I chuckled for the first time in what felt like weeks. “Thanks, Jess. I needed to hear that.”
Wedging my phone between my ear and my shoulder, I pulled out the suitcase’s handle and slid the matching toiletry bag over it to sit above the handgrip.
“I’m being serious, Willy.” God, my sister was the only person who got away with calling me that. I almost groaned out loud at the nickname, but she wouldn’t stop using it no matter what I did. I didn’t even think she realized she’d used it. “I’ll get someone to help out with the bed and breakfast. It’s about time I go out there to see your fancy house anyway. If the trip comes with a side of ass-whooping for anyone who even looks at you funny, that’s fine by me.”
“I know you’d do it in a heartbeat, but you don’t need to come out here.” I gave my room a last onceover, checking that I’d left nothing behind before striding to the door and switching off the light.
“What are you going to do, though?” she asked, and I heard the worry in her voice loud and clear. “Is the engagement off?”
“I don’t know.” I raked my hand through my hair, giving my head a little shake. “All I really know is that I need some time to process and disconnect from all this craziness. I need fresh air and open spaces.”
“Are you coming home?” she asked without missing a beat, the worry replaced with hope and excitement.
I smiled in a way only my sister could make me. “Yeah, Jess. I’m coming home. I haven’t been able to set foot out my door without being bombarded by paparazzi. LA is definitely not the place for contemplation.”
A squeal so loud that I pulled the phone away from my ear and could still hear it came out of her. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to escape that place and those people. Home is exactly what you need. It’s so beautiful and peaceful here.”
“You don’t need to sell me on the place, Jess,” I said with laughter threatening to cut me off. Fuck. What is it about Jessie and the thought of home that already makes me feel like the stench of bullshit is evaporating?
“I’ve already packed my bags,” I said. “I’m literally on my way out the door right now.”
She let out a whoop before clearing her throat. “Have you given any thought to where you’re going to stay? I have an open suite if you want to take it. I know you might not want to stay in the house with all the other guests here, but the grounds are still as beautiful as always, and the location can’t be beat.”
“I’ll take it,” I said. “Any chance you’ve got one of the garden suites open at the back?”
I accepted her offer without telling her about the hotel room I’d already booked. I should’ve known she’d want me to stay at the B&B, but I hadn’t wanted to intrude. None of this was her fault, and I didn’t want to inconvenience her just because I’d decided to go home on a whim.
Jessie had turned our old family manor house into a pretty successful business. Sure, it was still my family home too, but for all intents and purposes, it was hers.
“I’ll do you one better than a garden suite and open up one of the garden cottages for you. How’s that?”
“Jess, you don’t have to.”
“It’s already done, big brother. You’re coming here for peace and quiet. A cottage is better than a room for that. Besides, Lucy at the Grand owes me a favor. The guest will be just as happy there as she would’ve been here.”
“What did you do to make Lucy owe you a favor?” I asked, suddenly suspicious. “Lucy thinks she owns that island. Last I heard, she doesn’t go around giving out favors.”
“Oooh, look who does remember something about his hometown after all.” She chuckled. “I’d honestly thought you’d forgotten everything about it.”
“Never.” I hadn’t forgotten everything about it. A lot of it, I was sure, but not all. “I’ll be there at about eight tonight. Don’t worry about meeting me. I’m sure I can find my way home.”
“Uh huh.” I heard the doubt in her voice. “I’ll be ready for you at eight. We can have dinner and drinks together, but Will?”
“Yeah?” I rolled the suitcase to my front door, leaving it there before heading to the kitchen.
“I’ll send Tony down with the carriage to pick you up. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself after all you’ve been through this weekend.”
I laughed. “I thought I was supposed to be the protective one. I won’t have a mental breakdown if I have to find my own ride once I get to the island, you know?”
“Guess we’ll never find out,” she said teasingly. “Tony will be there to meet you. If you want to have a breakdown, have it on your own time.”
“Thanks for the support.” I shook my head at her, grinning as we said our goodbyes.
A part of me was genuinely happy that I’d be seeing my little sister in just a few hours. Despite the shitstorm my life had become, I knew going home was a good idea. All the people who were waiting for me to schedule meetings, do interviews, try to salvage my working relationship with Angelina, and God only knew what else wouldn’t be happy about it, but fuck them all.
Mackinac was a haven unlike any other. It was quiet as fuck and insanely boring to live in by most people’s standards, but I wasn’t looking for an abundance of activities, bars, nightclubs, or tropical beaches.
I needed time and space to clear my head. Mackinac would give me plenty of both of those. After downing a glass of water, I left a note for my housekeeper and called for a car service. My own vehicles were safer here than in some long-term lot at the airport.
Once all that was done, I put in a call to the only other person I wanted to speak to. Dave answered almost as fast as my sister had.
“I just heard a rumor that you’re in rehab because you overdosed after finding out about Angelina’s indiscretion.” I heard the sneer in his tone when he said the word. “A director I’m working with on my new script asked if I’d visited you there yet. I told him to go fuck himself.”
