by Jen Peters
Ree just shook her head. “Yes, I’ll pay you, and I’m glad you’re here. Okay, I’ll call for more tables and linens. I may need someone to drive down to Eugene to pick them up. Robin, while Chris is moving furniture, can you run down to Mac’s and get more lights? And then do them on the back porch?”
Ree left them nodding at her and closed the door to her office. In the small space, she took a deep breath and exhaled. They could do this. She had a good team, and she was committed to them and the McCormick Inn. And the town, her town.
She called Billy first—would he order the extra ingredients and did he need an assistant? She made more phone calls, lined up the extra supplies, and then called the staffing center for three more waiters. They’d need more centerpieces, too, from the florist down the mountain.
Pizza delivery gave them a late lunch, and take-out from Ling’s took care of dinner. They worked into the night, setting up the canopies and laying out the floors on the lawn. They accepted deliveries, folded napkins and finished the arbor framework.
Ree finally let her tired body fall into bed at two a.m., and somehow reached through the gray dawn to hit snooze. Mrs. Markov’s face appeared in her mind again, and she bolted upright, adrenaline waking her better than her alarm had ever done.
She was showered, dressed in grungy work clothes, and out the door in 30 minutes. Robin was already at the inn, with the coffee pot gurgling. Chris mopped the dew off the wedding seating and the outdoor patio. They quickly set up the tables, working up a sweat in the cool morning air.
“Need some help?” came Mitch’s voice.
Ree turned and narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t expect to see you.”
He pursed his lips. “All hands on deck. No reason to ruin someone’s wedding because of our personal disagreements.”
Ree huffed. ‘Personal disagreement’ was an understatement. ‘Irreconcilable differences’ was more like it.
They placed the last tables, hardly looking at each other, then started hauling chairs. She could feel him close to her, her senses on alert even if she wasn’t looking at him. Tablecloths went on, then the centerpieces. Ree flipped from checking the work and checking what Mitch was doing. And if he was checking her too, well, she didn’t care. She didn’t.
Every time their eyes met, they both looked away. Ree was left fuming as she put the last centerpieces on. How could he just continue working like nothing had changed? Everything had changed. He wasn’t who she thought he was. What did she have in common with someone who was as rich as that? From as powerful a family as that? It hadn’t mattered to her before that McCormick & Associates was a name everyone knew, but for heaven’s sake—he inherited the whole thing!
But dammit, she wasn’t going to run away. She had worked hard on the inn and even harder to pull this wedding off. These were her friends, this was her town, and Mr. Mitchell Blake would be gone after the inn officially opened.
Wouldn’t he?
A delivery van brought more ingredients for Billy’s marvelous talents, and Ree went to help him check it all in. By the time they had finished, all the flatware, crystal glasses, and the folded napkins had completed the table settings. Robin and Chris were down at the arbor with Mrs. Swanson, putting the final touches in the flowers and toile. Mitch stood on the porch like a lord in his castle, arms crossed, feet wide, looking over his grounds.
He turned at the sound of her footsteps.
She crossed her own arms.
“You’ve done a great job,” he said. His soft voice sent a dangerous bolt of awareness through her.
Ree nodded once at him, then turned to look over it all. Despite the last-minute rush, it was lovely. Twinkly lights and satin bows decorated porch railings, centerpieces were fresh and beautiful, the wedding area was ready to welcome the bride and groom.
“Thank you,” Ree said stiffly. “It took all of us, including you. I appreciate your help.”
He cocked his head and studied her. “What do you want? What do you get out of this?”
Get? What should she get out of doing her job? “A paycheck,” she shot back. “What do you get out of it?"
He shook his head. “You don’t want anything more than a paycheck?”
“Okay, I also get a lot of satisfaction, a beautiful inn to run, and a step toward my dream, if you want me to be honest. Is it so wrong to want something else?"
“Not as long as that’s all you want." His response was so low she could hardly hear it. Or maybe she wasn’t supposed to.
He checked his watch, a Tag Hauer that would pay her mother’s expenses for several months. Was he taunting her? “The wedding’s in a few hours. You should change and come back—you never know when they’ll arrive.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Just because you’re rich doesn’t mean you can boss me around, remember."
His eyes looked sad as he walked past her to his Porsche.
She watched him get in, his mood reaching out and affecting her own. He shouldn’t blame her for his feelings, she thought. He was the one who had been living a lie.
But he was right—she did need to go change.
By the time Mitch arrived back at the inn, the parking lot was full, and cars lined the streets. The scent of honeysuckle filled the air as a few guests mingled on the porch, although many were seated already. The minister talked quietly with an older lady. The father of the groom was soothing his nervous son.
Mitch nodded with satisfaction. Ree and her crew had done an unexpectedly good job, especially considering the last minute doubling of the guests. She was far more capable than the ingenue he’d taken her for at their first meeting.
He trotted up the stairs and into the welcome hall, decked out in the summer glory of more flowers than he could name. Tiny white lights and some sort of filmy fabric covered the banisters. The parlor, with tables for extra guests, looked inviting. He heard a gaggle of feminine voices from upstairs, where Ree had assigned three guest rooms for the bride’s preparations.
