“Which piece?” EV asked.
“Willow Sky.” Lila waved her fork. “I picked it up in a gallery in…”
“San Francisco.” EV finished for her. “I’ll tell you one of my biggest secrets—I’ve been working as my mother’s agent for the last fifteen years.”
Surprise lifted Lila’s brows. “I had no idea. That must have meant a fair amount of travel for you.”
“Less these past few years, but yes; I haven’t spent my life chained to a pine tree.” A hint of bitterness crept into her voice. Lila’s lips tightened as she asked Dalton about his family.
He patted EV on the knee before answering with a grin, “Older but no wiser. My dad went bungee jumping last year.” He gave a little shiver thinking about it. Of all the things passed down from his father—long earlobes, funny looking middle toe, warm brown eyes—the one thing that had skipped a generation was the inner daredevil. “With my daughter. This summer, they’re planning to go skydiving—it will be her first time and his fifth.”
“The closest I’ve ever come is parasailing in Sydney harbor. Remember that, Javi?” When he didn’t answer, Lila nudged him with her elbow.
At that moment, Javier’s text notification sounded. A quick glance at the screen settled his nerves.
Clear.
EV watched him intently without seeming to stare—it was an art she had perfected over the years when negotiating with art dealers. Whatever the message, it must have been good news, because the tension drained from him with a sigh, and he went back to being his charming self. The next hour passed in a haze of laughter, good wine, and better conversation.
* * *
“Perfect.” Chloe said out loud, even though she was alone in the suite. An assortment of covered dishes adorned the small dinette table, and a bottle of champagne chilled on an adjacent stand. Deciding to take EV’s advice and make sure Nate was in the best possible mood before admitting she had been less than honest with him, Chloe dimmed the lights and lit a few candles to set a romantic mood.
Nate was due to arrive any minute, so Chloe checked the gilded bathroom mirror one last time, making sure her hair and makeup were in place. A long, sapphire-colored skirt hugged her shapely hips, and a form-fitting sweater dipped low enough to display a white gold and sapphire pendant sparkling beneath her collarbone. Pedicured toes poked out from beneath the hem of the skirt, buffed and polished more scrupulously than usual, given that she went barefoot as much as possible back in the Pines.
Nate’s gentle knock had Chloe skipping to the door, anxious both to see his handsome face, and to get the task at hand over with as quickly as she could. Though she wouldn’t have believed it was possible, he looked even better than usual in a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt rolled up to his elbows. It was clear Nate had spent some time on his appearance: his usually-mussed hair had been trimmed and tamed into submission; his chiseled jawline accentuated in the absence of the scruff that normally resided there. Chloe’s jaw hung open in appreciation until Nate let out a chuckle, slung his arms around her waist, and lifted her into a kiss.
“What happened to you?” she asked, as he released her gently back to the floor.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Do I usually like some kind of hillbilly or something?” he teased, eyes crinkling at the edges as his wide grin belied the mock-serious tone of the question. “Someone left an appointment card in my room; I took the hint. Apparently I had become too shaggy for this fancy place, so I visited the barber shop they’ve got hidden in the basement dungeon. Look, I even got what they call a MANicure.” Sure enough, his nails had been cleaned and trimmed, and his palms were soft as silk where Chloe caressed them with her own fingers.
“I take it that’s your first and last foray into a metro-sexual existence?”
“You can bet your ass, it is. Your mother has a lot of nerve, I can tell you that.”
Chloe agreed, and, banishing all thoughts of her mother for at least the next couple of hours, led Nate to the table where she pulled the lids off all the plates. She had ordered an assortment of Irish dishes, including traditional Shepherd’s pie, soda bread, and beef stew made with stout beer. She couldn’t imagine Nate was missing American food; after all, what guy would complain about cuisine that included some type of alcohol in almost every dish?
They ate heartily, chatting about their day and enjoying each other’s company away from the prying eyes of Lila, EV, and Dalton. When the last crumb of Irish cream cheesecake had been scraped from their plates, both their stomachs were so full, all they could do was flop down on the bed and allow digestion to take its course. Chloe figured this was as good a time as any to broach the subject.
