by Unknown
“Mr. Wetherly,” Kate began in her best lawyer voice. “I am Chloe’s attorney, Kate Fletcher.”
Chloe saw the vein pulsing at the side of his throat, his jaw set as he threw the door wide and left them in the office without saying a word.
“Well…that was…different,” Sam sat on the edge of the desk. “I will find out who told him you were here, Chloe and how they knew.”
Bella sighed heavily. “I am sorry. I think I know….it would have to be someone in housekeeping who could look into things guests have lying about in their rooms.”
“Guys…none of this is your fault. Seriously,” Chloe looked around the room at her friends. “When I was little, I used to constantly work at getting him to just talk to me. I gave up on Veronica when I was about seven. At twelve, I figured out why she hated me. My father had an affair and I’m the result. I think grandfather forced him to take me. Seems Veronica wanted nothing to do with having children. But he forced her to accept me in her house as his child…not sure how they bribed the mother, but no matter. If she was bribable where her child was concerned, she deserves being alone. But the point is…he won’t talk. And if it isn’t important enough for him to talk about, it’s not my problem. I saw a few therapists…and the one vital point I learned very early is that I cannot help or fix anyone but me. I was lucky in that I had some really great nannies growing up…and now I have a family of truly amazing friends. A girl couldn’t be more blessed than that.”
“Did you bring your skates?” Kate asked, deciding it was time to change the subject.
“I definitely did,” Chloe answered with a bright smile.
“And you still have yours?” Kate looked at Bella, one brow tipped expectantly.
“Please…they’re part of me,” Bella laughed.
“You two skate, too?” Dylan looked from one to the other.
The girls looked from one to the other. Kate spoke up. “We skated together in California.”
“Santa Barbara beach front,” Chloe chimed in with a wistful grin.
“We were known as bikinis with badges,” Bella completed with a laugh. “We worked that beat for…oh, about a year. You get pretty darn good on skates after all that time.”
Sam felt his mouth open, but nothing seemed willing to form in the way of words.
“Tomorrow morning at seven?” Kate suggested, accepting the nods from the others.
Simon groaned. Chloe patted him on the cheek. “You can sleep in.”
“You can join us for breakfast,” Dylan corrected, taking Kate’s hand and leading her from the office.
“I’m off to do my manager duties. Breakfast,” Sam agreed, disappearing from the office and shaking his head. He had doubts that visual would leave his mind any time soon.
“I am off to take this wench to bed,” Simon winked, leaning down and whispering to her as they walked along the stones.
Bella sat at her desk for a long time. She and Kate both knew about Chloe’s birth status, as it were. What she never understood was why would Stephen Wetherly go to all the trouble of legally making Chloe his daughter and then spend her lifetime virtually ignoring her? Chloe was probably right, and it was all forced upon him by his father, which would also account for his leaving all the stock to her, instead of his son. Bella leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She was starting to sound like a soap opera.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Simon was on his second cup of coffee when the three women headed off down the path. All three sets of eyes watched them strike out into the mist drifting over the wooded, paved pathway.
“Damn,” Sam emptied his cup and brought the coffee pot back to the table.
“No kidding,” Dylan joined them with his plate of food.
“All night long…a repeat record of bikinis with badges in my head,” Sam leaned back, heavy hands over his neck.
“They have pictures,” Simon said casually, enjoying the pancakes despite the hour. He met the stares. “Seriously. I’ve seen them.”
If Sam was about to comment, it remained locked in his mind when Stephen Wetherly walked to their table. His wife chose a table on the other side of the room, going to the buffet for breakfast.
“Something I can help you with?” Sam asked simply.
“Where is Chloe?”
“Out,” Simon said flatly, his wrist tipped over. “Probably for the next ninety minutes.”
“You could save yourself a lot of grief if you would simply tell her what you want with her. If it is nothing more than the shares, she’s made her decision and you won’t change her mind,” Dylan took a fork full of a sausage egg mixture, chewing thoughtfully.
“This has nothing to do with any of you.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Simon watched the older man, probably in his very early sixties, healthy and tanned. Chiseled, he thought, a good old fashioned word that suit Stephen Wetherly. “You’ve ignored her…you’ve hurt her….and you’ve tried to use her. Why in the world do you believe she would be predisposed to talk to you at all?”
“It isn’t about money,” Dylan continued, watching his facial expression closely. “I have a very thorough portfolio on you and know you’ve quite an extensive and lucrative income. With the stock exchange and with my guidance, you’ll continue to profit.”
“This is about family responsibility. And when it comes down to it, Chloe will do what she is told.” There was a smug confidence on his face and in his tone, turning and leaving them thinking.
