She folded her arms and stuck out a foot.
“Let me in, Kendall,” he said loudly.
She didn’t move.
“I’m not leaving until you do,” he insisted.
Dropping her hands in exasperation, she walked to the back door and let him in.
He stepped in and stood just inside the kitchen. She had stepped back and now had one hand on the first kitchen island top.
“You heard me talking with my father today,” he said.
She pursed her lips and her brow raised as though saying a silent, “Yes and I’m not happy.”
“He can be a little difficult to bear at times,” he said.
“You didn’t disagree with him,” she retorted and he heard the edginess in her tone.
“I didn’t want to argue with him.”
“Right because pleasing him is more important to you than me.” She lifted both hands, palms facing Decker. “You know what? Forget it. It doesn’t matter. We’re finished. I don’t want to see you ever again.”
Ever? “Kendall. I don’t agree with what my dad said.”
“You don’t? Not even the part where he said I might drive a wedge into important relationships? Those wealthy and famous customers of yours?”
“No, I especially don’t agree with that,” he said.
“Really? What if it gets out that my father did business with a criminal?” she asked. “That won’t be good publicity for your business.”
He couldn’t deny that and he didn’t now.
“I’m not fit to be part of the Colton family,” she said.
“Now that I don’t agree with. You are fit, Kendall. You aren’t responsible for what your father did.”
“Thanks, that makes everything so much better,” she said sarcastically.
“I know it sounded bad,” he admitted. “My father can be rather pompous at times. He’ll get over it.”
“He won’t have to, Decker. As you said, you’ve cooled things off with me. The only reason you’re here is out of guilt. You don’t want my stalker to hurt me.”
“That is not the only reason I’m here. I want you to come back to my house.”
She scoffed. “Oh, that is not going to happen. I officially absolve you of any responsibility for my well-being. You can go back to jumping whenever your father tells you to.”
“I’m not jumping when he tells me to.”
“Why did you say you cooled things off with me?”
“Because I have.” He ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. How could he explain?
“It would have been nice if you could have told me that,” she said.
“I just need a little time.”
“For what? The wedding is off, Decker. I’m not marrying you.”
He stared at her, realizing she meant it. She would not marry him. That told him a lot about her character—namely that he might have been a fool to doubt her.
“Let’s take a few days to calm down. I haven’t written us off yet and neither should you. Screw what my dad says. Screw what he thinks. He thinks too much of the bottom line. And despite what you imagine, I am not doing anything for him anymore. I follow my own creed. That includes any decisions I make regarding you.”
“Well, I follow my own creed, too, and I will not marry you. Please leave now.”
Had he really lost her? He wasn’t ready to. “Kendall...”
“Please, Decker. I know you were only marrying me for your business and that is no longer a good deal. Why else would you marry me?”
“I like you. We get along so well. You’re perfect for me. And we were going to have a family.”
She stared at him this time, her face no longer so stiff with anger and upset. She seemed more resolved than ever.
“After hearing what I heard, that is no longer enough for me,” she said.
Now she wanted more. She wanted the real thing. Love. How could he make her love him in the short time they had until the end of the month? He didn’t have to love her. He loved being with her.
“And I won’t be anyone’s asset anymore.”
“You were never an asset to me,” Decker rasped, but inside he felt the inaccuracy of that declaration. She would have been an asset to him. He had treated her that way more than once, and it shamed him to realize it now. He’d put his business first—all because he didn’t believe he’d ever find true love.
“I never meant to treat you that way,” he amended. “I know my business is important to me, but you’ve come to mean much more to me than a transaction, that much I can say honestly.”
He saw her blink slowly, as though he’d finally reached through her layers of hurt.
“It was never only about joining two good families,” he added. “Family was always part of the equation. That and a solid companionship, which I know we will have.”
“I’m not going to live with you, Decker,” she said. “And right now I still am certain I’m not marrying you. Not at the end of the month, anyway.”
That was something. At least she’d eased off adamantly refusing to marry him—ever.
Chapter 11
Decker left Kendall alone over the next two days. Today, she arrived at her office to six full bouquets of red roses and baby’s breath. There was a card in one.
Dinner? it read.
“He seems pretty determined.”
Kendall saw her mother enter as she turned from the vase on her desk. She smiled, dropping the card to go to her for a brief hug.
“What brings you by?” Kendall asked.
“I wanted to talk to you about your father.” Marion sat on the love seat in Kendall’s office. Kendall joined her there.
“Are you all right?” her mother asked.
“Yes.”
“You haven’t been seeing Decker.”
“No.”
Her mother glanced around the office. “What’s all this?”
“He asked me to dinner.”
“Are you going to go?”
“I don’t know.” As she thought it over, she knew she was too interested to refuse. “Probably.” She took out her cell phone and texted Decker, Yes.
He immediately responded with, I’ll pick you up at five. It will take us a little while to get to the restaurant.
Where was he taking her?
