Finn leaned against the side of the boat in silence. She wondered what he was thinking but couldn’t bring herself to ask just yet. Right now, she was grateful for the quiet. She wanted to be alone, but that just wasn’t possible any longer. Taking a deep breath, she finally slowed the motor and steered them away from the coastline. She cut the engines, and the boat rocked gently in the open water.
“We’ll just drift here for a bit.”
He said nothing. He had changed into jeans and a hoodie at her house. He looked exceptional in anything he put on. He looked as if he belonged. She surmised that was because he felt as if he belonged. She didn’t feel anywhere close to that right now.
Why didn’t she anticipate her father showing up? Whose family was this screwed up? The fact he had witnessed firsthand something she’d been keeping a secret for more than twenty years only made it worse.
Finn in his perfect hoodie, from a perfect family. Finn, who’d done nothing to make her feel anything but safe. Finn, who was clearly trying to protect her. By comparison, she was as messed up as he was perfect. Her father and his greed. Her own intensity, which she tried to keep in check. She could feel her lip trembling. She tried to fight the tears but couldn’t. Saying nothing, he reached out and held her as she cried.
When at last the gentle rocking of the boat had lulled her, she raised her head and faced him.
“Thanks. I guess I needed that.”
“What you need is to talk to someone.”
She moved out of his arms. Great, now he thinks I’m nuts again. “I don’t need a shrink.”
“I didn’t mean that. You need to get whatever’s bothering you out in the open. If not, it’ll eat at you.”
He lowered himself to one of the captain’s chairs. “You were incredible today. Capable and firm. You charmed the entire city of Boston during that press conference. They loved how open you were, how down to earth. You’re a natural.”
She hoped to come off as polished. “Down to earth” was a euphemism for unrefined. She needed to do better.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Dammit, I’m not backing down. It’s my job to help.” He pushed himself out of the chair and got in her face. “You say you trust me, but you’re holding back. This isn’t going to work if you don’t tell me everything.”
She felt his breath on her temple. Desire snaked through her. She had to get control of the situation. She was too vulnerable right now. “It’s not about trust. I told you before, I don’t do complicated.”
“I think we’re past complicated.” He lowered his head to hers and began to feather light kisses on her cheeks, scraping his teeth along her jaw until she almost couldn’t breathe. She gasped from the pleasure of it. He turned his attention to her mouth and used his tongue to tease her lips. Taking hold of the back of his neck, she pressed her body against his and sucked on his lower lip. She heard his indrawn breath before their lips fused together for a searing kiss.
She wasn’t sure when all rational thought stopped, but the next thing she knew, he had her by the arms, pushing her away.
“We can’t do this. Christ knows I want to.” His breaths came out ragged, his voice sharp.
“Why are you angry?”
“I’m mad at myself. I can’t seem to control myself around you.”
She folded her arms against the sudden chill. “Last I checked, there were two of us here.”
“Yes, but I’m your attorney and I should act like it.” He brushed a finger down her cheek. “I’m sorry. You really don’t need this from me. I’m trying to help, not maul you.”
She didn’t want an apology. She was still reeling from the kiss. Was he sorry he’d kissed her? She couldn’t keep up.
“I don’t want to talk about this right now. Can we please just forget it? We’re both stressed. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything.” She couldn’t deal with this and all the rest. Thankfully he seemed to agree.
“Let’s talk about why you needed the boat ride and crying jag instead,” he sat again.
“Take your pick. Deranged grandfather, forced inheritance, selfish-bastard father making a house call for cash, or my disintegrated company. Any one of those might cause a girl to temporarily lose it.”
“Don’t get defensive. I’m surprised you didn’t explode before this. You needed to vent.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I’m usually on the receiving end of my sister’s venting.”
“Another thing that’s irritating me,” she squeezed past him to tie off a buoy on a loose rope.
He scratched his head. “My sister?”
“No, dammit. The fact you know everything about me and I know nothing about you. I didn’t know my father can’t get any money if I’m dead. We can cross him off the suspect list, I guess.” She looped and knotted. “I’m irritated because you didn’t tell me you knew about him. My entire personal life—warts and all—is on display, and you own the Cliff Notes. It isn’t fair.” She threw the buoy on the deck of the boat.
“Okay I get that. But just so you know, I was going to tell you I knew about Chuck Devon the other day when I told you about the rest of your inheritance. You ran away before I could.”
“So, tell me now.”
“I know about Chuck Devon, Beverly.”
“Very funny, Finn.”
“Seriously. Your grandfather told me about him the night we altered his will. Chuck has tried to shake down your grandfather in the past. That didn’t play, of course, and Reginald kept tabs on him over the years.” He swiveled in the chair. “The only other things you need to know about the inheritance are you can’t enter into any contracts with family members and you can’t give any money to Chuck Devon. If you do, the will is negated, and everything goes to your mother.”
“Does that mean I couldn't buy a piece of land from my mother, even if she had any?”
“Correct. Reginald wanted you to keep control for the year. He tried to cover any loopholes that would allow family members to take advantage of you. That includes Chuck Devon.”
