“How am I supposed to do that when you can’t let go of it?”
Her father’s gaze narrowed in on her. “There’s more going on here, isn’t there?”
“No.” She realized that she’d said it too quickly. She’d never been capable of subterfuge and her brother never let her forget it.
“Whatever you’re up to, daughter, I want it stopped. Now!” Her father so rarely raised his voice that when he did, he meant business.
“Is there a problem here?” Grayson’s voice came from behind her.
She’d been so caught up in her heated conversation with her father that she hadn’t even heard Grayson’s footsteps on the gravel of the roadway. But she should have known that he wouldn’t be far behind. He’d said he’d be keeping a close eye on her.
Her father didn’t make any motion to acknowledge Grayson. Instead he continued to stare at her, bullying her into doing as he commanded. And as much as she loved him, she just couldn’t abide by his wishes anymore. Their family was falling apart under the strain of what had happened to their mother. She could no longer bear the mystery, the silence, the not knowing. Someone had to do something and it looked like it was going to be her.
“Poppa, I’d like you to meet Mr. Grayson Landers. He has just bought the last property in the South Shore piazza.”
The two men shook hands. All the while her father eyed up Grayson. She wasn’t sure what was going through her father’s mind, but she’d hazard a guess that it wasn’t good.
Now was her chance to make her move. “Poppa, now that I’ve concluded the South Shore Project on my own, surely you must recognize that was quite an accomplishment.”
Her father’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Yes, you’re right. You did a very good job. I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner. As you know, I had other matters on my mind.”
“I understand.” So far, so good. “Now you have to accept that I can take care of myself. I’d like the security removed.”
“No.” There was a finality in his voice.
She’d heard that tone before and knew that arguing was pointless. When her father made up his mind, he didn’t change it—even when he was wrong. “One of these days you’ll have to let go of me.”
Her father turned to Grayson. “I see the way you look at my daughter and the way she looks at you. Make sure you take care of her.”
Without hesitation, Grayson said, “I will, sir. I promise.”
And then her father turned toward the palace, leaving them in the shadows as the sun set. Annabelle let out a sigh.
Grayson cleared his throat. “So that was your father?”
“The duke himself. I take it he wasn’t what you were expecting.”
“I guess I was just hoping that he would be warmer and friendlier than you’d portrayed.”
“He used to be...when my mother was alive. Her death changed us all.”
“I’m sorry.” And then Grayson drew her into his strong arms. She should probably resist, but right now the thought of being wrapped in his embrace was far too tempting.
The best thing she could do was give her father time to disappear to the study for his evening bourbon and then she would head inside. She was anxious to see if they could read the note yet.
* * *
Nothing was ever easy.
Grayson sighed. The initial treatment with the note hadn’t worked. Some more research on the internet had them searching for yet another chemical. But it was harder to locate and required a trip into the city. Annabelle had insisted on driving. She’d said it calmed her down when she was worked up. And so with her security in the vehicle behind them, they made yet another jaunt into the city.
This trip had been short and to the point. There had been no time for a walk around the South Shore or a stroll through the picturesque university campus. There hadn’t even been a few minutes for some ice cream on this warm day. No, today they both wanted to solve this latest clue.
Like the duke, Grayson was worried about Annabelle’s safety. If he could solve this mystery on his own, he would. But he didn’t know the island well enough in order to make sense of the clues—for that he needed Annabelle.
This application just had to work. Annabelle and her family deserved some answers. It wouldn’t bring back Annabelle’s mother, but it might give them all a little peace.
“Well, come on,” she said before she alighted from the car.
Grayson opened the car door and with the necessary supplies in hand, he called out, “Hey, wait for me.”
She did and then they headed inside. Annabelle agreed to retrieve the note from her hiding spot and meet him in his room. He had a feeling that the weathered paper wouldn’t hold up much longer so they had to get it right this time.
When the lock on his door snicked shut, he noticed how Annabelle fidgeted with the hem of her top. Was she nervous about being alone with him? Was she secretly hoping more would happen than revealing the contents of the note?
Maybe a little diversion would help them both relax. His gaze moved to Annabelle’s full, glossy lips. He took a step closer to her. What would it hurt to indulge their desires?
“Don’t even think about it.” And then a little softer, she said, “We don’t have time.”
Not exactly a rejection—more like a delay of the game. He smiled. He could work with that.
His gaze met hers. “There’s always time.”
She crossed her arms and arched a brow, letting him know that she meant business.
He sighed, thinking of the delicious moment they’d missed out on. But then he recalled the ball that evening and his mood buoyed. Soft music, Annabelle in his arms and the twinkling stars overhead. Oh, yeah. This was going to be a great night.
“You’re right.” He moved to the desk near the window. “Let’s get to work.”
