The Wedding Guest: 5-hour read. Billionaire romance, marriage of convenience, sweet clean contemporary romance. (Colorado Billionaires)

by Regina Duke

  “Me, too. Do you think a man like Kirby might ever consider trying life in a small town?”

  Vicky suppressed a knowing smile. “With the right incentive, he might find it appealing.”

  “He’s such a world traveler. But he did say he needs to be in the States for a while.”

  “Brewster told me Kirby’s mother died in a tragic mountaineering accident when he was twenty, and ever since, Kirby has been trying to run away from everything associated with losing her. That’s probably why he’s been traveling so much.”

  Madlyn’s brow furrowed. “Maybe I should be talking to Brewster, too.”

  Vicky laughed softly. “If I learn anything new, I’ll let you know.”

  “Thanks.” Madlyn speared her last bite of cinnamon roll. “He’s really special. He loves my hair. Do you think that’s enough to build a relationship on?” She sipped at her drink.

  “I’m sure your hair is only a small part of what he loves,” said Vicky, teasingly. “Otherwise he’d be walking around with a red wig on his arm.”

  Madlyn nearly choked on her hot chocolate.

  After breakfast, they allowed themselves a brisk walk to view the old houses along the road. Some looked like they were barely hanging on, but others were freshly painted and clearly well cared for. At last, Vicky checked the time.

  “We’d better head back,” she said. “At least our walk will burn off some breakfast calories.”

  They broke into a jog as they neared the B&B.

  “I have to change before the car arrives,” said Vicky.

  “I’m going to stop at the common room and get us some tea,” said Madlyn.

  “Great! See you in a few minutes.” Vicky angled left to the annex and Madlyn pulled out her key and ran up the steps to the front door.

  Inside, she found herself breathing hard from her jog. Although the mist was nearly gone, she still had beads of moisture glinting off her hair. She bounced up the three stairs to the landing and turned right where the makings for tea and snacks were laid out on a sideboard.

  Madlyn fussed with paper cups and tea bags, and didn’t see Kirby emerge from the sitting area until he was right behind her. He looked worried. “What’s wrong?”

  “Pearl is missing,” said Kirby. Behind him, Brewster was wringing his hands and looking very unbillionaire-like, his eyes darting to and fro, checking high and low.

  Madlyn almost felt sorry for him. “She couldn’t fly out of the house, could she?”

  “Don’t even think it! She has to be inside. But we can’t find her.” Kirby seemed as upset as his boss.

  Madlyn’s attitude softened. “Pearl is important to you.”

  Kirby held up a finger. Madlyn and Brewster fell silent. In the distance, they heard the squawk of a bird.

  “That’s her!” Brewster’s expression brightened. “She must be upstairs somewhere!” He raced past Kirby, nearly knocked Madlyn against the sideboard, and shot up the stairs, a man on a mission.

  Madlyn made a face. “Gee, some people. Give them a few billion dollars and they think they own the world.”

  Kirby stopped on the landing beside her, took a slow breath, then said, “Brew’s a good man. He thinks Pearl is important and so do I.”

  “Sorry,” said Madlyn. “I know my boss would be just as worried if one of her cats went missing. I didn’t mean to insult him. You must like him a lot.”

  Kirby smiled wryly. “Brewster and I have been pals for a long time. And Pearl was a gift from—” He caught himself. “Let’s just say, we’ve been entrusted with Pearl’s care. Her owner isn’t doing well. I suspect that Pearl will never go home again.” His voice grew heavy with sadness. When he noticed Madlyn watching him intently, he rolled his shoulders. “I’m fine. We’ll find Pearl, and then Brewster will be fine as well.” He paused, and his eyes grew soft. “I had a great time yesterday.”

  “Me, too.” Madlyn blushed. She looked away awkwardly. “I told Vicky I’d bring her some tea.” She shifted her gaze around the common room. “Silly name for this room,” she said softly. “It’s the least common room I’ve ever been in.” The elegant Victorian furniture gave the room a formal air, and yet the fabrics were so pleasant and plush, they invited one to linger.

  “It’s nice.” Kirby nodded.

  “Understatement of the year.”

