Outside The Lines (Love Beyond Reason Book 2)

by Rhodes, Beth

  “Perfect,” Maria added with a smile. “Thanks…you know, for coming.”

  Funny. Almost two weeks since she’d come through town the first time and noticed the bank, noticed David’s name on the sign out front.

  She opened the door and found luxury. Holy moly. Marble everywhere, dark wood on the walls and large paintings, but they were paintings of town, of the parks…and what looked like a river with tall trees along the bank. Local artists?

  Tellers lined the wall to the right. Two offices sat off to the left and a double door sat straight ahead with a plaque on the wall next to it that read, Gregory T. March III.

  She kept her head down and went to the front desk.

  “How can I help you, ma’am?” A pretty brunette, a little on the heavy side, asked as she looked up from her seat behind the tall counter.

  “I need to open an account, please.”

  “Well, that’s wonderful. If you’d like to have a seat, Lola is with another client.”

  Maria looked over at the woman behind a desk who was typing as she spoke to an older man. She nodded. “Thanks.”

  She took a plush seat in the waiting area and pulled out her wallet as she waited. The man who’d been with Lola ambled over then stopped in front of her. Her gaze rose to his face, and she smiled. “Hi,” she started, wondering what had drawn him over.

  And then he sat. “You new in town?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Welcome to Lynnbrook.” He held out a hand, and she shook it. “Tanner,” he said.

  His hand was warm, almost soft, yet still held the rough edge of a man who’d worked his whole life. He had the quintessential look of a mountain man, full white beard—trim and neat—slim hips inside worn jeans, and a red flannel shirt.

  His wrinkles brought to mind her abuela’s soft skin. Though she’d died when Maria was ten, the memory of her loving touch lingered.

  “Nice to meet you, Tanner. I’m Maria.”

  Lola made her move then, coming over to get her next client, and Tanner stood. “Lola will take good care of you.”

  “Of course I will,” the lady acted insulted, but gave the old man a smile, and there was a twinkle in her eye. “Come on this way, ma’am. And we’ll get you all set up.”

  Tanner didn’t immediately leave though. He walked toward Greg’s office and knocked on the door before disappearing behind it. Maria frowned then followed Lola to her desk to set up an account. She moved most of her savings into another savings account at the March Bank and then set up a checking account and put the last thousand in there. All under her new name, Maria March.

  She prided herself on all she’d saved over the last six years. Unmarried, living at home, she could take care of herself for a good while without having to go back to work.

  She’d thought long and hard about how they would work their financial situation. The bottom line was glaringly obvious. She could take care of herself. That was the most important part of this deal. Keeping that thought front and center made the ache of not having an emotional connection to the man she was married to seem feasible—for lack of a better word. She sighed.

  “I’m going to need a few hundred in cash.”

  Lola pulled a withdrawal slip off her pile of papers in the organizer to her right and filled in the little squares. Then she got up and walked away, following the dark marble flooring to the tellers on the opposite side of the bank.

  Maria blocked the flutter of nerves.

  David hinted, no, more than hinted, he insisted on taking care of her, on being financially responsible. But she didn’t want him throwing money at her, making her a kept woman. She’d go back to work eventually, when the baby was a little older.

  This was the better way, as far as she was concerned, for keeping themselves at arm’s length from each other. That was his want. Her new life wasn’t exactly what she’d planned all those years ago as a starry-eyed, young woman who dreamed of weddings and marital bliss. Maria shook off the unease and stood when she saw Lola coming her way.

  Mr. March exited his office as well, and wasn’t this nice? An unwanted reunion. Tanner walked by, waved as he left, and sent her a friendly wink. Why couldn’t Mr. March be as friendly as everyone else in this town?

  “There you go, ma’am.”

  “Thank you so much. It’s a relief to have that taken care of. By the way, do you happen to know if there’s a thrift store or consignment shop in town?”

