Tess’s eyes smarted with tears. “You must think me ungrateful after everything you’ve done. I’m not.”
His gaze on her softened. “I know what you’re going through. I know how hard things are for you right now, and it puts a lot of things into perspective for me, too. Maybe it’s time we let bygones be bygones.”
“You mean that?”
He gave her a wry smile. “I’m working on it.” His gaze lingered on her for a moment, making Tess’s heart beat even harder, and then he glanced away. He walked around the modest office. “So this is your company. Eden’s Maid Brigade. I like the name.”
“My friend Melanie came up with it. Although we’re more than just a maid service,” she offered tentatively.
“You’ve got a nice space here.”
Tess glanced around, trying to see the office from his eyes. “It’s a far cry from the corporate headquarters of the Spencer Hotels Corporation, but it serves my purpose.”
Jared shrugged. “You’re right. There’s no comparison. I occupy an office I’ve been groomed for my whole life. You started your company from scratch. I have a board of directors that watches my every move, that pounces on my every mistake. You don’t have to answer to anyone but your clients. If you want to expand, if you want to renovate, you don’t have to file a dozen different prospectuses, and then try to sell your case to a group of stodgy old men who haven’t had an innovative idea between them in thirty years. You’ve done this all on your own, and you should be proud.”
Tess blushed at his praise. “Thanks, but I know how hard you’ve worked to get where you are.”
“Sometimes I wonder just where that is,” he murmured. He glanced back at her. “Tell me something, Tess. Why this particular line of work? I can’t help wondering.”
She grew defensive again. “There’s nothing wrong with what I do. My mother cleaned up after your family for a lot of years, if you’ll recall.”
“Yes,” Jared said. “And you always resented it.”
“Because she had no other choices. I do. I run this business on my own terms.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “Meaning you like to stick it to the rich folks on the north side of the lake?”
Tess started to retort, but then she saw the hint of amusement in his eyes. She said grudgingly, “I can see why you might think that, but the real reason I got into this business was because it was something I knew. I saw a need, and I filled it. I offer a valuable service at a fair price. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Nothing at all. It’s smart business,” Jared agreed. “You were always full of surprises.”
At the intimate tone in his voice, Tess cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I’m sure you didn’t drive all the way up here to discuss my business practices.”
“Actually, that’s precisely why I’m here. I came to offer you a business proposition.”
Tess glanced at him in surprise. “What kind of proposition?”
“I’ve bought back the lake house. The previous owners have already moved out, but I need someone to go in and clean the place up. I’m having furniture delivered on Thursday, and I can’t be there, so I’ll need someone present on that day to let the movers in.”
“Wow,” Tess said. “You don’t waste time, do you?”
He shrugged. “Not when it’s something I want, no. Actually, I closed on the place weeks ago.”
Before she’d gone to see him? Tess wondered. But why? Why did he want a house in Eden these days?
“At any rate, I’d like to hire your company to whip the place into shape for me. Are you interested?”
She frowned. “I’m not sure that would be such a good idea.”
“Why not? It’s a straightforward business proposal, the kind we both negotiate every day. Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”
Tess supposed she should be flattered that he was putting her on an equal footing, businessman to businesswoman. But working with Jared, spending time with him—it just wasn’t a good idea.
On the other hand, could she really afford to turn him down? After all, she owed him a great deal of money, and Tess didn’t like to be indebted to anyone, especially someone who could potentially have as much power over her as Jared could. “I’ll consider your proposition on one condition. The fee for my services will be applied against the money I owe you.”
“Tess—”
She stood up, as if to emphasize her point. “That’s the only way I’ll agree. Otherwise, you’ll have to find someone else.”
“All right, agreed,” he said in exasperation. He rose and held out his hand.
The moment his fingers closed over hers, Tess had an overwhelming feeling that her fate, along with their bargain, had just been sealed. “I’ll draw up the contracts and have them sent to your office,” she said nervously, slipping her hand from his.
He nodded. “Fair enough. How soon can you get started? I’ve promised my niece and nephew a trip to the lake as soon as possible.”
“I’ll go out there tomorrow and have a look around. Unless the place is a total wreck, I can probably have the cleaning done by the end of the week.”
“Fair enough. One other thing.” He pulled a credit card from the inner pocket of his jacket and plopped it on the desk. “I’ve opened up an account at Lawson’s Department Store here in town. I’ve put your name on the account, too, so that you can purchase all the basics—linens, dishes, pots and pans. Whatever you think I’ll need to start spending weekends at the house.”
Tess stared down at the credit card for a moment, then glanced back up at him. “But I don’t do that sort of thing. I’m not a personal shopper, much less a designer.”
Jared shrugged again. “If I wanted a designer, I’d hire one. I don’t. I want to keep things simple. I want the lake house to feel more like a home than a showplace. I want kids—my nephew and niece—to be able to run around inside, play and have a good time without worrying what they spill on the furniture. If they want to flop down on the sofa in wet swimsuits, then so be it.”
They must adore you, Tess thought. Aloud, she protested, “You’re asking too much of me. I can’t turn your house into a home. I can’t turn my whole schedule upside down just to accommodate you. If you don’t want a designer, then why don’t you just hire a personal shopper from Lawson’s to do all this for you?”
