Miss Prim and the Maverick Millionaire

by Nina Singh

  “You have to believe I didn’t know,” she continued, her lip quivering. “I only just found out last night.”

  “Of course I believe you. I know you’re not capable of being that duplicitous.”

  Jenna’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Thank you.”

  “I wish you’d just told me, instead of all the dramatics.” He sighed, eyed the manila folder on his desk. All that would have to wait now. “I guess we should wrap up here. Then we can fly back together and deal with all this. I’ll call the jet back today. We’ll meet with Corporate Security as soon as we land.”

  Her eyes grew wide at his words. “Didn’t you hear anything I said? My very own mother stole from you.”

  “I heard every word.”

  “She used me to do it.”

  “That’s right. She used you. Am I missing something?”

  “You said it yourself, Cabe. I didn’t even know what she was up to.”

  “And none of that has anything to do with your competence. Or how valuable you are to this company.” To me, he added silently.

  “Nevertheless...” She looked away before adding, “There’s no way I can continue to work for Jordan’s Fine Jewelry as if none of this ever happened.”

  “You’re not thinking this through, Jenna.”

  “I can’t stay, Cabe.” Her voice was low, pleading.

  “What you really mean is that you won’t stay,” he corrected her. “The choice is yours to make. Yours alone.”

  She held up her hands. “That’s what you’re saying now. But this is just going to get uglier. You’re going to end up regretting the day you hired me, that you had anything to do with Amanda Townsend’s daughter.”

  He studied her, decided to call her bluff. “That’s not what any of this is about.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that the real issue here is that you’re blaming yourself. You’re covering for Amanda. And as far as I can tell, you’ve been doing that your whole life.”

  She lifted her chin. “All that may be true. But it doesn’t change anything.”

  “And that’s the sad part. It doesn’t change a thing. How long are you going to let Amanda’s shortcomings impact your life?”

  Suddenly, her eyes grew darker. She stepped closer to him, jabbed a finger in the air toward his chest. “You don’t get to lecture me about this. You don’t have any kind of cred when it comes to family dynamics.”

  The air crackled around them, the words hovering menacingly in the air. Jenna sucked in a breath, seemingly surprised by what she’d said.

  He could only respond with silence. What was there to say? She wasn’t wrong. He certainly couldn’t confront her about the real reason he was so frustrated and angry about her decision. There was so much more at play here than Jenna’s response to Amanda’s crime.

  The harsh reality was that she was running. From him. Here he was, offering to stand by her. To help her through this. And her response was to slam the door in his face, to totally shut him down.

  It didn’t even occur to her to turn to him, to trust him.

  What did that say about him?

  The silence prevailed until Jenna finally turned on her heel. “Goodbye, Cabe. I’ll contact you in Boston via an attorney.”

  * * *

  Well, that had gone well. Jenna adjusted her seat belt and tried to settle into the too-tight space. Just her luck, she had been seated between a heavyset gentleman and an overpacked older lady with a purse larger than she was. But when had luck ever been on her side?

  The tears threatened to flow again and she fought them back. What good had crying ever done? She had to gather her wits about her and figure out what to do. First she needed an attorney. One who would no doubt take all her life savings. But she couldn’t risk any less—her life depended on it.

  Bad enough Amanda had devised the theft, but in true maddening form, she was now bragging about it. All over town. So much so that word had eventually gotten back to her brother, who was trying to convince Amanda to turn herself in. Before the authorities figured it all out and she had the book thrown at her. That was why Amanda had been trying to get hold of her so desperately. She wanted to get Jenna to try to convince her brother to back off.

  The man next to her started to snore. A baby wailed from somewhere in the back. This was a far cry from the private jet she’d arrived on. That was another lifetime ago. Back when she was still a professional with a career. She’d still had a future, maybe even a shot at happiness. Someone the likes of no other than Cabe Jordan had actually been attracted to. Jenna closed her eyes and tried to pretend that none of it had ever happened. That she was back to that first day on the jet with Cabe.

  She remembered the look of shocked disappointment on his face when she’d told him about her leaving.

  Snap out of it. She had to get that image out of her mind. She also had to forget about how he had looked at her that day near the waterfall. Like she was the only one who could have brought that smile to his face. Like she was the only woman for him.

  There was no doubt that the next time he saw her, he would have nothing but disdain in his eyes. Jenna’s stomach churned and it had nothing to do with the plane taking off. The things she’d said to him. Why couldn’t she learn to control her mouth? He’d only been trying to help.

  But she’d had to show him that he couldn’t help her. There would be no white-knight scenario for Jenna Townsend. Cabe had his own demons. She wouldn’t burden him with her own. He didn’t know it now, but she was doing him a favor. Soon, he would realize it.

  The sooner the better. For his sake.

  * * *

  Jenna surveyed the mess that was her mom’s apartment. Take-out containers littered the floor, and empty beer bottles sat turned sideways on every flat surface. Various puddles of unknown liquids spotted the ground. And what in heaven’s name was that smell?

