PAR FOR CINDERELLA

by MCCARTY, PETIE

  Frank’s eyes glistened, and Aidan wished he was anywhere but here.

  “No,” Frank whispered, “not then.”

  “I’m assuming that’s when Evelyn hooked up with Bartow?”

  “Not right away. Peddled her wares around Cypress Key first. But this is a small town, and while people didn’t want to hurt Dave, they felt no such compunctions about telling me about Evelyn’s rambling.”

  Aidan had nothing. He shook his head.

  “When I couldn’t take the rumors anymore—especially after Evelyn eventually took up with Archer Bartow, and most of the town discussed that tidbit behind my brother’s back—I sat Dave down to have a talk.”

  “That was the right thing to do,” Aidan assured him.

  “No!” Frank said on a groan. “That was the worst thing I could have done. Dave would still be here if I hadn’t.” Tears filled the older man’s eyes.

  Aidan felt caught in the vortex of a twilight zone. “What’re you talking about?”

  Frank exhaled hard. “Dave had no idea Evelyn was running around on him. He’d been preoccupied for months with some secret project he was working on at the bank. Worked long hours and a lot of late nights. I thought he at least had some clue about the bitch.”

  Aidan had never seen such pain in someone’s eyes.

  Frank shook his head. “I shocked the hell out of him. He got upset and stormed out. Said he had to think.” He downed his remaining scotch, coughed, and put the cold glass to his forehead.

  His voice had gone so soft Aidan had trouble making out the words. “He drove his car into the old oak at the coastline curves. I killed him. I killed my own brother.”

  Aidan felt his jaw drop. That he hadn’t expected.

  “It had to have been an accident,” he offered, trying for some comfort.

  “No. Blaise Ellis was sheriff back then, not Watson. He came and got me. Took me out to the site.” One lone tear trickled down his tan cheek.

  “Said the way the car was aimed, Dave had to have driven off the curve and straight into the tree. Killed him instantly. Ellis felt bad for me, when I told him what had happened, and he added non-existent skid marks to his report and ruled it an accident—loss of control of the car.”

  Frank leaned his head back on the sofa. “Casey doesn’t know other than the old rumors about Evelyn running around on Dave. I’ve never told anyone, other than Ellis, about my talk with Dave that night.”

  Aidan wished for the first time in his life that people didn’t always want to open up to him and spill their guts. Folks had been doing it since he was a kid, but this was too much.

  Frank kept talking. “Not sure why I told you. I guess I wanted you to understand Casey and me. Us. Why I can’t leave. Why Casey won’t leave.” He closed his eyes. “Wanted you to know before you get serious.”

  Aidan’s head jerked around at that, but Frank’s eyes stayed closed. He should tell Casey’s uncle he wasn’t serious, but oddly that didn’t feel right. Just like Aidan having a night on the town with Julie or Lisa didn’t feel right.

  He wanted to say something to comfort Frank, but what could he say to a story like that? The sheriff had said it looked intentional. Dave had made his own choice. That wasn’t Frank’s choice or his fault, but he doubted Frank would ever see things that way. Aidan opened his mouth to say just that when a light snore escaped the man slouched next to him.

  Just as well.

  He grabbed a couple pillows and blankets from the downstairs closet and laid Frank over on his side on the sleeper sofa, then covered him. Aidan took the other pillow and blanket up to the sofa on the second floor, though he suspected sleep would be a long time coming. He didn’t need more complications in his life. He had enough already, but he realized it might be too late. Frank thought Aidan was headed for serious with Casey.

  Was he? Was it obvious somehow?

  Was Casey headed for serious?

  What if he wasn’t?

  What if she wasn’t?

  The Stuart family had turned out to be anything but uncomplicated.

  A simple golf resort—his bread and butter—in a quaint tiny town had suddenly taken on epic proportions in his life. And what did he intend to do about it?

