Kiss Me in the Rain (Destined for Love: Mansions)

by Lindzee Armstrong

  “I knew I made a mistake the second I got on that plane,” Tyler whispered. He lowered his head, eyes blazing brightly. “I’m here now, aren’t I? Even though it scares me to death, even though my parents tell me I’m insane every time we talk, I moved to South Carolina. Layla, I moved here for you.”

  Tears burned in Layla’s eyes. “I’ve been waiting five months to hear you say that.”

  Tyler smiled that crooked grin she adored. Slowly, he lowered his head to hers. Layla rose up on her tiptoes, her entire body trembling with anticipation. She slid one arm around Tyler’s neck as his eyes drifted closed. Her other hand trailed up his chest and her eyes fluttered close, but a flash of rainbows danced across her vision.

  She paused, her lips a hair’s breadth away from Tyler’s, and stared at the engagement ring.

  She could close that last inch and give herself over to Tyler. For months, she’d ached for this. Was she seriously considering pushing Tyler away?

  But if she kissed Tyler, how would she explain her continued engagement to Grant? What if Mr. Davenport found out and refused to invest in Cypress Grove? Daddy said there was a clause in their contract that would allow just that scenario.

  Layla blinked, and a tear rolled down her cheek. She placed a trembling finger on Tyler’s lips.

  His eyes fluttered open, the pupils dark and dilated.

  “I can’t,” she whispered.

  His expression abruptly cleared, as though he’d been doused with cold water. He took a step back, and her arms fell to her sides, so very empty.

  “Grant,” he said.

  She blinked, barely able to see through the blur of tears. “It’s so complicated.”

  He laughed, the bitter sound ripping through her soul. The patter of rain intensified, now heavy enough to reveal all the leaks in the veranda roof. A drop landed on Tyler’s head and slid down his temple. “It doesn’t have to be.”

  Would Mr. Davenport really find out if she told Tyler? Layla opened her mouth, ready to let the entire truth spill out, but fear closed off her vocal chords. She shook her head, more miserable than when Tyler had left her in Europe. That time had been entirely his fault, but this heartbreak was hers.

  Tyler pulled her forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’m here now, Layla. I chased you to South Carolina, but I can’t wait around forever while you marry another man.” He took a step back, eyes full of pain. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

  Layla clutched at the crumbling porch post as Tyler jogged to his car and drove away. Then she sank to the steps with a sob. He’d been right there, finally ready for a relationship.

  And she’d let him go.

  Layla sped down the rain-slicked roads. She’d been too busy crying to bother with raising the top on her convertible, and the leather seats were damp with rain. Tyler’s hurt expression kept dancing through her head. Was Cypress Grove really worth losing him?

  She shook her head, pressing the gas pedal a bit harder. It was unacceptable to consider giving up her family legacy—her home—for a boy. Even one she loved, who might love her back.

  “No,” Layla said aloud. “Those can’t be the only two options.”

  If someone really was embezzling from Cypress Grove, it might be the source of their money troubles. Catching the culprit and restoring the proper cash flow could be enough to get out of her relationship with Grant. How much was Mr. Davenport investing, anyway?

  She had to talk to Daddy.

  Layla pulled to a stop outside her home and crossed the backyard to the mansion. The ballroom teamed with employees preparing for tonight’s wedding. Layla ignored all of them and headed straight for her father’s office. The light was on and the door ajar. She let herself inside without knocking.

  Daddy looked up, surprise flashing across his face before he smiled. “Well, this is unexpected. I thought you’d be busy with tonight’s wedding.”

  Layla sank into a chair, determination making her brave. “There’s something we need to talk about, and it can’t wait.”

  “Okay.” Daddy’s voice was wary, but he crossed his arms over his stomach and gave her his full attention. “I’m listening.”

  Layla pressed trembling hands against her stomach then took a deep breath. “I think someone’s stealing money from Cypress Grove.”

