“It wasn’t like that, either. It had nothing to do with the women. They made me uncomfortable—I didn’t lie about that. It was later, during Tom’s awful toast. I don’t know why that triggered my memories, of all things, but it did. That’s why I wanted to leave so suddenly. It was too much for me all at once. All I wanted was to get away from all of those people who knew me before the accident and what I was like then.”
Willow looked at him for a moment, studying his face carefully. Finn tried hard not to flinch under her scrutiny, or worse, to try and make himself look more honest and contrite. She would see right through that.
“I’m not sure I believe you, Finn. I’m not sure I believe anything you say now.”
“No, please,” he said, rushing closer to her, only to have her take a large step back. “It was last night. I was scared to tell you.”
“So you decided to just lie? All the while, prompting me to trust you with my biggest, most painful secrets?” Willow looked down at the gap in the neckline of her robe, and tugged it tightly closed to keep her chest and everything that went with it hidden from his sight.
Fate had the worst timing. Why would his memory have to return on the same night she’d finally opened up to him? “No. Willow, don’t associate last night with this. What we shared was so special to me.”
“Everything that happened last night was tainted by your lies. One of the only reasons I was comfortable sharing my scars with you was because I didn’t think you could compare me to a hundred other women you’ve been with before. And the whole time, you had your memories of every single one.”
“I assure you that the last thing on my mind last night was other women. Before and after my memory returned, you’re the only woman I’ve thought about. How I feel about you. How special you are. How it would ruin everything if you knew the truth about me.”
Finn shook his head. “I’ve been agonizing over what to do since before sunrise. The old Finn wasn’t a very good guy. I thought once you knew my memories had come back and you learned what I was like before the accident, that you wouldn’t want to stay. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you yet. I’m not ready to lose you, Willow.”
She listened to everything he had to say and sadly shifted her gaze down to the hardwood floors. “I’m sorry, Finn, but you already have.”
* * *
Willow had been dreading this moment since the amnesiac with the dimpled grin had captured her heart. She knew that when he regained his memories, she would lose him. At least, she would lose Jack. Jack was the man she had fallen for. Curious, kind, grateful...he had looked at her like his whole world was wrapped up with her on their tiny island. He was an outsider when he showed up on her beach and they were able to be outsiders together. Jack would never lie to her. Or manipulate her. He didn’t have a devious bone in his body.
But Finn was never hers. He was the billionaire heir of Steele Tools. The playboy. He’d never been an outsider. He’d always been the cool guy. Mr. Popular. She wouldn’t even begin to know how to relate to a man like that. It was hard enough to make small talk with his friends and family. There was no way she could continue on with Finn when they had nothing in common but a week spent together on her island.
She would cherish the time they’d had together. It had been an enlightening and educational experience for her. Willow had realized by being with Finn that she might live on an island, but she wasn’t one. Keeping people and relationships at arm’s length might have seemed like the right thing to do after her health scare, but it only made her lonely. And worse—vulnerable to the charms of the first man who dropped into her life.
Even coming out here had taught her more about herself and what she was capable of when she put her mind to it. She had fought through cancer, making hard choices to ensure that she would live, and now she needed to start actually living. Despite what she once believed, she could still be beautiful and desirable and have people in her life. There were people out there, men included, who would accept her as she was, once she was able to do the same. But that man would not be Finn. Their relationship was a stretch, and it was time for the fantasy she’d built up in her head to end.
It was not what she’d intended to wake up to this morning. She’d hoped for a kiss, some caffeine and maybe a return to bed. Instead, she’d been faced with a truth she couldn’t ignore any longer. It was so disappointing to watch him scramble for words when he was caught in his lie. She’d heard stories about his escapades, even masquerading around as his twin without anyone suspecting the truth.
She had thought that the infamous Finn Steele would be a better liar. And she wished he was better. Or that she couldn’t read him so well. Then they could both keep on pretending that his memory hadn’t returned. But he’d screwed up and there was no going back to the way things had been.
“Please, Willow. What can I do to convince you that I mean what I say? Tell me. I know that I shouldn’t have lied to you, and I’ll do anything to make things right between us again.”
Willow bit at her lip, fighting to stay strong. This needed to end. And the sooner the better for both of them. “You are who you are, Finn. Nothing can change the past. And it seems like your future might be on the same path you’ve already set a course for. And that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with continuing to live your life the way you’d planned to before the accident. You’ve just got to do it without me.”
“Willow—” he started to speak, but she held up her hand to silence him.
“Please book me a flight back to Seattle as soon as possible,” she continued. She wasn’t going to wait to hear his arguments. If he had a good reason for her to stay, she might be persuaded to do it. And if she’d learned anything about the old Finn, it was that he knew how to get his way. She didn’t believe the glint of tears or the pained expression on his face were intended to manipulate her, but she could feel her resolve crumbling from seeing him hurt. “I think it’s past time for me to go home.”
