California Girl

by Sandra Edwards

  “Where’d you get the other half of the map?” she asked, her nosiness kicking in.

  Turner hesitated about a millisecond before saying, “My grandmother gave it to me.”

  “Your grandmother...?” Rio had a hard time believing it. Turner was too fond of telling stories and he’d let this one go way too easily.

  “One of Maggie’s sisters was my great-great grandmother.”

  “Really?” It was an intriguing idea, but Rio was skeptical. “Which one?” She tossed the photograph back across the desk.

  He scooped up the picture and studied it with a quick scan before pointing to the other light-haired sister. “That one. She was my grandmother’s grandmother.”

  “Which one was she? Mary or Molly?” Now it had become a game for Rio. She wanted to see how far he could take it since she figured he was making it up as he went along. Oh, she could guess there was some truth to the story, at least about the three sisters. But Rio doubted that any of them was Turner’s great-great grandmother.

  Turner mumbled and groaned before he identified her as Molly. He was getting antsy. And the last thing she wanted to do was rock the boat.

  “So let’s get to the part about all the money I’m supposed to get,” she said, tremendously poised as she changed the subject.

  He tapped a pencil on the desk. “I’m going to pay you…one hundred thousand dollars.”

  Rio threw her head back and laughed. “You’re kidding.” She settled her eyes on him again. “Right?”

  She’d discarded his offer quicker than a blink of the eye. Not only that, she’d mocked him. He wasn’t sure if that pissed him off more than it impressed him.

  Finally, she’d gone and done something that induced him to believe that maybe, maybe, he’d underestimated her. He hoped so. He’d invested too much time, effort, and money to give up now.

  Turner had been carrying this dream around for twenty years. Damn near ever since he’d run across Audrey Tajan. Now theirs had been a different kind of relationship. He’d actually liked her. Well, about as much as he could ever like any woman. Turner had never been interested in marriage or family. Apparently neither was Audrey. He’d known exactly where he stood with her. And she’d made it quite clear what was expected of him.

  As long as he kept her entertained and bought her a pretty trinket every now and then, she was happy. Audrey didn’t get jealous over other women. In fact she’d told him, more than once, she liked it that he wasn’t under foot all the time.

  Then a couple of years ago Audrey’s health started to fail. When the doctors said she had ovarian cancer, Turner was a true and dedicated friend who willingly paid her medical bills.

  But then again, maybe it had a little something to do with the fact that she’d told him her brother had half a map that led to a treasure. She’d gotten drunk one night, many years before her sickness, and told Turner about her family’s history.

  Her revelation started with the story of Maggie and Tajan and ended with her own expulsion from the family. She left home at the age of sixteen and she hadn’t been back since.

  And she had these family heirlooms; items that had belonged to her ancestors, Maggie and Tajan. Turner wanted those pieces when she died. And he’d played the devoted friend and benefactor, all because her time was limited.

  And now, if luck was on his side—and Turner believed it was—Rio was going to help him find the treasure at the end of the map.

  “You expect me to go up there and con those people?” Rio didn’t sound committed. “So you can steal the treasure right out from under them…and I’m only supposed to get a hundred grand out of it?”

  “Okay.” Turner grinned, secretly impressed. “What’s it going to take?”

  “Well…” The word lingered on the air. “I need at least half a mill,” she said. “Hundred grand up front. And I’ll be needing some expense money, too.”

  “All right.” Turner’s nod was self-effacing. “One hundred thousand now. The rest when I recover the treasure.” He studied her closely. “And five thousand for expenses.”

  “Up front?” she asked.

  “Up front.”

  “Agreed.” She stood and offered her hand across the desk.

  They shook on the deal. “If you pull this off…I won’t ever forget it.”

  “Oh, I can pretty much guarantee,” she said, “when this is over...you will never forget me.”