“Have you heard the talk around town?” her mother asked.
“No. Do I want to know?”
“It appears Russ Colton is spreading rumors that Decker broke off the engagement and is going to marry someone else.”
“Who?” The news gave her heart a jolt, a stinging one. The Decker she had gotten to know wouldn’t do that, but she had only been seeing him a short while. And given her bad experience with Gabe.
“A celebrity. I don’t know which one. It’s also all over town that your father is crooked, partnering with a gangster.” She looked upset about that.
Kendall figured the latter was her father’s own doing. She pitied him but not much more.
As for Decker being with a celebrity, she supposed she could believe that. He enjoyed the glamorous success of The Lodge.
“He didn’t mean for any of this to happen,” her mother said. “He jumped into that deal with Emilio too quickly. He loves this company so much. It’s his baby. He’d have done anything to save it, probably still will.”
“Yes, he’s made that abundantly clear. Marrying me off to Decker was my first clue.”
“Keeping secret what he found out about Emilio is another. But it is what it is, Kendall. We as a family have to make it right again.”
Her mother made good sense. If they could clear up the snafu with Emilio and find a way out of debt, they could rebuild the company and its reputation.
A commotion outside the office brought her attention
away from her mother. Her assistant was telling a courier that Kendall wasn’t expecting any packages.
“I just do the deliveries, ma’am.” The delivery man left.
Kendall stood, growing suspicious. “Mary, step back from that package. Wait over here by my office.” She could not be too cautious right now.
Mary went to stand next to Kendall’s mother.
Kendall went to inspect the package. She didn’t recognize the return address. She picked it up and shook it. Something rattled inside, but only slightly. It didn’t weigh much, but wasn’t light, maybe five pounds.
“Let’s call security.” She turned and walked back toward her office. Mary and her mother waited there, standing close and looking afraid.
Before Kendall reached them, an explosion erupted.
Kendall felt the pressure of it at her back and stumbled, falling forward and rolling. She heard her mother scream and Mary shout out. Mary reached her first, kneeling to drag her into the office and to presumed safety.
“Are you all right?” her mother asked, frantic and falling to her knees beside her.
Kendall made note of her body, not feeling anything detrimental. “I think so.”
Her assistant called 911 while her mother touched her all over and inspected her. Kendall was all right. The explosion had been loud and strong but it hadn’t destroyed the room, not completely. If she’d have had her hands on the box, she’d have been injured but not killed. The bomber intended for her to be all right.
In the next five minutes, emergency personnel arrived, swarming around her and checking her to be sure she wasn’t hurt. Kendall still felt dazed and incredulous that her stalker would courier her a bomb.
City police arrived and an officer approached Kendall, her mother and her assistant, who had gone into Kendall’s office. Kendall acknowledged law enforcement’s need to talk to her, seeing other officers were with her mother and her assistant. She explained the background of her stalker and that the sheriff’s office was handling it due to the assailant’s stolen car being found outside the city limits.
“We’ll work collaboratively with the sheriff’s office,” the policeman said.
Kendall saw Decker appear in the doorway of her office. He rushed to her.
“Are you all right?” He crouched before her, taking her hands and surveying her.
“I’m all right. How did you get here so quickly?” Kendall felt her mother observe them closely and with interest.
“Trey called. He heard the radio communications.”
Tight-knit family. She was warmed that he’d dropped everything and come to her side. She didn’t think it was for show. No, it couldn’t be. Her family was broke. He’d come for her.
“Are you hurt?” He checked her all over again. “Anywhere?”
“No. I’m okay, just a little shaken.”
“It was another warning,” her mother said.
“Would anyone like some coffee?” Kendall’s assistant asked.
“I’d love one,” Marion said.
“Thank you,” Kendall said.
The assistant left and Kendall saw that Trey had arrived, standing beside the officer who’d questioned her, talking.
“This is getting so scary,” Kendall’s mother said. “Why is Emilio going after you? Why not Bernard?” Marion’s blue eyes glimmered with worry.
“To make him suffer,” Decker retorted and then turned to Kendall. “It’s not safe for you anywhere.”
She could not disagree. Elardi had sent his henchman to her workplace. What would he do next?
Bernard arrived, having been out for a meeting. Breathless and with wide, frantic eyes, he came to Kendall.
“Oh, thank goodness. You’re all right.” He reached her and bent to kiss her forehead. Then he straightened. “Emilio called me. He said next time she won’t get away. He said I wouldn’t be visiting my daughter in a hospital.”
So Elardi had planned on sending Kendall to the hospital? Good thing he failed again. He might feel confident that he could succeed in kidnapping her, but so far his attempts had failed.
Decker stood up. “I think she should stay with me.”
“I think so too,” Bernard said.
Kendall sent him a warning look. Was he still angling for her to land a marriage with a wealthy Colton? She saw her mother with a similar expression. Kendall observed Decker and couldn’t tell what he thought. He watched her, waiting for a reaction, no doubt.
