She paused briefly to wonder how much the evening was costing and would have gladly forgone the flute of champagne she’d just taken from a silver tray if that amount could go to Gilbert House.
She spotted Doug and Everett Simmons across the room and went to meet them.
“You look lovely,” Everett said.
“Wow,” Doug said.
“I know, you hardly recognized me without the paint chips in my hair.” Meri smiled. “I hope I didn’t miss any.”
Everett chuckled. Doug beamed. Meri fortified herself with a sip of champagne before she went out to drum up interest for their petit bijoux.
Alden arrived a few minutes later, along with Nora, who Meri hardly recognized. She and her dad must have been on a shopping adventure that afternoon, because gone was the edgy teenager with spiked hair and trendy clothes and in her place was a sophisticated-looking young woman in a simple teal sheath, wearing a delicate necklace with her hair brushed back and only slightly spiked.
Her father, on the other hand, took Meri’s breath away. Dressed in a tux with that black hair curling wildly at the collar of a pristine white shirt, he was civilization and the wild all rolled into one. Meri didn’t think she’d ever seen him looking quite so . . . handsome.
She wasn’t the only woman in the room to notice his entrance.
While Nora made her way over to Meri, women from all directions glommed on to her dad. He caught Meri’s eye before he turned his attention to his bevy of admirers.
“You look great,” Nora said.
“So do you.”
Nora looked down at her dress. “It is sort of cool, isn’t it? Dad picked it out.” She looked back at Alden. “He’s handsome, isn’t he?”
“He certainly is,” Meri agreed. “But we’ve always known that.”
Carlyn came in soon afterward, dressed in a floral sarong that bloomed like an exotic plant against a room of basic black. She did a double take as she passed Alden who had barely gotten into the room.
“He does clean up rather nicely,” she said under her breath.
Alden finally made it across the room to join them. “We work hard for the money.”
“Some of us harder than others,” Meri teased.
He cocked his head. “You look amazing.” And he leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Meri didn’t miss Carlyn’s I-told-you-so look. And neither, she was afraid, did Nora.
“Here comes Everett Simmons,” Doug said and hurried through the increasing throng to meet him.
“And look who just arrived right behind him,” Carlyn said.
They all looked toward the door.
“Who are they?” Nora asked.
Meri had known they would probably be there, and she’d prepared herself for this moment. But apparently not well enough. She couldn’t speak.
Because the Rochforts had just entered the room.
Chapter 30
Meri turned her back on them. She wasn’t ready, and she certainly didn’t want to meet them in public. There was no reason she would have to actually speak with them. She’d pretend they had no connection; they didn’t know her from Adam’s housecat.
And that was just fine with her. She didn’t know how Everett could stand to sit on the same committees with the man. Of course, that might be different now that he knew the real story of what happened to Riley.
Doug and Everett had made their way across the floor.
“Great crowd,” Doug said. “Everett is going to introduce us to some people. Meri, why don’t you come along. Carlyn, you and Krosky team up.”
“Where is Krosky?”
“Right here.”
“Joe?” Carlyn stared at him.
So did Meri.
Krosky’s hair was cut, and his tuxedo fit him admirably. There was a light in his eye but no bounce in his step.
“Holy moly, you look . . . different,” Carlyn said.
“Yeah, well, it won’t last, so let’s go work this joint before I turn back to a toad.” He led her away.
Doug beamed after them. “Come on, Meri, let’s get cracking.”
Meri glanced at Alden.
“Don’t worry about us,” he said, taking Nora’s elbow. We know how to mingle.”
Nora giggled then lifted her chin and let her father lead her into the crowd.
The evening wore on, and they seemed to be generating some interest in Gilbert House. After a while Everett left them to talk to someone and Doug and Meri went on alone.
She was beginning to fade and wishing she had worn lower heels. It was taking a lot of energy to work a room, enthusiastically selling a project while carefully avoiding two grandparents she’d never met and who didn’t know she existed.
“Your smile is slipping,” said Alden, coming up behind her.
“My shoes are—oh no.” Across the room she saw the Rochforts approach a group of people that included Everett Simmons.
“What is it?” Alden asked and looked to where she was looking.
As he did, Everett said something to Rochfort, then looked straight at Meri. Even across the ballroom she could see he was angry. He reached for Rochfort’s arm, and for a horrifying moment Meri was afraid he was going to hit the older man. But he just turned him around and lifted his chin in Meri’s direction.
Rochfort looked across the hall searching, until his gaze fell on Meri. She quickly turned away.
“What’s going on?” Alden asked, automatically putting his hand in the small of her back.
“I think I’d better leave. Can you just tell Doug I have a headache?”
“Sure, but wait, I’ll take you.”
“No, that’s okay. I have my car.” She saw Rochfort sway, then push Everett away. He was coming toward her. To do what? Cause a scene? That would kill any chance Gilbert House had of getting funding. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She shoved her champagne flute at him and headed to the exit.
She collected her coat, keeping one eye out for the enraged man. She didn’t bother putting it on but headed for the front door. And then she saw Rochfort’s wife join him. They were both coming her way.
