“You still miss your husband, don’t you?” The words wobbled, fell flat on a heavy sigh. She’d never seen such a display of emotion when Uncle Walter talked about Aunt Helen. As a matter of fact, there had been no emotion at all, just cold precision.
Stella squeezed her eyes shut, opened them. “God, but I do,” she breathed. “I miss him every day. There were so many things I wanted to tell him, needed to tell him. I thought there was time… I didn’t know that day when he went into the woods… I’d never see him again. I didn’t know…” She swiped a hand over her face, sniffed. “You and Nick, you care about each other. I see it”—her lips pulled into a sad smile—“a mother knows… a mother always knows.”
“I—”
“I’m happy, Alex. Nick deserves to be happy. Make him happy.” She waved a hand, dismissing her. “Go. He’ll be waiting for you.”
“I…” She had to say this, now, to his mother. “I do care about Nick. I don’t want to hurt him, ever.”
God, but I think I already have.
“Then don’t.”
Alex left then, Stella’s words pounding in her brain.
Nick.
He needed to know the truth, all of it. What would he say? Would he even listen, or would he be so angry, so hurt, that he’d shut her out of his heart, his life?
She had to make him see, make him understand that she’d just been doing her job when she came to his town, that she had no intention of befriending the people of Restalline, of meeting someone like him, falling in love. But she had and now things were different—everything was different because Alex had seen too much, felt even more. There were visions of Ruth Kraziak sitting at the bus stop, waiting for a daughter who would never come; Edna Lubovich clutching the casket of her dead husband; Justin Androvich asking her if she ever thought about the way her parents died. And Nick, trusting her enough to tell her that the love for his wife had died long before she had. Alex knew he had never spoken those words aloud before.
She had seen the pain, etched on all of their faces, taught and unsmiling, heard it in their voices, faint and distant, sensed it in the movements of their bodies, rigid, lifeless, but mostly, she’d felt their pain,
felt it so deeply in her soul that it became her pain, her misery, her loss.
It was this need for unity, this quest for oneness, neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, that gave her clarity, made her truly see that Restalline was more than just a town, more than acres of land to be excavated and recreated in a broader, more commercial manner that would generate enormous sums of money. Restalline was a true community, a gathering place…a home.
Alex turned the corner, saw the white sign with black lettering hanging on a post in front of Nick’s office. NICHOLAS A. ANDROVICH, M.D. She sucked in a deep breath, flicked on her turn signal, and pulled into the parking lot.
“No.”
She slammed on the brakes, hands gripping the steering wheel.
“Dear God, no.”
The words slipped past her lips, fell around her, choking out her next breath. There, right next to Nick’s silver Navigator, partially hidden from view, was a shiny black Audi with a Virginia license plate.
Uncle Walter was here.
“Nick?” No, no,
no
. She had to get to him. “Nick?”
Elise Pentani motioned toward the closed door. “He’s in there. With a man who says he’s your uncle.”
Alex flew past her. Maybe she could cut Uncle Walter off before he did too much damage, before he exposed her… She knocked on the door once, then barged in, the words falling out of her mouth in a breathless rush. “Nick, wait, I can explain.”
“Hello, Alex.” She jerked her head from Nick to Uncle Walter, who sat in a gray tweed chair, his long legs crossed, his arms folded in his lap. He wore a navy suit with a pale blue silk tie a shade lighter than his eyes. Cold eyes. His expression was calm, almost relaxed. “Nick and I were just having a friendly conversation, getting to know one another.”
She forced her gaze back to Nick. He sat behind his desk, hands clasped behind his head, looking very tired and in bad need of a shave, but not angry or—worse yet—filled with hatred. In fact, he actually seemed pleased to see her. Maybe, just maybe she’d gotten here in time… Maybe it wasn’t too late. Her chest tightened, her heart banged against her ribcage.
“Your uncle was telling me about all of your brilliant accomplishments,” he said, smiling at her.
“He was?” Her gaze shifted from her uncle to Nick, then back again.
“Of course, I told him all about Vassar and Wharton. It’s quite an achievement, nothing to be shy about, Alex. You earned it; Nick realizes that.”
“I…” She twisted her fingers, forced herself to remain calm. “I wish you had told me you were coming.”
His lips curved up in his version of a smile, a half-twist of lips pulled over teeth. “And ruin the surprise? No, Alex, some things are best received with little preparation and no forethought.”
That’s how you squash your opponents—you get them when they least expect it.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” Nick said, leaning back in his chair. “I know you’re Alex’s only living relative.” His gaze flitted over her, softened. “You two must be very close.”
There was only the slightest hesitation, a half-second pause, maybe less. “Yes, yes we are.”
“Uncle Walter, do you think I could speak with you for a moment? In private?”
Nick didn’t know, not yet.
There was still time to tell him herself.
“Don’t be so shy, Alex. I’m sure whatever you have to say, you can say in front of your young man.” He rubbed his jaw, paused. “Unless it’s something you’d rather he not hear.”
