All They Ever Wanted (19 page)

“For a guy who lost a shitload of money in a Ponzi scheme, he sure has landed on his feet,” Gavin said.

“Yeah, but unfortunately, most of the other people conned in the scheme aren't professional athletes with a salary that rivals some school districts' budgets.” Miles tried to keep the disgust from his voice. It wasn't his brother's fault he was talented enough to earn outrageous sums of money for playing a game. Or that he'd been duped by his business manager into a bad investment. He hated that there were unscrupulous individuals
out there who would prey on innocent people like that. “Lots of senior citizens lost everything they had in the deal.”

“Trust me, Ryan is aware of that. I know he's proud that you're proposing legislation to stop these crimes as part of your platform, but I think a part of him would just like to see the subject die. He's still carrying around a lot of guilt.”

“Do you think that's why he doesn't ever come back to Chances Inlet?”

Gavin shrugged. “Partly. But he's also living the life in New York as a celebrity, superstar jock.”

“I'm not sure having women crawling out of my garbage is ‘living the life,' but whatever.”

Gavin laughed. He went on to explain progress in the loft renovation his firm was designing. By the time Miles pulled into the sandy parking lot off to the side of the B and B, he felt a little more relaxed about his predicament. As much as he hated how his campaign for Congress was damaging his father's reputation, he knew that ultimately his dad would be proud of the men he and his brothers had become. Miles just needed to continue on and not lose sight of that.

“That doesn't look like a very happy welcoming party,” Gavin murmured as he lifted his bag out of the trunk of Miles' car. “I know they'd never turn on me. What did you do?”

Miles looked over to the veranda where his mother, Bernice, Cassidy, and Ginger were seated. Gavin's pesky dog bounded down the steps, followed quickly by Ginger. His brother's fiancée threw him a bewildered look over her shoulder before flinging her arms around Gavin's neck. Bernice's mouth was set in a grim line when Miles climbed the stairs up to the veranda. His mother's expression pretty much mirrored Bernice's.

“You got some 'splaining to do, Miles,” Cassidy mumbled.

Panic coursed through his body as he immediately thought of Lori. Had she left? Did his mother blame him for her leaving? He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when—through the kitchen window—he caught a glimpse of her at the sink. As shitty as this day had already been, he wasn't sure he was ready to say good-bye to Lori yet. Not that she'd give him the chance.

“Mom, is everything okay?”

“That depends. Were you planning on telling your family that you're getting married?”

Son. Of. A. Bitch.

*   *   *

Patricia watched as her son slid into one of the gliders on the porch, the expression on his face a mixture of betrayal and rage. She hadn't for a moment believed Miles was engaged to Greer Rossi. Still, it was a relief to see him just as shocked by the news as she was.

“Where did you hear that?” he demanded to know.

Bernice snapped to attention. “Tanya Sheppard. She called the office for confirmation. I've been trying to get ahold of Coy all afternoon to have him refute it.”

Miles waved her off. “Don't bother. He's way too deep in the governor's pocket. Hell, he's likely the one the governor had leak it.”

Patricia stared at her son. “Are you saying what I think you're saying?”

He tucked his chin to his chest and dragged his fingers through his hair. “Things are getting complicated, Mom.”

“Is this what you meant before when you said you and the governor weren't seeing eye to eye?” Gavin asked.

Miles nodded at his brother. “Faye Rich's campaign is going on the attack against Dad. They're taking it national, too.”

Patricia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She'd finally come to terms with how and why Donald did what he did. She knew her husband wasn't guilty of any wrongdoing. The only thing he was guilty of was trying to protect his family—and she would love him forever for that. But it was time to move on. She was getting on with her life with Lamar. Just like Miles needed to move past this and get elected. The opposing party could try to pull apart the McAlisters but her family—Donald's legacy—was tougher than anyone thought.

“What does any of that have to do with you marrying Greer?” Bernice asked.

Miles was staring at Patricia when she opened her eyes.
Ever since he was a baby, he'd been the easiest of her children to read. “The governor wants to hit back,” she said, meeting her eldest son's stare. “But Miles doesn't want to. Am I right?”

He nodded once.

“Whoa, so he wants you to marry his daughter instead?” Gavin shook his head in disbelief. “And you made me feel like a jerk for suggesting that you and Greer hook up.”

Ginger elbowed Gavin in the ribs. “Shouldn't Greer be able to make up her own mind? I mean, what father does that?”

