Wayne had kept his cool, even though he was boiling with rage inside. How dare Johnny try to make him feel like a fool. It wasn’t his fault none of those ideas had worked out, and Johnny knew it. He’d been conned by unscrupulous business partners through no fault of his own.
Wayne’s voice had been shaky, although he’d tried to keep it steady. “It’s a racehorse, a thoroughbred, from a great line. This horse definitely has Triple Crown potential. I’ve been offered one leg, a quarter share. It just needs to win one big race, then we can retire on the stud fees.”
Johnny’s eyes had widened. “Sounds like a great idea, Wayne. Can anyone else get in? Let me get my checkbook.” Johnny had rocked back and forth in his thick, black leather chair with laughter.
On the other side of the desk, Wayne’s sweaty hands had clenched the underside of his chair. It had been all he could do not to take a swing at his brother.
“Wayne,” Johnny had said, when he’d finally stopped laughing. “do you have any idea why royalty and sheikhs own so many racehorses?”
Wayne shook his head.
“They own them because they’re the only ones that can afford to. Do you know much it costs to keep a racehorse? You’ll be broke before that horse ever sees a starting gate.”
“But…”
Johnny had held up his hand. “What if the horse gets injured, Wayne? What if it breaks its leg?” Johnny had joined his hands together and his knuckles made a sharp crack. “Your investment is gone, just like that.”
Wayne had sneered and said, “That’s what insurance is for, Johnny.”
“Right, and the premiums are so high they’re prohibitive. The answer is no, Wayne, and believe me, that answer is final. One day you’ll thank me. And may I suggest if you’re still thinking about taking Gina to the races, you clean yourself up, get a job, and buy a ticket at the track like everyone else,” Johnny had said as he stood up. “Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot to do before my trip this weekend. Your allowance will be in your account at the end of the month, as usual.” Johnny had lifted his cell phone and swiped the screen to make a call, while at the same time waving Wayne out of his office.
Wayne’s dreams had just gone up in smoke with a flick of Johnny’s hand. He was sure his rich brother hadn’t given the matter another thought after his departure, whereas Wayne had thought of nothing else. Now, sitting in Fat Al’s remembering the scene, Wayne’s anger returned. Emboldened by the wine he’d consumed, he remembered a television show he’d seen. He was sure Gina would loan him the money for the bus trip to Whistler when he told her how rich he was going to become. He smiled at the thought.
The only thing standing between Wayne Roberts and his money was that high and mighty brother of his. Wayne knew there was a clause in their parents’ trust that if anything ever happened to Johnny, Wayne was to be given his share of the estate outright.
He finished his wine and picked up the coins from the bar. What choice did he have? He’d tried to work with Johnny, but to no avail.
CHAPTER 5
DeeDee and Jake took the famous Sea to Sky Highway coastal route on the last leg of their journey from Vancouver to Whistler. It was a spectacular drive along a steep cliff with the road overlooking Howe Sound for a large part of the way, the scenic ocean vista flanked by the mountains in the distance.
DeeDee was glad she wasn’t driving, because although she knew it was quite safe, the steep drop-off at the side of the road made her feel dizzy at times. Jake was a careful driver, and since there was very little traffic on the highway, she did her best to relax and simply enjoy the view.
“You okay?” Jake asked, giving her a worried look.
“I’m fine. Thanks for slowing down,” DeeDee said. “I just get nervous with heights. I have no intention of taking the Peak 2 Peak gondola ride when we’re in Whistler, even though Roz says it’s spectacular. I like to keep my feet safely on the ground.”
“Not a problem,” Jake said, nodding. “We should be there soon. Do you have the GPS details for Roz’s place?”
DeeDee laughed. “Um, no. I was just going to ask for directions. I meant to call her earlier, but I’ll do it right now.”
DeeDee scrolled down to Roz’s name on her cell phone and the call rang out through the speaker in the SUV.
“Hi, Roz. It’s me, DeeDee. Be careful what you say, because you’re on the car speaker phone,” DeeDee said when Roz answered the call. “Don’t say anything about Jake, because he can hear you.”
