by Virna DePaul
“That’s a great idea. But you know, you can still hire help and be independent. My sister and I could cook by the time we were teenagers. I worked on the cars with my dad’s mechanic, and I mowed lawns on the grounds. My father had a very similar view to yours. Other than a housekeeper that comes in twice a month, I pretty much take care of myself.” He held up a fork with a piece of pancake on it. “But it’s nice to be taken care of occasionally, too.”
He was both surprised and pleased when she first hooked an eyebrow up, then allowed it to settle as a genuine smile crossed her face.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The next day, Jamie and Lucy flew to Summitville. During the flight, Lucy asked Jamie about the plant and the townspeople and what their objections were to his company reopening the factory.
“Basically, they don’t want a corporation of our size to come in and ruin their small town feel. When the automotive plant was there, it afforded them a lot of jobs, but it was run by a couple of brothers who’d gotten tired of working for GM and went their own way. The townspeople liked that idea and they welcomed them. Over all, the plant was good for the town, but once the brothers passed on, their heirs closed it down. It wasn’t until several years passed that the town realized the company’s waste removal system wasn’t the best for the surrounding land. So now they’re already mistrustful, especially when it comes to a bigger company coming into town. They’re looking for negatives rather than thinking about the positive impact it will have on their job and housing markets. On the economy in general.”
“What about the damaged land? If your company opens here, will your waste system ensure the land is repaired?”
“No,” Jamie said. “Our system won’t damage the land further, but it can’t repair what’s already been damaged.”
“Oh. That’s too bad.”
“We’re trying to come up with a solution,” he said. “One that will give the citizens a reason to trust us. I just need to discuss our options with the town council.”
“Well, I hope they listen to you. And trust you. Because I know I do.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “And that, sweet thing, means the world to me.”
* * *
As the cab turned onto Summitville’s main street, Lucy couldn’t help but admire the well-maintained pretty little town. It was quaint in a way that few places were anymore, so she could see why the townspeople would be leery of strangers coming in and building businesses that could eradicate what made the town so unique.
She glanced over at Jamie, who looked awfully nervous. More than nervous, actually. The closer they’d gotten to the small town, the more preoccupied and serious he’d become.
Normally he had such confidence. She could see him wanting to succeed in business, because he was a man used to succeeding, but he hadn’t said there would be negative consequences to him or his family’s business if they didn’t get the factory up and running. To her, it seemed like they’d be out another investment opportunity, but not much else.
Was there more to all this than he was telling her?
Did he feel like he’d lose his father’s respect if he failed to close the deal?
She’d gotten the sense that his relationship with his parents was a close one and that they doted on their children in a way that a failed business deal couldn’t detract from.
But why else would Jamie be looking so tense? Even grim?
The cab driver took them to a cute little inn on the outskirts of town. It was a refurbished three-story old Victorian house. It had a wrap-around porch with hand-carved rocking chairs. Just inside, the reception area was warm and inviting. A round little woman with her hair piled on her head in a messy bun and wearing a man’s work shirt was standing behind the registration counter. She glanced up, and when she saw Jamie, her friendly expression closed up and she looked like she’d sucked a lemon.
“Hello, Mrs. Newley,” Jamie said with his usual charming smile.
The woman didn’t smile back. Instead she just looked at her registration book and asked, “Who took your reservation?”
“I believe the girl’s name was Kate,” he said. “This is Lucy, my fiancée.”
The woman looked at Lucy, a wary expression crossing her features. “It’s nice to meet you, Lucy,” she said. “Welcome to Summitville. I’m Marie. Have you been here before?”
Lucy was so taken aback by the rudeness Marie had shown to Jami that it took her a few seconds to respond. “It’s nice to meet you, too, and no, this is my first time here.”
“I hope you have a lovely stay, and please let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.” The smile dropped from Marie’s face as she turned back to Jamie and said, “Mr. Whitcomb, can you sign here please?”
Jamie took the pen and signed his name.
“Joey, come help with Mr. Whitcomb’s bags please.”
A boy who looked to be about sixteen took their bags. Marie asked Lucy if she would like a tour of the house.
Lucy glanced at Jamie, who nodded his head encouragingly. But his smile was strained, and when he said, “You go on,” in a quiet voice, she was even more confused.
“I’d love a tour,” she said, thinking that maybe she could figure out what was going on here without having to ask Jamie.
Marie came around the desk.
“Let’s start out back. I’ll show you the deck, the gardens, and the hot tub room.”
Lucy followed her, dying to ask Marie why she seemed to dislike Jamie, but the timing didn’t seem right. Marie guided her to a wooden deck that was raised off the ground about three feet and polished to a glossy shine. It was set up with quaint little bistro tables and fresh flowers and plants. “This is lovely,” Lucy told her.
“My husband, God rest his soul, built this deck. Can you believe it’s thirty years old?”
“No, I really can’t,” Lucy said. “It looks brand new.”