His dark eyes watched her with a mix of resignation and disappointment. She could tell then that he wouldn’t fight her on this. He knew this needed to end, as well. They both needed to move on with their separate—and very different—lives. Their paths were never meant to cross. It was an accident. And now it was time to fix it and put their paths to rights.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll take care of all the arrangements. If you’d like to start packing, I’ll have a car come pick you up and take you to the airport in about an hour.”
“Thank you.” Willow took a deep breath, resisting the urge to run into his arms and bury her face in his chest. Instead, she turned and went upstairs to pack her clothes and get ready to leave.
Her small duffel bag held what she’d brought with her, but she quickly realized there was no way that any of her new pieces from her shopping trip with the girls would fit inside. It was just as well. She would never have another occasion to wear a dress like that, despite what she’d tried to convince herself earlier. Maybe one of his sisters would like to have it. It would be lovely on Jade. She hung up the dress and put it in the closet with the heels. She opted to keep the earrings and the headband; they were easier to pack.
Dressed and ready, she checked the time. She had a bit before the car would arrive, but she couldn’t just stay up here. She went downstairs, dropping her bag by the front door. She could hear Finn in the kitchen.
“Please tell the driver when he arrives that I’m across the street at Waterfront Park.”
Finn walked into the room, drying his hands with a towel. “I will,” he said with a nod. “He should be here in about fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you.” Willow reached for the doorknob.
“No. Thank you, Willow,” Finn said in a quiet voice that reminded her more of her sweet Jack. “Thank you for everything.”
She couldn’t look at him. Not if she wanted to stay strong. “Yo
u’re welcome,” she replied and marched out the front door without looking back. She rushed across the street to the park and found a place to sit near the famous pineapple fountain.
There were people all around. Some were admiring the fountain, while others were looking out into the channel for the famous sights of Charleston Harbor. The whole area oozed Southern charm and history. Willow didn’t see any of it. She was lost in her thoughts, lulled there by the roar of the fountain.
It wasn’t until a man in a black suit tapped her on the shoulder that she returned to the world. “Miss Bates? I’m here to take you to the airport. I already have your bag in the car, along with all your flight information.”
Willow followed the man to the street where the shiny black Lincoln Town Car was waiting for her. She was determined not to look over at Finn’s town house as they pulled away. As she’d tried to tell Finn, there was no sense in looking back. Just look forward.
It was time to return to her solitary, but comfortable, life on Shaw Island.
Eleven
Monday morning, bright and early, Finn put on a suit and went to the Steele Tools corporate offices. He ignored the wary glances and whispers as he crossed the lobby to the elevators and headed to the executive floor. He supposed that surviving a plane crash made him subject to employee gossip. Among his other notable activities.
When he arrived at his office, his assistant, Melody May, shot bolt upright in her chair. “Mr. Steele?” she asked. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this morning.”
He admired the pretty, dark-haired woman who had worked as an assistant for the three Steele boys for at least the past two years. Finn had flirted with her, but to avoid more problems at work than he already had, he had maintained a hands-off policy with Melody. That seemed to offend her more than anything else. But today, she appeared to have put that chip on her shoulder in the past.
“You don’t expect to see me most mornings, Melody.” Finn smiled and walked past her desk to his office.
Melody showed up a few minutes later with a cup of coffee and a handful of cream cups and sugar packets. “I’m not sure how you take your coffee, sir.”
Finn felt the burn of shame on his cheeks. He’d barely done anything to deserve this job and the salary it earned him. He couldn’t even be troubled to show up before lunch most days, so much so that his own assistant didn’t know how to make coffee for him. He really had been a jerk to everyone in his life. “Black, thank you.”
Her brows rose slightly in surprise as she set the cup on his desk. “You’re welcome, Mr. Steele. Is there anything else I can do?”
“Could you put a ticket in with IT to get me a new laptop and a new corporate phone? Mine were both lost in the crash. I also need all new identification cards, credit cards, a checkbook, a passport...and anything else I normally carried in my wallet. If you can help me work all that out, I’d very much appreciate it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Please call me Finn.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Could you also print out my calendar for the next week so I have it to reference until my new computer shows up?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you, Melody.” The woman hesitated for a moment, making Finn feel even worse for how he may have treated her in the past. “Have I ever told you ‘thank you’ before, Melody?”
She sat with a puzzled expression on her face for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t believe so.”
Finn sighed and sat back in his chair. “Well then, to the thank you, I’d also like to add that I’m sorry. Things will be different now.”
“You really lost your memory, Mr. Steele?”
Finn nodded. No one but Willow knew it had returned yet. “Finn, please, Melody. But don’t worry. These changes are permanent. The amnesia has nothing to do with my ability to treat people well.”
Melody smiled and backed out of the room. “Let me know if you need anything else, Mr. St—Finn.”