  Daddy sat up abruptly, placing his palms on the desk to steady the bouncing chair. “Excuse me?”

  “Things aren’t adding up.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She should’ve thought this through and brought the evidence with her. “Withdrawals are being made for faulty items in the event ledgers.”

  “Explain.”

  His expression was unreadable, and a buzz of worry had her adrenaline spiking. “For the first event I worked last week, three ice sculptures were listed in the event ledger, but there were no sculptures at the reception. A withdrawal was made to an unknown account for the amount listed in the books, but there are no receipts to corroborate the purchase.”

  She watched his eyes for a spark of concern, fury, anything. But they stayed carefully blank. “And that’s the only mistake you’ve found?”

  Layla swallowed hard. “No. I’ve found mistakes in three events so far. I haven’t had time to go over more.”

  He nodded. “Anything else?”

  No surprise. No anger. Layla chewed on one lip. It was like he already knew.

  Stacia. This had to be why she’d been fired.

  “A work order was submitted for water damage in one of the second floor bathrooms. Three thousand dollars. But when Cosette and I went to look, we couldn’t find any damage. I even had an independent contractor verify it was fine.”

  Daddy’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed a finger to his lips. “We have maintenance staff on hand for a reason, Layla Jean. How much did that cost?”

  Layla flinched at the harsh words. “It was maintenance who submitted the order. It’s not like I could trust them to give me an honest evaluation.”

  “How much?”

  She folded her arms, cold fingers of unease making her spine prickle. “Nothing, okay? I have a friend with a degree in construction management. He looked at it because I asked.”

  Daddy leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “I appreciate your concern, but we can’t take the opinions of contractors not on the payroll as fact.”

  “Why are you being so weird about this?”

  He took a deep breath, as though struggling for composure. “I’m just pointing out that there are things you might not have considered. I know your heart’s in the right place, but we’re in a very tough situation right now. We can’t afford any investigations due to incorrect insurance claims or something of the sort.”

  “That doesn’t even make sense, and Tyler is an employee, okay? Go look at the bathroom yourself if you don’t believe him.”

  “Wait. The new bartender is who we’re talking about?”

  “Yes.” Suddenly, mentioning him by name seemed like a very bad idea. “We worked together on Destiny Tours. He’s a good friend.”

  “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, but please stop asking the bartender to give maintenance advice. I’ll handle everything from here on out.”

  Layla rose, placing a hand on her hips. “Why do I get the feeling you already knew about all of this?”

  Daddy froze, his eyes wide and face growing pale. “What do you mean?”

  Layla took a step closer, lowering her voice. “It was Stacia, right? That’s why you fired her. She was stealing from Cypress Grove.”

  Daddy relaxed into his chair and nodded gravely. “Now you understand why I had to let her go.”

  “We have to tell the police about this. Stacia needs to be arrested, not fired.”

  “I told the police. We didn’t have enough evidence to make charges stick.”

  Layla raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “We have receipts and ledgers. Stacia kept meticulous records . . .” She trailed off, the word
s hitting her in a way they never had before.

  Stacia had kept excellent records. Why hadn’t she also covered her trail better?

  “It’s unfortunate we couldn’t prosecute her, but sometimes you have to let something go and move forward.” Daddy rose, coming around the desk and clasping an arm around Layla’s shoulders. He started towing her toward the door. “I shouldn’t have tried to hide it from you, and I am sorry about that. But I didn’t want to alert the rest of the staff and create a panic. I have everything under control.”

  Layla ducked under his arm, planting her feet firmly. “Is that why we’re having financial difficulties?”

  He swallowed, his eyes darting about the room. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

  “So now that Stacia’s gone, the problem should be over, right? We don’t need Mr. Davenport to invest, and I don’t need to date Grant.”

  “Stacia created a ripple effect that could take years to undo. So yes, we do still need Mr. Davenport. Your top priority is still keeping him happy. You can do that, right?”