“We like to take care of things around here so they’ll last. We’re not all fortunate enough to be like your fiancé, able to replace things on a whim.”
The woman’s voice was decidedly bitter when she made the last statement.
Lucy couldn’t help it. She just stared at her. She was about to do more—like tell her she obviously didn’t know Jamie very well to say such a thing about him or to hold such a bad opinion of him—but since she didn’t want to get them kicked out when Jamie was supposed to be making a good impression with the townspeople, she held her tongue.
Marie led her to a wooden building that was almost hidden by a large oak tree that had ivy growing up its sides. She opened a door that blended in with the rest of the building to reveal a large, octagon-shaped room with wooden benches surrounding it and an octagon-shaped hot tub in the center. There were hooks on the walls with fluffy towels hanging from them and a door in back that led into a small but really nice sauna room with wooden benches and a big basket of hot rocks in the center.
“This is lovely, too,” Lucy told her. “You have a great place here.”
The older woman looked thrilled that Lucy thought so. “My brother built this sauna with his own hands, a few years after Oliver built the deck.”
“Very talented men,” Lucy said as Marie closed the door. They walked back towards the house. As Marie showed her the inside of the house, she told Lucy she’d lived in Summitville all her life. She had three children and four grandchildren, and several brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews who also lived in the area. Lucy found herself liking the woman, which in turn made her feel disloyal. How could she like someone who disliked Jamie?
She needed to figure out what was going on here.
“That’s all of it,” Marie told her when they made it back to the front desk.
“It’s all so quaint and homey. I love it.”
“I’m glad, honey. I hope you enjoy your stay here.”
“I’m sure I will,” Lucy said. She knew she should turn around and find Jamie, but she couldn’t help
herself. Jamie was nice. He was wonderful. Even with the town council’s doubts about the factory, she couldn’t imagine a reason Marie would have treated him so poorly. “Marie, can I ask you something? It’s okay if it’s out of line and you don’t want to answer.”
“Okay,” Marie said, a look of caution on her face.
“Is there a reason you don’t care for my fiancé?”
The woman looked embarrassed and then she said, “I’m sorry. I do owe you an apology for being so rude right in front of you. I’m not usually that way.”
“I got that impression,” Lucy told her. “I’ve only known you for half an hour and in that short time it seemed out of character for you to be so rude to anyone, let alone a customer. That was why I thought I’d ask.”
“I can’t believe he hasn’t told you,” Marie said. Her lips pressed into a thin line. “That makes me think even less of him.”
“What hasn’t he told me?” As soon as the question was out of her mouth, she held up her hand. “You know what? Never mind. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. You don’t know me. And as much as I like you, I have to say straight out, my loyalty is to Jamie.”
Marie looked like she wanted to argue with her, but ultimately she just sighed. “Well, you obviously love him very much. But if he hasn’t told you about Sierra, I can’t imagine you truly know him. Not in a way that counts.”
Marie’s eyes drifted to a silver frame that held a photo of a beautiful young girl with straight black hair and big brown eyes.
“Is that Sierra?” Lucy asked.
“Yes. She was my niece.”
“Was?”
“She was only eighteen when she died.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss,” Lucy told her.
“Thank you. Her death was a tragedy.”
“What happened, if I may ask?”
“I think you need to talk to your fiancé about that.”
* * *
When Lucy got to the room, Jamie was standing at the window, his back turned toward her. He seemed to stiffen when he heard her come in.
“How was your tour?” he asked.
“Interesting.”
He turned around. “I’ll bet. So she told you then. About Sierra?”
“She told me her niece was dead. She was going to tell me more, tell me why she obviously holds a grudge against you, but I told her I wanted to hear it from you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my friend, Jamie, not her. I don’t like the way she treated you. I know you didn’t do anything to deserve that kind of treatment.”
He smiled bitterly. “In this particular case, sweet thing, you’re wrong.”
“Am I? So tell me. And then tell me why you didn’t tell me before bringing me here.”
Jamie sighed, then settled down on the bed. “Will you sit with me?”
Without answering, she walked to the bed and sat down, only to notice he was shaking.
What in the world?
Lucy had always thought she was strong, but at that moment, she realized that it was Jamie who was the strong one. He wasn’t showy or arrogant or a braggart because he didn’t have to be. In his quiet and kind way, he was strong enough to help her when she needed him, to be there for his family, to try to help the people of this town despite the fact they rejected him. In all the times she’d talked about not wanting to fit into “his world,” not once had he struck out at her for her prejudice; instead, he’d tried to gently point out those prejudices and encourage her to work past them.
She was so ashamed of how she’d walked away from everything he’d been offering her, and had continued to offer her, because she’d been afraid. He didn’t deserve that. He deserved to be with a woman who was as kind and strong as he was.
Maybe she wasn’t that person, but she could at least be a little brave.
She could at least tell him how much she cared for him.
No, how much she loved him.
Because in that moment, she knew without a doubt it was true.
She grabbed his hand.
