The Last Little Secret

by Zuri Day

  “The cousin you were with at the party that night?”

  “Yes. Wow. I’m surprised you remembered.”

  It was a memorable night. “What’s her name?”

  “Danielle. We call her Danni.”

  Nick nodded, thinking back to the pillow talk they’d enjoyed in between sexual romps. Sam and Danni. Boy names for the bad-boy toys. Those had been her words that night. He kept that memory to himself. When Sam quickly changed the subject, he followed her lead.

  “How did your family get into the vacation home rental business?”

  Nick finished a bite of food. “By accident.”

  “And now you’ve got houses all over the world? Some accident.”

  “It’s the truth.” Nick shrugged. “At least the short version.”

  “What’s the longer one?”

  Nick finished his plate and sat back with his drink. “It started with my oldest brother, Christian, who built the hotel off the coast in Djibouti. Around that same time, I had business on an island off the coast of New York.”

  “The property you now own?”

  “Yes. It is close to the city yet completely private and already had what we needed in place—utilities, roads. It’s small, not large enough for a hotel but perfect for smaller homes. After securing that property, and as research continued, we purchased islands off the coasts of North and South Carolina, Georgia, California and Maine. All of this information will be in your sign-on packet and goes into deeper detail. Next week, you’ll see it firsthand.”

  “Hotels, homes and islands, too? CANN International is bigger than I thought.”

  “Which is why coming on board to work with us is the best decision you could have ever made.”

  “With your biased opinion I think it best that I be the judge of that.”

  “Ha! Touché.”

  The conversation continued, becoming lighter and more organic as Sam continued to loosen up. By the time Fredrich removed the dessert dishes and poured the black coffee he’d suggested as their digestif, the easy camaraderie from that past casual encounter had returned. Nick felt even better about his decision to reach out to Sam. Not only was she the best woman for a job of this magnitude, she could be a lot of fun.

  “Thanks for talking me into eating,” Sam said as they stood. “I didn’t think I was hungry until I took the first bite.”

  “Breedloves take food seriously,” Nick joked. “We put as much thought into hiring chefs as we do floor designs.”

  They stepped out of the private dining room and continued down the hall that ran alongside the main dining area. Workers scurried from table to table, making each a perfect presentation for the dinner crowd. Nick acknowledged a few of them as they passed by, left the restaurant and headed toward the elevator.

  Nick pressed the button and stepped back. “I’ll have paperwork drawn up and faxed over ASAP. You have a passport, obviously, so we don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Passport? Aren’t all of the builds for this project happening stateside?”

  “The last home we’ll renovate is in the Bahamas. Other than that, international travel will most likely not be required. We make sure everyone working for us has the paperwork required to travel to any number of our CANN properties, just in case.”

  The elevator arrived. They stepped inside, both quiet during the ride down one hundred floors.

  Once in the lobby, Nick held out his hand. “Welcome aboard, Ms. Price.”

  “Those papers aren’t signed yet, Mr. Breedlove.” Sam teased. “But I don’t foresee any problems.”

  She accepted his handshake. Her skin was warm, velvety soft to the touch. Their eyes met. Something happened between them. Faint, but perceptible. A current of erotic energy sparkled in their midst. Sam pulled her hand from Nick’s grasp. The spell was broken. But Nick had definitely felt it and was 99.9 percent sure that Sam had felt it, too.

  They said goodbye and went their separate ways. Yet long after their meeting and into the night, Nick wondered about the elephant that Sam had brought up. It wasn’t that lone, torrid night of the past that he was worried about. It was the undeniable chemistry still sizzling between them, and how long it could be successfully ignored.

  Five

  There were a few showers when April arrived, but for most Nevadians the warmer breezes were a welcome change from the previous month’s unseasonably cold temperatures. Sam barely noticed. After signing the project-specific contract and faxing it back to CANN International, the next eight days passed in a whirlwind—a flurry of house hunting and childcare interviews. She ignored Nick’s suggestion to move to Breedlove, an unincorporated area not far from Las Vegas, but accepted the born-and-bred native’s advice on the best areas in Las Vegas to rent. She also politely declined the company’s offer to assist with her search for a nanny. Telling Nick the truth about Trey was inevitable. But until she was ready and the time was right, Sam planned to keep the Breedloves and CANN International far away from her child. After last night’s conversation with Oba, she was thankful that an ocean separated them, too. She couldn’t believe he’d had the nerve to call.

  * * *

  “Oba?”

  “You forget my voice already, baby?”

  Sam didn’t have to work to give her ex the silent treatment. She literally had nothing to say.

  “How is life in America?”

  Really? He was treating this as a social call? After how their relationship ended, and all that had happened since then?

  “Oba, I’m busy, on my way to begin a very important project. I can’t talk now.”

  “A working woman? Oh, no, masoyina! That is not the life for you.”

  “I am no longer your love, your wife or your responsibility. I thought we agreed a clean, complete break was best. Why are you calling me?”

  “I miss you, baby. I miss my son.”

