At the word daughters, her father’s eyes narrowed. “They’ll be disinherited.”
“I don’t need your money,” she said coolly, clasping her hands in front of her. “But I do need you to remain in my life. However, that is entirely up to you.”
Her mother’s gaze jerked up. “Is that a threat?”
“No more than yours.”
Her father seemed to deflate. “Kate, my darling, we are worried. Actually, we are angry. We’ve spent our entire lives protecting you from fortune hunters, from the paparazzi, and this is how you repay us?”
Her jaw clenched. “Don’t. You have always had a man in mind for me, and it was never an American—certainly not one with Noah’s background.”
“We don’t care about his heritage,” her mother said, clearly horrified that Kate would suggest such a thing.
“I meant his social standing.”
Both of her parents flushed at that, but the baron spoke first. “We have always had your best interests at heart.”
“By suing me if I don’t have my marriage annulled?”
“We want you to see reason.”
“You want me for someone else who can do you more good than a house builder.”
Her father took a step forward, but Kate refused to move. She stood her ground. Not an easy thing to do considering her father was a hulk of a man with prior military experience.
“Everything we’ve ever done was ultimately for your good.”
“I don’t think so.” She clutched her purse tighter. “All my life, I’ve been told how we must uphold the Von Lichtenstein name. That no matter how much everything and everyone else changed, we must maintain. I’ve done that, but now, I have to say no more. I’m done.”
“Over a man,” her mother hissed. “You would throw everything away over a man?”
“No. I’m not throwing anything away.” She smiled sadly. “The two of you are forcing me to leave everything behind.”
“We won’t stand for this.”
“Then sit down,” she said. “Sit down and think of me for once.”
Her parents stared at her, like they didn’t recognize the woman she’d become. The thing was—she hadn’t recently changed. Oh, no. She’d been doing this little by little over the years by moving out, dating outside her social circle, and finally moving to a section of London they disapproved.
To an outsider, that might not seem like much, but to her, it was everything. It was as if she’d been shedding layers of her old self for years, and finally the new Kate had emerged.
“Does your husband think of you,” her father asked. “Where is he? Counting your money before he spends it?”
“He went home. He has a business to run, and I had no wish to subject him to your hostility.”
“How much did you pay him to marry you?” her mother asked lightly, though her words hit her like a sledgehammer.
Yes, she had given him money, had used his desperation to help rebuild to press her case, but she’d never felt less… never felt not good enough until now.
“It’s none of your business.”
“Did you even think to have him sign a prenuptial agreement?” This from her father, a man who wouldn’t allow her to work at a company that bore her last name. “Or were you too intent upon showing the world you weren’t the least bit put out by Romanov’s marriage?”
She made a noise, a small sound of distress. Almost like a wounded animal. And like two predators scenting blood, they knew they’d found their mark.
“I’m not a bloody idiot,” she said through gritted teeth. “And I didn’t marry Noah to show the world anything.”
Her parents gave her identical skeptical looks.
“Mark my words, dear. He’ll use you for what he can get, and then he’ll be done.”
“He doesn’t want my money,” she cried, shaking with fury. “He flew home on a commercial plane.”
Skepticism turned to pity. “It’s already started,” her mother said to her father. He nodded in agreement.
“Your mother’s right.”
Kate refused to listen to them. Noah wanted to be here. He wanted her. Why else send the email?
“Has the bank transferred what you owe him?” the baron asked in a gentle voice. The same voice that used to tell her stories of maidens, dragons, and princes. The same voice that swore to protect her from the monster that lived under her bed.
“No,” she whispered. She’d checked on her way over, but at the time, she had only called the bank and her lawyer to verify that her fortune was indeed safe from her parents.
“I see.”
She shook her head. “You won’t do this. You won’t make me question my decision. I wanted to marry him.”
Her mother rose from her chair and moved to Kate, her fingers touching her hand almost as if she wanted to comfort her. Shocked, Kate dropped her purse, but she didn’t bother to pick it up. “It seems to me that you’re the one questioning your decision, not us,” her mother said softly.
“I’m not.”
“Then refuse to give him the money,” her mother suggested. “Say that we’ve put a hold on your account.”
“He won’t care.” Hadn’t he told her that? Hadn’t they already talked about that possibility? “I won’t play your game by testing him.”
Her mother’s lips thinned. “Then I guess you’ll never know if he loves you for you, or your money.”
Kate snatched her hands away and then bent down to pick up her purse. Her blood ran alternately hot and cold even as her face flushed hot. “No matter who I married, that would be a problem, but at least Noah’s my choice.”
With that, she marched out of her parents’ home and to the waiting car, her head held high.
All the way back to Bayswater, she held firm while practically chanting stiff upper lip in her head. But once she was behind closed doors, she collapsed in the middle of her living room and began to sob, without making a sound.
Chapter Eight
‡
Noah attempted to draw up a new contract for the presale that had practically landed in his lap, but he couldn’t stay focused, so he skimmed through it, scanned a copy, and then emailed it to his realtor.
