“Yes, that’s White’s Manor,” Belinda beams and answers proudly.
I sit in silence as she drives through two rows of old white oak trees lining the entry drive to the house. It’s easy to see that White’s Manor had once been a stately home. “It’s a beautiful old house.”
“It was built in 1910 by the White family at the same time they built the cotton mill in town. Like I told you, April and her business partner Rachael are still working on the inside.”
The outside of the two-story Victorian had been painted a crisp white and had a new silver tin roof reflecting the afternoon sunlight. Not exactly period specific, but economically, tin is the better option. Two massive chimneys rise from either side of the roof like sentinels on guard. A white picket railing surrounds a wraparound porch with eight floor-to-ceiling windows. Six more windows with French doors in the middle lead out to a second-floor balcony above the porch.
Belinda brakes and comes to a stop. “The house takes your breath away, doesn’t it?”
We both pause, taking it all in. Belinda, for the dreams she has for the estate. Me, for critiquing the grade of the land and the quality of landscaping done. I’m impressed, but trying not to be. “It does. They’ve done a lot of work.”
Belinda’s face glows with anticipation as she turns towards me. “Wait till you see the grounds in the back. But let’s go in the front. April said to come and get her when we arrive, since she’s taking the day off and working here.”
Wait. What did she say? “What do you mean?”
Belinda sighs heavily. “Well, she’s a florist by day and works on the house in the evenings and weekends.”
How could a florist afford such a costly remodel? “This isn’t even their fulltime business?”
“Well, it will be, once the business become more lucrative. They have big plans for the future.”
I frown. I just bet they do. I’m beginning to wonder what those plans are and whether they include me. Were these women using Belinda to promote their business? I won’t let that happen. I was stupid and let that happen to me once…never again.
Belinda parks and we walk up a beautifully landscaped brick pathway. I have no complaints or suggestions for the landscaping. The problems start once we walk through the front door. Belinda must have seen the irritation on my face. Things are far from well done inside.
“Elias.” She drags out my name. “Remember, I told you the wedding will be outside. The inside is still under renovation. You should understand what that’s all about.”
I bite my tongue and force a smile to keep from saying what I want to say. I want the best of everything for my sister, and this shell of a house I’m standing in isn’t it.
Belinda shakes her head slowly, letting me know she isn’t pleased. “You stay here, I’ll go find April,” she says, heading for the stairs.
“Be careful and watch where you walk.” I can’t help it. I hadn’t kept her safe for a lot of years to lose her to falling plaster or unstable floors. “You really need a hard hat.”
Her lips thin and her eyes harden as she casts her eyes on me. “Elias, be nice.”
Reluctantly, I give a slight nod. While I wait, I inspect the work that’s already been done. The walls were open, and thankfully I find new wiring and not the old, highly dangerous knob and tube. The old wooden floor had been expertly pieced, and once sanded and stained, the wood will be beautiful. Planks that wide are no longer found, so they must have located reclaimed boards. Maybe from a different part of the house.
“Oh, hi! I didn’t hear you come in. You must be Belinda’s brother. It’s nice to meet you.”
I turn toward the breathless voice to find an attractive woman holding her hand out to shake. The exact same woman who starred in my X-rated dreams just that morning. She pauses and her eyes widen in surprise as recognition hits. I wait for the reaction I know is coming.
I try not to smirk as her mouth falls open. “You…you…” she stutters.
Yeah, I’ll admit, she’s gorgeous, and I find myself even more attracted to her close up. My gaze runs over her golden brown wavy hair threaded through the adjustment band of her purple WCU cap. Stone-washed blue jeans hug her curves and are worn to highlight all the right places. A bright pink T-shirt stretches across her chest proclaiming she’s a Renovation Diva.
I start to take up where were we left off at the bar, but then I remember why I’m here. She’s cute, but cute doesn’t mean I want her handling my baby sister’s wedding. I frown. “Yes, I’m Belinda’s brother.”
“I didn’t realize. She never mentioned you by name.” She shifts anxiously and squares her shoulders. “You were at the Skybar.”
