Back to December (Ward Sisters Book 1)

by Lucy Gage

  Where is here? It looked like they were at an old, restored house in a wooded area. Which could have been creepy if she didn't, for some unknown reason, trust this man with her life. Surely, her confusion showed on her face.

  “Okay. I'm stumped. I'm not exactly up on my Minnesota geography and history.”

  Rob laughed. “This is my house.”

  “Your house? If you have a house this close to the city, why are you staying at the hotel?”

  “I stay there when I've got a lot of business in town. This is where I live when I'm not in L.A. or on location. I'll come here in a couple of days for the holidays. What do you think about coming with me?”

  Emily was floored. She had just met him yesterday, and already he was asking her to spend the holidays with him. In any other situation, she would have balked. But before she could think to say otherwise, she heard herself saying, “Yes.”

  His smile, always big and bright, turned megawatt. “You mean it?” She nodded. For some reason she couldn't explain, she did mean it. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't imagine being away from him for the holidays.

  Except.

  “Oh. Except, I was supposed to stay with my college roommate, Angie, for Christmas. She lives down near Rochester. The toys were for her boys. I'm sorry, Rob. I don't want to bail on her at the last minute when she planned for me to be part of her family celebrations. I called her just the other day to arrange it. She'll be mad if I flake on her.”

  He looked disappointed, but he was more than understanding. “It's okay. I get it. I didn't even think about the possibility that you already had plans.” He brushed the hair from her face. “Maybe I can still see you at some point?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. I will make time to see you, I promise. Why don't you show me around before we have to head back to the museum?”

  He nodded and they put themselves back together, then got out of the car. Rick put his window down. “I'll be back in 20 minutes. I told Kelly I'd let Brutus out while we're here.” Rob nodded, grabbed Emily's hand and led her toward the house.

  “Who's Brutus? And who's Kelly?” she asked as he unlocked the door of the house using his phone and a key.

  “Kelly is Rick's wife. He lives next door. You can't see his house from here, but it's that way about a quarter mile,” he pointed toward the left side of the house. “Brutus is their new puppy. Kelly has been training him, but she's got a meeting at the school and Rick told her he'd let the dog out while we were here.”

  “He knew we were coming here? When?”

  “He knows my schedule better than I do, but I told him this morning that I wanted to show you the house. He called Kelly and told her he could take dog duty.” He used his phone again and turned on lights, then led her toward the back of the house.

  “What would she have done if I said no?”

  “Oh, I'd have sent him home, anyway. I could have spent some time at the hotel and if I'm just sitting there, he doesn't need to hang out with me. I was hoping you'd say yes to coming here.”

  They arrived in the great room. He took a remote from a shelf and tapped the touch screen. Suddenly, the blinds she hadn't noticed along the wall were opening and the room brightened. The windows exposed a spectacular view of a snow-covered lake.

  “Wow. That's just beautiful,” she said reverently. “Do you live here alone?”

  “Sort of.” Rob explained that the house was part of a 200-acre property which had been subdivided into 2-acre lots. He bought the failed project in foreclosure to create an estate for himself. That blew Emily's mind.

  When Rick and Kelly's family grew too large for their old house, he had one built for them. That was when baby number four was on the way. They now had five children and the youngest was four years old. Rick, Emily knew, was Rob's primary bodyguard, but as they moved through the lower rooms, Rob explained that he also ran the team of guards who protected Rob and his family.

  Kelly worked from home managing Deacon Security, the company Rick originally began to handle Rob's security. While Rick handled all the final hiring decisions and was officially CEO, Kelly, along with a staff housed in their Minneapolis headquarters, dealt with the day-to-day operations.

  On the days Kelly and Rick were both away from home, Rob's mom handled childcare duties for all seven of her grandchildren. When Rob's parents retired, he had a house built for them. Theirs was located on the other side of Rick so that they could be close to their grandkids.

  Rob's sister, Amy, and her husband, Raoul, lived to the right of Rob's house with their two boys. Amy ran his publicity and was his manager, and Raoul ran Rob's finances. They shared office space with Deacon Security in the city. When she married Raoul, an international banker she'd dated on exchange in college she'd been in marketing in London. They relocated to Minnesota before their oldest was born, which happened to coincide with Rob's need for a new publicist and a financial adviser who could handle investments anywhere.

  “All in the family huh?” Emily said, surprised at how many of Rob's family members were an integral part of his career.

  “It's better that way, trust me. This business is full of people who want a piece of you and don't care what that might cost.”

  They slowly walked through the house, and she admired all the period details as Rob spoke of his family. Crown molding, chair rails, mop boards, built-in shelves. There were lots of real Oriental rugs and antiques. “Who's your decorator? They did a great job.”

  “That would be my mother. She loves to drag me all over the countryside to estate sales and antique shops when I'm home. Don't get me wrong. I love what she's done and I like spending time with her, but she's a little obsessed.”

  “I wish my mother was obsessed with antiques. It's better than obsessed with marrying off her daughters.”

  “What, like Pride and Prejudice?”

  “Oh, Mrs. Bennett has nothing on my mother. She wasn't impressed when she heard I had slept with you. She thinks you're a Lothario. That instantly makes you non-marriage material. To her, you're a Mr. Wickham.”

