Maybe it was a good thing that Lecie was headed out of town. A week or two away from here would give Nick time to figure out how to get rid of Ginny for good.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Three weeks later
NICK MATTHEWS WONDERED IF someone had put a curse on him. Maybe. His luck lately was just that bad. Although, he hadn’t seen Ginny in over two weeks, not since Troy the cop had had a little talk with her. The next day, she’d checked out of her motel and hadn’t been seen around town since. Nick hoped she stayed gone this time.
The only positive thing that’d graced his life lately was Lecie, but she wasn’t in it for the long haul. He was just a means to an end for her.
He’d thought that when she came into the picture luck was beginning to shine upon him again, since she’d bailed him out financially.
If that had been the case, it was temporary because the bank had pulled the rug out from under him this morning. He’d heard their big, fat, resounding no about the loan for the community center loud and clear.
He walked into his office at Hang Ten and slammed the door. Storming across the room toward his desk, he tried to temper his anger, having minimal success.
Well, he’d best pick up the phone and deliver the bad news. He didn’t like it, but he grabbed the receiver off its cradle and hit the speed dial for the community center. After hearing Dean’s voice, Nick said, “The bank said no.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding,” Dean said.
“I wish I could.” Nick swabbed his hand over his forehead. “I’m out of options.”
“You could ask Lecie.”
“No.” Not even for the community center. Nick figured he’d already taken advantage of her enough as it was. “We’ll find another way. She won’t be it.”
“It was just a thought.” There was a silence on the line for a few seconds, then Dean said, “Listen, I’ll come over to the restaurant later. We’ll figure out a way to fix this.”
Dean hung up the phone and stared at the picture hanging on the wall in his office at the community center. The photograph of Dean, Nick, and Kevin was taken about a month before Kevin overdosed. They hadn’t seen it back then—at least Dean hadn’t, and as far as he knew neither had Nick—but Kevin was high as a kite when the picture was snapped.
And now, he and Nick were on the verge of losing the center. The legacy they’d built for Kevin. It was the one thing that brought meaning to Kevin’s death. Without the center, they both knew he’d died in vain.
A soft knock on the door dragged Dean out of his somber thoughts. “Come on,” he called out.
The door opened, and Dean doubted he was able to hide his shock when he saw Lecie coming in with a manila envelope in her hands. She greeted him with a smile and waited for him to invite her to sit. When he did, she offered him the envelope before sitting.
“What’s this?” he asked, taking it.
“I’m giving my interest in Hang Ten to the center.”
“Why?”
“I’ve decided to return to France,” she said. “And it’s just not right for me to keep it.”
“Then why don’t you just give it back to Nick?”
“Because he’ll never take it.”
“Well…” Dean slid the envelope across the desk toward her. “Don’t turn it over to the center.” He shook his head slowly. “We’re going out of business.”
“What do you mean you’re going out of business?” She inched closer to his desk.
“This place is for sale.” He looked around and shrugged. “And we can’t afford to buy it. Once it goes on the market, at the end of week, it’ll just be a matter of time before we’re given an eviction notice.”
“Who’s selling it?” she asked.
“Juno Properties,” Dean replied, but he didn’t want to talk about the center. Talking about the center made him sad. It was time to change the subject. “Why are you going back to France?” he asked, mildly curious about the answer. “I thought that was the whole reason you and Nick got married…so you didn’t have to go back yet?”
“Plans change,” she said with a smile and shrug, but there was something sad about her countenance.
Maybe she was regretting giving Nick all that money. “Nick can’t possibly reimburse you for the money you gave him.” Dean wanted her to know she could change her mind all she wanted, but she shouldn’t expect anything back from Nick, not even a partial refund.
“Oh, I know.” She shook her head. “I’m not expecting a reimbursement.”
Okay. Well…as long as she knew where she stood as far as the money was concerned, she could do whatever she wanted.
But he couldn’t help wondering why? What was the real reason? Dean had gotten the feeling that Lecie liked Nick, just as much as Dean knew Nick liked her. But he didn’t know Lecie well enough to ask.
Once home, Lecie surveyed the house. It looked like Nick was still living there, but she couldn’t understand why. He wouldn’t bring Ginny to her house, would he?
Of course not. Nick wasn’t that kind of guy. Lecie might not like that Nick loved someone else, but deep down she knew he was an upstanding guy.
So why was he still here?
Well, he had entered into a contract with her. He was probably trying to uphold it. It’s just that Lecie couldn’t let him lose his chance to get back with the woman he loved.
She dug her cell out of her purse and called up his number.
“Lecie…I’m so glad you’re back.” His voice slipped over her like smooth silk.
“Yes. Yes, I am.” It pierced her heart to think that soon, very soon, she wouldn’t be hearing his voice anymore.
“How’s Deidra? She come with you?”
“She’s taking care of some last-minute details,” Lecie said. “She’ll be here tomorrow.” And they’d be leaving for France by the end of the week. She just had to figure out a way to get Nick to take back the percentage of Hang Ten that he’d given her. “Are you very busy?” she wondered. “I really need to talk to you.”
“I can be at the house in five,” he said.
