Once Forbidden, Twice Tempted

by Karen Booth

  Leaving a late-afternoon home showing, she took the bridge over the bay into Coronado. She always felt more relaxed once she was on the island. It had always been too quiet for Johnathon. He preferred the hustle and bustle of downtown San Diego, which was where he and Astrid had lived together, or the slightly showier homes up on the cliffs in La Jolla, where he’d lived with Miranda. As for Tara, Coronado had the charm of a small town, with very expensive underpinnings. You couldn’t buy a piece of property for less than two million and that was for a postage-stamp lot. Her home, a three-bedroom, three-bath beauty several blocks down Ocean Boulevard from the Hotel del Coronado, provided a stunning view of the Pacific while still affording her some privacy. It was the one thing in her life that gave her any peace.

  Tonight, there was no telling if serenity and decorum would prevail once Miranda and Astrid were back in the same room. It wasn’t difficult to envision a real dustup between those two. They had every reason to not like each other. But in Tara’s experience, money did a lot to assuage hurt feelings. The the promise of a big payday might be enough to persuade them both to set aside their differences. Or at least forget about them.

  Astrid arrived first, shortly after seven that evening, wearing black from head to toe in the form of a sleek pencil skirt, matching jacket and patent Louboutins. Either Tara was misreading the outfit or Astrid was trying to send the message that she was just as much a grieving widow as Miranda. Tara prayed Miranda wouldn’t notice, but it was hard to imagine that she wouldn’t pick up on it. Not that Tara had much time to think about it at all—Miranda came walking up the sidewalk less than a minute later.

  “Come on in,” Tara said, then closed the door behind them. She led them upstairs to the top floor, which was where the kitchen, great room and master suite were located. The ocean views were most stunning up there, on full display through a near-one-eighty degrees of plateglass windows. “Can I offer either of you something to drink? Wine? Sparkling water?” She knew she needed something nonalcoholic on hand for Miranda.

  “Water is good for me,” Miranda said just as quickly as Tara had thought it.

  “I need wine,” Astrid said. “I’ll call a car if necessary.”

  Tara poured them each their beverage of choice, and reminded herself that she’d dealt with plenty of prickly situations in her real estate career. She could sell them on her plan. She mostly convinced herself. “Let’s get comfortable in the living room so we can talk about Grant’s offer.” She led them over to the seating area, complete with two large white linen sectionals with a chunky oak coffee table between. Her decor was beach-y, but elegant. Perfect as far as Tara was concerned.

  “Can we call it that?” Astrid asked. “He’s only offering to buy our shares in small chunks over the next several years. I’m not selling my shares to him. I would rather have my money now.”

  “You mean the shares of Sterling Enterprises neither of you should own?” Miranda asked.

  “Let’s back up here for a minute. There’s no reason to get upset,” Tara started, wanting to keep things civil.

  “Upset?” Miranda cut her off. “That doesn’t even begin to capture the range of emotions I’m feeling. I shouldn’t have to be here right now, having this meeting. I shouldn’t have to think about this. I feel betrayed by my dead husband. I feel betrayed by the father of my child.” Miranda closed her eyes and pressed her hand to her lower belly.

  Oh, no. Tara’s sights flew to Astrid’s face, anxious to gauge her reaction to the news Tara had been hoping wouldn’t come out during this meeting.

  Astrid’s skin went impossibly pale and ashen. “Child?” she asked, her voice so fragile it was like glass.

  Miranda’s eyes popped open. It was obvious from her expression that she realized her mistake. She’d just given up the secret she’d wanted to keep from Astrid, at least until she returned to Norway. “Yes.” She swallowed hard. “I’m about eight weeks along. It’s early days.”

  Tara sat frozen, bracing for Astrid to explode. Miranda seemed to be doing the same. Neither did so much as blink or dare to utter a single syllable.

  But Astrid did something no one ever could have expected. She smiled. “Johnny had a baby on the way?” A tear rolled down her high cheekbone. “He wanted children so badly. So badly.”

  Tara couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Was that happiness in Astrid’s voice?

  “I’m very pleased for you. Congratulations.” The look in Astrid’s eyes was unmistakable. She still loved Johnathon.

  “Thank you.” Miranda blew out a breath. “To be honest, I thought you would be upset. He told me that you’d had trouble conceiving.”

  Astrid nodded, but she was pursing her lips tightly, as if she was holding back serious tears. “I can’t talk about it. So please, let’s just get back to business.”

  Tara’s heart went out to Astrid. She was bearing a terrible burden. “It seems like none of us is particularly pleased with Grant’s offer. And I’ve been thinking about it and there has to be a reason Johnathon did this. Something beyond feeling as though he owed a debt to Astrid and me. Maybe it was his way of trying to bring us together.”

  Astrid let out a breathy laugh. “One of us didn’t know one of the other wives even existed. Why would he want to do that?”

  Tara pinched the bridge of her nose and prayed for strength. Apparently going with a more heartfelt approach was not going to work. “Okay, then let’s look at the financial side. Our shares are valuable right now, but they could be worth more later. And it gives us control no one else has.”

  “We each own seventeen percent. Grant owns twenty. That’s not control,” Miranda said.

