by Stacy Hoff
Who cared what people thought about her anyway? It was time to do the right thing by her company—sell it for profit to finally build her business up the right way. She had learned one thing from Ty Orland—if she wanted to get to the top, she needed to be ruthless.
The comment Henry made about Ty romancing her to get the land stuck with her. But if that was his intent, why did he reject her? Had he been starting to actually care about her? That would make his dumping her over Rudy’s lie even harder to bear.
~ ~ ~
Ty hadn’t left his room for hours. The day was almost gone and sunset settled slowly on the Strip. Given the enormous windows of the suite, he had a front-row seat to nature’s spectacle. Not that he cared. Nothing was worth caring about right now. How could Cat be a liar? He had been falling for her, damn it.
Turned out his instinct to avoid relationships and focus on what mattered—money—was dead right. He hadn’t followed his own advice. Now look where he was. Alone in his hotel room feeling sorry for himself. The only good thing to come from this was rejecting Cat before she could reject him. Having her toss him aside for the bigger, better deal, as she had with Rudy, would have been too much to bear. But a thought snuck in that he couldn’t answer, why then was she alone all those years after Rudy?
A distant knock came from the suite’s entrance. It was high time Rudy got here. Ty had been waiting long enough. He admitted he screwed up the deal, now all he could do was work with Rudy on how to best resolve it.
“Rudy, glad you’re here,” Ty said, opening the door.
Rudy stood before him in jeans and a tee shirt, a far cry from the business attire he normally wore. His stature was typical Rudy, though. Stiff, straight back as if he were a British lord from the 1800’s. Sunglasses on top of his head pushed the long black hair away from Rudy’s square face. “When in Vegas,” Rudy answered, shrugging. “Are you going to leave me standing out here?”
Ty chuckled. “I’d like to, but no, come on in.”
They walked through the long corridor back to the formal living room and plopped themselves down on the couches.
“Nice digs,” Rudy remarked off-handedly.
“Yeah. Listen, I have to say, I’m sorry about the whole mess I got us into. Since you’re my biggest investor, and the one who was first jerked over by Cat, tell me what you want me to do.”
“I wasn’t jerked over by Cat,” Rudy said quietly.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said,” Rudy repeated louder, “I wasn’t jerked over by Cat. That’s what I flew over here to tell you.”
Ty sat there, blinking. If a truck ran over him, he couldn’t be more in shock. Then he kicked himself into gear. “Rudy, what the hell are you saying? I dumped a perfect woman—my perfect woman—because of what she did to you, and now you’re telling me she didn’t do anything to you?”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I would have told you earlier about the history between us, but I had no idea you were dealing with the same person. Let alone the fact you’d get personally involved with her.”
“So what did happen, Rudy? I’m waiting.” Ty tapped his fingers on his left knee impatiently.
“My father was pushing me into marrying her. You know how Dad is.”
“Yeah. I do.”
“He won’t listen to reason. Or care about how anyone feels. He pushed hard for me to marry her because of her wealth. Thought if our families merged, the micro-hotel market would be a lock-up for sure. Within weeks of knowing her I was engaged.”
Ty felt his heart sink. Cat was willing to marry anyone. Maybe what they’d had between them wasn’t special. Maybe she just thought she could love anybody. “Pretty quick, if you ask me.”
“I’m sure she didn’t want to marry me, either. She was merely doing what she was told, same as I was.”
Could they have shared something truly special during the short time they had together? “Why do you think so?”
“Let me ask you a question, how does she look at you?”
“What?”
“I’m serious. Does she look at you as a woman in love? Or as someone she’s forced to endure?”
Ty closed his eyes and thought back to their time together. Her expression in the tent before they made love. Her happy, giddy ways. Her delight to be asked to his charity event. Cat had seemed genuine during all of it. In fact, she looked as enthralled as he was, for the entire time they were together. He winced. Except for those times he acted like a jackass.
“I gather,” Rudy said, “the former applies. Right?”
Ty nodded.
“Right.” Rudy exhaled a hard breath. “Although I didn’t want to get married, I was a little angry she didn’t want to, either.” Rudy’s voice grew soft again. “I had people cater to me all my life. To finally be disliked, and by the very person you’re supposed to marry, was hard. So I decided to bolt. The only way I knew wouldn’t get me into hot water with Dad. I blamed her.”
“You told everyone she was cheating on you so your father wouldn’t blame you?”
“Yeah. It wasn’t nice. I realize that now. But at the time I was in a bad situation, and it seemed like a good way out.” Ty watched him swallow. “Once I told this to my dad, I had to keep the lie going. I didn’t realize how hard that was going to be.”
“Hard for you? What about it being hard on Cat?”
“I’m talking about me, of course. As far as Cat is concerned, it’s not like she and I had a real bond for her to feel betrayed. I felt like I was giving her a good way out of a bad situation, too.”
“Why would you think that? You put the blame on her.”
“Dunno what to say. Ten years ago, it seemed like a good idea. Would I do it again? No.” Rudy paused. “I was pretty upset myself, you know. Especially since I felt like Cat was flat-out rejecting me. I was lucky to have Julie in town during that time to make me feel better—”
“So you’re the one who cheated?”