I cock my head. “Yes, I saw you, too.”
April pulls nervously at the hem of her T-shirt and her breathing quickens. “I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you. It was so dark inside and that ballcap you had on was a pretty good disguise. I love your show. Rachael and I watch Facelift Reno all the time. We even learned how to strip by watching your show.” She gasps, and her posture suddenly stiffens.
I enjoy her face turning a bright, embarrassed red. I could say something and put her out of her misery, but yeah, that’s not going to happen.
“Paint!” She blurts out in frustration. “Paint stripping, not clothes stripping. I mean it would be silly to think we learned how to strip out of our clothes on your show. But we don’t! I mean, we never strip our clothes off. Well, maybe when we bathe or go to bed.” April takes a breath and swallows, finally running down. She squeezes her eyes shut, and she may be getting ready to hyperventilate. I want to laugh out loud, but again, this is much more fun.
With a fortifying breath, she tries again. “Excuse me. Let’s start over. Welcome to White’s Manor. As you can see, this part is still under renovation, but if you’ll come with me, I’ll show you the rooms we have finished where the bride and groom will change before the wedding.”
“There you are, April!” Belinda says from the framed-out doorway.
April tips her head to the side with a staged smile in place. “Belinda, you didn’t mention who your brother was. I’m afraid I’ve made a horrible first impression by fan-girling on him.”
Belinda laughs and swats my arm. “He gets that all the time, don’t think anything about it. Sometimes I forget he’s Elias Holt from Facelift Reno. He’s just my brother.”
“Why don’t you follow me? I’ll show you around.” April leads the way through a maze of varying degrees of renovation. From framed-out walls to completed bathrooms with subway tile on the walls, penny tiles on the floors, and claw-foot bathtubs big enough for two. My mind goes to sharing that huge tub filled with warm water dripping all over April’s body. I turn quickly to leave that scalding vision.
I make the appropriate comments during the venue tour. The back patio is remarkable. And the fact that April and her business partner had DIY’d it is impressive. The white oak tree against the mountains would be a serene and uplifting place for weddings. Even the old barn would be excellent for receptions and events. I rub my hand over the aged oak beams and take in the excellent joining work of the timbers. If it were mine, I could see my workshop here. One day, White’s Manor will be a popular event venue, but what I’ve seen isn’t up to our standards, and it certainly won’t do for my sister.
Belinda clasps her hands under her chin like she’s praying for me to give her the answer she wants. “So, what do you think, Elias? Isn’t it perfect, just like I said? Ours will be their first wedding and the first wedding April has ever planned. How lucky am I?”
Her first. Now I know something is going on. I’ll not have some amateur handling my sister’s wedding. It’s just a little too convenient that April’s house needs renovating. “It’s something, all right. Belinda, could you give me just a moment with April?” Our eyes meet, and I have no trouble understanding my sister’s silent threat to be nice.
“Sure, I’ll just walk back up to the house.” She pauses for one mo
re direct gaze.
I wait for Belinda to be out of hearing range before I turn to face April. I cross my arms over my chest and widen my stance. A look of dominance I’ve perfected over the years. “Tell me Ms.…”
April gives me a polite smile and answers, “White.”
Well, that’s interesting. “Ahhh, like the house?”
April’s eyes narrow catching on to my distrustful tone. “Yes. White’s Manor was built by a distant relation. But my family has never owned it. Until now.”
My nostrils flare at the polite bite of her answer, and I take an intimidating step into April’s personal space. A waft of berries hits me, and I’m taken back to my dream of us in the elevator, my hand down her pants. “Well, Ms. White. Tell me what your motive is.”
April’s eyes are glazed with confusion as her chin rises. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t underst...”
I cut her off. “Oh, come on. No need to be shy. Are you hoping my show will take over and finish the renovations of your house?”
April’s posture tightens and her hands close into fists by her side. “What?” she snaps through clenched teeth.
I watch her face closely. I’ll give her acting props. She’s playing it like a professional, but I’ve had plenty of experience with opportunists. My baby sister isn’t going to be used. “Or maybe you want to use my name to promote your business.”