  “When our shares are combined, we have Johnathon’s majority interest. Fifty-one percent. We could run the company. Together.”

  “But Grant has been named as CEO. Where does that leave us?” Miranda countered.

  “He could still be CEO. It would just be the three of us as a single voting bloc, making decisions about the direction of the company. And filling vacancies. There are senior management positions and spots on the acquisitions team.”

  “I don’t need a job,” Miranda said. “My interior design business is booming and I have more than enough money. Johnathon did manage to leave everything else to me.”

  Tara realized Miranda was making a valid point. “You wouldn’t have to take a position at Sterling. The key is voting together. Sticking together.”

  “I think I would want a job,” Astrid offered. “I can’t sit around my apartment all day long.”

  “You’ve decided to stay in San Diego?” Tara asked.

  Astrid shrugged. “If I had a reason, I could stay. At least for a while.”

  “I’m still not sold on this idea,” Miranda said. “Maybe we should let Grant slowly buy us out. It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it. He’s worked plenty hard.”

  “This isn’t about taking anything away from Grant.” Tara could feel her frustration growing. She really wanted them to see that this was a fantastic opportunity. “Let’s think about what we’re leaving for Johnathon’s child. Houses and money are great, but wouldn’t it be nice to hand off an actual legacy? This was Johnathon’s passion and it was immensely important to him. The baby should at least have a chance at that when he or she is grown. If you sell your shares, the baby won’t have any piece of the company.”

  The room fell incredibly quiet. Astrid was staring at Miranda, while Miranda peered down at her belly. She had no baby pooch yet, but it wouldn’t be long until it was there. Tara hoped that all of this quiet meant that her plea had been effective. But she also realized how much weight it gave to the situation. There was a baby on the way, and although he or she would always have money, they would never know their dad. All three of them were standing in the midst of tragedy, with Tara trying to get them to look beyond it. See the possibilities.

 
“What if we have a trial period?” Astrid asked. “I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer to just cash in and move back to Norway, but I can admit that I also don’t have much of a life there. I would like a challenge. I know Miranda said she doesn’t want a job, but I do. I want some power. I want to be able to make decisions.”

  That would be one more thing to work out with Grant. Every bit of control to the wives took some away from him. “I think we can make that work. Three months to start and we regroup?”

  Miranda looked out the window, pinching her lower lip between her thumb and index finger. “I can do that. But if any of us isn’t happy after that time, we sell to Grant, agreed? If we hand over the reins to anyone, it should be him.”

  Tara wasn’t necessarily vested in the idea of fostering loyalty to Grant, but Miranda was right. He was the obvious choice. After the three wives. “I’m fine with that.”

  “Me, too,” Astrid said.

  “We’ll set up some sort of system where you report to me? So I can stay in the loop?” Miranda asked.

  “Sure. I can send you an email or we can talk on the phone or whatever you want.”

  “Considering the legal ramifications, a letter on company letterhead might be best. Just to protect my own interests.”

  Okay, then. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  “And have you thought at all about what projects you want to pursue?”

  “I’d like to see Sterling get in the mix with the Seaport Promenade project. It’s a chance to work with the city and will be a very high-profile development.”

  A tiny grin crossed Miranda’s face. “You know Johnathon was interested in pursuing that too but Grant squashed it. I’m not quite sure why.”

  “Interesting.” Tara didn’t want to start out by mowing down Grant’s opinions of things, but she had a hunch she was right about the Seaport. “Speaking of which, Grant should be here in a bit to hear our answer to his proposal.”

  Miranda rose from her chair. “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll skip that part. I’m not good at delivering uncomfortable news. This was all your idea anyway.”

  “I’m not going to stay to tell him, either,” Astrid said. “Thanks for the wine. Should I report to the office on Monday morning?”

  Tara hadn’t stopped to think out this level of logistics. “Let me talk to Grant first. I’ll let you know when we need you.”

  Astrid’s eyebrows popped up as she hitched her handbag over her shoulder. “When you need me? I own just as much of the company as you do. So I’d say you need me now.”

  Tara forced a smile. “Right. I’ll figure something out as soon as possible.”

  Miranda and Astrid made their exit, leaving Tara feeling a bit like she was a lamb who’d been led to slaughter. Yes, this was her idea, but it was going to take all three wives to make it happen and it was clear that for now, this arrangement was tenuous at best. And then there was Grant to worry about. He would be pleased with none of this. It might be time to pour him a very stiff drink.

  * * *

  Grant pulled up in front of Tara’s house, happy to have found street parking on the always busy Ocean Boulevard. He hopped out of his BMW, stuck with the realization that he was walking into the unknown. Tara, Miranda and Astrid could decide to go any number of directions. They could attempt to buy him out. Hell, they could try to unseat him as CEO. He wasn’t ready to concede his dream. He’d spent too many years as the number-two person at Sterling, doing the dirty work and cleaning up after Johnathon’s messes. Although one could argue that Grant was walking into yet another cleanup job.

