by Nadia Lee
And that meant Amandine had gotten no sleep, and Gavin probably hadn’t gotten much either. “Why don’t you get some rest while he’s asleep? Fern’s watching him right now.”
“Yeah, I probably should.” He stretched, yawning.
Leaving Gavin in his office, Catherine put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and went out of the house for a walk. She’d heard about Lou the Communal Elephant—a gentle thing that liked to munch on bananas from the trees planted along the vacation homes—and if she got lucky, she might be able to spot him.
The late morning sun in Thailand was hot and bright. The ocean air cleared some of the humidity from the beach and teased the short hem of Catherine’s thin yellow dress. Carrying her sandals, she walked slowly, enjoying the warm water and silky sand between her bare toes.
She stopped when she spotted a familiar profile limned against the sun. The fancy designer shirt and cropped pants couldn’t hide the rough-around-the-edges look she’d found so compelling even before she’d met the man. He stood facing the endless blue water, as though waiting for someone to return from a foreign land.
What a silly thought. Who would he be waiting for here? Her? She shook her head inwardly. Not after what he’d said to her in Cooter’s Bluff. Once he’d realized who her friends and family were, he’d had no problem lashing out. All those sweet nothings he’d whispered to her in bed had been exactly that—nothing.
She wanted to pretend she didn’t see him and turn back, except that would be immature and ridiculous. She wasn’t some ingénue who’d been tricked into an affair with empty promises. Besides, this part of the beach belonged to her in-laws—since Stella had been so kind, Catherine was actually starting to feel like one of the family again—so it was Blaine who should be leaving.
He swiveled his head her way, and from his lack of reaction she realized that he’d known she was there all along. “Hi, Catherine. I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever come out of that house.”
“Hello, Blaine.” Thank god she hadn’t turned back. “Why didn’t you just come over?”
He shrugged. “I didn’t want other people around when I saw you again.” They stood looking at each other for a moment. “Guess things are okay with your in-laws now?”
“Yes.” She winced at how stilted they sounded. They might as well have been strangers stuck on an elevator, except for the fact that she didn’t feel indifferent about Blaine. What was it with her and men who didn’t think highly of her? At least Blaine hadn’t asked her if she was sleeping with every available Lloyd and Sterling and Pryce to snare one of them in marriage. I guess that’s progress.
“Look, about what I said before you left—”
She shook her head. There was no point in talking about what had happened. His accusation had been unfair, but what still hurt the most was that he’d thought her so low. Plenty of people found her lacking in one way or another, but nobody thought she was capable of selling people out for money. “So you’re making peace with Salazar?”
A small frown creased his brow. “Wouldn’t quite call it that. He threatened to give the fund he’s set aside for me to his wife.”
“How are things with the rest of his family?”
“The ones I’ve met seem all right. I haven’t had a chance to see Ceinlys alone, but she tolerates my presence in the house.”
“Well, good. Enjoy your time in Thailand,” she said briskly and started to turn around.
“Catherine, wait.”
“What?”
“I want you to have lunch with me.”
“Lunch? You mean today? Now?”
“Yes.”
She cocked her head. What would be the point? But the determined set of his jaw said turning him down wouldn’t solve anything. He’d only become more insistent. “Fine. But I only have an hour.” She texted Gavin to let him know she was eating out with a friend. “Where are we going? To the Pryce house?”
“Uh, no. I saw an Italian restaurant about a ten-minute drive away from here. I already checked out the menu, and it’s got everything you might want.”
“You have no idea what I want,” she murmured, but she walked with him to where a black Mercedes was parked and let him drive her to the restaurant. He seemed at home in the expensive sedan, just like he’d been in his truck. “How did you find the place anyway? Have you been here for a while?”
“Mark recommended it.”
“Then everything should be excellent.” Mark knew food the way she knew art.