  Kirby smiled and shrugged. “When you hang out with billionaires, you see a lot of luxury.” He heard another squawk and turned his gaze to the staircase.

  “Tea?” asked Madlyn.

  Kirby was torn. He felt he should be upstairs helping Brewster, but he wasn’t ready to end this moment with Madlyn. Her skin glowed with the exertion of her recent outing, her cheeks sported a natural blush, and her marvelous, outrageous hair billowed around her shoulders. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.

  Madlyn offered him a cup of hot tea. He smiled at her and felt like a fool. Why couldn’t he talk to her? Why couldn’t he tell her the truth about himself? He cleared his throat. “You know, not all rich people are like that.”

  “Like what?”

  He put his index finger on the tip of his nose and tilted it upward.

  Madlyn laughed, dipping tea bags into hot water.

  Kirby said, “I know lots who are just regular people with fat bank accounts. Imagine for a moment that you’re checking your bank account online. Just close your eyes and imagine that.”

  Madlyn smiled and did as he asked. “Yikes. Remind me not to write any checks while I’m here.”

  Kirby grinned. “Now, take the number in your bank account and add four zeros to it.”

  Madlyn frowned, her eyes still closed. “That’s a much bigger number.”

  “Yes. But you’re the same person, right?”

  Eyes still closed, Madlyn tilted her head to one side. “I guess.” She opened her eyes. “Except for my ability to write big checks without fear.”

  “There you go,” said Kirby. “And if you’re not looking at your bank balance, you’re otherwise a normal human being.” He spread his hands as if that answered all the questions of the world.

  Madlyn said, “You really like your boss, don’t you? He must be a very nice man.”

  Kirby’s heart sank. How was he ever going to tell her the truth about himself? And would she even talk to him after that? He’d enjoyed their day together more than he’d ever thought possible. They’d talked for hours, laughing and sharing, and yet he’d managed to say nothing about the reality of his life. He’d been so focused on Madlyn, so intent on learning more about her and her life. She was the most genuine woman he’d ever met. What would she think when she learned that Brewster was the employee and he was the boss? Would she forgive him for not telling her sooner? He was about to take the plunge when Brewster returned, crestfallen.

  Kirby asked, “No luck?”

  Brewster’s voice was strained. “I can hear her squawking, but I can’t find her. This is so distressing!”

  Madlyn frowned, recalling the brochures she’d read in the annex. “Hey, maybe she’s hiding out in the secret room!”

  Kirby and Brewster stared at her as if she’d gone mad.

  Madlyn picked up a historical brochure from its display case on the sideboard and turned pages until she found the passage she was looking for. “Here it is. See? This house was part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. There’s a stained glass window in the entryway, and this book has a picture of it. Right there.” She pointed to a color photo. “That pattern was a signal to escaping slaves that this was a safe house. They would come in the front door, and the arrow on the floor would point them to a cubbyhole under the stairs. Later, someone would lead them upstairs to a secret room, where they could sleep and eat and get ready for the next leg of their journey.”

  “What arrow?” Brewster looked perplexed. “I doubt that Pearl could understand the symbolism.”

  Madlyn led them to the entryway. The floor was dark hardwood, and in the center was a geometr
ic pattern formed with blocks of paler wood. Madlyn traced the pattern with the toe of her shoe. “See? It makes an arrow, and it’s pointing under the stairs.”

  “Well, I’ll be,” muttered Brewster.

  Madlyn applied a bit of pressure to the panel in the wall, and it bounced back just enough for her get her fingernails under the edge. She pulled the small door open. It was only three feet tall and eighteen inches wide. It opened onto a dark space beneath the stairs.

  Kirby’s brow furrowed. “People were smaller back then.”

  Madlyn nodded. “And skinnier.”

  Brewster knelt before the dark maw and peered inside. “No Pearl in here, but then I’ve been hearing her call from upstairs.”

  “Yes,” said Madlyn. “She must have gotten into the secret room somehow.”

  “Any clue where that might be?” asked Kirby.

  “According to the brochure, it was on the very top floor.”

  “But if it’s a secret room, how will we ever find the entrance?” asked Brewster.

  Madlyn said, “Let’s find the owner. Or maybe the kitchen help.”

