Miss White and the Seventh Heir

by Jennifer Faye

  Trey was about to deny it but then the memories started to come back to him. He’d hated the tiny apartment. It was nothing like the château. It stunk and he wasn’t allowed outside to play. He’d missed his bedroom, his friends and, most of all, Maria.

  “See, you do remember the move. Your mother wanted to punish me. And her greatest weapon was keeping you from me.” His father’s eyes grew shiny with unshed tears. And his voice grew gruff. “When I found the apartment, we had a terrible row. The police were called. In the end, I agreed to keep my distance if she would take you back to the château where I knew there would be people around to see to your safety.”

  Trey remembered awaking to a ruckus. His mother had told him it was a problem with the neighbors. He had no reason not to believe her at the time. But his father’s words were starting to answer some questions.

  Was it possible his father wasn’t the villain that his mother had painted? Trey’s head started to pound. It was just too much.

  “I can’t do this.” Trey turned and walked out of the room.

  Sage followed him to the front steps. “Trey, don’t go. I’m sorry I invited your father here. I shouldn’t have done it. Let’s just forget this happened and go to the gala. It’ll be the perfect end—”

  “Stop.” He just couldn’t take any more of her looking at him like he was the answer to her dreams. “Ever since the birthday party, you keep saying that everything is perfect now. It’s not. I’m not.”

  “I know you’re upset, but we’ll get through this together. That’s what couples do. They work through the thick and thin.”

  He shook his head. “We’re not a couple.”

  Her mouth gaped as though his words had stabbed her. He hated to see the pain reflected in her eyes, but it was time to bring her back down to earth before she got in any deeper.

  “Sage, I do care about you, how could I not? You are sweet, kind and thoughtful. You would make any man the perfect wife, but not me. I don’t fit into your plan for a perfect family.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Isn’t it? Didn’t you bring my father here in order to bring us back together? You want that perfect family that was stolen from you. And you deserve the perfect life. But I can’t be part of that perfect picture.”

  A tear slipped down her cheek. “You can if you want to be.”

  He shook his head. “I am broken. You just heard me with my father. With those two as my role models, I’d have no chance of making the perfect husband or father. I’m too damaged on the inside. I would never make you happy. You are better off without me.”

  It took every bit of willpower to turn his back on her and walk away.

  “But you do make me happy.” The whisper of her voice was carried by the breeze.

  He assured himself that he was doing what was best for her.

  But it sure didn’t feel like it.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  THE TRIP TO the French Riviera had been a complete and utter disaster.

  And she had no one to blame but herself.

  Sage had been back in Los Angeles for a week now and she hadn’t heard one word from Trey. Every time she walked past his empty desk, it was like a nail was being driven into her heart. Sharp and painful.

  Today was the board meeting. With Trey being the acting CEO, there was no way he could avoid being in the same room with her. She’d arrived at the meeting with a comprehensive report that she’d worked all week to finalize. It detailed where the magazine had been financially and circulation-wise when she took over. It showed the increase in supermarkets and bookstores that were willing to carry the revamped format as well as their online subscriptions. And then there was the calendar of extraordinary individuals as well as global events that they would be featuring for not one but two years. That last part was mainly thanks to Trey and she felt bad about not being able to thank him.

  As soon as the meeting had concluded, Trey stood. The breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to approach her. Instead he turned and left the room without a word to her. Other board members stopped to speak with her. Some had questions about a portion of the presentation and others wanted to compliment her on the work she’d done so far.

  Why had she ever thought that bringing Trey face-to-face with his father was a good idea? She knew that Trey had been terribly hurt in the past. She had just hoped that somehow father and son could find a new start—something she would never have with either of her parents.

  As she made her way back to her office, she couldn’t help but think about Trey’s parting words to her: “I don’t fit into your plan for a perfect family.” Was he right? Was she looking for the “perfect” family to make up for the one she’d lost?

  She’d never really thought about it. Not until now. There had never been an opportunity for her to consider having a family of her own. Sure, there had been Charlie, but their relationship hadn’t escalated to the point of thinking about marriage or a family. At least she could be thankful for that one small saving grace. Because she’d made a total fool of herself by believing all of his lies.

  But Trey was nothing like Charlie. And then she thought about how they’d met. Trey had lied to her about who he was and what he wanted. But he’d done everything in his power to make it up to her—to show her that he wasn’t that person, that he was better.

  And the thing was she really liked the real Trey. She liked him so much that she’d wanted him to have the one thing she couldn’t have—a family. She’d been so sure if Trey could open his heart and listen to his father that they could find their way back to each other. And it had been a disaster.

  Now, not only was Trey out of her life, but soon Happy would be gone, too. She’d thought about stopping by Louise’s office because she was still puppy-sitting Happy. She could really use some puppy kisses and snuggles. Not that he was hers, but in the time they’d spent together, he’d snuck into her heart. But she resisted the temptation. She had to get used to life without Trey or Happy in it.