“Well, technically no. I had already broken up with her at the party. Then I left with Julie.”
“You hooked up with a woman you brought to your own engagement party. After dumping your fiancée at that party. Do I have all this right?”
“Well, yes, but you don’t have to put it that way. You make it sound so bad—”
“Hell, Rudy,” Ty said. “I’m not sure what to do about all this. I’m sure Cat hates me now. I basically told her to get out after I found out who she was. And now I find out the asshole that night was you.”
“I’ll ignore that remark because I know you’re upset. I can’t change the past. All we can do is move on to the future. So if you care about her, you’ll have to get her back.”
“Oh sure. Easy as pie. ‘Listen, Cat, sorry about calling you a dirty cheater who is only out for the bigger, better deal—’”
“Whoa. You said all that?”
Ty shot him a dirty look.
Rudy sighed. “Listen, Ty, I’m sorry for all this. I sometimes act on things I don’t fully think out.” Rudy paused before letting out a large grin. “After the break-up, I was still bitter at being thrown into the situation in the first place. I was tired of being my father’s pawn.”
“I think my mother often felt that way about your dad, but what are you so happy about?”
“The way I ultimately got back at him.” Rudy’s smile grew wider.
Ty cocked his head to one side, waiting.
“I decided to be your financial backer. I knew it would throw Dad for a loop. Practically gave him a heart attack he was so upset.”
Ty felt the wind sucked out of him. All this time he had felt indebted to Rudy for suffering his father’s wrath because Rudy invested in Ty’s business. Now Ty knew better. He had been a pawn in the Riezmans’ game. No different from how the Re
izmans had treated Cat. And no different from how Ty had treated Cat, either. A means to an end. No matter what the fallout.
“Sorry, Rudy,” Ty said, straightening up. “I’ve got to go.”
“Where are you going? I’ll go with you.”
“I don’t think so. This is one journey I’ve got to make on my own. I’m going after Cat.”
Chapter 14
Cat had returned to her hotel room from another lecture to hear her smartphone ringing. Without a second glance, she answered the call.
“Cat? It’s Ty. I’m calling to say I’m sorry—”
What is it with today? First Henry Morsik, now Ty. I want to be left alone.
“No need. What’s done is done.” She exhaled hard. “I need to leave in a few minutes. I’m sure we’ll bump into each other before the conference ends tomorrow.”
“Cat, wait—”
“No, Ty, I don’t think so. I’m sorry, but good-bye.” She clicked off the call and flung the phone onto the bed’s pillows. Plunking herself down on the bed, she promptly rubbed her temples. Why she ever believed in happy endings, she didn’t know. She was never going get a Prince Charming. Men were only royal disappointments.
The headache coming on was strong. But the knock on her door a few minutes later was even stronger.
“Yes?” Cat called out, getting up to walk to the door. Maybe room service was confused.
“It’s Ty. Can you let me in? Just for a moment, I swear.”
Cat grabbed the door handle and flung it open. “What is the matter with you? Haven’t you harassed me enough? You made it clear our relationship is dead. I made it clear your offer to buy my land is dead. We have nothing more to talk about so please lea—”
Next thing she knew, Ty’s arms were around her, his mouth, hot and wanting, locked on hers. Her body’s desires dueled—whether to give in to him or strike him.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, releasing her. “This is the second time I’m apologizing to you. Trust me, I don’t make it my general practice to do this.”
Despite her tension, confusion, and anger, Cat laughed. “I’m sure you don’t. Apologies aren’t imperial.”
“Rudy came here today to talk to me.”
Cat felt the blood drain from her face and her body go stone-still.
“I understand how you feel,” he continued softly. “He explained to me what actually happened. I was wrong to doubt you. He apologizes to you, too, for what it’s worth.”
Ty leaned forward to kiss the top of her forehead. “I was wrong to put so much stock in his opinion, too. It was a weird family dynamic growing up. The only wealthy, powerful family member who felt I was worth anything was Rudy. Being poor, that had a big impact on me. But now I know that, in a way, Rudy used me, too.”
Cat lifted her face up to him, blinking. “He did?”
“It doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t be in the financial shape I’m in today if he hadn’t helped me out. But at the end of the day, Rudy will still be all about Rudy.” Ty picked up her hand and kissed it. “At the end of my day, all I want to be about is you.”
“I’m scared to trust anyone, Ty. I’ve been burnt by him. And now you.”
“I know. I’m sorry for that.”
Cat studied him, gauging his sincerity. His eyes, beautifully green, seemed clear of any avarice or deceit.
“Come on in,” she said quietly, opening the door.
“Thanks.” He took the only chair in the room, leaving her to sit on the bed. “I’m listening,” she said politely.
“I’m going to lay all my cards out on the table, Cat. If there’s going to be any real shot between us, there’s got to be honesty.”
“I was honest with you.”
“Not entirely. You weren’t using your real name.”