Simon watched him pull himself even straighter, stiffer as he walked away.
“I didn’t like the sound of that,” Sam poured more coffee, topping off the other cups.
“No…no, I didn’t either,” Simon ran a hand over his neck. “She’s talked to me about all this…everything…first, I can’t imagine Chloe compliant.”
“Unless something she cared about was threatened somehow,” Dylan sat up straighter, his elbows on the table and cup between both hands.
“She is right about one thing…people mucking about with your life is damned annoying,” Simon said with a growl.
“Can he do something to disrupt your business?” Sam asked, willingly drawn into the puzzle.
“It’s owned by me and North. It’s not public. We have guaranteed contracts in and out of state for the next six years, at least.” Simon answered, his head shaking. “Hell, we’re doing the new resort next to the Narrows Bridge down south of here in a couple months. I think it’s time I took her off for a week or two,” his phone was in his hand, a number tapped in and chipper voice with kid laughter in the background answering on the second ring. “Nyssa, Simon. I was wondering if there is anything crucial going on at work that if I happened to kidnap a certain programmer for a week…maybe ten days…wouldn’t…it would be fine? Then I have your approval? Thanks…and I’m sure she’ll have her laptop with her, if you need her. Thanks again.”
“That seemed simple enough,” Sam complimented. “Where to?”
“I’m still working on that part,” he admitted.
“I can get you some first class digs in Morocco and Vegas,” Sam told him, pulling his wallet from the inside pocket of his jacket and handing Simon a business card. “Just go to any of those hotels and show them that. Don’t let them keep it. Tell them I told you they would take care of you,” Sam nodded. “I have more than a few favors owed me.”
“Thanks. I think we’ll start with Florida or even better, Paris…and the happiest place on earth,” he said with a chuckle. “I can easily keep her distracted for a week there.”
“They’re back early,” Sam pulled a couple chairs up to the ta
ble. “Join us?”
He watched the skates set down and plates filled with fruit and juice brought to the table. Their faces were all flushed with the chill of morning exercise and, he mused, simple pleasure.
“I followed your note and found the maid responsible for going through guests personal items and locating Chloe,” Sam told Bella. “She left this morning in tears.”
“She made her choice. I will call some schools on Monday and find us two more. I hope the money he gave her was worth it,” Bella drained her juice and reached to pour more.
Chloe took a long drink of orange juice, cleared her throat and lifted Simon’s hand. “Okay, so it was suggested to me that I do this in public…less chance of rejection, I think she said. Anyway…Simon…oh, look what I have…will you marry me? It’s a ring,” she opened the velvet case, smiling at the stunned expression on his face and took the ring out. “Oh, well…it doesn’t look like your size…wow, go figure! It fits me perfectly!” She slid the ring on her finger and admired it. “Goes really well with the fingers, don’t you think? Well? Will you…” she leaned over closer to his face. “Or do I have to take the ring back?”
There was soft laugher and muffled attempts to hide louder laughter all around the table.
“That was definitely not what I was expecting,” Simon finally cleared his throat and leaned over to kiss her. “But yes…I think that’s a grand idea.”
Whoops of happiness and laughter went around the table, then congratulations and more laughter as the couple kissed.
“I’ve even got a suggestion,” Simon leaned real close, whispering in her ear, only to find his shirt grabbed tightly and their faces nose to nose.
“You’re serious?” She whispered harshly. “For real? Seriously?”
“Chloe…I need air,” he choked through his deep laugh. “Yes. Serious.”
“I’ve got to pack. Do we have plants? Pets? No, we have Griss…I’ve got to call Nyssa…”
“Already talked to Nyssa…it’s cleared.”
“Seriously?” Chloe jumped to her feet, drained the orange juice and moved toward the hall. “I’ll send postcards!”
“Wait! Let me have your phone! Mine needs a charge,” Simon called after her, laughing more as she came to a skidding halt, reversed and tossed him the phone from the band on her arm. “Crap. She got it early.”
“New trade in?” Bella asked once the laughing slowed.
Simon laid it in the middle of the table. “Anyone got one of these?”
“It’s like yours, Sam,” Bella glanced at him.
“The new droids,” he reached out and picked it up, then he looked at Simon. “What did you need?”
“The address book,” Simon walked to stand behind Sam. “Yeah…block Wetherly. Perfect. Thanks.”
“Let me guess…you’re heading to Disney?” Bella said with a casual laugh.