  She certainly wasn’t in paradise any longer. In fact, Jenna would be hard-pressed to prove she hadn’t imagined the whole Paraiso Resort and her time on it.

  No, this was more like the depths of Hades. And she had her mother to thank for it.

  She walked down the hall to the bedroom. Hard to believe, but there was an even bigger mess in here. An empty pizza box sat at her feet. Half-eaten bags of chips and candy cluttered most every surface. And of course, more assorted bottles lay strewn about the floor. She’d only been out of town a few days.

  Looking for a priceless bracelet in this mess would be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Not that it was likely to be here. But she had to make sure.

  Jenna felt the tears burn her eyes and a welt form in her throat. Why had she thought she could escape this? This was her life—this depressing, dirty town house and the woman who lived here, the burden of whose care fell solely on Jenna’s shoulders. How could she have let herself forget that? How could she have let herself get close to anyone? Let alone someone like Cabe.

  Her lips tingled as she remembered their kiss in the conference room. Such a mistake, she should have never let it happen. She thought she could let herself indulge, just one last time before he found out who Jenna Townsend really was. But then again, he’d always known. Everyone did.

  Suddenly it was all too much. Her legs grew weak and she perched herself on the edge of Amanda’s bed. Several moments passed as she just sat there. Jenna felt nothing but shame. Even her anger had left her. All she held in her soul was a gnawing, hollow sense of shame.

  “Hey, thought I might find you here.” Her brother’s voice startled her; she hadn’t heard him come in.

  She hurriedly wiped the moisture off her cheeks then turned and stepped over the garbage piles to give him a hug. “I just got here. Thought I’d look for the bracelet. Just in case.”

  Her broth
er let out a low whistle. “I doubt it’s here, sis.”

  “It couldn’t hurt to look, right?”

  “Guess not.”

  But hours later, they were both ready to admit defeat. Despite having turned the mess in the apartment upside down, they couldn’t find the bracelet anywhere. In fact, the place held nothing of value whatsoever. At least her mother’s thievery had been a one-and-done affair.

  Sam gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll fix this, Jen. I swear I won’t let you fall because of her latest stunt.”

  She managed a weak smile. “I’m not so sure this time’s going to be fixable, Sam. Even if people believe I had no part in the theft, my reputation is ruined. What retail establishment is ever going to hire me again? I’m too much of a risk.”

  She choked as she said the last word. She was no longer employed with her dream company. She’d never be with Cabe again, not in any way. Reaching behind her, she found the edge of the bed once more. Her legs just weren’t going to hold her up.

  “Don’t say that,” Sam insisted. “We’ll make them believe you. We’ll make her.” He pointed an accusatory finger at the empty bed, as if Amanda were still in it. “She’ll explain what she did. Tell them that you had nothing to do with it.”

  “Who do you think is going to take her word for it?”

  “Jen, we’ll make them see the truth.”

  As usual, her mother had wreaked complete havoc in her children’s lives.

  “I have to go,” she told her brother.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To find Amanda. I have to try to make at least part of this right.” She turned on her heel and walked out the door before Sam could see the fresh round of tears.

  Not that she really could make any of it right in any way. Not with the Jordans. And certainly not with Cabe. An anguished cry tore from her throat and she dropped down to sit on Amanda’s cold stone stoop.

  She thought about the way Cabe had smiled at her at the beach party as he’d sipped from the straw that she’d just used. The way his eyes had traveled over her that day in the boutique when she’d worn the designer gown. Now she wished she’d never gone to that party with him. She should have never set foot in that boutique.

  Because it was all a fairy tale that she’d been living these past few days. One she now had to give up. It would have been so much easier on her heart never to have lived it at all.

  CHAPTER NINE

  SO SHE WANTED to see him.

  Cabe set his office phone back down on the top of the mahogany desk, resisting the urge to listen to Jenna’s message once more just to hear her voice. She’d left it at two o’clock in the morning. Apparently, neither of them had gotten much sleep last night. Hell, he hadn’t gotten much sleep at all since he’d seen her last. He’d barely been able to think straight. Now she was requesting “time on his schedule” the same day he’d arrived back in Boston. That was exactly how she’d phrased it. So formal. So straightforward. As if nothing had ever happened between them. It would serve her right if he ignored her. Make her come to him.

  He sighed. Of course he wouldn’t do that. Instead, he typed out a text to her cell phone.

  I have time right now. My office.

  It took less than five minutes before he heard her knock on his door. He fixed his cuff links and stood. Maybe he’d finally get some answers. She opened the door and he motioned for her to come in. He lost his breath when she did.

  So beautiful. The severe ponytail was back, as tight as he’d ever seen it. Her navy pin-striped suit—all business. Dark circles smudged her eyes. She looked utterly beat. And still, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Insanity nearly took over his better judgment and he almost went to her. All he wanted to do right now was pull her into his arms, absorb her warmth, kiss those beckoning lips that so haunted his dreams. He wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, that he would see to it.

