Hard on the Heart

by Callie Cole

  The luxury of this building is nothing like I thought Cade would live in. I know his history, his years on the streets of Dorchester, and I was well aware that he made a tremendous success of his life, but for some reason, I never pictured him living in such elegance.

  When the elevator doors open, Cade is there to greet me, smiling and looking unbelievably sexy in his jeans, boots, white button dress shirt, and sports jacket. I’m caught off-guard by the way he looks, worried that my attraction to him is evident. He’s wearing just a touch of cologne, and I feel a tug in my lower belly as I approach him.

  He looks amazing. He smells amazing. I wonder…? Stop it, Lucy.

  “I hope you didn’t have any difficulty finding the place.”

  “It’s not exactly tucked away down some alleyway, Cade. Everyone in the city knows this building. I just didn’t know you lived here.”

  “I remember when they imploded the building that was here before. I was responsible for the demolition of the old building and the construction of this one.”

  “You own the entire building?”

  “Yes. I do. The restaurant business isn’t my only interest. I’ve managed to buy up many properties over the years. I’m fascinated by architecture and its history, especially here in Boston. Let me pour you a glass of wine and I’ll give you a tour of the place, if you’d like.”

  “I’d like that very much. Thank you.”

  I look around the room at photos on the wall and the unique items clearly purchased from traveling around the world.

  Cade smiles and says, “I like to collect things.”

  “And people?” I ask, feeling stupid the minute I say it.

  “I’m sorry?”

  You can’t just let it hang in the air like that, Lucy. You better explain yourself, and fast.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “No, please, I want to understand what you mean.”

  “It’s just that from everything I’ve seen and read, you’re used to getting what you want. There doesn’t seem to be anyone in your world that disagrees with you. You’re surrounded by people who constantly want to please you. I can’t imagine what that must feel like. It’s like you own every single one of them. I guess that’s what it must feel like to have more money than you’ll ever spend in your lifetime.”

  “Money doesn’t promise you’ll be happy all the time, Lucy. It doesn’t solve every problem.”

  “Tell that to the people I work with every day. Tell that to the mother who has to work three jobs just to put food on the table. Or what about the families who can’t even get work? Tell them that money doesn’t solve their problems. What you have, Mr. Montgomery, is a voice in the world. That’s where the real power is. That’s where you get to shape the future and make lasting change.”

  Once again I’ve managed to open my mouth and ruin the moment. I can only hope that I haven’t made him so angry that he refuses to talk about Lily’s Garden. I try to repair whatever damage I’ve already done.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I don’t know you well enough to say such things.”

  “You have a real passion for people. That’s a wonderful thing, Lucy. Don’t ever change. Shall we have dinner now?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  I follow Cade up a flight of stairs and through a door that leads to the roof. Lights are strung from one end of the rooftop to the other. There is a cozy area with sofas and lightly blowing white sheets flowing on either side of them. An infinity pool is just beyond the billowing curtains with the city’s lights as a stunning backdrop. A beautiful table with flowers, crystal, and china is laid out before me, and a waiter stands off in the distance awaiting Cade’s instructions.

  This isn’t a date. This isn’t a date.

  4

  Lucy

  Cade has prepared a perfect seduction setting, and for a moment, I forget the purpose of my coming here.

  “Cade, this is incredible. It’s truly beautiful, but ...”

  “But what?”

  “Well, it seems a bit much for a meeting. I mean, you understand I’m not sleeping with you so that you’ll donate the land to us.”

  Cade’s wine comes flying out of his mouth.

  Shit.

  He grabs a napkin to wipe his face and turns to me to explain.

  “Lucy, I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. It wasn’t my intention to make love to you tonight.” He moves closer to me. “That is, unless you want me to.”

  Don’t lose your cool, Luce. Stay in control of the situation.

  I ignore his suggestion and make my own.

  “Why don’t we have dinner? Everything smells wonderful.”

  Cade takes my hand and walks me to the table, pulling the chair out for me.

  As he takes his seat, the waiter brings us a plate with salad. It has walnuts and cranberries, and the dressing is amazing.

  “I had my cook create our dinner tonight. It’s vegan all the way, so you don’t have to worry about any cows or chickens showing up.”

  “You have a cook? Someone cooks for you every night? I would love to have someone cook my meals every day.”

  “Well, I don’t eat here often, but when I do, I have him cook for me. I’m a terrible cook, so it’s a necessity.”

  The salad is followed by a wonderful Indian spiced dish called Biryani, and the dessert is equally delicious as the cook creates a mango “nice” cream. I’ve never thought about the importance of selecting the right wine for each course of a meal, and truthfully, I would never have imagined that you could do that with vegan food, but Cade’s choices were perfect pairings to go with our dinner.

  “Cade, everything was fantastic. I really appreciate all the trouble you went to for me. You didn’t miss having an animal on your plate, did you?”

  “I have to admit, it wasn’t that bad. I’m not sure I could make a steady diet of it, but maybe on occasion. So tell me a bit about you, Lucy. Do you have family?”

