Leaving the lounge area available for Jacey and Savannah, he settled down to business in his room, forgetting all else but the business model Nick had been working on since Declan had called from San Francisco.
* * *
Savannah didn’t know the plans for dinner, so after she showered she dressed in one of her new casual hiking outfits and regular cross trainers, prepared to wander around the place and get her bearings. She’d barely noticed the amenities of the resort when they arrived, Declan had been in too much of a hurry to contact his New York office.
She wandered into the common room of the suite, wanting to explore the resort but not leaving Jacey behind. She knocked on her door. In seconds the teenager opened it. Her hair was still damp, hanging straight down her back. No makeup so far. But the black was back. Black T-shirt, black jeans, black shoes.
“Want to explore the resort?” Savannah asked.
“Where’s Dad?”
“I think still in his room talking with New York, that’s what he said he’d be doing. We can walk around, check out stuff and be back in time for dinner.”
“I guess.”
They retraced their steps to the large lobby then took one of the halls branching off that held the allure of shops. A gift shop, a clothing store, a jewelry store and a small office area opened along the hall.
“Why would someone want to buy jewelry when on vacation?” Savannah mused as she gazed into the window display with large rings, bib necklaces and assorted tennis bracelets.
“Maybe someone gets engaged here and the guy wants to buy something for her,” Jacey said, also looking at the sparkly items.
“Which do you like best?” Savannah asked.
“That blue one, on the right there,” Jacey responded promptly, pointing to the sapphire ring.
“That’s pretty, I like that necklace,” Savannah said, pointing to a simple diamond pendant hung from a long platinum necklace.
“It’s sort of plain,” Jacey said.
“So’s your ring.”
“But chunky rings would be hard to wear and not hit against things. I’d think you’d like that necklace,” Jacey pointed to an elaborate diamond and ruby bib necklace that had to be worth a fortune. “It’s the one my mom would want,” she finished.
“Ummm, different tastes. Come on, let’s check out the clothes. I bet this is as upscale as your mom’s place of work.”
“Yeah, I’ve only been there once. She said it’s not for kids.”
They looked at the clothes; Savannah was slightly startled at the high prices. Fortunately, she wasn’t planning to buy anything, just look. But when Jacey seemed drawn to another light blue dress, Savannah made a mental note to see if Declan would get it for her.
“Paging Savannah Williams, Savannah Williams.” A uniformed hotel employee was walking down the main hall.
Savannah looked at Jacey and hurried from the shop.
“I’m Savannah Williams,” she called to the man.
“A message for you.” He handed her a white slip of paper with a note on it from Declan.
Where are you two? Let’s get ready for dinner.
“Shopping postponed,” she said with a grin to Jacey. “Your dad’s hungry. We need to get ready for dinner.”
Jacey walked beside her back to the elevators, eyeing the other guests as they walked along. There were families, singles, young couples and retirees—a wide assortment of ages and interests. But it seemed to Savannah that Jacey paid the most attention to the other teenagers. None of whom were dressed in black.
From a couple of sidelong glances and giggles that followed, Savannah suspected the teenagers were having a great time. She glanced at Jacey who looked at them with longing. Could she find a way to have Jacey hook up with other teens at the resort? Maybe there were special activities for that age group.
Savannah wore the same dress and sandals she’d worn in San Francisco. She’d planned more for hiking the High Sierras than dining at a fancy resort. Not that she didn’t have other appropriate dresses, but only two more. This remained her favorite.
When she stepped into the lounge shortly before seven, Declan was already waiting. He wore his suit and white shirt. She saw the gleam of appreciation in his eyes and was glad she’d worn the dress again. Not that it meant anything. But every woman likes to be appreciated when she takes the time to dress up.
“Jacey and I were in one of the dress shops when you paged. I think she saw another dress she liked that wasn’t black. Maybe she’ll try it on tomorrow,” she murmured, wishing she could just stop and stare at the gorgeous man in front of her.
“Have her charge it to the room,” he said casually. “Where is she?”
“Coming. Where are we eating?”
“The Montgomerys have asked us to join them in the Mariposa Room. I said we’d be there at seven.”
“Oh, I shouldn’t go then.”
“Why not?”
“If it’s business, I have no need to be there.”
“It’s not business, it’s dinner. Jacey and you are included.”
Savannah still wasn’t sure she should attend. This assignment was as unlike any other as she’d ever had. First, she’d never been so aware of a child’s father as she was of Declan. No matter how often she told herself she couldn’t allow herself to trust him, it didn’t stop the awareness that grew daily.
