The biggest barrier was that she didn’t know what to do with time that wasn’t filled with legal briefs or meetings or tussles in court. Sitting in her apartment wasn’t appealing, and she didn’t feel energetic enough to jostle elbows with tourists at Fisherman’s Wharf or Golden Gate Park. A relaxing activity was more tempting, such as a weekend at a resort.
She stared at the phone and a piece of paper lying next to it with Mar Vista’s number.
Why not?
She could certainly afford a few days on the coast, and Zack’s resort was an unquestioned wonder. It had been years since she’d gone horseback riding or boating or taken a drive to see beautiful countryside. Actually, a drive sounded great—it would be easier on Brad than vigorous pursuits, and she’d love catching up with him. Zack had been so consumed by his fruit-stand worries on her last trip that she hadn’t had a real visit with either one of the brothers.
She dialed and the phone rang once before being answered. Of course, a business run by Zack Denning wouldn’t make someone wait longer.
“Mar Vista,” said a voice with a faintly British accent. “How may I help you?”
“Hello, this is Kimberly Wheeler. Do you have a single room available for tonight through Sunday or Monday?”
“Yes, I would be happy to reserve one for you, Ms. Wheeler. Shall I also reserve a tee time on our golf course?”
“I won’t be golfing. I’m flying in and will get there mid to late afternoon.”
“I’ll notify the airfield manager, Ms. Wheeler. Is there anything else I can do?”
“Not right now.”
On her way out Kim asked her assistant, Chloe, to call the airport to get her plane ready and file a flight plan. It wouldn’t take long to pack and she might miss the worst of the commuter traffic if she hurried.
“I’ll phone Mr. Denning to let him know you’re flying in,” Chloe said eagerly. She was enamored with Zack and undoubtedly hoped to speak with him personally.
“Don’t bother. It’s not a business trip.”
“But wouldn’t he want to know you’re coming?” Chloe persisted.
Kim tried not to smile. “I’ll contact him when I arrive. See you next week.”
Two hours later Kim was in the air. A pilot’s license was convenient for the rare occasions she needed to travel to see clients such as Zack Denning, but it was the freedom she loved.
She landed on the Mar Vista runway and the airstrip manager assured her the plane would be refueled, inspected and put in a hangar until she was ready to leave. In the meantime, another employee arrived to drive her to the reception area.
Okay, Zack might be obsessed with Mar Vista, but his idea of luxury was pretty nice. He hadn’t cut corners in any area, including support staff.
“The resort must have created an employment boom in and around Warrington,” she said as they left the airstrip.
“Yes, ma’am,” the driver agreed courteously. “I grew up in Warrington and we’re pleased there are more jobs now.”
“Do you enjoy working here?” she asked.
The man hesitated. “I suppose so,” he said finally.
It was odd. The employees under Zack’s supervision had always been more than satisfied. Then Kim remembered that when she’d come to meet with Jamie Conroe, his office manager had seemed unusually tense. Was something going on?
All at once she wrinkled her nose. She was going into attorney mode...or was she? Zack wasn’t just a client; he was an old friend. Once she’d even thought they might make a life together. So she couldn’t help being concerned. It was probably her imagination, anyway. Zack was a consummate manager, but with so many employees, there would inevitably be a few with personal issues and an occasional malcontent.
At the marble-and-mahogany reception desk, she registered and was ushered to her room.
“You said you weren’t golfing, so we selected a room with a water view instead of the golf course,” the bellhop explained. “Is that satisfactory?”
“It’s fine.”
When she was alone, Kim opened the French doors and stepped onto the small deck, looking at the shimmer of sunlight on the ocean. Rather than traffic noises, she heard the peaceful, distant tumble of waves and the call of a seabird as it swooped low.
She smiled and sat on a comfortable lounge chair. This was a far better way to spend a Friday than working on a legal brief.
* * *
IT WAS ZACK’S custom to scan the list of reservations and arrivals each afternoon. He liked to greet old acquaintances, and would write a note of welcome to be delivered to their room. He’d been surprised to see a Kimberly Wheeler of San Francisco listed. He checked the address to be sure it was “his” Kim, then headed to her room. Why had she returned to Warrington? Was it too much to hope she’d found a legal loophole to get rid of Jamie Conroe’s blue trailer?
On the way, he grabbed a courtesy basket of fruit, and when Kim answered the door at his knock, he practically shoved it into her arms.
“Hi. I saw you’d registered and thought you could use this to snack on. Have you come up with a legal maneuver we can employ? I’m not trying to cheat Ms. Conroe—I’ll pay fair money. I just want her out.”
“Wow,” she said, waving him into her room. “I’m here for twenty whole minutes and you couldn’t wait to find out if I flew up with news that I could have given faster by phone.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and dropped into one of the easy chairs in the living-room section of the suite. “Sorry. Last night was a disaster.”
“What do you mean?”
“I invited Jamie to dinner so I could make an offer, either to sell the land or make it worthwhile to move that awful trailer to another location. At the very least, I wanted to convince her to let me construct a less offensive building.”
“I hope you didn’t use the words awful and offensive when you made your proposal, or is that why it was a disaster?”
“Hell, I didn’t get a chance to make an offer. I was showing her the resort when she suddenly got mad and left.”
