by Addison Fox
Maybe they could use the grounds for an upcoming photo shoot. Keira was a softie about that sort of thing, and the beautiful house would make a magnificent backdrop. Mayson was already mentally rolling through her upcoming projects for what might be a fit.
She passed through a large dining room on her way out back and saw a large spread of cheese and crackers and crudités. She nearly piled up a plate, but stopped herself with a quick admonishment.
Learn nothing on the ride up?
Focusing on the back door and the distant sound of waves, she did snatch a square of Gouda to tide her over until dinner. A series of heavenly smells greeted her as she stepped onto the back porch. She turned in the direction of the aroma and saw another large porch on the far side of the house. An army of caterers manned tables, a barbeque pit and a large grill, and she could already see the makings of a Friday night barbeque in the works.
Keira flitted around the far end of the dinner production. She couldn’t hear her, and Mayson didn’t want to bother her while in the middle of talking to the caterers, so she lifted her camera for a few shots instead. As she lined up her sister in her viewfinder, she saw in vivid detail just how happy she was.
Keira and Nathan’s romance had been rather tumultuous and fraught with challenges, but they’d come out the other side and found love. Nathan had been bound and determined to take over McBride Media and all she and her sisters had worked to build. Yet with love and the right partner, he’d seen a better path. One that would carry him—and her sister—to their future.
Mayson snapped a few more shots, then dropped the camera and brushed at the corner of her eyes. Tears? God, she had to get a grip. Even if she knew that had become an increasingly impossible task of late. Wildly swinging emotions had accompanied her for the last month, her traitorous mind focused too often on the image of broad shoulders.
She could even still feel the imprint of his smile against her lips.
Holt.
As another tear slipped from the corner of her eye, she pulled herself from her reverie and let out a hard sigh. She was out for a fun weekend and she was going to enjoy herself. With a quick dash at the last tear, she headed for the beach.
Lush grass flattened under her flip-flops and she focused on the cool texture against her feet to take her mind off her maudlin musings. A tennis court was visible in the distance and she lined up the shot, her artist’s eye pleased with the contrast of the red clay court and the waning gold color of late afternoon. She took the images from several angles and, satisfied with the shots, moved on.
The sounds of the beach grew louder and she gravitated toward it like a compass needle to true north. Wind whipped her hair and she turned slightly to catch the breeze so that it blew the strands away from her face. It was as she turned that the man came into view. He stood down on the beach, his white shirt rolled up at the sleeves and his khakis wet at the bottom from the surf.
Her artist’s eye assessed the shot.
The solitary figure. The hard crash of the incoming waves. The vivid streaks of color across the late afternoon sky.
Without conscious thought, she lifted her camera and lined up the shot. As she focused on the man through the viewfinder, something about that solitary figure tugged at her heart.
He looked so alone.
And lonely.
She took a few photos before she stopped, sensing his movement before he actually turned. And it was only when he did turn, the sun shining warmly over the dark blond strands of his hair, that she knew.
Chapter Three
ELIZABETH.
Waves crashed behind Holt, the foam lapping at his ankles. Their heavy sound matched the thoughts crumbling in his mind.
She was here, standing farther up the shore, taking his photo. The sun made a halo around her head, and for the briefest moment it seemed as if she was a figment of his imagination. Then she lifted her hand and offered up a small wave and he knew she was real.
He moved toward her, the sand clumping around his feet as he stepped farther out of the water. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
She’d lowered the camera, and he didn’t miss the way she fidgeted with the strap. “You’re here for the party?”
“I am. I just got here a little while ago.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, irritated at the sudden awkwardness between them. “You’ve been quite the mystery, Elizabeth. I casually mentioned you to Nathan, and he said there was no Elizabeth invited to the wedding.”
A wry smile bloomed on her lips, and the unmistakable air of embarrassment joined it in the bright flush that crept up her neck. “I’m not sure my brother-in-law knows my middle name, come to think of it.”
“Middle name?”
She extended a hand, the gesture at odds with what they’d shared a few weeks before. “I’m Mayson Elizabeth McBride. Keira’s sister.”
Holt hesitated for the briefest of moments before reaching for her hand. He’d remembered her as delicate, and the narrow width of her hand offered a visceral reminder. “Do you often use your middle name when you meet men?”
“No.”
“So why was I so deserving of the deception?” A cool annoyance filled his veins as they continued to stare at each other, their hands dropping to their sides. The combination of feeling as if he’d been misled, coupled with the lingering frustration at how she’d simply vanished, had him off-kilter.
“I don’t make it a habit to go off with men I don’t know.” She played with the camera once more before her hands stilled, as if she realized how she fidgeted. “And I used my middle name on impulse, and then,” her voice hitched ever-so-slightly, “after things progressed, it was too late to change it.”