  Layla closed her eyes, but nodded. “Yes. I’ll keep dating Grant.”

  “Good.” Daddy clapped her on the back. “Now I really must get to work, and I’m sure Cosette’s looking for you.”

  Layla finally relented and let him lead her to the door.

  Daddy paused. “Please don’t mention this to your mother, okay? I don’t want to worry her.”

  “Mom doesn’t know?”

  “No, and we’re going to keep it that way.” Daddy leaned down, kissing Layla on the cheek. “Thanks for coming to me with this. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

  Layla slowly walked back toward the ballroom. She’d expected to feel relief after talking to her dad, but the knot of worry in her stomach was tighter than ever.

  Tyler tugged on the end of his bow tie, pulling it loose. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt with a groan. Tonight’s wedding reception had lasted an eternity. Who knew a Southern belle could party so hard and for so long? Weren’t they all supposed to be demure and delicate?

  He thought of Layla and almost laughed. She was anything but delicate. The sass of her tongue was only matched by the fire in her eyes. That afternoon on his porch, he’d thought he was finally going to taste that fire. Then she’d put a finger to his lips and he’d had to say the one word he hated above all others—Grant.

  The air in this ballroom was stifling. It’d been raining off and on all evening, turning the humidity up a notch. Tyler looked around his messy bar. His body ached with fatigue, but he had at least an hour of inventory and cleanup before he could head home for the night.

  One of the ballroom doors swung open, the gentle breeze cooling the perspiration dampening his skin. Tyler stared at his bar, then back at the door. The mess would wait. He threw his rag on the counter and headed outside. A few moments of fresh air would wake him up and make cleanup go faster anyway.

  The sun had set hours ago, and the autumn night chill felt good on Tyler’s warm skin. He breathed in deeply, relishing the smell of damp dirt. The fireflies were long since gone for the season, but he could hear the low bellow of a bullfrog on the pond. He stretched one arm across his body, the muscles sighing in relief as tension oozed out of him. At least he’d made a lot of tips tonight. It almost made up for what had turned out to be a pretty crappy day.

  Tyler headed toward the pier, wishing he’d left his shoes in the ballroom. His feet were killing him after nine hours standing. It wasn’t until he was nearly to the pier that he noticed the silhouette of a woman standing there. He froze, heart pounding in his chest as she turned around. The moonlight glinted off her high cheekbones, which shimmered as though she’d been crying. She held a phone to one ear.

  “I don’t know,” the woman said, the musical cadence of her voice sending shivers through his entire body. “This is so hard, Paige. I wanted him to kiss me, but I couldn’t, you know?”

  Tyler’s chest tightened, and he held perfectly still.

  “It’s so complicated.” Layla went quiet again, obviously listening to the other end of the conversation. “I can’t explain that right now, okay? But I have reasons for being with Grant, and they’re messy.”

  Tyler closed his eyes against the pain that made it hard to breathe. Please let Paige talk some sense into her, he prayed. She’d always been so level-headed in Europe.

  “Yeah, Grant knows. One day I’ll tell you the whole story. You aren’t going to believe it, Paige. I feel like I’m living a soap opera. But right now . . . I’m still figuring things out. My dad said some things tonight—” Layla cut off abruptly, listening. “Yeah, I know it’s weird. I’m just trying to make sure everyone in my family is okay.”

  She wasn’t making any sense. It almost sounded like . . . well, like she was marrying Grant because her father had asked her to. He took a step forward, straining to hear.

  A twig snapped underneath his foot. Layla whirled around, the moonlight making her eyes seem even larger than normal.

  “I’ve got to go,” Layla said into the phone. “Tyler’s here. Uh-huh. Bye.” She clicked off the phone, and her hand slowly lowered to her side.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Tyler said quietly. “I can leave, if you want me to.”

  “No.” Layla quickly brushed at her cheeks. “It’s okay.”