  Chapter 14

  Breakfast the next morning held a funereal air. Casey made her appearance looking as though she’d slept as badly as Aidan had. Which actually thrilled him. Misery does love its company.

  Casey had made the omelets she claimed would stay with them until lunch, but she kept her gaze carefully diverted from Aidan, so she didn’t notice that Frank looked like death warmed over as he nursed his handful of ibuprofen and coffee and barely touched his omelet. No one paid any attention to Aidan who suffered a bit of a scotch headache himself. He hated to think how Frank must feel.

  Frank broke the silence first, his voice hoarse and gritty. “Aidan’s going to take your boat tour this morning.” His eyes remained focused on his life-saving coffee.

  Casey’s head jerked up. “What? Why?”

  Her uncle finally lifted his gaze, but only to glare at his niece. “Because you got roughed up yesterday. I want you to take it easy, and now we have some help.” He nodded at Aidan and winced from the movement. “I have to pick up some Bermuda grass seed, so you drop him off at the tour boat and come run the pro shop.”

  “I’m fine, Uncle Frank.”

  “He’s going to take the tour, and that’s final. I’ll see you two at the course.” Frank struggled to his feet and stalked down the stairs. Seconds later, they heard the downstairs door slam.

  Aidan wondered if Frank was sending him with Casey because the older man didn’t want to face him after last night’s confession, but the arrangement suited him just fine. He and Casey needed to iron a few things out. During his sleepless night, he had come no closer to figuring out his own situation either.

  One thing he had decided. His and Rhett’s golf resort would be built right here in Cypress Key no matter what, and he would do whatever he had to to make that happen. No way would he let Rhett down on this project, their first together. He owed his friend for past iniquities, and Aidan had this one chance to square things for good.

  As far as his feelings for Casey and whether he was getting serious as Frank had accused last night, Aidan hadn’t reached any conclusions. He cared about Casey—a whole lot—but that was as far as he’d gotten. He didn’t want her regretting their second base tango last night. Not with third base still out there and a distinct possibility.

  Damn.

  Just the thought of second base with Casey made him hard. He wanted third base too. Hell, he wanted a home run, but a home run came with complications. Mainly, Casey as much as said she had to be in love first, and Aidan didn’t know how he felt about that.

  He needed to take slow, carefully-planned-out steps from here on out. He had never been any girl’s first before. To be first was a gift, and he had to make sure he deserved it or stand aside and take a pass. Casey already meant too much to him to hurt her. And if she regretted last night? The thought hurt like a hit to the diaphragm.

  Casey rose and carried her dishes to the sink. “Are you going to help me clean up?”

  “Sure.” Aidan grabbed his and Frank’s dishes and followed her. He heard Casey mutter, “Wonder what you’ll cook for breakfast tomorrow.”

  Aidan grinned. Things would be just fine today.

  ~ ~ ~

  “You’re awful quiet this morning,” Aidan said, to break the silence as Casey drove him to the marina after their stop for ice at the mini-mart.

  “Not really.”

  “Yes, really. Especially for you.”

  He chuckled when she shot him a quick frown. A few more silent minutes elapsed.

  “I hope you don’t regret our lit
tle romantic interlude last night,” he said, wanting to get the issue out there.

  At the next stop sign, Casey faced him, her expression intense and serious. “No, I don’t, but I don’t want to discuss it.”

  “Have you decided to trust me?”

  He got a small smile. “Some.”

  “I want more than some, Casey.”

  “Okay, mostly,” she said, then drove on.

  Once again, silence filled the Jeep. At least, she hadn’t expressed regret over their lovemaking. That would surely have set him off. He would give her the time she apparently wanted. But he’d do whatever he had to do to gain her complete trust.

  Casey dropped him at the tour boat a little before ten, with a quick goodbye and what could barely pass for a smile. He checked the fuel first, removed the seat cushions from their built-in boxes, dumped the bag of ice into the cooler, and took Casey’s reservation list from his pocket in case he had early arrivals. He was up front retrieving sodas and water from the bow storage compartment when he heard footsteps on the dock.