  He laughed. “Ah, but I'm really more of a Mr. Darcy.”

  Oh, and then some, she thought. “Yes, you are. Not that I care what they all think anymore. I'm surprised that you know Pride and Prejudice so well.”

  “I read for an adaptation of it once. When I'm reading for those roles, I like to read the source material so I understand the character from the author's perspective.”

  “So, do you like to read? In general?”

  “I can't imagine acting if I didn't. I spend a lot of my free time reading scripts even when I'm not learning lines. I don't get nearly enough time to read for fun, though. I've read one or two novels recently that I'm hoping to pursue for production, but I haven't read anything just for the sake of reading in years.”

  “I love books. I love them more than art, actually. But I didn't have much interest in publishing, and that's probably the best route if you pursue a career related to books. Either that or being a librarian, and I'm far too interested in the world at large to hide in a library every day.”

  “What about writing?”

  “That's basically where I'm at. I copy edit right now, but the goal of this trip, for me, is to convince my boss, Marcus, that I'm features material. I did my graduate work in Fluxus. This is a tailor-made opportunity for me. Speaking of which,” she looked at her watch, “I should probably head back. There is a ton to do before Christmas, since the gala is on New Year's Eve.”

  He used the remote to close the blinds in the living room, shut off the lights and lock the house. It was weirdly high-tech. The car was waiting when they walked outside.

  “Thank you. For coming here with me.”

  “Thank you for wanting me to come here with you.”

  He smiled and opened the car door for her. She got inside and made room for him. Almost as soon as he shut the door, the car began to move. He pulled her to his side and put his arm around her. She sa
t there with her head on his shoulder, looking out the window. They traveled down a very empty road with a side road here or there. At the end of the road, there was a gate that opened. “Is this your driveway?” she asked, astonished.

  “It's the development entrance. There were supposed to be one hundred lots, but we've only put houses on three of them, plus the lot that's mine. The rest of the lots are either owned by the adjacent homeowner – meaning the family member whose house is next to it – or me. I think it shook out that my parents, Rick and Amy each have about 20 acres and I have the rest.”

  “Meaning?”

  “It translates to about 140 acres that are mine.”

  “Why don't you develop the rest?”

  “Privacy. Plus, it keeps all that land preserved in trust. We hunt and fish out here and Rick takes the kids on ATVs. That's not really my thing. I'd rather sit on a beach or my boat. But they drive all through my land. They've got a pretty good network of trails. I like hiking them sometimes. I snowshoe them in winter if I can.”

  “So you like the great outdoors?”

  “I do. I also like a good museum and a white sand beach with a drink in one hand and a pretty girl on my lap. Preferably a private beach.” He touched his nose to hers. “You said Josh didn't do much unless it involved nature?”

  “Not with me. I don't hate nature, I just wanted a better balance.” She explained how Josh's family spent their summers in a rustic cabin in the woods. “It was too much for me. I like running water and toilets that flush. And I like the idea of occasionally going to the art walk in Portland, or seeing a concert or a play. Or even going dancing. But all he ever wanted to do was hike and bike and kayak or hunt and fish and ride his ATV. I spent a lot of the last five years acting like a single person. It was just in the last year that I realized it. He tried to do more of my stuff, but he hated it.”

  “So, if I ask you to go snowshoeing, you'll say...?”

  “Yes. For you, I'd say yes because I know you like more than just nature. But I like snowshoeing. It was one of the few things Josh did that I really enjoyed. Did you want me to go with you?”

  “Will you? Maybe the day after Christmas?”

  “It's a date. Looks like we're back at the museum. I'll call you when I'm done later. Still want to wait for me to get out so we can have dinner together?”

  “How about you come to my suite when you're done and we'll order room service. The hotel has great food, as you know, and that way, we can avoid the shutterbugs for a bit, have some time to ourselves. Is that okay?”

  “It sounds perfect. As long as it's not because you're embarrassed to be seen with me.” God, she hoped not...

  “Never. I just thought you might like a break from the hounds of hell. They're relentless, and you don't need more grief from your family right now. As it is, the pictures from lunch will make their rounds. It was innocent, but all the rags that ran with the video this morning will jump on it. I don't think we gave them any ammunition, but you never know.”

  He brushed his lips against hers. “Liam will be at the door. I'll see you later.” Rob's lips lifted a little at the corners in that kissable smirk, the one that seemed to be for only her.

  “I'm looking forward to it,” she said. And she was. She could hardly wait to see him later.

  As promised, Liam waited for her at the door. Emily thought, Overkill, until she saw the mob of photographers outside the museum entrance as they walked through the lobby.

  She looked at Liam. “They can't all be here for me?”

  He shrugged. “Rob hasn't had a girlfriend in over three years. To them, you're news.”

  “But I'm not...” she began.

  “They don't care who you really are to him, Miss Ward. It's all about appearances.”

  “Please, Liam, call me Emily. If we're stuck with each other, there isn't any point in being so formal.” They arrived at her office and he nodded.

  “Okay, then, Emily. I'll be in the conference room if you need me. What time do you expect to be done today?”

