Chapter Three
Linc
I brace myself as Jordan and I pull into the parking lot of Dare Nation in the Ford Mustang convertible she rented for us. I appreciate both her practical and fun sides and I’m enjoying the convertible in the warmth of Miami. It’s a nice change from New York, which still has cooler temperatures.
Jordan is enjoying it as well, her face tipped up to the sun and the wind as we drove. Having her by my side calms me, but the closer we came to our destination, the more rattled my nerves.
I turn off the engine and face Jordan. “Ready?”
She treats me to a reassuring smile. “Whenever you are.”
Drawing a deep breath, I nod and step out of the car, walking around to her door and helping her out.
A few minutes later, we’re led to a desk where a beautiful woman with black hair and red lipstick sits.
“Can I help you?” she asks, looking from me to Jordan.
“We have an appointment with Austin Prescott,” I say.
“Mr. Kingston?”
I nod. “And this is Jordan Greene, my personal assistant.”
“Hello,” Jordan says.
The woman smiles. “I’m Quinn Stone. It’s nice to meet you both.” She picks up the phone beside her on the desk and taps one button. “Austin? Mr. Kingston is here to see you along with his assistant, Jordan Greene.” She listens and hangs up, glancing at them. “You can go right in.”
I gesture for Jordan to precede me and step forward, opening the door to the office behind the desk. We walk inside, and a tall, muscular man who was obviously once an NFL player, a wide receiver for the Miami Thunder, greets us.
“Mr. Kingston, Ms. Greene. Welcome.”
“Please, call me Linc.” We shake hands and Jordan does the same.
“Have a seat. Can I get either of you a drink?” He indicates the bar in the corner of the room.
Jordan shakes her head. “No, thank you.”
“I’m good, thanks,” I say.
“Before you tell me why you’re here, I have a question.” Austin speaks as he strides around his desk. “I have a cousin in Florida who is married to Grey Kingston. He used to be the lead guitarist for the band Tangled Royal. Now he’s more of a songwriter. Any relation?”
I shake my head and laugh. “No, but my brother is Dash Kingston, also a musician, so we’re asked that a lot. Mere coincidence.”
Austin nods. “Just curious. Now let’s take a seat and you can tell me why you’re here. He lowers himself into his chair. “I have to admit when I heard you wanted to see me, I was intrigued. I’m aware of you … well, your family company by reputation.”
In other words, he took the appointment due to my name. I can live with that.
Once Jordan and I are settled in chairs across from Austin, I reply. “I came to talk to you about someone who works here. Aurora Michaels.”
“What about her?” Austin asks. He doesn’t flinch or otherwise react, which tells me what a good negotiator the man must be.
I hate discussing personal issues with anyone, let alone strangers, and I resent having to lay out my family skeletons to this man. “I’d really rather tell Aurora myself.”
“Yet you came to me first, not her. Why?” Austin pins me with a direct glare.
I sit up straighter in my seat. “Because I’d rather not shock her with news until I learn more about her. I already know she has a relationship with your family, which is why I’m here talking to you.”
Austin nods. Picking up a pen, he rolls it between his palms. “My family is very protective of her, so you’re going to have to be more specific about what you want.”
I grip the arms of my chair. “You do realize I could walk out this door and call out her name to find her?” I ask, annoyed at being stonewalled.
Jordan puts a brief calming hand on my arm, and I force myself to relax and think. I want answers and this man has them. If I’m to learn about my sister before meeting her, I have no choice but to open up.
“Fine. I recently discovered Aurora is my half-sister courtesy of my father.”
This time Austin doesn’t hide his shock. “She grew up in foster care and you’re just here now? Where was your parent all these years?”
“My father was a bastard,” I say. And I proceed to fill Austin in on everything from finding the checks, the surprise bank account, to ultimately tracking down Aurora’s mother and then Aurora herself. I have no choice.
The whole time I’m speaking, Austin rolls his pen, and Jordan subtly slips her hand back onto my arm. Though I can handle Austin, having her here gives me peace and the strength to dig in to my ugly family truths.
“Jesus,” Austin says when I finish my story. “A bastard is right. And Aurora’s mother? What kind of human being abandons her child?”
I swallow hard. “My thoughts exactly, which is why I want to fix things.”
“So you’re here to meet your sister?” Austin asks.
I nod. “Is Aurora here now?” Anticipation builds inside me at the prospect of seeing her.