His assistant disappeared from the room, leaving him alone in the emptiness of his office. He looked around at the unremarkable space. The furniture was a generic mahogany suite with leather guest chairs and a small conference table near the window. Both his brothers had similar setups. He’d added a small dry bar in the corner with a minifridge and a crystal decanter filled with Scotch. The bookshelves behind him were mostly empty, save for a few picture frames. He turned to look at them as though it were the first time.
Even with his memory back, it didn’t seem very familiar. He’d never spent much time here and that had nothing to do with his assignment in Beijing. He was just a shitty employee who got away with murder because he was the boss’s son.
One photo was of his whole family gathered for some event on the lawn of the estate. He couldn’t remember which get-together it was for. Another was an autographed photo of him with an Italian runway model. The third was a photo of him from a ski trip in Switzerland. He didn’t remember the name of the woman in the picture beside him. He wished he could blame that on the head injury, but he just frankly couldn’t keep track of them all.
An unfamiliar beep sounded at Finn’s desk phone. He pressed the blinking button beside the intercom label. “Yes?”
“Your father would like to see you in his office.”
And that was why he rarely came into work.
With a groan, he picked up his coffee and pushed up from his chair. His father’s office wasn’t far, just in the corner of the building with the best views of downtown on both sides. It was positioned such that Tom’s, Sawyer’s and Finn’s offices were easily visible to him down the hallway, as were their comings and goings. Or no-shows, in Finn’s case.
“Good morning,” Trevor Steele said as his son appeared in the doorway of his office. “Come in.”
Finn sat in the guest chair, where he got most of his tongue lashings, and settled in for his next one. Perhaps he was in trouble for leaving the party early on Saturday. Or for surviving the crash and somehow inconveniencing his father and the company in the process. Who knew? It was always something, though.
“I know you’ve been out of touch for a few weeks. And I’m not sure if you recall, but when your plane crashed, you were coming home from our new facility in Beijing. It was a big responsibility I gave you by sending you out there to set up our first manufacturing plant overseas. And I have to tell you that things are going very well. The project has been an amazing success and you had a major hand in that, Finn. I’m proud of you.”
If Finn hadn’t regained his memories, this conversation would’ve been nice, but it wouldn’t have had the same impact. He tried not to visually react to his father’s words, just smiled and nodded at the praise. But it was the first time his father had ever said those words to him. And he hadn’t realized how badly he’d wanted to hear them until this exact moment.
“I understand that you’ve been through a lot, and I don’t want to rush you. But once you’re fully recovered, I’d like you to take on more responsibility at the company.”
At this, Finn’s jaw dropped. He’d only been given the bare minimum to handle since he’d graduated from college. He got the feeling that his father only gave him the Beijing job to get him out of his hair for a few months. “Really?”
Trevor smiled at him and he almost didn’t recognize that expression on his father’s face. It wasn’t his polite public smile, but a legitimate grin. “Really. I feel like this whole experience has changed you for the better, Finn. You’ve done a lot of growing up in the last few weeks and I’m hoping that this will be the start of great things for you and your involvement in the company.”
“Thank you.” It was all he could think to say.
“There’s actually a few big projects coming up, so you can have your choice. When you’re ready. Now, get out of here. Take a few more days. I don’t want you rushing your recover
y.”
Trevor stood and came around the desk. He held out his arms and it took a moment for Finn to realize his father wanted a hug. He got up and hugged his father, accepting the paternal slap on the back.
“When I heard your plane crashed, it felt like a part of me died,” Trevor whispered in Finn’s ear. “I thought I’d never see you again and I had so many regrets. It looks like we both have a second chance. Welcome home, son.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Finn left the office and found himself standing stunned in the hallway.
Growing up as one of four children, Finn had been neither the oldest, the baby nor the cherished girl. He was one of the twins, not even a whole person on his own. He learned early on that getting into trouble got him more attention than being good. He also learned that it was a hell of a lot more fun. So he took on the mantle of problem child and made the most of it.
But deep down, if Finn was honest with himself, all he’d really wanted was for his parents to acknowledge him. Maybe even to be proud of him. But it had seemed impossible until now. The moment he’d always secretly wanted with his father had happened. And all it had taken was for him to nearly die.
He should be thrilled.
And yet...the moment wasn’t everything he’d hoped for it to be. Or at least, it wasn’t as impactful as he expected. To actually earn a promotion, more responsibility and the approval of his father...it was everything he’d dreamed of and suddenly nothing he wanted. And it was all because of Willow.
She could’ve gone through reconstruction to look the way the world expected her to, but she’d made the choice that was right for her. She lived a life that made her happy, even if her sister or outsiders thought it was strange to live alone. If he’d learned nothing else from his time with her, it was that he needed to live his life on his own terms. Despite his wild reputation for hedonistic fun, he hadn’t really been happy. Or fulfilled. Everything he’d ever done had been to suit his chosen role as the rich playboy son. Living in the moment had been fine enough in his twenties. But now he wanted to do what made him happy and that meant rebelling in a completely different way.
Promises from a Playboy--A secret billionaire with amnesia romance Page 13