The restaurant was as upscale as any in New York City or L.A. The seating area was a wide space that overlooked the ocean, open to the intense blue sky. A smiling staff member greeted them in excellent English and led them to a table on the shaded balcony. Catherine gave Blaine a sidelong glance. “You have a reservation.”
“Yup.”
After they were seated, she asked about the specials and ordered the buttered scallops and pasta.
Blaine frowned over his menu. “They have salads.”
“I’ve decided I don’t want to eat like a rabbit anymore. Life’s too short for chopped lettuce, and if a few pounds can change a man’s mind about me, I don’t want him.”
He looked at her with the strangest expression, his eyes dark and unreadable, his lips twitching.
“What?”
“I think that’s the hottest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
“You’ve got to be joking.”
“Seriously. I like this side of you.”
Her insides gave a funny leap at that. Don’t read too much into it, girl. Men will say anything to get what they want. “Wonder if you’ll feel the same after I gain some weight.”
“I don’t mind a little shape on a woman. Just more of you to love, baby.”
* * *
Catherine dropped her gaze as her cheeks flushed, making Blaine wonder. Hadn’t anybody ever complimented her? Not the usual superficial crap, but really complimented her?
A woman this gorgeous…and she was reduced to a lump of insecurity because of her horrible mother and ex-husband—or whatever he was. What they’d done to her was criminal, and Blaine wished he could give them what they really deserved.
Their waiter brought their food and drink. Blaine took a bite of his pasta and swallowed a wow. The sauce was amazing, the tuna perfectly seared…and pasta itself made him realize that noodles could actually taste good all on their own.
A sublime expression crossed Catherine’s face as she ate her scallops, as though she was having a spiritual experience. Which it just might be, since she’d denied herself so many pleasurable things in life. And watching her like this was making him hard. Well, she made him hard just by being her, but this…
Down, boy. They needed to talk, and getting distracted like this wasn’t going to help.
“Hey, listen,” Catherine finally said. “You shouldn’t reconcile with Salazar unless that’s what you really want. Don’t do it for the money.”
“What are you talking about? I thought that was what you wanted. Reconciling, I mean.”
“Because I was in Cooter’s Bluff?” She shook her head. “I was only there to check you out for Salazar. He does genuinely want you to come into the family fold. But you’ve been saying no to him all this time, so don’t do it if you still feel wrong about it. And don’t worry about Ceinlys. She won’t get the money no matter what you decide.”
“She doesn’t strike me as the type to turn down a bunch of cash.”
Catherine laughed a little. “It’s not that she wouldn’t take the money; Salazar won’t give it to her.”
“But he said—”
“He has very little regard for his wife. He married her because she was beautiful and could resign herself to his cheating. There was no love between them. Ever.”
“You sure about that? She came to Cooter’s Bluff to confront my mother, you know.”
Catherine’s eyes widened. “She did?”
“Yeah. Told my mother to stay away from Salazar
or else. Except her version was a lot more R-rated.”
“Are you sure? She’s never…” She put down her fork. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. She’s the least jealous wife ever.”
“I was there.”
“Oh.”
“And Salazar stayed away through the whole thing. I find it hard to believe he had no idea.”
“In his defense, he doesn’t much care what his wife does. So he probably didn’t know.”
Blaine scowled. He didn’t like the way Catherine defended Salazar. On the other hand, he hadn’t gotten the impression Salazar loved his wife in any way at the Pryce home. They treated each other like…business associates. “She came back another time, too.”
“Ceinlys?”
“Yeah. Just after my mom died.”
“I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “It was seven or eight years ago.”
“What did she want?”
“She wanted to sleep with me.”
Catherine gasped. “Oh my god.”
Blaine had never told anybody what happened. If it hadn’t been for a heart-shaped locket Ceinlys had left behind, he might not have believed it himself. “She had no idea who I was. She was a little drunk too.”
“And she wanted you?”