“How…”
“We know our friend,” Kate answered. “Just be careful,” she said, closely watching the other two. She waited until Simon was trotting after Chloe before she turned to look at Dylan and Sam. “What happened while we were out?”
“Wetherly came to visit with us, wanting to know where she was…and sounding scary positive that ‘when it comes down to family, Chloe will do as she’s told’, end of quote,” Dylan told Kate and Bella simply. “I think Simon is getting a little fed up with the whole thing and I don’t blame him. Wetherly talks like a damn riddle. She’s right. Getting simple straight answers out of him is impossible.”
“It just isn’t fitting,” Bella agreed, walking with the group to the reception area.
“Chloe doesn’t view DNA as justifiable family. A lot of us don’t, simply because humans aren’t always predisposed to…well, that’s a whole different lecture. Not that Wetherly would know that, but to believe he can control her because of the family line…” Kate shook her head.
Chloe stared at the suitcase, tapping her cheek with one finger and glancing around the room when she heard the door behind her. She faced Simon, striding to stand in front of him.
“Did I forget to mention that I love you? Very, very much?” She ignored the phone tossed to the bed and slid happily into his arms. “Seriously love you,” she whispered into their kiss.
“Good…since I love you to distraction, it’s only fair,” he returned.
“I think I gathered everything,” she took in a deep breath. “Oh, Bella wants to talk to you about an expansion before we leave.”
“It probably would be best if we move the departure date to Friday.”
“Give us time to clear the calendar and stuff…”
“We could take a quick drive to Idaho…”
“We could…then it would be a honeymoon,” Chloe whispered, falling back with him onto the rumpled bed, her elbows on each side of his head, red hair falling softly to one side. Whispers gradually faded as they found one another in a long, long kiss that swept every other thing from their thoughts.
Kate was still pondering, sitting in the reception area, waiting for the couple to come down from upstairs. Bella took Simon outside, explaining what she was after. Chloe sat on the sofa next to Kate.
“You wanted to talk?” Chloe leaned into the corner, waiting.
“Empty spots. Do you ever remember your relatives…any of them…”
“There are…were…only four, Kate. I’m an only child and my father is, too. Now, if Veronica has brothers and sisters, I never knew and they were never around. Or let’s say I was never presented to them.” Chloe said easily.
“Alright. The four that you know…did any of them…ever…and I mean ever…ask or tell you to do something because you’re family and family is important,” Chloe’s scoff was a dead giveaway.
“In all honesty, I never knew anyone except three nannies. Each retired from being my keeper. I wasn’t a difficult child,” Chloe said without modesty. “They used to tell me I took to learning like I needed it to breathe. Even when I was in private schools, they weren’t boarding schools, we just had a nice apartment or small house near the school and they were with me. Grandfather would visit and he honestly seemed pleased that my grades were so good. But I don’t remember any holidays at the house. Until I spent time at other girl’s homes, I honestly never knew what a family was. I thought me and Maggie or Amelia or Janice were what people called family.”
“And if your father played the we’re family, you have to do it this certain way because of that…”
“If it was illogical and unreasonable, no, it wouldn’t matter to me. Kate, what’s this about?” But she met her friends gaze. “Pieces to the puzzle…yeah, I know…trust me, I lay awake at night trying to find a piece I’m missing.”
“Well, if you’re missing it, so are me and Bella,” Kate rose and paced the large open space. “No matter. It’ll come to us in time,” she only hoped there was time when it happened. “I’ll chat with you before you get whisked away. And congratulations,” she hugged Chloe tightly.
Chloe winked as she walked off to join Simon and Bella in the parking area.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bella returned to her cottage, kicked off her shoes and stood bent in half for a long few minutes. Maybe more blood to the brain, she mused, rising slowly and wandered off in search of non-work clothes.
Sam had been told that Sunday and another day would be his days off, so he returned to his room, found simple jeans and tee shirt and gathered things to be washed. Seemed a little on the lame side, but hey, whatever worked, the male side of him said bluntly. Can’t get close to the lady if you don’t start wearing her down.
He approached the fro
nt desk, sack of laundry hanging at his side. “Which rooms are Bella’s?” He asked Judith, the weekend receptionist.
“Miss Jeffries? She doesn’t have rooms. She lives in the caretakers cottage,” The young black woman told him with a cheerful smile. “Go out through the pool area, and take the path straight back. It’s about a ten minute walk. Nice day for it, though, Mr. Franklin.”
“Thanks, Judith,” Sam wondered why he didn’t know that. He left the lodge through the huge, quiet pool area. Steam from the heated pool and hot tub kept the glass in a constant state of fog, the chilled early October afternoon quite a contrast to the inside.