by K. C. Crowne
“Oh, Lord, you know it,” I said, looking around the ballroom. I’d spent most of the morning cleaning, but there was still so much to do. Grant was coming over later in the afternoon and told me to leave the heavy stuff to him, but I didn’t want to wait that long.
With Piper’s help, I’d be able to move most of the tables back into storage and hopefully have everything finished before Grant stopped by. There was always plenty of work to be done, some repairs that needed to be made. He’d find something to keep himself busy.
Piper grabbed one end of a long table, I took the other. We lifted at the same time and carried it to the storage closet on the far end of the ballroom.
“So how’d the class go this morning?” I asked.
“It went well. I’m very impressed with Kellen.”
I cocked an eyebrow. Why would she bring him up? She grinned at me, eagerly waiting for my response. “Is that so?”
“Yeah, he’s really good with that little girl. Such a big guy like him, who’d have thought, right?”
“Well, people surprise you sometimes,” I mumbled. “But I don’t see why we’re talking about him.”
“Because he’s actually not as bad as people make him out to be,” she said. She scrunched up her face. “In fact, he asked more questions about my certification and facilities than anyone ever has. I felt like I was being tested.”
“That had to be annoying.”
“Not really.” She walked over to one of the smaller, round tables and lifting it. It was heavier than she expected, so I grabbed the other side of it. “I actually admire that. It means he really cares about who’s watching his daughter. And let’s face it, I have nothing to worry about.”
Piper wasn’t overly cocky about many things, but she knew she did a damn fine job running her business. She was picky about who worked for her, and I’d witnessed her interviewing a candidate before - she was hard as nails and made sure the person knew what they were doing. She took child development and safety very seriously.
Sweat dripped down my face, but we were almost done. Grant was expected to arrive within the hour, after he finished up some stuff at Mom and Dad’s place, so when I heard footsteps in the ballroom, I assumed it was him.
“Could you get me some water?” I called without turning around. “Grab Piper one too, please?”
The voice that responded wasn’t Grant’s. “Sure, just point me in the direction of the kitchen.”
I turned around and came face-to-face with Donovan Russo. “What are you doing here?”
Mr. Russo grinned at me, a less than friendly look. “Just came by to see if you’ve changed your mind yet,” he said. “Because I’d hate for you to be stuck with a useless piece of property once all your neighbors sell out.”
Piper spoke up. “No one is going to sell.”
“Is that so?” Mr. Russo wondered, turning his hardened eyes toward her. “I just spoke to Mr. Thomas Eckard, the owner of your building, Ms. Davis, and I believe we’re close to sealing the deal.”
Piper’s cheeks burned bright red, and she lunged toward the man, finger pointing aggressively. “Why can’t you take your shady ass business somewhere else and leave us alone?”
Mr. Russo didn’t bother to answer her. I grabbed Piper’s arm, stopping her from getting too close. I wasn’t protecting him; I was stopping Piper from doing something she’d regret. No one wanted to entrust their children to someone with a criminal record. Piper signaled she was fine, and I let go of her arm.
“What good is one plot of land, Mr. Russo? The rest of us here own our properties, and none of us will sell to you.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stood as tall as I could.
“Oh, I think you’ll change your mind before long,” he asserted. “Just thought I’d be friendly and make an offer before I forced you out.”
“You can’t force us out. And even if you could claim imminent domain, there’s no way the city would agree with you,” I countered. “I know the mayor personally, and he takes pride in Liberty’s local businesses.”
Russo shrugged. “There are other ways, trust me.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” I ordered. “No one wants to listen to your bullshit.”
The weasel didn’t even argue with me. He left the hotel, and I made sure of it too. I followed his ass out into the parking lot and watched as he climbed into a black BMW.
“What a dick,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“Who?”
I turned around to find Wade standing at the doorway. Just standing there, with an odd look on his face.
“Sorry, just some businessman who wants to buy the place,” I said, waving him off. “Did you enjoy the ball the other night? We really appreciate your donation, by the way.”
Wade normally smiled at me, but his face was serious. His eyes twitched, searching the area as if waiting for someone to walk up on us. Stepping forward, he spoke softly - too softly for me to hear, so I moved closer to him. A chill ran down my spine as I got closer, seeing a look in his eyes that unnerved me and caused me to step back.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” I said. “But I need to be getting back to work, Wade.”
He grabbed my arm before I could pass.
“Let me go,” I said, doing my best to keep my voice calm and controlled.
He didn’t let go. I yanked my arm free from his grasp, and he fought to take it back.
Grant’s voice called out. “Hey, what’s going on here?” He rushed to my side, and Wade let go of my arm. He didn’t look at either of us, mumbling something as he scurried to his car in the parking lot. I rubbed my arm where he’d grabbed me, the skin red and irritated.
“You okay?” Grant asked, looking me over with worried eyes.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m not sure what got into him,” I frowned. “He was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t hear him and then he grabbed me.”
Grant glanced towards where Wade had been parked, but he’d left the lot. “You need to stay away from him. He gives me a bad vibe.”
