Seduce Me Sweetly (Heron's Landing Book 1) (20 page)

Adam’s blood ran cold. He glanced through the article, the article they’d fought so hard to keep from coming to light.

And now it was exposed to the entire world. Adam had never cared who Carolyn’s father was, but he knew how important it had been to the Young family to keep that quiet, especially in the wake of her death.

“Adam? Say something. You’re freaking me out.”

He knew, suddenly, with such a painful clarity that he felt weak in the knees, who had done this. He
knew.
He’d told her this information in confidence and she’d betrayed him. There was no name attached to the story, but that didn’t matter.

He shoved the phone back into Jaime’s hands. “I have to go.”

“Wait, what are you going to do? Do you know who did this?”

“I know exactly who did it.” When Jaime looked blank, he just stared at him.

Jaime’s brows rose and he whistled. “Do you mean Joy? How can you know that for sure? She doesn’t strike me as the type. I know you’re pissed, and you should be, but don’t burn bridges before you really know.”

“I told her about Carolyn’s secret. She’s the only person who knew outside of the family, and the only person with something to gain from knowing.” He slammed his hand down onto his desk. “I was so fucking stupid. I trusted her, even though I already knew journalists like her…” He grabbed his phone from his desk. “I have to go.”

Jaime said to his retreating back, “Good luck. And I hope you’re wrong. For your sake, and Joy’s.”

Chapter Fifteen

Joy realized quickly that Jeremy had no intention of leaving soon and that if it weren’t illegal, she would’ve strangled him by the end of the first day of his coming to Heron’s Landing.

She’d cajoled, she’d asked, she’d ordered, she’d done everything she could to get him to leave. But if Jeremy were talented at anything at all, it was being stubborn. And he’d gotten it into his brain that if he just stuck things out, Joy would finally surrender and they could be together again.

Not a very romantic thought, but there it was. He wanted her so exhausted that she’d capitulate and then they could somehow be happy again.

The first day, when Jeremy had shown up at Trudy’s and Adam had stalked off, Joy had almost abandoned Jeremy in the middle of Main Street to go after Adam. But she knew Jeremy: he’d find her, and if he couldn’t find her, he’d make life hell for everyone else in Heron’s Landing.

As she sat with him at Trudy’s and he ordered a hamburger in a snide voice, she wondered how she ever put up with him, let alone thought she’d marry him.

She watched him as he ate, swirling his fries in mustard—one of his weird quirks—and she told herself he hadn’t been so bad years earlier. And it was true, at least partially. Jeremy had grown harder and more cynical with the passing years, and he’d taken it out on everyone else around him. His job, the lack of real writing opportunities, the lack of promotion, the lack of money—everything had added up and he’d decided it was the world that was against him, as opposed to him not working hard enough or simply accepting that not everything went the way you wanted it to.

His immaturity, Joy knew, had created this man-child that Jeremy was now. Just recently turned thirty, he looked younger, with his polo shirts and gelled hair, like they were still in college. She watched him eat and how he didn’t close his mouth as he chewed. She’d always hated that. But now it was…unbearable.

Jeremy wiped his fingers on his pants and looked around for their waitress. “Do you ever get any service in this place?”

“When you’re nice to the servers, sure,” Joy replied.

“Huh.” He turned his gaze back to her. “So I’m sure you’re wanting to know why I’m here.”

“Something like that.”

He leaned forward, his face intent. Joy instinctively stilled herself for the oncoming impact.

“I told you that I broke up with Regina, right? When I left her place, I knew I had to get you back.”

“Because you needed someone to do your laundry now that Regina was out of the job?”

He waved away her sarcasm. “I know you’re still mad. But you should look at my side of things: I gave up something good to come back to you. I didn’t have to. But I’m here. Shouldn’t that count for something?”

It was a rare thing for Joy to be at a complete loss for words, but at the moment, she didn’t know what to say. The only word swirling in her mind was
fuck fuck fuck fuck
, and maybe tossing her water glass in Jeremy’s face. But anytime she got emotional, Jeremy tended to dismiss what she was saying.

She knew now that that had been one of his many shitty tactics. God, how had she dated him for so long without realizing how terrible he was as a person?

“I already told you,” she said calmly, “I’m not interested in getting back together. I don’t want to return to Chicago, either. So you’ve wasted money on this trip if that was your only reason for coming here.”

“What, did you think I came here for, the scenery? The sad little vineyard?” Jeremy stuffed some dollars into the leather folder with the bill and stood up. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”

As he left Trudy’s, Joy made sure to add a few more dollars for a tip—as he didn’t believe in tipping—and followed after him. Grace eyed her as she left, and Joy could only shrug and go after him. She had to at least make sure to minimize the damage he could do in Heron’s Landing as much as possible, and if it meant having to babysit him for a while? So be it.

Knowing that his current tactics weren’t working, Jeremy apparently decided to try being charming. He took Joy’s hand and said conversationally, “How have you liked it here? I guess I could see the appeal. You can even park without circling the block for an hour!”

She smiled a little. “It was a big change, and I do miss the food in Chicago. But it’s been a welcome change.”

“How about the vineyard? Have you been there?”

At the mention of River’s Bend, her heart contracted. Did Adam think she was going to take Jeremy back? After everything she’d told him about her ex? She wished he were here. He’d tell her everything was going to be all right and then pull her close. It was cheesy and stupid, but she’d never felt as safe as she did in his arms.

