Chapter 1
Chapter One
NEW YORK—JUNE
When Zane Wagner got out of bed, he felt all of his thirty-four years.
Although he was in superb physical condition, thanks to his training and participation in several triathlons and marathons, he hadn’t worked out during the past three days.
He had been cramming in last-minute meetings in Singapore and then traveling across who knew how many time zones to reach New York last night.
As he shuffled to the bathroom, he told himself he would go into work this morning and leave by noon.
That this afternoon would be his gift to himself.
He would do a long run through Central Park and then follow up by swimming laps at his athletic club.
He had no international travel scheduled for at least a month, and he would devote some time to his physical and mental well-being.
He stepped into the shower, letting the hot water sluice down his sculpted body, thinking about how nice it would be to be back in Driftwood Bay.
His dad’s hometown on the Texas Gulf Coast, where his grandparents lived and still operated the Driftwood Diner, was his next stop.
Zane had spent a month every summer with his grandparents while he was growing up, and he still tried to see them at least once a year.
They had taken to technology, so he was able to FaceTime with them once a month, catching up on all the news in the Bay, as the residents fondly referred to the small town.
His best friend was in the Bay at the moment, staying with Zane’s grandparents.
Sullivan Shepherd was one of the leading architects at Wagner Enterprises, the company Zane’s father had started years ago, and one which Zane and Sullivan had worked for ever since college graduation.
Sullivan had designed Tidewater, a luxury beach resort, located on an island a couple of miles offshore from the town of Driftwood Bay.
Something was up with Sullivan, though, and Zane hoped he would figure it out when he finally saw his friend in person.
After Sullivan traveled to the site that Wagner Enterprises would build a project upon, he came up with his design for the establishment, incorporating aspects of the local area into the blueprints.
Once construction began, Sullivan would again journey to whatever property was being built and spend time with the construction manager, answering questions and making certain everything was clear. Then he was off to another project.
This time had been different.
Sullivan had been in Driftwood Bay for months now, going back to last fall.
He had returned briefly to New York during the Christmas holidays, but then he’d headed back to Texas.
Sullivan had been given permission to work from the Bay instead of corporate headquarters in Manhattan, and Zane wanted to know what was keeping his friend in Texas.
They shared an apartment which overlooked Central Park and was within walking distance of Wagner Enterprises.
Though Zane himself traveled extensively, he had always enjoyed coming back and spending time with his closest friend, who was more brother than friend to him.
Their fathers had been friends since college, and their sons had grown up as best friends, as well, attending boarding school and college together.
Zane had a sneaking suspicion that a woman was involved.
If that were the case, he would warn Sullivan off.
Marrying a girl from a small town and trying to have her fit into New York society would be a disaster.
Not that Zane should be giving advice regarding marriage.
Four years ago, his own had failed epically.
He pushed all thoughts of Amanda aside as he shaved and dressed for the day. He texted Emily, his assistant, letting her know he would be in the office until noon, and then he set out on foot.
It was good to be back in New York again.
He thrived on the energy he felt in the streets.
New York had a vitality to it, unlike any other city in the world, and Zane couldn’t imagine making anywhere but New York his home.
He would talk to Emily to make sure she arranged his schedule so that he would be back in town this fall in order to run in the New York Marathon.
He had missed competing last year because of business in South America, but Zane wanted to participate this year.
Emily would manage everything for him. She was the most efficient executive assistant at Wagner Enterprises, and she handled his professional and personal schedules with ease.
Zane greeted the security guard as he entered the building and went to the elevators, riding up dozens of floors owned by Wagner Enterprises. The doors opened on the top floor, and he made his way to his office.
Emily greeted him, handing him a large coffee mug, and he thanked her as she followed him into his office, tablet in hand.
The space was smaller than most executives at his level, but he was gone so much that he had insisted that he take this area instead of a corner office with a spectacular view.
Zane thought it only right to allow someone who was in town most of the time to have those offices since they would be around to enjoy them.
He sat in the chair behind his desk, sipping his coffee, as Emily went over what he needed to know after his long absence.
