“Yeah, they’ve come into new money.” Eric shrugged, clearly unimpressed by the recently acquired wealth.
“Still, it pays the bills. Yours.”
“Yeah. But I’m going for the big guns.” Eric scooted his chair closer to Leo’s desk. “So, like I said, if they need additional lawyers, don’t forget to play nice and share the toys.” His gleaming white teeth were bared in a fake grin.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Leo pushed back his chair and stood. This conversation was over. He deliberately used all of his six-foot-five-inch frame to dominate his annoying colleague. “It’s time for me to get out of here.”
“Okay.” Eric rose out of the chair and took a step in retreat. “Coming with the guys to the usual hangout?”
Leo shook his head. “I have to pack. Enjoy a drink on me.”
“Cool. And I’ll text you about what hot babes I landed for the weekend. You know they are suckers for us lawyers.” He slid his hand along the side of his head. His sleek black hair was always in place, trimmed, a ready magnet for the women.
Leo accepted that he was a nerd. Nothing about his looks stirred a stampede of women toward him. According to his male colleagues, he needed to loosen up and stop scowling. The women who showered him with their suggestions for improvement shared the belief that his eyes were too serious and intense for someone his age. His short last relationship ended with her saying that he was too young to act so old. Apparently, his speedy retreat from her surprise weekend trip to a nudist camp for swingers in Oregon did them in. Some things, he couldn’t unsee.
“Here’s my last bit of advice. Don’t get in the tabloids with the Meadows granddaughters. Now, that would be a threesome to end all threesomes.” Eric grinned and slipped out of Leo’s office whistling a nameless tune.
“What an idiot,” Leo remarked in the empty office. He got his briefcase and suit jacket and headed out of the building.
The oppressive heat walloped his face with its humidity. He hurried to his car, grateful to set the air vents on a cold maximum blast. The car’s interior took its time cooling while he sat with his hands clenching and unclenching around the steering wheel. His thoughts wouldn’t let up on the barrage. What would happen when he crossed paths with Fiona Reed?
Their mismatched hookup had been kept a secret from most. The reactions and snide comments had hit their mark: a young lawyer dating an older woman had raised a few eyebrows, caused a few jokes at his expense. An intern dating his employer’s eldest granddaughter had prompted whispered warnings to be careful because it was career suicide. A man who’d fallen hopelessly and secretly in love with this woman. A woman who refused to see him as more than a casual boyfriend. A painful memory that he carried with him, and a heart that had suffered the way she’d trampled over it during her departure from his life.
Leo headed for home. He had a lot to do before he got on the road. Fate had a way of paving the path with opportunities. But opportunities weren’t always a good thing; they were merely a chance to make a decision. A part of him, where feelings, emotions and possibilities resided, craved the idea of a second chance.
His feelings, however, were hung up on his first fall into real love. The tumble was hard and the wounds ran deep. Frustration that he’d let go so easily drew bitterness. And disappointment certainly had a way of following him through his life. After his heart was broken by Fiona, he’d understood the lesson—to avoid any more strong emotional entanglements. But his mind wouldn’t let go and he hated to admit that his heart hadn’t moved on.
He turned into his driveway, activated the garage door to open and eased his car into the space. To his right was a spot for another car. His empty house had enough rooms for a large family and pets. Everything was in place, except the woman who’d torn his heart in two. He’d lived a rough and poor life as a child where forgiveness was a sign of weakness and trust was not to be given so easily. His lessons had been learned the hard way. And no matter how his defenses could crumble at the sight of Fiona, his head was in charge for this go-round.
Pride, resolve and the bitter taste of rejection had more power than the desire to cave in and be grateful that he’d be sharing the same space with her. He shook his head in response to his weakening resolve. There would be no second chances.
Fiona didn’t wait until Sunday to drive to the Hamptons. Her nerves wouldn’t allow her to reach a relaxed state to wait out the weekend. By Saturday afternoon, she was in her car heading south on the highway. The long drive gave enough time for her to mentally prepare for the arduous tasks of dealing with her grandmother, enjoying a vacation forced by her boss and holding field advantage for Leo’s arrival. The last item held the most importance.
To be held in those arms, tight against his chest, close enough to hear his heart beat its deep, pulsing rhythm—she sighed over her fantasy. Anticipation grew as she gazed at the mileage signs toward New York City that steadily decreased as she neared her destination. Her foot pushed on the gas pedal in a coordinated effort with her desire to hasten her arrival.
By nightfall she’d reached the family estate. It felt good to have her feet on solid ground.
“Good evening, Miss Fiona. Welcome back. Hope you had a good drive.”
Fiona nodded and entered the house. “Thank you, Mrs. Finch. The drive had some teeth this time. Heavy traffic. Roadwork.” Fiona torqued her body to work out the kinks along her back and hips. Seven hours and then some, driving over and through the mountains with tractor trailers for company, did challenge her reflexes. She looked forward to a long soak in the pool-sized bathtub in her room to find her Zen.
“Your room is ready. Denton will park the car and take up your luggage. Don’t worry about a thing. Will you be dining in your room?”
Fiona nodded with an apologetic scrunch of her nose. “I hate to be a pain.”
“Grilled cheese with bacon. Tall glass of milk. Two chocolate chip cookies.” Mrs. Finch’s rosy cheeks bunched with the wide smile.
“You know me so well.” Fiona hugged the house manager, whom she’d known since she was ten years old. “Anyone else crashed early?”
“Mrs. Grace and Mr. Henry are here. They arrived on Thursday. After a full day in the vegetable garden today, they both headed up early.”
Despite the brilliantly lit entry room, the sitting rooms on either side of the area were dim. A comfortable silence hung over the house. Well, all of that would change when her cousins invaded the castle walls.
“And my parents?” Fiona looked toward the staircase that stood as the prominent fixture in the middle of the black-and-white-marbled entryway.
“They haven’t arrived. But their room is ready for whenever they do.”
Fiona didn’t expect her mother to show up tomorrow. If Fiona felt reluctance to come to the vacation home, her mother experienced dread, an emotion that she barely concealed, and the source was a fairly new annoying mystery. If Grace was the cause, there was no evidence to prove the case. When Fiona asked her mother if she was okay or invited her to share why she was troubled, she was usually pointedly ignored. Yet Fiona couldn’t pretend that she didn’t care
