BILLIONAIRE FOR KEEPS: Book 3 (Point St. Claire, where true love finds a way) (5 page)

Welcome to Point St. Claire!

As the sign came into view, Vanessa told herself to stay calm. Stay numb. She wasn’t here to reminisce. To feel sorry for herself.

She hadn’t come to mourn.

Her mission was more important than that.

Since finding out via her father’s attorney that Toomey Constructions was signed over, sold to Griffin, the day of Ronan’s fatal heart attack, she had been moping around at home, at the office, unable to concentrate, not wanting to eat or talk or forgive.

The remedy?

Do something about it, sooner rather than later. Point St. Claire was the key.

As she drove toward the town center, she focused on her plan. First, a place to stay. And not just any place.

Before setting off that morning, she hadn’t phoned ahead. She wouldn’t give herself the opportunity to back out if the cottage from her childhood wasn’t available. She was a minute away from finding out.

As she walked into the realty office, the entry door tinkled, and Vanessa hesitated. The sound took her back, way back to a morning when she and her dad had gone to a store and the first domino leading up to this point had fallen. A woman stood behind the realty counter, a welcoming smile, no accusations in her eyes.

“I’d like to rent a cottage,” Vanessa said.

“We have some gorgeous places right in town―”

“By the lake.” Tight smile. “Thanks.” Vanessa gave an address. “Is it available?”

The woman, Emma Bagwell her name badge said, tapped on a laptop keyboard, narrowed her eyes on the screen and nodded. “It’s free. Has been for a good while, actually.”

As Emma saw to rental agreements and deposits and such, Vanessa caught a movement out the corner of her eye. Another woman stood in a doorway that led to the back of the building. Extraordinarily pretty with long brunette hair and an inquisitive, thoughtful expression.

Emma Bagwell handed the keys over. “Do you need directions?”

“I’ve been here before.” Vanessa tipped closer. “And if anyone should ask…”

Emma held up both palms. “We never met.”

*

The cottage hadn’t changed. Not a bit, which was eerie. She felt as if she were that girl again, being carried in through the front door.

Every stick of furniture was in the exact same place. The same rug was laid out before the same twin sofas. The same fireplace and pokers and grill. Closing her eyes, Vanessa inhaled. It even smelled like the past, not exactly musty, but…locked away.

She opened her eyes, glanced around. In a corner, she saw herself as a first grader playing with oversized memory cards. There were pictures of animals…a big blue friendly bear, a racoon with a round googly eyes.

A door clicked shut behind her and she swung around.

No one was there. Not in the here and now. But she still saw her father walk over to that younger Nessa and ask if she wanted to go play on the beach in a while.

Then a feeling prickled up the back of her neck, all the way over her scalp. She smelled freshly baked pie, and heard her mother’s call. Vanessa walked into the kitchen. Her mother was bent over, sliding a pie out of the oven, setting it on the counter, sprinkling sugar on top.

“Nessa, honey, come get a slice before it goes cold.”

Her mom baked the best pie ever.

Another noise filtered into the room. A scratching. Insistent. Like steel nails dragging on dried paint. And this time it wasn’t in her mind. It was now and getting louder.

On the dining room table sat a vase of fake flowers. A film of fine dust dulled the petals. She was wiping a rose on her sleeve when that noise came again, closer this time. She swept back a curtain, the one that covered the glass doors that led to the back landing, and looked out over the lake, over the wood planking, then closer and lower near her feet.

A cat sat on the other side of the glass. It was looking up at her like it couldn’t understand the hold up. Its coat was white and short and shiny, its nose was a blob of lolly pink, and its eyes were wide and as blue as an August sky.

It scratched again before setting that paw down and waiting patiently for some action.

Vanessa unlocked, opened up. The cat arched its back for a full three beats before padding into the room and twining around her ankles. She swept the cat up and laughed when it snuggled against her chest and started to purr like a champion.

She scratched under its uplifted chin. “I’m not allowed to be distracted, remember?”

But of course the cat
didn’t
know. They’d never met before. But Vanessa was thinking about a kitten she’d once owned; she was always padding off, leaving Nessa to visit Mrs. Willows next door. Cats might not like to be told what to do, but they knew where they were needed.

And Vanessa could sure use some flesh and blood company right now.

“We all thought you were
dead
.”

Vanessa sat back in the café booth seat. “Thanks for coming, Jace.”

“Did you hear me? I was about to lodge a missing persons report. You don’t come into the office. You don’t reply to my phone calls.”

“You got my text though?”

“And when I texted back, you left me hanging. I thought you’d been kidnapped, or something worse.” Jace’s long jet-black locks glistened in the late morning light slanting in through the window as she cast a wary glance around. “You sure there’s nothing weird going on?”

“I just…needed to get away.”

“Okay.” Jace nestled down in her seat. “I’m here to help.”

“I want you to take over as head of
VeeTee Fashions
for while.”

Jace had the biggest chocolate brown eyes. Now those eyes grew wider before she shucked back her shoulders and visibly gathered herself. “Well, sure. Anything. For as long as you need.”

“I’m thinking six months.”

This time Jace fell back in her seat. Then her eyes narrowed like she’d put it all together. “This is about
love ‘em and leave ‘em
Griffin Hayes.”

Vanessa didn’t want to get into it. Jace already knew about the affair, about Griffin allowing her ill father to sign that stupid buyout deal a moment before he died. Talk about ruthless.

A better word was
heartless
.

Vanessa wanted to wait to tell Jace about the baby. She couldn’t take any more well-intentioned sympathy (or congratulations) just now.

