She hadn’t slept, had just held him, watched him. Again worried about the lateness of the hour, Megan swung her legs over the side of the bed, surprised to find she ached in places she hadn’t known could ache. But it was a good aching.
Alex leaned over and pulled her back down. “Maybe, before we leave this room, we should clear the air. About my fast getaway last week.” He shifted so he could see her face. “Do you know why I left in such a hurry?”
“Because you realized things were moving too fast and you needed time to think.”
Amazed she knew him so well, he let his face show it. “That’s what I told myself, too. But it was more than that. I realized something far more important.”
Megan’s heart fluttered, but she kept her features even. “And what was that?”
“That I’m falling in love with you. And frankly, that thought scared me to death.”
She raised trembling fingers to touch his face, his strong, handsome face. “I feel the same and I’m just as scared.”
“What are we going to do about it?”
She managed a shrug. “I’m open to suggestions.”
“How about we take it one day at a time for now?”
“That works for me.” And would give her a little breathing room, time to sort out all that had taken place today in the way of changes in her life. “Is the way you feel the reason why you paid off my second mortgage and brought me up-to-date on my first? Mr. Williams didn’t tell me, but I figured it out. Why’d you do it? Because you felt sorry for me?”
“No!” Alex’s scowl was fierce as he sat up. And tinged with just a shade of guilt, because he
had
felt sorry for her. At first. “I did it because I’m so damn proud of what you’re doing here keeping the inn going. And more importantly, the terrific job you’re doing raising Ryan. When I found out from Grace how Neal had left you with a mountain of debts, I just had to do something. Don’t be angry. I can afford it. All I wanted to do was make life a little easier for you and Ryan.” There was more, but he thought he’d said enough for one day.
“I’m not angry, although you know how I hate someone else paying my way. Did you get my note at your office?”
Alex grinned. “You mean your formal promissory note to repay every cent? Yes, I did. And I promptly tore it up.” Bending down to her, he kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t you see? I don’t want your money. Not now, not ever. I just want to ease some of your financial burdens.” His eyes on hers, his hand trailed down the silken line of her throat and settled on her breast, causing her to draw in a quick breath. “And maybe a little lascivious compensation from time to time.”
“Mr. Shephard, you want to
buy
my favors?”
Sobering, Alex shook his head. “Honey, there’s not enough money in the world to pay what you’re worth.” With that, he touched his mouth to hers.
Chapter 10
T
he morning after was more like the afternoon after since it was nearly three when Megan made it downstairs. She noticed that Grace had apparently gathered up the flowers she’d dropped, arranged them in vases and set the tables for morning. She’d also run her errands and was in the foyer talking with Mrs. Kettering.
“Hello, ladies,” Megan said in greeting, keeping her eyes on the senior citizen rather than subjecting herself to her friend’s shrewd gaze. “Anything happening?”
“You tell us,” Mrs. K answered, peering up at Megan through her thick granny glasses. “I noticed that nice young man’s convertible is in the parking lot. Does that mean he’s back with us for a while? I sure hope so. He’s a charmer.”
Yes, isn’t he just? Megan thought, praying her face didn’t reveal her feelings. “Yes, he’s back.”
“Good, because I’m stuck. Just one more word and I’ll have it licked.” She held up her folded newspaper. “Crossword puzzle. I need a five-letter word for
nose
. He’s a whiz at ’em, you know. Gets the hard ones every time, even the New York Times.”
“Really?” Alex had helped Mrs. K with crossword puzzles? Apparently, there was a great deal she didn’t know about him, Megan realized. “He should be down shortly.” Finally, she turned to face her friend. “Anyone been looking for me?”
Grace was trying without much success to keep a straight face. “No, it’s been quiet. You picked a good afternoon to take a...nap.” Despite her best efforts, a knowing smile appeared.
Flushing slightly, Megan cleared her throat.
“Napping? Are you ill, my dear?” Mrs. K wanted to know. “Because you look really healthy. Your color’s wonderful.”
Coughing into her fist, Grace turned aside.
“I’m just fine, Mrs. K. If you want to go back into the lounge, I’ll send Alex in as soon as he’s available.” She’d left him still in her room using her shower after she’d finished hers. Left him most reluctantly. But he couldn’t spend the nights there. Ryan would be right next door.
As the old woman walked off, her tennis shoes making a squishing sound on the tile, Megan turned back to Grace. “I believe the Southwestern suite’s empty. Let’s book Alex in there, okay?”
Grace moved to the registration desk and opened the daily book. “Whatever you say.”