  “Oh my, yes.” Lola walked with her toward the doors, which lead to Main Street. “Suzy Boon has this fabulous little shop on the next block over. You must stop in there and check it out, even if you don’t buy anything.”

  “Thanks. I will.” She didn’t give Mr. March a second look as she hugged her coat tightly against her and stepped outside. Clouds covered the sky again, and she wondered just how much snow they’d get this time. She was fascinated by it all. All her life, she’d been surrounded by the mild weather of her home in California. Hot summers, cool winters, an occasional and brief snow fall.

  This was different.

  And it was exciting, too.

  A horn honked from the street, and she quickly looked up, waving when Tanner passed by in an old Chevy pick-up, heading north.

  She was quickly falling in love with Lynnbrook. That’s all there was to it.

  “Over here, Maria!” Colleen waved her over to the little salon down the street from Henry’s. Maria looked both ways and crossed the street.

  “Ladies, I’d like you to meet Maria. David’s wife.”

  Caught in the headlights and thrown for a loop, Maria smiled and gave a little wave to the group of women inside the salon. “Hi.”

  Colleen took her arm. “This is Andi, she owns the place. She’s been a dear friend for years.” She leaned in and whispered, “She’s been my gossip monger, keeps me up to date on all the goings on in town. And Sylvia over there is her number two. And she gives a wonderful scalp massage. When you’re more comfortable and settled, you must come down for a shampoo and cut.”

  “You come down any time, dear. First cut’s on the house.”

  “Thank you, Andi. It was nice meeting you, and you too, Sylvia. I’ll be sure to come in for your magic hands.”

  Sylvia barked a laugh. “You do that.”

  13

  David stretched, felt a sharp jab against his spine, and then the discomfort of sand rubbing against his left butt cheek. His shorts had ridden up when he finally fell asleep on the beach last night. The driftwood he’d been using as a seat to watch the sky darken had become the uncomfortable support at his back.

  He rubbed a hand through his hair, the small bits of sand biting into his scalp.

  Prying his eyelids open, he had the first glimpse of the sun, coming up over the horizon. Instead of getting up, he sat for a minute, elbows on his knees. He wanted this place. Without knowing it, the resort had become his out, his extracurricular activity…a hobby? Over the years, he’d bought and sold. But what he really wanted was to own and run. He wanted something to call his own.

  The feeling was branded on his brain.

  It was his, his dream. No matter what bullshit Tammy pulled or Valiant tried, he was going to get this place. A pipe dream. He sighed.

  He should have waited to leave Maria. The unsettled feeling in his gut hadn’t gone away. The unworthiness he felt now made his demands in California pompous. Ass-ish. She was his wife, but only because he was incredibly lucky…not because of anything he’d done right.

  He had to get back to her.

  Getting up, he brushed as much loose sand from his shorts and shirt as he could. He looked around for his canvas tennis shoes, picked one up off the sand dune and dug the other one out from near where he’d been lying. Right next to the mostly full bottle of scotch. He didn’t bother putting the shoes on, just retrieved the drink and trekked up the beach toward the resort.

  He didn’t care about the wrinkles in his shirt, the sand in his hair.

  When
he hit the patio and pool, he saw Donald sipping a morning cocktail at a table to his right, and as he closed in, Donald’s expression went from easy-going to shock…to a little bit wary. “Rough night?”

  “You could say that.” The scowl came without effort. “I want this place, and I’m willing to sign—today, right now.”

  “Well,” Donald wavered. “I need to look at the counter offer.”

  His scowl deepened. “This is bullshit, Donald and you know it.”

  “Now, come on, David.” Donald frowned. “It’s not like you to get spooked over a counter offer. It’s part of the business. You’ll hear from me before anything final happens.”

  “I don’t give a flying fuck about the other company right now.” He blew out a breath and calmed his racing heart, forced himself to think. “I have some things to take care of at home. And, I don’t like unexpected unpleasantness. Valiant is unpleasant. And they wouldn’t know what to do with this place anyway. Tammy specializes in residential real estate. I want to own and run this place. Let her fucking buy it, if she wants. She’ll be looking to sell within the year, and I’ll snatch it up for half the price.”

