At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel)

by Barbara Freethy

  “Colleen, do you have—” Nick’s voice broke off when he saw her. His dark eyes turned surprised, then a little wary.

  Without the blur of her dreams or the foggy shadows of the accident, she saw that he was even more attractive than she’d realized. He’d traded in his business suit for jeans and a dark sweater, the sleeves pushed up on his forearms. His dark, wavy hair touched the edges of his shoulders, and he had a strong jaw, a long nose, and a full, sensuous mouth. He was tall, too, well over six feet, with a strong, lean build.

  She needed to say something. The silence between them was going on for too long. But he was returning her gaze with the same scrutiny. She wondered what he saw, now that she wasn’t wet and muddy and frozen with fear.

  Colleen finally cleared her throat. “Miss Silveira wants to speak to you,” she said.

  “Yes,” Isabella said, finally finding her voice. “I do want to speak to you.”

  “Why don’t you come in?” Nick stepped back and waved her into his office, closing the door behind her.

  The room was large and airy, with windows on two sides bringing in lots of light and offering a great view of the boats in the harbor. A large oak desk sat in front of one window, a conference table ran along the wall, and on the opposite side of the room were two drafting tables. What a wonderful place in which to create. She’d love to design in a studio like this.

  “This is a beautiful room,” she said. “You must feel inspired here.” She turned back to face him.

  “On occasion,” he said, digging his hands into his pockets.

  She tried to tamp down the nervous flutter in her stomach. She wasn’t a shy person by nature; she liked people. But this man made her feel tongue-tied. There was something between them that she didn’t understand and couldn’t explain, but it was there, so palpable she wondered if he could feel it, too.

  “I took your coat to the cleaner’s,” she said finally. “A guy named Otto said they’d have it done by tomorrow. I can pick it up for you and bring it here.”

  “That’s not necessary. I’ll take care of it.”

  “You saved my life last night. I wouldn’t have made it out of the car without your help. And I’m not sure I said thank you.”

  “You said it—several times.”

  “Words don’t seem like enough.”

  “I’m just glad I was there,” he said, sounding uncomfortable with her gratitude. “How are you feeling today?”

  “Like I drove off a cliff.”

  A light sparked in his eyes, a smile crossing his lips. “Nice that you didn’t lose your sense of humor.”

  “Just everything in my car. But I know how lucky I am.”

  “I spoke to your brother on the phone a few minutes ago,” Nick said. “I told him I didn’t see the other car. I wish I could have been more helpful.”

  “At this point, I don’t know what difference it makes, but Joe won’t let any crime go unpunished if he has something to say about it.” She should leave and let Nick get back to work, but she wasn’t at all ready to say good-bye. Who knew when she’d have another chance to talk to him? She needed to find out more about him so she could figure out why they were connected. “So, do you design buildings or homes?”

  “I’ve been concentrating on commercial projects the last few years, mostly in Los Angeles. There’s not a lot of skyscraper work in Angel’s Bay.”

  “I wouldn’t think so.”

  She glanced around the room, noting a building model on the conference table. She moved closer to take a better look. “What’s this?”

  “It’s a new city hall in Montgomery.”

  “The detail is amazing. I love the curve of the windows and the majesty of the columns. You’ve merged the past with the future in this design. I’m impressed.”

  “Thank you,” he said. “They break ground next week.”

  “You must love seeing your buildings come to life.”

  “It’s a great feeling,” he admitted. He gave her a close look. “Was there something else you wanted, Isabella?”

  She liked the way her name rolled off his tongue, as if he were savoring every letter. There was something deliberate about him now, the way he spoke, the way he moved, the way he watched her. On the cliff last night, he’d been moving at the speed of light. “You risked your life coming after me.”

  “I probably should have stopped to consider the options. It was the first time in a long time that I didn’t do that,” he added, as if he were talking to himself. Then he shook whatever thought he’d had out of his head. “I’m afraid I have a meeting to get to, so . . .”

  “I should get out of your hair.” She wished she could share her visions with him, but past experience had taught her that wasn’t a good idea. Instead, she asked, “Do you think we’ve met before?”

  He looked curious. “Definitely not. If we had, I’d remember. Because you, Isabella, are not at all . . . forgettable.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and she swallowed hard.

  A knock at the door made them both jump, then Colleen stuck her head in. “Tory called, Nick, and I told her you were on your way. Was I wrong?” she asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

  “No,” he said abruptly. “I’m leaving.” As Colleen stepped out, he said, “I’m sorry, Isabella. I have to go.”

  “Sure.” She moved forward and extended her hand. “Thanks again, Nick.”

  He hesitated before putting his hand in hers. Just like the night before, she felt a rush of heat as his fingers curled around hers. And just like last night, he yanked his hand away before she was ready to let go.

  He shook his head, a look of bemusement in his eyes. “There’s something about you . . .”

  “About us,” she said, meeting his gaze. “I feel it, too.”

  He shook his head at her bold words. “You’re a beautiful woman, Isabella, but I’m not looking to get involved with anyone. Another time, another place, maybe, but not now.”