Awareness exacerbated by the memories of his touch, his kisses, his very presence in her past. Funny how she hadn’t thought about him in years and suddenly it was as if they’d parted only yesterday. Every memory she had popped to the forefront of her mind and she was hard-pressed to ignore the longing that grew.
A yearning for what could never be.
“Did you get all your work done?” she asked for distraction.
“Enough. It’s late back in New York and so I sent them home. We’ll get going again in the morning.”
Jacey opened her door and both Savannah and Declan turned toward the door. She stepped out, looking warily at both of them, defensively, as if in challenge.
She wore the blue dress bought in San Francisco. No makeup and her dark hair was pulled back from her face and tied at her neck with a white ribbon.
“Don’t you look nice. Ready to go? We’ll be eating with Harry and Ada Montgomery. They own the resort, though their children run it now,” Declan said.
“I’m ready. What’ll we talk about?” she asked, looking back and forth between Savannah and her father.
“Business, mostly, I expect. You okay with that?” Declan asked.
“I guess.” She darted another questioning look at Savannah.
“You look very nice,” Savannah said with a smile.
“Thanks,” she mumbled and went to the door.
“Actually, you look beautiful,” Declan said as he held the door for them to pass through.
Jacey ducked her head, but Savannah saw the happy smile.
Dinner went better than Savannah had expected. Ada Montgomery was a delightful older woman who was immediately taken with Jacey. Declan had been right, Jacey had a delightful personality when she wasn’t convinced she needed to make a statement designed to drive her father up the wall.
&nbs
p; Ada was originally from New York City and spoke of the fun she’d had growing up there. Soon she and Jacey were comparing notes. Savannah was pleased that the woman drew out the teen, but was shocked when Jacey said, “I need to get my hair fixed. Does the spa here do things like that?”
“Of course, dear, we have some of the best people on the west coast. How about you and me, and Savannah, of course, do a full day tomorrow at the spa. It’d be my pleasure to treat you both. And you’ll love all the pampering.”
Jacey glanced at Savannah. “She said spas were wonderful.”
“Ah, a wise young woman.”
Jacey seemed unconvinced. “She’s my nanny. Not that I need one, but Dad’s old-fashioned that way.”
“Ah, a properly chaperoned young lady. Nicely done by your father,” Ada said wisely.
Jacey stared at her in surprise, then her expression grew thoughtful. “Yeah, I guess she is more like a chaperone. Not that I need one of those either. She’s almost like an older friend.”
Savannah couldn’t believe her ears.
“Friends are important to have. And I also have friends of varying ages. Makes life so much more enjoyable,” Ada said with a friendly smile at Savannah.
Jacey stared at her. “Really?”
“Friends are those you can confide in, too. I’ve been my husband’s confidante for forty years. He talks with his men friends, but I know what’s really important to him. We’re best friends.”
“You’re his wife, that’s your job.”
“Oh, no. Many husbands and wives are not best friends,” Ada said.
Jacey looked at her dad. “My mom and dad aren’t friends.”
“Were they once?” Ada asked.
“I don’t know. I only see them arguing.”
“Not best friends, then. What does your mother do?” the older woman asked, changing the topic smoothly.
The talk centered on Margo for a while. Savannah listened, picking up on some of Jacey’s comments. She wondered if she should share with Declan. Jacey wasn’t telling her, she was telling Ada. So no confidentiality involved. He should know what she was going through. Savannah had an idea he hadn’t a clue.
After dinner they thanked the Montgomerys and returned to the suite.
“She’s nice,” Jacey said in the elevator. “And she’s going to treat us to the spa tomorrow.”
“Sounds like fun,” Declan said.
When they reached the suite, Jacey went straight to her room, but Savannah stared at Declan hoping he’d pick up on not retiring immediately. He did.
Once the door closed behind his daughter, he turned to Savannah. “Want a brandy or something before we go to bed?”
“A small one. I wanted to talk to you about Jacey.”
“I figured as much.” He poured the brandy and brought it to one of the sofas, gesturing for Savannah to sit. He sat beside her, handed her a glass then touched his lightly to hers.
“Thanks for all you’re doing,” he said.
“That’s why you hired me. I think you should know some of how Jacey spends her life with her mother. Alone many evenings, no one to attend school activities and a series of men in and out of their lives who may or may not be her future stepfather.”
She relayed what she’d learned that evening. Declan grew more frustrated the more she revealed.
