And slightly bitter.
A long time ago, she came to the conclusion men didn’t want her. She intimidated them or was too strong for them to deal with. They considered her too masculine because of her work and she had learned to disguise her softness. To hide her emotions. To them she was a hermit or “just one of the guys”.
She no longer wanted that.
She made her way up to her quiet house, blinking back the tears her thoughts inspired. She wanted so much more in her life. She had everything she could possibly need- more money than she would ever spend, she owned her own home and boat, both of her careers were prosperous.
It wasn’t enough.
She wanted to be married.
She wanted children.
These dreams she had buried deep within her heart.
Secret. Hidden.
Sometimes they felt forbidden to her.
She watched her friends get married. She had even held several of their babies but none for her.
She entered her house and let the tears flow.
Her last boyfriend told her she was so tough she emasculated him. She’d been informed she was too mouthy and blunt. She’d had friends tell her she needed to play the game.
She was too honest. She didn’t understand the game. If she liked you, she showed it. If not, you would know that, too. Even if she tried, she couldn’t hide her emotions. Her face showed too much.
She looked at the stack of letters on the table just inside the door. She grabbed them and leaned back against the door. Picking out the latest, she opened it.
Dear Millicent Montgomery,
It would be an honor if you could grace me with your presence this Saturday for a party at my house for a viewing of my art collection. Semi-formal is the dress code requested but I would make an exception for you. I look forward to having you as my guest.
Sincerely,
Pierce Blackstone
He wrote the invite himself.
She tore through the next envelope.
It was a formal letter letting her know he was no longer going to pursue the purchase of her property. The next one was a peace offering. The one before that was asking to meet for lunch so he could get to know her better.
And over and over.
In the whole stack she found maybe three letters concerning buying her property.
Her tears fell harder. All these years she assumed he was an ass when, in fact, it had been her.
The letters fell from her hand as she curled up and cried.
She didn’t know how long she sat there after the sobbing had stopped. What she did know was she was starving.
She slowly climbed to her feet. She had been there long enough for her legs to fall asleep and cramp. She made her way up to her room, took a quick shower and changed.
She still didn’t have any food in the house so she called in an order to her favorite restaurant. It would be ready by the time she got there.
Leaving her hair loose to dry, Millie arrived at the Starlight Grille. She found parking right away, a miracle on a busy night. She pushed herself past the line waiting for a table and made her way to the packed bar.
She tried to flag down the bartender, Gray, but he didn’t notice her. His attention was focused elsewhere. She followed his gaze across the room and found Lauralee sitting with Pierce.
Son of a bitch!
Anger filled her.
He had sex with her just hours ago and now he was out on a date with someone else.
Son of a bitch!
What an asshole!
“Gray!” she called. He startled and tore his eyes away from the couple. Seeing her, he forced a smile.
He said something to one of the waitresses before making his way to her. “Millie, don’t see you letting your hair down often. Have I ever told you how beautiful it is? Just like you.”
“Stop flirting with me, Gray.” She offered him a forced smile. “Especially since your interest is clearly elsewhere. When are you going to ask her out?”
“I don’t have any idea of what you are talking about.” He leaned over the bar towards her. “Millie, Millie, you are a beautiful woman. Want to date?”
She laughed. It felt raw. “No. I don’t date guys in love with someone else even if they are in denial. Is my order ready?”
Before she finished asking, Belinda, the waitress came up with her meal. She took it and started for the door.
“Hey Millie,” Gray called, “are you going to pay for that?”
“As I always do,” she called back and left the restaurant, refusing to even glance in Pierce’s direction.
Millie got back in her car and drove. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going. Her food lay forgotten in the seat next to her as tears began to fall.
She had never cried so much in her life. Why was this bothering her so much? She found herself on Route 1, heading south without being aware of getting on the coastal route.
Hours later, she stood outside the door of her oldest and dearest friend. She brushed the tears that continued to trickle down her cheeks and knocked.
Moments later, the door opened and Nina stood before her. Puzzlement marred her friend’s face for an instant before recognition dawned.
Millie tried to smile and held out the dinner she had bought. “I thought you might like a meal from the Starlight.”
Her voice choked up and she begun to sob.
“Oh honey,” Nina breathed, opening her arms.
Millie went right into the embrace, allowing herself to be held. Nina was the only person in the world who has ever seen her in similar states.
“What happened?” Nina asked, leading her into the top floor condo.
Slowly, Millie told her everything that has happened in the last couple days. “I don’t even know why I’m acting this way. I don’t even like the man. Am I really such a bitch?”
Nina laughed, her dark eyes sparkling. “Mil, I’ve know you my entire life. You are not a bitch. And you would not sleep with a man you didn't like. Why are you kidding yourself with this one? And remember I’ve met him. Not only is he delicious but he’s a nice guy.”
“I know that now!” Millie exclaimed with a shake of her head. “I’ve been receiving letters from him for years and after the first few, I either threw them away or put them in a pile.”