  “Usually, people get to know me before they blow me off,” she said lightly, wondering why she was absurdly disappointed by his words. It was probably a good thing. They’d shared an intense experience, and they needed to come down off that high.

  “My life is complicated.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I have a kid. I’ve neglected her for most of her life. She has to be my priority now.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “You’re married?”

  “Divorced. A long time.”

  She wondered why he’d felt the need to add that. Did he want her to know that he wasn’t hung up on his ex-wife?

  She wasn’t in the habit of throwing herself at men who weren’t interested, but Nick was clearly interested. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, feel it in his touch. He just didn’t want to be attracted to her. And she didn’t want to be attracted to him, either. She’d come to Angel’s Bay to drive the visions out of her head and find some peace. Getting involved with the man in her dreams was not part of the plan. An emotional connection would only make things worse.

  “Good-bye, Isabella,” he said firmly.

  She heard the finality in his voice, but she knew they weren’t over—even if he didn’t. “I’ll see you around.”

  Nick blew out a relieved breath as Isabella left. Last night, he’d chalked up his reaction to her as too much adrenaline, but what was his excuse today? He hadn’t been this unsettled by a woman in a long time. And he didn’t like it. He didn’t have time for a powerful distraction like Isabella.

  But God, she was gorgeous, with her long, thick black hair, striking turquoise-blue eyes, clear tanned skin, and soft, full lips that seemed to smile so easily. When he’d touched her, the strangest feeling had run through his head, as if it was important for him to hold on to her—so important that he’d forced himself to let go.

  Damn. He sucked in more air, because, for some reason, he was still having trouble breathing.

  Colleen came back into the office. “So that was the woman you saved last night
. She’s really pretty. And don’t even try to tell me you didn’t notice, because I haven’t see you this rattled since you asked Beth Haldeman to the prom.”

  This is what he got for hiring his cousin to work in his office. “I noticed. It doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything about it.”

  “Why not? You’re single. Maybe she is, too,” Colleen said hopefully. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, Colleen had been trying to set him up for years.

  “Stop trying to matchmake. I have my hands full with Megan. Besides, Isabella is just visiting.”

  “She’s from L.A. Last I heard, you had an apartment there, too.”

  “Right now, my base is Angel’s Bay. Megan needs the whole family, because at the moment, she wants nothing to do with me.”

  Colleen frowned. “Things aren’t going better?”

  “They’re not going at all. We’re sharing a house, and that’s it. She barely speaks to me.”

  “You have to keep trying.”

  “I am, but I’m not getting anywhere.”

  “I don’t want to add to your worries, Nick, but Cord told me Megan is hanging out with the skateboard crowd, and he’s worried about her.”

  Since Colleen’s oldest son, sixteen-year-old Cord, was a straight-A student and an all-around good kid, that wasn’t the best of news. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t pick her friends, can I?”

  “No, you can’t,” she said with an understanding look. “We’ll talk later. Right now, Tory and the rest of the family are waiting for you.”

  “I should have my head examined for agreeing to talk about theater renovations with them.”

  “How could you not? They need your help.”

  Ironic, since his parents hadn’t been available when he’d needed their help. But that was in the past, and his parents had short memories when it came to their own failings.

  After saying good-bye to Colleen, he headed down the stairs and drove across town to the theater, his thoughts going back and forth between Isabella and Megan. It irritated him that Isabella was in his head at all. He’d spent half the night tossing and turning, trying to forget her image. When he’d pulled her from the car, she’d clung to him, pleading with him not to let her go. Of course, he hadn’t then, but he needed to let her go now.

  He needed to forget that jolt of attraction that had caught him by surprise a few minutes ago. He hadn’t felt that gut clench in a long while. Maybe seeing death come so close had bonded them in some way. They’d shared a highly charged, emotional experience, but it was over.

  He didn’t do emotionally intense relationships anymore. After his disastrous marriage, he’d put his heart away and kept his relationships casual and short-term. He didn’t need to change that now.

  He also didn’t need to get involved with his family’s plans, he thought as he turned into the parking lot of the Angel’s Bay Regional Theater. He’d managed to stay out of their business for a long time, but since he’d brought Megan back to the bay, they’d been after him to come up with plans for restoring the eighty-year-old theater to its former glory and bringing it up to new earthquake standards. While a part of him wouldn’t have minded seeing the theater shut down for good, he knew he couldn’t walk away from the work that generations of Hartleys had devoted their lives to without at least taking a look.

  Victoria was sitting on the steps in front of the courtyard that led into the theater. Two years younger than he, Tory was a slender dynamo with short, light brown hair and green eyes. She always seemed to be handling a dozen things at once. She had more patience than he did, more tact, and more compassion. She was also usually the calmest person in a family of drama queens and kings, but judging by her worried expression, something had thrown her off her game.

  “I’m not that late, am I?” he asked, stopping in front of her.

  She shook her head as she looked up at him. “It’s not you. Annie Dupont has disappeared. The teenager whose baby we were hoping to adopt,” she reminded him.

  “What are you talking about?” He sat down on the step next to her.