  Donald’s brow rose. He shuffled papers around on the table in front of him and quickly made neat piles before standing. He stuffed the papers into his briefcase. “Guess I have a few calls to make. You’ll hear from me soon.” He looked around with a nod. “It’s the perfect spot on the coast. It’s been well-managed, well-run for over twenty years. You could do a lot worse in the way of real estate down here.”

  “I know. It feels right. I like a good feeling.”

  After Donald left, David looked for Tammy but didn’t find her.

  He didn’t know what he planned to do or say, but the need to put her in her place had grown in leaps and bounds over his long, restless night. Finally, after searching the pool and the bar, David made his way to the front desk. “I’m looking for Tammy Gorman.”

  The young lady behind the counter clacked away on the computer, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, sir. There’s no one here by that name here.”

  “Did she check out last night?” Maybe she’d left after the fiasco.

  Clickety-clacking again. “No sir. There’s been no one here by that name in the last month.”

  David scowled. She hadn’t been staying here? She’d come just to torment him. “Thank you.”

  The woman smiled, her glance his way friendly and maybe a shade too appreciative. Or maybe he was going crazy. Did he have a sign on his head that said easy and sleazy?

  He didn’t like this new David Tammy had introduced him to. Never in his entire life had he been more than a regular, red-blooded male. He’d always at least cared for the person he was with, and he’d never paid for sex. So, why all of a sudden did he feel cheap and dirty?

  He couldn’t wait to see Maria and get his hands back on her. When he was with her, he felt…whole. She didn’t look at him and see the man everyone else saw. He’d never had a woman search him out, want him like she did. And that made him want to be a better man, be the guy he let loose on those rare occasions when investing in a relationship didn’t mean risking everything.

  He grabbed his packed bag and left, glad for the premature departure when he ended up with a layover in Newark and a weather system coming through the northeast. He’d be lucky to make it home at all at this rate.

  If he’d waited to leave until tomorrow, after signing for the hotel, he’d have been stuck in Jersey, twiddling his thumbs.

  And that was not going to work for him.

  ~*~

  Maria woke up late, rolled over in her bed, and stared down at the tiny bump of her abdomen. She pressed her hands against the swell and then rubbed circles over her skin. She’d bought a few items the day before. A cute pair of maternity jeans and a couple of shirts. Her doctor in Red Bluff told her it would be about three or four more weeks before she really caught anyone’s eye as pregnant. Especially since this was her first.

  David had noticed it though. Of course, they’d practically been mauling each other in the kitchen. She grinned.

  After the heart-warming meeting with her father-in-law yesterday, she wondered if she should have stayed in California. But, no. Colleen made up for that, and with David on his way back, her tension had eased. Now it was just the ache of wanting him to be here.

  With a small growl, she pounded her pillow. She hated feeling this way, hated being so needy.

  With no other excuse but laziness to stay in bed, Maria finally got up.

  Right away, she saw a small manila envelope sitting in front of the door, as if it had been slid under from the hallway side. She frowned, pursing her lips. Something about it reminded her of Mr. March and the residual feelings from their meeting the day before. He wanted to pay her off. She wasn’t a fool. He’d have offered her a check to leave and never contact David again.

  Maria hesitated to pick the envelope up. Who would be sending her something? Who would have slid it under the door instead of just handing it over to her when she woke up?

  A look at her watch showed it was ten thirty. That was pretty late. Mrs. Kraus might have left to go to her knitting circle.

  Crouching, she touched the corner.

  Her name, nothing else—no address, no return address. That could only mean someone here had left it for her. Standing, she did what she didn’t want to do, did what instinct and gut screamed at her not to. She opened the envelope, reached in, and pulled out a small stack of photos.