“I have something I want to tell you. The thing is…there’s something I haven’t told you. It’s not bad.” She added, noting his small, concerned frown.
“Go on.”
“Well…when I came back to the Pines, I spent a lot of time working on the house; decorating and remodeling and whatnot. And when I started job hunting, nothing nearby really appealed to me. You know I’m not exactly hurting for money, but I do like to keep busy.” She picked at some lint on the spread so long he made an impatient hand gesture for her to continue.
“So…one day I was talking to Wesley about some of the freelance articles I wrote for a lifestyle magazine in New York. And he asked me to write something for the Pine Cone. I’ve been the author of 'Babble & Spin' ever since.” She looked up into his eyes for the first time since beginning her speech, and was surprised to see amused relief in place of the irritation or anger she had expected.
“Jeez, Chlo, you had me thinking you were moonlighting as a topless dancer or something. And why are you so worked up about this?”
“Because I should have told you sooner. But I was sworn to secrecy. EV’s the only one who knows, and that’s only because she figured it out and then harassed me for two solid weeks before I confirmed. So…you’re not mad?” she asked, hesitantly.
Nate gathered her face in his hands, kissed her lips, the tip of her nose, and her forehead before pulling her against his chest in a bone-crushing hug. “Don’t scare me like that again. I don’t care that you write about gossip…wait…so that means it was you who started the Inspector Hottie nickname? You are so dead!” He flipped her onto her back, tickling her ribs and kissing the part of her neck that always made her giggle.
“No!” she cried out through teary-eyed laughter, attempting to swat him away. His torture lasted a few more seconds before, lips meeting hers again, their attention turned to other, more base desires.
Chapter 15
“Are you ready to talk?” Remy’s voice woke Baylee from a light doze. He bent to pull the gag he’d fashioned from a silk tie from her mouth. Only a rasping sound escaped lips dry and cracked from a night spent in a bout of frustrated cursing him to a fate worse than death. If he thought he’d broken her—and she could tell by the triumphant lilt to his voice that he did—he was in for a surprise.
When he moved close to offer her a drink, she accepted the first swallow of water gratefully. “See, I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. Just tell me where you hid the memory card, and as soon as I get it back, I’ll let you go.” The bottle bumped against her lips a second time. This mouthful she spat back at him. Rivulets ran down his face, which went hard right before he drew back an arm and slapped her once, then twice. Baylee’s head rocked from side to side with the force.
“What were you doing in my room?” Remy demanded.
Cheek pulsing with pain from the sting of his hand, Baylee said, “They’ll miss me when I don’t show up for the photo shoot.” Javier must already be scouring the castle for her. No way would he let her down. Javier was a rock.
Brandishing her cell phone, Remy smirked, “We’ll just see about that.” He let her watch him scroll through the increasingly frantic messages from Ross that had already come in. Fingers flashing, he typed a response, then switched off the phone and winged it
into the stone wall behind her where it shattered into useless bits.
“No one even knows you’re missing, and now they think you’ve been called away on a personal matter.” He could be lying, but she didn’t think so. “How do you know Lila’s fiancé? His texts and messages sounded personal. Are you sleeping with him? Lila’s a friend of mine.”
He had the nerve to sound affronted at her perceived relationship with Javier.
Javier wasn’t coming. At least not yet. That much was clear. Baylee’s breath hitched in her throat, while tears leaked down her still-smarting cheek. The moisture brought enough coolness to provide a little relief.
“Come on. I promise I won’t hurt you. Once I have the memory card, I’ll come back and let you go. It will be your word against mine, and who are they going to believe? What did he promise you to get you to cooperate? A cut of Lila’s money? Or maybe you two are having an affair.”
“I’m not sleeping with him, and I don’t need Lila’s money. You have a vile mind. Why would I tell you anything?”