  **I hope you enjoyed this preview of Broken Wings. If you’d like to read the book in its entirety, it’s available on Kindle, Nook, and a variety of other online retailers. Please turn the page for an excerpt of Cara Marsi’s A Catered Romance.**

  A CATERED ROMANCE

  by

  Cara Marsi

  CHAPTER ONE

  “You offered our company to Sackett Industries? Gail, how could you? I’d rather go under than sell to them.” Mary Beth Kendrick smoothed an unsteady hand over her hair and scowled at her friend and business partner.

  Gail O’Connell folded her arms across her chest and glared back. “Get your redhead’s temper under control. We’ll go under unless we do something fast. As equal partner, I can’t sell without you, but I refuse to lie down and die. I thought you were more of a fighter too.”

  Gail’s retort brought quick tears to Mary Beth’s eyes. Trying to hide her face, she turned toward the window. Pedestrians hurried by in the spring sunshine on the street outside their catering shop. How could they look so happy when her world was crumbling like a piece of stale cake?

  A few hours ago their biggest client had cancelled. Now this. Tom Sackett. She’d heard he was back in town. Wasn’t it enough that he’d hurt and humiliated her so badly years before?

  “Mary Beth?”

  She let out a deep sigh and turned at Gail’s touch on her arm. Gail didn’t know what Tom had once meant to her. She couldn’t take her anger and frustration out on her friend. “I’m sorry. It’s been a real bad day.”

  Mary Beth patted Gail’s arm, then walked to one of the large chintz chairs and sank into the thick cushions. She gripped the chair arms, finding no comfort in the satin smoothness of the fabric. Her gaze scanned the small reception area with its flowered drapes and chairs, pale greens and peaches. An English country garden, the decorator had said. More like an abandoned garden now. A new competitor had blown into town six months ago and plucked all the flowers, leaving her and Gail with the weeds…and lots of bills. Even the usually soothing lavender potpourri seemed to have lost its potency.

  The kitchen in the back was state of the art—all gleaming white and stainless steel. And rarely used now. They’d had such hopes when they’d moved into these new, upscale quarters and expanded their business. Now, a year later, they had few customers and almost no money.

  Gail plopped into a chair facing her. “The financial officer from Sackett approached me while you were at your mother’s yesterday. He said they wanted to invest in some small businesses and ours had potential.” Her dimples flashed in a fleeting smile. “You have to agree we have potential.”

  Gail raked fingers through her curly blonde hair, her expression serious again. “We’re in hock to our eyeballs. I used up all of Pete’s and my savings. You used all your money. None of the banks will give us a loan. We can declare bankruptcy and admit defeat. Is that what you want?”

  “Of course it’s not what I want.” Mary Beth rubbed her aching temples where the beginnings of a major headache pounded. “We’ve poured our blood and guts into this place. I don’t mind the killer hours because it’s our company, our dream.” She blew out a breath. “I have no appetite for going back to taking orders from chefs who just want to get the food out, assembly-line style. But I can’t sell to Sackett. Anybody but them.”

  Tight lines etched around Gail’s mouth. “Why not? Sackett is one of the strongest companies in Delaware. They’re offering us a chance to stay free, to make our dream come true.”

  “I know,” Mary Beth said. “It’s just…I went
to high school with Tom Sackett.” Saying his name boiled the old feelings of love, hope, and betrayal into a stew of conflicting emotions, tightening her stomach.

  “That’s good, right?”

  “We didn’t part friends. I can’t forget what Tom did. I don’t trust him.”

  “Suppose you tell me about it.”

  Mary Beth shook her head. “I can’t.” To dredge up the past would force her to relive the old pain she’d fought so hard to overcome.

  Gail shot her a look filled with determination and quiet desperation. “Don’t pull the stubborn act on me. Our future depends on this.”

  Guilt stabbed at Mary Beth’s gut. She owed Gail. A lot. Clasping her hands tightly together, she said, “Tom belonged to the rich, cool crowd at St. Anselm’s Prep. I attended on a hardship grant. I fell in love with him when I tutored him in English junior year. We started dating the middle of senior year. It bothered me that we never went out with his friends. I wondered if they even knew about us, but I was so crazy for him, I shrugged off my doubts.