  “No one has seen Annie since yesterday. I just got off the phone with Joe Silveira. He wants to talk to Steve and me this evening. He’s meeting with all of the prospective parents, hoping that Annie might have said something to one of us.”

  “Did she?”

  “The only thing she told me was that she thought I’d make a great mother.” Her voice caught on the last word, and she drew in a shaky breath, obviously barely hanging on to her composure.

  Tory’s struggles with fertility had been going on for more than seven years, and she’d only recently come to terms with the idea of adopting. “I’m sorry. I know your hopes were high,” he said.

  “You’d think I would have learned by now not to get my hopes up. It was a long shot. Annie was talking to other parents, but I still let myself imagine holding that baby in my arms.” She shook her head. “What a fool I was.”

  “You said no one has seen Annie, but what about the baby?”

  “She left him behind with Charlotte and her mother. It looks like the pressure of trying to decide what to do became too much for her, and she ran away. I don’t know what will happen now. Maybe the chief will know more when we meet later.” She paused. “All that aside, I’m worried about Annie. She’s young, scared, and alone. I’m sure she’s emotionally fragile, and I don’t want her to hurt herself in any way.”

  “Is there any chance of that?”

  “Well, Charlotte met Annie after she jumped off the pier into the bay when she was a few months pregnant.”

  “So she’s not very stable.”

  “She had a rough childhood. Her father is a war veteran and crazy, from what I understand. Her mother died a few years ago. But Annie has been thriving with Charlotte and her mother. I want her to come back, even if she chooses not to give her child away, because her baby needs a mother.”

  Nick put his arm around Tory’s shoulders and gave her a hug. She had always had a soft heart. “I know how much you care about both of them. Maybe this is a temporary thing. Annie got scared and took off to clear her head. She’ll come back and make the right decision.”

  “I hope you’re right. But since when are you the optimist in the family?” she added dryly.

  He smiled. “Don’t get used to it.”

  She got to her feet. “We should go inside. Mom and Dad have been driving me crazy, asking when you’re coming. They want to get you started on plans as soon as possible.”

  “I haven’t agreed to anything yet,” he reminded her as he stood up. “I said I’d take a look.”

  “Oh, please. Once you set foot in that building, there will be no turning back. Besides the fact that everyone in the family will hound you relentlessly, you’ll get caught up in the excitement, in the magic—you know you will. Deep down inside, you’re a Hartley, and theater blood runs in your veins.”

  He wanted to deny her words, but he couldn’t quite do that. And as he looked at the tall building that held so many of his family’s dreams, he couldn’t help but be inspired by the architecture, a mixture of Spanish revival and colonial. Designed in the 1920s by a renowned California architect, the theater had been constructed with a sense of importance. For almost a hundred years, this building was where people came to escape the dull reality of their lives. Despite the somewhat isolated location on the central coast, the winter and summer productions were always well attended, drawing audiences from all over the country, the professional performances packing the house for each and every show.

  As he followed his sister under the archway and through the courtyard, he imagined the scene on performance days—summer nights when the fountain statues would flow, and audience members would sit at small tables and sip cocktails during intermission. Without the benefit of the lights, tables, and people, the courtyard looked old and worn, much like the rest of the theater.

  Stepping through the front doors, he noticed how the ornate lobby also
showed signs of age, from the chipped paint in the wall murals to the cracks in the ceiling. The carpeting on the stairs leading up to the balcony was threadbare in places.

  “There’s a lot that needs to be done,” Nick said. “And that’s just what I can see on the surface.”

  “I know, but we have to find a way to make it happen.”

  “It will take an enormous amount of money. Mom and Dad need to be realistic.”

  “No one in this family is big on reality,” she said with a smile. “You should know that by now.”

  He knew all too well. There had been a time when he’d chased his own dreams and been just as caught up in a world of illusion.

  “Ready?” Tory asked, reaching for the door leading into the auditorium. “This might be your last chance to back out.”

  “I’m not committing to anything until I’ve done my research.”

  She shook her head. “I never thought you would grow up to be so restrained. You used to be a lot more spontaneous, Nick. Sometimes I barely recognize you.”

  Sometimes he barely recognized himself, but spontaneity had turned him into a father at the age of nineteen. These days, he looked before he leaped.

  As he followed Tory into the auditorium, he realized it had been at least a decade since he’d been inside. He’d always managed to avoid the building on his visits to Angel’s Bay.

  The inside of the theater was just as ornate as the exterior. The side boxes on the mezzanine levels were beautifully carved and separated by thick velvet curtains and ropes. The ceiling high overhead had been painted with twinkling stars to make the audience feel as if they were watching an outdoor performance.

  As he took in the details, a surprising sense of anticipation ran down his spine. This theater was where he’d first fallen in love with designing and construction. His uncle Richard had taught him how to build sets as soon as he was old enough to pick up a hammer. He’d been amazed to see worlds created within days, and he’d been hooked.

  Professionally speaking, this architectural project could be spectacular, but he had a lot of personal reservations. He kept his feet grounded in reality, and this old theater had a way of making people believe in the impossible, which usually led to a painful let-down.