After an hour of driving aimlessly, he pulled into a scenic outpost at the edge of another small town. He should head back. He could take this chance to catch up on all the calls he’d been putting off.
As if on cue, his phone rang. It was Robert calling him again. “Hey, brother,” he said to answer.
“Where are you?” asked Robert without any pleasantries.
“I’m in Maine.”
“Well, get back. I need you in Vegas tomorrow. There’s a summit going on Monday to Wednesday and I was going to have John Dowd there alone, but the more I think about it, the more I want better coverage. The real estate market down there is fluctuating like crazy right now and I want your ear on the ground.”
Nathan had to choose his words carefully. His first thought was “hell no” but he had a feeling Robert wouldn’t appreciate it. “I’m on vacation,” he settled on.
“Vacation? Since when?”
“Since I got here.”
“And did you tell anyone?”
No, because that would’ve made things easier. “I discussed things with Julie.”
“I talked to Julie yesterday and she didn’t say anything.”
“We spoke in confidence.”
There was a pause before Robert said, “This is a secret vacation?”
“It’s a necessary vacation. I know Dowd. He’s going to be fine without me. You’re good. Or maybe you and Malia could use a little Vegas.”
“Malia hates Vegas. She doesn’t trust places where there isn’t water in walking distance.”
Figures his Hawaiian bride would feel that way. “Well, there’s always Maine. Listen, I have to get going. Give me a text if something comes up.”
“You have to get going? What the hell are you even doing up there?”
“I’m resting and relaxing. Isn’t that what normal people do on vacation?”
“Well, yeah, but you’re...”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Do you really think I spend my downtime snorting coke off a hooker’s ass?”
“Of course not. I know you’d never do cocaine,” said Robert, noticeably not saying anything about hookers. “But you’re always so...busy. I figured a vacation for you would be something that would keep your mind occupied. But, hey, as long as you’re behaving—fuck, relax all you want.”
Nathan rested his head against the seat. “Busy.” He supposed that he did always try to keep occupied. Maybe he and Katy weren’t as different as he thought. “Tell Malia I say hello.”
“Or you could bring your relaxation-craving ass to one of the most relaxing places on earth to actually visit us.”
“Touché. I’ll make sure I get down there soon.”
“You better. Enjoy your vacation.”
Nathan said a quick good-bye before he scrolled through his email. A lot of the normal stuff and countless emails he was CC’d on but didn’t need his attention. And it looked as though Deanna had gotten back to him. Now he had the name and phone number of the owner of Seal Cove Inn, not that it would matter. He couldn’t very well call and demand the owner not sell.
Nathan stared at the screen for a moment. That didn’t mean he was out of options, though. He just needed to get creative.
Katy looked in the mirror hanging over the check-in desk once again before she caught herself and turned away. She’d already checked her appearance ten times in the last half hour. Nothing had changed.
It wasn’t as if she were suddenly walking around with a giant red A on her breast. Except things had changed. Everything had changed. Her job was in a state of jeopardy she never thought possible, and she’d just slept with a piece of her past she never thought she’d see again.
Every time someone looked her way or said a polite hello, she swore there was something a little different in their greetings or a little suspicious in their smile. But she had to admit she did look different today.
Instead of her normal structured dresses she liked to wear to let guests know that she was in a position of authority, she’d worn a loose, flowy skirt with purple and blue flowers on it. Even though it stopped right above the knee, making it more than decent for the workplace, she’d never actually worn it to work. It had seemed so...feminine. Especially so when combined with the white cardigan and her hair loose from its tight prison.
Between all the walking she did normally and the winds off the water, wearing her hair down was a recipe for disaster, but today was different. Today she was going to see Nathan.
And not see him as in fix up the Carriage House all night see him. And not see him as in random sex in her house see him. But an honest-to-goodness talk. He came there for her, and considering he hadn’t suddenly checked out last night, she had to assume he wanted more than just the sex.
She didn’t even know how to think about that. This was Nathan. Back when they had their almost relationship, it had been easier. He’d known her. He’d known she was a dork who studied too much and had an unhealthy attraction to her dog. He’d accepted her.
Now it was as if he was getting to know her again and she knew all too much about him. He was just Nathan then. Her best friend’s boyfriend. Too cute for his own good, really nice cars, and always followed her with his eyes whenever she went anywhere.
She wasn’t just hanging out with Nathan. She felt like the same person she’d been back then, and now Nathan was “the” Nathan Farrell. The playboy who had a new model girlfriend every weekend and attended parties all over the world.
Katy might have a powerful and rich sister-in-law, but she wasn’t rich and powerful by association.
“Hey there,” said a deep voice from behind her.
Katy jerked her head up to see the same man she’d been spying on through her office window on Friday. She racked her brain for his name but came up a complete blank.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you there,” he said with a charming smile that revealed perfect teeth. Katy could more than understand why Sheila had been so impressed with the man. His jet black hair was pushed back in a disheveled “I don’t care” way, but it fell perfectly against his sharp cheekbones and showed off his face to its best advantage. And with full, dark brows and blue-gray eyes, he didn’t need much help making his face look better.