“One who wants to make sure he can keep me under his thumb.” Miles had that dejected look on his face; the same one he'd worn when he found out his favorite teacher had allowed students to cheat on an assignment all those years ago.

“Are you running for Congress so you can be beholden to another man, Miles?”

He contemplated her words for a moment before his eyes grew determined and his mouth turned up at the corners. “No, Mom, I'm not.”

“I didn't think so.” She reached out and wrapped her fingers around his larger ones. “Don't compromise who you are for this campaign. If this family is going to take a beating in the media, then at least let it be worth it. Your father wouldn't have wanted it any other way.”

Miles leaned across her lap and brushed a kiss on her forehead. “I love you, Mom,” he whispered.

“What do I tell Tanya Sheppard?” Bernice wanted to know.

“Don't tell her anything yet,” Miles said. “Just let her simmer. We'll draft up a statement tonight and release it in the morning.”

Bernice snorted in disgust. “Good luck with that. Your boy Coy is AWOL.”

He patted Bernice on the knee. “I think you and I can handle writing this one ourselves, Bernice.”

The older woman's lips quivered. “Really? Hallelujah!” She jumped up from her chair. “I'll go get my laptop.”

Gavin cuffed Miles on the shoulder. “I meant what I said earlier. I've got your back. The whole family does.”

Patricia's heart skipped a beat as she watched her sons share
a quick embrace. There had been a lot of hard feelings between the two the past several months and she was glad to see them finally resolving things. “Gavin's right, we're all here for you, Miles.” Using the back of the chair for leverage, she stood up.

“Good, because I'm going to need you to do a favor for your friend Faye,” Miles said. “I can't stop the party from going negative. I'd like for you to give her a heads-up.”

“Wait.” Cassidy stood up, too. “Her campaign gets to say what they want about Mr. Mac and you're going to give her a warning? I don't get it.”

Ginger wrapped an arm around the teenager. “You're seeing integrity at its finest, Cass. Watch and learn.”

The teenager shook her head. “I hope I'm not seeing a sucker.”

T
he sunlight was fading when Lori finished the turn-down service in the seven occupied suites. Tessa trotted ahead of her as they both climbed the two flights of stairs to her bedroom. She'd have to leave the dog behind. The woman at the bus station was adamant about the no-pets-on-board policy. Her eyes burned at the thought, but she knew Patricia would keep Tessa safe and happy.

Using the money Diesel had sent her, Lori bought a ticket for the 6 a.m. bus to Raleigh. From there, she'd get on another bus to Nashville. In less than twenty-four hours, she'd be starting over.
Again.
This time without her grandmother's ring.

But staying until she found it had become too perilous. Lori couldn't risk being detected here in Chances Inlet. For once in her life, she wasn't thinking about the implications her discovery would have on her, but rather on those she'd come to love.
Both here and elsewhere.
From what she'd overheard in the kitchen this afternoon, the McAlisters were gearing up for another major assault on their reputation. If word got out they'd been harboring her here at the B and B, it would be devastating to the family. Even worse, it would
be destructive for Miles' campaign. She couldn't do that to them. She couldn't do that to
him
.

Lori squeezed back the tears as she pulled out her duffel from under the bed. Of all the stupid things she'd done in her life, falling in love with Miles McAlister had been the dumbest. She'd known up front that any kind of relationship with him would be doomed. Aside from the fact that she wasn't here for the long haul, he was all that was good in a person and she . . . wasn't. Miles was the light to her darkness. After everything she'd done, she didn't deserve a life with a man like him. And yet she'd fallen in love with him anyway. Obviously, her common sense and judgment still needed a good alignment.

The fact that he vowed never to love again should have given her some consolation. Except it didn't. She wanted Miles to know love one more time. And, silly woman that she was, she wanted him to love
her
. Disgusted with herself, she tossed her extra shoes into the duffel bag.

“I take it you found your grandmother's ring?”

Miles' solemnly asked question made Lori's chest squeeze. She took a moment to compose herself before turning to face him. He was gripping the frame of the door with both hands as if to keep her from escaping. The long day had left him looking rumpled and tired but there was still that sense of energy about him humming just beneath the surface. Miles was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, whether it was training for a triathlon or running for Congress. She had no doubt he'd survive whatever the opposing camp threw at him. Lori was disappointed that she wouldn't be around to watch him succeed.