  “Well, good morning, handsome,” a sultry voice cooed.

  Aidan smacked his skull on the top of the hull opening he jerked his head up so fast. “Ow!”

  “Sorry,” Deedee Bartow said, looking anything but. “Want me to kiss it and make it better?”

  His gaze shot to the parking lot to be sure Casey was gone. Danged if her taillights were only now pulling out of the marina lot. Maybe she hadn’t seen Deedee. He could only hope. Especially after their ruckus last night over his trip to the Sand Dollar.

  Deedee slithered between the seats and put a hand on his forehead. “Poor baby.”

  “What’re you doing here, Deedee?”

  “I’m coming on the morning tour.”

  He lifted her hand off his forehead. “Why?”

  She ran a finger down the front of his tee shirt. “To be with you, of course.”

  “Wait a minute.” He took a step back and hit the edge of the bow. “How did you know I’d be giving the tour?”

  “I saw Casey drop you off in the parking lot, when I drove by on my way into town, and I watched you board the boat.” Deedee grinned. “Guess it’s my lucky day.”

  Great, just great.

  If Casey saw her, then no more second base and no third base now either. Hell, he wouldn’t even be in the ballgame. Maybe he was worrying for nothing, and Casey hadn’t seen Deedee. He sighed. No, his luck had been lousy lately.

  Two hours later, when Aidan re-entered the no-wake zone for the marina, he breathed a sigh of relief. While he’d remembered the tour spiel perfectly, he’d flubbed more than a few lines when Deedee’s heat-seeking fingers settled on his calf or arms. He’d given up the driver’s seat to stand for the rest of the tour, so he could maneuver out of her reach.

  The most dangerous part of the tour came when he’d released the group to tour the island on their own. Deedee, of course, did not disembark.

  “Why are you playing hard to get all of a sudden?” she asked when the last guest was clearly still within earshot.

  “I didn’t know I was. I’m just giving the tour.”

  Deedee rose to her feet and sidled closer.

  Their little interchange puzzled him. A month ago, he would’ve flirted right back with this beautiful woman, knowing the reward that awaited him. It’s what he always did since he never let emotion enter into his indulgences with women. In his position of wealth and celebrity, he couldn’t find a woman who just wanted Aidan Cross the man, not Aidan the billionaire. Every woman was after his money, so he kept things on a completely physical and unemotional playing field.

  His best friends, Rhett and Garrett, had always fended off gold diggers, too, but had managed to beat the odds in recent months. Each had found a woman in love with the man, not the money. Aidan wanted what his friends had. This woman was not it. He still had a chance with the right woman who was running a golf course in town. But not if he canoodled with this one.

  “Did you bring me the information I need?”

  The question took her aback, as she’d obviously expected a little tète-â-tète during their tour break. “No, it’s too soon.”

  She eased closer still and laid a hand low on his hip. “I didn’t know I’d get to be with you this morning.” She gave a little squeeze.

  Aidan shot a quick glance down. It had happened again. A beautiful woman squeezed his ass, and nothing at all was going on with his personal portfolio. His capital gains remained unaffected.

  Deedee must have noticed, too, for a brief frown marred her perfectly sculpted brows, then smoothed as she tried another healthy squeeze. “But I’m so glad that I am.”

  Aidan shifted his feet just enough to loosen her grasp without making a commotion of pulling free. Dang it, he still needed this woman’s help.

  “I have to stay completely focused on my business plan until I can get a loan to get it going,” he said for diversion. “I don’t like to start anything until I have something to offer a woman.” Another little foot shift and the loosened contact had been thankfully broken.

  “Oh, you have plen—”

  “Yoo-hoo! Aidan!” one of the tour’s two septuagenarian sisters called out as she hustled down the island path toward the dock. He relished this golden opportunity and strode out to meet her.