In the dining room, the tables were pushed close, creating one long buffet. Ree, dressed in a stunning ice-blue dress that took his breath away, nodded coolly but didn’t pause her instructions to their six impromptu waiters. She brushed past him when she was done, and he watched her ascend the stairs to the bride’s rooms, her dress whispering as she went.
She really was focused on her job. That’s all she ever said she wanted. She wasn’t out to catch a millionaire; she wasn’t all about climbing the power ladder; she wasn’t trying to sneak her claws into him when he wasn’t looking. He just hadn’t seen it clearly until now.
And the attraction they felt…there really was no hidden agenda behind her, they were just two people falling in love.
His heart sighed. She was proud and quick to react, but generous and hard-working and understanding. She was easy to talk to, to actually be himself with. He supposed he’d thought he’d never find it.
He wished his grandfather were still alive. It would please the old man no end to see Mitch soften toward a woman, especially if it were the right woman.
But while Ree was the one for him, he wasn’t sure she thought he was the one for her. How would he get her past the obstacles of his money and his job? It was obviously a problem, probably at least halfway because of her father. Or if not her father, then simply the fact that Mitch himself was a corporate takeover specialist. Or he used to be.
What did he want to do now? What would his place in the firm be, besides being chairman of the board of directors? Ree’s question from the day before had kept him awake half the night: And what do you deserve, Mitch?
He perched in a chair at a porch table during the wedding, not noticing any details. All he could say afterwards was that the bride’s dress was white. The next thing he knew, the recessional music was ending, people were calling out congratulations, and Billy’s crew began bringing food out.
He maneuvered out of the way, but congratulated the bride and groom as Ree showed them to their seats.
“Do you have a minute,” he whispered to her when they were settled.
Her eyes were as icy as her dress. “What do you think?" And headed back inside.
That was stupid—of course she was busy.
He wandered the edge of the gardens while the guests ate. Ree really was angry at him, but he couldn’t help the fact that he had succeeded in his career by doing the same thing that ruined her father. Just like he couldn’t help that he had inherited his grandfather’s money. If she was that dead set against him, there was no hope.
But surely that couldn’t be all. Ree had pushed through some hard things in her life. She loved hearing about his travel, had planned a way to see the world without much money, even if it would take a few years to get there. She wasn’t one to let obstacles get in her way.
He walked through the wooded areas while the threads of his thoughts and memories wove various patterns, his words and actions laying first one way, then another, criss-crossing often with hers. There were no answers until he laid hers out first, saw the pattern through her eyes.
And when he realized where he had gone wrong, other pieces of the pattern fell into place. What did he want to do with his life? What did he deserve, she had asked.
He turned, content to rest one arm against a tree and watch the wedding party. Ree was in and out, gliding gracefully up and down the stairs as she checked details. They would talk, but not until the party was over.
An hour later, when the last car had rolled out of the parking area, Mitch walked back up to the mansion. The waiters had finished clearing up and were breaking down the tables. “Good job, guys, thanks,” he said, clapping one youngster on the shoulder. Inside, he found Billy wiping the last counter of a sparkling kitchen. “The food was superb, Chef,” he said, reaching for a handshake.
“My pleasure,” Billy said, his eyes twinkling. “I haven’t enjoyed myself like this for months. I’m happy to do breakfasts for the inn, and anytime you want to do a special event, I’m your man.”
He nodded his thanks and went to find Ree. She was high on a ladder in the parlor, taking down lights and fabric with Robin. She had already changed back into her work clothes. He touched her knee. “Walk with me?” he asked gently.
A smile flashed across her face, then disappeared just as quickly. Finally she stepped down from the ladder. “I can give you five minutes.”
“They can finish without you. Please.” He was hard-pressed not to beg, but what he had to say was much more important than clean-up.
Robin spoke up from the other ladder. “Just go, Ree. We’ve got this."
Mitch took her elbow gently. With a sigh, she walked with him, unconsciously matching his step. He led her outside, down to the half-finished memorial garden.
“This will be beautiful. On my grandfather’s behalf, thank you.”
She looked over the shrubs just starting to bloom. “I was happy to do it.” She didn’t look back at him.
“Ree,” he said, pulling her to the stone bench with him. “I’m sorry.”
She jerked her eyes up. “What?”
“Those woods are good for thinking,” he said with a rueful smile. “And I might have an idea what I did that’s upset you.”
She looked through the trees. “I’m not upset.”
He turned her chin back to him. “Oh yes, you are. And rightfully so. But I suspect it’s not my job that bothers you, because you’ve known that for a while. And it’s not my money, either, is it?”
She thrust her jaw forward, not saying a word.
“It’s the fact that I didn’t tell you. That I wasn’t honest about who I was.”
Suddenly her eyes were searching his. “You actually realize that?”
