She must have thought that I was planning this from the very beginning, as if this was all part of some sick, twisted joke to humiliate her. The purest form of insult to injury.
She had surrendered to me last night, physically and in some ways emotionally. It had been sweeter than I could have possibly imagined, and I knew it was for her, too. But every ecstatic moment we shared together turned to bitter ash the second we exchanged that look.
When she made her way to her seat, it was a brisk, restrained motion that told me just how much willpower it was taking to keep her from tearing into me right then and there.
She could have, too, and if she chose her words carefully, she could have really humiliated me in front of some important business contacts here. But of course, it would tarnish her name too, stooping to the level of a personal attack. And more likely than not, these old codgers would not even believe her unless I admitted to it.
But she did no such thing. She sat down, smoothed out her outfit, and glared at me from across the table.
“Mr. Hawthorne,” she pronounced in an icy tone.
“Thank you for joining us, Ms. Simmons.” One of the bankers was using a vaguely condescending tone, implying she was late, and my jaw clenched.
“We’re in no rush,” I retorted. He looked a little surprised, but he was successfully cowed and said no more. This was very bad for her, but I would at least keep these vultures from humiliating her any further.
But I knew that what she really needed was some concrete help, and I had to think of something fast. I cleared my throat.
“Let’s begin, shall we?”
Chapter Twelve
Haley
I could not believe this. I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Last night, I had literally been sleeping with the enemy, and I didn’t even know. A maelstrom of emotions was spinning inside me, wreaking havoc and destroying all my logic and reason. How could I have been so stupid? So trusting? How could I have let Chase hurt me again, and this time, much worse than before in college? How did he hide this from me so deftly? So completely? Why didn’t I see the deception, the lies, the malice in those beautiful green eyes when he looked at me? How could I have fallen for him yet again, only to be hurt yet again?
How did I not see this coming?
During the whole meeting, I sat with my legs crossed, my arms folded over my chest. While the lawyers and bankers and representatives of Chase’s company discussed the gritty details of the hostile takeover, I could hardly even focus on the words they said. It didn’t matter anyway. I knew from the moment I got that email this morning that I had lost the battle. They weren’t going to give me any more chances. The deal was done before I even showed up to the meeting. And when I walked in to see Chase, the man I once loved, the man who had rocked my world last night and made me feel true happiness for the first time in forever, sitting at the table, I nearly fainted.
How could he have done this to me? How could he lie? Seduce me? Fuck me?
I refused to look in his eyes, even though I could feel him staring at me, longing for me to turn and look at him. But he didn’t deserve that from me. I was not about to make eye contact and let those gorgeous eyes lie to me again. I was sure he sat through the entire meeting hoping I would let him convince me he was sorry, that he didn’t mean to wreck my entire world and steal away what little hope and control I had left over the sinking ship that was my life.
That lying asshole had violated my trust. And it came right after giving me the most amazing night of my life. How in the world had he managed to flirt with me, seduce me, make love to me, all while lying through his teeth? Keeping his true intentions hidden away under layers of false good intentions? I fell for his act hook, line, and sinker. It was just like it always was. Chase was so cool and clever, all he had to do was smile at me, feed me a few compliments, and I melted into his arms like ice cream on a hot summer’s day.
In college, he had won me over so easily. I made him my world. He was the sun in my sky. But then he broke my heart into little pieces and disappeared, leaving me scrambling to put my life back together again. And now? It was even worse. This time he took everything from me. Not just my heart, but my home. My dream. My memories. My world.
I nearly burst into angry tears when one of the bank lawyers declared that Chase’s real estate company, the one he inherited from his father, was buying out the Peppertree Resort. The bank was ecstatic, of course, to take it away from me and dump the resort into the hands of some huge, anonymous, uncaring corporate giant. They were happy to be rid of me, to kick me out of not only my job, but the only home I had ever known. Every memory, happy and sad, revolved around the Peppertree, and now I had lost it. Just like I lost my father.
“I know this decision may seem like a defeat, but in a lot of ways, I think this will be a good thing for you,” one of the lawyers, an old man with a grizzled mustache, told me across the table. “The Peppertree Resort has been struggling financially for quite some time. Since the unfortunate passing of Geoffrey Simmons, the Peppertree’s clientele and public relations have been on a steady decline. The failure of the resort is not your fault, Ms. Simmons, and you should feel proud to have carried on your father’s legacy as long as you did.”
Tears burned in my eyes and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from crying. I looked over at the old man and glared. “What do you know about my father’s legacy?” I derided.
The man’s eyes widened, as though he had expected me to thank him for his thinly veiled insult to my family and me. He puffed up, looking indignant. “Well, I was a friend of your father’s. He was always very proud of you,” he added, though there was no kindness to his tone.