She paused, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath. “He made a comment on the boat about them so when I got home, I finally opened them… Less than a quarter of them were offers for the property. Most of them were invites to a party or a can I get to know you better date. Nina Anne, what kind of fool am I?”
“One who doesn’t want to see what’s right in front of her face, especially if it’s going to involve her emotions.” Nina stroked her arm, offering comfort.
“Yes but Nina,” Millie turned towards her friend, “I saw him having dinner with another woman a couple hours after we had sex for the second time! He screwed me then went on a goddamn date! What kind of man does that shit?”
“Are you sure it was a date?”
“What do you mean?”
“Who was he with?”
“Lauralee.” Millie confessed. “Which really surprised me because Lauralee doesn’t date. Apparently she’ll make an exception for Pierce.”
“Honey,” Nina purred with a grin. “If I didn’t know you had the hots for the man, I would make an exception for him.”
Millie glared at her friend which made Nina grin bigger.
“Sweetie,” Nina nudged her. “Don’t you know Pierce is one of Lauralee’s biggest customers?”
Millie shook her head.
“So you don’t know he continually buys out one of Lauralee’s exclusive artist? He makes Lauralee put holds on this particular artist’s works. He’s the first to see them and he’s bought most of her pieces. I’ve heard he’s decorated his New York City office, his city penthouse, the house he has in Hawaii, as well as the one next to yours with her art.
The whee
ls started turning in Millie’s mind as Nina continued. “Lauralee has told me that he wants to find out who the artist is but she keeps herself anonymous and they have a confidentiality contract. She uses a small, cuddly sheep as her mark.” Nina paused, waiting.
“You mean…”
“Yes, dense one,” Nina smiled, when her voice trailed off. “The man you have slept with. The man you keep trying to convince yourself that you don’t like has been the man who has been buying up all your works of art. I bet he would pay any price for your stuff. I’m glad you gave me the pieces I have or they would be a part of his collection. If I ever need money, I could sell my pieces to him. I would be set for life.”
Nina was one of the few people who knew about her art. She had always known. Her father owned O’Connor Construction and was the contractor who remodeled and constructed her art workshop.
“You are already set for life.” Millie rolled her eyes at her friend. “You are still receiving royalties from that movie you did before you moved back.”
Nina winked at her. “I get a good paycheck from the commercials I do in Boston as well.” She sighed and leaned against Millie. “I could have had such a wonderful career but I missed Maine too much and I could never get my friend to come visit me in LA.”
“Pshh, you didn’t need me to visit you. You came home all the time. I still don’t get much of a chance to visit you here.”
“Well, you are here now. When did you say the party Pierce invited you to was?”
“I didn’t say.”
She laughed. “That’s right. He sent me an invite for one this Saturday.” She gave Millie a piercing look. “Did you receive one too?”
Unexpectedly, Millie blushed. She gave a short nod.
“That’s great! We’ll go together and knock his socks off.” Nina reached over and hugged her. She leaned back, eyed Millie and begun to rub her hands together.
“Stop.” Millie demanded.
“Stop what?” Nina batted innocent eyes at her.
“Stop whatever it is you are thinking.”
Nina’s smile lit up her face. “I’m thinking it’s about time I got my hands on you.”
“You can’t. I’ve got to work in the morning.”
Nina hopped up from the couch and before Millie could stop her, she had the phone to her ear and was chatting to Millie’s first mate. “Ray, I’m kidnapping Millie for the next couple days. I’m putting you in charge of the boat. Do not listen to a thing Millie says until she’s back home. Got it?”
With a grin that lit up her entire face, Nina hung up the phone and looked at Millie. “You are mine now. Tomorrow, we are having a spa day and on Saturday, Pierce won’t know what hit him.”
Millie rolled her eyes but knew when Nina got that look in her eyes, there was no stopping her.
Chapter 9
Pierce’s head shot up when he heard Millie’s name being called in the Starlight Grille. He scanned the crowd of the bar but didn’t see her. His gaze caught a woman heading out the door but it couldn’t be her. The woman had hair reaching past her butt. It must have been a tourist. He turned his attention back to Lauralee and continued their discussion on the latest up and coming artists. Their conversation was only interrupted when Gray would come by to replace their drinks.
Still curiosity nagged at him. “Gray, I heard you call a Millie? Were you talking to Millicent Montgomery?”
“Doesn’t Millie come in a couple times a week to get dinner?” Lauralee added.
Gray nodded, his eyes only on Lauralee. “What can I say? She loves our cooking.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t come over and say hi,” Lauralee responded, her eyes anywhere but on Gray.
“Probable because she didn’t want to interrupt your date.”
“Gray Mann,” she blushed, “I don’t date. You know that. We’re having a business dinner.”
“Really?” He leaned towards her. “Because that’s not what it looks like to me.”
“It actually is,” Pierce interrupted. The chemistry happening right in front of him was fascinating. “You don’t know what a fight I had to put up to get her here. We’re talking about a particular artist of hers that she will not tell me anything about except the artist is local. I don’t even know if it’s male or female.”
Pierce glanced at Lauralee. “Luckily, Lauralee's agreed to attend my party you’re catering this weekend simply for the fact there will be potential clients there. The woman is all business.”