  This is a bad idea! his mind yelled. How many times could his heart take rejection in a single day? But his feet propelled him to her side.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  Layla nodded then shook her head. “I honestly don’t know.”

  He paused, careful to keep an appropriate distance between them. “How’s Paige doing?”

  “Good.” Layla sniffed. “She’s almost graduated from physical therapy—she’s pretty excited about that. Things are going well with school. Nick’s around as much as possible.”

  “None of that explains why you’re crying.”

  Silence stretched between them, tighter than a bow string. The bullfrog croaked, and wind rustled through the trees in the distance.

  She wasn’t going to confide in him. Tyler forced himself to accept this fact, to believe in the end, he’d be okay. It was better she push him away now than after things were more serious between them.

  “I talked to my dad when I got back to the mansion.” Layla wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Tyler wished he had a jacket to offer her, but all he wore was a vest. “Told him about my suspicions.”

  “And?” Tyler held his breath. The air felt heavy with significance. Somehow, he knew her answer would be important.

  “He totally brushed me off. When I pressed, he admitted Stacia was the one stealing. But if she was the one stealing, why didn’t she cover her tracks better? She was more than capable of doing so.”

  Tyler frowned, folding his arms. Everyone spoke of Stacia like she was an event coordinator goddess. She definitely sounded smart enough to hide what she’d been doing. “I don’t know.”

  “And I keep thinking about that work order. It couldn’t have been sitting in Stacia’s office for a week. I get at least one work order a day. There were only two sitting in that basket, but Stacia had been gone for two weeks. Cosette must’ve been approving them before I got there.”

  The implication behind her words hit Tyler like a ton of bricks, and he gasped. “Which means Stacia couldn’t have submitted that work order.”

  Layla nodded, the moonlight reflecting off the top of her head. “Exactly. So why would my father lie to me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Layla kicked off her heels, her dress poofing around her with the movement. She stood at the edge of the pier, staring at the water.

  “What a mess,” she muttered. “I should’ve stayed in Europe.”

  Her words connected with the conversation she’d had with Paige on the phone. “But if you were in Europe, you wouldn’t be with Grant,” Tyler said slowly.

  Layla’s eyes flicked to his,
then back to the water. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Yeah, I guess? Tyler frowned, the dots creating a picture that had his heart pounding with hope. “Layla.” Tyler waited until her eyes met his in the shadowed darkness. “Do you love him?”

  “People get engaged for lots of reasons. Not all of them are for love.”

  Tyler gripped the edge of the pier, the rough stone digging into his palms. “Are you telling me you don’t love Grant?”

  Layla’s eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, and she took a step toward him. “How can I love him, when I’m so hopelessly in love with you?”

  His breath was trapped in his lungs. Warm heat rushed through him as he tried to process the words. “You love me?”

  She rested a hand on his cheek. “You can’t be that surprised. I spent all summer chasing you. You have the worst timing ever, Tyler Keeton. If you’d taken even one of the chances I gave yo—”

  He put a finger to her lip, cutting off her words. The warm exhale of her breath sent shivers down his spine, and he took a step closer. Slowly, he placed his hands on her tiny waist and pulled her closer. “If you love me, then why are you marrying Grant?”

  “I’m not,” she said. Her fingers threaded together around the back of his neck, their touch icy cold.

  Tyler groaned, pulling Layla closer. Pinpricks of delicious fire ignited wherever her body brushed against his. “What do you mean, you’re not marrying him?”

  “It’s all for show.” She tilted her head, staring up at him. “A long story I’ll tell you another time.”

  His mind whirled, trying to make sense of this new revelation. He dropped his arms, slowly pushing her back. Needing distance. “I think I’d like to hear the explanation now.”

  She sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind one ear. “Grant and I are ‘engaged’ because of a business proposition our fathers entered into. We’d never really even met before the night our engagement was announced. Which was a total shock to me, by the way. I agreed to a few dates and that’s it. How was I supposed to know you were moving to South Carolina?”