by Kate Pearce
“No! I’m angry because you didn’t mention it before we went to bed together.”
Silence fell for a moment, punctuated only by their harsh breathing.
She took a couple of steps backward until her heel hit the bottom step. Her fingers shook as she gripped the bannister. She could explain to him exactly what had happened with Paul, but there didn’t seem much point. His anger, and her response to it, told her they were way beyond just being friends now. And, hey, she had made the decision not to tell him what was going on with her ex, so maybe she deserved at least some of his ire.
“Okay. Maybe you have a point.” With a tremendous effort, Yvonne pulled herself together. “Maybe I haven’t been a very good friend to you after all. I apologize for that.”
“That’s not what I . . .” He stopped talking, and shook his head.
She couldn’t find a smile. His accusation hurt far more than it should’ve. Which meant that, despite her best efforts, her heart had become involved, too. What a terrible moment to realize how much she’d come to value him. . . .
“Can you let yourself out? I’m expecting a phone call. I have to go.”
He swept his hat off his head, and came toward her, his brown eyes intent.
“Please, Yvonne . . . I was out of line, I apologize—”
“I really do have to go.”
Just on cue, her cell phone on her kitchen countertop started ringing, and she ran up the stairs, slamming her apartment door behind her. Grabbing her phone, she forced her shaking voice to cooperate.
“Hi, this is Yvonne. How are you doing, Priscilla?”
Chapter Eighteen
“Hey, Rio, we’re all really grateful you’ve been out here doing our chores for hours, but Ruth wants you to come in and eat something.”
Rio straightened up from dumping a load of soiled straw on the manure heap and faced HW, who was leaning casually against the corner of the barn, hands in his pockets, watching him.
Rio wiped his hands on his jeans and let out his breath. “Seeing as I’ve run out of things to do, I suppose I have no choice but to come in.” He walked toward the tack room. “Just give me a minute to wash up, and I’ll be there.”
HW followed him over and propped up another doorframe. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much.”
“I don’t believe you.” HW paused. “Woman trouble?”
Rio snorted. “Like I’m going to tell you.”
“Why not? I’m your friend, and I’ve had a whole crap load of advice dumped on me about my relationship with Sam. The least I can do is help another guy avoid some of the pitfalls.”
“It’s too late for that.”
“You screwed up?”
“Nope.” Rio reluctantly faced HW.
“Yvonne screwed up?”
“You could say that.” Rio dried his hands and turned off the faucet. “She forgot to give me some important information before we hooked up.”
“Like what?”
“She’s still married to that French asshole.”
HW frowned. “You sure about that?”
“The asshole told me himself.”
“And Yvonne admitted it?”
“She . . .” Rio paused to run his conversation with Yvonne back through his head. “She didn’t deny it.”
“That’s not the same thing, bro. In my experience, women get super pissed when you get on their case and start accusing them of stuff. Now, a guy would just give you an explanation right off or punch your lights out, but a woman? She’ll clam up, get all upset, and storm off.”
“Really?” Rio raised an eyebrow. “Because I heard that you were the one who kept storming out on Sam.”
“I’m the exception that proves the rule.” HW waved that inconvenient fact aside. “And this isn’t about me, so stay focused.”
“Yvonne did get pissed with me, which is unfair because I’m not the one at fault this time. I don’t mess around with married women, HW. You know that.”
“The thing is—I’m sure Chase said he was looking into something for Yvonne in France a while back.” HW frowned. “I usually try and tune him out when he gets technical, so I can’t remember the details. Maybe you should ask him about it.”
“Maybe she was looking for air tickets home,” Rio muttered.
HW punched his arm. “Don’t be such an ass.”
“So what do you think I should do, oh wise man?” Rio said.
“Go and talk to her instead of staying on the ranch fuming and fretting.”
“Like I should take advice from you?”
“Well, I am the one who’s in a fantastic relationship with a woman I love.” HW smirked. “And you’re the one running scared, so maybe just for once, yeah, maybe you should.”
* * *
Rio showered and went back down to the kitchen to eat the dinner Ruth had set aside for him. He braced himself for another Morgan intervention, but Ruth was in the parlor with Roy watching some reality show they both loved, and he had the place to himself. Unfortunately, it gave him too much time to think, which was what he’d been avoiding by doing the chores.
His cell buzzed, and he took it out of his pocket. Maybe it was Yvonne wanting to talk to him after all....
Landing at Morgan ranch in ten minutes. Please be there to meet me.
Rio stared at his father’s message and reread it several times before replying.
What the hell are you talking about?
I’m arriving by helicopter. Need to speak to you.
“Deus todo poderoso . . .” Rio murmured. “What now?”
He hastily downed his coffee and went to knock on the door of the parlor.
“Ruth, I’m sorry to interrupt, but do you know how to operate the landing strip controls on the ranch?”
Ruth turned to look at him. “Is the emergency helicopter coming in?”
“No, apparently it’s my father,” Rio confessed. “I’m really sorry about this. I had no idea he was even in the area until I got his text a few minutes ago.”