  “Yes, I have four brothers, and one sister. They all live in the greater Boston area. My father is a Boston cop and my mother is a schoolteacher. Two of my brothers are also police officers. My grandfather was an officer as well. I guess you could say it runs in my family. How about you? I think I read that you have a younger sister. Is your mother still alive?”

  “Yes, she is. She still lives in Dorchester, as does my sister, Cara. I expect my mother will stay there until she dies, at least that’s what she tells me. I’ve tried to buy her a fancy new house west of Boston, but she won’t budge. She tells me I’m too big for my britches. I suppose she’s right.”

  Cade makes the society pages often, and there is a different woman on his arm at every event. There’s been no indication that there is anyone special in his life. If there is, he certainly keeps it under wraps.

  “I suppose this is where you bring all the women you date. It’s certainly private enough, that is if the waiter excuses himself at the appropriate time.”

  Cade looks down at his plate.

  “I’ve never brought any woman up here before.”

  Right, one of the richest and most powerful men in the city of Boston, not to mention the most charmingly handsome, has never had a woman to his “sex-on-the-roof boudoir.”

  “My life is rather complicated, Lucy. I don’t have time to invest in building a relationship with someone. Besides, I’m not that kind of guy.”

  “What kind of guy is that?”

  Cade takes a moment before he responds.

  “The kind of guy who gets married and has kids. I’m not the happily-ever-after type. I like my freedom. Any woman who gets involved with me has to understand that from the outset. I’m not a liar. I don’t lie, and I don’t cheat. It’s probably the reason I haven’t married yet. I do believe in marriage. My mum and dad’s marriage was an example of how it all can work out beautifully. But that’s rare. Most marriages don’t last. Anyway, the whole ‘wife, two kids, dog and
white picket fence in the suburbs’ isn't my scene.”

  Looking into his eyes, I recognize pain for the first time since we’ve met, and I’m immediately sorry I’ve brought this topic up.

  “I wasn’t suggesting you form a serious commitment with someone, Cade. Bringing a woman up here, doesn’t mean you have to marry her. You’re considered one of the most sought-after bachelors in the city. I’ve seen the pictures; you do date a lot.”

  “No.”

  “No? That’s all you’re going to say is no? What do you mean, no? I’ve seen the pictures, Cade. You’ve got a beautiful woman on your arm all the time.”

  “Dating is courting, Lucy. I don’t court women. Most of those women were already at the event; I never brought them there. They take those pictures because it looks good for them to be seen with me.”

  I can’t tell if he’s confident, frustrated, embarrassed, or conceited, and I’m getting more confused by the minute.

  “What do you want, Cade?”

  “What do you mean?

  “I mean, everyone wants a piece of you. I can see that, but what do you want? Are you happy?”

  Looking uncomfortable, Cade turns the conversation in my direction.

  “What about you, Lucy? There’s no serious relationship with anyone?”

  “Not now. There was someone once, but it didn’t work out.”

  Smiling, Cade lightens the mood.

  “He ate meat, did he? Wait. Don’t tell me. He showed up eating an ice cream cone, and that was the end of him.”

  “Actually, no. He was a vegan as well.”

  “Ah, well, then, he must have been a real arse for you to kick him out of your bed.”

  “I didn’t say I kicked him out.”

  “That confirms it. He’s an idiot.”

  Well, that was awkward.

  As I take my final taste of wine, a brandy is placed in front of me. Already feeling the effects of two glasses of wine, a few sips of the brandy warms me from head to toe.

  “Shall we take our brandy to the sofa?”

  I nod, and as I stand, Cade places his hand on the small of my lower back, guiding me to the other side of the roof.

  Is it hot up here?

  I kick my shoes off and get comfortable. I’d let my hair down if I thought it didn’t look like an invitation to fuck me. The warmth of the brandy, the soft breeze of the night air, and Cade Montgomery’s eyes—what else could I want?

  Oh, right, a small parcel of land in the heart of the city. Is that too much to ask?

  5

  Cade

  What the fuck is taking me so long to make my move? This should be easy. Lucy is special, I’ll give her that, but I’m not looking for a relationship. Everyone knows I don’t do relationships. This is nothing more than my winning a bet, and I don’t play to lose.

  Looking at this beautiful creature lying before me, I’m having a difficult time holding back. Even though everything about her demeanor screams “stay away,” the reason for it isn’t clear to me yet.

  “Do you have to wear glasses to read or do you need to wear them all the time?”

  I immediately regret asking the question because it changes the mood. She seems flustered by the question, sits up straight, and pushes her glasses up on the bridge of her nose.

  It’s as if she was suddenly struck by a lightning bolt.

  She places the brandy on the table and moves to the edge of the sofa.

  “I think I should go.”

  “Why? We’re just getting to know each other. There’s no need to run off.”

  I move closer to her and remove her glasses.

  “You have beautiful eyes, Lucy. Has anyone ever told you that before? You shouldn’t hide them behind these glasses.”

  I run my finger down the side of her face, tracing her jaw and continuing down her neck. With a snap of my thumb and middle finger, I unbutton the top of her blouse, getting just enough of her skin exposed so that my fingers can continue their journey.