  Brewster shook his head. “The owner has a day job, and the cook is a single mother who couldn’t even tell us yesterday how old the house was.”

  Kirby said, “Maybe once we get upstairs, we can check for another door like this one. You know, small and intended to go unnoticed. Pearl is always knocking things off counters and pulling on her toys. Maybe she pulled on a string or something, and got herself in trouble.”

  Brewster was already on his way upstairs. “Follow me! I’ll show you where I heard her calling out the loudest.” He led them to the end of the hallway on the third floor, where the wall was paneled wood. He slumped against the side wall. “No door here. Nothing. Now what?”

  Kirby and Madlyn stepped forward and began running their fingertips over the paneling. From behind the wall came a sharp screech. Pearl’s voice cried out, “Dinner time! Dinner time!”

  Brewster massaged his temples. “She must be starving, poor thing.”

  Kirby dropped to one knee. “The opening must be on the bottom half, Madz. I doubt they’d expect their secret guests to climb over the lower panel, because that would leave marks.”

  “Of course,” said Madz, dropping to her knees. A moment later, her eyes brightened. “Put your hand here. I can feel air coming through this seam.”

  Kirby did so and nodded eagerly. “Yes, so can I. This must be it.”

  Together, they used their fingernails to gain purchase on the seam.

  “Wait,” said Madlyn. “Downstairs I pushed in first, then pulled outward.”

  That was the key. They pushed, then pulled, and the small door sprang open.

  Pearl squawked and fluttered through the opening. She managed to gain enough altitude to land on Brewster’s shoulder, where she scolded him severely for not finding her sooner. “Bad boy, bad boy. Dinner time!”

  Kirby and Madlyn stood up. “Madz, how can I ever thank you? We thought we’d lost this little stinker.”

  Brewster smoothed Pearl’s feathers. “Come along, you rascal. Your breakfast is waiting.”

  “Dinner time! Dinner time!” Pearl dug her tiny toes into Brewster’s hair and began rubbing the top of her head against his ear.

  “Yes, I’m glad to see you as well.” Brewster was all smiles. “I’m going to feed her in her C-A-G-E.”

  “Good idea,” said Kirby. “Make sure the D-O-O-R is locked.”

  “Will do.” Brewster turned and headed downstairs to their room.

  Kirby was all smiles. “What a relief. But how did Pearl get in there?”

  Madlyn closed the small door, then experimented by giving it a gentle shove. It popped right open. “She might have fluttered against it and when it opened, she went in.”

  “I still don’t see how it—” As he spoke, they felt a breeze coming down the hall, and a moment later, the small panel swung shut. As it did, they heard a click.

  “There you go,” said Madlyn. “Once she was inside, she wouldn’t have been able to figure out the mechanism, unless she was the smartest bird on the planet. Poor little thing.”

  Kirby exhaled loudly with relief. “Thank you so much.” They headed downstairs.

  Brewster popped his head out of the room. “All is secure. The errant dinosaur spawn is busy with her seed bowl. Shouldn’t we be getting ready?”

  Kirby’s relief turned to dismay. “The Manse!” Kirby looked torn. “Brew, give me a minute. Madlyn. There’s something I need to—”

  Brewster cleared his throat, more loudly than necessary.

  Madlyn took pity on Kirby. “Go, get dressed, and do what you have to do.”

  “Thank you for saving Pearl.” On impulse, Kirby leaned in and planted a quick kiss on her mouth.

  The feelings evoked by the kiss shocked them both. They froze, their lips an inch apart, gazing into each other’s eyes. Neither one breathed. Then their lips met again in a long slow caress. Madlyn whimpered. Kirby moaned and pulled her gently into his arms.

  Brewster muttered, “Good Lord,” and retreated into the room.

  Kirby ended the kiss regretfully. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.”

  Madlyn was beyond words. She blinked at him. “Must you?”

  Kirby stared into her eyes, then squeezed her hands. “Spend the day with me,” he said softly.

  Madlyn nodded, still unable to speak.

  “I’m so fond of you.”

  Madlyn croaked, “Mutual.”

  Kirby’s smile lit up the corridor. “I’ll be down to get you in a few minutes.”