Roy stood and put on his cowboy hat. “Don’t worry, son. I can take you out there.”
“Thank you.”
Ruth smiled at Rio. “And bring your father back to the ranch. I’d love to meet him. I’ll find him a bed if he needs it.”
Ten minutes later, he and Roy were bumping up a side road that snaked between the abandoned silver mine and the ghost town of Morgansville.
“I called Chase, and he said the landing lights are preset to come on when radar makes contact with a plane,” Roy said as he peered into the gathering gloom.
“Good to know.” Rio hung on to the strap as the truck almost went sideways. Luckily, it didn’t take that long to reach the flat strip of land, which was already blazing with light. “Looks like he’s already here.”
“Yup.” Roy brought the truck to a stop. “I’ll wait. Let me know what you need.”
“Thanks, Roy.”
Rio exited the truck and made his way toward the helicopter parked on the landing pad. The blades were still turning, but were obviously winding down.
“Mr. Martinez?” Someone stepped out of the gloom. “Mr. Howatch asks that you please join him on board.”
Rio nodded and went up the lowered steps to the back end of the helicopter, where his father was seated in comfort in a relatively large space.
“Hey. What can I do for you?” Rio asked.
“Come and sit down.”
Graham pointed at the seat opposite him, Graham wasn’t wearing his usual suit and tie combination, and had a blanket over his knees. Either the interior lighting sucked, or his father’s skin had a yellowish tinge to it.
“Are you okay?” The words left Rio’s lips before he could stop himself.
“I hate helicopters.”
“Then why take one just to come out here and see me?” Rio asked.
“Because I wanted to share some information with you in person.”
“We’ve been through this once bef
ore. Why can’t you tell me over the phone?”
“Phones aren’t secure.” Graham picked up a folder on his desk. “I have some information about Yvonne Payet I think you should know.”
“Let me guess.” Rio sat back in his chair. “She’s married to a French guy. I already know all about that, so shall I go before I get into what a gross intrusion that is into Yvonne’s privacy?”
“I always investigate anyone who comes close to my family.” Graham shrugged. “There are many people out there who are attracted to wealth. You know that.”
“Seeing as I’ve never considered myself that wealthy, not really.”
“Don’t be flippant, Aurelio. You are a world champion. You aren’t exactly a pauper, and I’ve seen the women you chose to surround yourself with. You are also my son.”
“So you’ve been spying on me as well? Great.”
“The report on Yvonne brought up another interesting anomaly. Her connection with Paul Giresse.”
“What about him?”
“He is currently in the country discussing acquiring a chain of restaurants and rebranding them to reflect his personality and cooking expertise.”
“So I hear.” Rio snorted. “It doesn’t surprise me. Have you met the guy?”
“He’s seeking funding from Howatch International.”
“From you?” For the first time, Rio smiled. “Then you know what to do. Turn him down and send his sorry ass back to France.”
Graham studied him for a long moment. “Do you see him as a rival for Yvonne’s affections?”
“No, I just don’t like the guy.”
“The Giresse family is very wealthy,” Graham said. “Don’t you think it’s strange that Yvonne managed to attract the attention of Paul Giresse, and then you?”
Rio tensed. “What exactly are you trying to suggest?”
“Don’t bite my head off, but is it possible that she is the kind of woman who seeks out men with money?”
After a stunned second, Rio laughed out loud. “No, not at all. You’ve met her. How can you even entertain that thought? She’s the real deal—hardworking, honest, and as determined as hell.”
“You really do like her, don’t you?” Graham said slowly.
“How I feel about her has nothing to do with how I view her character.”
“I beg to disagree.” To Rio’s surprise, Graham was smiling. “Seeing as you’ve made your position clear, perhaps you would care to read through the proposal Paul put forward?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I value your advice, and you might find out something interesting as to his motivation and need to ensure the deal goes through as soon as possible.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Rio said slowly.
Graham held out a folder. “Why don’t you find out?”
* * *
“Today at eleven? That sounds great!” Yvonne lied, and inwardly screamed as Priscilla apologized for the short notice and waffled on about contracts, camera crews, and all kinds of stuff that she couldn’t yet envision filling up her café. “I look forward to it. Bye for now.”
It was six in the morning, and she was in her usual spot in her kitchen. After briefly talking to Priscilla the night before she’d been waiting for an update, but hadn’t expected Priscilla to want to come and see her that very same day. The bread was trying. The ovens were heating up, and she’d made a start on the brioche dough for the next morning.
There was no sign of Paul, which made her happy. She hoped he’d left town but had a sinking sensation that he’d make sure she knew about it, which probably meant he was still at the hotel. After her falling-out with Rio, she hadn’t slept well. Her decision not to argue with him about the sham of her marriage still seemed the lesser of two evils.
If she’d tried to convince him that she’d believed she was single when they’d gotten together, she’d have to admit to herself that he deserved an explanation because they really cared about each other. Maybe he’d just been angry about being deceived and not hurt at all. Maybe she was the only one who needed to step back and protect her vulnerable heart.
