Lies and Solace

by Jana Richards

  “No need for an inquisition, Cam. Business brought me out here.” Ethan sipped his coffee, stalling as he decided how much to divulge. “I got storm-stayed in the area. I drove out before the blizzard hit to check out an investment possibility.”

  Cam sat across from him. “An investment possibility in Minnewasta?”

  “A few miles away. An old fishing lodge. It’s next door to Miller’s Golf Resort.” He’d already told Cam that Hainstock Investments had purchased Miller’s. “The owner wants to turn it into an eco-friendly resort, but she needs money to do that.”

  Cam’s eyebrows shot up. “She?”

  Ethan tried not to squirm under his brother’s penetrating gaze. “Yes, she. The owner happens to be a woman. She owns the place with her sisters.”

  Cam snorted in disgust. “Sisters? More women. Even better.”

  “Not every woman is like Laura.”

  He shot Ethan a warning glance. “We’re not talking about me right now, we’re talking about you and your inability to say no to a pretty face. I’m assuming this woman is pretty?”

  A picture of Harper popped into his mind’s eye. Long blonde hair, blue eyes and a warm smile set in a lovely oval face with flawless, creamy skin.

  Then, there was that kiss. The one that nearly knocked him on his ass and had shaken him to his core. The kiss he couldn’t stop thinking about. “Yeah, she’s pretty.”

  “I rest my case.”

  “It’s not like that. I’m not an idiot. I have to do a lot of research, check out the feasibility and profitability of building that kind resort before I sink a dime into it.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “I’m not an idiot.” Ethan repeated the words so they’d sink into his brother’s thick head. They also served to bring him down from the high he’d been on since his kiss with Harper, and reminded him to be careful. “I know I went a little crazy when I first won the money.”

  “You think?” Cam scoffed. “You gave money to every sob story you were told. By the time Lydia and Graham stepped in, it was nearly three million.”

  “They weren’t sob stories. I gave money to legitimate charities who needed it, and I helped out a lot of my friends from work.”

  He’d been three days away from unemployment when he’d won the lottery. The pulp and paper mill he’d worked at was about to close and he hadn’t found another job. Neither had a lot of his friends, many of them with mortgages and families to support. So, he’d helped them out. What was the big deal? It wasn’t like he didn’t have enough money to go around. Five years later, it annoyed him that his family still didn’t trust him with his own money. His defensiveness over their lack of trust was equally annoying.

  “And don’t forget your girlfriends.”

  He wished he could. When word got out about his lottery win, women he hadn’t seen in years started showing up at his apartment. He’d had to move and get a new, unlisted phone number, even leave the country for a while. But that hadn’t stopped Bree. She’d violated his trust in the most heartbreaking way possible.

  He pushed away the painful memories. “Harper’s not like that.”

  “Harper?”

  “Harper Lindquist.” He told Cam her plans for the lodge. “And even if she was some kind of gold digger, which she’s not, it wouldn’t matter because she doesn’t know who I really am.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She thinks I work for Hainstock Investments. She doesn’t know I own the firm.”

  Cam stared at him. “Are you nuts? What kind of a lame-brained idea is that?”

  “I’m only trying to protect myself. You’re the one who keeps telling me that people are trying to take advantage of me because of the money.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t tell you to lie. You could have hired someone to check her out.”

  He could have, but he wanted to see the place for himself. The truth was he was bored. He was tired of simply investing money in far off places and projects he never saw and didn’t much care about. He wanted to build something, get his hands dirty, get involved. Then, there were the complicated remembrances of his family’s inn. Despite how it had ended, his family had been happy there, at least some of the time. It was hard work for not much money, but Ethan had enjoyed meeting the people who stayed with them. And he’d loved living in the country. He was tired of city life.

  “I’ll tell her the truth as soon as I make my decision. I didn’t want the money to influence the way she treated me.”

  Maybe I should have thought of that before I kissed her. That kiss couldn’t help but influence the way they treated each other. But he hadn’t been thinking. He could only feel. Feel the way she fit so perfectly against his body. Feel the shape of her lips, the taste of her tongue. The texture of her hair as it slipped through his fingers. He shifted in his chair. Thinking about their kiss aroused him all over again.

  “I still think going undercover like that is crazy.”

  It probably was. Harper wouldn’t be happy he’d kissed her under false pretenses. Maybe she wouldn’t want anything more to do with him. Even though it would be the end of the lodge, she might decide she no longer wanted to do business with him. She’d made her desire for honesty crystal clear.

  But despite the risks, he couldn’t regret kissing her.

  “Hi, Scarlet. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  “Sure.” Harper heard the sound of traffic and the low hum of background city noises through the phone line. “I’m on my way home. I just got on the L, so I’m all yours for about fifteen minutes.”

  “Good.” Harper took a deep breath and then launched into the story of her plans for the lodge and her subsequent meeting with Ethan, though she didn’t mention him by name. She didn’t think Scarlet needed to know about Ethan’s three day stay, or the amazing kiss they’d shared either. “The company originally only wanted to buy our land, but I convinced their representative to listen to my proposal and give it consideration. They’re going to do their own investigations into the profitability of investing in the lodge, and then they’ll let me know whether Hainstock Investments will partner with us.”