She sat down on the bed in order to keep from embarrassing herself by jumping into his arms. “Still no ring.”

“But you're leaving anyway?” His fingers were white knuckled against the dark tiger oak doorjamb, almost as though he was holding himself back, too.

“I have to.”

Miles swore viciously. “Let me help you.” His words were spoken softly, but it was a demand nonetheless. Dudley Do-Right, the ultimate Boy Scout, couldn't stand not being able to make things right.

The tightness in Lori's chest grew stronger. This was why she should have left days—make that weeks—ago. “You can't. Don't you see?” she whispered.

“No.” Shaking his head angrily, he stepped into the small room, slamming the door closed behind him. “Try me, Lori. Tell me what it is you've done. You can trust me.”

Trusting him was no longer the issue. Lori was more afraid of the disgusted reaction she knew would come when he found out who she was. Who her father was. She didn't want him to know that woman. Instead, she wanted him to remember the woman he'd been sleeping with the past several nights.
The woman who loved him.

She tried to deflect the focus back onto him. “Have you broken off your engagement with Greer yet?”

His blue eyes narrowed and he gave his head a little shake as if to refocus his thoughts. “You know as well as I do there never was a real engagement, Lori. But I'll show Greer the same courtesy I would any woman and discuss it with her in private. Not via that witch Tanya Sheppard.”

“Of course you will,” she mumbled. “You're the quintessential gentleman.”

Miles plopped down on the bed beside her. Tessa gave him a guarded look from her perch on the upholstered chair in the corner of the room.

“Am I detecting a touch of jealousy, Lori?”

She swallowed around the knot in her throat. “I'm not jealous of Greer Rossi.” Her next words weren't meant to be cruel, but they would do the trick of getting Miles to back off. “I'm jealous of Justine.”

He flinched beside her. His eyes darkened and his mouth formed a grim line.

“When she died,” Lori continued, “she took your heart with her. That makes me jealous as well as sad because now there's nothing left for the rest of us.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

She watched as recognition dawned on his handsome face. He shook his head violently.

“You knew better,” he growled.

Lori's laugh was hollow-sounding. “That seems to be my life's mantra.”

“Damn it, Lori.” He plowed his fingers through his hair.

“You don't need to worry, Miles. I've packed my heart up with the rest of my stuff and I'll be taking it with me.”

He reached over and traced a finger along her cheek. “I'll still worry about you.”

She leaned into his palm and covered his hand with hers. “I know you will, but I'll be fine.”

He pulled her in closer so that his lips brushed over hers. “Promise?”

Lori knew enough not to make him a promise she had no idea would hold up, but she wanted to reassure him. Instead of speaking a lie, she pressed her lips to his, opening his mouth with hers and delving inside. She felt the low rumble at the back of his throat as she wrapped her fingers around his skull and pulled him in closer. Miles' hands slid beneath her T-shirt to cup her breasts and suddenly Lori was frantic to have him inside her one last time. She yanked at the buttons of his dress shirt, eager to get at the smooth skin beneath it. Taking control, Miles used his powerful body to push her back onto the bed.

“No,” he said as he nipped at her neck. “If this is going to be our last time, we're not going to be hasty. We're doing this slow and thoroughly.”

His words, delivered with such fierceness, made her core ignite. Lori's fingers trembled as they undressed each other but Miles' expression was unwavering. His mouth and hands roamed over her body as though he was trying to commit her curves to memory. Lori gasped when he finally slid home.

“Look at me,” Miles commanded. Lori forced her eyelids open and stared into the blue depths of his resolute eyes. “This is our truth, Lori. Right here. Right now.” He rocked his hips into her and began a slow, deliberate thrusting, his eyes never leaving her face. Lori picked up his rhythm and they moved as one until both were falling headlong over the edge.

*   *   *

Heat lightning flashed beyond the veranda of the inn. Patricia carefully navigated the wooden stairs leading up to the B and B. In all the excitement this afternoon, she'd left her reading glasses somewhere—hopefully on the kitchen counter of the inn. Flipping on the light switch, she breathed a sigh of relief when she spied her glasses on the desk in the corner. The kitchen was quiet; Lori had likely finished for the night, but she heard guests in the common area down the hall. She was debating whether to check in with them to make sure their rooms had everything they needed when Cassidy barreled through the screen door.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I'm fine, Cass. I was looking for my glasses, but I found them.” She held them up for the girl to see. “What's got you so riled up?”