But she couldn’t forget the look in his eyes when he’d confronted her—like she’d destroyed his world as well as her own. She needed to talk to him. She owed him that. If only the day hadn’t already gotten so overcrowded . . .
* * *
“Are you coming?” Josie called out to Rio as he came down the stairs of the ranch house.
“Coming where?” Rio answered.
“Into town. Mom said she’s written me a letter, and I want to pick it up from the post office.”
Rio paused on the bottom step to consider his options. On his return from seeing his father, he’d thrown the file onto the desk in his bedroom and left it there unopened. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what was in it. It felt disloyal to Yvonne to even consider reading it.
He wanted to see her—just to check that she was okay, and to really listen to what she had to say to him—rather than reacting like an idiot. She deserved that. She’d never struck him as the kind of person who would deliberately deceive him, and his bullshit meter was quite high. So there must be more to it.
“Shame you didn’t think on your feet when you actually saw her,” Rio murmured to himself. “Serves you right if she doesn’t want to speak to you ever again.”
“Are you talking to me?” Josie demanded as she came out of the kitchen.
“No, just reminding myself not to be an idiot.”
“Too late for that.” She gave him a sunny smile. “So, are you coming, or can I borrow your truck and go myself?”
“Like I’d lend you my truck.” Rio showed her the keys, and then put them right back in his pocket. Going into town with his sister was a perfectly legitimate excuse to drop in at the café. “Let me just get my boots on, and I’ll be right there.”
* * *
For once, Yvonne was glad that the weather was lousy, and that the tourists who usually dropped in at the café were largely absent. Tom was back in the kitchen, and she’d added another person to the waitstaff roster, meaning she had more time to deal with weird stuff like TV production companies.
Priscilla arrived at the café promptly at eleven, and brought a guy Yvonne hadn’t met before.
“Hey, Yvonne. This is John Jordan. He’s—”
Before Priscilla could finish her sentence, John reached over, grabbed Yvonne’s hand, and shook it vigorously.
“Hi, I represent Howatch International. We own the majority share in Tasty Treats.” His appreciative gaze scanned her from head to toe. “I’m sorry I was out of town when you visited our offices in San Francisco. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“You, too.”
Yvonne eased her hand out of his overly enthusiastic grasp. Howatch International? Wasn’t that the company contemplating financing Paul’s restaurant business? Maybe he had known about her potential TV deal before he’d descended on Morgantown. . . .
“Oh, look! There’s Rio!” Priscilla pointed at the door, where Rio and his sister, Josie, had just arrived. She waved at Rio. “Come on over and meet John! You’re just in time!”
Rio looked helplessly at Yvonne, who shrugged even as her heart rate tripled, and it suddenly became hard to breathe.
“I’m not sure if Rio has time for this meeting or not. He’s on vacation with his sister,” Yvonne said.
“Don’t worry about me.” Josie gave her brother a shove in Yvonne’s direction. “I’ll just sit and have my coffee over there. I’m not in any rush.”
Rio slowly closed the gap between them, and lowered his voice. “I’m happy to sit in on this if you want me to, but I understand if—”
She cut him off. “Look, let’s talk about that later. I’d love you to stay.”
He held her gaze. “Are you sure? I know I’ve behaved like a complete ass.”
“Let’s just see this through, shall we? If you disappear on me now, Priscill
a’s probably going to cry.”
A reluctant smile flickered across his face. “Okay. Whatever you want.”
He turned to John. “Hi, I’m Rio Martinez.”
“Wow!” John’s eyes widened. “You’re—”
Yvonne suppressed a smile. Who would’ve thought that the polished businessman was a PBR fan?
“Let’s not worry about what I am or not at this point,” Rio said firmly. “I’d prefer to keep the focus on Yvonne and her café.”
“Okay, then.” John sat down and looked around the café. “One of the first issues I see here is lack of space. Is there any potential to expand?”
“I’m certainly considering it,” Yvonne said. “The kitchen at the rear of the property is extensive. I assumed you’d be doing most of your filming out there.”
“Possibly,” John agreed. “If we do go ahead, there are ways to use smaller static cameras to cover some areas like the entrances and exits, so we could get around it if we have to.”
“I’ll take you through to the kitchen after we’ve talked, and you can see what you think,” Yvonne said. “I assumed you’d be more interested in featuring my cooking skills than my daily interactions with my customers.”
“There’s a balance to be found between those two elements,” John agreed. “But having met you, I’m inclined to suggest that the spotlight remains firmly on you.”
“What do you mean?” Yvonne asked.
“Well, look at you.” John waved a hand at her face. “You’re a multi-talented immigrant probably with a fascinating backstory that would go over really well with our audiences.”
“Immigrant?” Yvonne sat up straight.
“You’re African and French, right? Where exactly were you born? You’ve got a beautiful exotic look our viewers will love.”
Yvonne slowly opened and closed her mouth before gathering her resources. “Not that it is any of your business, but I was born in the United States to an American citizen. That makes me American, right?”
“Sure, if you want to push that angle.” John shrugged. “I’m just saying that having an exotic mysterious heritage would play better.”
Yvonne abruptly stood up. “Would you like to see the kitchen?”