  The endearment was spoken with a low and heartfelt intonation, an emphasis on the second syllable, as was his way. The same voice she at one time appreciated now brought knots to her stomach. Oba had given Trey only a passing interest. What was this really about? That the marriage was one of convenience had been something they’d both willingly entered and ended. He needed to let it go.

  “Last week, my father delivered very bad news, baby. He is still very angry at our deception.”

  Our deception?

  “That he welcomed Trey into the family with a ceremonial tribute reserved for only those with tribal blood.”

  And this is my business because...

  “I’m sorry that your father is unhappy, Oba. But his learning about Trey not being your son isn’t my fault. That was your brother’s doing. We’ve both suffered because of the decision Isaac made. I lost a lot, including the little money I’d been able to save while living there. I’m doing what I have to do to rebuild my life and am not sure how what is happening within your family involves me.”

  “My father has severely limited my royal responsibilities and by extension, my allowance.”

  “At least you have one.”

  “It is not how I am accustomed to living. He has banished me to the apartment in Lagos, a place I’ve only stayed in sporadically and not for several years!”

  Sam visited that apartment once. It was a two-story unit with four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a tennis court and a pool. Poor baby.

  “Oba, what do you want from me?”

  “I need to make some moves, Sam. Maybe come to America.”

  “You’ve got Joi here. Ask her for help.”

  “She doesn’t have any money.”

  “I don’t either,” Sam quickly retorted.

  “But you can get it.” Oba’s tone changed, became firmer and a little less friendly. “Ask Nick to give it to you.”

  “What?” Sam’s voice rose several octaves. That aft
er several shocked seconds before she could actually speak, the nerve and unmitigated gall of his suggestion rendering her paralyzed and dang near mute.

  She sat straight up in bed. “Are you freaking kidding me? Are you out of your mind? I don’t have any money to give you and asking Nick or anyone else for help is out of the question.”

  “Does he know about Trey?”

  “Keep Trey out of this.”

  “That sounds like a no.”

  “I don’t give a damn how it sounds or what you think you know about Trey’s relationship with his biological father.”

  Sam hoped that sentence was enough of a dam to stop the potential flood of truth hinted at by Oba’s veiled threat.

  “Trey is the innocent party in all of this and totally off-limits. As for what’s happened because of your brother, well, we’ve both suffered from his actions. If anyone can and should help you it’s Isaac, not me. And definitely not Nick.”

  “You know I’m the last person with whom Isaac would share his wealth. I helped you out when you were in trouble. Now you need to return the favor.”

  “How many ways do I have to say it? I don’t have any money.”

  “According to my sister, that’s about to change. She sent me a link to a press release. You’re working with CANN International.”

  Sam hadn’t given a thought to making news, would not have believed the hiring of a contractor warranted a public announcement. Damn the company and their PR efficiency, and damn Joi for not minding her business.

  “It’s a temporary contract,” she replied, then quickly searched the web for the announcement, and hoped the verbiage didn’t go into detail.

  It didn’t, thank God. But Oba already knew too much.

  “My getting work doesn’t change the answer. There is nothing I can do to help you.”

  “Listen, Sam—”

  “No, you listen. I’m done talking.” Sam stopped, took a breath, removed the crease from between her brows and calmed down. Offending Oba right now would do her no good. “I wish you the best, Oba, and hold nothing against you. But because of Isaac, we are out of each other’s lives. Let’s continue to move on, going separate ways. We’re both doing our best under the circumstances. Please don’t call me again.”

  * * *

  Sam arrived at the airport in Las Vegas for a flight to New York. She reached the gate and looked for Nick. He wasn’t there. The boarding announcement sounded over the speakers. Still, no Nick. She pulled out her cell to call him but changed her mind. He wasn’t her responsibility. Maybe he’d decided not to accompany her. No big deal. She was an accomplished designer who didn’t require hand-holding. That he’d planned to come at all had been a surprise in the first place. Sam had a first-class ticket but waited until several had boarded before getting on the plane. After accepting an orange juice from the attendant, she settled in for the flight, convinced she’d hear from Nick after landing in New York. Instead, just before the doors closed, he rushed in and took the aisle seat beside her.

  “Hey,” he said, passing off his briefcase and buckling his seat belt in a rush.

  “Cutting it a bit close, aren’t we?”

  “Didn’t mean to. Saw a buddy of mine in the lounge and got to talking. Lost track of time.”

  “It’s all good. You made it. Considering the success of the company you work for I’m surprised you fly commercial at all.”

  “I don’t often,” Nick admitted.

  “I hope you didn’t lower your standards on my account.” Sam smiled to show she was joking. She was. In a way.

  “I’d hardly call spending time with you in any way lowering my standards,” Nick easily replied, his voice lower than usual and sexier than Sam would have liked. “Plus, with it being so long since we’ve seen each other I thought the long nonstop flight would be a perfect chance to catch up.

  “So...” he continued, after casually chatting while the plane reached its cruising altitude. “Tell me about living the life of a princess.”