“Yep. ’course the feeling wasn’t exactly mutual. I was pissed off at her for the way she treated Ma, so I took the chance to humiliate her.” He’d let her lead him into her room at the small bed and breakfast in Cooter’s Bluff, where she’d proceeded to take off her clothes until she stood stark naked in front of him. Only then had he revealed who he was. She’d turned beet red from breasts to hairline and fled into the bathroom, leaving the locket behind. He’d taken it to make sure he’d never forget how poisonous some women were.
“Oh my.” She opened and closed her mouth a few times before saying, “I don’t know what could’ve made her do that.”
“I think she mainly wanted to make sure my mother was really dead and gone. The sex would have just been a kind of…celebration for her.”
“Yes, but she signed the Pryce prenup.”
“I heard about that. So?”
“It’s notoriously one-sided. She not only gets nothing in case of divorce, but if she was caught cheating, a divorce could happen automatically. I’ve never read the document so I don’t know, but it has lots of nasty stipulations for people marrying into the family. You have to really want to marry a Pryce to sign that thing.”
“Would you ever sign something like that?”
“Oh no. Once was enough,” she said, finishing the last bite of pasta.
“I thought you were looking for a rich husband.”
Her lips tilted in a lopsided smile that looked strangely sad. “Well, there was a certain small-town bartender who said it was kind of like prostitution. And you know what? He was right. I deserve better.”
Blaine felt his face heat. “Catherine—”
“I’m not angry with you, not anymore. I was shatt—disappointed that you thought the worst possible thing instead of having some faith or giving me a chance to explain.” She frowned into her smoothie, then looked up at him. “I deserved better there, too, Blaine.”
“I know you did. Do. If I tell you I’m sorry, will it make any difference?”
She considered. “I don’t know. Guess it’s going to depend on why.”
“I want to say I’m sorry because I know I acted like a dick. I should’ve never jumped to conclusions. It wasn’t fair to you.”
Her regal eyebrow rose. “Well. That was…blunt.”
“And I’m normally such a delicate guy.”
That got a small smile from her. “Thank you, Blaine. I know it isn’t always easy to apologize.” When he reached for her hand, she retreated, putting it under the table. “No,” she said. “I’m…not ready for that. I’ve made some decisions since Cooter’s Bluff. I have to know I can be okay on my own before I can think about being with a man again.”
“Catherine…”
“Blaine, listen. All my life I felt like I had to be attached to a man. I was always careful to choose the right kind. I didn’t date the captain of the high school football team out of love, I dated him because he made sure I was popular and wouldn’t be bullied or harassed. Once I was out of school, I continued the pattern. I never once considered being on my own. It was like I was…just…nothing without a man.” She gave him a heartbreakingly earnest look. “I don’t know if I can make something of myself on my own. I don’t know if I’m brave enough or smart enough, but it’s important now that I try.”
“I’m sure you can,” Blaine said. “You’re good at a lot of things. You got me to see that maybe I was too hard on Sean—always telling him what to do without thinking about what he might want. And you helped me see that I’m too stubborn and prejudiced for my own good.”
“Well, I appreciate that, but it’s not enough. I need more.”
In some ways he understood where she was coming from. He’d had the same drive and determination when his mother passed away. Something to prove. As much as he respected her position on the issue, he wished she’d include him in the process. But most likely he’d ruined that by basically calling her a whore.
He wished he could rewrite history so she wouldn’t have suffered so much, but there was nothing he could do…except help her achieve her goal so she could see how perfect she was.
* * *
Catherine stood in front of the Lloyds’ vacation home watching Blaine drive away. What had possessed her to say so much about her situation? She’d thought he might apologize and they’d part as friends. Instead they’d ended up talking about things that were so private they were almost as intimate as sex.
She went inside then stopped short at the sight of four women in bathing suits lounging by the pool. Three of them she knew: Amandine, of course; Meredith Lloyd was her sister-in-law; and even though she’d only met Kerri Wilson once, she would never forget the face. The fourth woman, an Asian lady who was obviously not one of the locals, was a mystery.