  She walked into her office and came to a stop. There was Happy with his tail wagging. Her heavy heart felt a little lighter and her downturned lips lifted into a genuine smile.

  “Hey there, buddy.” She set her belongings on the end of the couch and knelt down.

  Happy rushed up to her and lathered her with kisses. She scooped him up in her arms and gave him a hug. She didn’t understand what he was doing here, but she was so happy to see him.

  “Oh, there you are.” Louise’s voice came from the doorway.

  Sage turned. “Were you looking for me? Or the dog?”

  “I didn’t know if you’d return after the board meeting. How did it go?”

  “It’s a closed vote. And it might come down to Trey’s vote.”

  “But I thought you said he was on board with the magazine now.”

  “That was before.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before I decided to play God with his life.”

  “Oops. That doesn’t sound good.” An indecisive look settled on her face. “This sounds like it’s going to need some coffee and a Danish or two.”

  Sage moved to her desk chair, knowing that as the boss she should insist they get to work, but her heart just wasn’t in it today. Maybe if she talked to Louise, it’d help clear her head. But something told her neither the talking nor the baked goods would help the ache in her heart.

  Louise hurried back into the office balancing a plate of goodies and two coffees. She placed everything on the desk and then took a seat as though settling in for the whole sordid story.

  Sage didn’t want to get into the painful details, but maybe someone else’s perspective would help. She needed someone to tell her that what she’d done hadn’t been as awful as it felt—even if it hadn’t ended the way she’d been hoping.

  And so the words came o
ut slowly at first. The more she talked about her time with Trey, the more she missed him. And then as she spoke, she started to see things differently. She finally understood what Trey had been trying to tell her—she was trying to make him do, feel and say what she wanted.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t see this sooner,” Sage said more to herself than Louise.

  “Sometimes when you’re so intimately involved in a situation, it’s hard to see things clearly.”

  Tears rushed to her eyes. “But I hurt not only Trey but his father, too.” She blinked away the tears. “I made things so much worse for both of them. And that’s not what I meant to do.”

  “But you brought them back together. That’s more than anyone has done in years.”

  “That’s not a good thing. You didn’t witness the tension and the anger that filled the room.”

  “Did they speak to each other?”

  Sage nodded. “But none of it was constructive.”

  Louise’s eyes filled with sympathy. “You did it out of the goodness of your heart.”

  Happy rounded the desk and put his paws up on Sage’s lap. She picked him up and gave him another hug. “Do you think Trey has discarded Happy because of me?”

  Louise shook her head. “I talked to him last night. He said he had a few things to take care of and then he offered to pay me for puppy-sitting. Like I would take money for watching that furry ball of love.” A big smile filled her face as her gaze landed on Happy. “You and I, we’re buddies, aren’t we?”

  Arf!

  A smile tugged at Sage’s lips. “If he changes his mind, I’ll take him.”

  “You’ll have to stand in line. This little guy already stole my heart.”

  “I’m sure Trey is missing you.” She couldn’t resist giving Happy another hug and recalling the way they’d worked together to help Happy. That’s when she’d let her guard down long enough to see that there was so much more to Trey than his good looks.

  “I’m guessing after everything you told me that Trey won’t be coming to the office anymore.” Louise’s voice roused Sage from her thoughts.

  “No. He got all of the information he needed.”

  “Do you really think he voted against you?”

  “A week ago, I’d have said no, but now I’m not sure.” She recalled the way he’d taken to the office and how he’d worked so hard to get her a star-studded lineup for the upcoming year. “But then I messed everything up. And now I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t want any reminders of me.”

  Louise frowned. “I don’t think he’s vindictive. He struck me as a man with integrity and a solid head on his shoulders.”

  The dog started to squirm and so Sage set him on the floor. “I hope you’re right because it’s not just the magazine. It’s your job and everyone else that works here.”

  “And no matter what, we all know that you did your best.”

  Sage’s phone rang. In all honesty, she didn’t want to talk to anyone else. She was more than willing to call it a day. But it could be the board with a decision about the magazine’s future. When she checked the caller ID, it was someone totally unexpected.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  TREY HAD BEEN avoiding Sage.

  He didn’t think he could face her again until he had everything sorted out. He’d been extremely busy since returning from France.

  Ever since he’d walked away from Sage that night at the château, he’d felt as though he’d lost a piece of himself. Sure, he was upset that she’d interfered in his life and brought his father to see him. It was wrong and for a while he’d been really upset with her.

  His father had followed him to the States. They’d had another talk. This time his father did most of the talking and Trey did more listening. In the end, his father told him to give Sage another chance. In the little bit of time that his father had seen them together, he said he could tell they had something special.

  Trey left that meeting anxious to talk to Sage about what had just gone on between him and his father—their first meaningful conversation. But she wasn’t waiting for him at home. She wasn’t waiting for him. Period.

