His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride

by Lois Richer

  Piper felt as if the sand were sinking beneath her feet. Relief swamped her when Jason finally adjourned the meeting. She rose, intent on escape.

  “Hey, Piper, we’re going for coffee. Want to join us?” Dylan sounded happy, probably buoyed by his good presentation.

  “I can’t, thanks. I have to get home.” She rose on tiptoe, kissing his cheek. “I’ll have to take a rain check.”

  He shook his head at her, his fingers trailing down one cheek. “You can’t live in the past, sis. You’ve got to look ahead.”

  She smiled, hugged him, then left without saying anything more.

  *

  Jason stood on the sidewalk, watching Shalimar push across the blue water.

  “She didn’t look well. Is everything all right, do you think?”

  Dylan turned from the truck where he’d stowed his belongings.

  “With Piper? She’s all right. Her problems have more to do with the date.”

  “The date?” Jason searched Dylan’s face for an answer. “July 22 is a bad day?”

  “For Piper it is. Her husband died on this day three years ago.”

  Husband? She’d been married?

  “Vance was a nice guy, and they really loved each other. Then he got brain cancer. They tried every treatment but nothing helped. By the time he died, it was a blessing to everyone. He suffered terribly. That’s one of the reasons Piper and Dad don’t speak.”

  “Why?” Jason choked out, his anger rising. “What did your father do?”

  “As far as I know, nothing. I don’t really understand it, but after Vance’s death, Piper refused to ever speak to him again. And she hasn’t.”

  So she’d lost her mother, her grandparents, her husband and cut herself off from her father. Why?

  “Dylan, I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to take a rain check on that coffee. Do you mind?”

  “No, no problem. To tell you the truth, I should go straight back, anyway. I’m up to my ears at work.”

  Jason waited until he saw the taillights of Dylan’s truck fade away, then he climbed into his boat and raced across the water, uncaring that he soaked himself by pushing against the waves too hard.

  How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let it happen again—duped by the only person he’d dared trust? Anger seethed in his soul, fueled by the pain that stabbed far deeper than anything Amber had caused.

  Once his boat was tied to the jetty, he took the stairs two at a time, stomped across the deck and pounded on the door. It opened seconds later. Backlit by the kitchen, Piper stared at him.

  “Jason? What’s wrong?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were married?” he shouted, clenching his fingers around the door frame.

  Her mouth opened in surprise, her eyes darkening to huge pools that threatened to draw him in, drown him in their depths.

  “Why? Because my husband died a horrible, painful death that upsets me to think about, and because it’s nobody’s business but my own.” She stepped outside onto the deck, glaring up at him, the oval of her face lit by the fairy lights dancing in the breeze. “If divulging personal information was a job prerequisite you should have included it in the application process. Does your knowing about Vance make me less capable at my job?”

  “Stop that!” He knew she was angry, but so was he. “It’s not the knowledge. It’s the secrets. I don’t understand why you couldn’t have said something.”

  “Like what? ‘Oh, by the way, I’m a widow’? Why should I have to? I came here to start over. I haven’t cheated you of anything, haven’t worked against the Bay.”

  “Haven’t you?”

  She looked so innocent, standing there in her bare feet, her hair tumbling over an unmade-up face. Jason dropped his voice, trying to hide how deep her dishonesty had cut. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re Baron Wainwright’s daughter, Piper?”

  She looked stunned by the question. “But I—I assumed you knew. I thought you understood that Dylan’s my brother.”

  “You didn’t think there might be a tiny conflict of interest there?” he snapped, infuriated that she offered no argument.

  “Conflict of interest?” A rueful smile twisted her mouth. “Hardly. I’ve deliberately avoided anything to do with Baron Wainwright for ages. I’m trying to stop my father’s company from building in Serenity Bay, Jason, not gouge a big profit for them. Where’s the conflict?”