Gray met his eyes. “She’s had to be with the mess her aunt left her.”
“Do you two mind not talking about me.” Her face was bright red. “Gray, don’t you have work to do elsewhere? Please go away.”
The last came out in almost a whisper. Gray gave her a nod and headed back to his bar. Pierce noticed although Gray had left, his gaze barely left his dinner companion. When their drinks got low, it was Gray who would still come over and refill them.
There was definitely something going on there.
It fascinated Pierce how quiet Lauralee got every time the bartender approached their table. He watched the attention the man gave Lauralee, who blushed every time. He would bet if there was nothing going on between the two of them, there would be soon. Pierce realized that when he visited the restaurant alone, Gray was never so attentive.
When dinner ended, he made his way back to his quiet, lonely house. He noticed there were no lights on at Millicent’s house and her car wasn’t where it was normally parked. He wondered where she went.
When she hadn’t returned the next day, he began to worry. By the third day, he was frantic. He went down to meet her boat and crew at the dock to ask. Her first mate informed him she was in Portland with one of her oldest friends and she would be back when Nina released her. Pierce thanked him. Nina had accepted his invite to his party on Saturday so he knew Millie should be back by the weekend.
Satisfied with knowing where she was, he put his attention to his work and the last minute details of his party.
Chapter 10
“Are you sure I look okay?”
“Millie, are you crazy?” Nina’s expression seconded her words.
They had arrived back this morning and Nina has been busy ever since getting them both ready for Pierce’s afternoon gala.
Millie looked at the image in the full length mirror. “It doesn’t even look like me.”
Nina laughed coming up behind her. “If you would do yourself up occasionally, you would be used to looking like this. Just putting on a dress has made a world of a difference. Have you ever worn one before?”
“Of course I have.” Millie stared at her reflection. The woman looking back at her was gorgeous. The blue dress wrapped around her accented all the curves she’d spent years hiding. The makeup Nina painted her face with highlighted her best features and her hair…
What was done to her hair-
It took her breath away. What wasn’t piled up on her head fell around her face, shoulders, and back in a wave of curls.
She was beautiful.
“When was the last time you wore a dress?” Nina challenged.
“The last time Grams took me to church.”
“And how long ago was that?”
“Ummm…”
Nina made a noise in the back of her throat. “It was when you were nine. I remember. I was there. That was the same time your father decided to teach you his trade and the last time I saw you at church or in a dress. You didn’t even wear one at your father’s funeral.”
“I haven’t owned a dress since I was little.” Millie turned away from the mirror and sat down to watch Nina finish the last touches to her own makeup.
Millie stared at her, watching her beautiful friend turn herself into a masterpiece. “Don’t you get self-conscious being so beautiful?”
Nina laughed. “Hell no. But I am aware that most people can't see past my face to who I actually am. They don’t bother to get to know me and when they do finally see pas
t the illusion they’ve created around my looks I suddenly become the Ice Queen or a bitch. It’s one of the reasons I moved back home. And I missed you all so much. You know me!”
Nina came over and gave her a big hug before she started picking up the disaster she created with all her makeup supplies. “Are you ready to make Pierce eat his tongue?”
Millie laughed. “He’s not even going to recognize me.”
“Of course he will. He’s seen you naked.”
Millie blushed. “Actually I don’t think he has.”
“You’ve had sex twice.”
“You do know you can have sex while still being dressed, don’t you?”
Nina slapped her lightly on the arm. “Don’t be a smartass. Now let’s go.”
“I don’t want to.”
“But you are going to even if I have to drag you there.” Nina faced her, hands on her hips. “You, Millicent Prudence Montgomery, are not a coward! Now move it!”
“You do know we’re already late?” she tried.
“Hmmph,” Nina crossed her arms over her chest. “The best people always arrive late. And we are the best. Get your shoes on and be glad I didn’t make you wear heels.”
Millie laughed and put on the decorated sandals. “You would be carrying me. These sandals are adorable.” She sighed. “Well I am all gussied up. I might as well show myself off.”
“That’s my girl.” Nina grinned and offered her arm to Millie. “Come on. It’s time to show you off.”
* * *
Pierce kept watching the door. Neither Millicent nor Nina had shown up yet. Everyone else had already arrived. Weren’t they coming? The murmuring of his guests faded into background noise as he watched the door. He was dying to see Millicent again. He wanted to talk to her. He yearned to apologize for his behavior. They had just begun to build a friendship. He didn’t want that to end. He hoped for so much more with her.
Please don’t let it be over before it even began.
He sighed, turning back to his guests. The waiters he borrowed from the Starlight Grille were wandering among the guests with trays of appetizers and he had an open bar set up in the corner.
Forcing his mind away from Millicent, he began to mingle among the crowd who were there to enjoy the various pieces of art by his mysterious artist. Spotting Lauralee in front of one of the beautifully framed oil paintings, he smiled. She was all business. She warned him she would be. She didn’t like to be social unless it comes to her work.
Welcome to Serenity Harbor Page 46