  Instead, he tightened his fists at his sides.

  She stopped in her tracks several feet away from him then took a deep breath. Definitely hesitant. Cabe perched himself on the edge of his desk, motioned to the chair opposite him. “Can I get you anything?” he asked, just to get some kind of conversation going before sitting down.

  She shook her head. “No, thank you. And I’d rather do this standing, if you don’t mind.”

  Well, now he felt awkward as he’d already sat. But standing again would look silly. Wouldn’t it? Damn it, she was the only woman in the world who could get him so riled. He made million-dollar decisions on a daily basis. But around her he didn’t even know whether to sit or stand, for heaven’s sake.

  “It won’t take long,” she added.

  He simply nodded for her to continue.

  “I just wanted to return this.” She stepped over and dropped something shiny and bright onto the desk in front of him.

  The bracelet.

  “How?”

  “We found the thief, Sam and I. Convinced him to hand it over. The authorities are on their way to arrest him now.” She pointed to the object that had caused so much havoc in their lives. “I assure you, it’s the real piece.”

  Cabe could only stare. “I don’t understand.”

  “It’s simple. I made my mother tell me where your sneaky security guard could be found. Then Sam and I had a heart-to-heart with him.”

  He didn’t like the sound of this, not at all. “Let me get this straight. You and your brother searched out and approached a known thug. Just to retrieve a stolen bracelet. Putting your very life at risk in the process.”

  She narrowed her eyes on him. “Hardly. We just convinced him it was only a matter of time before the cops came for him. He was almost relieved to dispose of it. Couldn’t even fence the thing on the street. Too valuable. He didn’t have those kinds of connections. Lord knows Amanda doesn’t.”

  Cabe’s heart pounded with anger. To think she had jeopardized her personal safety. For some bauble he honestly couldn’t have cared less about.

  “At least Jordan’s has the piece back,” Jenna said.

  How could she be so flippant about this? “Look. You didn’t need to risk your safety by retrieving it. We had the matter under control.” That was a lie. Cabe hadn’t even thought about the cursed bracelet since the day Jenna had left his office. He’d done absolutely nothing about its theft. Not even so much as to call Jordan’s Security and give them an update. That bracelet had only caused one headache after another. But she didn’t need to know that. When he thought of the danger she put herself in, he wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her.

  Then he wanted to kiss her until she finally started to see some sense.

  “I know it doesn’t really solve anything,” she said, apologetically.

  No, it didn’t. Not at all. Which made it all the worse. “What the hell are you trying to prove here, Jenna?”

  Ire flashed in her eyes. “I wasn’t trying to prove anything. Merely rectifying a mistake I made.”

  Cabe wanted to throw something. “There you go again. You didn’t make a mistake. You did nothing wrong. Amanda, your mother, stole from the store.” He emphasized the name, hoping it would drive his point home.

  No such luck. Her back stiffened before she spoke. “My mother was targeted by a charming con artist because of where I worked.”

  “Are you apologizing for where you chose to be employed?”

  She actually stomped her foot. “I’m not apologizing at all. Not for getting the bracelet back. I’m merely returning it.”

  “Which you did by risking your own safety, going after a known thief. Can you not even see the danger you put yourself in?”

  “I’ve been dealing with people like that thief since I can remember. My mother didn’t exactly have high standa
rds when it came to her boyfriends.”

  “How long are you going to let her run your life, Jenna? You quit your job because of her, you foolishly went and got the bracelet back to make up for her mistake. When are you going to realize that you have your own worth? Beyond the stain of your mother’s reputation?”

  She gasped. “I made my own decisions.”

  He actually laughed. “Do you really think that? You just keep trying to prove yourself.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Did you just accuse me of trying to prove myself to atone for who my mother is?”

  “Don’t you?”

  She snorted a small laugh. “You have no idea how hypocritical that is.”

  The one word struck like a dart in his brain. “Hypocritical?”

  “You really don’t see it, do you? You’ve done nothing but reach for and achieve goal after goal, just to prove yourself worthy of the Jordan name. The whole world can see you’re a credit to your parents. Everyone except you!” She threw her hands in the air. “It’s almost as if... Oh, never mind!”

  Cabe crossed his arms over his chest. “No, please. Continue. I’d really like to hear this.”

  “It’s as if you have to ensure James and Tricia don’t ever regret adopting you. Like you have to continually find ways to earn their love, only to come up short time and time again.”

  The room grew dark around him; he felt the muscles in his neck tighten to the point of pain. Jenna had no idea what she was talking about. Why in the world had he ever thought she might be someone who could understand? He’d been a fool to ever confide in her about his parentage.

  “Thank you for bringing back the bracelet. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a lot of work to do. On top of my regular workload, I no longer have any assistance with the Caribbean expansion.”

  Jenna flinched, his words finding their target. So be it. “That’s it?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yes. It is. I believe we’ve both said all there is to say to each other.”

  She shook her head and turned to the door, slamming it hard on her way out.