  “The conflict arises, Piper, because you deliberately worked against me,” he growled. “I thought we were both trying to do something special for Serenity Bay.”

  “I am!” She clamped her hands on her hips, met his stare. “In every way that counts I am not my father’s daughter, Jason. What I’ve done, I’ve done for the benefit of the Bay. Wainwright is wrong for us.”

  “Why? Tell me that.” He leaned in so his nose was mere inches from her. “What do you have against Wainwright Inc. aside from an old feud with your father, Piper? And don’t give me any garbage about them not serving our interests. That’s nonsense. The hotel Dylan proposed tonight will fit our needs perfectly.”

  “So you’ve decided, have you? You know enough about hotels to know what will work best in this town, what will help achieve the goals we’ve set?” She laughed bitterly. “Be careful your eagerness to get your name on the map doesn’t trap you into trusting the wrong man.”

  “You don’t trust Dylan?”

  “I’m not talking about Dylan.” She turned her back to him to stare into the night. “My brother does his best, but whatever he promises, he is unable to fulfill without my father’s backing. And Baron Wainwright cannot be trusted.”

  “Why Piper? Tell me why.”

  “Leave it alone.” She whirled around, her eyes flashing with anger and pain and a thousand other emotions he couldn’t decipher.

  “I can’t.” He touched her arm, waited for her to meet his gaze. “I don’t understand why you did this, Piper. I trusted you. I believed you when I haven’t believed anyone for a long time.” He lowered his head, touched her lips, unable to break free of the magnetic pull he always felt around her. “I care about you,” he whispered.

  “If you care about me, drop Wainwright.” She didn’t move, didn’t flinch under his stare.

  “I can’t. You know how important the Bay is to me. I can’t just write off someone as big as Wainwright Inc. without a very good reason.” He settled his hands on her shoulders. “Tell me why, Piper.”

  Her shoulders sagged under his grip. He felt trembling course through her and knew she couldn’t take the stress much longer.

  “You want to know why you shouldn’t trust Baron Wainwright?” she whispered so quietly he had to lean in to hear.

  She drew back, settled herself on one of the chairs perched on her deck and motioned for him to do the same.

  When he was seated across from her, she spoke.

  “Baron Wainwright let my husband die.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “His name was Vance Langley. He was a decent, honest man who wouldn’t hurt a flea. He taught track in a high school. He loved kids, poured his heart and soul into helping them train, fulfill their potential, reach their goals. You couldn’t have found anyone who was healthier. At least that’s what we thought.”

  Piper prayed for the composure that would let her get through the story without breaking down. She kept her focus on the floor in front of her and forced the words out.

  “My husband contracted a rare form of cancer. It progressed very fast. Vance was in horrible pain and there was not one thing I could do about it.”

  Her voice broke but she cleared her throat and pressed on.

  “We’d almost given up the day I learned of an experimental treatment that had worked on other patients in a situation as desperate. It was being offered in Italy but it cost a great deal. Our insurance had run out, I’d spent our savings, borrowed from friends, done everything I could. We had nothing left. Even our house was gone.”

  “Dyl
an?”

  “He helped out as best he could but he’s on a salary and he didn’t have a lot of ready cash.” She pushed her hair off her face. “I couldn’t stand watching Vance suffer any longer. I hadn’t spoken to my father at all since I left Wainwright Inc.”

  She caught his surprise and managed a faint smile.

  “I’d worked there for almost a year, trying to mend fences between us. But my father wouldn’t accept that I was an adult, that I could contribute to his company in my own way. The third time he went behind my back to change a deal I’d made we had a huge argument. I left, and I never went back.”

  “But surely—”

  “Vance was in agony. I had to do whatever I could to stop that, so I phoned my father. Baron didn’t answer so I left a message. I begged him to loan us money so I could get Vance to Italy.” She twined her fingers together, staring at them, reliving those hours of waiting, praying, hoping. “He never called me back.”

  “I’m sorry, Piper.”

