The Dark Side of the Rainbow (7 page)

“The person I had been talking to that day was the worst of them all. The last time I went to Paris, I don’t know how he managed it, but I found him in my hotel room waiting for me. When I had security escort him out, he refused to negotiate the business I had flown there to conduct. Apparently when his boss found out, he went through the roof. The idiot called me the same day you overheard me. The conversation was to inform me that he was ready to talk.”

Gaston was reluctant to admit it, but he could see why she hated French men. What he wouldn’t tell her was that Americans weren’t much better. They were simply more subtle about their affairs, careful not to broadcast their extracurricular activities.

“I’m sorry for your troubling experiences. I know one French man you would appreciate meeting.”

She looked at him, encouraging him with her eyes to continue.

“He is a man who started off life from humble beginnings. Through hard work and commitment, he made a way for himself as an educator. Eventually, he earned a professorship and ultimately became the head of the Pantheon-Sorbonne University, the most prestigious learning institution in France.

“This man taught thousands of people in his lifetime, but his three most important students were his children. Academics wasn’t his focus; it was the importance of being loyal, compassionate, and long-suffering that became his dissertation. His tutelage involved very few words; it was by his actions that his children learned the most valuable lessons in life.

“Because, he showed them daily how much he loved and cared for them, his wife, as well as his children, adored him. When times were difficult, they saw him persevere, never wavering from all that he held true.

“At the pinnacle of his success he was interviewed by a journalist who was doing a story about the great educator’s life. When asked what he felt was his most noteworthy success, the father answered, ‘I lived an exemplary life and I have lived it for the most important observers: my family.’ The man didn’t see his accolades and achievements as his greatest success; he saw the love and respect from his family as his most virtuous accomplishment.”

Gaston took a sip of his drink, staring at the glass as he set it back on the counter.

“Who is he?” Natasha asked in a quiet voice.

He turned to her before answering. “My father.” He sighed. “So you see, not all French men are like the pigs you’ve had to deal with in your business.”

She was silent for a moment. “I’m ready to listen to your reasons for the menu changes. I should have been more open to such a highly acclaimed chef. I hired you because you are the best in the business. I didn’t trust that. I was too focused on dollars and . . .” she paused, “other things.”

Smiling at her, Gaston gave her his reasons telling her that the menu needed to be elevated to a higher level to match the luxurious reputation of the establishment. They would lose some money at first, but heightening the value of their selections to include dishes made with fresh truffles and Beluga caviar would increase their sales. He alleviated her other concern about discarded inventory due to the items’ perishability. The executive chef estimated that the increased revenue would more than pay for any residual loss.

“Another thing to consider is not throwing away any of the aged product. On the very last day it can be served, I can use whatever is left to treat the employees. Consider it a morale booster. There is always a cost to making your employees happy. You can even itemize that particular expense in your general ledger.”

Natasha gave a hearty laugh, feeling better than she had all day . . . in weeks actually.

When her mirth subsided, she became quiet all of a sudden.

“Gaston, why did you kiss me?” The young executive couldn’t look at him when she asked the question.

She felt his finger on her chin and was surprised when he turned her head to make eye contact with her.

“Has kissing you fueled your hatred for French men?” he asked with some uncertainty.

Unable to talk, she shook her head.

“Good. I kissed you because I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I first met you.”

Natasha remembered that day several weeks ago when she, Landon, and a few of the other executives sat on the stools in this very kitchen to watch Gaston work. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of him. His tall, sturdy build was stunning, but it was his hands which had caught her attention. The deft movement of his strong fingers and wrists were effortless. It was as if they knew what to do before he even thought about the ingredients and tools.

When he had plated the dish he was demonstrating to the team, he had turned his dark brown eyes upon Natasha. His hair was the same color, framing a face that dimpled when he smiled.

She hadn’t been able to look at him while she tasted the food. One bite was all it took. She knew he was the right person for the Grand Vue.