“I have, a few times. It’s gorgeous, and their wine is amazing. You’d never think somewhere in nowhere Missouri they’d have wine like that, but you’d be surprised.”

Jeremy was looking around, wrinkling his nose at a beat-up pickup outside the hardware store. “Sounds positively adorable. Who was that guy you were with when I came into the restaurant?” His tone sounded vaguely interested, but she could hear jealousy lacing his voice regardless.

“That was Adam Danvers. He owns and runs River’s Bend—the vineyard.”

“Oh really? Is he married?”

Joy raised her eyebrows at the question. Since when did Jeremy care about someone’s marital status? Now that she thought about it, Adam hadn’t been wearing his wedding ring lately. “He was,” she replied slowly, “but his wife died in a car accident.”

“Adam Danvers, Adam Danvers.” Jeremy repeated the name, like he was tasting it on his tongue. Then he made an a-ha! sound. “I know that name! Was he married to one of the Youngs, of Young and Co.? I remember a story about their wedding.”

“He was—Carolyn was her name.” Joy narrowed her eyes. “You have a good memory.”

He shrugged. “Comes with the territory. You know what I mean.” He grinned.

Jeremy was also a writer, although his writing tended more toward gossip columns and celebrity exposes. Although Carolyn Danvers nee Young hadn’t been an A-list celebrity by any means, she’d still been fairly famous, especially in Midwestern circles. And if anyone would’ve known the name, it would be Jeremy.

The rest of the week dragged on, as Jeremy continued to extend his stay. Everyday, he made a case for him and Joy to get back together. And everyday, she turned him down. By the third day, she gave him an ultimatum: he could either stop asking her, or he could leave. It was his choice.

For some strange reason, he decided to stay. He continued to ask her things about Heron’s Landing, about River’s Bend, about the Danvers family, about Adam. They visited the vineyard briefly, although thankfully they didn’t run into Adam.

By the fifth day, Jeremy had apparently gotten enough of small-town life and told Joy that morning that he was taking a flight out of St. Louis later that afternoon and would be leaving after breakfast. She’d never been so happy to see another person leave.

His suitcase packed and wearing one of his many polo shirts, Jeremy embraced her before leaving. She lightly patted his shoulder. “See you, Jo-Jo,” he said into her neck. “I’ll call you when I land.”

She sighed. “Bye, Jeremy.”

After he drove away in his rental car, Joy decided to call her phone company and change her number. She never, ever, wanted a repeat of the last few days.

Joy was also well aware of the town whispering about her being with Jeremy these past few days. She’d heard rumblings that she was dumping Adam for her ex-fiancé, and she wanted to scream aloud that they knew nothing. But if she’d learned anything about small-town life, it was that trying to combat a rumor head-on by denying it had a tendency to make the rumor grow even faster.

The next few days passed in a blur. Joy tried to get back into the swing of things. She texted Adam to tell him about her new number, but he only replied in a clipped
okay.
She tried writing a post for the Heron’s Landing blog, but she deleted it after a few paragraphs.

At home one evening sipping wine and watching
The Bachelor,
she got a text from Grace:
did you see this?
The text included a link. Frowning, Joy tapped the link. And then her eyes widened, and then she gasped. Horror filled her as she read the headline.

CAROLYN DANVERS: WIFE, PHILANTHROPIST…AND NOT HER FATHER’S DAUGHTER?

She scrolled through the article, reading it so quickly she hardly comprehended its content, but the headline was enough. She looked at the author—an E. Jones, how helpful—and then she read the article more slowly. The blood drained from her face as she read the words, and she knew who the real author was.

Jeremy. Jeremy had done this.

Had he come to Heron’s Landing for this sole purpose? No, he hadn’t known, but when she’d mentioned Adam, he’d realized that he could maybe find some dirt. And look at the dirt he’d been able to uncover! The secret Adam had told her and she’d promised never to tell. And she hadn’t—but it didn’t look like that.

She called Grace, her entire body trembling. “Has he seen it?” she asked without saying hello.

She heard Grace sigh. “I don’t know, but I would bet he has already.”

Joy groaned. “This is terrible. You know I didn’t do this, right?”

“I know. I’m not sure a lot of other people will give you the benefit of the doubt, though.” Grace’s voice was sad and heavy. “Everyone loved Carolyn around here, and now that you were seen with Jeremy all week…”

Joy’s chest tightened; she felt like she couldn’t breathe. The town’s opinion of her had already taken a hit, and now this? They’d assume the worst. And it made sense, didn’t it? Joy was a journalist, just like the ones who’d made the Danvers’ family life hell for months after Carolyn’s death.

She was going to be sick. “I have to go,” she said to Grace and hung up.

Should she go to Adam’s? Try to explain? She had no idea how Jeremy had gotten this information, but she’d find out. She’d wring his neck and throw him into Lake Michigan. At that thought, she felt a little bit better—but not much.

Her question was answered when a knock sounded on her door. She knew those footsteps, and she could feel Adam’s anger through the wood. When she opened the door, he stood in front of her, his face flushed, his nostrils flared. He looked livid.

“Joy,” he said.

“Adam. Come in.” She shut the door behind him. Before he could say anything, she said, “I’m so sorry. So sorry. I feel sick. Grace sent me the link.”

His back was to her, and she could see how stiff it was. He seemed like he were made of marble: impenetrable, cold. He didn’t say anything, though.