“You’ll tell me, or I’ll see to it his little security business never gets another contract. I have connections, and I won’t hesitate to use them.” Fury puffed him up. “Tell me where the card is. You have my word that once the evidence is in my hand, I’ll let you go. My little game is almost over, anyhow.” Remy pulled his own phone out of his pocket. “Tell me now, or I’m going to make a call and bring Garritek down while you listen.”
After everything Javier had done for her, Baylee couldn’t let Vincent take anything more from him. She broke and told him where to find the card.
* * *
Where was everyone? Lila checked her watch for the tenth time. Javier was late, Baylee was late. Even Chloe and EV were late. Lila only planned to get married once in her life; everything had to be perfect. No one understood that but her. Frustration killed concern without mercy as she paced the length of the foyer where everyone should already have assembled.
Why had she let Javier talk her into this place? Sure, getting married in a castle sounded romantic enough, but the weather here this time of year was absolutely dismal. The sun was shining now, and, according to the photographer, this was the magic time of day when the light turned warm and rosy and flattering. Lila knew she looked good for her age, but she wasn’t going to turn down anything that capitalized on her efforts. Who knew when the next bout of good weather might strike?
She was just pulling out her phone to call Chloe when Javier appeared at the top of the staircase, Chloe and EV right behind him. Lila’s hand was still on her phone when it signaled a new text.
Unavoidably delayed. Sending my assistant to do the engagement photos.—Baylee.
“You’re all late.” Lila accused. Before she could wind up a tirade, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Ross, struggling with camera bags, tripods, a battery pack, and a stand topped by a large light, attempted to exit the elevator car. Chloe rushed down the last two steps and over to help. Her lengthy and eclectic job history included a stint as a photographer’s assistant, so she juggled half the burden like a pro.
“Will Baylee be joining us?” Ross quailed at the sharp tone in Lila’s voice.
“She had to leave for the day, that’s all I know.” He pulled a small, spiral-bound notepad from his shirt pocket, and flipped the pages. “Outdoor shots on the parapet and near the fountain.” He cleared his throat, “Is that okay?”
Lila shot Chloe a look that boded ill for the hapless young man if someone didn’t intervene, and by someone, Lila meant Chloe. Chloe took the hint.
“Come on, let’s get this done before we lose the light. Ross, would you mind if I pitch in? I’ve got some experience.” He could have said no, though it wouldn’t have stopped her. Taking charge, Chloe handed a portion of the equipment off to EV, along with a murmured order to call Nate—something felt off to her about this whole scenario—and herded the group through the cafe and out the lower set of atrium doors, the fastest route to the fountain.
* * *
Two minutes of watching Ross fumble just getting the bags sorted turned Lila’s face an unbecoming shade of mottled red. Chloe gave EV the elbow and whispered, “She’s going to blow if I don’t do something, and if her face gets any redder people will think this wedding took place in Tahiti. Talk her down while I sort this out.”
Laying a hand on Ross’s arm, Chloe pitched her voice low enough that with EV serving as a distraction, Lila couldn’t overhear, and asked, “Have you ever done a shoot on your own before?”
Panic widened his eyes. “Does it show? All I’ve ever done are test shots.”
“Would you mind if I take over?” Ross shook his head, relief pulling the tension from his body and steadying his hands.
“Okay.” Chloe searched through through the equipment, chose a camera and lens. “Get me a gold reflector and start them out on the right side of the fountain. I’ll take it from there.”
“What’s going on?” Nate approached EV. “Something wrong?”
“Baylee bailed on the shoot,” she explained, noting the way his nostrils flared.
“And this required my presence because…?” He’d left Dalton waiting for confirmation to come in on a lead.
“You’re probably here for damage control. Ross the assistant doesn’t have the chops to handle it alone, so Chloe took over and that means her having to tell Lila what to do. I’m apparently not enough of an unknown quantity to ride herd on them, so you’ve been tapped for the job. And Chloe and I agree there’s something off about Baylee’s absence.”