  “My sister and I need a couple bottled waters,” she said, panting with exertion. “It’s quite warm out today.”

  “Sure thing. Wait here and I’ll get them, then escort you back to your sister so you don’t get lost.”

  He ignored Deedee’s glower when he retrieved the waters. Now all he had to worry about was Casey and whether she had seen Deedee board the tour boat earlier. That fact became apparent when Casey never showed up after his tour to drive him to the golf course.

  He waited alongside the tour boat twenty minutes past the time Casey had said she would return to pick him up. The marina remained deserted. Even Deedee had sauntered off to her car fifteen minutes earlier, after one last pass at Aidan. He gazed out over the calm Gulf and decided he would have to hoof it to the course. Wouldn’t Ian get a laugh out of that? Aidan Cross walking to work. He didn’t get far.

  “Looks like you need a ride, handsome.”

  Aidan closed his eyes on a wave of resignation. He could not cut a break today.

  “I thought you left,” he said and turned to face Deedee.

  “I couldn’t leave a handsome guy stranded.” She ran a finger down his tee shirt, and he caught it just above his navel. “I waited to see if your ride showed up.”

  More like she waited to make sure Casey knew Deedee had spent the morning on the boat with him.

  “Looks like Casey didn’t show,” she said, all smug. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride out to the course. That is where you’re going, isn’t it?”

  And you want to be sure Casey sees you drop me off.

  Aidan sighed. “Yeah.”

  He couldn’t avoid this woman forever if he was building a golf resort here. He had to work at finding a way to divert her attention elsewhere. Hmm. Another big switch for him—turning a woman’s attention away from himself.

  Fine.

  He’d take the ride and convince Deedee to get the silent partner’s name for him as soon as possible, so he could take care of Bartow and get his own plans for Cypress Key rolling. Mad as he was about Casey stranding him, he knew why. He would find her at the course, explain about Deedee, and make everything okay. Not only was Cypress Key growing on Aidan, but maybe he was growing into a better person in Cypress Key. Or at least a calmer one.

  Nothing was calm, however, when they reached the golf course.

  Frank paced wildly next to his best and only dependable greens mower parked in the middle of the ninth green. Neal Riley
stood alongside staring glumly at the stationary mower. Something was wrong for Neal to be here. The other greens mower was older and worked when it felt like it or when the sun wasn’t shining.

  “Drop me at the clubhouse,” Aidan told Deedee. She looked disappointed but did as he asked.

  Neal had retrieved his tool box from his truck parked next to the green and was digging around in the broken-down mower engine when Aidan reached them. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Frank grumbled. “She started up fine, and I had mowed most of the ninth green when she just up and quit.”

  “Anything I can do to help?”

  “Nah, go on up and get some lunch, then help Rory in the cart barn. He should be there by now.”

  The pro shop was deserted when Aidan arrived, and Mamie was in the snack bar. “Where’s Casey?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. She disappeared when my back was turned.”

  Maybe Casey hadn’t seen Deedee at the marina. He could only hope.

  “Frank said to tell you to go the cart barn when you showed up. Rory’s off school at noon. Should be down there by now. Here, I made you a roast beef sandwich.” She handed the sandwich over with a soda and a bag of chips. “Now get going.”

  Aidan hustled out to the cart barn, keeping an eye peeled for Casey, but didn’t spot her. No Rory either. He ate his lunch, then busied himself cleaning carts and checking charges. Still no Rory.

  “Hey! You’re here today,” Rory suddenly called from the bay opening.

  “Yeah, and where the heck have you been?”

  The boy’s expression grew worried. “Is Frank looking for me?”

  “No, he’s got bigger fish to fry.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  “Neal’s here to look at the greens mower. Frank said it quit on him this morning. And don’t change the subject. You’re over thirty minutes late. Again. That’s the third time this week. You’re lucky Frank is with Neal, or you’d be toast. Where were you this time? And don’t lie to me. When you’re not here, I have to cover for you.”