Her lips curl into a sneer, and instead of retreating, she takes a step toward me. “Mr. Holt. I don’t know what you’re getting at. Until you arrived, I didn’t even know who Belinda’s brother was. And just so I make myself clear, I certainly didn’t know the man I saw in the bar was Belinda’s brother, either.”
I can’t decide if her fascinating blue eyes have a rim of darker blue or black. Where did I just go? I jerk my attention back to the irritated woman before me. “Oh, come now, Ms. White. Do you expect me to believe that? I bet you Googled Belinda and found out she’s my sister. Why else would an inexperienced wedding planner offer to pull off such a high-profile wedding? And what a coincidence that I have a very popular renovation show on television, and you just happen to have a house that needs a great deal of renovating.”
Her head jerks back as if I’d slapped her, and I can feel her cold glare locked onto mine as she raises her chin defiantly. Her voice starts out low, each word crisp and precise. “How dare you accuse me of using that sweet young woman as a pawn. You have a very over-inflated ego, Mr. Holt. I may not have planned a wedding by myself, but I learned from the best. My mother was a wedding planner for twenty-four years. I never would have agreed to Belinda’s request if I hadn’t known I could do a good job for her. I genuinely like your sister. But I can’t say the same for her brother. Please extend my apologies to your sister. White’s Manor is no longer available.” With a flip of her ponytail, she whips by me and storms to her old pickup. I watch her rounded butt taunt me as her hips sway seductively side to side. For a moment I zone out, lost in my own fantasies starring her ass in the air and my cock balls-deep inside. Her back arches, giving me just a hint of her perfect breasts jiggling to our movements. She moans each time I bottom out and that only makes my hands tighten my grip on her hips to push harder, our skin slapping loudly time after time. When I feel the burn and pull of my release approaching, I’d demand she come. I am, after all, a gentleman. She’d scream, shouting my name as she comes and her vise-like grip surrounding my cock would be spectacular. I’d go deep once, twice, three more times, then I’d pull out and come all over her back.
I’m not proud of the fact that that I’ve just been extremely rude to April and then had devious fantasies about her. I have no idea why she affects me so strongly. Whether in my dreams, daydreams, or in person, she turns me rock hard. Dirt flies from the rear wheels as she speeds down the driveway with a cloud of dust following in her wake. I’d love to capture that passion and fire someday. But with the way I just acted, I can’t see that happening. At the bar, we had a connection, but I’m afraid I’ve blown it.
“Elias…” Belinda shouts as she runs into the barn, breathing hard from her sprint. She stabs a finger in the direction of the disappearing truck. “What have you done?”
I scrub my hand down my face, erasing all my previous wicked thoughts, before turning to face my irate sister. Tears are already forming in her eyes. I hate when she cries. “I may have over-reacted.”
“What did you do?” she whispers.
I hate what I’m about to say. “Honey, how do you know April isn’t using you to get to me? You have to admit her house needs a lot of work.”
Belinda steps out of my arms and her shoulders slump. “Oh, Elias. Please tell me you didn’t say that to her? You couldn’t be more wrong. April had no idea who you are.” She sniffles. “Is it so hard to believe that April would want to help me just because she likes me? Don’t you trust my judgment? I’m not ten anymore, E. I’m grown up, and I’m in love with a wonderful man who I’m going to marry. Here.” Her head falls, and she walks slowly back to the car. “Or at least, I was.”
“I’m sorry, Belinda,” I apologize, feeling like an ass. “I’ll make this right.” How, I have no idea. But I will, because not only did I upset my sister, but I was also rude to a woman who didn’t deserve it. When had I become so jaded?
April
I park my truck in my assigned space, throw open the door, and slam it shut. The loud metallic noise does little to calm my boiling temper. “Args!” Muttering to myself about asshole men, I stomp toward my condo.
“Oh, my. I bet that rage has a man at the end of it.”
I lurch to a stop and take a cleansing breath and blow it out before answering. “Hello, Ms. Edna.” I try for a polite smile.
