by Sandy James
“Interesting… Perhaps one day you shall tell me why that particular name was chosen for you.” Chantal swept her hand toward one of the two chairs that rested in front of her desk. “Have a seat, Miss Marchant.”
“Thank you.” Setting her portfolio beside the chair, Willie sat down, keeping her spine straight and her chin high just as her grandmother—her Unci—had taught her.
Never show fear. One of Unci’s best lessons.
But Willie was afraid. This proposal was her best chance to achieve not only her wildest dreams but to help her town. “I truly appreciate your time, Mrs. Carrington. I know how busy you are. I want to tell you a little about myself and why—”
With a snort, Chantal interrupted. “I know everything there is to know about you, Willie. There’s only one thing I don’t know.”
“And what exactly is that, Chantal?”
The left corner of Chantal’s mouth rose, just enough to make Willie believe she was amused by her brash reply. “Bravo, my dear.”
“Pardon?”
Leaning back in her chair, Chantal took off her glasses and set them down. “You are a woman who is trying to create a business. You will need to keep that cheeky attitude if you have any chance to succeed.”
“I never realized that I was cheeky, as you say.”
“Don’t lie to me. You are quite aware of your ability to get what you want, and you are quite brazen in doing so. Please don’t mistake my choice of term as insult. Quite the opposite. I applaud you. But if we’re to work together, I demand that you never lie to me.”
Chantal had been correct. Willie had been called everything from cheeky to sassy to bold to being a bitch, she couldn’t help but smile. “Touché.”
“You want me to invest in your venture. What exactly makes you believe it would be profitable for me to do so?”
Willie moved to the edge of her seat, so excited that she had the ear of the most powerful woman in the country. “I know there’s gold on my land. I know it. What I need is—”
“Money. Capital.”
“I might be able to raise that,” Willie said. Not a lie, but perhaps an exaggeration. To try to get enough funds to mine her land could take a year. Or years. One thing she lacked was patience, and her town couldn’t afford to wait that long. “But in addition to the capital to start a mine, I could use a name…one that people recognize and respect.”
“Like Carrington.”
Willie nodded.
Chantal stood and walked to one of the large windows behind her desk, staring out as though she had nothing better to do.
Feeling bold, Willie got up and strode to Chantal’s side, where she followed her gaze to see what was so enthralling. The view of the Manhattan skyline was breathtaking, and normally she would gawk for a long time trying to take it all in. But not today. “I will make money for you, Chantal.”
Arms crossed over her breasts, Chantal looked up at Willie. My, she was a short woman. Willie had always felt awkward being so tall, and she often wore less-than-fashionable shoes that had flat soles instead of heels so that she didn’t tower over everyone. Today, in the name of etiquette, she wore shoes that took her nearly forever to button. Her hands had shown a slight tremble that made it difficult to use a buttonhook on such tight leather. At that moment, she wished she would have gone with shoes that didn’t make her feel as though she were a giant.
Drumming her fingers along her forearm, Chantal asked, “You could have gone to any number of ‘names’ to try to finance your venture. What exactly brought you to Mid-Atlantic Bank?”
“You.”
“Pardon?”
“You brought me here,” Willie said. “The desire to work with a woman who has been successful in what we both know is a man’s world.”
“Interesting…” The word Chantal spoke was a long, drawn-out affair, and for a moment, Willie wondered if she’d overstepped. A woman like Chantal Carrington probably didn’t want to be reminded of how difficult her job—her life—was among the barons of industry. Then a slow smile filled Chantal’s face. “Have a seat, my dear. We have much to discuss.”
“You’ll finance the mine?”
“I might. But there will be a quid pro quo,” Chantal replied. “It involves my son.”
* * *
Gregory Carrington locked the front door after his last client exited his business, Western Building and Loan. Things were going swimmingly, and he couldn’t help but smile when he thought about the fact that he’d helped a lot of people with the loan he’d just closed. The man and his family would be able to build their home, and Drake Myers and the men he employed would be paid well to build it. Everyone won.
Gregory flipped the sign to CLOSED, and waved at Marshal Matthew Riley as he walked down the wooden boardwalk toward the shops along Main Street that were still open. Most would roll up their sidewalks soon, although a few—like the Four Aces Saloon—catered to the evening crowd. More businesses were popping up every day, and White Pines was poised on the verge of a population boom. Word from out east was that Montana was going to be named a state soon, and the benefits of the promotion from a territory would help influence more families to settle here.
As he prepared to mount the steps to his upstairs household, he cast a glance back to his desk and frowned. There were two new telegrams from his mother this week lying next to his telephone, and he wondered if she’d ever stop pestering him to return to New York City. She simply didn’t understand why he wanted to stay in the small town he now called home. When would she realize that he was thriving here and had no intention of ever going back to the Carrington mansion?
White Pines hadn’t been a deliberate choice. He’d come here in pursuit of his fiancée—a woman he loved who was now another man’s wife. He’d known her as Cara Burton, but she’d taken a new name when she fled to Montana. Kayla Backer. Now, she was Kayla Myers. And why had she run away from him?
Because of his mother.
Chantal had never approved of Kayla. When Gregory fell in love with Kayla, Chantal tried to force Kayla and her father out of New York society. Then her man-servant—her lover—had taken matters into his own hands, killing Kayla’s father and sending Kayla fleeing in fear for her own life. She’d landed in White Pines, and Gregory had spent more than a year hunting her down.
But he’d been too late. She’d fallen in love with Drake Myers, eventually marrying him. Gregory held them no animosity, and his working relationship with Drake was helping both of them prosper. Yet the torch for Kayla still burned brightly.