His cell phone rang.
“Hi, this is Noah.”
“I think you need to take a look at the Gibbs’ contract again.”
He winced. “How bad is it?”
“You allowed them only $1800 for the kitchen, but thought to really do ’em right by giving ten times that amount for lighting.”
Noah pressed two fingers against his temple and began to rub “Sorry, Paul. Jet-lag.”
“Yeah, I forgot about the honeymoon. When do the rest of us get to meet your bride?”
“Soon as she’s done taking care of things back in London.” She never mentioned how long it would take her, and he hadn’t brought the living situation up again. He wanted to, but she’d been so upset by her parents’ reaction to their marriage that he didn’t want to pile on to her already heavy burden.
“Looking forward to it.”
“Me, too. Anyway, I’ll fix the contract and resend. The customers aren’t looking to start until mid-June. So we have time.” After saying goodbye, he ended the call and rubbed the back of his neck.
Maggie entered his office, concern all over her face. “She is coming back, isn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“Seems mighty strange to leave you so soon after the wedding.”
“Kate didn’t leave me.”
Maggie hmpfd. “So you say.”
“I do say.”
“Then I believe you.”
Making a face of disbelief, Noah crossed his arms. “Maggie.”
“Noah.” She threw her hands into the air in surrender. “Fine. I’m only concerned for you.”
“I appreciate your concern, but we’re fine.” Soon, his company would be fine again, too, and he wouldn’t have to worry about the little things like payroll, health care be
nefits, and keeping the damn lights on.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. It had been a gift from the Home Builder’s Association for serving on the board. He’d been so full of future plans when he stepped down. Plans that didn’t include renovations or presales.
He wanted to be where the money was—development. There were others he knew that it had worked out for all over the state—one in particular, located in the Piedmont area, had given him great advice. Noah had followed it down to a T, but no one had counted on his lawyer and his banker leaving their respective spouses and funding their new life with their former clients’ money.
He stood, grabbing his phone and a stack of manila folders that contained house plans, financial records, and plats of subdivision lots. “I have an appointment. Be back after lunch.”
“Fingers crossed for you,” Maggie said. She patted him on the arm as he walked by her.
“Thanks.”
Noah had to take another chance and go ahead with a different set of plans to save his company without Kate’s money. On the plane ride home, he had time to think, so he decided to build in one of the more popular neighborhoods on the outskirts of Holland Springs in a price range that was currently experiencing a dearth of housing.
He just had to convince the powers that be that he could make it work.
Since it was a sunny day and his offices were located in downtown Holland Springs, he decided to walk to the bank. He liked the town, had decided to settle down here once he’d followed Carlos and Gabriel here with their seed money for the software company he helped start.
Never in a million years did he think he’d leave Texas, yet here he was in North Carolina. Still, it was the South and most things remained the same, or at least close enough that he didn’t feel homesick too often.
Funny how he’d only been without Kate for twenty-four hours and he already felt like a piece of home was missing.
Pushing open the doors to the bank, he walked inside and checked in with the receptionist. “He’s expecting you, Noah. Go on back,” she said.
In the small amount of time he’d spent with Harrison Collins, Noah had never been able to get a bead on the man. Either he was too damn stuffy or too damn open-armed for him.
For the most part, Harrison struck him as one of those eastern North Carolina politician types, with their side-swept hair, polo shirts, and aw-shucks grins, who underneath it all was cunning and manipulative. All of which meant Noah didn’t trust him any further than he could throw him.
But he needed money, and Harrison had been the only one to take his call.
“Noah, so good to see you,” Harrison said, extending a hand.
They exchanged the normal pleasantries about college football, the ongoing rivalry between Holland Springs and Jessamine’s rec softball league, and who really should have been in the Final Four this year.
“I had hoped for State to stay in, but that last game blew my bracket to hell and back,” Noah joked.
Harrison’s light-colored eyes assessed him. “Took a chance on the underdog?”
Noah shrugged. “They weren’t always the underdog. At one time, they were the team to beat. Besides, who doesn’t like a good comeback story?”
“Indeed.” Harrison motioned for Noah to join him at the small table by the window. “Let’s see what you have for me.”
Noah pushed the manila folders across the table to the bank president and waited.
Harrison frowned a little. “Your tax returns indicate that you are single, but my daughter said you’d gotten married.”
“I have.”
“She’s a family friend of the Romanovs.”
“Yes.”
“Read in the Journal that she inherited billions when she was younger but just came into it recently. How very fortunate… for you.”
Annoyed at the implication, Noah eyed Harrison and said, “Enough about my wife. Will you lend me the capital I need to build the houses, or do I take my business elsewhere?”
Harrison’s smile was craftier than the Cheshire Cat’s. “Holland Springs Savings and Loan would be honored to do business with the Von Lichtensteins.”
“Kate’s a Sawyer.”
Harrison shrugged. “All the same to me.”