Vanessa had finished ordering for them both―one glass of milk, one coffee and two helpings of velvet cake―when Jace leaned over the tabletop and rasped, “You said no one knew you were here.”

“No one other than the realty agent and you.”

“And the jerk who just pulled up outside.”

Vanessa’s gaze swung toward the window.

Terrific
. She so wasn’t ready for this. 

Griffin strode into the café and spotted her in a second flat. Vanessa took a long sip of milk and waited while he ran a hand through his hair and headed over.

“Mr. Hayes,” Vanessa said, setting down her glass. “This is a surprise.”

Keeping his gaze fixed on Vanessa’s, Griffin spoke to Jace. “Would you mind leaving us alone for a moment?”

When Jace quizzed her boss with her eyes, Vanessa nodded,
okay
.

As Jace left, Griffin slipped into the booth to face her.

Vanessa pasted on a sweet smile. “So, how’s your bank accounts?”

“Wow.”

“You mean,
wow that stung
?”

“No. Wow you look beautiful.”

Her heart kicked against her ribs but she held her tight smile. “Must be the Maine air.”

“Which brings me to, what are you doing here?

“Minding my own business.”

Wish you would, too.

A belly laugh pulled her attention toward the door. An elderly man wearing a scarred Bean boots and coveralls was chasing a kindergarten kid as she scampered over their way. Dressed in a red pinafore and matching shoes, the little girl pulled up when she got to the booth. She was giggling so hard her bob of blond curls was shaking.

Maternal instinct kicked into overload. When a pair of plump baby arms reached out to her, Vanessa desperately wanted to sweep that little darling up.

“Well, ain’t that a woman for you.” The old gentleman was ambling over. “Making a man chase her all over Kingdom come.”

Griffin nodded a warm greeting. “How you doing, Judd?”

Judd tipped his cap. “Worn thin.”

Griffin saw to introductions.

“And you’ve already met my great granddaughter.” Judd leaned over, gnarled hands on coverall knees. “Say
how d’ye do
to the folks, little Miss.”

The girl peered into Vanessa’s eyes with such a curious look. Then she clapped a dimpled hand over her mouth and threw it out again―blowing her kiss along with a beaming smile.

Vanessa laughed. “She’s gorgeous.”
So precious
.

“And, I bet, a hand full,” Griffin added, smiling, but meaning it, too.

Judd was eying Vanessa. “I’ve seen you before around here,” he said.

“We were up a few weeks ago,” Griffin said.

Judd’s brow wrinkled more. “I’m thinking back. Way back.”

Vanessa was thinking back, too. “My family used to come here for vacations when I was young.”

Judd nodded deeply. “
Ayuh
. It’s your hair. It was like a flame back then. Could spot it a mile away. You used to follow your Daddy around. He liked to fish any chance he got.”

Sure
. Now Vanessa remembered. “You’re Mr. Everett. You used to give my dad tips on sinkers and hooks.”

“One and the same. How’s your pa doing?”

Griffin replied. “He passed away last month.”

Judd rubbed his scratchy jaw. “Sorry to hear it.” One corner of his mouth lifted. “He never got tired of saying how you helped him with his model ships, handing over all those itty-biddy pieces for him to fit in.”

Vanessa bit her inside cheek against the threat of tears. Ronan’s death…the funeral…it was still so raw. “We were close.” Particularly back then.

“There’s nothing like a father’s love for his children,” Judd said. “
Nothing
. And that’s the honest truth of it.”

Something must have caught the little girl’s eye. She scampered off again and Judd trundled after her. Good timing because Vanessa had suddenly choked up so much, so doubted she could speak.  

Griffin obviously saw she was upset. He got up and slid in alongside of her.

“Judd has the best memory in all of Maine. I bet if we asked him, he’d remember that horse of yours, too.”  

Vanessa’s insides clenched, but wouldn’t give herself a chance to soften more. They’d talked long enough.

“I need to speak with Jace.”

He hesitated, slanted his head. “You’re staying here for a while, aren’t you.”

“Did the realty agent tell you that?”

He frowned. “No. When you weren’t at the office, when you wouldn’t return any of my calls…this was the first place I thought of.”

“Now you can turn around and go back to Boston.”

A muscle in his jaw flexed. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’m a big girl now, remember?”

From now on, she’d take care of herself.

*

After Griffin left the booth, Vanessa and Jace discussed the logistics of her promotion. There’d be lots of phone calls and Skype and emails. But Vanessa had every faith in her friend’s capabilities and, just as important, loyalty. Besides…

There were things way more important than business.

Two hours later, Jace shut her laptop and lowered her voice. “He’s still there, isn’t he? Sitting at the counter, waiting.”

Vanessa flicked a glance across. Griffin was studying his cup of coffee. He wore black dress pants, white business shirt, no tie. His hair was ruffled. He hadn’t picked up his cell phone the entire time.

Vanessa finished her third glass of milk. “You’d think he had nowhere better to be.”

“I’ll follow you back to your place. Stay the night.”

Vanessa wanted to reach across and hug her. God, she loved this woman. But, “I’m not afraid of him, Jace.”

“You’re just in love with him, which is way more dangerous, considering the beast in question.” She looked hard at ‘the beast’ and exhaled. “I need to talk to him.”

“No.
I
need to talk to him.” When Jace’s mouth dropped open, Vanessa huffed. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to fall into bed with him.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

Vanessa smiled softly. “You’re a special person.”

“Thank you, and ditto.” Her eyebrows knitted. “You deserve to be happy.”

“I know. And I will be.”

“Not with Griffin Hayes in your life.”

Vanessa would have assured Jace that Griffin was out of her life for good. Only that wasn’t impossible.