“I thought she’d be better off with her mother,” he said finally, standing and pacing to the window. It was black out except for the lights on the grounds. He turned. “I’ve thought over the past couple of years I should ask her to live with me. Or at least spend more time with me. I want her to grow up with my values and ideals. Not only her mother’s.”
“Are you going to devote any more time to her than Margo does? Your business seems all-consuming,” Savannah asked. “Or are you planning to have Mrs. Harris fill in full-time?”
He studied her for a moment, lost in thought.
“Balance, remember?” she said. “That was one of the tenets you pounded into our heads in the class. Don’t let the business become all-consuming. At the end of the day, leave it behind, refresh and hit it hard the next day.”
“I hate it when people quote things I said back to me,” he grumbled.
She laughed, setting her glass on the coffee table. “Touché. Pay attention, Professor, the words hold true. More so when children are in the equation. They grow so fast. I bet it seems like yesterday she was that little seven-year-old you had just met.”
He nodded, studying the last of the brandy in his glass. Tossing it back, he put the empty glass on the windowsill.
“I don’t want her to exchange one neglectful family situation for another,” he said. “I’ll have to think about it and feel Jacey out about it, as well. There’d still be the problem of her coming home from school while I was working. Mrs. Harris would be there, but not to entertain her.”
“She could entertain herself. Or, you could find her a spot at the company where she could do her homework, then ride home with you. Encourage her interest in the business. She might surprise you,” Savannah suggested, sipping her brandy.
“You mean she might have a genuine interest, not just one forced on her because she was bored on the hike?”
“Exactly.” Savannah rose and joined him by the window. “Don’t neglect her while you work. We know you need time, but the expectation when we left New York was devoting exclusive time to recapturing the fun you had camping and hiking when she was younger. You need to make sure she knows she still has your full attention when she needs it.”
He reached for her hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed it. “You’re amazingly astute about children. You’ve changed over the years.”
Savannah stared at her hand in his, feeling the tingling down to her toes. She refused to meet his eyes, afraid of her own weakness. She wanted to draw him closer, kiss him, hold him. To forget for a little while that they were no longer strangers.
“Not necessarily. These are my suggestions, who knows what’s going to work with her?”
Her focus wouldn’t move from Declan, on the hand that held hers, on the warmth on the back of her hand that had been kissed. Chancing it, she looked up. His eyes gazed into hers.
“Want to take a walk?” he asked slowly.
“Where?”
“Outside. I miss the night sky, the freedom we had on the trail.”
“It’ll be cold out.”
“Get a jacket.”
“Oh, won’t that look nice with this dress.”
“I’ll give you ten minutes to change.”
Savannah hesitated. She was being foolish. A prudent woman would bid him good-night and go to bed. Temptation proved too strong. She knew their time together was fleeting. Throwing caution to the wind, she decided to give in to desire for tonight.
“Deal.” She whirled and hurried to her room.
* * *
Stepping outside from the lobby a few minutes later, Savannah felt as giddy as a schoolgirl with her latest crush. This was probably a stupid move, but she pushed her doubts away. She’d told Jacey they were going out for some fresh air. The teen was listening to music and didn’t care.
The sweatshirt an
d long pants felt good in the cool mountain air. The lights around the resort blotted some of the stars, but many could still be seen overhead. They took a path away from the buildings and soon were surrounded by tall pines and firs, blocking the resort light while permitting only limited light from the stars.
“If we get lost, it’s on you,” she said taking a deep breath of the crisp air.
He reached for her hand. “As long as we stay on this trail and then turn around, how can we get lost? Remember when we went for a stroll at that place in the Adirondacks? There’d been no moon that night.”
“But we had flashlights. I remember Stacey and I used to sneak out of Grams’ house some nights to go on fishing trips with some of the kids from school. We thought at the time no one knew, but now I suspect every detail was known, but deemed safe enough. Palmerville, West Virginia, isn’t exactly a hotbed of crime. Or anything else for that matter. It was always a little spooky in the dark. I was younger then, of course.”
“So you’d go to the local fishing hole. Ever catch anything?”
“No. Who catches fish at night? And if we had, how would we explain that to our parents or Grams?”
“I’m sure you would have come up with something.”
“Ever go night fishing?”
“No. Our greatest activity was playing softball then baseball by the time I got into high school. I hated to go home from the park as I remember. Those were great days.”
“Are your parents still doing well?” Savannah had never met them. But Declan had spoken about them from time to time.
“My dad is. He lives in Albany. Married again about three years after my mom died. They’re happy.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know she’d died. I bet your dad’s proud of you.”
The Nanny Who Kissed Her Boss Page 10