Twice the Temptation
Page 41
“Does that include me, Ra?”
Shock and regret shown on her face. “You shouldn’t have to ask that.”
“Back off,” he ordered, his voice sharp.
“If I really thought what you felt for her was lasting, I’d call off the whole operation. You like challenges. You are easily bored with the same routine, the same city, the same woman.” She tentatively touched his rigid shoulder. “I’m taking the jet back to Charleston. I’ll call this weekend.”
Tanner watched the car pull off, then looked back at Leo’s. There could be only one winner in this—his sister or the woman he loved. All things considered, there was only one choice. He got into his car and drove off.
TEN
“You all right?”
Noah had spoken, but all of her cousins were looking at her with a mixture of concern, pity, and rage.
“I’m so sorry,” Ayanna said.
Noah came around his desk and took her into his arms. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. You didn’t know the kind of man Tanner was, and if I hear you say you’re sorry again, I’ll personally turn you over my knee.”
She wiped the moisture away from her eyes, refusing to give into self-pity or try to defend Tanner. “I don’t think she’s bluffing.”
“Neither do I,” Noah agreed, his expression thunderous. “Business might fall off a bit but, thanks to you, we’re in good shape financially.”
Ayanna refused to think that might change if Raine’s renovations went on for a long period of time. “I plan for us to stay that way.” She picked up a pen and sheet of paper from Noah’s desk. “I suggest we adjust immediately by extending happy hour by at least thirty minutes. Perhaps have Max create a special drink.”
She tapped her pen on the paper, then began to write. “It wouldn’t hurt to create a few new dinners with food that is plentiful and therefore reasonable at a special price. Perhaps have a drawing for a weekly dinner for two. Bill it as a way of thanking our loyal customers and welcoming new ones by making it well worth their effort to fight snarls to get here. We could also add another night to amateur/ open mike night to draw in customers. What do you think?”
“The new meals shouldn’t be a problem.” Tyrell nodded his head. “I’ll let you know what I come up with and you can add it to the menu.”
“I think it should be a special pull-out section with maybe a hard hat,” Ayanna said. “I’ll work up a couple of ideas and we can decide on it later.”
Tyrone leaned against the desk. “I don’t see a difficulty with adding Thursday to amateur/open mike night. We always have disappointed people who wanted to go on.”
“I think we should plan to have everything in place by next week.” She tore the sheet of paper from the notepad and replaced the pad on Noah’s desk. “It might not be a bad idea to make the customers aware of what’s going to happen and let them know the plans we have to keep them.”
“This should work,” Noah said, looking at Ayanna with admiration. “Once again, you’ve proven we made a good business decision by making you a full partner.”
“You’re the only one we thought to ask,” Tyrone said.
“Yeah,” Tyrell agreed. “You helped make Leo’s a success. Your father is probably looking down on you, smiling.”
Ayanna knew they were trying to bolster her and she felt tears sting her eyes. They didn’t blame her, but she blamed herself. If it took her last penny, Leo’s would survive. “I better start working on the design for the new menu.” She went to the door, opened it, then turned to face them. “Until we see how things shake out I’ll plan on staying at least until nine or ten each night to help with seating and PR.”
Tyrell and Tyrone started to protest, but Noah, always in command, held up his hand and they quieted. He understood her need to help and to stay busy. “I’d appreciate your lending a hand.”
Closing the door behind her, she swallowed the huge knot in her throat and went to her office. There would be time enough for heartache later; saving Leo’s had to come first.
Three days later Raine’s threat became a reality. Ayanna sat in her car behind several other vehicles as they waited for a heavy piece of machinery to move so they could pass. Fear knotted her stomach. She’d boasted to Raine they’d survive, but she knew of a number of establishments that had closed when construction made it difficult for people to reach their place of business.
Finally, after waiting over five minutes, her car and the others were waved though. Driving by, she saw at least twenty-odd men in hard hats. She cut a glance at the new hard-hat menu inserts she had just picked up from the printer. There were enough men at the work site to do the renovation of the two-story brick building if that had been Raine’s intent, but it wasn’t. She was intent on destroying, not building.
Ayanna’s hand flexed on the steering wheel. She couldn’t think of Raine without thinking of Tanner. Her heart ached for him. But they could never be together. He’d respected her wishes to not contact her, and for that, she was thankful. Seeing him or hearing his voice would have only made the ache worse.
Arriving at the restaurant a little after six, she was glad to see the cars pulling into the parking lot ahead of her and behind her. Leo’s would survive, just as she would without Tanner.