While Annabelle peered over his shoulder, he applied the solution. All the while, he willed it to work.
At first, there was nothing and then there were the faintest letters. Together they worked, making out the wording of the note. Thankfully the person had used the same key, making decoding it quite simple.
“We did it!” Annabelle beamed.
“Yes, but what does ‘Placard. Two. Three.’ mean?”
The smile slipped from her face. “I have no idea.”
He studied the note making sure he hadn’t made a mistake. “What do you think we’ll find this time?”
When Annabelle didn’t respond, Grayson glanced up at her. Lines had formed between her brows and her lips were drawn down into a frown. Oh, no. There was a problem.
“Annabelle?” She didn’t respond as though lost in her thoughts. He cleared his throat and said a little louder, “Annabelle, did you remember something? Do you know what this note is referencing?”
This time her gaze met his and she shook her head. “I haven’t a clue.”
“But something’s bothering you.”
She glanced away. “It’s just the not knowing. It’s starting to get to me.”
Was that it? Or was she having second thoughts about unearthing the past? He needed to give her an out. “If you’ve changed your mind, we can put the note away and forget that we found it—”
“No. I can’t. My mother deserves better than that.”
But it wasn’t her mother he was worried about right now. “You have time to think about it. We can do whatever you want.” He consulted his wristwatch. “And now it’s time to get ready for the ball.”
“I’m not going.” She stated it as though it were nonnegotiable.
She might be stubborn, but he was even more so. “You have to.” When her gaze met his, he said, “You’re my date. And I’ve never been to a masquerade ball. Look,” he walked over to the bed and picked up his black mask, “I’m
all set to be your mystery man.”
That elicited a slight smile from her, but she was quiet. Too quiet.
“And you can be my seductive lady of intrigue,” he said, trying to get her to loosen up so she could enjoy the evening.”
“Intrigue, huh?”
He nodded, anxious to see her in the gown. He’d never bought clothes for a woman before. And now he wanted to see if his hard work had paid off. “You’d better hurry. You don’t want to be late for the ball.”
“But what about the note?”
He frowned. Maybe she needed a dose of reality. “You know how you accused your father of being all caught up in the past?” When she nodded, he added, “Well, you’re getting just as caught up in this note. It’s not healthy.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You don’t understand—”
“I do understand. Just remember who has stood by you through all of this. I want you to know the truth, but I also want you to realize that there’s more to life than that note, than the past. Tonight we go to the ball. And tomorrow we will work on solving the message. Agreed?”
She didn’t say anything.
“Annabelle?”
“Fine. Agreed.”
Knock. Knock.
When Annabelle opened the door, Mrs. Chambers stood there. Her silver hair was twisted and pinned up. Her expression was vacant, not allowing anyone to see her thoughts about finding Annabelle in Grayson’s room. Not that he cared what anyone thought.
The woman said, “Ma’am, I came to help you dress for the ball.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll wait for you in your room.” The woman turned and walked away.
Annabelle waited a moment before she said, “Do you think she overheard us talking about the note?”
He had absolutely no idea, but he knew that Annabelle was already stressed. “I don’t think we were loud enough for her to hear us through the door.” He moved to her side and brushed his fingers over her cheek. “Just give me tonight and I’ll give you my undivided attention tomorrow.”
She stepped closer. “Does that mean no laptop?”
He readily nodded, which was quite odd for him. Normally he felt most at ease when his fingers were flying over the keyboard typing code or answering emails. His hands wrapped around Annabelle’s waist. But tonight, his hands felt much better right here.
“No laptop.” He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
When he pulled back, her eyes were still closed. They fluttered open. The confusion about why he’d pulled away so quickly was reflected in them.
“There will be more of that later.” He had no doubts. “But first you need to change. It wouldn’t do for Cinderella to be late to the ball.”
“When you put it that way, you have a deal.” She lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Before he could pull her close again, she stepped out of his reach. A naughty smile lit up her face. “We have a ball to attend.”
He sighed. Suddenly the ball didn’t sound like that great an idea, but Annabelle was already out the door. He shook his head. This evening was going to be far more complicated than he ever imagined. Because there was more to those kisses than either of them was willing to admit.
And yet this evening was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. A ball attended by a king and a duke. And Grayson would have the most beautiful woman in his arms...all night long.
* * *
The answer could wait.
Now that the moment of truth was almost here, Annabelle wasn’t so sure she was doing the right thing. What if she learned something bad about her mother?
Annabelle’s stomach quivered with nerves. What exactly had her mother gotten herself mixed up in? Did her father secretly know? What if all this time he’d been trying to protect her mother’s memory? The thought sent a chill down Annabelle’s spine.