“Simple enough, and more magnanimous from Reginald than I expected.”
“He had his moments.” He exhaled. “Now, I’ll tell you what I think you want to hear, because you’re right. It has been a little one-sided. But again, it was my job.”
She shook her head. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m thirty-one years old. I was raised outside of Portsmouth, Maine. My father owned the largest import business in New England, so we grew up in the same circles as your grandfather and Serena. My sister’s name is Kate, and she is ten years younger than me. She’s finding her way, and I don’t always love watching it. She’s grown up a bit since leaving college. She’s headstrong, which can be frustrating. I went to Harvard Law School, and I love Boston. I’m close to my mother and sister.”
“But not your dad?”
“He died two years ago in a car accident. We were very close.”
As his lips tightened, she felt a pang of guilt for pushing him. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Kate and my mother were devastated. We all were. Unfortunately, it was left to me to decide how to handle his company. I wanted my mother to make those decisions.”
“But you handled it? Because it’s what you do?” Echoing his words.
He ignored that. “We sold the company to my uncle. I think my mother wished I would take over, and I wish she had taken it over. It wasn’t for me, though, and my uncle has been doing an excellent job. I try to distance myself from it. I don’t want my uncle to think I’m interfering.”
He cocked his head. “We all have families—and disappointments because of those families—and you shouldn’t let yours take too tight a grip. No one who meets Chuck Devon and you would ever believe you two are related. You made your way and your choices. It’s admirable.”
“I like how you changed the topic back to me there, Counselor.” She rested
against the side of the boat. She felt better, but her mind went to the kiss and couldn’t stop the stab of longing. He had already made it clear it was a mistake. At first, she’d agreed.
Now, she wondered.
“We’re supposed to meet your new security detail anyway, so we need to get back. I’ll text them to meet us at what’s left of your office.”
She made her way to the wheel and started the boat’s engine. He was her attorney, she lectured herself. He was too good for her and her crazy situation. She needed to forget the kiss ever happened, but her body wasn’t cooperating. She wanted to kiss him again.
She slowed the engine of the boat to dock. He leaped out to help tie it off. Her eyes swept across the marina. A wave of sadness flooded her eyes. She wouldn’t be coming back here anytime soon. She shook the feeling away as they made their way to meet her security team. She couldn’t dwell on it.
As they walked up the dock, she could see it wasn’t the security detail waiting for them and groaned. She really didn’t need this right now. He looked at her with questioning eyes as they reached the couple.
The woman spoke first. “Beverly Regina Winslow, you are in big trouble, young lady!”
Bev leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Hi, Ma.”
Chapter Fifteen
“I can’t believe you lied to me, Bevie.”
Finn suggested they all retreat to his client’s cottage. The media hadn’t taken long in discovering the whereabouts of the new heiress and showed up on the docks just as she and Regina were about to argue. A public squabble was bad, to say the least. So, they all hugged, smiled, and waved while they walked the short distance back to the house.
He wanted to leave them alone and go to the guest bedroom. When he suggested just that, Regina Winslow pointed at him. “You’ll stay. I need answers.”
He crossed his arms and waited his turn.
Regina grilled her daughter. “Did you think I wouldn’t hear about all this? The Boston Globe is online now, or hadn’t you heard? And then to find out how close you were to dying!” Regina stood and put her hands on her hips. She was a lovely, slender woman, not as tall as her daughter, but they shared the same hair color and eyes. Meanwhile, Beverly sat on the couch of the tiny living room, saying nothing.
Regina stared down at her daughter. “You send me and Joe off on some ruse to get me out of the picture, so you could go behind my back. Why? I just don’t understand what you were thinking. How do you think it feels to know my only daughter was almost killed just two days ago, and you didn’t think to call me?”
“Now, Reggie, I told ya she had her reasons,” the man named Joe—who Finn still hadn’t been introduced to—said quietly from his corner in the wooden rocker.
She turned on him. “I told you I wasn’t speaking to you. The fact you were in on this, going behind my back, is betrayal, Joe.”
Finn decided he might as well step in. “Ms. Winslow, if I may, I’d like to introduce myself.” He stood tall and extended a hand to Regina. “I’m Finn Callahan. I was your father’s attorney for the last three years, and I now represent your daughter.” He walked over to where Joe still sat in the rocker and offered a hand to him. Joe stood and shook.
“Finn Callahan, pleasure to see you again.”
Joe grunted, took off his cap, scratched his head. “Reggie, you better let these kids say their bit. You and me can settle our differences later.”
He thought he looked world-weary and beaten down. He wasn’t the same man he had met a few weeks ago when he’d first visited Atlantic Charters. Regina interrupted his thoughts.
“I know who you are; I saw the press conference on the airport TV when we landed.” She rounded on her daughter. “Look what you’ve made us do. We’ve been rude.” She turned back to him. “Call me Reggie, everyone does. I apologize for the yelling. I’m in shock. I’d like an explanation, but since my daughter doesn’t seem inclined, perhaps you’d like a coffee and then you can tell me what is going on?”