A week and a half later, Ayanna gazed out at the diners scattered around the restaurant and accepted that they were in trouble. On a Friday night every table should have been occupied. The restaurant was half empty. She glanced at her watch, then at the reservations. At 8:30 it was still early. People might still be coming after the theater or other events.
“It will be all right,” Noah said, coming up to drape his arm around her shoulder.
“I know,” she said, praying he was right.
He stared at the dark circles beneath her eyes. “I blame Tanner more for hurting you than for anything else.”
“I’m fine,” she told him, adding another lie to her growing list. She’d long since stopped worrying about what would happen to her. Once her mother and Sheri had found out what had happened, they constantly asked how she was doing. Her cousins and their wives were just as bad. None of them had said one word of blame or acted any differently toward her, which made her betrayal all the more painful.
“Go home and get some sleep,” Noah said with a frown. “There is no need for you to come back here every night. You’ve gone over the books, instigating cost-cutting maneuvers. There’s nothing more you can do.”
She was about to tell him she wanted to do more when the double doors opened and an attractive woman in her late fifties came in. The pale pink suit was Dior, the hair fashionably cut. Twin furrows raced across Ayanna’s brow. There was something vaguely familiar about the woman.
“Welcome to Leo’s,” Ayanna said, stepping forward.
“Thank you,” the woman said, her voice soft, the words slow and drawn out like a lazy river. “Reservations for Dawson.”
Ayanna already knew it was for five people. She’d booked them. “Would you like to be seated or wait for the rest of your party?”
“We’re all here,” she said, beaming at Ayanna. “He’s parking the car. I didn’t want to wait another minute so I had him let me out at the front door.”
Ayanna smiled at the woman’s enthusiasm. “You must have heard about our wonderful menu. Tyrell is a master chef.”
“Actually I was in a hurry to meet you,” she said. “Tanner said you were beautiful and he was right as usual.”
Ayanna tensed as the double mahogany doors in front of her opened again. Tanner stood poised in the doorway. Unable to conceal her longing, her gaze clung to him. Raine and two men stepped around him. Together the family resemblance was unmistakable. No one had to tell Ayanna the younger man was his brother Adrian and the other man an older version of Tanner, his father.
Noah moved past her to block Tanner. “You’re not welcome here.”
“I have reservations.” Tanner pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. “
My faxed confirmation.”
Noah cut a sharp glance at the paper. “The name says Dawson.”
“My mother’s maiden name,” Tanner answered, folding the paper and returning it to the inside of his dove gray tailored jacket. “We’re ready to be seated.”
“I don’t give a—”
“Noah,” Ayanna interrupted and grabbed five menus. “I’ll seat them. This way.” Every step shredded her heart a little bit more. The Rafferty Grand’s grand opening was tomorrow night. His family must have come to town to celebrate Tanner’s and Raine’s success … and rub it in Ayanna’s face. She hadn’t thought he would be that cruel.
“Your table,” she said, seating them, then handing them each a menu. “Enjoy your meal.”
She started to leave, but Tanner caught her hand. A flash of awareness caused her body to tremble. He closed her fingers around a large brown envelope.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Tears threatening to spill, she hurried away, the envelope clutched in her hand. She didn’t stop until she was alone in the hallway by the ladies’ room. Or so she thought.
“What did he give you?” Noah demanded, taking the envelope and opening it. “If he’s trying to harass you I’m going to ram this—” He held the papers out to her. “Read them, Ayanna.”
She started to shake her head, but Noah stuck them in front of her face. Her eyes widened as she began to read. The papers were deeds to Raine’s property and the one directly behind them. He hadn’t lied. “He does love me,” she whispered, finally taking the legal papers.
“Looks like it,” Noah said with a wide grin. “Leo’s has struck again. This time the champagne is on me.”
Ayanna ran back into the restaurant and straight into Tanner’s arms. “Tanner!” she cried. “Thank you! Leo’s will never be vulnerable again. Somehow I’ll pay you back.”
He stared down into her face. “Since you’re going to marry me, it’s all in the family.”
Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. “You want to marry me?”
“I am going to marry you. However, anytime you’re ready to put me out of my misery and tell me you love me too, I’d be grateful.”
She grinned up at him. “Who wouldn’t love a renegade?” Then she sobered and looked at Raine. “On the other hand, I’m not so sure about you. But I’d like for us to at least try to be friends.”
Raine extended her slender hand. “I hope so. Tanner made me an offer I couldn’t refuse … management of The Ming Room and first dibs on the restaurants in his future hotels.”