The truth was, her mind, too, had been flooded on and off with thoughts of Gaston. Worried that he was like all the other men she had known from his country, it was better to dislike and provoke him than to want him.

Holding his gaze, she replied, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you either.”

He smiled a slow grin. “Will you try to slap me again if I kiss you?”

Natasha placed her hands behind her back. Closing her eyes, she waited to feel the touch of his mouth on hers. She was exceptionally excited to feel them again, this time in desire and not in anger.

H
earing the sound of the shower shutting off, Natasha blinked, smiling at the memory. Six months after that late night encounter, they had married. On that long ago evening, she knew there was no other man for her.

Falling in love had come at the right time for Natasha and her brother Landon. It had been four years since the accident and his attempted suicide. He had taken the words she had spoken to him in the hospital to heart and had made great strides toward moving on with his life.

By the time she met Gaston, she was no longer worried about Landon making another suicide attempt. He was working with purpose and making a name for himself in the family business. After two years of apprenticing alongside Natasha, her brother was ready to begin negotiating.

They had been in the middle of a battle over some prime property in Rio de Janeiro. An investor from England was hard-nosing them about profit percentages. Without his money, the deal would fall through and they would lose the pristine acreage for their newest hotel. If they accepted the investor’s terms, they would agree to a higher percentage of return than they had given to anyone else in the past. At that rate, the first five years would barely be survivable. The upfront costs were steep. Building, branding, and promoting the new resort would require a great deal of capital.

After a full day of negotiations, the investor, Adler Cromwell, wouldn’t back down from his position. After dinner that night, Landon went back to his hotel room and worked up the numbers and every possible option. At 2 a.m., he knocked on his sister’s room in the suite they shared at their London hotel.

He heard a mumbled, “Come in.”

“I’ve figured it out, Natasha.”

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up in bed as he began sharing his counter offer.

The experienced executive had come up with the same plan hours ago but refrained from saying anything, hoping her brother would figure it out on his own.

When he was done speaking, she gave him a tired but brilliant smile. “Go get ‘em, tiger!” Natasha encouraged before lying back down to sleep.

The next morning, with all the pleasantries aside, Landon reconvened the negotiations.

“We greatly appreciate your interest in NLG Property Group, Mr. Cromwell, and consider it a privilege to partner with you; however, we are unable to agree to the percentage of return you are proposing.” Taking a brief pause, Landon continued. “We have one final offer to make. In considering this offer, we would ask that you keep in mind our success rate in returns. Should you turn down our proposal, we can only wish you the best of luck in whatever endeavors you choose. We hope the return on your money will be as probable as ours.”

A slow smile spread across Adler Cromwell’s face. He looked at his assistant and said, “Awfully cocky, isn’t he?” He looked back at Landon and nodded, signaling him to continue.

“If you choose to invest in our new property, we will give you our standard rate of return. In exchange, we will offer you exclusivity on an addition we are doing to Casa Luxe, our premier property in Costa Rica.” Landon reached inside his file folder, removing colorful brochures of the resort and handed it Cromwell. “Construction is slated to begin two months after the new resort in Rio is completed. In addition to exclusivity, we will give you a much higher rate of interest than we have ever given anyone.”

Not only was Cost Rica one of the hottest tourist destinations in Central America, Casa Luxe had the reputation of being the Jewel of the Americas. Luxury was ingrained in every tiny detail, and was the preferred getaway for the rich and famous.

Cromwell was definitely interested. “Do you have plans for the addition that we can review?”

“Absolutely. I have a presentation I can load in a moment.”

Landon had known well before the presentation was over that the deal was as good as accepted.

As they were leaving, Cromwell looked at Natasha. “You’ve trained him well, Ms. Arnaud.”

She smiled graciously at the older Englishman. “He’s a natural.”

