The Maverick Millionaire

by Alison Roberts

  ‘Well...of course you did. They would have destroyed any privacy you could have had for the foreseeable future. You were protecting her.’

  ‘That’s what I thought. But what it’s really done is destroy the trust that was there. And that’s what matters most, isn’t it? It’s what’s gone wrong between us, too.’

  The silence was heavier this time. He could imagine Ben closing his eyes or starting to pace as he tried to figure out what to say to that.

  ‘I understand that’s why you lied about Mom,’ Jake said quietly. ‘To protect me. And it’s okay. I get that and...and I still love you, man. It’s why I knew you’d understand. Why you can help me out here.’

  ‘It’s not that simple.’ The words were almost a sigh. ‘I wasn’t lying to protect you. I was trying to protect myself, I guess. I was...hiding—like you accused me of doing—and...I can’t do that any more. I’ve...’ He sounded choked now. ‘I’ve learned something today. Something huge...and—’

  Again Jake interrupted his brother. ‘I don’t understand. How were you trying to protect yourself?’

  He didn’t try and fill the silence this time. He simply waited it out.

  ‘It was my fault.’

  The incredulous huff came out almost like a snort of laughter. ‘Are you kidding me?’

  ‘You weren’t there, Jake. You were in hospital, remember? And I was in jail for the night.’

  ‘The car conversion incident. Of course I remember.’ Jake couldn’t help a wry smile. ‘A highlight in the disreputable adolescence of the wild Logan boys.’

  ‘Things were bad at home when I got out. Mom had a black eye and she was hysterical. She kept crying. Telling me how sorry she was. Telling me I had to look after you.’

  ‘Sounds like Mom.’ That sadness was never going to go away completely. Jake sighed. ‘Was Dad responsible for the black eye or did she get drunk and fall over?’

  ‘I’m pretty sure it was Dad.’

  ‘Bastard.’

  ‘You said it.’

  ‘Even so, Mom was being a drama queen. That’s the way she always reacted to stuff.’

  ‘No. She was telling me she was going to kill herself. I could have done something, Jake, and I didn’t. And I was too ashamed to tell anyone. That’s why the coroner ruled it had been an accidental overdose. Because I was hiding and not telling the truth.

  The expletive Jake used dismissed any credence the statement had.

  ‘You were fourteen. A kid. Even if it was a cry for help, she couldn’t have expected you to recognise it, let alone know what to do about it.’

  ‘You don’t...blame me, then?’

  ‘The only thing I’d blame you for is hiding it from me. Not telling me right from the start.’

  ‘You were so gutted. I couldn’t make it worse. I...love you, too, bro.’

  Jake wished he was close enough to give Ben a hug. ‘And let’s agree to leave the bad stuff behind, okay? No more thinking the past is going to shape the future. We might be Charles Logan’s sons but we’re nothing like him. You were wrong when you said that happy endings only belong in one of my movies. They can happen for real.’

  ‘I know.’ Ben sounded choked up. Good grief...was that a sniffle Jake heard?

  ‘No more hiding,’ he ordered, trying to keep his tone light. ‘Put the truth out there and live with it. The people who love you will understand.’

  ‘You’re right.’ Yep. Ben certainly sounded more emotional than Jake had ever heard him sound. ‘I’ve done that, Jake. With Mary—the woman I’ll love till the day I die. You’re not going to believe this but...I’m getting married. Not only getting married but I’m going to be a father.’

  ‘Holy heck...’

  ‘I can do it. Love. Family. The whole shebang. So can you. Get the truth out there and see what happens. Trust.’

  * * *

  The truth?

  The truth was that Jake loved Ellie and didn’t want to spend another minute without her in his life if it could be helped.

  There was still the small problem of finding a way to tell her.

  Of even getting her to agree to see him. He might not be responsible for the way her trust in men had been shattered in the past but he’d still have to pick up those pieces as well as the contribution he’d made.

