by Ruth Langan
Drew caught the look in Celeste’s eyes at her grandfather’s words. Pleasure mingled with pain in those green depths, and he knew something of the complicated feelings she was being forced to endure. Even while she was being praised, she was mentally preparing herself for what was to come. She was about to be removed from the source of so much pride. Not an easy thing under the best of circumstances. But this time, it was made twice as difficult because of the personal and complicated nature of the deal.
They looked up as a waiter wheeled in a serving cart and began removing covered trays and placing them on the table.
The young waiter turned to Paddy Sullivan. “Would you like the covers removed, sir?”
“Not yet, son.” Paddy nodded toward a bottle of champagne. “But you might want to open that. I suspect we’ll be drinking a toast shortly.”
Without a word the waiter uncorked the champagne and filled four tulip glasses before leaving the room.
Paddy handed a glass to his granddaughter, and another to Drew, before picking up two more and handing one to Jeremiah and holding his own aloft.
“Here’s to my darlin’ Celeste, who has once again worked her magic for the sake of Sullivan Hotels.”
They touched glasses before taking a taste.
After one sip Paddy smiled. “My favorite brand, darlin’ lass. The finest champagne in the world. You do know how to stock a bar.”
“I had a good teacher.” To ease the lump in her throat she forced herself to take another sip.
“True enough. I’ve always encouraged a well-stocked bar and the best chef money can buy. They both go a long way toward making the client comfortable. But the most important thing of all in every Sullivan hotel is the staff. People who enjoy people.
“Well.” Paddy glanced around at the others. “Why don’t we eat first? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m famished.” He held Celeste’s chair, then sat to her left, leaving Drew to sit on her right, with Jeremiah across from her.
As they uncovered their plates, Paddy smiled. “I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for all of us. It seemed simpler than having to deal with the constant interruptions of wait staff.”
Celeste nodded, wondering how she would manage to eat a bite, despite the fact that the medallions of beef in port-rosemary sauce smelled heavenly. Leave it to her grandfather to order the finest foods just before condemning her to a fate worse than death.
Paddy and Jeremiah were in high spirits, sipping champagne, eating with gusto, and exchanging dozens of reminiscences.
“This reminds me of that time in Paris.” Paddy paused to take another sip of champagne. “Do you remember, my friend?”
Jeremiah nodded. “We were fresh out of college, and working our way across Europe. We’d pooled our resources and were eating in the finest little café. And seated across the room was the most beautiful creature, with autumn hair and green eyes and…”
“…and a scowling grandmother,” Paddy put in with a laugh, “who was ready to skin the brazen young Irishman staring at her granddaughter like a lovesick fool.”
Jeremiah picked up the thread of the story, aware that Celeste and Drew were hearing it for the first time. “We put our heads together and decided that instead of a generous tip to the waiter, we’d spend the last of our money on a bottle of the café’s best champagne, which we sent to the lovely creature’s table.”
“Of course,” Paddy continued, “the old grandmother had no choice but to invite us to join them, though I’m sure it was against her better judgment. And by the time we’d finished off the bottle, she’d agreed to allow us to accompany her and her granddaughter home.”
The two old men were laughing at the memory.
Paddy laid a hand over Celeste’s. “Which is how that gorgeous creature happened to become your grandmother, and pass on that lovely red hair and those bewitching green eyes to you, darlin’ lass.”
“You picked up Grandma in a French café?” Celeste couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled in her throat.
“I simply couldn’t help myself. I knew, the moment I saw her, that she was the one.”
Jeremiah nodded his agreement. “I’ll never forget Paddy leaning over to whisper, ‘See that redhead? She’s going to be my wife.’ And within five years she was.”
“Five years? Grandpa Sully, I’m surprised at you. What took you so long?” Celeste asked.
Paddy drained his glass. “I had to prove myself worthy. Her father was a wealthy banker. And I was just a young man with a dream. But I was willing to do whatever I had to in order to make my dream a reality.” He set aside his glass. “You see, darlin’, there’s something in a man’s nature, even the most brash among us, that drives us to prove ourselves to the woman who’ll be our mate. I could have stepped into her father’s business in a heartbeat, for I had real talent with figures. But I knew that if I were to one day become bank president like her father, I’d always wonder if I rose to the top because of my own talent, or because I was married to the boss’s daughter.”
“And so you went off and followed your own dream instead.”
“That I did. If I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s that a man has to take a risk sometimes, in order to turn his dreams into reality.”
He polished off the last of his meal and sat back with a sigh. He glanced at Drew’s plate. “You didn’t like the food, Andrew?”
“It was fine. I just don’t have much of an appetite.”
Paddy watched the way Celeste moved the food around her plate. “I suppose it is a bit rich for a midday meal. But this is, after all, a celebration. Maybe I should have held off until dinnertime.” He lifted a silver server and poured himself coffee, then arched a brow. “Anyone else care for some?”
Celeste and Drew refused, while Jeremiah nodded and accepted a steaming cup.
It occurred to Drew that these two old friends were in high good humor. As though they were sharing a private joke.