Amandine saw her through the window and gestured. “There you are! Come join us!”
Catherine walked out on the deck. “Yeah, get a suit on and come grab a lounge chair,” said Kerri, who had her feet up on a table. Her copper hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and she was in a bright teal bikini. The combination made Catherine think of turquoise Indian beadwork.
The last time she and Kerri had met, harsh words had been said. Catherine cringed inwardly, thinking of the way she’d lashed out at Kerri for discovering the problems at The Lloyds Development. She’d been convinced the other woman was in it with Ethan to pin everything on her.
“Kerri, hi. I—”
Kerri raised a hand to cut Catherine off. “Don’t. We aren’t going there.”
“But I really wa—.
“Hey, come on.” Kerri flashed a warm grin. “It never happened.”
“Okay,” Catherine said, grateful for and touched by Kerri’s understanding. “Thank you. And congratulations on your wedding.”
“If I survive it,” Kerri said, and everyone laughed. “By the way,” she said, indicating the friendly looking Asian woman sitting next to her, “this is Natalie Damon, my best friend. Natalie, Catherine Fairchild.”
Then it clicked. She was the daughter of a former senator who was now married to some billionaire she’d met at work. “Hi,” Catherine said, taking an empty seat between Amandine and Natalie.
“Nice to meet you,” Natalie said with a smile. “Please help us take Kerri’s mind off the upcoming nuptials.”
“What’s the problem?” Catherine asked. Fern came out, handed her her favorite pineapple and mango smoothie and disappeared.
Kerri sighed. “I should’ve eloped. This wedding’s turning into a disaster.”
“No, it’s not,” Natalie said. “She’s just upset because she’s fighting Barron and Stella.”
“Isn’t that Ethan’s job?” Catherine asked.
“He’s too busy trying to convince me not to elope.”
“Where is he?”
“Out with the guys. I’m sure he needs to de-stress as much as I do.” Kerri took a big gulp of the bright red drink in front of her. “A Vegas wedding would’ve been so much simpler. I just want to marry him and live happily ever after. But did Barron listen to me when I told him that? Noooo. He’s trying to get me to have a wedding he approves of, which basically means the wedding of the century, which is why he’s doing everything himself rather than delegating. And yet somehow he has the time to fire a bunch of people at his headquarters for being incompetent, so I’m sure they’re sticking needles into either my voodoo doll or his, depending on who they blame for his mood.” Natalie patted Kerri’s hand, but she wasn’t finished. “He and Stella are still fighting over the placement of some ice sculptures. And they wanted me to pick a side! Seriously, this is so juvenile: Team Barron or Team Stella.” She put a hand over her eyes. “God, I need a drink.”
“You are drinking,” Amandine said.
“I mean the real stuff.” Kerri gestured with the glass. “This is a Shirley Temple.”
“Oh.”
“Stop moaning and think about something more intriguing,” Natalie suggested. “Like, I don’t know. Boinking your hottie husband-to-be.”
“Ahhh!” Meredith said, covering her ears. “Please, I’m going to need brain bleach!”
The rest of the women laughed. “Okay, change of subject,” Kerri said. “Man-candy’s fine, but no brothers allowed. So let’s see… Hey, I know! Who’s the hunk staying at Salazar’s place?” She leaned forward. “I saw him swimming in the ocean yesterday. Wow.”
Amandine shot a quick glance at Catherine, and she shrugged, forcing her muscles to remain loose.
“I thought you’d met everyone in his family,” Natalie said.
“I thought so too, but…”
“I don’t know exactly, but I heard a rumor that he’s Salazar’s, ah, accident,” Meredith said.
Catherine tensed. The term sounded so…sordid and crass, like somehow Blaine was never wanted. “Can’t be that much of an accident,” she said, unable to keep quiet. “Salazar’s apparently setting him up with fifty million bucks.”