Now that they were alone, Megan wanted Grace’s opinion. Not that it would be her guiding force, but her friend rarely looked at things through rose-colored glasses. A mature evaluation couldn’t hurt. “You don’t approve?” she asked, walking over to where Grace was entering Alex’s name.
Finishing, Grace looked up. “I didn’t say that. I know how crazy you are about him.” Which was why she felt she ought to share the information she’d learned earlier. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“Oh, Grace, neither do I. But I wonder, are there ever any safeguards against getting hurt?” Megan had thought a lot about that during the week of Alex’s absence. She’d wondered what she should do or say if he came back. And the moment she’d seen him running toward her on the hillside, she’d let her heart make the decision for her. “I can stay in my nice, safe life and probably avoid problems, or I can reach out and take what’s offered and hope for the best. Which would you do?”
Grace smiled. “No contest, honey. You know which one I’d choose. Aren’t I always telling you not to hide out in this old house?” Still, she couldn’t help worrying. “But there is something I think you should know.”
At that moment, the sound of running footsteps could be heard along with a whooping shout. Turning, Megan watched her son barreling toward her through the door and into the foyer, a wide grin on his face.
“Where is he?” Ryan wanted to know. “I saw Alex’s car out front.”
“Right here, sport,” Alex said, walking toward them from the back stairs. He grabbed Ryan and swung him into a bear hug, more or less the way he had swung Megan into his arms earlier. “I missed you.”
“Me, too. I
told
Mom you’d come back. I knew you would ’cause you promised to chaperone my field trip. It’s tomorrow.”
Alex set the boy down and tousled his hair. “I remember. End-of-school treat. A trip to Water World.”
“You don’t know what you’re in for, Alex, chaperoning twenty-six eight-year-olds to a water fest all day,” Megan commented. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Sure he is!” Ryan insisted.
“You bet I am,” Alex agreed. Bursting with happiness, Ryan stepped close and leaned into him for a spontaneous hug. Over the top of his dark, curly head, Alex looked at Megan and saw her eyes soften. His arm circling the boy’s small frame tightened and he blinked rapidly, realizing he was utterly lost to these two.
How the hell had this happened?
Noticing, Megan stepped in. “Go upstairs and change clothes, Ryan.”
“Okay, Mom.” In his happy state, he was agreeable. “I’m going to be in the fourth grade next year,” he said, looking up at Alex. “No more homework till then.”
“The fourth grade. Well, I guess you’re probably ready for some heavy reading. I picked up something you might like. Ever hear of
Goosebumps?”
“Goosebumps?
You got me
Goosebumps?
Oh, wow I read one from the school library. They’re great. Really scary.”
“I’ve never read one,” Alex confessed. “Maybe after awhile you can read it to me. Go change and I’ll see you later.” Alex watched the boy run off, trailing his book bag after him. “What a dynamo!”
“You don’t really have to go tomorrow,” Megan began.
“Are you kidding? I promised him. Besides, I think it’ll be kind of fun. Are you going?”
“Yes.”
His eyes warmed, but he didn’t touch her since Grace was nearby, leaning on the registration desk, watching. “Then I know it’ll be fun.”
Megan felt her cheeks heat again. Was this how it was going to be from now on? She was totally unused to being so flustered. “Listen, Mrs. K’s in there,” she said, pointing to the lounge. “She says she could use your help with a crossword puzzle.”
“Is she stuck again? Okay, thanks.” He strolled off.
Slowly, she turned toward Grace, knowing her friend would have some comment.
She did. “I hope you know what you’re doing, honey.”
Megan let out a trembling sigh. “I hope so, too. By the way, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier?”
“Oh, yes.” Grace glanced toward the lounge. “Let’s go into the kitchen.”
Curiosity had Megan frowning by the time she and Grace sat down at the kitchen table. “You’re being very mysterious.”
From her skirt pocket, Grace took the folded article she’d cut out of the paper. “Read this.” She watched Megan’s face as she scanned the report on Shephard Construction’s million-dollar-plus contract with the government.
Megan looked puzzled. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“I took the liberty of checking Alex’s company out with Dun & Bradstreet.” At Megan’s surprised scowl, she waved a hand. “Now don’t get angry. I thought we should know. Are you ready for this? He’s loaded.”
Megan’s scowl deepened. “Loaded?”
“Shephard Construction is worth millions. As in
beaucoup
millions. And Alex is his father’s only heir.”
“Oh. I see.” Megan sat back, somewhat stunned. She’d known he had money, that his company was profitable. But millions? “You’re sure?”
Grace nodded.
The realization sank in slowly. “So you’re wondering what a multimillionaire is doing here in Twin Oaks with us plain folk, right?”