  “I couldn’t understand why he didn’t call back. I tried again. After the third message I phoned Dylan, begged him to talk to my father, ask him to help. My father never called us back. Vance died soon after.”

  She looked up through a wash of tears.

  “Do you understand, Jason? He let him die. He could have helped, he could have talked to me, visited Vance, anything. He chose to ignore us, to punish me for leaving his company. That’s how I know he isn’t to be trusted.”

  Piper rose, walked to the door and pulled it open.

  “If that’s the kind of person you want to do business with, go ahead. But understand that I won’t be a party to it. I can never forgive him.”

  She was almost through the doorway before the hand on her shoulder stopped her.

  “You have to forgive, Piper.”

  “How can you say that?” Bitterness welled up inside her. “He was my father and he couldn’t be bothered to help the man I loved.”

  “I understand what you’re saying, sweetheart.” Jason gathered her into his arms and held her as the sobs racked her body. “I know you went through agony. I don’t pretend to understand it. But I do know you have to forgive Baron Wainwright or it will suck the life from you. I couldn’t move on until I forgave Amber and Trevor. That’s the way God made us.”

  “It isn’t the same,” she argued, easing away until the night air replaced his embrace. “God wasn’t there. Only my father was. He’s supposed to be there for me, no matter what. He didn’t care enough. How do I get past that?” She pulled open the door. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Good night, Jason.”

  “Good night.”

  She didn’t watch him leave, didn’t wait for the sound of his boat or pick up the phone when he called and left a message that he’d arrived home safely. Instead, Piper slipped on her swimsuit and immersed herself in the soothing waters of her hot tub.

  She’d never felt so alone.

  *

  Jason read the hastily scribbled note left on his desk the next morning, wishing he’d ignored the querulous renter who’d kept him occupied for too long. He hurried out to speak to Ida.

  “When did she go?”

  “I’ll assume you’re speaking about Piper?”

  He inclined his head.

  “I have no idea. There was a note on my desk when I came in saying she’ll be out of town for the next three days. If I have questions I’m to contact you.” Her stare narrowed. “I have questions.”

  He did not want to face Ida’s acerbic wit today. But escape wasn’t an option now. He leaned his elbows on the counter.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Piper’s notes say there’s a delegation from a tour company coming today. She wants you to host a barbecue on the houseboat after you take them on a tour of the bay.” Ida tapped a pencil against her notepad. “Apparently she’s been coaxing them to come out here with their tours and they perked up when she mentioned you had houseboats for rent.”

  “Really?” The news stunned him. To be included on a prepackaged tour was a coup he’d never imagined happening so soon. Piper had mentioned nothing about interest from a tour company.

  And he knew why.

  A wave of shame rushed over him as the knowledge penetrated. She’d been afraid he’d mess it up, get too aggressive and turn the prospective clients off. It had happened before, though she’d warned him over and over to relax and let people get a feel for the area.

  “She says that if you can’t handle it, I’m to figure out something else. I need to know if you can handle it, Jason.”

  Last night came back with a vengeance. He’d accused her of pursuing her own agenda yet here was proof positive that Piper Langley was committed to getting Serenity Bay on the map.

  “I can handle it,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “What time?”

  They sorted out the details then Jason left to get Andy started on cleaning the houseboat to within an inch of its life.

  Piper had given him a chance to prove himself. He wasn’t going to mess it up.

  Now if only he knew that she’d be coming back.

  *

  “Thanks a lot, Row. I don’t know what I’d have done if I couldn’t hide out here for a few days.”

  “Like you haven’t done the same for me a hundred times. I just wish I hadn’t been so tied up with work and we could have spent more time talking.” Rowena slammed the trunk. “You’re really going to call Baron?”

  “Already have. He wasn’t in so I left a message. I guess he’ll call me when he gets it.” Piper shrugged. “The Bible tells us to forgive as we want to be forgiven. At this point, I’m not sure I can do it, but I have to try.”

