by Various
What was it she’d said? Something about loving her and leaving her. That had to be the real reason for her reluctance. She was afraid of getting hurt. Of being used and left behind.
And that was a real problem. If you were to poll the women of his past, a good ninety per cent of them would claim he was the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. Was that really the case? Had the one-nighters he’d had been mutual? He had thought they were on the same page. To the best of his memory he didn’t think he had ever led someone on. He needed perspective.
Sadly there was no cell service. And there was no phone in the cottage. He didn’t dare go up to the house just yet, and this didn’t seem like the place where you’d find a pay phone. He wasn’t desperate enough to talk to his sister that he’d roam around in the rain looking for service, was he? Maybe not on foot, but by car he sure was.
A short while later he got a signal on a particularly high part of the highway. The quality of the call was lousy but it was better than nothing. He pulled over, narrowly avoiding a grey Audi going well over the eighty kilometres an hour speed limit. He had to pay better attention.
His sister answered on the fourth ring.
“Daph, am I a womanizer?
“Cam? Are you drunk?”
“Of course not. It’s two o’clock in the afternoon. I just need to know. Do you think I take advantage of women?”
“Sweet honourable. Aren’t you in the wilds of Canada? Have you been taking stock of your life?”
“Look, this call is costing me—no, make that your publishing house—a lot of money. Just tell me.”
“Campbell Scott, what’s gotten into you? Since when have you wanted my opinion of the women you’ve been associated with?”
“That wasn’t the question. But it’s an interesting train of thought. What about the women I’ve been with?”
“Well, they’re all easy. None of them have wanted a relationship. It’s all about sex, right? That’s your thing. Never settle down, thereby never get tangled up with a decent woman who might want more than a romp and roll.”
He was stunned. “Is that what you think?”
“No, that’s what you think.”
“It’s not. I’ve never said I didn’t want a relationship. What about Maureen?”
“Exactly. That’s the last relationship you’ve had. For the past decade or so it’s been you going with the first woman who seems willing to toss her knickers at you, no strings attached. Unless it’s a g-string. But I don’t want to know.”
“So you think I’ve just come to expect that every woman wants to have sex with me?” When had he turned into that guy? When had he stopped being a nice guy?
“Well, according to my female friends, most of whom would give their left tit to have sex with you, yes. Cam, look. You’re my big brother. I love you. But you exude a vibe that says, ‘I’m here for a good time, not a long time’, as the song goes.”
“I see.”
“So what’s prompted this?”
After giving her the story in a nutshell, with several interjections of “You idiot,” and “You never!”, as well as one “If I were there right now I’d slap you senseless,” he waited to see what she had to say next.
“Now you’re calling me because you want to know how to fix it?”
“No. I can fix it. I just wanted to know if...” He appreciated his sister’s candour, but sometimes he wished she’d stop and let others talk. When Daphne got going, it was hard to get a word in edge-wise.
“You want me to help you fix it. Because she’s a normal woman, and the only women you understand are the ones who are the female version of you. But I’m only going to help you if you know the answer to this question.”
“Daph, this is no time for games.”
“Oh, I’m not playing. This is the first time you’ve ever really asked for my opinion in this category. And while I don’t know this woman, I’m not going to help you hurt her. So my question is this: Are you just attracted to her because she’s a sexual challenge, or is there more to it?”
He thought about it.
“Well?”
“I’m thinking, damn it,” he growled.
“Well, you think about it. And if the answer surprises you, then you’ll know to call me back. Love you! Now stop wasting our money. Next time, email me.”
The line went dead.
——
Elsie had locked herself in her room and did something she hadn’t done in a very long time. She buried her head in her fluffiest feather pillow and screamed in frustration. Coming up for a quick breath of air she did it again. And once more, just because it felt good. If there was one thing to be happy about, it was that she hadn’t given in and kissed him. But that was also something worth screaming about. Leave it to her to find herself attracted to an insensitive, boorish sexpot. This was why she was single. Her taste in men was atrocious. At least this time she had the good sense to stop herself before doing anything she’d seriously regret.
Up until now, her biggest regret was wasting so much time even thinking about him. The past day she’d let things slide. She hadn’t checked any of her emails, or inspected the rooms for a couple of new guests arriving later today. The only real bit of work she’d done around the inn since seeing Campbell Scott at the door was wasted on him. All the effort to do up Will’s cottage. Going out of her way to make a pot of soup that would stick to the ribs of a cold, hungry man who’d spent the morning outside. Creating posters and making plans for a talk that probably no one would care about. Really, birds? Who gave a shit about birds?
She grabbed her iPad and started sorting through her mail. And groaned. As if the day couldn’t get any worse.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
hi luv,
thinking i need a holiday. could use a cuddle. see you thurs.
ash
What now? She googled Asher Corbin. Sure enough, he was in the news again. She tried not to keep up on celebrity gossip so the headlines came as a bit of a shock.