“I’m not putting you down, Megan. You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman with a lot to offer. But I think it’s important to know what you’re up against.”
“Yes, so do I.” She stared at the picture of Alex’s father looking confident, formidable, unapproachable. Though Ron Shephard had been nice enough the afternoon he’d shown up, she’d thought him a little stiff. What would someone like that think of his son—his
only
son and obvious heir—becoming involved with a small-town innkeeper? He’d have plenty to say, she imagined. Folding up the article, she handed it back to Grace. “Thanks. You’ve given me something to think about.”
“I didn’t want to burst your bubble, but...”
Megan waved a dismissive hand. “It’s all right. I hate being the last to know something that could affect my life.” She heard Ryan’s loud footsteps coming downstairs. “We’ll talk later.”
She got up, wondering why every time she started feeling good about something, a zinger came whirling in from left field.
“Ryan, you can’t eat cookies straight out of the oven. You’ll burn your mouth.” Megan set the cookie sheet on a wire rack to cool.
“But, Mom, we’re starving. Right, Alex?”
“Yeah, Mom.” Alex sat back in the kitchen chair. But his mind wasn’t really on cookies as he studied the model they’d just finished. “Ryan, I made a mistake, didn’t I? I shouldn’t have bought the snap-together version. I should have stuck with the model cars we can glue together.”
“No, no, really. It’s great.”
Alex leaned down, touched a finger to the boy’s chin so he’d look up. Eyes as blue as his mother’s stared at him, just a shade evasive. “You’re being polite and saying what you think I want to hear. I can tell that you like the other kind better. But if you don’t tell a person how you feel, they’ll keep on making the same mistake over and over. Know what I mean?”
Ryan nodded. “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. I love the Porsche because it’s just like your car. But...but it’s more fun gluing the parts together.”
“Okay. Thank you for telling me. Next model, it’ll be the glue kind.”
“You’re not mad?” The little face still looked worried.
“Absolutely not. People can’t read minds. You have to share your feelings even if they might not be what the other guy wants to hear. How else will we learn about each other? If you’d have gone on faking it, I might have bought another thirty snap-together models and you’d hate them all. And I wouldn’t know why. See what I mean?”
“I think so.”
“Be up-front and do it in a nice way, and you won’t hurt the other guy’s feelings. He’ll respect you for being honest. Understand?” Or did he overexplain it? This counseling of kids wasn’t as easy as it appeared on the surface. Kids took things so literally, Alex had come to realize.
“Yeah, I do.”
Listening, Megan wondered how talking with Ryan came so easily to Alex when he’d never been around children much. His advice was good, on target, teaching her son to think for himself, something that wouldn’t have occurred to Neal. She took over a plate of cooled cookies and set it on the table. “Can I interest anyone in a glass of milk?”
Two male voices sang out with a resounding yes. She poured, then sat down and took a cookie for herself.
It had been quite a day, Megan thought, half-listening to Alex and Ryan discuss the merits of chocolate chip cookies versus peanut butter. She’d felt a bit blue this morning, picking flowers on the hillside, wishing she could turn back the clock to the first day Alex had arrived and do things differently.
Then, like a wish fulfilled, he’d returned, and she’d spent the most glorious afternoon of her life. Just looking at him warmed her. Remembering the way he made her feel, the way he touched her, kissed her, made love with her, had her skin humming and her senses quivering. And he’d said he was falling in love with her.
She wasn’t certain she believed him. Perhaps he
thought
that now, but was it a lasting emotion or a fleeting one? As for herself, she was head over heels, absolutely, wildly in love with him. But she’d been too much of a realist for too long to actually count on something coming of this wonderful union. Maybe it would, but the chances were greater that he’d get bored with her and the life she represented and go off to look for greener pastures.
Especially since she’d learned that he was heir to a huge fortune. What could she in all honesty offer a man like that? She wasn’t well-read, hadn’t had the time or energy to do more than glance at the newspaper in years. She’d had no opportunity to travel, not like Alex who’d been everywhere. She knew little about art or opera, about fine wines or aperitifs, about haute couture or haute cuisine, about tennis or bridge—the things she’d read the very rich were well versed in. How could she get along with his family, converse with his friends, impress his business associates?
If this relationship was to develop any further, what would they have in common outside of the bedroom? The very question was depressing.
“Mom, what’s wrong? You look sad.” In imitation of his mother, Ryan, too, looked suddenly sad.
Brightening for her son’s sake, Megan put on a smile. “I’m fine. So, how’re the cookies?”
“Great. I only had two
little
ones. Can I have one more?”
“Only if you promise to brush your teeth twice as long.”