Enticing Interlude (Tempest #2) (26 page)

On the way out the door, she stopped to admire a jean jacket that had stud detailing across the shoulders and lower cuffs. I glanced at the label and smiled. “You have to have it.”

Her brows went up. “Why?”

“It’s so Sgt. Pepper’s.” I ripped off the price tag and handed her the jacket before she could object. “Add it to the charge.” I waved to the woman who had been helping us and steered Bridget out the door.

After that it was a whirlwind of stores. I kept her moving fast so she didn’t have time to total up what I spent. I loved clothes and shopping, and Bridget had a figure to showcase the latest fashion trends found in the hip shops along Robson Street.

We purchased a couple of graphic tees and a fringe tote from Aritzia, lace up wet jeggings that looked like leather, four inch tall black pumps, a grey off the shoulder tunic from BCBG, a pink lemonade inspired sweater top from Banana Republic, and finally a pale pink exposed zipper moto inspired leather jacket that would keep her much warmer on the bike than that thin hoodie she’d worn on our first date.

I had everything sent on ahead, except for the leather jacket. I zipped that on her myself. It was perfect for her. Madison Avenue ad. She looked straight out of a glossy. I dipped my hands into the back pockets of her new jeans, palmed her ass and pulled her forward, claiming her lips at last with a kiss that left us both wanting more. “Time to take this inside,” I insisted, my voice a low needy growl.

She nodded, but stopped to look in the store window at the Armani Exchange. She pointed at a pale lavender button down on the male mannequin. “That color would look really good on you.”

I squinted. “You think?” I had actually thought about trying that very one on a couple of weeks ago. But I was a little skeptical about the color. “You don’t think it’s too much.”

“Not at all. Are you kidding? It’s totally you. Let’s go in. I want to get you something.”

Knowing how frugal she was and that she wanted to do something like that for me made my chest get tight. I tugged on her arm and kissed her again to distract her from wasting money on me. “Another day, babe. You’re still mine for a couple more hours, and I’m suddenly not in the mood to shop anymore.”

I threw my arm around her shoulder, and steered her back the way we’d come. Within minutes of getting back on the bike, I had us parked inside the Sutton garage. I walked her backward once we got in the elevator. When her rear hit the back wall, I framed her face for another good one, but a blaring ring tone blasted through the tiny space, breaking my focus. It wasn’t my phone. It was hers, and it wasn’t the ring tone I was used to hearing for Carter.

She reached in her back pocket and pulled out her cell. She looked at the display, and her face drained of all color. Her eyes wide, she swallowed nervously before speaking. “Hello?”

After a listening pause, she spoke again.

“Yes. It is. How did you get this number?” There was another long pause. She reached back for the bar to steady herself. I covered her hand with my own. Hers was ice cold. My heart slammed into my ribs.

What the hell was going on?

“Who was that?” Justin insisted, the moment I hung up.

“An attorney from my father’s company.” My eyes hit his concerned ones, and I didn’t even attempt to hide my fear. As if I could effectively keep anything from him anymore. “I have to fly back to Orlando tonight for a meeting first thing in the morning.”

“It’s already eight. There’s no way you can get a flight this late.”

“They’ve sent the corporate jet. It’s waiting for me at the airport.”

“The corporate what?” Incredulousness lined his tone, and his brows disappeared beneath the hair that had slid forward. I wished I hadn’t answered the call. I wished for a different ending to this evening. One with me in his bed wrapped in his strong arms with nothing between us.

If only all it took was the strength of my desire to make my wishes come true like in fairy tales. I should have told him about this already, but to me it wasn’t important. It was in the past. It wasn’t who I was anymore. I’d run as fast and as far as I could get from that life. I hated that it had caught up to me again when I least expected or wanted it to. My pulse thumped loudly in my ears. I didn’t have the time right now to stop and explain it to him properly.

I pulled in a deep breath as soon as the elevator door opened and strode quickly down the hall to my door. I had to call Meemaw’s lawyer, Maurice Trigg. He might be a cold fish in the personality department, but I knew I could trust him. My grandmother had told me many times that there wasn’t a better lawyer around. Maurice had worked for my dad until the witch had taken over. She had screwed him over, too. He hated her almost as much as I did. I need him with me. He would know what to do.

Justin put his hands on my shoulders and turned me around before I put in the key in. My mind was racing through things so fast that I completely forgot he was with me. Something under any other circumstances would have been nearly impossible. “Hold on.” His face was hard. “Stop for a minute.”

“I can’t.” I could hear the panicky edge to my voice. “I’ve got to make a phone call, get Carter ready, get packed, get a taxi, call the school, call work.”

He put a finger over my lips. “Yes you can.” His eyes sparked with controlled anger. I could feel the tension in his grip. “What the hell is going on? What company is this?”

“Crystal Hotels.”

“Holy hell.” He took a step back, looking at me as if he’d never seen me before. His eyes went wide. “Your father was Randall Dubois?”

“Yes.” I sighed.

“You’re a freaking heiress.”

“No I’m not. Not anymore.” I shook my head. “I told you my father remarried. Everything belongs to my stepmother now.”