“We don’t have any secrets from each other,” Nick said.
“Good. Very good.”
“Uncle Walter—”
“Wasn’t that clever of her to think of the documentary idea?”
“Nick—”
“Yes,” Nick said, smiling at her. “I think writing a documentary about small town life and its values is a great idea.”
“Writing? Who’s writing? Didn’t she tell you the real reason she came to Restalline?”
She tried to speak, tried to stop what she knew was coming, but the words froze halfway past her throat.
“What are you talking about?”
“You really don’t know, do you?”
“Nick, I can explain—”
“Somebody in the hell better explain what’s going on here.”
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
“Alex, I’m disappointed in you.” This from Uncle Walter.
She ignored him, rushed to Nick, touched his arm. “I can explain. I can explain everything.”
“Don’t be too harsh with her, Nick, she was only doing her job. She came here to research your town, and if conditions were right, lay the groundwork for us to come in and turn it into the biggest resort in the country.”
Nick jerked his arm away. “Who the hell are you?”
It was a blanket question, directed at Uncle Walter, but she felt the bite of his words aimed at her, too.
“I’m Walter Chamberlain, CEO of WEC Management. We’re a real estate development company based in Arlington, Virginia. We buy up property, usually small towns that possess keen aesthetic appeal with mass-market potential and convert them into resorts. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Krystal Springs resort in Upstate New York? That was our project. Alex spearheaded it. She’s excellent at spotting locations, weighing the value of the land and the monetary potential that can be extracted from it.” He leaned forward, his lips tilting into a semi smile. “She’s vice president of acquisitions, but when she wraps up this one, she’ll be made president of the company.”
Nick sat perfectly still. When he spoke, there was no emotion, not even anger in his voice. “So, it was all a lie.”
“No! No, Nick. I was going to tell you.”
“A story. A fabrication.”
“Think of it as a means to an end,” Uncle Walter said.
“Right.” Nick laughed, harsh, cold. “A means to an end. Do whatever it takes.”
“But it’s not that way.” Alex planted her hands on his desk, leaned closer. “Well, maybe at first it was, but before this town, I always believed the people would be better off selling, getting out, taking their cash and moving to the suburbs. I couldn’t imagine anyone actually wanting to live in these little godforsaken places, but this time I got to know the people…got to see how much they cared, and what they cared about…and then I met you...”
“Right, you met me.”
“Don’t do this, Nick. Listen to me. I made a mistake… a horrible one. I realized that and that’s why I went back to Virginia last week, to tell my uncle that Restalline wasn’t for sale.” She looked up, met her uncle’s cool gaze. “Tell him, Uncle Walter, tell him what I told you.”
If Alex ever wondered about her uncle’s love, his next words killed any hope she had that he cared for her as more than a vehicle for economic benefit and advancement. “She’s right, Nick. Alex did come back spouting off all sorts of nonsense about Restalline not being for sale. She said the two major parties”—he nodded toward Nick—“you and a Norman Kraziak, weren’t interested in selling.”
“That’s right. Nothing’s for sale, not the town or the people.”
“Ah, spoken like a true idealist.” His smile faded. “Don’t underestimate the value of the dollar.”
“And don’t you underestimate the power of unity.” Nick straightened in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re not pawns on a chessboard that can be moved around at will.”
“But don’t you see, in a manner of speaking, you are exactly that. Pawns. And I would never underestimate the power of unity, that’s why I’ve seen to it that unity will not be established. You, see, Nick, I’m a businessman, and when I sensed Alex was teetering toward loyalty to a man and a town versus loyalty to me and the company, I had to hedge my bets, ensure that if we wanted the town, we’d get it.”
“What are you talking about?” Alex stared at her uncle.
He’d been plotting something behind her back?
“Don’t trouble yourself, Alex. I did what any other businessman would do when faced with a similar predicament.” He leaned back in his chair, steepled his long fingers under his chin. “I found the weakest link. Thanks to you and your excellent research, Norman Kraziak has agreed to sell his companies and his interests to WEC Management.” And then, in a gesture so unlike him that she could do no more than stare, he winked. “Well done, Alex. Well done.”
“Norman is confused right now, he doesn’t know what he wants.” She held up her hands. “He needs time. Please, don’t push him.”
He ignored her, glanced at his watch. “It’s later than I thought. I need to catch up with Eric, finalize a few details of the sale.” He stood up, brushed his hands over his suit jacket. “We’re staying about ten miles from here, at the Glendover Manor. This area is certainly not known for its overnight accommodations is it? Alex, I’d like you to have dinner with us tonight.” He looked at Nick. “Of course, you’re invited as well, though it might be a bit awkward with Eric there.” He paused. “She did tell you about Eric, didn’t she, Nick? No? He’s the head of WEC’s legal counsel… he’s also Alex’s ex-husband.”
***
Nick dug his fingers into the hard plastic on the rounded edge of the chair. He watched Walter Chamberlain leave, his erect designer-suit frame moving with distinction and authority.