  “I'm not sure, but I suspect not before 8 p.m. Is there anything you need until then?”

  He laughed. He had a nice smile that made his eyes dance. Maybe he wasn't quite so unremarkable.

  “I've got my iPhone and Becky takes good care of me. When you're ready, just come get me or send Becky.” She nodded and he headed down the hall.

  What had she gotten herself into?

  By the time Emily was ready to leave, Becky had long since been gone. She looked at the clock at one point, realized it was after 10 p.m. and thought she better call it a night before she passed out on her keyboard. Poor Liam was patiently sitting in the conference room, feet up, playing a game on his iPhone.

  “I'm so sorry, Liam. I didn't mean to keep you this late. You must have someone at home waiting for you.”

  “Nope. I live alone. I like it that way.”

  Emily could infer lots of things from that statement, but she figured it wasn't really her place. “Well, either way, I'm sorry I kept you so late.”

  “It's part of the job. You ready to head back to the hotel?” She nodded. “Let me call Mo.”

  “No, don't worry about it. It's late. I'm sure they're gone by now. We can just walk. It's not that far.”

  “Even if you were officially Rob's girlfriend, I couldn't make you wait for the car. But I recommend it.”

  “Why would anyone be out there waiting for me to leave here at this hour? For all they know, I left a while ago at the back entrance. Let's just go. I'm tired and hungry.” She put on the coat that had been slung over her arm.

  “Suit yourself. Do you want me to walk beside you, or would you prefer I keep my distance?” Liam asked as he put on his own parka.

  “Well, I might not be worried about paparazzi, but it is late and this is the city. Do you mind walking next to me?”

  “Whatever you want, Emily. I'm at your service.”

  She grabbed her purse, hat and gloves and they began walking to the elevator.

  “It all seems over the top to me. Doesn't it seem that way to you?”

  “I've been doing this long enough to know that Rick has good instincts. I trust them. If he thinks it's necessary, then it probably is. He doesn't do overkill.”

  They got in the elevator and Em just shook her head in amazement. She thought this might be Rick's first foray into overdoing it.

  They stepped out of the elevator and when she turned toward the main entrance, Em was stopped short by the still rather large crowd of photographers outside the museum. She looked first at the security guard, who shrugged, then looked at Liam, who said, “Told you.”

  Em sighed. “It's too late to call the car. Let's just use that other entrance.” Liam gestured for her to lead the way.

  They got outside and all seemed well for a few moments, and then a photographer rounded the corner. He yelled to someone, and before she knew it, there was a group – a mob, it seemed – headed straight for her.

  “Just walk as fast as you can,” Liam advised. “I've got Mo on speed dial. He'll pick us up around the corner.”

  He said “Call Mo” into his phone and he was talking to the limo driver as they walked swiftly to the next block and turned a corner. There was the car. The photographers were right on their heels, and she was almost knocked over when the limo door flung open. Liam shoved her into the car and jumped inside himself as Mo sped away. Emily barely had time to right herself before they were off.

  Breathless, both from the walk and from the anxiety, it took her a moment to realize that Rick sat in the same spot as the night before when the same situation had happened at the club.

  “Why didn't you call for the car?” he asked.

  “I didn't think they'd be out there at this time of night! What the hell are they doing, waiting for me to leave work? This is crazy!”

  Rick exchanged a look with Liam. Her bodyguard – she realized that was what he was, now – looked at his boss and said, “I
tried to tell her.”

  Rick took a deep breath and said, “Emily, Rob hasn't had a girlfriend in over three years. These people want to be the first ones to get all the dirt on you and on the two of you. They're all pretty pissed that some guy in the club got the first pictures and they want dibs on the next ones.”

  “I'm not his girlfriend! We just met yesterday! And I just broke up with my boyfriend officially this morning!”

  Liam shook his head, an amused expression on his face. “I told her that didn't matter.”

  “Emily, this is the entertainment business. Those photographers make their money digging up dirt, any dirt, on famous people. They only care that Rob is doing something they consider newsworthy. He doesn't date. He takes our mom and sister to most of his events. You're an attractive woman who isn't his relative. You were seen kissing him – passionately, I might add – at a club last night. To those people, this is a big deal even if the two of you aren't anything more than bed buddies.”

  “I haven't slept with him,” she said meekly.

  “I didn't say you have. Frankly, I hope you do. He needs to get laid. He whines too much when he's been celibate this long. My point is that it doesn't matter to the shutterbugs what you and Rob are to one another yet. As soon as you talked to him in that bar, you were a person of interest to them. They'd hound you one way or another, at least for a little while.”

  “How is that fair?”

  “No one said it was fair, but it's the way it is. Like I told you at lunch, you get used to it. It's insane and stupid and annoying as hell. But it's a lot easier if you just follow the rules.”

  “Oh? And what are the rules?”

  “For now, taking a stroll is going to be next to impossible. I know it seems ridiculous to drive the few blocks to the museum from the hotel, but it's the only way to get in and out without being harassed. And if Liam, Rob or I tell you what you should do, you should listen. We've been doing this for a long time, so we know how it works.”