“You and my sister are on a roll,” I said. “Between the two of you, you’d swear I’m one of those pricks who need to be pampered and can’t defend himself.”
“Nah, you’re just a regular old prick,” he replied good-naturedly. “I’m assuming you finally spoke to Jessie, then? How is she?”
“Chomping at the bit to—and I quote—‘kick some skinny actress ass.’” I chuckled again as I imagined my sister trying to make good on her threat. “It’s too bad she wouldn’t hurt a fly. She even saves spiders instead of killing them. It would’ve been entertaining to see Angelina’s face if Jessie really tried to do it, though.”
“I’d have paid good money to see that. Although Angelina’s nails are like talons. Last time I saw Jessie, she wasn’t even wearing nail polish. Maybe it’s a good thing she won’t really go after your dear fiancée.”
“Don’t call her that,” I growled, the sound coming from some primal part of me that refused to accept that, in the eyes of the world, we were still engaged. Breathing in deeply to get past the sudden rush of anger, I dragged air into my lungs and remembered the reason I’d called him. “I’m going to Mackinac Island for a while. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”
He paused for a long moment. “I think that’s a great idea. It’s been too long since you went out there. It’ll be good for you to unwind a little.”
“Yeah.” I rubbed my forehead before opening the door to wait for my car outside but still inside of the gates. No way was I going beyond them on foot. “If you need me, you know where to find me. You’re always welcome to come visit there too if you want.”
“I’ll think about it.” Just before I could say goodbye, he cleared his throat. “You’ve been different since you met Angelina. The partying, the drinking, focusing on the spoils of this life instead of where you came from. I’m really happy you’re going home, man. I think you’ve lost who you used to be, and I have a feeling you just might find that guy waiting at your roots.”
For the first time in a long time, I was spee
chless. I couldn’t say he wasn’t right about some of those things, though. “That’s why you don’t like her?”
“I don’t not like her. If you decide to get back together with her, I’ll stand with you at your wedding and celebrate harder than anyone else. I just think you need to do some serious thinking, and I don’t think there’s a better place to do it.”
“Yes, oh wise one.” There was only the tiniest hint of sarcasm in my tone, but it ran out before I continued the sentence. “Thanks, man. I hope you’ll come see us soon.”
Chapter 8
ANNA
Sundays were my only day off during the tourist season. They were as sacred to me at this time of year as my morning routine. After spending the day cleaning my apartment, tidying up, and getting caught up on some reading, I felt restless by the time the sun started setting.
I wasn’t used to being cooped up inside all day, and it showed as I paced in front of the window. Eventually, I decided to go out and take a real walk instead of wearing a path in my carpeted floor.
The minute the dying rays of the sun hit my face, I breathed a soft sigh of relief. I took off in the direction of the town without a destination in mind, simply taking in the sights as I wandered around.
Even though I’d spent my whole life in Mackinac, the beauty of it had never been lost to me. Especially as the sun set in a glowing orange ball behind the horizon, casting all the boats dotting the water into nothing more than silhouettes.
It was picturesque in every way possible. The dirt roads, the Victorian-era houses and storefronts the town fought to preserve, the focus on gardens and flowers in recent years, it all made this town the kind of beautiful not many people got to see these days. Unless they came here, of course.
The clip-clopping of hooves and friendly waves of people saying hello as they closed up shop for the day also gave it a special ambiance that I, for one, wouldn’t be able to live without. I stopped to chat to a few people, then got lured in by the delicious scents coming out of my favorite bakery.
“Hey, Charlie,” I called as I pushed open the door and took a deep whiff of all her baked treats. Charlie’s Bakery was quaint, smelled like heaven, and only had two small round tables inside.
She popped her flour-covered face up from behind the display cabinet, wiping her hands on her apron as her wizened face cracked into a smile when she saw me. “Anna. Hello, love. You’re in luck. I’ve just pulled a batch of your favorite cookies out of the oven. Can I get you some?”
“Yes, please.” Eating buttery pistachio cookies might be the death of me some day, but it would totally be worth it. My mouth watered at the mere thought of them. “What else have you got?
“Let me make up a box with some goodies for you. There’s nothing to chase away the Sunday blues like some quality baked goods in bed, and they’re not bad to wake up to on a Monday either.” She winked before pulling one of the branded boxes out from under the counter and humming to herself as she filled it.
Once it was brimming with treats, she pushed it across to me. I paid, said good night, and took off, planning to take some for my father. As I walked, I thought about our dinner last night and what he’d said about William. It shouldn’t bother me that Dad was holding on to so much bitterness toward him, but for some reason, it did. I couldn’t help feeling like breeding negativity in any way, shape, or form was bad for his health.
Maybe Jessie can talk some sense into him sometime. He loved her like a second daughter despite her last name, and if there was anyone who could lay things out clearly, it was her.
Realizing I was close to her B&B now anyway, I decided to drop some pastries off for her first. I figured she could use them tomorrow morning. Mondays were the days when she scrambled the most. She did all her scheduling and accounting stuff in the morning, so maybe having some baked slices of heaven at hand would make her morning a little better.