She wouldn’t jump in and say, “Sure.” He’d only have her for as long as she was in danger. They’d already been over that. He had to know she hadn’t changed her mind. She could stay with her parents but then she might put them in danger, as well.
Outside the office, bomb experts had finished examining the explosive device and Trey entered Kendall’s office.
“How are we doing?” he asked as he came to a stop beside Decker.
“Okay for now.”
“Bomb squad confirmed it was an M-80, a little more boom than a firecracker but enough to cause injury to hands and face,” Trey said. “Meant to scare you not kill you. You were lucky.”
Lucky in that she had begun to walk away from the box before it exploded. She wouldn’t say she was completely lucky because Elardi was still after her.
“That’s what we thought too,” Kendall said.
“I don’t think she should be alone,” Decker pressed.
“I’d have to agree,” Trey said.
“I do, too, honey,” her mother added. “Why don’t you accept Decker’s offer to stay with him? He’s done a good job protecting you up to this point.”
What would she do? She wasn’t safe at work. She wasn’t safe at home, not alone anyway. Decker was right. She wasn’t safe anywhere. He had a fence around his property and cameras, much more robust than her security system.
“I’ll stay in a room at the Lodge,” she finally said.
“Fair enough,” Decker said. “The Lodge has twenty-four-seven security. As long as you promise me you won’t go anywhere without telling me.”
She could agree to that. “All right.”
* * *
Decker couldn’t stop thinking about Kendall. It was more than the danger she was in; he missed being with her. It had only been two days since the bomb incident. He had left her alone for the most part. Today he’d reached his limit. He didn’t understand why he had to see her, but he just did. He sent her flowers again to try to make up for the fact that they had missed their dinner date, and he’d already instructed the staff to see to her every need. She had room service at her beck and call.
He spotted Liam Kastor enter the administration area of his office space. His assistant came into his office.
“Send him in,” Decker said before she had a chance to announce Liam’s arrival.
Tall with a youthful face at thirty-three, he had blond hair and light green eyes and an intelligent look about him. Since he was a detective for the Roaring Springs Police Department, Decker was more than a little curious as to why he was here.
Decker stood and came around his desk to meet him in the middle. He shook the man’s hand.
“Thanks for seeing me without an appointment,” Liam said.
“It’s the least I can do for my soon-to-be brother-in-law. How are you and Sloane doing, anyway?”
“Great. We set a wedding date. I should probably let her tell you but we’d like you to come. It will be a small ceremony.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
“I don’t think she’s gotten past you getting engaged to a woman Russ picked,” Liam said. “How is that going?”
“We ran into a small hiccup, but I am sure we’ll get back on track.”
“Yeah, everybody’s heard about the Hadleys going in debt to that casino owner. Is he really a criminal?”
“It looks that way. Both the police and Trey and his team are looking into it.”
“Sloane said your dad won’t let you marry Kendall now.”
“He doesn’t have a say.”
Liam drew back a little, seeming surprised. “Aren’t you concerned what he’ll do?”
“I am, but I’ve made a decision about that and I’m sticking to it.”
Liam whistled. “Wow, that’s not the Decker Colton that Sloane told me about.”
“You mean the one that does everything Russ says? Yeah, not anymore, thanks to Kendall. She’s opened my eyes to a lot of things.”
Liam nodded with a grin. “I know how that goes. Love has a way of sneaking up on a man.”
Decker felt Liam’s last statement sting. Love? Sneaking up? That wasn’t happening to him. He had a very organized approach to his relationship with Kendall. She would make him a great wife. Period. The best he’d ever find, probably. He couldn’t be more satisfied with his choice, but love? No. He still wasn’t convinced.
“What brought you by today, Liam?” Decker asked.
Liam chuckled. “I get it, bro. Don’t want to talk about it.” He reached into his jacket pocket and took out some photographs. “I’m investigating a missing person case.”
Decker took the first photo and thought he was looking at a picture of Bianca Rouge.
“That’s April Thomas,” Liam said. “She came to Roaring Springs to try to find a job and disappeared instead. Her mother came here looking for her. Since she has a striking resemblance to Bianca, I wanted to see if you or anyone else here at The Lodge recognize her.”
“Striking resemblance for sure. People will probably mistake her for Bianca.”
“I’m afraid of that, but I’m hoping someone will notice a difference.”
Liam showed him another photo. In this one, Decker could see the difference between the two women. April’s hair was a little different than Bianca’s and so were the features of her face.
“I haven’t seen anyone who looks like Bianca,” Decker said. “But I can take you around and you can show that to others.” He led Liam out of the office and down a hall.
He found Molly Gilford, Decker’s director of guest relations. A marriage between her aunt Mara and Russ had joined the two families together. She didn’t have any hard feelings about being employed by a Colton and Decker had tremendous respect for her work ethic and her efficiency. Guests all liked her, which was a definite plus. If anyone had had a chance to spot April, Molly would have.
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