ASHER CORBIN WEDDING WOES
CORBIN LEFT AT ALTAR BY TOP MODEL
“LOVE GONE WRONG”: NINA LEAVES ASHER MOMENTS BEFORE WEDDING
The last article was the shortest so she decided that was the best one to read.
“LOVE GONE WRONG”: NINA LEAVES ASHER MOMENTS BEFORE WEDDING
Just two weeks after their first public appearance as a couple, it seems rocker Asher Corbin is now living the lyrics of his first hit, “Love gone wrong.” Sources say he and recent Top Model winner Nina Reade were in Mexico where they were to be secretly wed when she discovered Corbin has been having a three year affair. Who the lady in question is remains unknown.
Elsie paled, and it had nothing to do with Asher’s near-marriage. Three year affair! She knew how the media worked. They’d keep digging until they sniffed her out. She read a few more headlines.
ASHER’S MYSTERY WOMAN: SOURCES SAY SHE’S ASHER’S TRUE LOVE
HUNT ON FOR SECRET LOVER
She tapped back to his email. See you Thursday. Today was Thursday. This couldn’t be happening. First Cam, and now Asher. She didn’t want to deal with either of them, and she definitely didn’t want them both here. Was it too late to go on vacation?
The phone interrupted her panic.
“Hello?”
“Elsie,” Ida bellowed into the receiver. “Someone here for a room. No reservation. What do you want me to do?”
She dashed to the window. Sure enough, there was an Audi parked outside. Asher always rented Audis.
“I know, Ida. Give him the keys to the Governor’s Suite. I’ll take care of it.”
Taking a deep breath, she left her room. Time to face the musician.
——
“Asher! Put your clothes on.” She hadn’t expected to find him sprawled out on the bed, naked. The man worked fast. “Aren’t you supposed to be heart broken or something?”
He looked at her with
sad blue eyes. “I am, Elsie. I’m crushed.”
“Then why are you naked?” She tried to keep her voice down but she was feeling hysterical.
Asher looked at her as if she were the odd one. “I told you I was coming for a cuddle.”
“Well, newsflash, Ash. You can cuddle with your clothing on. Really. It’s true. I know it’s hard to believe, but thousands...millions of people do it every day.”
She tossed a white terry robe at him. “I refuse to talk to you until you cover up.”
“So no cuddle?”
“Not until I get the whole story, no,” she said from across the room, well out of arm’s reach. She knew from experience that Asher had no shame, and wouldn’t think twice of chasing her around the room.
“Well, I was caught up in the romance, you know. And so I thought we should get married. So off we went, me and Nina, to this nice little spot near Cozumel.” He looked around the room. “Not as classy as this place, but well, I didn’t think you’d appreciate me getting married here.”
Am I an idiot magnet? Is that what my problem is?
“Thanks for that,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“So here I was, trying to be open with her. No point going into a marriage full of lies, is there? And when she asked if she was the only woman I’d ever taken to Mexico, I couldn’t lie.”
“You could have,” Elsie said. “Really, you could have.”
“No. I had to tell her about Anna.”
“Anna?” A cold chill crept down Elsie’s back. Not me? Anna? She gulped. “Who’s Anna?” Do I want to know?
“Have I never told you about Anna?” He looked genuinely surprised. “I met her not long after Julia dumped me. Remember that? She left me right here in this room.”
“Hard for me to forget, since she left you because she found us in that bed.” Not one of her better moments. In fact, every moment with Asher was not one of her better moments. What had she been thinking these past three years? Elsie’s brain was trying to process this new information.
He laughed. “Yea, that was a bit of foul luck, wasn’t it? But I might not have met Anna if Julia had come back to London with me.”
“So you’ve been seeing her—Anna—since then?”
“As often as I could. She’s married, you know. And it would have been a bad scene if her husband found out. Can you keep a secret?”
She stared at him incredulously. “What do you think?”
“I know. That’s what so great about you. You’re like a rock, Els. I can tell you anything and you don’t get upset. There aren’t many women around like you, luv.” He was lying on the bed on his stomach, his hands propping up his face. For all the world, he looked like a boy. A sweet, misguided, stupid, horny, dimwitted boy. “You take me as I am, flaws and all. Kiss me, mend me and get me back on my feet. Oh. Hold on. That’s a great lyric. Let me write it down.” He leapt up, rummaged through his pants pocket, fished out a marker and scribbled on his arm.
“Ash. Anna?”
“Right, well, she was just a common girl from up Manchester way, and somehow hooked on to the Earl of Southcott. Old family. Royal connections. She’s got it made. He’s an old bloke. If anyone found out about us, he’d have her out in a second.”
Oddly, Elsie wasn’t surprised. Of course he’d been with plenty of women besides her. It was one of the reasons she’d stopped reading celebrity magazines. She didn’t need to know. But there was something discouraging about knowing there were others just like her. She felt a little sick. But not shocked. It was like having your worst fear confirmed. She really was nothing more than one of many groupies.