“Did you take it?” Ayanna asked, not moving to take Raine’s hand. The deal would mean a small fortune, but it was nothing less than bribery.
Raine held Ayanna’s gaze. “No. Family will always mean more than money. Besides, I make my own way or not at all. I miscalculated with Leo’s and I always admit my mistakes.”
Ayanna ignored the hand and hugged Raine. “I think I’m going to like you.” Straightening, she looked up at Tanner. “I’ve been miserable without you. I love you more than words can say.” Her arms went around his neck. “How soon can we get married?”
“How about tonight?” he asked, kissing her deeply.
“Tanner, you have to have a large wedding,” his mother protested. “The family would be outraged.”
Tanner’s father affectionately patted his wife of forty years on her hand. “I have a feeling they aren’t listening.”
Raine looked amused; Adrian, a die-hard bachelor, stunned.
Patrons began applauding. Tyrell popped the cork on the first bottle of champagne and Tyrone opened the second while Noah called Ayanna’s mother.
Sheri and Ayanna’s mother arrived minutes apart. Both were crying. Both voiced their objections to a quick wedding. Tanner just smiled. He had no intention of sleeping another night without Ayanna.
Two hours later the Gulf Stream raced down the runway, then banked left, heading for Las Vegas. Another jet raced after it.
Ayanna smiled at Tanner in the bedroom of the aircraft. “I could have told both our mothers that they wouldn’t win against a renegade.”
“Not when it’s this important.” He brushed his hand across her cheek. “After Raine realized I was serious about fighting her over Leo’s, she knew I loved you and sold her property to me. Then I had to obtain the lot behind Leo’s, find a minister, who, by the way, is waiting at the suite at the Mandalay to marry us. The reception was the easiest part. Pointe was delighted to prepare your favorite foods.
“We’ll fly back after the ceremony and go straight to The Rafferty Grand. I’ve given up the condo and moved us into my suite at the hotel. You have a complete wardrobe with appropriate jewelry waiting for you for the month-long grand opening celebrations.”
She stared at the flawless five-karat diamond on the third finger of her left hand. She’d cried buckets when he’d given it to her in the limo ride to the airport. He said he wanted them to be alone when he gave it to her so they’d remember the moment always. Who would have thought a renegade could be sentimental?
“What if I had said no?”
He pulled her fiercely into his arms. “I would have found a way to change your mind. You’re going to be Mrs. Tanner Rafferty and, in less than eighteen hours, we’ll greet the guests at our hotel.”
She didn’t think she’d ever get used to hearing that he was hers, and she his. “Since you have the wedding party in the plane following ours, perhaps we should make the most of this time,” she told him.
He grinned, following her down onto the bed. “My thoughts exactly.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I’m very excited and thankful that for the first time St. Martin’s Press is putting five of my previously published novellas into one beautiful collection. Revisiting the stories brought back lots of great memories. In each I wanted to create a heroine who readers could admire and root for, and a hero to fall in love with. I hope I’ve done my job, and that you’ll enjoy reading each as much as I enjoyed writing them for very special readers just like you.
All the best,
Francis Ray
• Also by Francis Ray •
THE FALCON SAGA
Heart of the Falcon
Break Every Rule
THE TAGGART BROTHERS
Forever Yours
Only Hers
THE GRAYSONS OF NEW MEXICO SERIES
Until There Was You
You and No Other
Dreaming of You
Irresistible You
Only You
GRAYSON FRIENDS SERIES
The Way You Love Me
Nobody But You
One Night With You
It Had to Be You
AGAINST THE ODDS SERIES
Trouble Don’t Last Always
Somebody’s Knocking at My Door
INVINCIBLE WOMEN SERIES
Like the First Time
Any Rich Man Will Do
In Another Man’s Bed
Not Even If You Begged
And Mistress Makes Three
If You Were My Man
SINGLE TITLES
Someone to Love Me
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
Rockin’ Around That Christmas Tree
Available from St. Martin’s Paperbacks and St. Martin’s Griffin
These novellas are works of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in these stories are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
TWICE THE TEMPTATION.
The Awakening. Copyright © 1999 by Francis Ray.
A Matter of Trust. Copyright © 2000 by Francis Ray.
Sweet Temptation. Copyright © 2000 by Francis Ray.
Southern Comfort. Copyright © 2001 by Francis Ray.
The Blind Date. Copyright © 2004 by Francis Ray.
All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
eISBN 9781429957991
First eBook Edition : June 2011
First Edition: June 2011