Lecie disconnected the call and tossed her phone onto the couch. She drew in a deep breath, hoping it’d bring her enough courage to keep her dignity about her and not make a fool of herself when Nick arrived.
Just remember, she coached herself, he loves someone else. She prayed Ginny didn’t insist on coming along.
The five minutes it took Nick to get there was just enough time for Lecie to get herself sufficiently worked up. She should never have let herself get mixed up with him in the first place. She might be young, and a little naïve, but she knew full well the feelings she’d had for Nick before she let Camille and Tasha talk her into asking Dean—Nick’s best friend—to marry her.
Nick rushed through the front door, hardly able to believe how excited he was that Lecie was back. He shouldn’t be—and for more reasons than it was a bad idea to get hooked on her—but he was. It shouldn’t matter to him, but her being back was the one thing that made the prospect of losing the community center bearable.
She was standing by the fireplace, trying to smile. She was probably still feeling the effects of Deidra’s grandmother’s passing.
“Lecie…” He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. That was a bad idea too, but he did it anyway. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
She was a little reluctant at first, but after a couple of seconds, her arms wrapped slowly around him until finally she held on like she was holding on for dear life. That made Nick’s heart sing.
“Everything go okay while I was gone?” She pulled away and went to the couch. He followed her. “Did I miss anything?” she asked.
Nick sat beside her and shook his head. “It was pretty boring around here without you.”
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” she asked. She was so distant, so aloof, and Nick had to wonder why. What happened to the fun-loving girl who lit up like a Christmas tree every time he came
into the room? Where was that girl? Nick wanted her back.
“Oh…it was nothing.” He chuckled, buying time to come up with something plausible. “I just wanted to take you out to dinner…” He was making it up as he went along. He liked that idea so he ran with it. “To show my appreciation for you stepping in and helping out at the Hang Ten.”
For a second, she looked at him like she didn’t believe him, but before he got around to throwing out a few more sensible explanations, she said in a sad, lonely sort of tone, “You’re such a nice guy, Nick.”
He didn’t know what to make of that. That’s the phrase most girls used when they’re getting ready to dump you. But if she dumped him, where would that leave her? She couldn’t be dumping him—at least not yet. “Well, you did a good thing and you deserve to be rewarded.”
“So do you.” She nodded, and seemed so sad about something. Deidra’s grandmother? He had no way of knowing. She looked like she was about to cry when she said, “I’ve been awfully selfish.” She shook her head and turned away from him.
“You? Selfish?” He said on the edge of impatience. “You don’t have a selfish bone in your body, girl.”
“I took advantage of you.” She looked at him. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“What do you mean you took advantage of me?” He laughed nervously.
“I knew you needed money.”
“I’m responsible for my own actions,” he said. “You didn’t twist my arm. I entered into this agreement as a willing participant.”
“Yes, and now you’re stuck.” She stared at him with a blank look.
“Just for a few more months.” He paused. “Then we’re both free to do as we please.”
“A lot can happen in a few months.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t hold you to that.”
“We made a deal. Signed a contract.” Nick spoke in a steady, lower-pitched voice. “I take that kind of thing seriously.”
“Look, if you want out,” she said. “All you have to do is say the word and we’ll end this thing tomorrow.”
End it tomorrow? Nick sucked in a deep breath. If they ended it tomorrow, how was he ever going to pay her back for all that money? Money that he’d mostly already spent.
As if she’d read his thoughts, she said, “Don’t worry. I don’t expect any refund on time not spent.”
He wanted to ask her what brought this on, but who was Nick to grill her about anything? She could do as she pleased. That was an advantage of being super rich. When you get bored with one thing, you drop it and move on to the next. It wasn’t like she was actually dumping him. She’d never promised to stay by his side forever. Just six months. But Nick was learning that even when you entered into a contract marriage, anything could happen.
At least Lecie showed up for the wedding.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
DEAN LOOKED AT NICK LIKE he’d lost his mind. Nick felt the need to repeat himself, if for nothing other than clarity’s sake. “I’m not joking. I got home yesterday and she’s trying to let me off the hook.” Nick shook his head. “Maybe she found someone else while she was in Florida and I’m just in the way now.”
“She came by the center,” Dean said. “Tried to give her share of Hang Ten to me. Well, the center. She said you’d never take it back willingly.”
“And she’s right. I told her so yesterday. Especially if she’s ready to cancel our agreement. I have no way to pay her back the money I’ve already spent.”
“Have you asked her why she’s leaving?”
“No.” Nick didn’t think he had the right to ask her why. “Besides, I really don’t want to hear about how she’s found someone else.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Dean nodded. “But I just can’t help thinking that this is a tactical error of some sort.”
“Let’s face it…” Nick laughed at himself. “I’m just way out of my league with this one. Whoever’s caught her attention, I hope he’s worthy of her.”
“Well…” Dean stood. “I need to start looking for a job.” He shook his head. He and Nick both knew how hard that was going to be in this economy.
“If there’s anything I can do to help…” Nick’s voice trailed off.
Dean nodded and headed for the door.