“Javier, tilt your head down just a little more. Mom, angle your chin slightly to the left.” Barking orders and snapping the shutter, Chloe seemed in her element, and Nate was seeing a side of her he’d never observed before. Bossy but competent. He liked it. He liked it a lot. She put them through a series of poses that brought out a soft, vulnerable side of Lila he hadn’t expected.
Ross, to his credit, was actually a very good assistant. He remained at Chloe’s side, attentive to her every need, while EV stood behind the laptop to watch as the wireless transfer attachment on the camera delivered the images to a growing slideshow. Glancing at the scrolling pictures, then back at Javier and Lila, Nate noted the difference between the strain on their faces and the soft, romantic images Chloe was able to capture. He also noted the tension that ran between her shoulders, and knew that if he went to her, the muscles would be bunched and knotted.
Through the atrium glass, a sea of interested faces watched the process from cafe tables. It felt like being on the wrong side of a fish bowl.
All business, Chloe gave Lila and Javier a short break from posing while she quickly scanned through the slideshow, deeming the images good enough to continue on to the parapet while the light held.
“Pack it up, Ross,” she kept her tone even and professional, but Nate knew her well enough to know that this experience went deeper with her. While she would never have offered to perform this task, she relished the chance to create something timeless with her mother. Even if no one else saw it, he observed the tear of happiness that gathered in the corner of her eye when she saw the couple immortalized.
“Don’t we still need the poses Hannah requested? I have the list she gave me.” Ross asked, pulling a sheet of paper from his pocket.
Chloe stopped short and gaped at Ross for a moment before regaining her composure. “You spoke to Hannah? When?” She demanded.
“She caught up to me last night as I was leaving the dining room.” He explained, bewildered by the Chloe’s sudden coldness toward the wedding coordinator. She seemed nice enough to him; though that could have had something to do with the flirtatious nature of their conversation.
“Hannah Frank is not involved in this wedding, and I’d recommend you don’t breathe her name around my mother. I guess Baylee didn’t mention that part to you.” She softened at his obvious distress. “Don’t worry about it. Just don’t give her copies of any of the images
or there’ll be hell to pay.”
Ross nodded in assent, and moved to clear up the equipment. With Nate and EV lending a hand, he had everything broken down and ready to move in a matter of minutes. Back in the lobby, Dalton exited the elevator at the same time the group trooped toward the courtyard access doors leading to narrow stairs that granted access to the parapets. Catching Nate’s eye, Dalton’s shoulders lifted slightly—he shook his head.
* * *
“Let me help you with that,” Javier reached for one of the heavy bags. Chloe relinquished it willingly.
“Do you have the key card for Baylee’s room, Ross?” Javier wasn’t the only one concerned about Baylee. EV wanted the chance to look around.
“Yes, ma’am. But you all don’t have to help; it’s my job.” Ross reached for the softbox lamp EV carried, but snatched his hand back when he caught the stern expression on her face.
EV patted him on the shoulder, “Lead the way.” Her tone brooked no refusal, and, taking the elevator for the sake of convenience, they all trooped to Baylee’s door.
“You can just leave everything here.” Ross didn’t want to cause inconvenience, or worse, have Baylee catch him letting her clients play pack mule. Not to mention the hot water he would be in for bringing half a dozen people into her room uninvited.
“Open the door. We won’t let you get into trouble.” EV softened her voice, but made no move to put down her burden, nor did anyone else. Ross caved easily; he didn’t have the guts to argue.
Taking a deep breath, Ross ran the card through the reader, pushed open the door, then led the way to the closet area where they helped him stow everything away neatly. The first thing EV noticed was a handbag lying on the bed. “How likely is it that Baylee left for the day without taking this?” She strode over to check for a wallet, and finding one, brandished it in the air.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Javier shook his head. “Baylee would not leave Ross alone to do her work. Something must have happened to her.” And he had a pretty good idea what. “We need to call the authorities.” His face lost enough color that the olive of his skin turned a sallow yellow-green.
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