She let out a sigh. “Okay, true. But I wasn’t doing it to deceive you. Or anyone else. I wanted to be my own businesswoman. With a last name like Demmel, it wasn’t happening. How else could I ever think I succeeded on my own if people only did business with me because of my parents? Using Warner, my mom’s last name, I knew anything I accomplished would be because of me. Can’t you understand?”
“Cat,” he said gently. “I get it. Trust me. I spent my whole life going in a direction opposite from yours, trying to prove to people they should do business with me regardless of the fact I didn’t come from a wealthy family.” Ty paused. “It was Rudy who came from money. Despite the fact my mother and Rudy’s father were siblings, my family was cut off. Not just financially, either. Socially, too.”
“I don’t understand.”
“My maternal grandparents were rich, but foolish. They were raised to be socialites and squandered every cent they had to keep their lifestyle up. Regardless of the fact their investments were tanking. My uncle believed the Reizman family stature needed to be carried on and married into money. Together, he and my aunt made an even bigger fortune in the hotel business.” Ty was quiet for a minute, shifting in the chair as if unable to find comfort.
“When my mother married for love, my uncle accused her of letting down her heritage. My father was a maintenance worker. I grew up with no money and no family beyond my parents. I didn’t get to really know Rudy until after my first job out of college.
“That’s why you and I never met each other.”
“Right.”
Cat sighed. “Pretty heavy stuff you grew up with, though I can relate. My parents forced me into getting engaged to Rudy, despite the fact I didn’t love him.”
“I know.”
“You know?” Cat asked, voice up an octave.
“Rudy figured out you felt the same way about getting married. He lied about your cheating because he was too immature to stand up to my uncle.”
Cat sat there, not knowing what to say. Ten years of holding in anger. Ten years of no self-confidence. Ten years of feeling betrayed. It was hard to let all the emotions go.
“Can we start over?” Ty asked, his eyes bright with hope.
~ ~ ~
Cat’s heart wanted to surge, but still felt tethered. In order for her to finally give herself to someone, she needed to know the thing she cared about most was there between them—trust.
“I might sell my land to Morsik.”
“What?”
“I’ve decided I don’t want to let my past dictate my path in life anymore. The land was given to me by my parents as an apology for forcing my engagement. That’s why it’s been so important to me.”
She quieted for a second, watching his expression as her words sank in. Given his simple nod, she could tell he was starting to make sense of her actions.
“But now I know,” she continued, “that hanging on to the past isn’t going to help me get over it. So I’ve decided to sell. The money I’ll get will bail out my failing inn and even allow me enough surplus to help out my others.” She looked at him intently and with hope. “I want to be my own success. As badly as you wanted to be part of your uncle’s success.”
“I get it. But why Morsik?”
“Because he’s going to pay me a quarter-million over what you will.”
“Morsik wants it only to block me. I’m assuming he’ll use it for leverage in the Vegas deal he wants me in on. He’ll give me your parcel if I agree to his development deal.” Almost to himself, Ty muttered, “What a piece of shit.”
Cat put her head in her hands. Now what was she going to do? “I can’t risk passing up the highest bidder, only to find out I’m made a fool of again. Things are so new between us, and the trust isn’t there yet,” she said through a cracked throat. “For once in my life, I have to do what makes sense for me. Of all the people I have to please, I’ve got to finally please myself.”
“Your decision will deal me a har
d blow to my business. At least think about it. Okay?”
“Okay,” she confirmed.
He rose, pausing only long enough to kiss her forehead. The kiss may have been meant in a friendly, or even paternal fashion, but it sent a flurry of quivers up her spine. Beating them back down was tough.
“Bye, Cat. Take care,” he said as he headed out the door. “I hope to see you at my lecture on budgeting. I know you wanted to go and it’s back on.”
She could only hope Morsik wasn’t right, and that Ty wasn’t trying to romance the land out from under her. Making her, yet again, the biggest fool alive.
~ ~ ~
Back in his hotel room, Ty sank down on a leather club chair. He could be proud of holding back one piece of information at least—he hadn’t told Cat precisely how badly he needed her property. Guilting her into selling wasn’t the way to go with someone you loved. He could admit this to himself now, even if he couldn’t admit it to her. Besides his parents, Cat was the only one to have valued him as a person, and not for what he could bestow. She wasn’t driven by money or revenge. Only a desire to do right by others and herself. Straightforward and sincere, Cat was the woman he had hoped to find.
He opened up his wallet to a frayed photo of his parents when they were married. How different their engagement must have been from Cat and Rudy’s failed attempt. Ty’s parents, from what they had told him, had jumped in his father’s old, beat-up convertible and headed off here, to Las Vegas. Home of the “quickie” wedding. They could barely afford the chapel fee, absolutely could not afford to have an Elvis impersonator provide the music. They had the chapel play something classical over the loudspeaker, and that was it. No friends or family in attendance. No fancy dress. No engagement ring and the thinnest of wedding bands. Which his father still wore to this day on his frail hand.
Ty had offered to give his mother the diamonds she’d been denied. They had turned down the offer. For them, love and sentiment was always more important than money.