Austin meets my gaze. “She’s out to lunch with my sister, Brianne.”
I’m disappointed. “I see.”
“My brother Braden and his friend Willow have basically taken Aurora in. Made her part of the family. She means a lot to us.”
“I’m glad she found good people to help her after the way she grew up, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for her. But I want to do the same thing. Make her a part of our family and bring her home to New York.” To make her feel welcome.
“And I want to check out your story before we drop this bomb on her.”
I grind my teeth in annoyance. “I flew down here to meet her. Now you’re asking me to wait? It’s not like she’s your sister. What gives you the right to make decisions for her?” I rise up from my seat, and Jordan stands, grabbing my arm.
“Linc, you know you’d do the same thing if Austin showed up in New York claiming someone you cared about was his long-lost sister.”
The soothing sound of her voice along with the sweet aroma of her floral scent acts as a balm, and the tension riding me eases. Her words calm me and allow me to think clearly, and dammit, she’s right.
“Fine. We’re staying at the W Hotel. Your assistant has my number.”
“I’ll be in touch.” Austin stands and walks them to the door.
I wait until we’re outside in the parking lot before letting my temper go. “Who does he think he is?” I clench my hands into tight fists at my sides, wishing I’d given in to the impulse to take a swing at Austin Prescott with his arrogant I know best attitude.
Jordan smiles and shakes her head, and all the anger seeps out of me.
“You’re right.” I give in to her knowing grin. “I would do the same thing if the situation were reversed.” I pull the car keys out of my pocket. “I just don’t have to like it.” I press the button on the key fob and open the passenger door, waiting as she slides in.
Resting a hand on the top of the windshield, I lean down. “I’m very glad you came with me.”
She tips her face toward mine, her pert nose with freckles wrinkling as she looks up at me, the sun on her skin. “You know I always have your back.”
Just as I’ve always had hers. So if I need her now, she’ll be there.
No questions asked.
* * *
Jordan
After leaving Dare Nation, I let Linc brood on the way to the hotel.
He needs to get his frustration with Austin Prescott out of his system, and I hope the convertible ride to the hotel will clear his head.
We have time to kill while we wait to hear from Austin, and I refuse to let Linc spend all his time making business calls and working.
Not when the sun is shining outside and we’re right near the beach.
We check in and head up to our suite. As I step inside, the nine-foot ceilings and glass balcony with a view of the ocean strike me first, along with the teal and white décor.
A large television is mounted on the wall, and I know there are two bedrooms, one with a king-size bed, the other with a queen.
“This is gorgeous,” I say, walking to the windows and looking at the white sand and blue water.
“It is.”
A knock sounds on the door, and Linc lets the man with the luggage inside. He sets our bags in our respective rooms, not without an argument about Linc wanting me to take the king and me insisting I’m fine with the smaller bed. Linc tips the man, and he leaves us alone.
“Do you want to take a walk?” I ask, hoping to keep Linc distracted.
He nods. “Sounds great. Let’s change and get comfortable.”
A little while later, we’re strolling on the sidewalk. I take in the shops. High-end clothing boutiques, trinket stores, and food places line the street. My sundress and flat sandals are comfortable, and my hair lifts off my back and shoulders from the light breeze.
Linc walks beside me, sexy as always in his sunglasses and a pair of khaki cargo shorts paired with a light blue collared tee shirt.
“I love the seasons in New York, but I can’t say this sucks,” I say, glancing up at him.
“Far from it.” He grins and I know he’s finally unwound.
We walk another few blocks in silence and he speaks again. “You know, when I was telling Austin about my father, I had this thought. I didn’t always hate the man. When I was younger, I actually looked up to him.”
“I think that’s normal,” I muse. “Most little kids idolize their parents, and then they become human beings, with flaws and imperfections. Just like us. And we decide whether any of those traits are things we can’t accept.”
“Makes sense. I drew a hard line at cheating. Hurting my mother. I thought those were the worst things Dad could do until he died and I found out he was a man with a secret he never should have kept.”
I nod. “And you’ll never be able to ask him why.”
“It’s more like I can never ask him how. How could he abandon his own child?” He lets out a disgusted grunt and we keep walking.
A gelato store is on the corner and I stop. “Want to get ice cream?” At the thought, my stomach growls.
“Love some. Come on.” He holds open the door and we walk to the counter.
After ordering cones, a mint chocolate chip for him and a chocolate cookie dough for me, we head outside and are lucky enough to score a small table with two chairs.