on that note, I already told dad that asking her questions pertaining to her past or what she's doing here are off limits. "
"And my brother went for that?"
"He did and I am asking you to do the same."
Kevin lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "If I were in your place, I would like to find out what I'm up against."
"Well, you're not me."
Kevin held up a hand and nodded. "I'll keep my mouth shut and be supportive."
"That's all I'm asking." Kenneth eased out a breath. "I'm going to bed."
"Yeah, me too. In a minute."
"Goodnight."
He watched his nephew walk out of the room and close the door.
Going over to the cabinet, he freshened his drink and took it with him to sit on the edge of the desk.
He had seen the young woman on one of his trips into town.
In a town where there were mostly white people, she had not been difficult to identify.
And she was a looker. Like a tall cool drink of water.
From where he stood he had witnessed her in conversation with a local and admired her smile. Tossing back his drink, he hoped sincerely that his nephew was not in for a world of hurt.
*****
She had not brought any formal or dinner wear.
After going through her closet for the umpteenth time, she sat on the edge of the bed and wondered if she should call and tell Kenneth she had to cancel.
Meeting his family. What the hell was she thinking?
Not only had she fallen in love with him, and Oh God that had driven a hole inside her chest, but she was now practically living with the man and going to meet his family.
To what end? She wondered in despair. He was Kenneth Tierney.
Resident billionaire. She had no business being with someone like him.
She had baggage, too many issues to count.
She had confessed one detail of her life to him and did not feel like sharing any more.
And she knew he wanted more, would want more eventually.
She should cancel. That would be the sensible thing. Cancel on dinner and pack. Get out of Birchwood and go someplace else. It was not too late. Yes, her emotions were involved, but it was all the more reason to pack up and leave. If she stayed, it would only get worse.
Yes, she should leave. Rising, she went to grab her suitcase and just stood there staring at it. She could not leave. Not now. Clasping her hands in front of her, she started pacing.
She could not disappoint him or hurt him like this. She was not a coward, or was she? Hadn't she run away from home when things got tough? She had simply left. But that had been justified, right?
She wandered over to the window. Everything was so green and lush.
She never had the opportunity to witness anything like it when she was living in Boston.
She had lived in an apartment and even when she was living at home, their place had been located on the edge of the city to give her parents access to the hub of entertainment.
Here it was quiet and so serene. There were birds chirping and she could see squirrels scurrying up a tree. Her gaze drifted to a clump of rose bushes to see a deer with its head lifted as if scenting out its meal.
No, she never had this when she was at home and had been toying with the idea of staying.
She could set up office. She had done her research and discovered that there could be room for a corporate lawyer.
It was a small town, and she would have to contact the necessary powers that be to get it done and get a license. But it was still in the deciding stage.
She was not using her real name and right now, she was not contemplating outing herself. Everything was still too fresh. They were still in the limelight and the minute the press got hold of where she was, it would start back up again.
Pressing her fingers against her forehead, she leaned on the glass and closed her eyes briefly. But now there was the problem of what to wear. Hissing out a breath, she went to get dressed. A trip into town was necessary.
*****
He decided to go on about his day as usual.
He had a tennis match he had put off last week and had been rescheduled for this Sunday.
He crumbled and called her just as he got out of bed and was about to take a shower.
Last night had been hell for him. He could not believe he had known her for almost two weeks and was already so dependent on her.
"I have to buy a dress or an outfit." She said as soon as she answered the phone.
"Why?" It was such a pleasure to hear her voice that he had to sit back down.
"You invited me to dinner." She reminded him. "And all I have in my closet are just jeans and tops. Nothing suitable. I cannot be coming to dinner in jeans and a top."
She sounded harried and impatient, and he was afraid she was going to cancel.
"Wear what you have. We'll throw something on the grill."
"I have nothing suitable to wear. Stop talking to me, I need to go shopping."
"It's Sunday morning."
"Stores are open. I checked. It might not be New York or Boston, but I think I'll be able to find something suitable."
"Lydia, you don't have to go through so much trouble. You look beautiful in whatever you have on."
"I have to go shopping. So, just get off the phone."
He smiled at her tone.
"All right. Call me when you return."
"You said you're picking me up."
"I am."
"Okay." She sighed deeply. "Okay. I have to go."
She hung up before he could respond, and he had to resist the urge not to call her back.
She was panicking and he knew he was on slippery ground right now.
She had never wanted to come in the first place, and she was in a tizzy about her outfit.
It was best to leave it alone. At least she had not changed her mind.
Rubbing his hand at the back of his neck he tried to ease the tension settled there. He would go on about his day and try not to think of her. Fat chance of that happening, he thought grimly.
*****
Aria loved the shops on the strip. That's what it was called, 'The Strip' and she supposed it was due to the fact that it was a strip of area that was completely dedicated to stores.
There were several restaurants, including the one Kenneth had offered to take her to.
An Irish bar with a charming four leaf clover displayed in dark green.
It was simply called: 'The Irish Pub,' as if the owners had run out of appropriate names and had her wondering if they were Irish.
The bank was unlike anything she had ever seen. It was like a rambling farmhouse, and she had been told it had been at one time. There were three banks, almost on top of each other. The hardware store took up several blocks and was owned by the Tierneys of course.
The library and bookstore stood side by side. Further up, there was a stately-looking gallery and a few blocks away was the museum. The department stores had the grace and beauty of any big city and were very exclusive.
Three quarters of the town were still at home. It was barely ten AM, and the traffic was extremely light. She found parking easily as she went into the lot of the group of stores.