  “When Tom asked me to the graduation formal, I was ecstatic. I figured he must care for me, too, and was ready to tell the world. Was I ever wrong.” She blinked away tears.

  “What happened?” Gail asked softly.

  Mary Beth pressed her hands against her stomach and fought for control. “We had fun that night. At first, Tom and I danced and laughed. I ignored the snickers and sly looks from his friends. He took me out to the patio where we could be alone. We kissed.”

  She touched her lips, remembering that kiss, remembering that night. Bittersweet sorrow spread through her. “A magical kiss filled with love, hope, and dreams. I told him I loved him and wanted to spend my life with him.” She chewed her lip. “To this day, I can’t believe I said that. It makes me want to gag.”

  “You were a teenager,” Gail said. “Young girls tend to be melodramatic. What did Tom say?”

  “Nothing. He didn’t have to. His friends said it for him.” Anger made bile rise in Mary Beth’s throat.

  Gail sat straighter. “What do you mean?”

  “Tom set me up. We weren’t alone. His friends stood watching. When I made my lovesick declaration, they clapped and laughed. Cash changed hands as bets were paid off. I’ve always wondered how much money Tom made off my torment.”

  Mary Beth’s stomach twisted with anger and sadness for the naïve young girl who’d been so in love, and so casually used.

  Gail leaned over and placed one of her hands on Mary Beth’s. “Honey, I’m so sorry. That was cruel. Did Tom ever apologize?”

  Mary Beth shook her head. “I left for the beach with my mom the next day. We planned to stay with my aunt while I looked for a summer job.” She furrowed her brow as humiliation washed over her. “We got behind in the rent and were evicted. That’s why we moved in with my aunt. Our utilities were disconnected too.” She swallowed. “I haven’t seen Tom since that night.”

  Gail’s hand tightened over hers. “Maybe he tried to call you, but couldn’t because your phone was disconnected. Maybe he came to your place looking for you, but you’d gone.”

  “I stopped torturing myself with maybes long ago.”

  Gail gave her a long, searching look. “Do you still love him?”

  “No!” Mary Beth yanked her hand away.

  Gail continued to study her. “They say living well is the best revenge. Show Tom the strong, independent woman you’ve become. Listen to what Sackett has to offer. If we refuse to even talk to them, Tom’s cruelty twelve years ago will hurt you all over again. And he will still have power over you.”

  Mary Beth tugged on her braid where it rested on her shoulder. Did she have the strength to face Tom again, to reopen the wounds that had bled her heart dry so many years before?

  She straightened her shoulders. Her friend was right. They had to fight to keep their dream alive. She wasn’t an insecure teenager anymore. Tom couldn’t hurt her again.

  Gail’s gray gaze held hers. “Mary Beth, if we lose this place and you can’t find a job right away, how will you support your mother and pay her medical bills?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt the hospital will give me another extension on my payment.”

  A mischievous glint lit Gail’s eyes. “If you can’t afford your apartment, you’ll have to move in with your mother.”

  “You play dirty.”

  “I know which buttons to push.”

  Mary Beth rose from her chair. “Okay, we’ll talk to Sackett. Tom might not even be involved. He probably has others do the work for him.”

  Gail’s face flushed pink. “Oh.”

  “Oh, what?”

  “They want to meet with us tomorrow.”

  “They?”

  “That financial guy and Tom Sackett.”

  <><><>

  “Nice place you have here.”

  Mary Beth jumped at the sound of the deep male voice behind her. Water from the pot she was filling sloshed onto the floor. She dropped the pot into the sink and jerked the faucet shut, then gripped the counter edge.

  His voice. Richer, mellowed, smooth as the finest wine. Warming her with old memories, old yearnings. She was eighteen again. In love. Dreaming of a life by his side. Until he betrayed her.

  Anger, like boiling water spilled on her lap, jolted her. Biting on her lip, she turned slowly to face Tom Sackett.