  When she finished talking there was silence on the other end of the line for several heartbeats. Harper held her breath as she waited for her sister to speak. One thing she knew for sure – Scarlet was going to be pissed.

  “Are you saying that for months you’ve been gathering estimates and talking to banks and architects and this is the first I’ve heard of it?”

  “Yes, I’m afraid that’s what I’m saying.”

  “Why would you keep something like that a secret from me?”

  “Not just from you. I haven’t told Maggie, either.”

  “Well, that makes me feel so much better. Why didn’t you tell us?”

  Harper heard the sarcasm in her sister’s voice, but chose to ignore it. “I needed to know if my plans were feasible before I told you. And to be perfectly honest, I knew you and Maggie would try to talk me out of saving the lodge.”

  “You’re right about that. The fishing lodge is part of our past. It’s time to let it go and move on.”

  Scarlet had been letting go of the lodge for a very long time. Since the day she graduated high school and moved away, she hadn’t looked back. “I can’t do that, Scarlet. Not without a fight.”

  She heard Scarlet’s long, exasperated exhale of breath. “I guess there’s no point in trying to convince you to sell the land and move here with me? I’d love to have you close by.”

  “I’d love having you close, too. I miss you. But you know how I feel about the lodge. It’s the last thing we have of our grandparents. Our parents.”

  “Yeah, I know. What do you know about this company?”

  Harper’s shoulders relaxed, making her aware of how apprehensive she’d been to have this conversation. At least Scarlet was open to hearing about the opportunity. “I’ve done some digging on the Internet. They’ve been in existence for five years, and
they specialize in ethical investments. That’s why I was so pumped when they showed an interest in the lodge. They’re a perfect fit.”

  “Showing an interest and investing cold, hard cash are two very different things.”

  “I know.”

  “What are they going to want in exchange for this pile of money?”

  “They’re going to want a piece of the lodge.” She spoke fast before Scarlet could argue. “But I’m not planning to give it away. I told their representative I wouldn’t consider a deal that gave us less than fifty-one percent of controlling interest in the lodge. What would be the point of giving a new life to this place if we were no longer in control of its future?”

  “Good for you. I think that was a smart move. But I don’t want you to be disappointed if they decide not to invest. You have to be prepared for that.”

  Harper swallowed and closed her eyes. “I know there’s a distinct possibility they’ll take a pass. As much as I love this place, I have to be realistic. Hainstock Investments is the lodge’s last chance. If they don’t invest, I’ll have no choice but to sell.” Her stomach clenched at the thought of leaving.

  “What would you do then?”

  “Probably find a place to live in Minnewasta. I couldn’t bear to live in a big city again. I don’t know how you and Maggie stand all the noise and traffic. I need someplace where I can breathe the air.”

  “I know what you mean. I love Chicago, but sometimes I miss the lake and the smell of the pines.”

  She’d never heard Scarlet admit to missing the lodge. They both must be feeling sentimental today. “It’s been months since you were here. You have to come out this summer. It’ll do you a world of good.”

  “If you’re still there, maybe I will.”

  Scarlet’s words served as a reality check. If her plans failed, by summer she could be living someplace else. Harper placed her hand against one of the massive logs that framed the lodge, feeling its warmth and strength. She pushed away the idea of leaving, refusing to deal with the possibility until she had to.

  “Harper? Are you still there?”

  She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m still here.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine, but I’m not going to dwell on the negative.” She knew her next words would get a reaction from her sister. “I told the representative from Hainstock that my sister Scarlet is a marketing whiz, and she’s totally onboard to help launch a new and improved Solace Lake Lodge.”

  “You didn’t seriously do that, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t,” Harper confessed. “But if my plans for the lodge come together, will you help me?”

  There was a moment of silence before she answered. “You know I’ll do anything for you, Harper. I’ll do what I can to help.”

  “Thanks, Scarlet. That means a lot to me.”

  “My stop is coming up, so I have to go. Promise me you’ll keep me in the loop from now on. Let me know what happens with this investment company.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  “Good. I’ll talk to you soon, okay? I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  The line went dead and Harper pressed the off button. One sister down, one to go. She punched in Maggie’s cell phone number, hoping she wasn’t at work. With her sister’s crazy hours at the restaurant, she was never sure when it was a good time to talk.

  Maggie picked up on the third ring. “Harper. What’s up?”

  Her sister’s abrupt greeting surprised her. “Um, hey. I have some things I need to talk over with you. Is this a bad time? Are you at the restaurant?”

  Harper heard her sigh through the airwaves. “No, I’m all yours. What did you want to talk about?”

  The strange note in Maggie’s tone caused alarm bells to ring in Harper’s head. Something was going on. But before she could deal with that, she had to tell her everything she’d told Scarlet.

  “Wow. Have you told Scarlet this?” Maggie asked when she was finished.

  “I just got off the phone with her. She wasn’t happy with me for keeping secrets.”