  Lucy sighs, and lets her head fall back slightly, enjoying my touch.

  She whispers, “What are you doing?”

  My mouth replaces my fingers, and I taste her skin for the first time. Nothing has ever tasted or smelled this good before. Now that the glasses are off it shouldn’t take me long to remove the rest of what she’s hiding under.

  I begin unbuttoning the rest of her top. Lucy jumps up off the sofa, practically knocking me onto the floor.

  “Mr. Montgomery. I thought we were going to talk about the project and my grandmother.”

  “I was getting to that. I thought we could first get to know each other a little better. What harm could it do?”

  “It doesn’t seem to me like you were planning to talk about the community garden at all. It looks more like you were going to take advantage of the situation...and me.”

  “Oh, for pity’s sake, woman. We’re both adults, and you can’t pretend you didn’t know this was a possibility. I was hardly taking advantage of you.”

  Lucy grabs her purse and walks toward the stairs. Looking as if she’s forgotten something, she turns and walks back toward me.

  “Do you know what your problem is, Mr. Montgomery?”

  “I thought we were on a first-name basis, and no, I have no idea what my problem is, but I’m surprised to hear there’s only one.”

  “You’ve forgotten where you came from, and who you were before all the money and success. You can’t remember what it was like to be poor. You’ve surrounded yourself with all this luxury and all your toys. They’re just things, you know. You don’t have anything in your life that means so much to you you’d be willing to die for it. You treat people like you own them, and you think you’ll own me, but you're wrong. I feel sorry for you actually.”

  Now I’m angry. I stand and move toward her.

  “Listen to me, Lucy Bennett. You think you have me all figured out, don’t you? You read a few articles in a magazine and you come up here and see where I live, and figure you know me. The fact is, you don’t know a thing about me, and you don’t really care to know me because as long as I can help you get what you want, that’s all you need.”

  She doesn’t move, and I expect she’s about to hurl more insults my way, but instead she takes a step toward me.

  “Then come with me Saturday. There’s a benefit I’m running to help a single mother whose son has cancer. She just lost her job, and I’m afraid her insurance won’t cover the cost of her son’s treatment. The people who will be in attendance are the very ones you’ll be helping if you donate your property to us. Everyone has put their money together, and we’re going to have a carnival for her son. It’s at the old McGovern Field. You should know it well given that it’s in your old neighborhood. You don’t have to dress up like you usually have to when you go to a benefit. It’s outdoors and totally casual.”

  Lucy pulls a paper out of her bag and hands it to me.

  “Here are the details of the event.”

  She hesitates for a moment before continuing.

  “It’s true that I want something from you, but it’s not for me personally. It’s for so many who need our help, and it’s more than that for me. My grandmother spent her entire life giving to people and never asked for anything in return.

  That’s what I want from you, Cade. A chance to give something to the community that she loved so much. I’m not some poor Cinderella looking for a Prince Charming. I love my life exactly as it is. I wouldn’t change it for all the money in the world. Maybe I don’t know you, Cade, but I’d like to, and if you have any interest at all in getting to know me, you’ll come to the benefit.”

  An hour ago, I would have declined. I would have made some excuse to avoid the inevitable room full of vegans, but now, there is nothing I want more than to get to know Lucy Bennett, and if that means eating cotton candy and making a fool of myself on amusement rides, then so be it.

  “I’d like that very much.”

  Lucy smiles,
and my heart melts.

  This woman is going to be the death of me.

  6

  Lucy

  Thinking back on our dinner last night, I pour myself a cup of coffee and walk through the French doors leading to my patio. It’s a perfect day for the carnival. The air is cool and there isn’t a cloud in the sky.

  Cade lets people see only a fraction of who he is. I don't know what makes him feel the way he does about relationships, but I know something from his past has hurt him deeply.

  Deeply enough to warn me not to fall in love with him.

  Our time together was supposed to be about Lily’s Garden. When did it change for me? I think about Cade all the time, and I can't rest until I understand what he's fighting inside.

  Cade’s right about one thing, I don't really know who he is. Maybe today he’ll open his heart and let me in.

  I gave Cade the schedule of events for today’s benefit, and I don’t know if he said he’d attend just to shut me up or if he plans to show up. I hope he does because it may be the thing that convinces him to give us his land.

  I tuck my plaid flannel shirt into my jeans and put my hiking shoes on. Letting my hair loose from its usual ponytail, I grab my backpack and head out.

  By the time I arrive at McGovern Field, I see several people have already started putting up tents. They are also building a stage to be used by several bands during the day and any announcements we need to make to the crowd. There are several amusement rides designed for the younger children and one gigantic Ferris wheel.

  If I can break away from working today, I’m getting on that Ferris wheel. Maybe I can convince Cade to join me.

  The event is underway for a couple of hours before I see Cade pull his truck onto the grass. I wave to him and ask someone to take over running the ring toss booth.

  My heart beats faster as he approaches.

  “I’m glad you could make it.”

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here earlier. Have I missed anything?”