“No worries. I was just lost in thought for a few minutes. Anything I can help you with?”
“Actually, I was hoping you could help me. Katy Carey, right?”
It was never good when someone asked for the manager by name. That almost always meant the guest wanted something that was going to be a pain in the ass to procure. “Yes. You are?”
“Austin Miles. Pleased to meet you.” He held out his hand and she met his firm handshake. It was not too strong and not too limp, which was good. She swore some men had no idea how to shake a woman’s hand. “I work with the Paranormal Observer’s Network and I wanted to do a write-up on your beautiful inn.”
Katy couldn’t hold back her shock at what he said. “Paranormal? I hate to break it to you, but Seal Cove Inn has never even had one ghost sighting.”
“Well, I hate to break it to you, but haunted houses have been created on much less.”
Realization sunk in. “I’m not going to lie in order to get a write-up on some blog.”
“It’s not just some blog. Our site gets over a million unique visits every day and haunted tours of the country are becoming more and more popular. If you get a write-up, you get a featured article, which goes out to everyone on our email list, and you’ll permanently be featured on our locator feature, where people can find the closest haunted destination. And these aren’t just whack jobs. People from all walks of life like to search out something different and...beyond the norm.”
Katy sighed and narrowed her eyes. She was betting Austin Miles normally just flashed that perfect smile at people and they would give him whatever he wanted. Maybe all the time she’d spent with Nathan the past day had given her some sort of immunity to attractive men. “That all sounds interesting. Wha
t would you need from me?”
“I have a few gadgets and gizmos, nothing that would bother any of the guests, and I need to wander around some of the rooms. Maybe I can locate one that shows a heavier reading and make it the feature of the article. Also, I’d like to get your side of the story about the man who killed himself here.”
Katy straightened. She never liked to think about that day, and the idea of some popular website making it a reason for people to come and visit made her stomach turn. “I assure you he’s not a ghost.”
Austin held up his hands. “Sorry. I’ll focus on another direction. I know you’re busy now, but we can talk further about this over lunch if that’s easier for you. My treat.” That cocky grin was back and Katy felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Was he asking her out?
“Ms. Carey has plans.”
Katy took a step back from the counter before she winced at the abrupt action. She hadn’t been doing anything with Austin Miles she shouldn’t be doing. No need for her to act guilty.
Austin didn’t seem fazed and held out his hand. “Didn’t mean to step on anyone’s toes. Austin Miles, nice to meet you.”
“Nathan Farrell.” They had a quick handshake, and Katy didn’t even want to think about the amount of pressure exerted in those few seconds.
“I’ll see if Sean is available to show you around, Mr. Miles. Do you have a business card?”
“Sure do.” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a nondescript card. Maybe that was normal for his line of work. Not everyone liked to admit they were looking into the paranormal.
“I’ll see what I can do, Mr. Miles. How long are you staying for?”
“Until I get the job done.” He winked. “You two have a great day.” Austin headed out of the entrance area and Katy heard his footsteps on the stairs as he went back to his room.
“Don’t tell me you’re working today too.” Nathan rested his forearms on the desk as he leaned over.
Damn it, that should be annoying, but on him it just looked cute. Probably how he got away with any number of things in his life. “I’m always working.” She leaned in. “But I wasn’t planning on staying long.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here.”
“And go where?”
“Anywhere we want.”
Those crystal-blue eyes sparkled, and for a moment Katy felt as if she were sixteen again. As though Nathan really was the only guy around. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here.” She smiled much more than she wanted to at the words. He was probably used to his women being cool and coy. Well, coy wasn’t a setting Katy was programmed for.
“I didn’t realize managers work the front desk.” Nathan picked up the little bell and examined it as if it could burn him at any second.
“Managers do everything these days. Especially when the front desk attendant has to fix the heater in one of the rooms.”
“The heater is broken?” Nathan stiffened and leaned in.
Maybe he really did like her, because she couldn’t imagine anyone actually being that interested in something as dull as a heater.
“The heater is fine. Mr. Parker just tends to forget how things work. Sean goes up, fiddles with a few knobs and, ta-da, it’s fixed.”
“Ta-da, it’s fixed,” said a droll voice from the entryway.
Katy jumped back from Nathan before she realized how guilty it would make her seem. She really had to stop doing that. “Thanks, Sean. I’m heading out for the day. Give me a call if anything comes up.”
“Will do.” He got behind the desk and reached for the horror novel he’d been slowly making his way through to pass the time. He knew she didn’t like the staff on their cell phones, but sitting behind the desk could get boring, so Katy allowed books and, if they were still in school, homework.