Heart pounding, Meri looked around and saw an open door to the terrace. There wouldn’t be many people out there. It was still too early in the spring to make outdoor parties comfortable. She retraced her steps, almost running until she was outside.
She was a coward. She hadn’t planned on ever revealing herself to them. She could have pretended not knowing them forever. But she hadn’t taken Everett into account. The years of anger and frustration finally boiled over as he saw his daughter and them in the same room while Riley was dead.
She didn’t blame him; she just wished he had contained it a little longer.
“Meri!”
Not the Rochforts, Everett.
She turned.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he strode toward her. “I’m so sorry. I just lost it—” He laughed, a hurt, painful sound. “Quietly of course. Good breeding counts for everything in this town. I’m so sorry. I would never cause you any kind of discomfort. Please come back inside.”
She didn’t have a chance to answer, before Rochfort came striding across the pavement. Slightly stooped and limping, he didn’t seem like someone she should have been afraid of. Besides, it was time she claimed her heritage.
“Just what are you trying to pull, Everett?”
“Nothing. Go back inside.” Everett turned in an attempt to shield Meri from the man’s ire.
“The hell I will. Who is this woman? What kind of scam are you running?”
Meri stared at the man. The same thing he’d accused Gran and her mother of. It was a lie; he knew it then and he knew it now. She didn’t think she’d ever met anyone so despicable.
He’d left his wife behind, but now she appeared in the doorway, two steps ahead of Alden and Doug.
Meri didn’t wait for her to join them, but turned on Mr. Rochfort. “How dare you. I’m Meri Calder Hollis. And I belong here.”
Rochfort bared his teeth in a satisfied smile aimed at Everett. “You will never be any good no matter what you try.”
“I’ll never be like you,” Everett said between clenched teeth. “And that’s enough for me.”
“Are you our granddaughter?” Rochfort’s wife had reached them. She was frail, her complexion almost gray, more than shock, illness.
“Be quiet, Doris.”
“Are you?” she repeated.
Meri glanced past her and saw Alden standing in the lamplight, watchful, Doug with his mouth opened in surprise. And she knew who her family was, had always known who it was—and who would be glad to make a place in it for Everett Simmons and his family. Doug, and Carlyn, and Krosky were her extended family.
She ignored Rochfort and spoke to his wife. “I’m Riley’s daughter.”
The old woman reeled and put the back of her hand to her mouth.
“Shut up, you little—”
“But I’m Therese Calder’s granddaughter. Not yours. Never yours. I’m a Calder Hollis.”
Now she turned to the old man who was vibrating with anger and maybe just a bit of fear. “So don’t worry about me trying to claim you.”
“You wouldn’t get a penny.”
“Or your money.”
“Stop it, stop it.” The old lady could barely stand, but no one went to her aid. “What’s your name?”
“Meri.”
Her lips quivered. “Can you ever forgive us?”
If Meri had been a better person, she might have said yes. But she wasn’t, and she owed Riley and Everett the truth. “It’s not my place to forgive. I’ve had the best family I could ever hope for. They’ve loved me unconditionally. I should thank you for that. But your daughter, my birth mother, that’s whose forgiveness you should ask. And Everett’s.”
“Riley was a little—”
“She was your daughter, Mr. Rochfort. And you drove her away. And she died because of it. So don’t worry. I don’t want any part of your family. Good night.”
She walked past them until she got to Doug and Alden.
“Holy crap,” Doug said under his breath.
“I hope I haven’t screwed everything up,” she said to him. “Alden, would you take me home now?”
“With pleasure.”
I can’t believe I missed it,” Nora complained as she sipped her soda in Meri’s apartment. Meri was sitting on the couch, changed into sweats and sipping a cup of hot tea.
Alden stood over both of them like a guard dog, nursing a scotch.
“I think we’re safe now,” Meri said, trying to make light of a bad situation. “Oh God, I can’t believe that happened. I knew they would be there. I planned to ignore them. I didn’t think that Everett would lose it. I mean, he’s had to deal with them for years.”
“I think seeing you looking a lot like Riley and seeing them so pompous and clueless just pushed him over the brink.”
“So he’s really your father?” Nora asked.
Meri nodded.
“Nice guy,” Alden said.
“Are those people, the Rochforts, really rich?” Nora asked.
“Really,” Meri said.
“Do they live in one of those big mansions?”
“Not a big one. But they’re very full of themselves.”
“And it’s not something to aspire to,” Alden added.
“I thought they were gross. Anyway, we have our own mansion.” Nora blushed, aware of what she’d said.
Meri and Alden both ignored her.
“I just hope I haven’t jeopardized the restoration,” Meri said. “I don’t know why I said all those things. I just meant to leave. But they came after me.”
Alden shook his head, a glint in his eye. “You were pretty incredible.”
Meri groaned. “Doug will never forgive me if I blew this evening. I should have stayed home.”
Alden’s phone rang. He went into the bedroom to take it. He came back in a few minutes. “That was Doug. Emotional outbursts aside, it was a good evening. Everett put in ten thousand as seed money and the Historical Preservation Group board followed with a promise to fund the project at least long enough to see if it is worth investing in.