“I remember that wedding.” His gaze slid to the side and took on a faraway glow. “All the New York stations carried it live. Avery made me watch it with her. It was as big a deal as Prince William and Kate. There was a horse drawn carriage and everything. And that little girl with big blue eyes walking down the aisle with her father.” He blinked. “That was you?”

I nodded, eyes filling as I remembered that day, too. The feel of my father’s large hand holding mine. The way he smelled. How frightened I’d been. For a good reason as it turned out.

“Holy fucking hell. I can’t believe this.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair, making it as disheveled as my insides felt. “So Evelyn Dubois must be the witch, then. Your stepmother, right? You’d never know it from all the fawning media coverage. She’s always doing some charity fundraiser or event.”

“She’s a stellar actress,” I commented drily. “And a complete fraud. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself. She’s as fake as her silicone implants.”

“You’re not going without me.” He straightened his shoulders. “I’m coming with you.”

“No, Justin. You can’t. You’ve got rehearsals, and the benefit concert’s coming up.”

“In eight days, yeah. It’ll have to wait. You’re more important.”

My chest squeezed.

“No arguments. There’s no way in hell I’m letting you go down there alone.” He touched my cheek lightly with the back of his knuckles. “You go do what you need to do to get ready. I’ll throw together a few things, make a few calls and then come help you with Carter. There’s room for one more on the jet, right?”

“Yeah. If it’s the same one I used to ride around in.”

“Ok. You can fill me in on the details on the flight.”

I nodded numbly and watched him walk away still staring when he let himself into his apartment. No one had ever put me first. Not even my dad. With him there had always been an unspoken understanding that the business came first. So many birthdays and special occasions passed by without him being present. Even when he had been with me, his phone had always been pressed to his ear. Inside I was reeling, but the thought of Justin at my side helped me hold it together.

I pulled the CH monogrammed covers up to Carter’s chin. I was glad someone would get some sleep tonight. A quick glance around the bedroom on the plane confirmed what I suspected. Though it looked like the same plane from the outside, it was totally changed on the inside. She’d redecorated it to match her complete lack of taste. Before, it had been elegant crisp whites and warm neutrals. Now it was purple, silver, and shiny black, flashy just like her. She’d mismanaged the hotel chain in much the same way. I’d read in the last issue of Forbes that Crystal’s stock was undervalued and ripe for a fall, and that they might even lose their coveted five diamond ranking.

My father and grandfather would have been aghast. The chain had built a reputation based on superior customer service and understated class, but with the witch, the focus was always on the superficial, the more garish or gaudy, the better.

I closed the door behind me. Justin was right by my side just as he’d been since the phone call.

“He asleep?”

I nodded.

“Good. He needs his rest. He was pretty anxious, you know? He picks up on your moods.”

I knew.

“It’ll be ok,” he reassured.

God, I hoped so.
I offered up a silent prayer that going back there wouldn’t ruin everything for me. Justin moved closer. He framed my face with his hands, and brushed his thumbs across my cheeks. I wanted to let him take care of me. I wanted to relax and take what he offered, but I couldn’t allow myself that luxury. I needed to explain. There were things he needed to know. Big things. Things I didn’t want Carter to overhear.

“Let’s talk.” I removed his hands keeping one in my grip and led him to the lounge. I tucked my bare feet underneath me in a leather chair. He sat opposite me, a serious expression clouded his face. I leaned forward. “I had a long conversation with my grandmother’s lawyer.” My fingers tightened on the armrests. “My dad had a trust set up, Justin. Maurice told me it predates my father’s remarriage. My grandmother never told me about it. She wanted me to make my own way in the world. Make my own mistakes, take my knocks, and learn from them. She always thought she made things too easy for my father. She wanted me to be different. Stronger.”

“You are strong.” Justin leaned toward me. He covered my hands with his own and squeezed.

“I hope so.” I managed a half smile. “I’m gonna need to be. The terms of the trust go into effect this Friday at midnight, exactly thirty days after Meemaw’s passing.” I managed a swallow to moisten my dry throat. “It gives me sixty percent of the entire company. A controlling interest.” I wasn’t kidding myself, though. I knew no matter what the paperwork said I was going to have a big fight on my hands. Evelyn wasn’t going to turn over the company to me with a pat on the back and just slink away into the night. She was a dangerous adversary. This meeting she wanted me to attend before the trust activated had me worried.

“What do I know about running a company? I poked myself in the chest as if that could toughen me up. I’m a twenty-one year old single mom who never finished college, a former drug addict.” I looked down at my hands. “I’m scared,” I whispered.

“I believe in you.” He pulled my chin up, his eyes roaming my face as he spoke. Whatever he read in my features, Justin certainly knew just what I needed. He got up, scooped me up into his arms, and settled back onto the couch with me on his lap. I put my hands on his chest. The strength of him was reassuring. The nervous shivers settled down as I absorbed his warmth. “You’ve got this, babe.” He stroked a hand soothingly over my hair. “Rest, Bridget. You don’t have to resolve everything tonight. We’ll take it one step at a time.” He kissed the top of my head, and I burrowed in closer, resting my cheek against his solid chest. “And we’ll figure it out…together.”