  He filled the doorway, his masculine power reaching out, drawing her in as it always had. Despite his aristocratic breeding and elegantly tailored suit, he still had the look of the renegade about him. His thick black hair curled around his ears and trailed down his neck, a trifle too long. The hot, deep blue of his eyes scorched her.

  Lifting her chin, she willed starch into her spine. “You’re early,” she said, glancing at the clock. “The meeting isn’t for another half hour. My partner’s not here yet.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Hello to you too. That’s not much of a greeting after twelve years.”

  She placed a hand on her hip. “As I recall, our last meeting was less than cordial.”

  His jaw tightened. “People change, Mary Beth.”

  “Do they?”

  “Believe it.” The determined set of his rugged features stopped any further argument. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.” She tugged on her braid, trying to gain control of her emotions. For the sake of her company, she wouldn’t let her feelings interfere. “We have a business deal to negotiate. Nothing more.”

  Tom’s harsh features softened. He scanned her face, making her wonder if her tension showed. “You’re more beautiful than I remember.”

  Awareness and a flash of anger shot through her. She dug her nails into her palms. “Saving my company is my primary concern.”

  “Mine too,” he said. “A businessman expects a return on his investment.” He strode into the kitchen with the confidence born of inherited wealth and family standing.

  Squaring her shoulders, Mary Beth fought the onslaught of old hurts. She’d grown up in the years since he’d humiliated her. Her family might not have his social connections, but her poverty-stricken upbringing had made her strong. Strong enough to fight for her professional life and keep her pride—and her heart—intact.

  “Coffee smells good. May I have a cup?” Tom straddled one of the high stools surrounding the white-tiled center counter.

  Glad to do something to distract her from past memories and Tom’s disturbing presence, she grabbed a heavy white mug from the cabinet and poured a steaming cup of vanilla almond coffee. “Just cream, right?”

  “You remembered,” he said.

  “A lucky guess.” She handed him the mug. His fingers grazed hers as he took it, sending heat racing up her arm.

  She escaped to the opposite side of the kitchen and leaned against the counter edge. The citrus scent of his cologne lingered in her nostrils, stirring up the unwanted memory of their kiss at the formal. But the sweet kiss that had promised love and dreams f
ulfilled had been tainted with betrayal.

  A new dread suddenly filled her. “I won’t take charity, Tom. If this is about payback, there will be no deal.”

  She wanted to wince at her overly dramatic words. Seeing Tom again peeled away the years, bringing out the teenager in her. She had to get a grip.

  He stared at her over the rim of his mug, then banged the cup on the counter. Coffee spilled over the sides onto the clean white tile.

  “I’m a lawyer and a businessman. I don’t gamble with my firm’s money.” The intensity in his sapphire eyes held her. “I’ve checked your company out,” he continued. “Talked to people. You have the potential to be big, but you’re over-extended. That’s where Sackett comes in. We’ll help you get on your feet. You have to look successful to be successful.”

  Mary Beth angled her chin, still not ready to believe him. “Sackett Industries doesn’t invest in small businesses like ours.”

  He shrugged and swallowed a sip of coffee. “Sackett owns a diverse portfolio of companies. Catering will mesh well with our other holdings. We do a lot of corporate entertaining. We could use an in-house caterer.”

  She studied him to assess the truth of his words. The confident set of his jaw spoke of a strength and maturity eighteen-year-old Tom had lacked. Maybe he’d changed after all.

  Stop it her brain shouted. Dreams of Tom had only caused her pain in the past. She wouldn’t go down that path again.

  She pulled another mug from the cabinet and grabbed the coffeepot to pour some coffee for herself. Hot liquid splashed on her hand, scalding her. She jumped.

  “Are you okay?” The stool scraped the floor as Tom stood up and started toward her.

  “I’m fine,” she rasped, waving him away. She didn’t want him close to her, not while she felt so vulnerable…and angry. Angry at him and at the circumstances that had brought him into her life again. She yanked on the faucet and held her hand under cold water.

  “This kitchen is great,” he said. “I’m planning to renovate mine. Maybe you could come over sometime and give me your professional opinion.”