by Lily Santana
“Yes.”
“How long have you had this plan?”
“A year.”
He’d lied to her. Even if his plans didn’t go through, he’d still make out. The only losers would be Bella Del Mar. And her. He’d promised to invest in her business and save her home. But if didn’t get what he needed from her, he would have sold to a national chain that would destroy her home and her community.
Tears welled in her eyes but she willed herself to keep them in. There was nothing she could do to stop the fury that burst in her chest and choked the air from her lungs.
She had defended him, like he was her family, in front of her friends and neighbors. He’d played me for a fool. A stupid, pathetic fool. Her lips trembled from the potency of her rage. Her gaze met his. “You lied to us. To me.”
His eyes hardened and his jaw tightened at her words. “It was before—”
“David was right. I should have known better than to trust someone like you.”
His gaze collided with hers. “Yeah, guess you should have gone with your first instinct about my kind. We’ll always show our true colors eventually. I just proved you right all along.”
His words didn’t ring right in her ears yet failed to pierce the armor that had swiftly gone up to protect her heart. “You used me to get what you want.”
“And you damn well agreed to it, or should I remind you?”
“I didn’t do it for the money,” she said.
“Oh, no? Then why did you do it?”
“Because I was stupid enough to think you cared about Bella. That you cared about—” Her voice quivered and the words died in her throat.
He cursed under his breath. “Here we go. I recognize that look on your face. Don’t you start with that ‘I was wronged and it’s all your fault’ look. I was up front with you. I said I’m not the right man for you.”
“You could never be the right man for me, Mitch. You wouldn’t know what to do with someone like me. You don’t deserve someone like me. You’re not good enough.”
“No one is good enough for you,” he ground out. “Hell, what man can stand up to a fucking saint? I know I can’t and you know what, who said I was even trying? But for the record, I didn’t hear you complaining last night.”
Her eyes widened. “Don’t confuse sex with love.”
He dug his fingers into his damp hair. “I’m not confusing sex with love, but maybe you are.”
She gasped. Tears streamed down her cheeks but she didn’t bother to swipe at them. Her heartbeat flooded her ears, loud enough that he had to be able to hear it. She wrapped her robe tightly around her body to keep the chill of his words from penetrating her skin. Her eyes dropped to the newspaper on the kitchen table. She quickly folded it up and handed it to him.
She was a fool. She’d given her heart to someone who didn’t know what it meant to commit to a promise. His heart would be forever frozen in time. Forever blemished by his past. He couldn’t or wouldn’t be vulnerable again—not to her, not to anyone.
She’d fooled herself into thinking that she could save Mitch from a lonely life. No sense of belonging, no attachments. He’s asked her to help him be the kind of man her neighbors could love, and she succeeded. So much so that she’d fallen flat on her face in love. But it was all a lie. An act. And she’d fallen for it hook, line and sinker.
“Everything is about winning with you, isn’t it?”
He narrowed his eyes. “That’s not true. There was no reason to tell you about my plan B because I would never have gone—”
“Please, don’t,” she interrupted. “I get it. Really. You didn’t want to tell me before...before...” The right word for what they did stuck in her craw. She took a deep breath. “You knew that by telling me about your backup plan, I would feel differently about you.”
“It wouldn’t have changed a goddamn thing. You wanted me and I wanted you. It had nothing to do with any plan. Last night was personal.”
“You’re wrong.” She walked two steps before he grabbed her arm.
He pinned her with his stare. “What do you want from me?” His eyes were almost black in their intensity. “I told you it wouldn’t end the way you want it to. I’m not the kind of man you think I am. I didn’t renege on our deal. I have your money. You won’t lose your home. I had to have a backup plan a year ago. It was necessary to secure a loan. That reporter must have gone to some lengths to find that information. It’s dated. No one outside of my crew even knows about it.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me about it? Because you knew that I would not have vouched for you in front of my friends and neighbors. They believed in you, just like I did.”
He bowed his head in defeat. “It’s a moot case. The Planning Board will likely approve my plans and we don’t have to think about a plan B anyway.”
Pain knifed through her heart, making it hard to come up with the words. “You used me to help win the town over. And you succeeded. They fell in love with you and if you don’t get what you want on Monday, you will break their heart.”
His eyes turned hard. “The plan was drawn up over a year ago. You want to be a business owner? Welcome to the cutthroat world of sole proprietorship. You will make difficult choices sometimes and hurt those you care about.”
“We all make choices, Mitch. Sometimes the choices we make don’t always work out the way we want.” She pulled her arm free from his grasp.
She wheeled around before he could see her tears. She focused on her breath, even though the pain around her heart made it an effort. How could she ever have fallen for someone who could so easily manipulate the truth? Mitch was incapable of intimacy. He wasn’t built like her kind. He didn’t want what she wanted. The sooner she got that in her head, the sooner she could heal and move on.
She’d done it before. Losing Stefan had taught her that she was strong. She could bear pain and get through it. It might take time, but she would be fine. She just had to suffer through the next few weeks of seeing him across the street from her home. But once he was gone, it would be easier.
“Emma.”
She turned to face him, her arms firmly crossed on her chest.