  It was a fair question, one Sam might have asked were the situation reversed. She shifted in her seat. “Well, as Meghan Markle would probably attest, it’s not always all it’s cracked up to be. But it wasn’t all bad.”

  “How’d you meet Oba Usman, the grand prince of Kabata and rumored heir to the throne?”

  “Someone’s been busy online, I see.” Said as Sam prided the exterior she managed, one that masked the angst she felt just beneath the surface. Given what had happened that caused Oba to lose his right to the throne, the less Nick knew about her ex, the better.

  “A little background research on our latest corporate partner. This would have normally been all done beforehand had I not been under the gun to hire someone so quickly.”

  Sam couldn’t fault him for researching her via web. She’d done the same to him after meeting that night at the party. It’s where she first learned he was a successful confirmed bachelor who didn’t want kids.

  “Danni, who you remember from the party, was friends with his sister. Shortly after meeting me she talked to him. Thought we might make a good match. We were introduced via a video chat and it went from there.”

  “Interesting. Things must have moved fast. I mean, one minute we’re hanging out at a costume party and the next you’re married and living on the other side of the world.”

  “Yes, everything happened quickly.” For reasons that remained unsaid. “I admit to moving forward with stars in my eyes. Every little girl dreams of being a princess, and fantasizes about knights in shining armor once we reach our teens.”

  “And Oba seemed to be that?”

  “I thought so, in the beginning.”

  “What changed?”

  Sam took a deep breath and spoke thoughtfully. “I’ve come to realize that even under the most normal of circumstances, marriage is hard. That mine was high-profile and involved a royal family added to the challenge.”

  Nick whistled. “Going through that had to be tough. One of the main reasons I’m in no hurry to do it.”

  “Smart move.”

  “Why’d you marry so quickly?”

  “Oba was under pressure to find a wife. Being married and producing an heir was a requirement for him to be considered as a successor to the throne, something his younger brother who’d become engaged the year prior was in a race to do. When... I became pregnant...we married right away.”

  “Was it what you wanted?”

  Sam avoided looking into Nick’s penetrating gaze. “It’s what I felt best for Trey.”

  “And for you?”

  “At the time I thought the decision best for the both of us.”

  “Hmm. How is the little guy? Did you find a suitable nanny?”

  “I think so. For now, Danni is graciously handling everything between Gloria, the nanny, and Trey. I’ll fly them up later, probably next week.”

  As the flight attendant began the first-class meal service, Sam and Nick retreated to their individual thoughts. Sam was relieved for the reprieve, a time to recover from the stress felt during that conversation. She replayed and mentally tucked away what had been said, in order to make sure that the story she told now, in this moment, was one she’d remember if ever asked again.

  “What about you? I know you’re in no hurry but with all of your brothers married, you’re not feeling the slightest pressure to walk down the aisle, have a kid or two, and contribute to the Breedlove legacy?”

  Nick stretched his long, lean legs in front of him. “Not at all.”

  Sam couldn’t help but laugh at the hasty response, even as Nick not being ready to have children made her heart skitter around in her chest.

  Nick positioned his chair to lean back. “For now, these island homes are my only babies. It’s the biggest company project I’ve taken on to date, and while the family hasn’t applied any pressur
e, I have my own point to prove.

  “In the past few years,” he continued, counting on his fingers, “Christian’s build in Djibouti opened up the entire African continent. Adam’s Wagyu beef is the best in America, and with his land research and development gem finds he’s contributed greatly to the company’s bottom line. Last year Noah did the impossible by opening up a casino in what is arguably the country’s most conservative state. While paralyzed.”

  Sam gasped. “Oh no! What happened?”

  “Horrific ski accident. You didn’t hear?” Sam shook her head. “Wow, you really were isolated.”

  “Mostly by choice. Before, my phone and the internet were like an extension of my physical self. It was nice to step away from all that and live in the real world, such as it was.”

  “I can’t imagine, but I hear you.”

  “How is Noah now?”

  “Much better, thanks for asking.”

  “Sounds like the past few years have been very productive for the family. Now it’s your turn?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do they have kids, your brothers?”

  Nick nodded. “Christian has a daughter, Christina, and a son, Larenz. Both Adam’s and Noah’s wives, Ryan and Dee, are expecting. They conceived three months apart.”

  “Wow! Sounds like Uncle Nick is going to be busy.”

  “Yeah, being the uncle is great. I can be the fun adult, spoil them and then send them home.”

  They laughed, and the conversation paused as the flight attendant returned with menus. She’d been flirting with Nick since he sat on the plane and now was no exception.

  “Mr. Breedlove, may I recommend the salmon.” She paused, batting long lashes and flashing flawless pearly whites as she refreshed his drink. “It’s really good and healthy, too. You seem the type who likes to stay in shape.”

  “You’re right about that.” He handed back the menu. “I’ll have that with asparagus and rice.”

  “Great choice.” She looked at Sam. “And for you?” Asked with no sparkling eyes, a mere hint of a smile and no move to freshen her drink.