Ladd Fortune

by Dianne Venetta

  The comment caught him on the chin. Did she want to become one? “Well, I’m not against the idea per se,” he slid out noncommittally. Actually came close once, but the woman turned out to be a manipulative liar. She’d been conning him the whole time, only interested in his money. After he caught her making plans to buy a condo in Colorado—one he knew nothing about—the deal was off. Investment opportunity or no, a married couple was supposed to discuss these things ahead of time. Now, Nick Harris was about the closest thing he had to a wife. Malcolm chuckled. And not a very pretty one.

  “Good,” Lacy retorted, as though the issue were settled. “We can go swimming, then.”

  Amused by her logic, Malcolm asked, “So tell me, Ms. Owens, when do you plan on returning to Atlanta?”

  Her exuberance dimmed. “Why?”

  “I want to know how long I’ll have the pleasure of your company.” She smiled at the reply, but it was a joy that didn’t seem to penetrate completely. “Is there a problem? You sort of dodged my question at the diner.”

  “No.” Lacy pressed the button to fully lower her window. “It’s such a beautiful day out, isn’t it?”

  “Dodge number two.”

  She turned to him. “If you must know, I don’t really have any reason to go back to Atlanta.”

  “How about a job?”

  “The lounge?” She waved him off. “Oh, poo. That’s not important.”

  “It puts money in your pocket.”

  Lacy expelled a sigh and thrust her attention back out the window. “Money isn’t everything, you know.”

  “True.” Malcolm considered the woman beside him, the shift in mood. “You could always consider my job offer for the hotel, though you’ll need something in the interim. Maybe they’re hiring at Whiskey Joe’s.”

  “Oh,” she blew out her breath, “I don’t want to be in the bar business anymore. I think I’d like a day job.”

  “Well then we need to find you a day position. Until the hotel’s built, that is. Because after that, you’re mine.”

  Lacy latched onto him with a grin—one that stirred him more deeply than he expected. Malcolm realized he was beginning to really like this woman. Beyond her looks, Lacy was like no other woman he’d ever met. She was beautiful, yes, with a body that could rock a man’s world, but she had spunk. She was fresh and candid. She didn’t lie or hide things, she didn’t play games—other than her affinity for flirting. She seemed utterly transparent, as though her closet was bare, no secrets or skeletons in sight.

  But Malcolm wasn’t fooling himself. A girl who ran away at age seventeen with an eighteen-year-old young man certainly wasn’t an innocent. Landing on the sidewalks of Atlanta, forced to fend for herself after the breakup, she had to have been exposed to the sleazier side of life. How was it she didn’t bear the scars?

  “We’re almost there,” Lacy announced, and shifted in her seat.

  Malcolm could tell she was excited. “How long has it been since you last visited Zack’s Falls?”

  “My word!” She flattened a palm to her breast. “Since I was a kid, really.” Her blue eyes turned fluid with memory as he watched her mentally calculate time and distance and her life since then. The excitement of recollection that had opened her expression slowly closed. “It’s been a long time...”

  Sounded to him like she missed the place, a sentiment he could fully understand. This area was beautiful. It was peaceful, homey, a great place to raise a family—if one were so inclined. But kids were never part of his plan. Not because he didn’t like them, but carting them from hotel to hotel didn’t appeal to him. Kids needed stability, sameness. Like his childhood in California, kids needed a community and a world they could rely on to stay consistent, parents to be there for them as they navigated their way through life. Malcolm’s lifestyle was anything but.

  Pulling onto the property, he rolled over the wooden bridge and said, “Let’s make this afternoon memorable.”

  Lacy squeezed her hands together and rewarded him with a delicious smile. “Yes, let’s do.”

  Parking next to Nick’s sedan, Malcolm jumped out and circled the hood to collect Lacy and their picnic bag. Grabbing the blanket he’d snagged from his hotel, he slung it over his arm and held out his free elbow. “May I?”

  Lacy took his arm he closed the door behind her. “You thought of everything, didn’t you?”

  “While I’m no sissy, sitting in the dirt is not my idea of fun.”