But it wasn’t to Noah. “What else do you need from me?”
“Just your signature on the line.” Harrison pushed a stapled packet toward him. “Page two.”
“Fine.” Noah flipped through the packet, reading over the loan document.
“And your wife’s.”
He sliced his gaze to Harrison. “No.”
“Then I’m afraid the bank can only loan you a quarter of what you asked for.”
Noah stared at the older man incredulously. “That will only pay for half a house. I can’t pay my bills with that.”
“Times are hard. The banks aren’t handing out loans to just anyone. Federal Banking rules and all. You better than anyone know how things can go missing, and while Cosgrove’s decision isn’t your fault, you do have to bear the brunt of the consequences.”
Shit. “Who told you about Cosgrove?”
“Small banking world.”
Noah leaned forward. “I’m good for the money.”
“I bet you are, son. Unfortunately, I don’t make the rules,” Harrison said with the confident, condescending tone of a man who could stab a person and then get away with it by blaming it on the knife. “However, those rules can be wriggled around if your wife,” Noah glared at him, “or another co-signer took on the debt with you.”
There was no way he’d ask his buddies, Carlos and Gabriel, for money because there was no way he’d admit defeat or that he’d been robbed. Plus, they had families to support. While they were doing well, he knew they didn’t have millions in liquid assets to hand over to him.
That left his dad. There was no way he’d involve his dad in this. He could only imagine what Gunnar would say to him asking for a loan again. Once was enough for him.
Noah traded the contract for his manila folders and stood. “Thanks for your time, but I have to say no. I’ll find another way to finance the jobs.”
“Get your wife to co-sign, Noah. That, and get her to open an account with us.”
Yeah, so the bank could make millions off the interest her money would earn. “I’m pretty sure she’s happy with her bank.”
“Things can change.”
He wouldn’t use Kate like that. “I won’t.”
Chapter Nine
‡
That night, Noah texted Kate to see if she were still awake and wanted to talk, then belatedly remembered the five-hour difference.
And he remembered that she hadn’t returned his call yesterday either.
He chucked his phone on the sofa and clicked the television on with the remote, intent on watching some of his guilty pleasures like Wheel of Fortune and Dance Moms.
His phone vibrated.
Scrambling for his phone, he grabbed it and checked his messages.
Kate: Are you still up?
She’d actually replied. For a minute, he considered making her wait, but his need to talk to her overrode his bruised ego. Maybe a little flirting would help.
Noah: Shouldn’t you be in bed?
Kate: I am in bed.
Noah: What a heartless woman to tease me like that.
Kate: Is there a bed shortage in America?
Noah: No, but there is a you shortage.
He winced a little. Maybe that was a little cheesy. He glanced at the two bottles of beer on the coffee table. Yeah, he could blame in on the beer.
Kate: You know exactly what a girl needs to hear
Damn. Obviously, she was still upset about her meeting with her parents. Maybe that was why she’d avoided his calls, and he had to face facts, they barely knew one another. No matter how much his feelings had grown for her over the last couple of weeks.
Noah: Feel like talking yet?
Kate: Not really.
He frowned at her answer.
Noah: How about you meet me in Dallas at the end of the month? I want to introduce you to my family.
Kate didn’t reply right away. His gut churned, and he couldn’t blame the beer.
Kate: There’s still a lot to sort out. Perhaps in July?
“Perhaps,” he muttered. “What kind of non-answer is that?” And hadn’t she given him that vague reply before?
Noah: That’s the same answer you gave me before.
Kate: My bank is disputing claims that have been made against my account. I have to be here.
Noah: The Internet is worldwide.
Kate: I have to go. It’s three in the morning, and I have a breakfast meeting with The Royal Displacement Fund committee.
Of course she did.
Noah: Call me when you get a chance.
There. He’d put the ball in her court. If she wanted to talk to him, then she could call him. He had reached out to her enough.
Two times is enough.
You forgot the time on the plane when you emailed her.
Fourth time’s the charm.
Now, I know why we don’t talk that often.
It’s all in your head, buddy.
His phone rang, and he answered it immediately. Kate’s familiar voice filled his ears.
“Noah, I’m not trying to be difficult, but I can’t run away from my problems.” She sighed. “I promise that I’ll get your money transferred.”
“It’s not about the money,” he said flatly. “It’s that you can’t commit to coming here. We had an agreement. You don’t have to get anyone’s permission to come to Holland Springs.”
“I don’t need to be ordered about either.”
He let his head fall back against the cushions. “I’m not ordering you. I miss you. I want you here. Is that such a bad thing?”
Kate didn’t reply. After another thirty seconds of silence, Noah tried again.
“Has something happened that I need to know about?” Maybe she had lied to him. Maybe she had to get married in order to get her money. People did stuff like that all the time. He had a buddy in Charlotte that had to get married just to keep his company. Parents, and sometimes, even grandparents, were weird like that. Although, he wished she would have been honest and told him upfront.
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