Holt couldn’t quell the irritation at being lied to—a reaction, he knew, that was tied to his relationship with his mother far more than Mayson’s actions. His frustration did ease slightly with the knowledge she hadn’t expected where things had gone. And a surprising sense of delight filled him at the news she didn’t make a habit of one-night stands.
On impulse, Holt stuck out his hand once more. “I’m Holt Turner.”
A flash of mischief alighted in her dark eyes as their hands once again linked. “Mayson McBride.”
“So Keira is your sister?” As he took in her features, he realized he was the idiot for not realizing it sooner. While they were by no means identical, he could clearly see how Mayson and Keira favored each other. Both had wide, heavy-lashed dark eyes and high cheekbones.
Although there were commonalities in their facial structure, they were less similar in build. Where Keira’s petite frame was a bit past five foot, Mayson had to be around five foot eight, her slender frame long and lithe. Yet even with the physical differences, it was obvious they were sisters.
“She is. I’m the youngest of three. Camryn’s in the middle.”
He conjured up an image of the three sisters, something he’d seen in the press shortly after Nathan’s engagement was announced. Once again, he wondered how he’d been so blind at the wedding.
“I do owe you an apology. While I didn’t technically lie, I was misleading, and for that I’m sorry.”
“Why the lie?”
She hesitated briefly, but when she spoke, her voice was as firm as the dark gaze leveled on his. “It was an impulse at first, before things progressed as they did. And then it was just too late to try and explain after things got heated.”
“But why the lie at all?”
“Because I didn’t want to be Mayson McBride, sister of the bride and one of the leaders of McBride Media. The conversation would have turned all business-like and—” She broke off, her words fading in the crash of the ocean.
“I don’t know about that.” He couldn’t hold back the smile. “I wasn’t thinking of business that day.”
“Me either.” Her shoulders rose in a small shrug. “But that’s why I lied.”
He glanced down and saw he still held her hand in his and let it dr
op. “Maybe you can make it up to me by taking a walk down the beach.”
…
Waves lapped around her feet and Mayson reveled in the contrast of cool water while bright sunlight bathed her in warmth. The weight that had hovered over the center of her chest for the last two months vanished. She’d regretted using her middle name, and it was a relief to be done with the deception.
A quick glance at Holt’s profile—the strong jaw line and arrow-straight nose—had her breath catching in her throat. Good God, he was even more handsome than she’d remembered in her fantasies. His broad shoulder brushed against her as they walked, and the solid strength of him was as reassuring as it was a turn on.
The coincidence of finding him on the beach wasn’t lost on her. Of all the people she could have come across in her casual stroll around the grounds, she’d found the one man on the planet who’d barely left her thoughts.
If she were being fair, she could hardly blame him for the fleeting anger she saw reflected in his gaze. In all the hours she’d spent thinking of that night with him and how she might do it differently, she couldn’t ever imagine giving him her real name. Her real name meant business conversations, not sexy flirtations over rich red wine. Which was why she’d held back a bit of the truth.
“You enjoy photography?”
“I do. Anything visual keeps my attention. Give me spreadsheets or copy, and I’m fairly useless.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. You’ve got quite a successful operation on your hands at McBride Media.”
“Which is all about the power of three separate talents working together.”
The years they’d spent reviving their family magazine company had been epitomized by teamwork. Mayson knew their success had been about a boatload of hard work, coupled with the fact the three of them had pooled their interests and talents.
“You and your sisters have certainly proven the value of teamwork, and the business community has noticed.”
She couldn’t stop the smile at the irony of his words. “That notice nearly had Nathan taking over the company.”
“Fortunately, he came to his senses.”
She risked another glance at his profile and almost stumbled as she caught his hard, piercing stare. “What about you? I didn’t get a real sense of what you do. We spoke of…other things.”
“Real estate, primarily. I’ve got other investments as well.”
“Are you working with Nathan on his Las Vegas property?”
Mayson knew her brother-in-law had taken on an aggressive expansion of his own business empire with the hotel and casino he was building in Sin City. It would make sense his business partner in the venture was invited to the wedding.
“I closed that deal for him.”
“Impressive.”
“It was one of my firm’s larger deals.”
She didn’t miss the pride in his voice, or the clear reluctance to say much beyond the basics.
“It’s massive, Holt. He’s building a monstrosity.”
“It’ll be a very lucrative monstrosity when he’s done with it.”
“The size and scope of it is mind-boggling.” She didn’t have many details about the hotel, but the few things she did know had built an image in her mind of large, ornate towers, a vast gaming area, and rooms outfitted in luxurious trappings. She’d already gained Nathan’s commitment to let her in to photograph a multi-part series on the construction, the selection of the décor, and the shops and restaurants they’d feature.
“Nathan and I get along because we both think big. The project would have hardly been interesting if he wanted to build a four-story inn.”
“No, I suppose not.”
The comment about thinking big had a small detail drumming at the back of her mind. “Were you responsible for that building in Dubai? The one with the beach and exotic animals in the lobby.”
“Yep.”
“The management of the animals alone must be a nightmare.”