How could he have been so stupid, so ridiculously gullible? Alex had played him for a fool. Instinct had warned him to question her, but he’d been hunting the wrong animal, traveling down a path in search of answers when there would be none. She hadn’t been out to save the trees or uncover a story. Her goal was more insidious, more lethal by mere definition—she’d wanted to flatten the town, uproot the people, build a playground for the wealthy. It made him sick.
“Nick.”
She was still here.
He scrubbed his hands over his face, tried to focus, keep his voice calm as rage replaced the first waves of shock. “You betrayed us, Alex, all of us.”
“No.” She shook her head, panic filtering through her usually clear voice. “No, Nick. I didn’t betray you. I wouldn’t do that.”
“Everyone trusted you.
I
trusted you.” She reached out, tried to touch him. “Don’t.” He jerked away.
“Listen to me, Nick. Please. I can fix this, I can make it right, I know I can.”
“How?” He turned to her, stared at her pale golden hair, her slender neck, and saw nothing but betrayal, felt nothing but rage. “How are you going to do that, Alex? Huh? Are you going to try and persuade Eric, the ex-husband I knew nothing about, to forget the whole thing?” He slammed his fist on his desk, made her jump back. “What else don’t I know? What other secrets have you got locked away, waiting for the right moment to pounce on me?”
“Nothing. I’m telling you the truth. Honest.”
“The truth? Honest? You don’t know the meaning of those words.”
There were tears in her eyes, running down her face. So what? He should be the one crying, he’d been the one who was betrayed. “Just tell me one thing, Alex. Was sleeping with me part of this whole scheme?”
“Stop it.”
“Was it? Did you and your uncle plan it all out, maybe even old Eric? ‘Screw him and weaken his reserve, get him to do anything you want,’ is that it?”
“That’s sick.”
The tears were really coming now.
“Right. You’d never stoop so low, is that what you’re thinking?” Her eyes widened, in what? Was it shock, disbelief? Disgust? That made two of them. “What if it meant a promotion to president of the company?” The words kept coming; he couldn’t seem to stop himself. Hurt, that’s what he wanted to do to her. Hurt her as much as she’d hurt him. He ignored the tears, the quiet sniffling. “Would you sleep with somebody for that?”
“Stop it!” She turned away, shrank into the chair her uncle had vacated moments before. Her head was bent forward so he couldn’t see her face.
“I can’t stop this, Alex. You started it and now I’ve got to finish it.” There was raw pain in his voice, visceral, palpable. “I trusted you. And you lied to me.”
“Yes, damn it, yes I did.” She lifted her head, her eyes bright with emotion. “I came here to buy up a town, build a beautiful resort with Sapphire Lake as a prime attraction.” Her voice rose, steadied. “I did that, I’ll admit it, Nick. I wasn’t interested in anything or anybody but getting the deal.” She gripped the edges of the chair. “But then I met Edna and Chuck Lubovich, and Ruth and Norman Kraziak, and Bernie and Alice, and Stella and Justin Androvich, and Gracie.” She paused, drew in a deep breath. “And then I met you.”
“Yeah, and then you met me.”
“It doesn’t have to be like this. I’ll talk to Norman, get him to change his mind, make him realize what he’d be giving up.” Her eyes teared up again. “I can do that because I can see it all so clearly now and I couldn’t before. Do you understand what I’m saying? I realize what he’d be giving up, what the whole town would lose if he sold out, because finally,
finally
I know in here”—she laid a hand against her heart—“and I know one more thing.” She held his gaze, her voice trembling when she spoke. “I love you, Nick Androvich. I love you.”
“Don’t.” He held up a hand, tried to fend off the words that pierced his soul, made his heart bleed. “Just… don’t.”
“But I—”
He shook his head. “It’s over. Go home. I want to forget I ever met you.”
***
Small towns have a way of spreading information faster than a wildfire in California brush country. One word, a few poignant phrases, a well-placed pause, and the whole town starts talking, drawing conclusions, formulating opinions.
Stella Androvich didn’t think much when Gracie stopped by to see her that afternoon and told her about the handsome silver-haired gentleman in the dark suit she’d seen coming out of Nick’s office earlier.
“Probably an insurance salesman,” Stella had said.
“He was driving an Audi.”
“And you wonder why doctors pay so much for malpractice insurance?”
Gracie had shrugged, pulled a diaper out of her bag and proceeded to change little Rudy. The discussion ended there, with Stella busying herself at the table cleaning the last of the strawberries. Maybe she’d make a strawberry pie tonight, send it over to Nick. It was one of his favorites. She’d have to remember to give the recipe to Alex. Future mother-in-laws were supposed to give subtle hints regarding their children’s likes and dislikes, weren’t they? And there was no doubt in Stella’s mind that Alex would be her daughter-in-law. Of course, no one had said anything yet, not even a hint, but a mother could tell when her son was heading toward commitment. And it was about time. Nick needed a wife, Justin needed a mother, and Stella, well, she needed to see her children settled. Now if Michael and Elise would only realize they were meant to be together...