“As if I would,” Roz laughed. “I was worried when you didn’t call me back last night. I’m so glad you’re still coming, I wasn’t sure if you’d gotten my message.”
DeeDee and Jake looked at each other in confusion. “What message was that?” DeeDee asked, making a face.
“I left a message yesterday afternoon on your home answer machine saying that we’re having plumbing problems in our home. The bad news is, you won’t be able to stay here.”
DeeDee groaned while a frown crossed Jake’s face as he kept his eyes on the highway ahead.
Roz was still chattering as if she hadn’t just told them that their road trip was in vain. “The good news is, we’ve booked you a room at the Fairmont Chateau Hotel. Does that sound okay?”
DeeDee nervously looked over at Jake, who was still staring straight ahead at the road and didn’t offer an opinion on the matter.
“Clark’s company gets a corporate rate, so it’s a steal,” Roz continued. “Have you ever seen that place? It’s on all the top Whistler hotel lists. It’s in a stunning location, situated between Backcomb and Rainbow mountains. It has luxury rooms with king-size beds, swimming pool, gym, sauna…believe me, it’s a lot more comfortable than our place. And they do a far better breakfast, of that I’m certain. Frankly, I think you lucked out.”
DeeDee could see the corners of Jake’s mouth turn upwards as a slow smile started, and she echoed his sentiments. The change in accommodation was an unexpected surprise, but not a bad one.
“I guess we can suffer through it,” DeeDee said, grinning over at him. Roz gave them the directions to the hotel from the highway exit, and ended the call by saying she’d made dinner reservations for the four of them at the Grill Room in the hotel for that evening at seven
“Oh, and I forgot to mention that Clark has made arrangements for Jake and him to play golf tomorrow morning. He’s really looking forward to meeting you, Jake.”
“Yes, me too, Roz. Golf sounds great, thanks,” Jake said.
“Awesome. See you later, guys,” Roz said, ending the call.
“She sounds happy,” Jake said to DeeDee. “What’s Clark like? You haven’t told me much about him.”
“I think he’s nice,” DeeDee said, “but I’ve only met him a few times myself. He’s in his early forties, so he’s a little older than Roz. He’s got a good job, never been married, and is quite charming. I understand the company he’s with thinks quite highly of him. He’s a transplant to Seattle, having moved there from New York. Roz likes him, and that’s the main thing that’s important to me.” DeeDee turned her head and stared out the window.
“Ah, so would it be fair to say you don’t approve of him?” Jake asked.
DeeDee turned to him with a puzzled expression on her face. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to,” Jake replied. “There’s something you don’t like about him. I can tell.”
DeeDee thought for moment about Jake’s remark. “I can’t put my finger on it,” she finally said, shaking her head. “You see, Roz has had some pretty flaky men in her life. I just hope, for her sake, Clark’s not another one, that’s all.”
“I can have Rob, the investigator who works for me, run a check on him if you like. We can have his full life history by morning. If there are any skeletons in his closet, I can find out for you. All you have to do is say the word.”
DeeDee scrutinized Jake’s face to see if he was joking. She decided he wasn’t.
“
No, please don’t do that. If Roz ever found out, she would consider it unforgivable. It’s not my place to intrude in Roz’s relationship. What’s between Clark and her is none of my business.”
“Roz is your sister, DeeDee. You’d only be doing it because you care. If you have a bad feeling about Clark, then you have to go with your gut and at least look at the facts. Best case scenario, you’ll set your mind at rest. Worst case, you might save Roz from a future heartache.”
“No,” DeeDee said firmly. “I have no reason to believe that Clark doesn’t have my sister’s best interests in mind. I need to give the guy a chance and make use of this time together as an opportunity to get to know him better.”
They drove past a sign indicating that the next turnoff was for Whistler. “Agreed,” Jake said, as he changed lanes so he could get off the highway. “I can have a man-to-man talk with him while we’re playing golf tomorrow and find out his intentions.”