She scanned the party guests for her father. At last, she found him talking with one of the village elders. He had come alone to the ball and she knew that he would leave alone too. She did not want to end up like him.
Now wasn’t the best time to speak to her father, but she couldn’t stand the tug of war going on within herself. She had to know.
She made her way over to him. “Good evening, Poppa.”
“Hello, daughter. Shouldn’t you be with your date?”
Her stomach churned. She was in no mood to make polite chitchat. The best way to end her agony was just to get it out there. “Do you know why Momma was murdered?”
Instantly the color drained from her father’s face. “Annabelle, what’s the meaning of this?”
“You said you didn’t think she died as a result of a mugging, but do you know what did happen?” And then a thought popped into her mind and she uttered it before her brain could process the implications. “Are you afraid that she did something wrong and it got her killed?”
The color came rushing back to her father’s face. His voice came out in hushed tones but there was no mistaking the fury behind each word. “Annabelle, I will not stand for you speaking to me like this. I’ve done nothing to warrant such hostility and suspicion.”
He was right. She’d let her imagination get the best of her. “I’m sorry, Poppa. It’s the not knowing. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Do you honestly think your mother would have done anything to hurt our family? She loved us with every fiber of her being.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I miss her so much.”
“I miss her too.”
“She would have been proud of the young woman you’ve grown into.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Talking about Momma. You never want to talk of her and it hurts because I miss her too. And talking about her keeps those memories alive for me.”
Her father cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I failed you in that regard. I will try to do better.”
“And I’m sorry my questions hurt you.”
They hugged and Annabelle accepted that was the best she could hope for from her father tonight. She decided to go in search of her dashing escort. She didn’t care how many balls she attended, they were all magical. But this evening was extra special thanks to Grayson.
Tonight, she would laugh, forget about her problems and kick up her heels. Grayson would make sure of it. And tomorrow, her feet would land back in reality. But tomorrow was a long way off.
Her gaze sought out Grayson, who looked so handsome in his black tux. She was in absolutely no hurry for the sun to rise on a new day because she had a gut feeling that tomorrow would bring her those long-sought-after answers. And she had absolutely no idea if those answers would be good or bad.
“Here you go.” Grayson stepped up to her and held out a glass of bubbly. When she accepted it, he held up his glass to make a toast. “Here’s to the most beautiful woman at the ball.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks as she smiled. The truth of the matter was that she felt a bit overdone. The king had sent along a tiara for her to wear. As far as tiaras went, at least it wasn’t big and showy, but it just felt like too much.
“Thank you for the kind words.”
“They aren’t just words. I mean them.” He leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips.
He pulled back before she was ready for him to go. A dreamy sigh passed her lips. If only...
Thoughts of her gown and tiara slipped to the back of her mind. Her heart tap-danced in her chest as Grayson smiled at her. How had she gotten so lucky?
The evening took on a life of its own. She sipped at the bubbly. She talked with the guests. And then Grayson held out his hand to escort her onto the dance floor.
In his very capable arms, she glided arou
nd like she was on a cloud. She wasn’t even sure if her feet ever touched the ground. And her cheeks grew sore from all of the smiling. But she couldn’t stop. This was the most amazing evening and she didn’t want it to end...not ever.
Grayson stopped moving.
Annabelle sent him a worried look. “What’s the matter?”
“Look up.”
She tilted her chin upward. “I don’t see anything but darkness.”
“And...”
“And a star.” She smiled. “Are you making a wish upon that star?”
“Perhaps.”
Well, he wasn’t going to be the only one to make a wish. She closed her eyes and Grayson’s image filled her mind. There was something about him that she couldn’t resist. She wished...she wished...
And then his lips pressed to hers. Oh, yes, that’s what she wished.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE FAIRY TALE WAS winding to a close.
The ball was over, but Annabelle was not ready to lose all of her glittery goodness and turn back into a pumpkin. With Grayson by her side, the magic would continue long after the last song finished and the twinkle lights dimmed.
“What are you smiling about?” Grayson’s voice broke into her thoughts as they paused outside her bedroom.
“Nothing.” Annabelle continued to smile as she had all evening. She couldn’t help it. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this happy. And she didn’t have any intention of letting this evening end.
Grayson’s mouth lifted ever so slightly at the corners. “Oh, you have something on your mind.”
“How do you know? Do you read minds now?”
“No. But your eyes give you away.”
He was right. She did have something on her mind. And as delicious as the thought was, she wasn’t sure she should follow her desires. But then again, what was holding her back now?
The deal for the South Shore had been signed. If she didn’t act now, it’d be too late. Grayson would be leaving for California and she’d be left with nothing but regrets.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Tonight the moonlight and the sweet bubbly had cast a spell over her. She was falling for Grayson in a great big way.
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