“Now.” Paddy sipped his coffee before looking at Drew. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of time to study our little operation here in Liberty.”
“More than enough time.”
“Grandpa Sully…” Celeste put a hand on his arm, but he merely patted it and ignored her attempt to interrupt, keeping his attention focused on Drew.
“Then I’m sure you’ll admit that this place would be the buy of a lifetime, Andrew.”
Drew nodded. “It would, indeed. It has an impressive profit-and-loss record.”
“So then you’ve recommended to the board of Van Dorn Hotels that they make an offer to purchase the Old Liberty Tavern?”
“Sir…”
“Grandpa Sully…” This time Celeste was determined to interrupt. She shot a quelling look at Drew, then charged ahead. “I want to know why you’re so determined to sell something I’ve worked so hard to make into a success.”
“Why? Because, darlin’ lass, that’s the nature of our business.” He kept his tone patient. “You know that. You’ve done it so many times now, starting when you were just a wee child following after your parents, you could do it by rote. We Sullivans take over a failing hotel, pour our heart and soul into it, and when it becomes profitable enough, we add it to our stable of winning hotels, or put it on the market to the highest bidder, so we can move on to the next challenge. Why should this one be any different?”
She shrugged, wondering how to explain what she didn’t even understand herself. “I don’t know. I keep telling myself this place is no different from the others. But it is, and I don’t understand why. Maybe in a year or two I’ll be ready to move on. But not yet, Grandpa Sully. Not now. I just don’t think I’m ready to let go of this yet. I’d like us to keep it around for a while longer.”
“Darlin’.” He patted her hand. “This isn’t personal. It’s business.” He turned to Drew. “I’ll ask you again, Andrew. Have you recommended to the board of Van Dorn Hotels that they buy the Old Liberty Tavern?”
“That
would be my recommendation.” Drew kept his gaze fixed on his plate, avoiding Celeste’s eyes. “If I were in a position to offer advice.”
Paddy studied him with cool speculation. “What are you saying, Andrew? I thought that’s why you were here.”
“I’m here because I was sent here by my company. But I’m no longer with Van Dorn Hotels. I resigned my position, effective this morning. And in so doing, disqualified myself from any part of this deal.”
“You quit?” Celeste turned to stare at Drew.
He gave a curt nod of his head.
“But you worked so hard to climb to the top. And you were almost there, Drew.”
He refused to look at her. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It doesn’t matter? Drew…”
Paddy interrupted, watching Drew intently. “Where will you go, Andrew?”
“I don’t know.” Drew shoved back his chair and got to his feet, running a hand through his hair in agitation. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. But I realized that I could no longer fairly represent Van Dorn Hotels in this deal. I can no longer remain objective about it.”
“And why is that?”
Before he could answer, Celeste was on her feet, hurrying over to touch a hand to his arm. “Oh, Drew. You resigned because of me, didn’t you?”
He looked at her, and felt all the misery and uncertainty of the past hours melting away. He was no longer aware of the two old men who sat watching and listening with avid interest. Instead, all he could see was Celeste. Her eyes happy and shining. Her fingers curling into his arm, spreading warmth through his veins.
“I didn’t do it just for you, Lessie. I did it for us. We found something here in these short days and nights that we nearly lost forever.” His tone lowered. Softened. “There was no way I could walk away from you, from this, again.”
“Well.” Paddy leaned back, and winked at Jeremiah. “Isn’t this an interesting development? Who would have thought?”
The two old men were grinning like conspirators.
“Maybe we ought to leave now.” Patrick shoved back his chair and got to his feet, beckoning to Jeremiah. “So you two lovebirds can be alone to…discuss things.”
They were almost to the door when Celeste’s voice stopped them in their tracks. “Just a minute.”
The two old men turned.
“Grandpa Sully, what about the Old Liberty Tavern? Are you still going to negotiate with Van Dorn Hotels?”
He glanced at Jeremiah, and the two men chuckled.
Paddy shrugged. “Let’s not talk business now, darlin’. There’s time enough for that later, don’t you think?”
“No. I need to know right now. After all, it’s my future we’re discussing.”
The old man nodded. “Indeed it is, darlin’. I think it’s safe to say that for now, we’ll just take this offer off the table. Let Van Dorn Hotels look elsewhere for a winner.”
He looked at Drew. “But since you’re now available again, the offer I made you a year ago still stands, Andrew.”
Drew looked away. “And my answer is still the same, Paddy. My name isn’t Sullivan.”
His words triggered a memory in Celeste that had her looking from him to her grandfather. “You said that once before.” She thought back to that day in the hallway, when she’d first confronted him about leaving. “You said then that you left me because your name wasn’t Sullivan.”
When he said nothing more she turned to her grandfather. “Was it Drew’s decision to leave, Grandpa Sully? Or yours?”
Patrick Sullivan studied his granddaughter, then gave a sigh of resignation. “I suppose I do owe you an explanation, darlin’. Since Andrew is probably too proud a man to ever speak of it himself.”
The old man cleared his throat. “Do you remember when I invited Andrew to my lodge in Snug Harbor?”