“You’d better not,” DeeDee warned Jake, whose wolfish grin let her know he was teasing. Even so, she wished the nagging feeling in her stomach would go away. Ever since they’d left Vancouver, something told her they were headed for trouble. DeeDee decided she must be wrong when another pleasant surprise awaited them at the hotel.
“We have an upgrade for you today, to a Junior Suite,” the woman at the registration desk beamed, handing DeeDee the paperwork and card keys.
“Thank you,” DeeDee said. She decided she could get used to being wrong. A bellman took their bags and Balto’s kennel up to their suite.
DeeDee gasped in delight when she walked into the suite. There was a sumptuously furnished lounge area leading into the bedroom, which had a balcony with a spectacular mountain view. A fruit basket and a champagne bottle chilling on ice had been placed on the coffee table, welcoming them.
“Ooh, look,” DeeDee exclaimed, holding up the bottle to show Jake, who had tipped the bellman and was starting to set up Balto’s kennel. “There’s a card, saying it’s a gift from Roz and Clark. We can sample this later.”
DeeDee moved the champagne into the minibar refrigerator and then went into the bathroom to freshen up. When she returned, Jake was standing on the balcony, looking up at Blackcomb Peak.
He turned as DeeDee walked out onto the balcony, and pulled her to him for an embrace. “I could get used to this,” he murmured, running his fingers through her silky hair.
“So could I,” DeeDee laughed. “Shall we explore the village before dinner?”
“Sure,” Jake said, lightly kissing her on the cheek. “Give me five minutes, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
DeeDee took a warm sweater from the top of her open suitcase and rode the elevator down to the lobby. There were Welcome signs displayed for various groups that were staying in the hotel, and she noticed one for a group from the Island View Golf Club in Seattle. Her ex-husband Lyle was a member there, and DeeDee’s stomach lurched at the thought of bumping into Lyle somewhere in the hotel. She would definitely have to warn Jake that was a possibility, although he’d probably see the funny side of the whole thing if it did happen. Running into Lyle was the last thing in the world she wanted to do.
DeeDee and Jake took the shuttle bus from the hotel for the short ride into Whistler village. The village was quiet since the ski season hadn’t started yet, but Roz had told her that the build-up for the expected influx of tourists was in full swing. As they walked past sports shops displaying ski clothing and equipment, DeeDee noticed how much the clothing fashions had changed since the one and only time she’d been skiing, years earlier.
That had been one of her and Lyle’s less successful family vacations. While Lyle, a seasoned skier, had tackled the steepest runs at Val d’Isere, France, DeeDee and the children were left to their own devices at the ski school. Mitch and Tink, still small at the time, had put her to shame. After a couple of days, they were both proficiently skiing with no poles, with their skis pointed together at the toes, and their heels out wide in the ‘Big Pizza’ shape shouted out to them by their instructor.
DeeDee hated the chairlift, because she was worried she might fall out. She lived in fear of skiing off the end of the lift in case she was unable to stop, so she decided to retire from the slopes while she still had all her bones intact. She spent the remainder of the week having saunas and massages and indulging in her penchant for chocolate cake.
She and Jake had stopped for a cup of coffee, choosing to sit on a café patio that had outdoor heaters. “I wonder if that’s the new ski lift Clark is working on,” Jake said as he pointed to the work being done on one of the nearby slopes. The outline of a crane was still visible in the fading light.
“It must be,” DeeDee said, looking in that direction. “It looks like it’s still got a long way to go to get to the top of that mountain, though. Surely it will take longer than six months to complete it.” That was the time frame Clark’s company had told him he would be in Whistler when they’d sent him there. He and Roz had been living in Whistler since July, almost two months already.
“I’d say so,” Jake agreed. “Maybe they’re phasing the construction project. It’s probably not possible to make much progress when there’s a lot of snow. I’m going to ask Clark how that works. I’ll bet it’s interesting.”
“Yes,” DeeDee smiled. She loved Jake’s inquiring nature and how he had a thirst for knowledge about such a wide variety of topics.