  She searched her friend’s face, saw the doubts rush across it. Rowena reached out and hugged her, then stepped back.

  “Of course you do. Don’t mind me, Pip. You already know I have a problem in that department.”

  “I realize now that part of what Jason said is true. I have been letting my anger and hurt toward my father cloud my life, until it’d begun to take over. My focus has been sidetracked from God. I don’t want to become a bitter old woman hiding away from life.”

  “You won’t.” Rowena trailed behind her, waited till she had the car door open. “What about Jason?”

  “I don’t know.” The sting of his accusations burned too deeply to brush off. “He doesn’t trust me, Rowena. It’s pretty hard to have a relationship with someone who constantly suspects you.”

  “You want to have a relationship? With him, I mean?”

  “I love him,” Piper admitted.

  Rowena nodded.

  “What’s happening with the hotel?” she asked.

  “I haven’t been able to find out much. Tina’s on holiday so my source is dried up for the moment.”

  “Dylan?”

  “He’s been unreachable.” She decided to confide something she’d kept to herself. “The morning I was leaving Serenity Bay to come here, I could have sworn I saw his truck parked on a side road.”

  “Dylan? What was he doing—camping?”

  “He hates camping.” Piper shook her head, checked her watch. “There must be lots of those trucks around. It probably wasn’t him at all. Anyway, I’ve got to get on the road.” She took a deep breath. “I’m going to stop by my father’s before I leave.”

  Rowena’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead. “You’re kidding?”

  “No. I want to get it over with. If he doesn’t want me there, he’ll have to say so. Then I’ll know I’ve done the best I can. Then I’ll be able to put it to rest.”

  “Call me,” Rowena ordered after hugging her once more. “Let me know. And don’t take any of his garbage.”

  “Thanks, Row. You’re a good friend,” Piper said as she climbed into the car. She prayed silently as she wove her way through the streets, deserted at this early-morning hour.

  Sunday morning. Baron should be having breakfast on the terrace by the pool about now. />
  The house looked the same. Elegant, stately. Two massive pots burgeoned with cascading flowers—pansies, babies’ breath, lobelia. Her mother’s favorites.

  Forgive.

  “I’m trying, God.”

  Piper swallowed the lump in her throat, climbed out of the car and walked to the massive door. Whispering one last prayer, she lifted her hand and pressed the buzzer.

  The door swung open, but it was Dylan who stood there.

  “Piper? What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see Dad,” she said simply.

  He stared at her for a moment. His eyes flashed with surprise but he quickly recovered.

  “I wish you’d phoned first. He isn’t here.”

  Somehow she hadn’t prepared for that. “Oh.”

  “Do you want to come in? I’m just leaving but I could manage another cup of coffee.”

  “No, thanks.” She couldn’t face the memories right now. “I’m on my way back to the Bay. I guess I might as well get on the road.”

  “Okay.” Dylan closed the door behind him and walked with her to the car. “Did you like my idea?”

  “The hotel is great, Dyl.”

  “Not the hotel.” He frowned. “Didn’t Jason tell you?”

  “No, why don’t you tell me?”

  “I gave him a concept for a community center. It would be perfect at the edge of town on that vacant plot by the bush.”

  Piper listened as he went on and on, detailing his ideas of concerts and events that would tax the little town. Her heart sank as she realized Dylan had drawn Jason into his dream.

  “We’re nowhere near that stage yet, Dyl. We haven’t even got enough accommodations right now.”

  He glared at her. “Why do you always have to pour cold water on everything, Piper? Are you mad because you didn’t think of it first?”

  “No! I’m sorry, Dyl,” she apologized. “I didn’t mean to do that. It’s a great idea. We’re just not ready for it yet.”

  She’d hurt him again and now he was pouting. Piper sighed, stood on tiptoes to kiss his cheek, then got back into her car. Home was the best place for her.