  The route from the hotel gymnasium to his room took Jake past the reception desk and a souvenir shop, the window of which had a display of cute, fluffy, soft toy kiwis.

  Jake stopped in his tracks, staring through the window.

  Then he pulled out his phone and hit a number on his speed dial.

  ‘Kirsty? How’s it going in Queenstown? You having a good break?’ He listened for only a moment. ‘Can you do me a big favour? As soon as you hang up, text me the number for the woman who runs the bird-rearing centre we took the baby kiwi to. Jillian? I need to talk to her.’

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  FOR A MOMENT Jillian hesitated before dialling the number she needed.

  Was she doing the right thing—interfering in her friend’s life like this? Jake had been very convincing, of course, but wasn’t that part of why Ellie didn’t believe she could trust him anymore—because he was capable of making people believe whatever he wanted them to believe?

  No. It wasn’t just that she was prepared to believe the best of people. Or that she didn’t have the kind of tragedies and disappointments that Ellie had had in her life that made it harder for her to trust. This was a time when the wisdom of years counted. When you could see the big picture and more than a glimmer of hope that someone you loved so much might be able to find the happiness she deserved.

  Waiting for the call to be answered, Jillian deliberately put a big smile on her face so that her voice wouldn’t give away the secret she’d been keeping for days now. She’d be able to sound no more than excited.

  ‘Ellie...I’ve got news.’

  ‘Hi, Jill. Is it good news?’

  ‘Sure is.’ Jillian’s smile widened. ‘I’ve managed to track down the new owners of Half Moon Island. And we’ve got permission to release Pēpe there.’

  ‘Oh...that’s fantastic news. When?’

  ‘As soon as it can be arranged. I’m onto it...but...’ Jillian took a deep breath. ‘Hang onto your hat, hon. That’s not all.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘The new owners are really excited by the idea. So excited they’re planning to turn Half Moon into an official bird sanctuary.’

  She could hear Ellie’s gasp. ‘Have they got any idea how much that would cost?’

  ‘I get the impression they’re not short of funds. What they are short of, though, is expertise. They need to find someone who could set it up and keep it running. I said I might know someone who could be interested.’

  There was a stunned silence on the other end of the line. And then Ellie’s voice was no more than a whisper.

  ‘You mean me...? Oh, Jill...That might be exactly what I need in my life right now.’ Her voice grew stronger. ‘Have you met the owners? Who are they? What are they like?’

  ‘You can find out for yourself. I suggested that we meet for a drink. They’re pretty busy, but are you free late on Thursday night? Say nine p.m.? I’m thinking somewhere local for you. One of those gorgeous little café bars in Devonport?’

  ‘I’m free. Of course I’m free. Oh...I can’t believe this is happening. Am I dreaming?’

  Jillian laughed. ‘No. You’re not dreaming and neither am I but— I’ve got to go, hon. I think we’ve got a new arrival coming in. See you Thursday.’

  Ending the call, Jillian looked through the window of her quiet office into an equally quiet area outside. Nobody was arriving, but she hadn’t been sure how much longer she could keep the lid on her secret.

  She closed her eyes. Her part was over.

  It was up to Jake now.

  And Ellie could still make her own choices. It wasn’t really interfering, was it?

  Just helping.

  * * *

&
nbsp; The timing was perfect.

  Ellie had been dreading Thursday night ever since that invitation had arrived in the mail a few days ago.

  An invitation to a private screening of the first cut of Jake’s movie. There was still a lot of work to do, but the production crew was ready to get a feel for the whole movie and not just sections, and they wanted a big screen so they’d hired a small theatre. The venue was top secret so that there was no chance of anyone from the media sneaking in or someone trying to pirate the footage. Anyone who wanted to attend would have to ring Kirsty on the day to find out the location and time.

  Ellie had been circling the problem, torn between a longing to see Jake again—even if it was only on a big screen—and not wanting to take such a huge step backwards in the programme of ‘getting over Jake.’