“Shall we head back and get ready for dinner? I see the shuttle coming.” She waved frantically for the little bus to stop, as they ran across the pavement to hop on.
Back at the hotel, Jake offered to take Balto for a walk in the gardens of the hotel, while DeeDee got ready for dinner. She bathed, and unpacked her suitcase, congratulating herself at having the foresight to be prepared by packing a variety of outfits. She selected a black dress and heels and wore her hair up in a loose knot. A statement necklace made from chunky, colorful stones of irregular sizes, completed the look.
Jake, returning from his walk with Balto, let out a low whistle at her transformation. “Wow. You look beautiful,” he said, admiringly. “I’m a lucky guy.”
A flush rose on DeeDee’s cheeks. I’m pretty lucky myself, she thought.
While Jake went into the bathroom to shower and change, DeeDee walked into to the lounge area and removed the bottle of champagne from the minibar refrigerator. A selection of crystal glasses was provided on top of the minibar cabinet, and DeeDee set two fluted champagne glasses on the table. A few minutes later Jake came out of the bathroom, looking handsome in an open-necked shirt and casual pants. She poured the sparkling bubbly into the glasses, and with a smile on her face, handed him one.
“To Whistler,” Jake said, clinking his glass against hers, and taking a sip.
“To Whistler,” DeeDee whispered. In spite of the pleasant moment and the beautiful surroundings of Whistler, she was still unable to shake the uneasy feeling that, for some unforeseen reason, this was going to be a trip to remember.
CHAPTER 6
“It’s over, Greg. I’m sorry, but I’m not leaving Johnny.”
Greg Baker listened in disbelief as Cassie Roberts, the love of his life, was ending their fledgling relationship over the telephone.
“Meet me, Cassie. Just to talk, I promise. I know you have feelings for me, and I love you. I swear I’ll make you the happiest woman alive if you reconsider your decision.” The young man leaned his head on his hand. The day before, he’d asked Cassie to leave her husband Johnny, and he was sure she’d say yes. He had their future all planned out, so her change of heart today came as a shock to him.
“It’s just not possible. I’m sorry, Greg.”
“What’s happened, Cassie? Why not? I know you’re not happy with him. You’ve told me about how he’s always at work and never there to help you with the children or spend any quality time with you. You’re just his unpaid lackey. Please, you can come and live with me, you and the kids. My house isn’t as big as your place,
but we’ll get by.” His voice cracked. “If we’re together, I know we can make this work.”
He heard Cassie’s sigh on the other end of the line. Or was she crying? He wanted nothing more than to be there with her, to comfort her. Greg was sure that if he could just look into her eyes, she’d reconsider and agree to come live with him.
“I can’t meet you, Greg,” Cassie whispered. “I promised Johnny I’d give him another chance. He knows about us. The babysitter mentioned I’d been out the afternoon we met, and he confronted me. I told him everything.”
“Actually, that’s good,” Greg said. “We don’t need to lie anymore. He’s a successful, ambitious man. He’ll easily find a replacement for you. Maybe he’ll learn from his mistakes, and be a better husband to the next woman in his life.”
“I don’t think you’re listening to me,” Cassie said softly. “He’s promised to be a better husband to me. He’s not a bad man, and he loves me. I’m sure of that, plus he is the father of my children. I owe it to him, to all of them, to give him another chance.”
Greg thought how typical that was of Cassie She was too soft. She’d let that man walk all over her for years. Johnny Roberts was never home, working around the clock at his car dealership. He was a diamond-in-the-rough type of salesman, not a professional like Greg. Greg might not have as much money as Johnny now, but in the future, when he had his own accounting practice, he could live on Mercer Island if he chose to. But he knew Cassie wasn’t interested in material things. She was a down-to-earth homemaker, and her family was her highest priority. For that reason, Greg grudgingly understood Cassie’s loyalty to Johnny. She’d never been physically unfaithful to Johnny with Greg, but there was an undeniable attraction between them.
“I just need to know one thing,” Greg asked her, “and then I promise never to bother you again. Do you love Johnny?”
She was silent for a few moments, while Greg held his breath.
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