His eyes turned a shade of blue she hadn’t seen before. A muted blue—full of regret. He watched her, unblinking. “For the record, I didn’t tell you because I have no intention of—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Believe what you want. You’re gonna believe what you want about me anyway.”
She shrugged, even though her heart was in pieces.
Mitch gave her one last imploring look before he cursed something fierce under his breath and slammed out of the back door.
* * *
“Mrs. LeFleur, Tim is held up on a call but should be with you shortly. You didn’t have an appointment and he usually leaves early on Friday to play golf.” Tim Brooks’s receptionist stated the obvious before leading Emma inside a cozy conference room.
Emma sat and placed her briefcase on the round table.
The receptionist headed toward the door. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
Emma shook her head and avoided the woman’s haughty stare by concentrating on the words she planned to say to Tim. She hoped her plea for an extension wouldn’t sound like she was begging. But if she had to beg, she’d do it to save her home.
Ten minutes passed before Tim walked in, looking surprisingly casual in a pair of Dockers and a bright yellow golf shirt. “Emma, perfect timing. I’ve been out of town for a couple of days and didn’t get a chance to call. I’m sure you’re eager to sign the papers,” he said, a wide grin on his face.
Why would she be eager to sign away her home? “I don’t understand.” Dread sat like a pound of kneaded dough in her stomach. What was going on? Why would Tim be smiling like the Grinch who stole Christmas? He couldn’t possibly be
that cruel.
Tim took the swivel leather chair next to her and crossed his legs. “I can have the paperwork ready on Monday. But I’m guessing this is a big relief to you.”
A bead of sweat materialized on her upper lip. “What are you talking about?”
“When Mitch handed me a check a few days ago, I was taken aback. But it made sense. He wants to make sure his neighbors are successful. When you’re successful, he’s successful. I think that’s what he said.”
She could only nod in agreement. Mitch handed Tim a check? When? Her heart knocked in her chest. “When did he drop the check off and what did he say exactly?”
Tim leaned back and crossed his arms against his chest. “He dropped the check off on Tuesday. He said you and he had agreed on a private loan. I’ll be honest, I was very surprised and asked him why, but all he’d offer was that he wanted to invest in you, your home and your business. He believes Paws on the Beach can be successful.”
Emma’s pulse accelerated with each word that came out of Tim’s mouth. She found it difficult to keep her foot from tapping in time with her rapid heartbeat. Mitch paid her loan? But he hadn’t said anything... But I hadn’t been listening. Mitch came through on their deal, even though she’d accused him of being a liar and worse.
Tim reached out to lay his hand on her bare arm. “You look a little pale. Are you feeling all right?”
She nodded and drew in a long breath to try and calm her nerves. “I need to ask you something.”
“Of course.”
“Did you tell Mitch about my financial...issues?”
Tim pursed his lips. “Of course not. That would be unethical.”
“But how did he know that my home was in jeopardy of foreclosure?”
He wriggled in his seat but his face remained defiant. “No idea. We talked about investment options a few months back, but I’d never mention which property might be in trouble by name.”
“But you hinted.”
His face flushed. “He asked about local real estate, and I may have mentioned upcoming short sales but I didn’t give him any details. If he figured it out, it’s because the man is a shrewd businessman.”
“I see.”
“I don’t understand. Isn’t this a good thing for you? He obviously approached you with an offer to invest in your property and business—otherwise, why would he cough up the money to pay off your loan?”
She wanted to know the same thing, but Tim wasn’t the right person to tell her.
“Thanks for your time, Tim.” She stood, feeling like the weight of the world was off her shoulders.
“Sure, anytime. I’ll call you on Monday when I get the paperwork together.” Tim offered his hand.
“Thank you.” She hoped he didn’t notice how clammy her hands were.
Mitch had paid for her loan a few days ago. Before last night. Before she’d defended him in front of the neighbors. Regardless of what happened with the Planning Council meeting, he’d already paid for her loan. She wouldn’t lose her home. At least, not to Tim Brooks. Why would Mitch pay for her home without the certainty of his project moving forward?
A cold, damp cloud of fear and regret bloomed in her heart and she hurried her steps to get to the car, to Mitch, to the truth.
* * *
Emma woke and glanced at her watch. It was past midnight. She’d fallen asleep on the couch waiting for Mitch to get home. She exhaled a long, tired breath. He was obviously avoiding having to answer why he’d paid the loan without telling her.
It wasn’t like she wasn’t grateful. She had every intention of paying him back every cent with interest. She just needed him to tell her the terms.
But what if his plans weren’t approved on Monday? It was highly unlikely, yet it could happen. What would that imply? She shot up from the couch, her fingers clutching the throw pillow.
Oh God, please no. By paying off my loan even before the Planning Council approves his plans, it looks like I stood to benefit either way.
Emma clenched her jaw from the stabbing pain the thought inflicted. He wouldn’t do that, would he?
She’d grudgingly accepted the fact that he’d only pretended to care about the future of Bella Del Mar. His plan B was proof of that. Not telling her about his backup plan meant he hadn’t wanted her to know how far he’d go if things didn’t work out according to his plans. To think she’d gone as far as to say in front of her neighbors about what an upstanding and trustworthy person he was. Going as far as saying she’d trust him with her life.