  “Yes, please.”

  Brewster called, “Kirby!”

  “Bye,” he whispered, forcing himself to release her fingers. Then he called out, “Brewster! Change of plans!”

  Madlyn wiggled her fingers in a reluctant farewell. She floated down the stairs and outside to the annex.

  “I thought you went to the common room for tea.” Vicky was maneuvering her hair into a French twist.

  “Oh, yes,” said Madlyn. She sighed dreamily. “It was lovely.”

  Vicky stopped what she was doing and eyed her friend. “I know that look. Someone is in love!”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Madlyn inhaled sharply. “No way. I’m not in love. I’m not falling into that trap again.”

  Vicky smiled and turned back to finishing her hair. “Whatever you say, but I know that look when I see it. You can’t fool me.”

  Madlyn smiled against her will. “Maybe there’s some affection there.”

  “Are you sure it’s not too soon? I mean, you are sort of on the rebound.”

  “Three months is a lifetime.” She made a face. “Hey, you’re the one who told me it was time to move on. Besides, compared to what I feel for Kirby, I don’t think I was ever really in love with John. I think I was settling.”

  “I knew it. You are in love.” Vicky grinned as she grabbed her sweater and purse. “Are you coming? Maria is sending a car for us.”

  “Oh no. Kirby has asked me to spend the day with him. You don’t mind, do you?”

  Vicky laughed. “I knew I was right. Love, love, love! Go on. Have fun. I’ll give Brewster a ride to the Manse.”

  Madlyn grabbed her purse and headed outside just as Kirby was coming around the corner of the building. They met halfway to the BMW and without even pausing, they embraced. Madlyn felt him holding her tight, like a drowning man to a buoy. She wondered if she felt that way to him. A moment later they were in the car and driving faster than they should down the two ruts of road that connected the B&B to the pavement.

  “Is everything all right?” asked Madlyn.

  Kirby gave her a quick smile. “Brewster had a few words he wanted to share with me.”

  “He’s not mad, is he?”

  “Hmm? Oh, no. He’s a champ. He’ll fill in while I’m gone. I’m just a guest, like you. It’s not like I’m a member of the wedding party.” Madlyn thought she detected a no
te of sadness in his voice, but before she could ask about it, he prompted her, “Tell me more about Eagle’s Toe.”

  “Okay. But where are we going?”

  “Don’t know yet. As long as you’re here, I could just drive around all day and be happy.”

  “In that case, would you mind finding some straight roads to drive on? These curves through the trees make me carsick.”

  “Glad to oblige. We’ll head north. Now fill me in on everything.”

  Madlyn babbled on about her job, about growing up in a small town. Worried that a world traveler might find that too boring, she also told him about Pueblo. Then she talked about her dreams, and told him again about Mina’s desire to expand and her troubles with funding. She told him how much her parents were enjoying being able to travel now that they were retired, and how she still lived in their house.

  “But it’s not really like living with my parents,” she assured him. “I’m more of a caretaker. A couple of years ago, there was a fire, and I had to handle that disaster. Well, Vicky helped.”

  “She sounds like a terrific friend. I look forward to getting to know her better.”

  “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. She flew us out first class. I guess she’s one of those normal rich people you were talking about.”

  Kirby nodded, a haunted smile on his face.

  “What about you, Kirby? I know your favorite books, your favorite movies, your favorite foods. But what about your family?” Madlyn reached out to touch his arm gently. “Brewster told Vicky your mother died when you were twenty.”

  Kirby glanced at her. “What? He told her?”

  “About your mom.”

  Kirby rubbed a hand over his mouth.

  “What’s the matter? Accidents can happen to anyone. You don’t have to feel bad about that.”

  He chewed his bottom lip.

  “If it’s too painful, you don’t have to talk about it.”

  Kirby exhaled in a whoosh. “It was the biggest shock of my life,” he said at last. “I adored her. And I begged to go along. She was climbing Everest. It was a life-long dream of hers. She insisted I stay at school and finish my exams.” He closed his eyes against the pain, but only for a moment. His hands clenched the steering wheel. “I felt like she was my only link to the good things in the world. If it hadn’t been for her uncle, I would have been left completely alone.”