Celeste nodded.
“I brought him there alone, to discuss his future with the company. And I asked him to accept an executive position. But Andrew thought my offer was too much, too soon.”
Celeste turned to Drew. “You…refused an executive position. Despite all your ambitions?”
Before he could answer, Patrick Sullivan interrupted. “He did, lass. In fact, he was afraid that this was all happening because of his relationship with you. I tried to assure him otherwise, but he was having none of it. He told me that he needed to find out for himself if he could really do the job. And the only way to do that was to leave Sullivan Hotels and see if he had what it takes to succeed in this business without any connections.”
This was all happening too quickly. Celeste couldn’t seem to take it all in. For the first time she was beginning to understand why Drew had left so abruptly.
Her eyes narrowed. “But what about me, Drew? Didn’t I matter?”
His voice was rough with emotion. “More than anything. But I didn’t feel I deserved you any more than I deserved the promotion your grandfather was offering me. At the time all I had was a lot of ambition and a few hundred dollars in the bank. Who was I to dare to love one of the heirs to one of the richest, most successful hotel chains in the world?”
“Love? You could claim to love me even while you were planning to leave me?”
His tone was as steely as the look in his eyes. “I loved you then, and I love you still. But I’ll do it on my terms, Lessie, or not at all.”
At his words she felt tears well up in her eyes and was forced to blink hard to hold them at bay. There was no room for tears in a business luncheon. Especially with her grandfather and Jeremiah watching. “And all this time I thought when you left that you’d used me to get ahead in the business, and then dumped me when a better offer came along with Van Dorn Hotels.”
Paddy’s voice was contrite. “I should have told you the truth, darlin’, but I was ashamed of the way I’d botched things. I should have given both of you more time. You were young, and caught in the first throes of love.”
He turned to Drew. “That offer I made at my lodge still stands. I need to cut back my workload and find time for other things. So does my son. We’ve earned the right to pass the baton to the next generation. I’ve always known that both you and Celeste were up to the job. And now that you’ve resigned your position with Van Dorn, I can’t see any reason why you shouldn’t return to Sullivan Hotels.” His brogue thickened. “I hope I’m not speaking out of turn when I say that I’m thinking you’re the perfect partner, not only for my granddaughter, but for us.”
For the space of several minutes Drew couldn’t seem to find his voice. He had just been offered everything he’d ever dreamed of. And yet he’d come to this luncheon believing that he’d lost everything that would ever matter to him.
But as he was about to speak Celeste’s angry voice had both men turning to her.
“Aren’t the two of you putting the horse before the cart? When does a declaration of love become a partnership? How dare you two try to manipulate my life?”
Paddy smiled. “Darlin’ lass, I was just…”
“You’ve chosen the perfect partner for me? And you think I ought to be grateful?”
“Darlin’, I…”
Drew touched a hand to the old man’s arm. “If you’re smart, you and Jeremiah will get out of here while you still have your skin.”
“I think…” Paddy nodded toward his friend, and the two old men started toward the door. “I’ll just leave the two of you alone to work things out now.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Celeste started after her grandfather, but Drew caught her by the arm and held her until the two raced out the door, slamming it behind them.
“How can you possibly let him get away with this?” Celeste’s eyes reminded him of the sea just before a storm. “He has no right trying to meddle in our…”
He kissed her, cutting off her protest. It was the only way he knew to silence her.
When they came up for air she sputtered, “And furthermore…”
He kissed her again, this ti
me lingering over her lips until the heat began to grow and spread.
“You’re right,” he whispered against her mouth. “Absolutely right. And I’ll tell him so in just a minute.”
And then, because he couldn’t bear to end it, he simply took the kiss deeper, until they were both gasping for breath.
“But first…” He spoke the words against her mouth, then inside her mouth, unwilling to give up her lips for even a moment. “…I have to tell you something.”
“What?” She wrapped her arms around his waist, to anchor herself. She felt just a little weak and lightheaded, and it annoyed her at a time when she needed to be strong and firm.
“I don’t just love you, Lessie.”
“You don’t?” His words seemed to be spinning around in her mind.
“I want more than love. I want that partnership your grandfather spoke of. And I’m not talking about business. I’m talking about life. Wherever we go, however often we pull up stakes and travel on, I want us to be together.”
“Oh, Drew. Are you talking about…marriage?”
“You bet I am.”
“Do people still do that?”
He merely grinned. “I’m told it’s becoming a trend again.”
“But how can it work in our case? We’ll be constantly traveling.”
He nodded. “Constantly.”
“And next you’ll probably want children.”
He paused. “Don’t you?”
She shrugged. “Would you like to raise children while moving all around the world?”
He thought for a moment. “I suppose you’re right. Look at you.”
She drew back to study his face. “What does that mean? My sisters and I had a wonderful, adventurous childhood. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And if I want to drag children around the world with me, I will.”
“All right.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “If you insist.”
She shot him a dark look. “You’re manipulating me again.”
“Me?” He looked aghast. “I just want what you want. Do you want love? Marriage? Family?”