“My father had a lot of so-called friends, but in the end, I was the only one who worked to keep his dream going,” I snapped, leaning forward. “Yes, the Peppertree has had some difficult years, but it’s far from a failure, thank you very much. You all should be ashamed of yourselves, giving up on him and me so easily. I remember your names. I remember your faces from dinner parties when I was a child. You all called yourselves my father’s friends, but he would be offended to see how you’re treating the property he built. He gave so much to this town.”
“Ma’am, you may want to watch your tone,” insinuated one of the other lawyers. This one was a middle-aged woman with salt-and-pepper hair pulled back into a no-nonsense bun.
I raised an eyebrow at her and she seemed to almost shrink back a little.
“I apologize. I forgot that’s how this works. You get to rip the rug out from underneath me and I have to smile and thank you for doing it. My mistake,” I scoffed.
Then I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath. I knew it would do me no good to keep lashing out at everyone like this and causing a scene. The battle was already lost. The least I could do was be a graceful loser.
I began slowly and cautiously, “I can’t help it if this feels like a mutiny, because in a lot of ways, it is. I’ve known most of you since I was a little kid, and my father trusted you all. The Peppertree was struggling. I know that. I’m not a complete idiot. But damn it, I think I could have turned it around somehow. No, I know I could have. That resort isn’t just my business, it’s my home. Leaving it behind… well, I can’t even begin to imagine what my life will be without it. So, forgive me if I’m devastated.”
I glanced around at every person at the table except for Chase. I still refused to look him in the eye. Everyone here was a traitor, but he was the worst. I wouldn’t do him the courtesy of letting him look at me with pity in those green eyes. No. I couldn’t.
“Well,” announced the lawyer with the mustache, “that was a lovely speech. I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I do regret the way business has been handled here, and I would hope that you could find it in your heart to be forgiving and understanding. This is not a personal offense, Ms. Simmons. We are only doing this for the good of your father’s legacy. The Peppertree is bank
rupt. By selling the property to the Hawthorne Family Hospitality Company, perhaps it may be granted a new life. A new chance. I hope that one day the bitterness and resentment you feel will fade away. I cannot exactly say it has been a pleasure working with you, but I do genuinely wish you the best, Ms. Simmons.”
I conceded my defeat with a heavy sigh.
“And with that, I think it is high time we adjourn this meeting,” interjected the female lawyer with the steely bun. “Mr. Hawthorne, Ms. Simmons, leave the details to the board. You will be hearing from us shortly. Unless you have any questions?”
“No,” I snapped.
I stood quickly, scooting my chair back. I snatched up my purse and files and stormed out of the room before anyone else could even stand up. I’d be damned if I spent another millisecond in that awful boardroom, listening to those soulless corporate bigwigs banter about how much of a pathetic failure I was. They had struck every single raw nerve I possessed, reawakened every insecurity and worry I had in me. Ever since my father had passed away, I had spent every waking moment wracked with guilt and worry that I wasn’t upholding his legacy.
That lawyer had said it wasn’t my fault that the Peppertree failed, but I knew deep down it was. I had tried. I had thrown my entire heart, body, and soul into the resort, but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. I simply wasn’t Geoffrey Simmons.
I ran out of the bank and into the blinding sunshine and snow. It seemed almost extra cruel that something so horrible would happen on such a beautiful day. It was like the blue skies and crisp winter air were mocking me for my loss. Now that I was out of that horrendous boardroom, I finally gave in and let the tears fall. Why did it matter anymore, anyway? I had nothing and no one to be strong for now. I was no longer the face of my father’s dream. I was just a fool who let a man with an irresistible smile deceive me into losing everything.
The tears streamed down my cheeks as I made my way to my car across the parking lot. I didn’t even make an attempt to wipe them away. Who cared? Who the hell was I trying to impress?
I heard heavy footsteps behind me. Someone running after me. “Haley,” a deep voice called.
I wrinkled my nose. It was Chase. I swiveled around and gave him the most withering glare I could manage, but it didn’t deter him at all. He ran toward me.
“I should have said something earlier to you.”
“You think?” I shot back angrily. “God, why did you do this to me, Chase? It wasn’t enough to break my heart in college? You had to show up years later and steal my resort from me, too? Huh?”
“It’s not like that. I swear,” he protested.
“Oh, really? Then what is it like? Because from where I’m standing, it sure looks a lot like you showed up out of nowhere, seduced me, lied to me, and then ruined my life,” I cried.
He took a deep breath and lowered his voice. “Listen, can we please just walk down to that coffee shop around the corner and talk?”
I took a step back from him. “Talk? About what? You want to gloat and rub it in some more? Is that it? Your big coup.”
“You know I’m not like that,” he argued.
I rolled my eyes. “Actually, I don’t think I know you at all. Maybe I don’t want to know this new version of you.”
There was a twinge of hurt on his handsome face. “Come on. I need to explain this to you. I need you to understand what’s going on. Please. Let me tell you everything,” he pleaded.
I stared at him, the tears still rolling down my face. “What is there left to explain? Why you slept with me the night before stealing my life away? Why the whole night we spent together you never once mentioned why you were really here?”