Ms. Edna didn’t miss a thing. “It’s Belinda’s brother, isn’t it? He’s quite handsome and rugged-looking, now, isn’t he?”
I had learned soon after moving into my apartment never to question Ms. Edna or Ms. Blanche. The complex matriarchs have a knack for keeping on top of everything. They are sweet old ladies, and if you live at the renovated White Oaks Mill Apartments, then you understand you have two new grandmas.
I feel my lips thinning. I might have thought he was handsome last night, but not anymore. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Is he as striking as he appears on the television?” Ms. Edna asks, a naughty twinkle in her eyes.
I shake my head, “How did you…” Nope. I’m not going to ask how Ms. Edna knew who Belinda’s brother was when I didn’t. “I don’t really know. I couldn’t see over his huge ego.”
Ms. Edna chuckles. “It will all work out as it’s supposed to, dear. You go and take a nice hot bath with that new bath oil you ordered from Eve’s Garden, the gardenia scent should do nicely, and I’ll bring you over some of my fruit punch and a few nice warm cookies that Blanche made.”
I perk up at the offer of Ms. Edna’s fruit punch. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you, Ms. Edna.” I’m halfway to my door when I pause. How did Ms. Edna know about my new bath oil? It was just delivered yesterday. I shake my head. Nope. I’m not going to ask.
I’d just sat down in the warm, soothing water when my bathroom door crashes open. I screech and jump, causing a wave of water to spill over the side of the tub. “Rachael!” I scream, my heartbeat taking flight. “You scared me to death!”
“What did that dipstick say?” Rachael’s eyes are on fire as she marches in and flips the toilet lid down before making herself at home.
I would talk with my best friend about personal space, but I’d be wasting my breath. “Ms. Edna?” I ask, but really didn’t need to—that would be the only way Rachael could have found out so quickly.
“No, Ms. Blanche,” Rachael answers.
“Figures,” I mumble and lean back, resting my arms on the sides of the tub. “Well, Elias, who will now be known as dipstick, thought we were being nice to Belinda to get to him!”
A spark of ire flashes in Rachael’s eyes. “He didn’t.”
I let my hea
d fall back with a bump on the tile wall. “He did. He was rude, and he thought we were either using him as a way to finish our renovations or riding on his name and media presence for promotions.”
Rachael adjusts to sit cross-legged on the seat. “He’s such a dipstick, but he looks so nice on television. You know, I was even considering applying to be on the show. I still might. It would serve him right if they accepted us and then he’d have to work with us and act all nice like he does on television.”
I don’t catch what she said because I’m too far gone thinking about exactly how nice in person Elias Holt really is. Very nice. His eyes are green. I’d never picked that up on television. A sparkly muddled green, maybe hazel would better describe them. And he had muscles that go on for days. I doubt I could wrap my hand around his… I shake my head from the Elias fog it’s been in and get back to dipstick Elias. “He’s somewhat handsome if you can look past his wanker personality. And get this—he’s the guy from the bar.”
“What?” Rachael’s eyes grow large.
“You know, the one you wanted me to have bathroom sex with is none other than Elias Holt, Belinda’s brother. Why didn’t we recognize him? I know why, he had that fuckin’ ballcap pulled so low. What a great disguise. The joke’s on us, right?” I give a frustrated sigh.
“No way!” Rachael giggles and dramatically gasps. “You said a bad word! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this upset. Not even when Johnny Bergamo pasted your pigtails together in the third grade.”
I may feel a twinge of guilt for reacting the way I did this afternoon. Just a twinge. Which I know will dissipate soon. I hope. It’s not my usual personality to slam someone like that. But it did feel kind of freeing. At least, before the guilt set in. “I’m sorry, Rachael. I know we were depending on the money from Belinda’s wedding. I promise I’ll get busy placing more ads tomorrow.” We have to get money coming in somehow. Henry needs braces, and we have a house to finish. Whose crazy idea was this anyway. Oh, mine.
Heartbreaker: Billionaires of White Oaks Page 3