Mitch took her hands. “I work in a world where everybody has an agenda, and you don’t show your hand until you’re ready. I’ve learned to live that way, to think it’s normal. Now, it’s not that I was hiding things from you personally, but I really wanted people to take me for who I am and not judge me just for what my family has accomplished. And in this town especially, I didn’t want to waltz in as one of the McCormicks who started it all.”
Ree looked down at his hands over hers. “I guess I can understand that.”
“Then can you also understand that my life has taught me to look for other people’s agendas? That it wasn’t … illogical for me to think you might be after my money?”
She pulled back sharply. “I would never! And you shouldn’t ever have thought so!”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “I know that. At least, I know that now. Earlier, I think I was just reacting. You’re the most open and honest person I’ve ever met, the first person in a long time who hasn’t wanted any more from me than what you were saying out loud.”
Ree sighed, a long sigh that granted absolution. “I’ve missed you,” she admitted. “It’s hard to believe how much I’ve missed you in just a couple days." She finally met his gaze, her blue eyes deepening with longing.
Mitch tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, traced her jaw with the lightest of touches. “I’ve missed you too. I’ve missed hearing your laugh and the touch of your hand. I’ve missed your energy and your ideas bubbling over. And I’ve missed this." He bent his head, touching her lips briefly with his own.
She sighed again, then reached forward and brushed her lips over his as if with the lightest of feathers. Then she ran her hands through his hair and pulled his mouth toward hers.
He settled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. She pulled back for a breath, so he sent his kisses over her hair, her eyelids, and that beautiful soft skin. And then her mouth was searching for his again.
Chapter 27
Roses bloomed profusely, perfuming the memorial garden. Ree sat on the stone bench, close enough to Mitch to feel his warmth. He gazed at the sculpture of soaring and swooping birds, an incredible combination of grace and engineering. She leaned into him, put one hand on his chest, felt the strong beat of his heart.
It beat for her, she thought in wonder. The love of this man still surprised her. It hadn’t been in her plans, but there was no way she could give it up. Or change any of the path they took to get here.
But the week had been busy, following up with Mrs. Markov and finishing everything for the official grand opening today, while Mitch had been back up in Portland doing lawyer stuff. The phone wasn’t sufficient for the questions on her mind, or the thoughtful answers they required.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. He sighed and bent to kiss her hair.
“I love you, Ree,” he said quietly.
She smiled. “I love you too, more than you know. But we still have some things to figure out.”
“Like what we’re going to do with our lives?” he murmured over her head.
She sat up straight and grinned. “I’m going to run the inn. What are you going to do?" Then she snuggled back into him and sobered. “No, seriously, are you going to keep doing corporate takeovers?"
She wasn’t sure what she would do if he said yes. Somehow learn to live with it? But everything he’d talked about made it clear that it left him disg—
He kissed her hair again, cutting off her thoughts. “I can’t. It’s completely soul-sucking to me now. I’d much rather hang out here.”
Ree looked up at him and could feel the twinkle in her eyes. “Want to run the inn with me?”
Mitch gave a muffled snort. “You do such a great job that I’d just be redundant.”
“So what then?" She stroked her thumb over his hand.
He reached his arm around her shoulders and looked at the shining copper birds. “Granddad knew how I felt and suggested a few possibilities just before he passed away. I looked into them, although nothing clicked. But I made some phone calls this week and met with a few people.”
Ree waited. And waited. Finally she slugged his arm. “Tell me!”
She felt his grin. “I like seeing what people in town need, like your mother, and what the McCormick Fo
undation can help with,” he said. “I like your ideas of bringing the town to life and knowing that we can make it happen. And I like the other things the Foundation does—the scholarships, the medical clinics, things like that.”
“So?”
“So as of Monday, I’ll be the Vice-Chairman of the McCormick Foundation Board.”
“Mitch, that’s wonderful! And definitely not soul-sucking!" She reached up to kiss his chin, but he met her halfway. The short kiss turned long, sending everything else out of her mind. It was quite a bit later before she could ask her next question.
“So what exactly does that mean?" And where will you be, she added silently.
He leaned back. “It means I’ll be spending a lot of time on the phone, traveling some, talking to people, listening to presentations. And giving away money.”
“From where?” Her voice was hardly above a whisper.
He chuckled. “From here, of course. You don’t think I could leave the two best things I’ve found lately, do you?”
“Two?”
“You, of course. And a hometown, even if it did take me three generations to come back to it.”
She didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter—he bent his head and kissed her thoroughly, taking away any possibility of words.
The finishing touches were done in the guest rooms; flowers accented every side table; the gardens outside were exquisite. Including the memorial garden for Mitch’s grandfather.
A crowd had gathered on the porch, but Mitch and Ree stood inside the welcome hall with the doors closed.
Mitch lifted his grandfather’s portrait into place, with his grandmother’s hanging next to it. He stepped back, satisfied, and gave his grandfather a nod.
“You sure you’re okay with everyone knowing?” Ree asked.
Mitch looked at her, eyes full of warmth and love, then back at the portrait that looked so much like him. “It’s who I am,” he said simply. “If I want people to accept me honestly, then I need to do so as well.”