Natasha’s brother truly was gifted for the family business. She was elated that he had found his place. He continued on the track of recovery, but there had always been one thing that worried her: his lack of interest in building close-knit relationships, except with his family, Gaston, and a few close friends. It was as if he insisted upon standing on the periphery of life, engaged physically and mentally but disengaged emotionally. The few women he dated were great to be around until they wanted more.

As close as the two siblings were, Natasha refrained from asking him about his inability to connect, until one day shortly after Isabella had been born.

Desiring to see his niece, Landon had come over to the house one night while Gaston was at the resort working. He sat in an overstuffed chair in his sister’s living room, cradling the tiny baby in his arms.

“I can’t get over how beautiful she is, Natasha.”

She loved seeing her child in her brother’s arms. He was very tender with her. “Do you want kids of your own, Landon?”

He looked up from the face of the sleeping infant to make eye contact with her. The expression in his eyes scared her. It was a countenance of loss, as if there were so many things he wanted but knew he would never have. It had made her sad to see such sorrow on her brother’s face.

Landon never answered, but simply returned his gaze to his niece.

“Does the thought of having children scare you because you’re afraid of taking your life someday? Do you continue to struggle at times, Landon?”

It was difficult for him to say what was in his heart, yet he didn’t want his sister to worry. “I do struggle with the thoughts on occasion.” A flash of concern crossed Natasha’s face. “Please don’t worry; I’ll never go through with it again. You have to believe me,” he pleaded.

Nodding, she pressed further. “Why do you hold back, Landon? I’m not talking about with me, but others. You have much to offer. You would make someone truly happy.”

“I can’t forget.” The reply was simple and haunting.

At the puzzled look on his sister’s face, he shared with her for the first time about Olivia Nelson.

He told her about the moment between Celeste Peters and Shannon Able that had caused his very character to change. Landon described Olivia’s friendship with the awkward girl and the summer he fell in love with the kind and beautiful Olivia Nelson. Then he told Natasha about the conversation he had with Jacob, two weeks before he died.

“Jacob had been right about me. If the roles had been reversed and it had been you, I would have done the same thing. I wasn’t mature enough to accept what he said and prove him wrong. Instead, I let my anger get the best of me.” Unable to look at his sister any longer because of the emotions he felt, he turned his eyes upon his niece. “I lost everything and I have nothing left to give.”

Natasha stood up from the couch and perched herself on the arm of Landon’s chair, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Do you still love Olivia?”

He kept his head down, gazing at Isabella. “Part of me will always love her. I’m forever connected to her in such a tragic way. Part of my love for her is the ache I feel because of the irrevocable pain I have caused her. It’s bonded me to her, in a way that can never fully be severed.”

Touching her brother’s cheek so that he would look at her, she admonished. “I never thought much about it until I had Isabel. I see you with her and I know what you desire. Don’t shortchange yourself because of something you can never undo. You are too gracious for your own good, Landon Gray. I want to meet my own nieces and nephews someday. You know I will bug you about it until I get what I want, don’t you?”

Landon laughed at his sister’s words. She always managed to get what she wanted. Her wants were the good and selfless kind.

* * *

N
atasha had seen a flash of hope in her brother’s eyes that day. But four years later, the hope had dimmed and was barely detectable except when he was with her children. Only then did she see a glimmer of it.

Gaston sat beside his wife, reaching for her hand. “You are deep in thought, mon amour.”

A sense of melancholy filled her spirit. She moved to rest her head against her husband’s chest to hear his strong beating heart. The smell of his freshly showered skin filled her senses. With his arms around her, he gently caressed her.

“I have been thinking about the first time we kissed.” She sighed.

Natasha felt Gaston’s hand go still. “And that has made you sad?”

She laughed. “Of course not. Thinking about us has made me sad for Landon. I’ve been worried about him all week. Something hasn’t been right with him since I saw him on Monday. I never told you about a conversation I had with him not too long after Isabella was born. I never knew until then that he had fallen in love with Jacob Nelson’s sister the summer before the accident.”