  Now she didn’t have to fight the battle. Meeting the new owners of Half Moon Island and discussing what could be an entirely new future for herself was not only the sensible thing to do—it was the first time since things had ended with Jake that Ellie was feeling hopeful that life could still be good.

  What did you wear to a meeting that might be such a huge turning point in life? Someone who was serious about bird conservation and was prepared to live in isolation on a tiny island wouldn’t be interested in dressing up to the nines and they were only meeting in a casual bar, but Ellie still wanted to present herself well.

  She’d lost weight recently so her jeans looked pretty good, especially since it was cool enough in the evenings now to tuck them into long boots. Something for warmth was needed over her pretty top but when Ellie pulled out her favourite long shawl cardigan, she had to fight back sudden tears.

  This was the cardigan she’d worn on that first night on set. When she’d gone for that walk on the beach with Jake and he’d shared secrets with her because he trusted her.

  The night he’d kissed her and she’d known there was no point in trying to deny that she was in love with him.

  The soft wool felt warm and comforting as she buried her face in it. Could she bear to wear it again? This might be the real test. If she could wear an item of clothing that almost had the smell of Jake on it and still step forward into a new future she would know that everything would be all right. That she could survive.

  By the time she’d stepped off this particular ride on her emotional roller-coaster, Ellie was running late. With no time to braid her hair, she simply brushed it, grabbed her bag and headed out to meet Jillian. At least the meeting point was within easy walking distance.

  ‘Which bar are we going to?’ she asked, having greeted her friend.

  ‘Come with me. It’s not far.’

  Ellie knew this area like the back of her hand, but she had no idea where they were going as Jillian ducked down a side street, into a driveway and past a row of rubbish bins to a very unassuming wooden doorway. Oddly, a man who looked like a bouncer was standing outside. Even more oddly, he gave Jillian a nod and opened the door that led into a long, narrow and very dark corridor.

  ‘Where on earth are you taking me?’

  ‘Shhh...’ Jillian held a warning finger against her lips and Ellie was startled enough to fall silent.

  And then she heard them. Voices. And one of those voices was someone she knew so well that the sound entered every cell in her body and took her breath away.

  Jake’s voice. So loud and clear it could only be a recording.

  She would have stopped in her tracks. Turned around and fled even, but Jillian was blocking any escape route. Urging her forward. And suddenly Ellie found herself in the back of the small theatre, having come through a curtain screening one of the emergency exits.

  And now she couldn’t have moved even if Jillian had tried to force her. The screen was huge and it was filled with Jake’s face. The room was resonating to the sound of his voice. It was the first time Ellie had seen him on a big screen and the effect was totally overwhelming. She shrank back into the folds of the curtain, trying desperately to get a grip on such a larger-than-life experience. To cope with the wash of such an overwhelming rush of emotion.

  The comfortable, plush seats of the theatre were full of people, but they were all riveted by what was happening on screen. Apparently nobody had seen Jillian and Ellie sneak in and while she was appalled at how her evening had been hijacked, there was nothing she could do for the moment. And they were standing near the back. It would be possible to slip out before the lights came back on and nobody would even have to know she’d been here. It wouldn’t be for very long either, because they’d come in quite close to the end.

  Jake was busy saving Amber. How had they managed to get such good close-up footage of him making the dangerous jump off the ship into the sea with Amber in his arms, without revealing that it was a stunt double he was carrying?

  Watching him walk out of the surf with those wet clothes clinging to his body was almost too much. Ellie’s hands clutched a fold of the velvet curtain beside her and crushed it into her palm.

  The cardigan wasn’t the real test of her resolve, was it? Not even close. This was going to be the real test. Having to listen to Jake say those lines again. The lines he’d deceived her with. Ellie steeled herself and willed them to happen because they would hurt all over again and they’d make her angry and get rid of any doubts she might be harbouring that she’d done the right thing in walking away.