But now that he’d paid for her loan, regardless of the outcome of Monday’s decision, it would appear to her neighbors that she’d sold out to Mitch in exchange for him financing her home. Her neighbors would feel rightfully betrayed—as she did.
Emma pressed two fingers on her temple to try and stop the throbbing.
Where the hell was he? He couldn’t avoid her forever. She’d find him tomorrow at the Pirate Festival. She would make sure he knew paying off her loan didn’t buy her loyalty—or her love.
Chapter Eighteen
The overcast sky and the gusty winds added to the aura of bygone days and provided a perfect setting to the annual Pirate Fest.
“There it is,” Lorraine said, pointing to the white canvas tent with the Surf & Sand Tavern sign posted to it. “It’s nice you volunteered to help Jack out.”
Emma wrapped her jacket tighter around her body. “It’s only for a couple of hours. I owe him anyway.”
Inside, several patio heaters were strategically placed around. At least she’d be warm. It was still too early for the place to be open, but already Jack and his crew were busy setting up the makeshift bar with local microbrew pours, while some of the guys focused on getting the stage wired for the various bands lined up to play. Emma unbuttoned her coat and tossed it on a picnic table, one of many spread throughout the room.
Lorraine’s approval whistle pricked her eardrum.
Jack saw them and jogged over. He, too, whistled under his breath. “Was that Sammy’s outfit last year? Let me just say, it looks a hell of a lot better on you. I want you front and center. You’ll have the place brimming with pirates in no time.”
Dorinda had been right. Sammy’s barmaid outfit from last year looked festive and cute on her thin-as-a-rail daughter. But with Emma’s curves, the revealing, off-the-shoulder white blouse tucked into a black leather corset plus fishnet stockings and thigh-high boots resembled erotic lingerie.
“I’ll go save our spots at the log competition and if anyone gives me a hard time, I’ll punch them,” Lorraine said, winking at them both before running off.
Emma perused Jack’s balloon slacks, white frilly pirate shirt, black vest and red skull bandana. “Nice outfit.”
“It spoke to me,” he said.
She forced a laugh. “Let’s hope you don’t get a sword plunged through your black heart.”
He doubled over, holding his chest. “I believe that’s a threat. I’ll let it slide. Besides, I know for a fact there’s a blacker heart here today than mine.”
“Oh, who?”
“Mitch was in here earlier and let me tell you, he’s in one ugly-ass mood.”
A nervous tremor ran up her spine. “Well so am I, so we’re even.”
Jack frowned. “What’s going on?”
She shrugged. “Nothing.” The last thing she wanted to do was tell Jack that Mitch had lied to him too.
“Don’t even start. Just spill it,” Jack said.
Emma sighed. “Mitch lied to us. He lied to me.”
Jack lifted one bushy eyebrow. “About what?”
“He had a backup plan to sell Mrs. Madsen’s property to a national motel chain if his revised plans didn’t get approved. So all of his ‘I care about what happens to Bella Del Mar’ or ‘I
want to keep Bella quaint’ were all lies to get us to believe in him.”
“Bullshit.”
Emma shook her head. “It’s true.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
“Why not?”
“Because just the other night at Surf, that asshole attorney Holmes sidled over and began smooth-talking Mitch on selling him the property, since it didn’t seem likely Mitch would get his plans approved. That guy was rappin’ about how he’d pay top dollar, blah blah blah...”
“What did Mitch say?”
Jack grinned. “He told him to shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
Emma frowned. “Maybe it’s because he already had plan B in the works, so he didn’t need Mr. Holmes to buy the property.”
“Are you not listening, sweetheart? Mitch told Holmes he had no intention of turning that piece of property into a motel chain. He said the heart of Bella is in that downtown area and even if he didn’t get his plans approved, he’d work out a deal with his investor to come up with another option. One that wouldn’t include a shitty motel on the property. So there.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Where did you even hear this crap?”
“The Coastal News had it on the front page.”
“Em, you know that Holmes and Jim are buds. Holmes has his grubby hands all over that rag. He probably paid that gerbil under the table to write up the article. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jim had been the one who’d posted those stupid mug shots of Mitch all over town.”
Emma’s stomach clenched from apprehension. She had no doubt Mr. Holmes still had designs on acquiring Mrs. Madsen’s property. He’d been livid when Mitch had won the bid.
What did I do? She’d been so furious and had felt so betrayed that she hadn’t stopped to consider Mitch’s side of the argument. He said he’d drawn up his plan B last year but that he had no intention of going through with it now. She’d been so quick to not trust him. According to Jack, Mitch had flat-out refused to even consider a guaranteed way out of his financial predicament if his plans weren’t approved. If he wouldn’t sell to Mr. Holmes, who’d pay him top dollar, why would he sell to another investor? Unless what he’d said to her was true. That he cared about Bella Del Mar, and he had no intention of selling for a profit just so others can destroy it. She’d called him so many awful things. Her ugly words tore at her heart.