If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. Nick had thought things were going to turn around after Lecie walked into his life, but that wasn’t meant to be. She was walking out, and taking every ounce of available hope with her.
He was losing Lecie and the center at the same time. The fact that he still had the Hang Ten—thanks to her—was of little comfort.
Two days later, Nick was in his office, tending to the daily needs of the Hang Ten when Dean’s call came in.
“I’m kind of busy right now,” Nick said to Dean. “Can I call you later?”
“This can’t wait.” Dean’s troubled voice reached across the airwaves and yanked Nick up by the throat.
“All right,” Nick said, straightening in his chair.
“It’s happened.”
“What’s happened?”
“Somebody bought the center.”
Nick closed his eyes and dropped his head into his hand. “Well, that’s that then.”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up, man.” Dean said. “You kept this place going for an awful long time.”
“Yes, but it was supposed to be forever,” Nick said. “So my brother didn’t die in vain.”
Dean Triplett let his gaze wander around the common area of the Kevin Matthews Community Center. It wouldn’t bear that name for much longer. Who knew what the new owners would end up doing with the piece of prime real estate. Probably demo the building and throw up some fancy high rise or something.
Dean shook his head, went to his office and closed the door. He knew they’d be coming, the new owners, any day, to personally issue his eviction notice. But, even if it was just for today, he was still the center’s director.
Sitting down at his desk, he thought about all the things he should be doing. Settling the center’s final debts, as much as he could. Figuring out what to do with all the furnishings and such. And finding a new job.
Dean blew out a sigh. He didn’t feel like doing any of those things, especially when it came to a new job. He liked this one just fine.
Silently, he cursed Ginny, even though she wasn’t directly responsible for the property being sold out from under the center, but she was to blame for Nick’s unstable financial status. That much he could pin on her.
A soft knock echoed through the door. One of the kids? Dean went to see who. Opening the door, he was surprised to see Lecie. Again.
“Hey…” He tried to smile, but there wasn’t much to smile about.
She had another large manila envelope with her. More documents, he supposed. She gave him a smile, then said, “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
He shook his head. “Not at all.” He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. “What can I do for you?” Funny he’d be asking her that. She was the one who could’ve helped him and Nick, if Nick would’ve just asked her for a loan. But Nick wouldn’t hear of it, wouldn’t even entertain it.
Dean shook the nasty thoughts out of his head and went back to his seat behind the desk. He really couldn’t blame this on Nick. Or Lecie. It was nobody’s fault. Just fate being a bitch.
When he peered up at her, he saw it. She was fretting over something. He just couldn’t figure what. “Nick wouldn’t take back his interest in the Hang Ten, huh?” He pointed to the envelope she was carrying.
“No.” Lecie raised her eyebrows and let out a little laugh.
“Well, I wish we could take it off your hands, but like I said…” Dean shook his head. “Never mind, I shouldn’t be bothering you with my troubles.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“You may not remember, but I mentioned it the other day.” Dean had a hard time hiding the pain this whole thing was causing him. “The center is being sold out from
under us.”
Lecie smiled. Awfully pissy of her. And out of character. That was something more likely to come from Ginny.
“By now,” Dean said, hoping to make her feel bad, “I should have new computers here for the kids to use.” He glared at her, trying to project his pain on her. “Instead, all I have for them is bad news. Someone’s already bought the center and the land it sits on. I’m sure our eviction notice is eminent.”
As if undaunted by his statement, she said, “That’s why I’m here.” She laid the envelope on the desk and pushed it toward him. “I purchased this property.”
“You?” Dean asked, unable to hide his shock over that one.
“Well…” Lecie paused. “I bought it on behalf of the Kevin Matthews Foundation.”
“You did what?” Dean asked her again, just to make sure he’d heard right. This was too good to be true.
“Well you said the other day…the place was up for sale.” Her cheeks blushed pink. “Considering all that’s happened lately, I figured Nick might have a hard time coming up with the money. I have plenty of money. And it seemed like a worthy cause.” She looked at Dean, her eyes widening. “You don’t think he’s going to be mad, do you? Maybe we shouldn’t tell him it was me.”
Dean laughed. “The minute I tell him the Kevin Matthews Foundation now owns this center, he’s gonna know it was you.”
“Well, okay.” She looked at Dean. “Can you wait until I’m gone, back to France, to confirm it?”
“Tell you what…” He got up. “I won’t volunteer any information.” He moved around the desk. “But if he asks me point blank, I won’t lie.”
She stood. “Fair enough.”
“I can’t begin to thank you.” He wrapped her in a friendly embrace. “You are an angel.”
“Hardly.” She laughed and they parted.
“You’re definitely an angel,” Dean said. And Nick was going to think she was an angel, too. Maybe this would be the thing that urged Nick to get off his butt and stop this girl from leaving.
Nick checked his watch. 1:30. Chip from Budweiser should be back from lunch by now. He needed to get that order in or Hang Ten was going to be very short on beer this weekend. Things had been far easier when Ginny was around handling all these office-type duties for the restaurant. Course, she was also not paying the bills.
Billionaire Games Boxed Set (The Marriage Bargain, The Marriage Caper, The Marriage Fix) Page 48