“Your tickets for tomorrow’s flights to Houston and then Corpus have been arranged,” she said crisply. “I didn’t book a car, as you requested.”
“I won’t need one,” he assured her. “I’ll stay a couple of days in town with Gran and Gramps and then take the ferry over to Tidewater.
We have a fleet of golf carts there. I can use one to go anywhere on the island.
I’ll let Sullivan know I’m coming, and he can pick me up from the airport. We’re long overdue for a catch up.”
Then he asked, “Do you know when the New York Marathon is being held? I’d like to run this year.”
“Already sent in your application.” She gave him the date. “Your calendar is cleared for the week before and two days after.”
“So, I only get two days of recovery before you send me back on the road?” he teased.
“You get what I give you. By the way, I’ve booked time with Mr. Wagner for you at ten o’clock in his office,” Emily told him. “Just half an hour for the two of you to touch base and you to let him know about everything regarding Singapore, face-to-face.”
“Is that it as far as any appointments go for today?” he asked.
She gave him an odd look. “Not exactly. You have one brief meeting with James in thirty minutes to go over the final ads for Tidewater.” Emily cleared her throat. “Then Harris asked for some time with you at eleven-thirty.”
“Why the hell would Harris want to see me?” he asked, surprise filling him.
Harris Wagner was his brother, younger by two years, and the biggest asshole Zane knew.
He had the title Ambassador-at-Large, but Zane knew his brother simply flitted between Wagner resorts and hotels around the world.
Harris reminded Zane of a politician. Charming. Always pressing the flesh with a smile.
And as sleazy as they came.
“Harris didn’t let me know what was on the agenda,” Emily said. “He did stress that it was important that the two of you speak in person, though.”
“Fine. Make sure he comes here. I don’t want to go to him,” Zane said flatly.
“I anticipated that, Zane,” she said a hint of a smile playing around her lips. “He’ll be here at eleven-thirty.”
Zane snorted. “If he makes it by eleven-forty, I’ll be surprised. Harris has never been on time for anything his entire life. If he hasn’t shown up by a quarter till noon, I’m out of here.”
“Anything else?” Emily asked, rising from her chair, not bothering to bite back her smile now.
“No, that’ll do it.” Then he paused. “Anything you need to let me know about?”
Zane had noticed the ring on her finger, and Emily held her hand out, smiling down at it.
“Ted and I are engaged, as you obviously noticed.”
He came around from behind his desk and embraced her. “That’s fantastic, Em. Do you have a date set?”
“Since we’ve been dating five years, I told Ted we’re not having a lengthy engagement,” Emily said, laughing. “He knows I want something small—and soon.”
“Do you have a venue in mind?”
“No. This just happened last night, so we need to talk about a lot of things. Actually, I’ll plan it, and he’ll merely show up.”
“Well, after all, you’re the most organized person on the planet, while Ted is what I’d call an absent-minded professor.”
Ted Hartnett was a political philosophy professor at Barnard, and his head was in the clouds half the time. Still, Zane had met Ted on numerous occasions and really liked him.
“I’m happy for you, Em. If you want to hold the wedding at any Wagner property of your choice, book it now. I’ll pay for everything.”
Surprised filled her face. “Oh, Zane, I can’t let you do that.”
Knowing both her parents were gone and that she only had a distant aunt whom she rarely saw, Zane said, “You’re family to me, Em. I want to do this for you and Ted.”
She beamed at him. “If you’re serious, I’m going to get on the stick and plan it right away. How about around Labor Day? Or even before. Is that good for you?”
He shrugged. “You’re the one who knows my schedule better than I do.
Besides, if I’m supposed to be gone during that time, just rearrange my calendar.
You run my life as it is. I just go where you say and do what you tell me to do.
” Zane grinned. “No one knows you’re the actual power in our power couple. ”
Emily laughed in delight. “Then I’m starting wedding planning right away.” She grew serious. “Really, thank you, Zane. It means the world to me to not only work for the best boss in the world, but to have your friendship.”
Then her demeanor once again became businesslike. “I’ll send in James when he gets here. You have about ten minutes before he arrives.”