He picked up the latest message.
Please come home. I need your help at the bank. You owe the family and me your support.
He ripped the telegram into pieces, tossing them at the small wastebasket next to his desk. The motherly guilt she was showering over him wasn’t going to work this time. Not now, not ever again. He loved her, but it wasn’t until he’d started to make his own way in the world that he’d realized exactly how much power she’d exerted over his life. Her interference with his fiancée was only a symptom of that excessive control. On the day he’d lost Kayla, he’d decided that the time had come for him to be his own man, and it felt wonderful.
He was never going back.
There was a knock at the back door, making Gregory smile. His poker friends had arrived for their weekly game. He went to the door and prepared to greet some of the men who’d become his friends in White Pines.
Opening the door, he gaped when he found the woman he’d just been thinking about standing there. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Kayla quickly bowed her head, a remainder of the New York City manners that weren’t routinely practiced in Montana. “Drake and I came into White Pines for supplies. I thought I’d stop by for a friendly visit.”
Since the two of them were seldom seen in the town without their son, Jamie, Gregory had to ask, “Where are your husband and son this fine evening?”
“They are at the general store visit
ing with Grace and Adam Morgan.” She nodded at the wicker basket she was carrying. “I thought you might want some of the cornbread I baked the morning. I know it’s one of your favorites.”
“I would, indeed,” he replied. “My own cooking leaves much to be desired.”
“You should hire someone to cook for you, Gregory.” Kayla pulled a plate from the basket that held a towel-wrapped brick of what he assumed was the promised cornbread. “Surely, there are women around here who could use the work.”
Gregory couldn’t help but chuckle. “My dear, Kayla, there are no women around here who are unmarried and willing to take on cooking for a bachelor.”
“You could hire a married woman,” she countered. “I’m quite sure some of them are excellent cooks and could use the income.”
“I will consider that.” He took the plate when she offered it. “Thank you for this.”
Instead of bowing her head again to take her leave, she nibbled on her bottom lip.
He recognized the nervous action. “What’s wrong?”
“I wasn’t sure whether I should tell you, but Drake insisted.”
“Tell me what?”
Kayla let out a weary sigh. “I am still receiving telegrams from your mother.”
He closed his eyes for a moment in a silent prayer of patience, something he was sorely lacking where his mother was concerned. “I’m so sorry. I have asked her repeatedly to stop bothering you. What did she want this time?”
“She was inquiring on how well your business was doing and whether I knew if you had plans to return to New York.”
“She wants you to spy on me,” Gregory said, shaking his head. “I shall send her yet another message to ask her to leave you in peace.”
She frowned. “There was a bit more…”
Gregory rolled his eyes. “Let me guess…this time, she was offering you money to convince me to go back.”
“She did. A rather large sum. I have already sent her a telegram telling her I don’t see you often and that I am the wrong person to be asking these questions. I wanted to tell you, because you and I both know she will keep trying to get her way. I suppose I wanted to put you on notice.”
“That’s very kind of you,” he said. “But I am always on notice where my mother is concerned. Always.”
With a quick bow of her head, Kayla smiled and turned to go.
Gregory stopped her with a question. “How are you doing?”
She whirled to face him. “Oh, Drake and I are quite happy.”
“I meant you, Cara.” He winced when he realized he’d let her old name slip out, the name of the woman he loved who didn’t truly exist any longer.
“Me?” Her hand flew to her chest as though she were surprised at the question. “I am quite well, thank you. Jamie keeps me busy, and I’m still adding some touches to the house. But I assure you, Gregory, that I am content. I… Well, I hope you feel the same.” She hurried back to him, rose on tip toes, and brushed a kiss to his cheek.
Then she was gone.
Gregory shut the door and then leaned back against it, holding the plate of cornbread she’d been kind enough to bring. He should be over her by now. It had been almost two years since they’d been engaged. She was a married woman with a husband who clearly adored her and a son.
So why couldn’t he get her out of his mind?
Could his mother possibly realize he still carried a torch for Kayla?
Mother. Dear lord, the woman was going to make him daft. Tomorrow, he’d send her yet another message that he hoped might finally convince her to stop meddling in his life.
Another knock heightened Gregory’s morose mood. His friends were here, and it was time to take as much of their money as he could manage.
Money, after all, was what he did best.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis, where she teaches psychology. Published through Grand Central Forever Yours, Carina Press, and indie-published, she has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller multiple times and has won numerous awards including two HOLT Medallions. Please visit her website at sandyjames.com for more information or find her on Twitter and Facebook. Represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary.
Other Books by Sandy James:
Damaged Heroes Series
Murphy’s Law (Book 1)
Free Falling (Book 2)
All the Right Reasons (Book 3)
Faith of the Heart (Book 4)
Twist of Fate (Book 5)
Safe Havens Series
Saving Grace (Book 1)
Runaway (Book 2)
Redeemed (Book 3)
Hideaway (Book 4)
False Pretenses (Book 5 ~ Coming soon!)
Ladies Who Lunch Series
The Bottom Line (Book 1)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Book 2)
Sealing the Deal (Book 3)
Fringe Benefits (Book 4)
Alliance of the Amazons
The Reluctant Amazon (Book 1)
The Impetuous Amazon (Book 2)
The Brazen Amazon (Book 3)
The Volatile Amazon (Book 4)
Single Titles
Turning Thirty-Twelve
Rules of the Game
The Seeker
Nashville Dreams Series
Can’t Walk Away (Book 1)
Can’t Let Her Go (Book 2)
Can’t Fight the Feeling (Book 3)