  Her eyes were immediately drawn to David, all suited up and looking so handsome. She brushed his face with her finger. There was a smile, not like when he laughed, but something more subtle, and he held a glass of liquor. He could be on the cover of GQ, she thought.

  She shuffled the first to the back of the pile, and her heart stopped. Without a sound, she shuffled again, one then another and another. Images of her husband—with Tammy. The last one, so strikingly stark, with the sun setting behind them. He was kissing her. His hands held her arms, and she was practically bare in the mini-skirt and bikini top.

  His gaze was intense on that woman.

  Even as Maria’s head swam, her fingers tingled, and her stomach turned, she stiffened her spine. Brave. Strong.

  He would come home.

  She would ask him about this. Their agreement had included fidelity, and he had promised. He’d also left, you stupid ninny. And he never promised love. Without love…what else was there?

  The easy feeling she’d woken up with was gone, and in its place pain.

  But more than pain, because she loved him. She saw the Chevy-driving, old-lady-helping man in there. His need to please his dad and let go of a painful past with his mother. Perhaps let go was a bit of an exaggeration, but he wanted something better for his own family, which was why he married someone he didn’t love.

  He doesn’t love you!

  She swallowed the cry and looked around the room she’d made home in the last weeks. It was never an easy task to admit defeat, admit a mistake. Picking up the photo of David and Tammy entering a hotel room, she fisted it, crumpling the damn thing with a bitter, strangled cry. And then she threw it.

  Foolish dreams of making him love her, of their marriage aging like wine and getting sweeter with the years, mocked her in that photo.

  Quickly, she got dressed, adding an extra layer under her loose-fitting jeans. The sweatshirt from home covered the thermal and a t-shirt. She put her tennis shoes on and wished she’d thought to buy a pair of boots yesterday.

  She hurried downstairs, grabbed her coat and gloves, and left through the backdoor. The kitchen was empty. The house was quiet as if everyone had deserted her. But she didn’t care. She had hours before he came back, and she was not going to spend it in this house…even if she had to walk to town and get a room with Mrs. Boehler.

  But evidence of a path in the backyard drew her that way and led her to the treeline on the north side of the property. When she passed a shed on her ri
ght, a man in the window waved to her. The caretaker was middle-aged, probably late forties. She hadn’t said two words to him, but he’d been in and out, speaking with Mrs. Kraus. Whenever Maria showed up, he’d move on his way with a nod and a smile. Not very talkative.

  As she walked, it occurred to her she’d let exercise go since being pregnant. Not on purpose. Hell, she’d been so danged tired in the first two months, she was only now getting her feet back under her anyway.

  The fresh air invigorated her as she took a deep breath to banish the bad…and she prayed. For the first time in a long time, she prayed for the strength to do what was right. And to know what that was. To her, it didn’t matter that they hadn’t been married in the church. They promised each other and exchanged vows.

  They were married.

  As she neared the tree line, the snow got deeper. Looking back, she could see she’d made quite a trek already.

  “Oh.” From the back, the house looked just as gorgeous as it did from the front. Perhaps even more so. There were trellises along the walkways, and she imagined in the spring they would be rich with flowers and greens. More white lattice rose along the stone wall where the tallest peak came off the house. And she studied it for a moment, trying to place her own room and David’s, the den off to the left where the large windows stretched across the lower level.

  A beautiful light snow began to fall. A winter spell that made the ache of everything she’d wanted and might have to give up squeeze her heart, like a vice. She turned away and followed the trail into the trees.

  14

  October

  David tossed the last of his tools in the back of the truck. Last year he’d made a trek to Texas but it had been cut short by the sale in Sacramento. The place had needed extensive renovations, updating and remodeling. He was still on the fence about keeping the property. So, for the first time in almost five years since working for March Industries, he was using his time on the road as a business trip. Partly.

  The situation did not make him happy. But Grandpa was off the grid again, and his dad had finagled his wishes into a demand. Unfortunately, the demand made sense, and checking up on the hotel would take just a day or two, while he was in Red Bluff.