“Because I trust you,” he said softly. Then he gave her a challenging smile. “Think of it this way. I’m offering you a chance to branch out. This could become a whole new service. Assuming, of course, that I’ll be happy enough with your work to offer a recommendation.”
She snatched up the credit card from the desk and slipped it into her jeans pocket. “I can assure you, you’ll be quite pleased with my work. I’ve never once received a complaint. Now, if that’s all—”
“Just one more thing.”
“Let me guess,” Tess said dryly. “You want me to weed the flower beds and cut the grass for you, too.”
Jared grinned. “Actually, no. Nothing quite so physical. I’d like you to have lunch with me.”
Tess’s heart gave an uncomfortable jolt. “Uh, no, thank you. I have a lot of work to do. Especially now.”
“You have to eat sometime.”
“Then I’ll just grab a sandwich and eat at my desk.”
“Come on, Tess. It’s just a lunch between two people doing business together. Happens all the time.”
Yes, but they weren’t just two people doing business. They were two people who shared a past, who shared a daughter, and the more time they spent together, the harder it would be for Tess to keep that secret.
THE LUNCH CROWD spilled out onto the sidewalk tables at the Paradise Café, but thankfully most of them seemed to be waiting for take-out orders. Tess and Jared made their way through the line at the cash register and found a table by the windows, where they could look out on the street.
After the harried waitress had taken their orders for club sandwiches and drinks, Tess sai
d, “Don’t expect too much. The food is good here, but it’s hardly what you’re used to.”
Jared wondered if she would ever stop making comparisons between her life and his. “You know, Tess, I don’t exactly lead the glamorous life you seem to think I do. In New Orleans, I stayed in a suite at the Spencer, and as nice as the accommodations are, living in a hotel leaves a lot to be desired. No neighbors. No friends. Most nights I ended up ordering room service for dinner. It’s a pretty lonely existence.”
“Then why didn’t you get your own place?”
He shrugged. “I could have. But a home is more than just a place, and besides, it was easier to put in the kind of hours I needed to if I stayed on-site.”
She toyed with her teaspoon. “If you were so busy, it’s a wonder you had any time for a social life.”
For some reason, Jared didn’t think the comment was as innocent and casual as her offhand demeanor seemed to suggest. “Meaning?”
“Nothing.” She lifted her chin, a gesture that was both familiar and endearing, even though it had often led to Jared’s exasperation with her in the past. “I’m just surprised you had time for a serious relationship, that’s all.” When he didn’t comment, she said, “So…how did you meet her?”
“Meet who?”
“Your fiancée.”
“I told you the other day, I’m not engaged.”
“Then why—” She stopped herself short and glanced down.
“Why did that article in the paper say otherwise?” he asked softly.
She glanced up and nodded.
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know how it got in the paper, although I suspect my mother had something to do with it.”
A frown flitted across Tess’s forehead. “She did look like the type of woman your mother would approve of,” she murmured. “Elegant. Sophisticated.”
“My mother and I don’t always share the same opinion,” Jared said. “Nor do we have the same tastes.”
“So who is she?” Tess persisted.
“Her name is Lauren Mathison.”
“How did the two of you meet?”
“We met at the New Orleans Spencer.”
“She was staying there?” Tess laid aside the teaspoon and picked up her fork, studying it as though it were the most interesting utensil in the world.
Watching her, Jared wondered about her sudden interest in his private life. Was it just curiosity or something more? He wanted it to be more, he suddenly realized. He wanted her to have that same punch-in-the-gut feeling he had every time he thought about her husband. About the two of them together. He turned that thought away quickly.
“She was working on a photo shoot in the lobby,” he said almost curtly. “She’s a model.”
“A model?” Tess’s expression looked almost crestfallen. She smoothed back her hair. “I guess the food here in Eden may not be the only thing that doesn’t live up to your standards.”
“That’s not true,” he said softly. “You’re still a beautiful woman, Tess.”
She glanced up, her hazel eyes meeting his before glancing away. “I know what the last month has done to me, both inside and out.”
“Do you know what I see when I look at you, Tess? I see a woman in great pain. A woman who loves her daughter more than life itself.” He reached over and took her hand. “I see a woman who is still just as beautiful as the day I caught her skinny-dipping in my swimming pool.”
To Jared’s surprise, she didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, her fingers curled over his as her eyes shimmered with tears.
“WELL,” Tess said a little while later. “Thank you for lunch.”
They were standing on the street in front of her office, and although the sidewalk was virtually deserted, she had a feeling invisible eyes were watching them. This was a small town, after all, and people liked to talk. She could almost hear the gossip. Look at that Tess Campbell. Her little girl’s only been missing a month, and there she stands on the street corner, making eyes at some stranger.
Of course, what they didn’t know was that Jared was hardly a stranger. He was Emily’s father. He was the only person in the world who could truly share in Tess’s grief, and it hit her suddenly just what her secret had cost her. What it had cost Jared. He’d never gotten to know his daughter, and now he might never get the chance to.