  “I suppose I should be upset, too, but I’m not. I know how you feel about the lodge, and I know you have to take this shot. I wish you good luck.”

  “It’s not only for me, Maggie. It’s for all three of us. If this plan works out the way I hope it does, it could mean a new start for us. Maybe you’ll even be tempted to come home and head up the restaurant I want to build.” She said the words half-jokingly to cover her deep desire for her sister to home.

  “You know that’s not going to happen.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Her sister’s response was no surprise. Maggie had always been adamant about her lack of interest in the lodge and her desire to live and work in a big city. She’d even talked about moving to New York, though Harper hadn’t heard her mention that possibility in a while. Now that she thought of it, Maggie hadn’t shared much about her career, both her present job and her future aspirations, in quite some time.

  “Is everything okay, honey? You sound a little down in the dumps.”

  “I’m fine, Harper. Really. It’s been a long day. I started work at six this morning and I just got home.”

  Harper didn’t believe for a moment that Maggie was as fine as she pretended to be. But she didn’t want to push her. “Well, the offer is always open. Assuming we have a new restaurant, or a lodge, in the future. There’s nothing I would love more than having you home and seeing you happy.”

  There was a long pause. When Maggie spoke again, her voice sounded choked, as if she were holding back tears. “You’ll need a really spectacular chef with a lot of experience. That’s not me.”

  “Of course it’s you. Maybe you don’t have a lot of experience yet, but you’re a spectacular talent.”

  “You give me too much credit.”

  Harper was suddenly frightened for her sister. “Honey, what’s wrong? You know you can tell me anything.”

  “There’s nothing to tell. I’m just tired, and maybe a little homesick.”

  “If you want to come home, I’m right here.”

  “It sounds like you have your hands full right now.”

  “Not so full that I couldn’t give my baby sister a hug.”

  Maggie gave a laugh that bordered on the edge of being a sob. “I know. But I’m fine, really. In a mood today, I guess. I should probably go. I’ve got a late shift to work tonight.”

  Harper thought it odd that Maggie would have to work an early morning shift as well as a late shift on the same day. And since when was the high-end restaurant she’d been working at open for breakfast? Something didn’t add up, but if Maggie didn’t want to talk about what was troubling her, she couldn’t force her. “I love you, Maggie.”

  “I know. Talk to you soon, Harper.”

  Harper ended the call worried and uneasy. Maggie was by nature strong-minded and determined, not letting anything stand in her way. The Maggie she’d just spoken to sounded depressed, defeated. Though they spoke frequently on the phone, she hadn’t actually seen her little sister face to face in several months. Guilt washed over her. She’d been so preoccupied with the lodge, she hadn’t recognized Maggie was having problems.

  Harper closed her eyes and sent a prayer heavenward. She prayed the investment for the lodge would come through. Not only for her sake, but for Maggie and Scarlet’s as well. She had a feeling her sisters needed the security of home and family as much as she did.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  For more than two weeks, Ethan investigated the Solace Lake Lodge. He spoke to contractors to confirm the estimates Harper had secured and consulted with tourist operators and property investors on the income potential of the lodge as an eco-tourist resort. After examining the lodge for themselves, his contractors confirmed that Harper’s estimates for the renovations to the lodge were accurate.

  The investment experts concluded that the income potential for the type of resort Harper proposed was defi
nitely real. She had more land and a bigger lake than other resorts in the area. Eco-tourism was becoming a hot ticket. There was nothing like the resort Harper proposed in the area as others nearby tended to cater to golfers in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter. If Solace Lake Lodge could offer something that was truly unique, they would attract attention.

  However, they also said the project Harper proposed, basically fixing up the existing lodge, was too small. To make money, they needed to be able to accommodate more guests and hold events such as weddings and conferences that would bring in year-round income.

  Ethan also talked things over with his family. As his financial advisors and accountants, his sister and brother-in-law were initially skeptical about the project. But being practical and savvy, and seeing his enthusiasm, they eventually came to support the venture, though they insisted on some safeguards and conditions.

  Harper’s ideas had real merit. Ethan experienced a surge of pride for her.

  And profound relief. She would have been devastated if he’d found there was no hope for the lodge. But her reaction to the changes he needed to make to her plans worried him. She wanted to preserve her grandfather’s legacy, and he got that, but his new proposal substantially changed that legacy.

  He’d thought about her constantly for the past two weeks, wondered what she was doing, and if she ever thought of him. He couldn’t get her, or the kiss they’d shared, out of his head.

  He’d expected the feelings he’d experienced while they’d been trapped together by the storm to dissipate once they parted. Instead, they intensified. He longed to see her again, to hear her voice, to touch her. He couldn’t wait to talk to her and tell her the good news that his “boss” wanted to help make the lodge something special.

  His boss! He’d have to tell her the truth about that right away. He couldn’t deceive her any longer. If there was to be any kind of relationship between them, it had to begin with the truth. She’d proven she was a hardworking, honest person, not someone looking for easy money in exchange for sex.

  Like Bree.