  And he had no one to blame but himself. She had drawn his father back into his life out of the goodness of her heart. If there was one thing about Sage that was undeniable, it was her desire for others to be happy—even if she wasn’t.

  And now it was time they talked. He hoped that she would hear him out and, in the end, she’d be happy. He’d hired a team of private investigators to work through the information his hacker friends had uncovered about Elsa’s dealings. And he now had incriminating proof that Elsa had stolen Sage’s legacy.

  And with the board meeting concluded and the official vote taken, Trey jumped in his sleek black sports car and raced across town to the headquarters of QTR Magazine. He maneuvered the car through the parking lot. Just as a black town car pulled out from in front of the building, he slipped his car into the vacant spot.

  Not so long ago, he would have thought of this as his father’s building, but now when he looked at the building, he thought of it as Sage’s domain. She’d done miracles with this magazine. He was proud of her.

  He rushed to the glass doors and, once inside the lobby, he came to a stop. There was Louise and Happy. He glanced around for Sage, but she was nowhere in sight.

  Arf! Arf!

  Trey said hi to Louise and then knelt down to pet Happy. Even though the dog was cute, he never would have considered keeping him if it weren’t for Sage’s fondness for Happy. Keeping a dog was a life-changing event for him. It meant scheduling his life around someone else—putting Happy’s needs ahead of Trey’s hectic schedule. He wouldn’t do something like that for just anyone. But he had to admit he’d grown quite attached to the dog and the woman who’d convinced him to keep Happy.

  Trey lifted his head to Louise. “Is Sage in her office?”

  “No. She just left.”

  He straightened. “Left?”

  Louise nodded.

  Trey felt as though the rug had been pulled out from under him. He thought this was his chance to fix everything and now she’d taken off in the middle of a workday. Was she that upset with him?

  Louise looked at him. “Are you just going to stand there?”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to...” She glanced down at the file folder in her hand. When her gaze met his again there was a twinkle in her eyes as though she had all the answers to the world’s problems. “Do you remember when you said that you would owe me a favor for watching Happy while you were in France?”

  He clearly remembered. And he knew one day that favor was going to cost him dearly. It appeared that day had arrived. “I remember.”

  “I need you to take this file to Sage. I forgot to give it to her before she left.”

  His gaze lowered to the thin file folder. “Surely it can’t be that important.”

  “She needs it for her meeting in New York.”

  “New York?” No wonder Sage appeared a bit on edge. He thought she was angry with the way he’d reacted over the reconciliation with his father. But she’d had other more important matters on her mind. “She’s going to face Elsa, isn’t she?”

  “I can’t really say. She swore me to silence.”

  That told him everything he needed to know. “Give me the file.” It was the excuse he needed to speak to her and try to convince her to forgive him so he could accompany her on this trip. “I’ll see that she gets it.”

  “I was really hoping you’d say that. And if you don’t make it back for a while, no worries—Happy will be fine with me.”

  “You mean you’ll spoil him some more.”

  Arf!

  “Like I said, we’ve got this. Just make sure Sage is all right.” She held out the folder to him.

  H
e accepted it. “I will, if she lets me.”

  “You can be persuasive. After all, you talked her into hiring you, didn’t you? Flash her that million-dollar smile, and if that doesn’t work, grovel.”

  “Grovel?” He shook his head. He wasn’t one that was used to groveling. But when he thought of living his life without Sage in it, groveling didn’t seem like such a bad option. “I’ll do whatever it takes.” He rushed to the door and then paused to turn back. “Thank you.”

  “What are you thanking me for? You’re the one doing me a favor.” She winked at him.

  “You’re the best.”

  “Stop with the flattery and get going. You don’t want to miss her.”

  He took off out the door. Thankfully he’d left his car right in front of the building in the no-parking zone. Sometimes rules had to be broken, especially when you realize what an idiot you’ve been.

  He stopped next to his car and searched the parking area for the black town car that had pulled out just as he’d arrived. He was certain it would be long gone by now, but then he spotted it waiting in a long line at the red light. Most of the time that stoplight annoyed him to no end with its long green for the main drag but its five-second green for the parking lot. Today he was thanking his lucky stars because it was just the delay he needed to catch up to Sage.

  He took a side exit, avoiding the troublesome light, and followed her car onto the freeway. With the congestion on the roadway, he fell back a few cars. It was no big deal as there wasn’t any way to get her to pull over here. He would just follow her to the airport where he could tell her—

  A car came flying up beside him. It was a flashy red sports car. It swerved into his lane, nearly sideswiping him before it rushed on.

  The sports car surge forward and then it veered to the right, cutting off a car. The car braked and started a chain reaction of collisions. Trey practically stood on his brakes to get stopped in time.

  When he looked up, he saw the sports car had swerved across the five lanes of traffic. Brake lights lit up. And then the car struck the fender of Sage’s car. Trey watched the accident as if it was in slow motion. The black town car spun around and another oncoming car struck the passenger side.