As if sensing her turmoil, he put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. And then, before she had a chance to pull away, he bent and brushed his lips against hers.
“YOU WERE KISSING HIM! Right there on Main Street! The whole town probably saw you!”
Melanie’s attack caught Tess completely off guard, and it took her a moment to respond. “I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.”
“Oh, big difference!” Melanie snapped.
Tess had just come into the community center, and the two of them were alone. It was late, and Tess was exhausted. She’d worked until after six, organizing the night-shift assignments and the next day’s schedule, and by the time she’d finally gotten to the center, Melanie was the only one there. She’d been sitting behind a computer terminal, apparently absorbed in her work, but the moment she’d glanced up, Tess had known something was wrong.
Melanie’s face had an eerie, bluish cast in the light from the computer screen as she glared at Tess from across the room. Her eyes were almost electric. “How could you?”
Tess hardly knew what to say. She walked over and sat down beside Melanie. “It’s not what you think.”
“No?” Melanie turned off the computer screen and swung her wheelchair around to face Tess. “Then how is it? How was it you found yourself being kissed by Jared Spencer on Main Street, for the whole world to see, when you know as well as I do how dangerous he is?”
Tess pushed back her hair. “He’s not dangerous, Melanie. I was never afraid of Jared.”
“If you weren’t afraid of him, then why didn’t you go to him that night and tell him the truth about Royce? About the bracelet? About the baby?” Melanie demanded. “You may not have been afraid of him, but you sure as hell didn’t trust him. And with good reason. He was, and always will be, a Spencer.”
Tess glanced away, resisting the temptation to remind Melanie that she had begged Tess not to go to Jared that night. But Tess alone was responsible for her actions and her mistakes. She’d made her decision six years ago, and she’d had to live with it ever since. “Maybe I should have gone to him,” she said in a quiet, regretful tone. “If I had, maybe things would be different. Maybe he could have found a way to stop Royce. Maybe he would have married me, and Emily would be safe and sound instead of—” She broke off, putting a hand to her mouth to control the sudden rush of emotion.
Melanie just stared at her. “Please tell me you aren’t considering telling him the truth.”
Tess glanced away. “Sometimes I think he may already know.”
Melanie gasped. “About Emily? How could he know?”
Tess bit her lip. “It may be my imagination, but the other night when we were together, I sensed that he knew.”
“The other night?” Melanie’s gaze on her narrowed. “How often have you been seeing him?”
Tess lifted her chin, refusing to be put on the defensive. “He came by the night the police were there, when someone had been in the house. He stayed on for a while after they left because I didn’t want to be alone.”
“You could have called me or Joelle. Or Naomi. Why Jared?” Melanie asked sullenly. Her gaze on Tess grew accusing. “You’re still in love with him, aren’t you?”
Tess sighed. “I don’t know if it’s love. But we do have a connection. I can’t deny that.”
“Oh, God.” Melanie shifted her chair away from Tess. “I was afraid this would happen.”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore,” Tess said in confusion. “It was never fair to keep the truth from Jared. I knew that. But I did it because I was afraid of what Royce would do if h
e found out about the baby. But now, with Emily missing—”
Melanie whirled to face her. “How does that change anything?”
Tess shrugged helplessly. “He has a right to know.”
“He had a right to know six years ago, but that didn’t stop you from doing what you had to do to protect Emily. Look at me, Tess.” Melanie’s voice grew almost defiant, but there was also an underlying note of despair. “What do you think the last six years have been like for me? I always wanted to get married. I always wanted a family. What man would have me now?”
Tess’s heart went out to her friend. “Oh, Melanie. You’re still so beautiful. And you have so much to give. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
“Lucky to have a woman who can’t bear him children? There aren’t many who would share your sentiment,” she said bitterly.
“I wish things could have been different,” Tess said softly. “Maybe if I could have gotten help faster that night…”
Melanie shook her head. “You did everything you could do. I’m not blaming you. I’ve never blamed you. I’m glad you walked away. But—” She reached over and took Tess’s hand. “Don’t lose sight of why you left town. Why you never told Jared about Emily. Think back to that night, Tess. Remember how terrified you were. And with good reason. Royce Spencer would have killed you if he’d known about the baby. And there wouldn’t have been anything Jared, or anyone else, could have done about it. You did the right thing.”
“God, I hope so.”
“You’ve always been the strongest person I know, Tess, but you can’t let down your guard now. What if we find Emily? What if she comes back to us? Are you willing to take the chance that Jared can stop Royce from getting to her? That he’d even believe you over his own brother? Are you willing to risk your daughter’s life to salvage your own conscience?”
Tess put her hands to her face. “I just want her to come home.”
“I know you do,” Melanie said soothingly. “And that’s why you aren’t thinking clearly. But now is not the time to get careless. You still have to protect yourself.”
Melanie took both of Tess’s hands in hers. “You did the right thing by keeping silent. But if the truth comes out now, what do you think Royce would do? He’d be more dangerous than ever. And supposing Jared did believe you? What could either one of you prove? Nothing. Royce would get away scot-free, and then, in time, he’d come after you. He might even come after Jared, too. And neither one of you would see it coming.”
The Tempted Page 15