  And it was so much clearer. Not just bigger. The cameras had gone in for a very close shot as Jake was speaking and it was a perspective that she couldn’t possibly have had, seeing it in real life.

  Dear Lord...she actually got to see the very pores of his skin and every minute twitch of muscles as he spoke the lines. To see right into his eyes. Those beautiful, dark gray eyes.

  Except...something felt wrong.

  Ellie had the curious sensation that her body was simply vanishing as she concentrated so hard on the screen, trying to figure out what was so discordant between what she was registering on screen and what was happening in her head. It was almost as if she was floating...getting closer and closer to the screen and those enormous eyes.

  And then, with a blinding thump, well after the lines had finished and the scene was racing forward as Jake stepped through the portal and back to real time, she realised exactly what it was.

  What was missing.

  Jake’s eyes hadn’t looked anything like that when he’d said those words to her. They’d been so much more...alive.

  Genuine?

  Ellie was gripping the curtain again, but this time it was to help her stay on her feet because the realisation was enough to make her feel dizzy.

  Okay...the lines were part of a script and Jake had rehearsed them enough to have them well tucked into his memory so that he could produce them perfectly on screen.

  But he had been acting when he’d used those lines in the movie.

  He hadn’t been acting when he’d said them to her. He’d meant every single word.

  He could see his future in her eyes.

  And he had been scared.

  And what had she done when he’d made himself so vulnerable? She’d hit back and thrown everything away.

  Any thoughts of escaping before Jake could see that she was here drained away. This might be the last chance she ever had to say something to the man she had loved and lost.

  Still loved.

  The very least she could try and do was to apologise. She owed it to Jake to let him know that he hadn’t deserved the way she had treated him. Not that she would expect a mere apology to put things right but surely it would be better for both of them to make at least a kind of peace with which to move forward?

  * * *

  She was here.

  He’d seen the two women slip in through the emergency exit because he’d been watching for it. He’d barely focused on the majority of the movie until then. It was even harder to try now.

  Despite the darkness of the theatre, there had been more than enough light coming f
rom the screen to reveal that Ellie’s hair was flowing loose and Jake’s hands itched to bury themselves in that cascade of silk again. And she was wearing that cardigan. The one she’d worn that evening when they’d paddled in the sea. When he’d known he was with someone he felt totally safe with.

  But if focusing on the movie was hard then, he knew it would be nothing compared to having to watch that scene. He would never be able to watch that without cringing. It was all too easy to put himself in Ellie’s place and imagine how she must have felt, learning that his apparently heartfelt declaration had been nothing more than rehearsed lines.

  It was so hard not to turn his head again, but if Ellie knew that he knew she was here, she might simply vanish again and he wouldn’t have the chance to say what he wanted to say so much. He could only hope that she wouldn’t see all this as being stage-managed. Fake. That maybe she would understand that desperate times called for desperate measures.

  The clapping and cheering of all the people still involved with the movie, or staying on in New Zealand to have a holiday, faded as the massive curtains settled back into place in front of the screen and Steve stepped up onto the stage to say how happy he was with the way the movie had come together and thank everyone for all their hard work.

  ‘Drinks and supper will be served in a few minutes,’ he finished, ‘but I know you’re all waiting to hear a few words from the star of the show. So here’s Jake...’

  He’d never been this nervous giving a speech in public. His heart had never thumped this hard or his mouth been this dry. Jake didn’t dare look to see if Ellie was still there, shrouded by the curtain. Not yet anyway.

  ‘Obviously, I want to echo Steve’s thanks to you all,’ he began. ‘It’s not only a great movie but I’ve had the best time of my life making it. Acting’s the best job in the world because—for a while—you get to play—to live the fantasies that most people can only dream about.’

  He swallowed hard. ‘Maybe the lines between reality and fantasy get a bit blurred now and then, but I want you to know that I know what’s real.’ He took a deep breath and allowed his head to turn slowly until he was looking straight at Ellie.