“Evidently as soon as Rochfort went back inside and started bad-mouthing the project, most of the rest of the board agreed then and there to give it serious consideration. I guess no one really likes the Rochforts and who can blame them.
“Come on, chickadee, let’s let Meri get some sleep. She has another big day tomorrow.”
“What? Don’t they get a few days off? I thought we could go sailing.”
“You have to get ready for school on Monday.”
Meri walked them to the door. She hugged Nora and hugged Alden, trying to sense what he was thinking. Did he know she was seeing Peter in the morning? And would he care about the outcome?
It was way later than Meri had planned when she pulled up to the back door of Gilbert House. She’d met Peter. They’d talked. For a really long time. Then there was an accident on the highway that took forever to clear. And now it was late. Carlyn’s and Doug’s cars were there, but Alden’s truck was gone.
She jumped out and ran down the hall. No one was in the kitchen. She ran through the house and to the back corridor and Alden’s studio.
And stopped. It was cleaned out. Like no one had ever worked there. Or created a presentation that helped sell the board on the project.
She turned away and right into Carlyn, who said, “He packed up and drove away earlier this morning. Where have you been?”
“In New Haven. Then I hit traffic. Did he say where he was driving to?”
Carlyn shook her head. “Just said it had been a pleasure and wished us luck on the project. He didn’t look too happy. What happened with Peter?”
“He asked me to marry him and move to L.A. I said no on both counts. We had a long talk, but I’ll have to tell you later.”
“I can wait. Go for it.”
Meri ran back through the house and jumped in her car, just as Joe Krosky’s bike rumbled to a stop. She waved but continued to back out of the parking lot.
She drove as fast as weekend traffic allowed, but it was too slow for her nerves. What if they had gone straight to Manhattan?
No, they wouldn’t take the truck to Manhattan and they couldn’t leave it at the station with all the equipment in it. They’d have to go home first. Where would he even keep a truck in Manhattan?
In a garage like everybody else.
When she finally pulled in the track to both houses, she knew she was too late. The truck was gone. The workmen were still there.
God, she had messed everything up. Except maybe the restoration project. And that had been a close call.
Meri parked beside the farmhouse and dragged her suitcase out of the backseat. She’d thought she would spend a few days with Gran, try to tell Alden how she felt, see if he felt the same.
Now she just felt stupid. And alone.
Gran was waiting for her at the door.
“Oh dear, is something wrong?”
“Well, I’m not going to marry Peter.”
“Oh, what happened?”
“Nothing. He’s staying in California and I didn’t want to move there even to be with him. I guess Dad and Alden were right all along.”
“Well, better to find that out before you married him. Come on in and help me with the beans.”
“You’re making dinner?”
“Well, we have to eat.” Gran handed her an apron.
“And Alden and Nora are gone. I wanted to say good-bye. I guess that means”—she cleared her throat—“that he’s still selling Corrigan House.”
“Oh, I suspect he’d stay if he had a good reason to.”
Meri tried to see her face. She was taking this a lot calmer than Meri was. “He obviously doesn’t think he has reason enough to stay.”
“Well, did you ask him?”
“What? Ask him to stay?”
<
br /> Gran turned with her hands on her hips. “Isn’t that what we’re talking about?”
“Well, it’s a little late. They’re gone.”
“I expect they’ll be back.”
“I’m not holding my breath.” Or my hope. “Well, one good thing, is Gilbert House has funding at least for a few more months.”
“I heard. Congratulations.”
The sounds of a vehicle pulling into the yard interrupted their talk.
“Ah, here they are.”
“Who? Is Dad coming out this weekend? He didn’t say anything.”
Gran raised her eyes to the ceiling.
“Nora and Alden.”
“But they left.”
“Only to go into town to the store. Nora wanted to make a lemon custard pie. I was out of lemons.”
“Gran!”
“Good heavens, what is it?”
Meri went to meet them.
Alden slowed when he saw Meri, but Nora ran forward, grabbed her left hand, and looked. “You’re not engaged?”
Meri shook her head.
“You’re not getting engaged?”
Meri shook her head again.
“Yes.” Nora fist pumped the air.
The door opened. “Nora, bring those lemons in here if you want a pie for tonight.”
Nora looked torn, but she followed Gran into the house.
“Are you okay with that?” Alden asked.
“More than okay. It was my choice.”
“Ah. Well.”
“Are you still moving to Manhattan?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On you.”
“Really?”
“Oh, Meri. Really.”
“Kiss me.”
He tilted his head to kiss her cheek.
She stopped him. “A real kiss.”
His eyes snapped with amusement. “Are you sure?”
“No. But let’s just try it and see what happens.” She stepped toward him, saw the unconditional love in his eyes, and saw the moment that love changed to desire.
“What are they doing?” Nora pressed her nose to the kitchen window.
Gran stood on tiptoe, peering out. “Something I’ve been expecting for a long time.” She pulled Nora from the window. “So let’s leave them to it. We’ve got a pie to bake.”
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