“Yes,” he answered fervently. “All of that. And more. Come with me and let’s talk.”
It hit me suddenly that I had nothing better to do. Nowhere to go.
“Fine,” I relented. “You get five minutes. And you’re buying.”
He flashed me a smile, which faded away quickly. “Of course.”
We walked in silence to the cafe and took a table in the corner. Chase bought me a chai latte and sat down across from me. I watched him, refusing to let him wiggle out of this. “You want to talk? Start talking,” I demanded.
“I want to help you,” he professed.
I laughed bitterly. “Sure you do. And I suppose buying my resort is your way of helping me, is it?”
“That was not my choice in the first place. The Peppertree was never on my radar,” he explained. “But it’s part of a larger deal. A very large deal.”
“And?” I prompted, not giving him an inch.
“It’s the last of twelve properties. A massive deal for my company. The bank owns all twelve. They are selling them as one sale. It’s all twelve or nothing. The numbers don’t support the sale any other way. That’s why I had to buy it from you,” he explained.
“All or nothing?” I repeated, frowning.
“Yes,” he nodded. “I agreed to the deal before reading the fine print. It’s the kind of thing my company handles all the time. But this time… I should have looked more into what exactly the bank was offering. I had no idea you were running it.”
“So you bought my resort even though you knew nothing about it and didn’t care enough to check?” I clarified. Chase’s jaw twitched. I could tell this was hard for him, but damn it, this was hard for me, too.
“My company does this all the time. If I had known… I would never have done this to you on purpose, Haley. You have to believe that,” he persuaded me. There wasn’t even a hint of deception or cruelty in his voice. He was sincere. I could tell.
“Okay,” I sighed. I leaned forward. “You said you wanted to help me. How the hell are you planning to do that?”
Chase gave me a brilliant smile. “All right. This is going to sound crazy, but hear me out.”
Chapter Thirteen
Chase
I paused, thinking what the best way to approach this proposal would be.
Honestly, it was a spur of the moment thought, but if that was what it was going to take to help either of us out of an otherwise impossible situation, I was not about to let it fall by the wayside.
Besides...it could be the one solution for a problem that had been looming over my head since before this whole episode with the Peppertree even started. It was one hell of a long shot, but...
I took a breath.
“I can’t stop the sale of the Peppertree,” I began, watching Haley’s careful gaze and suspicious face. “That ship has sailed. But it doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t still have control over it.”
“Let me stop you right there,” Haley interjected. “If you’re about to tell me that you would hire me out of your good graces and just let me be a manager with some…” She moved her hands in circles with a disgusted face. “...some name tag and a skimpy uniform, then-”
“No, good God, Haley, that isn’t what I meant at all,” I interrupted her, shaking my head and holding back a laugh. “I already thought about that the morning after we were together, and I knew that would never suit someone of your caliber.The Peppertree should belong to you.”
“Well, you know I can’t buy it back from you,” she retorted.
I leaned forward in my seat, and a smile crossed my face as I folded my hand over my fist on the table.
“I know, and that’s why I want to ask you this: Haley Simmons, will you marry me?”
She was halfway through a sip of her drink when the words reached her, and she immediately choked on her drink and started coughing violently. She put a napkin to her mouth and turned her head as she regained her composure, taking another sip to ease the coughing.
When she was finished, she slammed the cup down on the table and glared daggers at me.
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t throw the rest of this drink into your face.”
“Because I just gave you the one option that would let you retain ownership of the Peppertree.”
She was
still tense and stiff as a board, and her eyes were still flashing with anger, but she didn’t toss the remainder of her piping-hot chai at me, so I had her attention. I put my hands out and explained.
“Listen. The property is coming into my possession one way or another. Even if I pulled the plug on the deal and let hundreds of employees go jobless, you would still be sitting on a failing business, and it would be a matter of weeks, maybe months before the bank found another person like me who would take it. The Peppertree needs to be flipped, period.”
“Okay, twisting the knife so far, but go on.” Her tone was icy, understandably so.
“However, if you and I were husband and wife in the eyes of the law,” I continued, and I watched her eyes start to grow wide as she followed my train of thinking, “then what is mine would be yours. That would solve both of your problems. You would be the owner of the Peppertree so seamlessly that nobody would know anything changed, and moreover, you would have access to my company’s bank account to carry out all the renovations we need to make to get this place back in running order.”
I let that sit for a moment, and Haley just stared at me. Her jaw had fallen a few seconds into my explanation, and I didn’t think she had noticed until she fluttered those long eyelashes of hers and gave her head a little shake of disbelief.
“Let me get this straight. You’re offering me a...a marriage of convenience?” The word ‘marriage’ came uneasily from her, as if the idea was still shocking. “I own what you own, I get not just to keep everything, but to use your money to do everything I want with the place?”
“Everything we want,” I corrected her, “since this would still be an investment on my part, and I tend to be a very hands-on investor.”
Her Pleasure Warrior_A Military Romance Page 39