“He also just donated ten thousand to our charity,” I said. “And booked another corporate retreat for his company for a full week in July. We’ll be totally full.”
“Yeah, but there’s something not right with him,” Grant reiterated, rubbing his hand along his beard.
“I agree,” I said, shuddering. “And I will keep my distance, but I can’t tell him to stay away. Not when he’s done nothing besides be a little weird and creepy, you know?”
“I don’t know about that…”
“Grant, come on,” I said, punching him in the arm playfully. “I’m fine. I’m sure he’s just had a rough day. He’s normally not so grabby.”
“I’m going to be around here a bit more,” Grant decided. “I want to keep an eye on him.”
My big brother had always been so protective of me, especially after Caroline’s death. I appreciated it but didn’t think it was necessary. I started to argue with him, but he changed the subject as we walked back into the hotel.
“Kellen said he can stop by later today. We may be able to get the pool pump up and running.”
“Wait, Kellen?” I stopped in my tracks.
“Yeah, my friend that I’m working with?” Grant said. “Why, you know him?”
“I know of him,” I muttered.
Grant followed me into the ballroom, which was mostly back to normal by now. Piper had managed to empty most of the trash and moved some of the smaller items to storage.
“Need any more help here?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I think we’ve got it, so if you want to look at the pool, go for it. I’m sure the guests would love that.”
“I’d love that,” Piper added.
“I think all of us would,” I included.
My thoughts returned to Kellen as I continued working. Why was that man everywhere? Liberty was a small town, sure, but it was getting ridiculous. I couldn’t go a day without seeing him. He was alw
ays around, and apparently, I’d be seeing a lot more of him if he was helping Grant with the repairs on the hotel.
Piper could tell something was on my mind, so when Grant left, she pulled me aside. “Okay, what’s going on? You know that developer is full of shit, right?”
“It’s not that,” I said. Honestly, mentioning Kellen had made me forget all about our run-in with Russo.
“Then what is it?”
“Well…” I thought about the night before, to the man I’d kissed in the garden. I decided that would make for a better conversation than my thoughts on Kellen. I told Piper everything that had happened, and she stared at me with wide eyes and an even wider grin on her face.
“And you don’t know who he is?” she asked me for the hundredth time.
“No clue.”
“Well, let’s look at the guest list and try to narrow it down! We have to find him. What if he’s some millionaire investor? Or a movie star? Oh, I bet he’s a movie star—”
“He could be anyone, Piper. I don’t know half the people who were here last night. They came from all over the country.”
“Surely some of them are still here,” she said. “Maybe he’s staying here.”
“I don’t think so,” I negated. “Most of the big wigs are staying at the ski resorts. I can’t blame them. Not like we’re a five-star resort or anything.”
“Hmm, I think you’re giving up too quickly,” Piper accused.
“Nah, I just know an impossible task when I see one,” I said. “Besides, it was just a kiss. It’s pretty weird he kissed me, come to think of it—”
“Did you want him to kiss you?” I bit my lip, then nodded. “Then what’s weird about it?”
“The fact that I don’t even know who he is, yet there was this chemistry between us. I can’t even explain it.”
“No need to,” Piper said. “It sounds so romantic. I can’t believe you’re not going to do everything you can to find the guy.”
“Maybe it’s better that way. Maybe I’d find him and discover he’s an asshole, or he’s married. Or worse, maybe both.”
“You’re too pessimistic for your own good, Leah,” Piper said, chuckling to herself.
“No, I’m not. I’m just a realist, that’s all.”
Part of me wanted to find him. I’d never felt that way with any other man before. The closeness, the way he looked into my eyes, how his lips felt against mine. All of that was simply too good to be true, and I knew it. Finding him would only set myself up for disappointment. Had he wanted me to know who he was, he’d have told me. He wouldn’t have run off the way he had if he’d wanted to be with me.
It had been a mistake, plain and simple. I had to keep telling myself that.
Chapter 9
Kellen
I stuck around Little Cubs after the parenting class. Piper had won me over with her knowledge and compassion, but that didn’t mean I approved of the rest of her staff. Her sister, Tabby, was there that morning, along with an older woman they called Ms. Frannie.
Tabby didn’t mind me sitting in on her art class with some of the older kids. They weren’t watching too many babies that day, as it was the weekend and most families had at least one parent at home, according to Piper. But the school had several classes throughout the week and weekend for parents and children to come together.
In this case, it was the three to five-year-olds, and I had to admit, they were pretty damn adorable.
With Matilda asleep in my arms, I sat on the sidelines as Tabby ran the class. She had such enthusiasm, speaking in a cheery voice and getting down on the floor with the kids. No matter what the youngsters drew, she pointed out the good qualities, giving them a pat on the back as she instructed the parents on activities they could do with their children at home.
Content with the way Tabby handled the toddlers, I went into the nursery where Ms. Frannie was tending to the babies. She was feeding a baby several months older than Matilda when I walked in.