  She laughed gaily. “Are you sure you’re going to make it through the woods? There are spiders and bugs, you know.”

  Malcolm liked her tease. Running his gaze slowly down her legs, landing on her black boots, he considered them next to the hiking boots he’d opted for and retorted, “If you can make it, I can make it.”

  “Let’s do it!”

  “By all means,” he said, “let’s do.”

  Lacy led the way through the meadow adjoining the Ladd homestead, pointing to the meadow, the river, the mountains beyond as she explained to Malcolm that it was all part of Ladd property, only this section was more gentle than where they were headed. The falls were part of the property in the area of forest that bordered the USFS. Public land, Malcolm had learned, woven between private parcels throughout the Appalachian Mountains. Ladd Springs had scores of trails and creeks, and if you didn’t know where you were going, it was easy to get lost. Higher up the river was her favorite spot—and according to Lacy, the biggest waterfalls for a hundred miles—Zack’s Falls.

  “It’s definitely a beautiful tract of land,” he said. “From what I’ve seen on my hikes with Nick and Delaney, it’s a real treasure.”

  “Brings back so many memories for me.” She stopped, crouching down to admire a pretty purple flower, yellow lines running down the length of its narrow, droopy petals. Cradling the orchid-like bloom in her fingers, she said, “My momma used to grow these in her garden.”

  “Is that an iris?”

  Sporting a wide grin, she looked up at him through squinted eyes. “Now how does a man know anything about flowers?”

  He’s given enough of them away to know what he’s paying for. But Malcolm wasn’t about to introduce the image of him and other women to Lacy. That was the furthest thing he wanted from her mind. “I’m a man of education. In fact, that’s the Tennessee state flower,” he told her, recalling the page from the airline magazine, an article detailing facts about the state as his plane touched down in Knoxville.

  She stood. “You’re right.”

  Hitting the trail, they wound through a forest of trees and bushes, the temperature several degrees cooler now that they were out of the sun. For the next half-hour, Lacy entertained him with stories from her youth, memorable moments she shared with Jeremiah and Delaney when they were kids—before the trouble started—from horseback riding to jumping from the falls. Once they hit high school, everything changed. Annie and Delaney went to war, Jeremiah turned tomcat and began hanging with a bad crowd, and running stir-crazy down the same old dusty country roads, she’d been itching to break free of it all. Apart from the forest, there’d been nothing for her here and thus, she left.

  Navigating the fairly level trails was easy and Malcolm enjoyed the exercise. It wasn’t until they arrived at the river that things became tricky. He heard the water before he saw it. About fifty feet wide, the river was littered with rocks and boulders. There were a few decaying trunks jutting over from the sides, a few tangled in pools of water. After a slight drop off, ripples of white water rode the surface as the river ran free and fast.

  Malcolm reveled in the sound of rushing water. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Told you!” Lacy trotted over to the water’s edge and tugged off her boots.

  Whoa, did he miss a sign? Skinny dipping begins here.

  She set the pair of boots aside, high and dry on a large, flat surface of a boulder. Standing bare-footed, she pointed at his feet. “You’ll need to take off your shoes.”

  “Is that a
ll?” he joked, hoping it wasn’t.

  She giggled. “For now.”

  Desire zipped through his loins. Lacy sounded serious.

  Setting bag and blanket on a different rock, he quickly removed his boots and socks and set them alongside hers. The stone was uneven and grainy beneath his bare feet.

  “You might want to roll up your jeans,” she advised.

  “Am I going to be wading through the river?”

  “Climbing,” she clarified. “But many of the cliffs have pools of water within them.” She shrugged. “It might easier, is all.”

  “You’re the boss,” he said—much to her delight—and rolled up his pant legs.

  “Let’s go!”

  In amazement, Malcolm watched as Lacy hopped up the rocks, climbing from boulder to boulder agile as a deer. Despite himself, his gaze searched for a glimpse up her skirt, but none came. She was too quick and now too far away. “Wait up!” he called after her.