I wouldn’t ask her to speak to Dad just yet. It was only a half-baked plan at the moment and I needed to weigh if any good could come from dredging up those old grudges.
Jessie and William’s family home was a stunner that never failed to make heads turn. It was a charming yet imposing Victorian structure with tall columns evenly spaced along the front porch and manicured gardens leading up to it.
The sprawling old manor consisted of four separate wings and a variety of outbuildings that Jessie had turned into freestanding cottages. Each of the rooms had been done up in its own style with the underlying theme being French-Victorian.
My friend had hunted all over the state and even some of the neighboring ones for the furniture, and she had decorated every inch of the place herself. She’d kept all of her family’s original things and incorporated it into the décor of the B&B.
Since she’d wanted to stay on the property and have some privacy as well, she lived in one of the cottages at the back. It was secluded enough, surrounded by a wraparound porch and her prized lilac bushes.
I knew she wouldn’t be there now, though. It was time for the dinner service, so she’d be in the dining room. It usually hosted different local families for Sunday dinner, as well as the guests. Jessie liked to keep the personal touch by dining there a few times a week, but she was always present for at least a little while and chatted to people even if she wouldn’t eat there herself.
There was a chef in the kitchen who put together a small menu every day based on fresh, locally sourced produce. The B&B almost operated like a small hotel, and I was damn proud of my friend for turning the manor into one of the choice accommodations options on the island.
Stopping to talk to some of the staff members on my way in, I shared some of my cookies with them before heading into the dining room. Some of the locals waved when they saw me, then went back to their meals.
Soft French music played and the atmosphere was light and merry. I didn’t spot Jessie immediately. When I’d almost reached the conclusion that she must’ve decided to eat in the cottage tonight, I finally saw her.
A frown flickered across my brow when I realized she was having dinner with someone. The frown quickly melted into a smile when I saw it was a male someone.
Good for you, Jess.
She hadn’t told me she was seeing someone, but she was leaning over the table with her eyes too wide and excited for the man she was with to be a guest. There was also familiarity in the way she bent her head toward him and reached out to rest her hand on his forearm.
Her companion was seated with his back toward me, but from what I could see, his shoulders were broad and his frame tapered down until it disappeared from view behind the back of the chair. He seemed to have a lean build, but tightly toned muscles wound down from beneath the sleeves on his black T-shirt.
Ink wrapped its way from his wrists to disappear under his sleeves. The tattoos weren’t dense, and I could see patches of golden skin between them.
Messy, rich brown hair had been slicked back casually, and he dragged his hand through it again as I approached them. It was very obvious that he wasn’t a local guy. If he had been, even old Mildred would’ve had her panties in a twist over him, and I hadn’t even seen his face yet.
I wondered why Jessie wouldn’t have told me about her new beau, but I knew there would be a reason. It being a surprise didn’t make me any less happy for her. Jessie deserved all the happiness a fairy-tale romance could offer her. I just hoped this guy knew I’d bite him in the shin—repeatedly—if he hurt her.
Jessie lifted her gaze away from his as she leaned back in her chair, and her eyes almost drifted past mine before they snapped back. Her lips parted, and I saw her chest expand as she sucked in a breath. She looked surprised to see me, but not necessarily in a good way.
I’d been in the process of forming a smile when I suddenly realized what her reaction was all about. The guy she was having dinner with turned to see what she was looking at, and when I finally saw his face, I swore my heart stopped beating for a few seconds.
William. M
y lips breathed his name, and as if saying it while looking at him had spoken new life into the organ, my heart kicked back in and raced like it was trying to make up for lost time.
Our eyes met and my footsteps faltered. God, how is it possible that he still has this effect on me after all these years?
I’d never experienced a physical reaction to any man but him. My heart and feet were the first of my body parts to get the message, but my palms soon realized they were behind and immediately rectified the situation by turning clammy.
Even my knees joined the party, turning weak at the mere sight of him. My brain seemed to be on the fritz. I knew it was him, and I knew it was Jessie, but I couldn’t quite connect the dots about why he was here.
Those sea-green eyes reminded me of afternoons spent laughing, walking on the beach, and having picnics on the hill. It felt like half my childhood memories involved seeing those eyes whenever I turned around. William had always been there. A steady presence, a good friend, and, eventually, my first love.
That thought triggered a hundred memories of what those eyes looked like when he was hovering over me, looking at me like the world would end if he didn’t get inside me. They used to light up with unholy fire that made me burn for him.
There were traces of that boy I’d known in the man looking at me now. An undeniable familiarity.
But his features had also matured over time, turning the softer face of a pretty boy into the sharp features of a handsome man. His jawline looked like it could cut glass now, and it was covered in dark stubble that told me he’d gone from needing to shave a few times a week to every day.
There was a popular actor he got compared to regularly, but since my brain seemed to be misfiring by having those eyes back on mine, I couldn’t for the life of me think of his name. The point was that there was a definite resemblance between the two men, and it drove home the fact that this William might have a similar face to my Will, but this guy was famous. He was successful in freaking Hollywood and probably had that other guy’s number in his phone.
The Billionaire’s Second Chance: A Small Town Romance Page 5