She was more addicted to her phone than most, so she felt bad about the rule, but so many guests came here to get away from the ever-present technology. It added to the atmosphere when they saw the young staff members reading a paperback. Also it was a good segue to let them know about the fully stocked library on the first level that was open to all the guests.
Katy picked up her purse and made her way around the desk, keeping a respectable distance from Nathan as they both left the inn. She could’ve told him to meet her around back so they could sneak off. She could’ve told him to meet her at her house. They could’ve even gone back to the coffee shop.
This was her leap of faith. Her trusting that Nathan was here for more than a fling. So if he decided next week that this was a horrible mistake, she’d have some explaining to do to the town gossip mill.
Once they were outside, the breeze hit her. It was a bit colder than yesterday, and it became apparent that her cardigan wasn’t quite enough for the day. Luckily Nathan’s sharp black sports car was only a short walk away.
“No word about the sale today,” she said as Nathan held the door open for her. “So the good news is that I still have a job at the moment.”
“You’re too good to be fired.”
“I wasn’t good enough to stop water from falling on my guests. I wasn’t good enough to keep the Carriage House safe.”
Nathan bent in a bit closer. “Are you fishing for compliments? Because I probably have a steady twenty-minute stream ready right now. And I can probably pull another twenty minutes more out of my ass while giving the first twenty minutes. Original compliments, too. No repeats.”
The corner of her mouth hooked up. “Twenty whole minutes, huh?”
“Twenty quality minutes. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for all the happiness my mouth can bring.”
Katy let out a snort as she covered her mouth with her hand. “Nathan!”
“Fun fact. Everyone feels better after corny sexual innuendo jokes.”
“This is your big secret for why people like you so much?”
“Dick jokes are a force that bond all humans.”
Katy believed it. “I’ll have to remember that one.” She got into the front seat and Nathan gently closed the door behind her. Once he was behind the wheel, he carefully navigated down the long driveway until they were clear of the inn. Katy kept her eyes down. She didn’t want to see if anyone was staring and wondering why she was running off with a guest.
“So how is this going to work?” she finally asked.
“What do you mean?”
She rolled her eyes to glare at him. “You know exactly what I mean. You came here out of the blue. I assume you have some sort of plan.”
“That’s the difference between you and me.”
“I want to know where this is going?”
“No. You want to know a plan.”
She let out a laugh. “You don’t plan, do you? You just see the end goal and use your hard head to burst through any obstacles in your way.”
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds bad. But it works.”
“Seeing as how I’m proof of that, I can’t argue. Though I think if I tried to use my hard head to get past obstacles, I’d just end up with a massive headache.”
“Some headaches are worth it, though.” He glanced in her direction.
“If that’s one of those string of compliments you had for me, I’m starting to rethink the value of that offer.”
He pulled onto the interstate, and Katy looked at the trees that were just starting to get buds. This road was scenic but it didn’t go to anywhere very interesting. “Did you have a destination in mind?”
“Actually, I do. But I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“You showing up out of the blue isn’t enough of a surprise?”
He didn’t answer her or tell her where they were going. Instead, he said, “Something’s been bothering me.”
“I thought nothing bothered you.”
“Hear me out. Eight years ago, you never once mentioned wanting to go into hospitality.”
Oh. This conversation. “That was a long time ago.”
“Yeah, but you wanted to be a vet. Really
badly. And now you don’t even have a dog. What happened to Rigby?”
“Rigby was Dean’s dog, not mine.” If she’d tried to bring her brother’s dog to Maine with her, he probably would never speak to her again. Besides, the mutt now lived in one of the most exclusive apartment buildings in the city and had an entire staff of doormen to wait on him. No, that dog had it made.
“But still,” said Nathan.
“I did want to be a vet and I still love animals. When I was a college freshman, I job shadowed a vet for a day and I realized that I wanted to love animals and not be in a situation where they all hated me. I’m not strong enough for that.”
“You seem pretty strong to me.”
“Not that way, though. So I started to think about what I wanted and where I wanted to be five, ten or fifteen years down the line.”
“I didn’t know anyone took those questions seriously.”
Ugh...she probably sounded like such a teacher’s pet. Once again, she had to remind herself that Nathan knew all this about her, but she couldn’t help but feel...different. When she pictured the kind of woman Nathan would be with, her own reflection never came back to her. “Anyway,” she said abruptly, “I don’t really have time for a dog right now. I plan to get one as soon as the timing works out.”
He scoffed.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“The timing is never right. That’s why I’m here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I have three brothers and a sister and all four of them have married, or at least paired off. Do you think any of them thought ‘whelp, it’s time to settle down?’ If you have something you want, you have to sit down and take it.”
Katy had the sudden realization that she was something he wanted. He came to town and had stirred up enough dust until he’d taken her, too. The thought probably should’ve angered her, but somehow it just made her hot. She didn’t mind being taken by a guy like that.
Relentless (Fractured Farrells: A Damaged Billionaire Series Book 5) Page 8