  Lacy traversed the rocky terrain swiftly, while Malcolm managed the climb with no small degree of effort. It wasn’t that he was out of shape, more like he feared losing his grip as he scaled one rocky ledge to the next. Add the bag and blanket in hand—the blanket now stuffed inside the bag—and he had his work cut out for him. But if getting naked next to Lacy in the waterfalls was his reward, then the trouble would be worth it. Worth every second.

  Climbing for what seemed like an hour, Malcolm seized hold of a triangular-shaped stone and hauled himself up a narrow passageway between two massive boulders. Creating a foothold in a jagged crevice—heart hammering—he coordinated his movements and hoisted himself up, invigorated by the heavy pound of water above.

  Sweating, muscles pumped, he glanced up to see Lacy staring down at him with a pert smirk. “You gonna make it?” she asked loudly, her voice competing against the roar of water.

  Malcolm grunted. “I’ll tell you in a minute,” he muttered, pushing up from his knees. Clearing the wet, gray stones to reach her level, he surveyed the surroundings and let out a low whistle. “This is some kind of beautiful.”

  “Isn’t it?” She spoke as a proud momma would of her baby.

  “It is.” He turned to her, captivated by her eyes. Sunlight lit up the intricate blue layers, happiness took care of the rest. “The guests will love it, if they’re able to manage the climb.”

  Lacy giggled. “No problem.” She turned and pointed. “The trail is right over there. They can walk up, if they prefer.”

  Malcolm seized upon an exposed section of the trail. It paralleled the river bank. Was she kidding? He turned. “And you made me climb up rocks? Carrying a bag of food and blanket for your soft tush to sit on?”

  She laughed and held up her hands, as though warding off an oncoming beast. “Now wait a minute—you said you wanted to explore my favorite picnic spot.”

  “I didn’t say I had to climb myself to a near heart attack to get there!” He went for her, but she darted away from him. Malcolm backed her to the edge of the rock.

  With no place left to run, she dished out a quick pout. “Are you mad at me?”

  “No.” Malcolm pulled her close. “But I will exact my revenge.”

  She covered her mouth with both hands and laughed.

  Drawing her hands away, Malcolm leaned down and kissed her smack on the lips. Nothing involved, he simply wanted a taste of her incredibly fun spirit. “You owe me.”

  Lacy’s eyes shuttered. “I do?” she asked breathlessly.

  “You do.” He gave her a brief kiss but pulled himself away. Now was not the time.

  Malcolm scanned the landscape. The crashing water reverberated inside him, energizing every cell in his body. Unable to see upriver past the falls, he turned and inhaled the view downstream. From this elevation, it was a picturesque panorama. The river cut and turned as though carving a swath through the forest. Rocks looked as if they had been carelessly tossed in the river’s path and now lay stuck within its hold. Beyond the wall of trees on either side, blue filled in the sky above. Malcolm could spend some time in a place like this. Quiet, peaceful, yet rugged and challenging. He turned and took in the woman beside him, her expression wistful, dreamy. He could spend that time with her.

  “Fond memories?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said quietly. “A lot of them.”

  “You’d make a great hiking guide.”

  Lacy tilted her chin up to him. “You think so?”

  “I do. You know the land, you climb it well. And you love it. It’s the perfect combination in a guide.” In a woman, as well, he mused, but kept that observation to himself.

  She cocked her head to the side and said, “Maybe I’ll apply for the job of mountain guide instead of guest-greeter.”

  “You do that.” Ready to settle in for their visit, Malcolm checked his watch. It was almost one-thirty. Already? Hot, sweaty, he was tempted to jump in and cool off right here. “How much further?”

  “None. We’re here. This is my spot.”

  He grinned. “Best news I’ve heard all day.”

  Lacy chose an area off to the side, close to the deepest pool of water but out of the direct spray from the falls by several yards. Partially shaded by the trees, the rocks were level, the spot semi-private and affording them a nice view of both the gorge of waterfalls crashing through a V in the boulders and the river below. Invigorating sound of water to his right, calm and winding scenery of river flow to his left, he’d have to remember this spot. It would make the perfect location to make love to her.

  Sitting back against a rock with her legs extended and crossed, Lacy wriggled her toes. Painted apple red, they shone brightly in the sun. Digging into the paper bag, she pulled out a drumstick and handed it to him.