For the first time since she’d come upon him along the shore, she could see his shoulders relax as a grin split his face. “It did involve some logistics that had me stretching my skills.”
“Lions and tigers. Who’d have thought?”
“Don’t forget the jaguar and the cheetah, too.”
“Well, by all accounts, you’ve made quite an impression. The hotel is considered both exotic and luxurious. Animal rights organizations have held it up as a modern, innovative way to care for recovering animals.”
“That was the goal.” That laser-sharp gaze stayed level on hers. “You seem to know quite a bit about it.”
“I saw photo proofs yesterday. We’re featuring the hotel in an upcoming article in our travel title, Travel Adventures. The photographer couldn’t stop talking about what a great time he had there. Las Vegas must seem tame by comparison.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Vegas has more going for it than gambling and showgirls. Part of the fun for me is finding what’s next.”
“Always trying to out-do yourself.”
“You sound like you know the feeling.”
“You’ve just summed up the magazine business in a nutshell. We’re always trying to up the stakes. Make the next issue better. The next web piece more innovative.”
Holt stopped and turned toward her. She was struck once more by the breadth of his shoulders and the hard lines of his jaw. “By all accounts, you’re doing a stunning job of it.”
“Thank you.”
A heavy shout from the line of houses at their backs had them both turning, and Mayson saw her brother-in-law, Nathan, waving at them.
She lifted her hand in a wave, the interruption welcome, even as she admitted to herself she wanted to stay in Holt’s orbit for as long as possible. “The barbecue’s starting soon. We should get back.”
“Probably.” He laid a hand on her arm, the simple gesture enough to shoot a wash of heat through her body no amount of water at her feet could cool.
She nodded before turning and walking toward the house and the sanctuary it offered from his knowing gaze.
…
Holt was still thinking about the puzzle that was Mayson Elizabeth McBride later that night as he and Nathan swirled Scotch and smoked cigars in a small study on the second floor.
“These might be cliché,” Nathan held up his cigar, “but I could care less. Damn, there’s nothing like a good cigar.”
“You won’t get any arguments from me.”
“I’m glad you were able to pull yourself away from your commitments and join us for the weekend. Keira’s glad, too.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. Besides, who can argue with a weekend away at the beach? Like this cigar, it just works.” The satisfied look on his friend’s face had Holt shifting gears. “You’re happy.”
Nathan leaned forward, his look conspiratorial as he set his glass on the small table that bookended the oversized chairs they sat on. “Don’t tell anyone, all right?”
“Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a boy scout.”
“No, but I am a friend and I know the code. Your secret’s safe with me. I’m not sure it’s really a secret, though.”
“How’s that?”
“That goofy-ass grin you sport every time you look at your new wife is sort of a dead giveaway.”
Nathan laughed at that, his smile broad and unrepentant. “You’re probably right. You should consider getting one.”
“A goofy-ass grin?”
“No, smart ass. A wife.”
Holt wanted to think it was a shame. Wanted to rant and rail that his friend had sold out the brotherhood by abandoning his bachelorhood and falling in love. So why was it all he could muster up was a raging case of jealousy instead? “And what would I do with a wife?”
“Use your imagination.”
“My imagination works just fine. So does my well-furnished, empty, bachelor pad.”
Nathan exhaled a heavy stream of smoke. “You don’t know what y
ou’re missing.”
“And you sound just like my latest business problem.”
“You still pursuing Teddy Craddick’s business?” Nathan’s gaze was sharp as he eyed Holt across the space between their chairs. “I’d have cut bait on that one a long time ago.”
“The man may be an old prick, but he’s worth several billion. And all I need is one project. Once I’m in and have proven myself, he’ll work with me again.”
“Seems like an awfully high price to pay to work with the old coot. Why’s it so important to you?”
Holt knew it was an awfully high price, but he’d pursued Craddick’s business for nearly a decade and he was determined to wear the bastard down. “I have my reasons.”
“Reasons are personal. They mess with your focus and cause you to make mistakes.”
“Careful, Nathan.” Holt picked up his own cigar, tapping it against the ashtray before bringing it to his lips. “You’re going to start sounding like your father before long.”
“Asshole.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“Come on, Holt. I’m serious. Craddick’s not worth it. Especially if he somehow thinks your personal choices should have any play in the boardroom.”
“I can handle it.”
Nathan’s gaze stayed level on his another moment longer before his old friend shrugged. Regardless of the strength of their relationship, both respected each other’s boundaries. They each came to their business interests with a drive that terrified most and left the remaining few puzzled at their intensity and resolve.
Nathan had found something else to divert his focus since he’d met Keira, but Holt wasn’t interested in heading down the same path. An image of Mayson filled his thoughts, but he resolutely stamped it out. He had a business to run, and, unlike his friend, he wasn’t interested in letting anything get in the way of that.
…
“That was a fun night. Keira and Nathan invited a really nice group of people.”