“You know what Marie said to me when I told her I didn’t want her telling your story?”
“What?”
“That I obviously loved you very much.”
He stiffened but didn’t say anything.
“You know,” she whispered. “I do love you, Jamie. I think I loved you before I broke up with you. I think—I think that’s the reason I broke up with you.”
He looked stunned. “I can’t believe you’re saying this to me. Here and now. When I have to tell you something that just might change your mind.”
“I can’t guarantee that what you tell me won’t anger or disappoint me, but I don’t see how it could be so bad that it’ll stop me from loving you.”
“Let me ask you this. You say you love me. What does that mean for us? For this fake engagement?”
She’d just gathered the courage to tell him she loved him. And he hadn’t even said it back to her. She didn’t understand what he wanted from her. “I—I don’t know.”
He pulled his hand away.
“You don’t know? You love me, and you don’t know?”
“What do you want me to say? I love you, Jamie, but nothing’s changed. I’m not as strong as you. I don’t know if I can fit into your world.”
Jamie abruptly stood up. “Nothing’s changed. Seriously? You can say that to me after the last week? That nothing’s changed between us?”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“So what did you mean? You’ve met my family and friends. You know they’re not assholes. They liked and welcomed you. You saw what I like to do for fun. We had fun together. We’ve fucked, repeatedly. And we’ve made love and don’t even try to tell me it wasn’t making love, Lucy.” He added that last statement when she’d opened her mouth to deny the very thing he’d known she would.
“And finally, you’ve gotten to know me, Lucy. To see that I am, indeed, a nice guy. A guy who was born into wealth, but a guy who cares for you. Who wants you. And yes, in case you’re wondering, the guy who loves you, too. But nothing’s changed.”
“You’re twisting my words! I just meant there are things about our lives that would make it difficult to be together.”
“And you don’t want to deal with that difficulty,” he said.
“I—I—” She put her hand to her temple, which was now throbbing. “I don’t know!” She finally cried out. “Yes, your family is wonderful. But there are always going to be people like my parents and Mason’s family and dickhead David and that woman Rachel who we ran into. People who aren’t going to accept me.”
“There are always going to be people who don’t accept you all over the fucking place, Lucy, and it doesn’t matter how much money they make. You can’t tell me you love me in one breath and then push me away using the same excuse you’ve always used—that you won’t fit into my world—and expect me to think you’re anything but a coward.”
“Fine. I’m a coward. At least I’ve been honest with you from the start. You kept the fact that you were rich from me, and apparently you’ve kept something seriously important about this Sierra from me, too.”
“You’re right. I did keep Sierra from you. Because I didn’t want to bring her into our relationship. And I wanted to believe that you’d be different from her. That you’d be stronger than her.”
“Stronger how?”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I was wrong to bring you here, Luce. Hell, I shouldn’t even be here. Instead of disregarding the fact that Marie and the other people in this town don’t like me, that they blame me for Sierra’s death, and trying to help them, I should take a page from your book and just stay away.”
Her chest seemed to squeeze so tight she could barely breathe. How had things gone from her confessing her love to this? This fight? “I don’t understand anything you’re saying. I don’t understand why you’re so angry. You agreed we couldn’t be tog
ether. You agreed to be my friend. That’s the whole reason I let you help me with this fake engagement. You knew I had issues about your money and now you’re throwing it in my face, making me feel like I did something wrong.”
He shook his head. “You haven’t done anything wrong, Lucy, and I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I guess at some point it just felt so natural, us being together, us being engaged, I guess I just started to believe that things could be different.” He shook his head yet again and muttered, “I need to go for a walk. Clear my head. Then I think we should pack up and go.”
He started to walk in front of her to go to the door.
Lucy grabbed his arm and said, “Absolutely not.”
He raised a brow. “Excuse me?”
“You are not calling me a coward and walking out of here without telling me about Sierra. And you are certainly not fleeing this town until you explain why the townspeople blame you for Sierra’s death.”
“You don’t get to demand anything from me, Lucy.”
“As your pretend-fiancée and the woman who’s spent the last week with you, I beg to differ.” She raised her hands, cupped his face, and said, “But even putting that aside, if nothing else, I’m your friend, Jamie. You’ve wanted me to share this whole time when you obviously haven’t shared a part of yourself with me. Can’t you do what you’ve asked me to do all along? Can’t you trust me?”
Jamie reached up, took her hands in his, and then nodded. “Fine. I’ll share. But then we need to talk about us.”
“Okay,” Lucy said.
She sat down on the bed and he sat next to her. Then he told her about Sierra. About how Sierra hated that she came from a different background. About the party they’d attended, and how some of the girls told her she looked “cheap” because her clothes weren’t as nice as theirs. About the boys who’d assumed she was cheap and tried to touch her. About how upset she’d gotten and how she’d told him they didn’t belong together and how she didn’t tell him that just that night, but multiple times before that. And how he wouldn’t listen to her.