“I’d love some coffee, but I’m afraid your daughter should tell you her reasons herself.” He had no idea why she did what she did. She had called her mother fragile, he remembered. This woman in front of him appeared anything but fragile. Maybe she was overprotective. He couldn’t really blame her; the Winslow family could be intimidating.
He was starting to lose his patience, though. She still had said nothing. He went through the motions of coffee with Reggie and Joe, as she sat in the same position on the couch, saying nothing. Finally, he tapped her hand. “It’s getting late. Why don’t you tell us what you’re thinking?”
****
Bev owed them all an explanation. But how could she tell Ma she didn’t think she was emotionally equipped to take this news? She had to say something to her mother. She hated lying, but she had no choice. She took a deep breath and faced her mother.
“Ma, I was going to tell you, but then there was the accident at the offices, and…I’m so sorry. You deserved better than this. I thought you’d be upset Reginald left me the money and ignored you. I’d hoped I could turn down the money so it wouldn’t touch you. So that family couldn’t hurt you again.”
At least that was partly the truth.
“Bevie, I’m not that petty. I’m happy for you. You were born for this. Reginald would know how brilliant you are. That’s why he chose you. How could you think I’d be upset? Why in the world would you turn down the money?”
She hated her mother made it sound like an honor she was chosen to run Reginald’s empire. Resentment welled up in her. “I don’t put the same stock in Reginald’s decisions as you do, Ma. He decided to disown you, remember?”
Her mother cupped her face. “The man was an idiot about family. But at least this part he got right. I can’t believe you’d think I would care about the money, though. We’ve done all right, you and me.”
She gripped her mother’s hands. “Of course, Ma. It wasn’t the money I was thinking of anyway. I was just worried about you and what you’d do. It was stupid not to tell you. I’m sorry.”
Reggie’s face relaxed into a small smile. “Poor Bevie, always a worrier. Most of that’s my fault. I should have done better by you.”
“We don’t need to talk about the past.” She didn’t need a guilty meltdown from her mother right now.
But Reggie surprised her. “You’re right. That’s the past, and I’m better than I was. We need to talk about what’s happening now.” Pivoting to Finn, who was still standing at the kitchen counter she gestured to him. “I think that’s where you come in, Mr. Callahan. You want to tell me what all this means and why someone tried to hurt my baby?”
“Ma, it isn’t Finn’s job to do this. He shouldn’t even be here.”
He sauntered right into the little living room adjacent to the kitchen and sat on the white sofa between her and her mother. “I’ll explain what I can, Reggie, and please call me Finn.”
She glared at him, but he just plowed on with his explanation. “Since I notified Beverly of Reginald’s wishes three weeks ago, we had been able to keep the information quiet. That is to say, no one knew he planned this until the morning he passed away. That day I notified Serena and her family there was a possibility of someone else inheriting. I didn’t use those words, but I told them not to make any changes. I had to do this since she was in the process of firing the staff at the Maine house.”
Reggie chuckled. “Sounds just like her.”
“After the will reading, it became apparent Serena would contest. She hired one of the best probate attorneys in Boston. But no papers were filed. To be honest, I was too worried about Beverly turning down the money at that point to think of Serena as a clear threat.” He gripped the mug in his hand.
“Two days ago, your daughter’s offices were blown up in what we assume was supposed to look like an accident. I contacted a friend in the FBI; she is quietly investigating on her own time. They also recommended a security team for her. This concerns your daughter, but I
assured her Reginald had security most of his life. It would be expected.”
Reggie rounded on her at this news. “You’re taking the security team, young lady.”
“Yes, Ma.” Outnumbered, she tried to change the subject. “That’s gotten you up to date, Ma. Now you know as much as we do.”
“That isn’t quite true, honey.” Reggie patted his shoulder. “What does your friend at the FBI think? Are there any leads?”
“Other than you, Serena and John Hamilton and their children are the only other people who stand to gain anything from the estate. That makes Serena or John top of the suspect list.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry to be so blunt about family.”
Reggie lifted a slender shoulder. “It’s all right. I’m aware of the kind of person Serena is.”
“That’s just it, though. We made the decision to announce Beverly was the heir in order to draw out the suspect. It was the best plan at the time. But it’s doing the opposite. John told us Serena would not contest the will and that they would do whatever necessary for the reputation of the company and family name.”
“That isn’t surprising to me,” Reggie mused. “John was always a lovely man. He had a way with Serena. She was quick to blow up when she was angry. He could always calm her. John was logical and a very good businessperson. He would see the best option would be to rally around whomever was the future of the company. He probably convinced Serena to back off.”
“Ma, I didn’t know you knew John.”.
“Serena was married young. Our father handpicked John Hamilton for her. He made a good choice too. They were suited. So, yes, I knew him for about two years before I left. He was always very nice to me, especially after one of Serena’s tantrums. She could be frightening.” Reggie laughed. “It’s amazing; it seems as if she hasn’t grown up at all.”
“Some people don’t.”
Reggie nodded her agreement. “Where does this leave my baby girl?”
Finn put his mug down. “I can’t share that with you. I’m afraid that’s up to Beverly.”
“It’s lovely you use her full name.” Reggie nudged her daughter.
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