“Why are you here, Ash?”
He looked at her quizzically. “What do you mean? I always come to you when I need cheering. You’re my Heart’s Ease girl.”
I’m really going to throw up, she thought.
“I was keeping it a surprise, but there’s a song about you on my new album. Heart’s Ease. Let me get my guitar.”
“No!” She almost screamed. She had to get out of this room. “I mean, not now.”
“I know. You’ve got work to do, and appearances to keep up. Don’t worry. I have no plans of coming out of this room today. Not that I think any paparazzi followed me here, but you never know, do you? You just come back when you get a chance. I’ll be here.”
She sighed. “Just keep your clothes on, Asher. We’ll talk in a while. I have to go.”
“Don’t I get a kiss first? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”
“I have to go. I’ll be back later.” She did her best not to slam the door. She was going to have to start a new list: ‘Most Stomach-churning Moments’. Too bad the top two had both happened today.
——
There was no point hiding in her room like a child. She was a grown woman. She’d just have to deal with these men the best she could, and then hope to God neither of them ever decided on a return visit. It was a good thing she had no romantic ties to anyone local. It would have been too much like a bad joke: An Englishman, a Scotsman, and a Newfoundlander walk into a bar—inn—same difference.
The rain had let up, and she found her mother in the greenhouse picking herbs.
“What are you and Dad cooking up tonight?”
Elsie was lucky to have her parents around. They took turns cooking, leaving Elsie free to do her thing. Although she knew her way around the kitchen, her mother and father were far better cooks than she was. It was an inside joke to refer to them as “the chef”. Everything they cooked was a twist on something they’d found on the internet.
“Nothing fancy. Tomato poached cod stew. You left some mess in the kitchen this afternoon. In too much of a hurry to clean up, were you?”
Elsie couldn’t help but grin. Leave it to her mother to put her in her place.
“Sorry. Had to make a late lunch for one of the guests.”
“Would that be the handsome one you gutted your brother’s cabin for?”
Elsie blushed. “Yea.”
“So what’s happening there then?”
“Nothing.” Don’t sound so defensive! She’ll know.
“Very good. Probably best, since I noticed Asher Corbin just arrived.”
Elsie froze. “What are you talkin’ about, mudder?” It wasn’t often Elsie let her speech slip back into the dialect she’d worked hard to correct.
“Me. Nothing at all, girl. I just happen to be here as often as you are, and pay attention to the news more than you do. But I’m as blind as a bat. Me and your father. Real simpletons. Have no clue what our daughter might be doing.”
“Was doing,” Elsie corrected, sitting on an overturned pail. “I thought I was discreet.”
“Oh, you are. But darling, no matter how old you get, you can’t fool your old mother. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”
“So, what do you think?”
“I think you can do better than Asher Corbin.”
“I know. It was all simple in the beginning. And now it’s tangly to get out.”
“You’ll work it all out. And you should work it out soon. Because I also think better might be staying in a little cottage down the hill.” She wiped her hands on a rag.
Elsie snorted. “I wouldn’t go that far. I made the mistake of getting involved with one man I met here. I don’t intend to do it a second time.”
“Well, you know I don’t try and meddle in your life. There’s no point, really, because you’re as headstrong as I am. But if you’ll allow me to say this, just once, I’ll mind my own business afterward.”
Her mother pulled up a pail and sat next to Elsie. “I’m very proud of everything you’ve accomplished. And I’m glad I get to see you every day of my life. I thought when you went away to university that we’d never see you again. Instead, you took everything you learned and created this amazing, successful business.” She took hold of her daughter’s hand. “Everyone in Heart’s Ease is proud of what you’ve done here. But at the end
of the day, when me and Dad go home, and your guests go to their rooms, you’re alone. Now maybe you like it that way right now. But will you in a few years from now?”
Elsie looked down at her mother’s hand, entwined in hers. It was full of wrinkles. When had that happened? Her Mom still looked young, but her hands told another story.
“We all make choices, Elsie. And sometimes one choice makes another impossible. But there’s nothing standing in your way. You can have all of this, and still make room for someone in your life.”
“But where am I supposed to meet someone?” There was a tremor in her voice. “There’s no one here, and the only new people I meet are customers. I can’t... I won’t use this place as a means to meet men. It just seems bordello like.”
Her mother’s laughter rang out like a bell. “Bordello! Hardly. Is that your problem? Darling, if you were throwing yourself at every good looking man that walked through the door, or offering your guests a special night-time turn down service, then maybe. But you’re only human. All I’m saying is don’t judge yourself too harshly. And don’t create problems where none exist.”
“What is it with people laughing at me today when I’m trying to be honest,” Elsie fumed.
“Now, now. Don’t get your pee hot. I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at the idea of this place being a bordello.” She reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind Elsie’s ear. “You’re a little on edge, Elsie. You normally don’t take things this personally.”