  Sprawled out beside her, he replied, “Thanks.” He could eat this one and ten more after the hike up here. Malcolm bit into the round end and groaned with pleasure at the mild spice of fried coating mixed with moist meaty flesh. “This is delicious,” he said through a half-closed mouth.

  “It’s Aunt Frannie’s specialty.”

  “What isn’t her specialty when it comes to cooking?”

  Lacy laughed. Pulling one free for herself, she said, “So you never told me where you’re from.”

  “California.”

  “Really? What part?” she asked, then bit into her chicken.

  “Southern California. Plenty of beaches, plenty of desert, not a lot of green. Basically nothing like Tennessee.” He paused. “Which is probably why I like this place so much.”

  She frowned. “Did you not have a nice childhood?”

  “Oh, I had a great childhood. I surfed, I played music, hung out with my friends. I was simply ready for a change of scenery.”

  Holding the chicken before her lips, she gazed at him. “Is that why you travel a lot?”

  “I travel because it’s my job. Nick and I have properties in ten different cities, three different countries.”

  “Wow, I’ve never been anywhere,” Lacy murmured, and took another bite.

  He could see her mind digesting the revelation, probably conjuring up exotic beaches and beautiful people. What she didn’t see was the poverty of South America, the slums of the Caribbean, the hardship of the Outback in Australia. Life wasn’t as pretty outside the hotel boundaries as inside. Nor in his hometown. Most people heard the word California and imagined Hollywood, movie stars, but there was a whole lot more to the state than the film industry. Maybe one day, he’d show Lacy.

  A flash of red caught his eye. Malcolm fired a hand to Lacy’s mouth, pressing it to her lips. She blinked and he held a finger to his own lips, motioning for her to be quiet. Her eyes grew wide. Malcolm’s attention shot to the trail. As he lowered his hand from her mouth, she followed his gaze. Two figures were traveling down the trail, partially obscured by tree trunks, leave-filled branches, and a massive boulder that jutted up between the trail and river.

  “Oh!” she cried under her breath. Lacy’s eyes glistened as she
stared.

  “Shhh...” Malcolm warned, a bad feeling seeping into his gut. Jeremiah just ran past, followed by a skinny, ragged-looking fellow. What the hell were they doing up here?

  Malcolm was surprised they didn’t see him and Lacy, but the two men seemed in a pretty big hurry. His first instinct was to follow them, but that would leave Lacy exposed. With no weapon, no way to defend herself, she would be in jeopardy if he left her.

  “What are they doing up here?” Lacy whispered.

  “Don’t know.” But he was damn sure going to find out.

  “And who was that man with Jeremiah?”

  “You don’t know him?” Malcolm asked.

  “Never seen him before in my life.”

  “We need to tell Nick and Delaney. This could prove to be a wrinkle we don’t need.”

  “A wrinkle? Right now?”

  As much as he hated to do it, he nodded. “Time may prove critical on this one.” The dash to her mood was quick and severe. Malcolm tilted her chin up to face him, taking pleasure in the fact that her current pout was genuine. “Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you. But right now, we need to go.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Once in the privacy of Delaney’s cabin, Nick and Delaney stared expectantly as Malcolm let loose with the news. “We’ve got trouble.”

  “What’s up?” Nick asked, standing by Delaney’s side at the kitchen island. A thick black iron skillet of cornbread sat on a heat pad on the butcher block surface, the aroma saturating the interior. It made Malcolm hungry for the picnic he’d abandoned, but for good reason. He could eat later. They needed to talk now.

  Lacy hovered by Malcolm’s side, meek as a kitten, almost as if she feared being in the same room with Delaney and in her room at that. He had to admit, the razors thrashing through Delaney’s gaze were not the most welcoming sight, and they were definitely aimed at Lacy.

  “Jeremiah was on the trail!” Lacy blurted.

  Delaney recoiled. “What?”

  Way to ease it out, Malcolm thought, though he wasn’t angry, only learning her ways. “It’s true. We saw him by Zack’s Falls, headed down the trail.”