Cassidy leaned against the island, trying to catch her breath. “I was downtown with the Patty Wagon when someone said there was an emergency call into the sheriff's office from the inn. I was worried it was you.”

Patricia gave Cassidy a puzzled look. “There's no need to worry about me, honey. I'm fine. No one here has called the sheriff.”

A knowing smile broke out on Cassidy's face. “Oh, I get it. You and the sheriff are just fooling around and you don't want anyone to know he's come over here.” She winked at Patricia. “Don't worry, I won't tell.”

A blush warmed Patricia's face. “That's not it at all, Cassidy. Lamar is on duty tonight. There's no ‘fooling around' when he's working.”

The teenager's face sobered. “Then why is his cruiser out front?”

She stared at the teenager a moment before realizing she heard Lamar's voice among the chatter in the common rooms. Pivoting on her crutch, she shuffled toward the foyer with Cassidy at her heels. Sure enough, Lamar was standing in the entrance to the music room taking notes on his phone. Several
guests were clearly eavesdropping on the conversation he was having with Mr. and Mrs. Benson, who were staying in the Perth Suite.

“Is there a problem here, Lamar?”

He wore a resigned look when his eyes met hers and Patricia's stomach dropped. What was going on here and why hadn't someone informed her? Her own expression must have conveyed her questions because his stance grew defensive.
Damn
. She was being coddled and protected yet again. Patricia hobbled closer, nearly smashing Lamar's toe in annoyance.

“Yes, there is a problem here,” Mr. Benson was saying. “My wife's diamond tennis bracelet is missing.”

“Uh-oh,” Cassidy murmured.

“I took it off this morning before we went on our bike ride,” Mrs. Benson said. “And now it's gone.” She gulped and Patricia wasn't sure whether it was for real or for the benefit of those watching.

“When exactly did you last see the bracelet?” Lamar asked. It was a good thing he was doing the talking because Patricia was furiously reviewing her insurance policy in her head. There was always a chance a guest could lose something while at the B and B. She just hoped the diamond tennis bracelet wasn't as expensive as it sounded.

“This morning, around nine. That's when I put it in my jewelry roll with the rest of my pieces.”

“You didn't think to put it in the safe provided for you in your suite?” Lamar seemed to be trying his best not to sound accusing, but Patricia had to concede that he was failing miserably.

“Given the reputation of this B and B, I had assumed that we didn't have to.” Mr. Benson's tone was every bit as condemning as Lamar's. “But I can see we were wrong about that.”

Patricia's head was throbbing as much as her hip now. Most of the guests were taking in every word as though this were a planned entertainment for the night. “Perhaps we should take this into my office. We'll need a description so that we can begin searching the inn for it.”

Cassidy groaned. “Lori made me tear apart this whole
hotel earlier this month looking for that guy's thousand-dollar pen. Are you telling me we're going to have to do it all over again?”

Two of the guests stepped closer at Cassidy's words. Patricia's stomach dipped a little lower. “What ‘guy's thousand-dollar pen'?” She intercepted the quelling look Lamar shot Cassidy, and a lick of panic crawled up her spine. What else had gone missing that her family and staff had forgotten to mention?

Probably realizing that she'd said too much, Cassidy licked her lips. “Mr. Maxwell. He lost a silver Montblanc pen.”

“Do guests' belongings often disappear from your B and B, Mrs. McAlister?” Tanya Sheppard's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Patricia turned to see the television reporter and her cameraman standing just inside the B and B's front door.

“Not any more than they do in any other establishment in town,” Lamar interjected.

Patricia could have kissed him for his quick defense of her and the B and B. But that would have to wait until after she shooed Tanya and her camera crew off the premises; dealt with the Bensons and her other guests; and chewed her fiancé out for acting like her late husband and shielding her from things she ought to know.

She turned to Tanya with what she hoped was a serene smile on her face. “Can I help you, Ms. Sheppard?”

Tanya glanced around the crowded foyer. “I was looking for Miles. I've been trying to get a comment from him all day.”

“He's at a campaign function.” It was a lie, but she figured it was a mother's prerogative to buy her son some time before he debunked the rumors tomorrow. “We don't expect him back until later. Much later.”

The reporter smirked as if she knew she was being played, but she got the message regardless. She nodded to her cameraman to head back to the veranda before she thought better of it and stopped herself midway out the door. “Perhaps you'd like to tell me what you think about your son's rumored engagement to the governor's daughter?”