“Mr. Mayberry,” she whispered, her voice soft and friendly. “Have a seat. I’m almost finished with Lily and we can chat for a bit.”
I took a seat and let her finish her duties. Lily was falling asleep in her arms before she even put her down into the bed. Watching the older woman with the child reminded me of the love between a grandmother and her grandbabies, except I didn’t think Lily was related to Frannie in the slightest.
She motioned for me to follow her into an adjoining room. She could still see and hear Lily, but we’d be less likely to disturb her with our talking.
“Piper said you had some concerns about our center?” Frannie asked.
“I just want to be thorough and make sure Matilda is taken care of,” I said. “I’m sure you can understand.”
“Of course I can,” Frannie said with a smile. “I just want you to know that we are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Not just Piper, but all of us here. Tabby too.”
“Thank you. Everyone has been very kind.”
Frannie nodded, her eyes falling to Matilda, who’s little eyes opened. A second later, she whimpered in my arms, and I raised her up, holding her closer to me and speaking softly to her. Patting her diaper, I realized that we needed a change.
Frannie sensed my predicament without me having to utter a single word. “Would you like me to change her?”
I didn’t want to hand her over, but Frannie put me at ease. I could have changed her myself, I’d done so countless times already, but it was a test. Not just for Frannie, but for me as well. Could I trust her to handle Matilda?
I nodded and let the older woman take her from my arms. Matilda continued crying, but Frannie cradled her and soothed her as she walked over to the changing table.
I was in awe of her gentleness, in her natural ability to care for Matilda.
So far, Little Cubs had gone above and beyond my expectations. Everyone was so good with the kids, they knew more about childcare than I did, and I felt comfortable giving them a trial run.
“Question for you, Frannie. I’m likely to stop by, randomly, to see how she’s doing. Would Piper be okay with that?”
“Of course,” Frannie said, carrying the baby back to me. “We love when parents can be more involved. It’s not always possible, we understand that, but if you ever feel the need to stop in and make sure we’re taking care of your little angel, you’re welcome to. And if you see something you don’t like, speak up. Not that I ever think that’ll happen.”
That put me more at ease. I wasn’t sure how much I’d have to utilize their services, but if I needed to work with Grant, someone would have to keep an eye on her. I didn’t trust just anyone, of course, but Frannie, Piper, and Tabby put my mind at ease. They felt less like strangers than they had only a few days prior.
My phone buzzed. Speaking of working with Grant, I thought. “Can I have a second? I need to take this.”
Frannie nodded, rocking a quiet Matilda in her arms. “Take all the time you need.”
I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me. There was a glass window that allowed me to keep an eye on Matilda from there.
“Hey, Grant.”
“Ready to get some work?”
I thought about it for a few moments before answering, watching Frannie rock Matilda. The older woman was smiling and cooing at the baby in her arms, looking so peaceful.
“Sure,” I said. “What do you need?”
Grant went over the details. The hotel pool needed some repairs before it could open. That meant seeing Leah, or at least possibly running into her again, but I’d promised Grant I’d help him with the hotel. I couldn’t let him down.
Considering it was already mid-summer, I’m sure he wanted to get the pool up and running. And I owed him for helping me out with Matilda.
“I’ll be right over,” I said softly.
My chest tightened, and the idea of leaving Matilda filled me with anxiety. I figured most parents probably felt that way when leav
ing their child at daycare for the first time. I reminded myself that Little Cubs had impressed me and obviously knew what they were doing.
Matilda would be fine in their care.
I stepped back inside and found Matilda asleep in Frannie’s arms.
I knew in my heart that she would be okay.
Ooo000ooo
“There you are,” Grant called out to me as I entered the hotel lobby. “Just the man I was looking for.”
Leah was behind the counter with him, and she averted her gaze as soon as she saw me. Maybe she did recognize me, maybe she didn’t. The less time she spent looking at me, the better.
I focused my attention on Grant as he went over everything that needed to be done, all the work he had for me. It was a lot. Besides the pool, the entire hotel needed repairs. Most of them small, but some pretty major - like the roof. None of that would be cheap.
“Well, good evening, Wade,” Leah said.
I turned around and found myself face-to-face with the man who’d been glaring at me the night before my tires were slashed. When he saw me, he took off down the hallway. I hadn’t been sure he was guilty before, but now I was.
“Hey, come back.” I took off after the man.
I heard Leah behind me. “What in the hell are you doing?”
I turned a corner with a row of rooms and lost sight of the guy. He had to have gone into one of the rooms, but which one? I stood there for a few moments, contemplating my next move.
Leah’s voice bellowed from behind me. “You better have a damn good reason for chasing one of my guests.”
I turned to face her and found her absolutely adorable. She looked fierce as hell, even for someone so small, with her hands on her hips and a scowl etched across her face.
“That asshole slashed my tires.”
Leah cocked her eyebrows. “Really? And why would he do that? He’s an upstanding businessman, not some criminal.”
I remembered the note I found on my truck that said to stay away from Leah. “I’m assuming he’s trying to scare me away.”
“Why?”