  He rang the doorbell and Tara quickly answered, wearing a white sweater that fell off her shoulder, revealing her silky-smooth skin, and a pair of jeans that showed off every inch of her lithe frame. He’d known the odds were stacked against him, but her outfit seemed a bit unfair. How was he supposed to concentrate when she looked so damn good? “Come on in,” she said, waving him inside. “I have wine upstairs. Or bourbon if you prefer.”

  “Wine will be just fine.” He followed her up the stairs, taking the chance to eye her hips in motion as she took each step. It was a glorious distraction from his worries about business. When they emerged on the top floor, to his great surprise, there was no sign of anyone else. “I thought Miranda and Astrid would still be here.”

  Tara was standing at the island in her spacious gourmet kitchen, pouring them each a glass of wine. “They left me as proxy.” She clinked her glass with his. “Cheers.”

  He drew a long sip from his glass, her warm gaze connecting with his. She struck him as extremely relaxed right now, comfortable with whatever came next. Her steady demeanor was exactly the reason why she was so successful in real estate. Many of her clients found her presence incredibly calming. Of course, her adversaries thought she had nerves of steel. Grant found that it made his pulse race, but Tara had always had that effect on him. Even after all these years. Once again, he wondered about his loyalty to Johnathon and exactly how long he could stick to it. “So? Do you want to give me the answer? I’m guessing bad news since the other two decided to exit stage left.”

  “Come on.” She took his hand and pulled him from the kitchen to the living room, then led him out to her sprawling balcony, wrapped around the front of the house with an unobstructed view of the beach and ocean beyond. Even with the picturesque setting and a beautiful woman holding on to his hand, Grant braced for the worst. She was being too calm. Too kind. “I don’t want you to think of our answer as bad news. I think this could ultimately be a good thing for everyone.”

  That was all he truly needed to know. She was about to deliver an answer that was less than what he wanted. Still, he’d stick around for the explanation. And the wine. And the company, for that matter. When he wasn’t focused on what Tara was about to do to his hopes and dreams, he couldn’t deny his intense attraction, the way he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and kiss her. “Just say it, Tara. You’re usually far more direct than this.”

  “Fine. The wives and I want to keep our shares. We want a role in running the company. On a temporary basis to start, and if all goes well, we want to make it permanent.”

  Grant rested his forearms on the railing, looking out over the vista. The sea breezes blew his hair back from his face. He should have seen this coming. Tara was incredibly driven. She saw opportunity and she took it. “I see.”

  She inched closer to him and put her hand on his back. For an instant, his eyes drifted shut and he soaked up her touch. He’d had countless thoughts over the years of moments like this, when he could be close to her. It had been his fantasy for so many years that it was nearly hardwired into his brain.

  “That’s it? You see?” she asked.

  “I’m processing.” He straightened, and as he’d feared, she let her hand drop. It was for the best, even if it disappointed him. The contact was driving him to distraction. It was too easy to think about his physical desires, when he needed to stay focused on business. “I don’t think you three have any idea what you’re signing up for. This business is brutal. Absolutely cutthroat.”

  “You think I don’t know that? No, I don’t do development now, but I work in a parallel universe. And I was there when you and Johnathon started the company. I know the nuts and bolts for sure. I also saw how hard he worked and how often he got cut down. Astrid and Miranda have witnessed the same. I think you’re underestimating us. Plus, Miranda only wants a say in what happens with the company. She doesn’t plan on taking an active role.”

  “Just you and Astrid, then? What is she qualified to do?”

  “That, I don’t know exactly. But I have to think we can find something for her.”

  “You know, this isn’t a good time. Morale is very low. Everyone was crushed by Johnathon’s death. This isn’t a great time to bring in the Norwegian supermodel and let her take someone’s job.”

  Tara
shook her head. “We won’t fire anyone, Grant. We just need to make room. I know there are parts of the company that are short staffed or have vacant positions.”

  “How exactly do you know that?”

  “I have a friend who’s an executive recruiter.”

  Grant took in a deep breath through his nose. There was an open job in project management that might work for Astrid, but that involved working closely with the architects on staff, and Miranda’s brother Clay headed up that department. That seemed like a big potential problem. “What about Astrid and Miranda? Can you keep those two in check? They hate each other.”

  Tara took another sip of her wine. “Well, something sort of miraculous happened tonight. Astrid found out Miranda’s pregnant and she didn’t freak out. In fact, she congratulated her. I was pleasantly surprised.”

  “You have got to be kidding.”

  Tara shook her head. “I wouldn’t kid about something like that.”

  So this was really happening. And he couldn’t do anything to stop it. “What about you? Where do you fit into this equation?”

  “I figured you and I could work together. You can show me the ropes. I can bring my real estate expertise and contacts into it. We could make a blockbuster team.”

  “Co-CEOs? I don’t think so.” That was not what he wanted. This was supposed to be his chance to step out of Johnathon’s shadow and finally show the world how much he’d been responsible for making Sterling run all these years. It would be too easy to end up in a different Sterling shadow—Tara’s.

  “So call me an advisor to the CEO. I really don’t care about titles.”

  It was so easy for Tara to set her ego aside. He admired that in her, among other things. “You realize we could have made a different kind of team at one point. Before you let Johnathon get in the way.”