Kim raised an eyebrow. “Suddenly?”
“Yeah. And now Gordon is upset since he fixed a special meal for her and she didn’t get to eat it. He went to a lot of trouble because she’d refused to go to the Grotto, so he’d gotten it together to send to the Clam Shell.”
“But isn’t everything cooked in the same kitchen? He didn’t go to any trouble, Zack. He was just upset because Jamie left.”
“I know. It’s just that...” Zack groaned with exasperation. He’d been holding it in all day. Confiding in Brad was out; it wasn’t fair to bother him. And he couldn’t say anything to Trudy—she’d already told him the employees were gossiping about an argument some of them had witnessed and he didn’t intend to confirm the story.
“What happened?” Kim ordered.
“To start with, she wouldn’t let me pick her up and insisted—”
“Smart lady,” Kim interjected.
He scowled. “What is it with you? Are you starting an admiration society for Jamie Conroe?”
Kim sat down, and for the first time he noticed she was casually dressed. He hadn’t seen her don jeans in years; she always wore suits in their business meetings.
“Look, Zack,” she said, crossing her legs. “I know how hard it can be for a woman to make it in the world of men. Jamie obviously has good instincts and kept a measure of control in her own hands. I respect that. Now, what did you do when she got here?”
“Well, I’d suggested she come to the employee parking lot and she had difficulty locating it.” The corners of Kim’s mouth twitched and Zack ground his teeth. What was so damned funny? “Anyway, it seemed the perfect moment to take her on a tour.”
“Did she know in advance that you were going to show her around?
”
“No, it was just the right timing. Then she accused me of trying to awe her into submission or something equally absurd. I simply wanted her to understand how important Mar Vista is—to think of the jobs and tourist dollars we’re bringing in.”
Kim pursed her lips. “How long was this tour?”
“I don’t know. She got in past seven, a little late, but that didn’t matter. I guess it was after eight-thirty when she left.”
“An hour and a half. That’s some tour. Was it over or did you have more you planned to show her?”
“Not quite. I was taking her to see...” Zack’s explanation trailed off and he groaned again.
He didn’t need Kim to tell him he’d been an idiot. It was painfully clear now that he’d seen things from a different perspective—and he had been a jackass. Jamie Conroe and her ridiculous fruit stand had fried the circuits in his brain.
“Listen, Kim, could you go with me and—”
“Forget it, Zack. We’re old friends so I let you blow off steam, but I’m not your lawyer this weekend. I’m here to relax. Maybe you and Brad and I can have dinner at the Grotto tonight, if you promise not to mention the fruit stand, or Jamie Conroe, or anything having to do with real estate and Mar Vista.”
Zack opened his mouth, then shut it. What were people conversing about these days? Mar Vista had been his sole focus for so long he’d lost touch with the rest of the world.
Kim chuckled as if she’d read his mind. “We can debate politics, chat about our families, or even the mating habits of the pelican. You just can’t bring up you know what. I’m a paying guest this visit and I get to call the shots.”
Zack counted to ten. Kim had every right to call the shots, and he had no business expecting her to invent a magic solution for something that was his own fault.
He’d messed up royally and had a dismal conviction that he owed Jamie Conroe another apology.
* * *
FRIDAY AFTERNOON WAS busy at the fruit stand. Jamie had a steady stream of customers planning to make jam over the weekend. She’d ordered extra produce to meet the increased demand, and when four o’clock came she was still waiting for several people who’d requested her to hold berries and other items for when their work shift ended.
It kept her on her toes, particularly since Mar Vista employees were among her customers. A couple of them were actually swapping rumors about a verbal sparring match their boss had gotten into the evening before; she was pretty sure they didn’t realize she was involved or they wouldn’t have discussed it in front of her. She didn’t want anyone to know she was the one in the conflict.
Worse, now she couldn’t stop comparing the fruit stand with the chic elegance of the resort, which was precisely what Zack had hoped she’d do.
“Thanks for holding the berries,” said one woman who came by around four-thirty. She wore a Mar Vista housekeeping uniform. Her shoulders sagged and she kept rubbing her neck.
“Looks as if you’ve had a long day,” Jamie commented sympathetically.
“Yes, lots of people checking out and in, so we had a huge number of rooms to do. It wouldn’t be so bad if...” The woman’s voice trailed off.
“If?” Jamie prompted.
“It’s nothing. I should be grateful to have a job, even if it isn’t going anywhere. Well, I’d best get these berries cleaned. We’re having a tea at my church tomorrow and I volunteered to make the strawberry shortcake.”
“Mmm. Sounds delicious.”
As the woman drove away, Jamie saw Brad Denning walking up the road.
“Hi. I’m later than usual,” he said. “I didn’t think you’d still be here.”
“I don’t have much regular stock left, but several folks are coming to pick up their berry orders.”
Brad nodded. “Do you mind if I borrow your chair for a while?” Though he came by nearly every day, he always asked. He was good company, whether they talked or simply listened to the ocean waves.
“You’re welcome to it. I’m leaving in an hour or so if you’d like a ride.”
“Maybe.” He slid into the chair next to her and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Then he roused himself. “You totally discombobulated Gordon yesterday. That’s Gordon’s description, not mine.”
“Yikes. Did I get the produce order wrong?”
“No, but he thought you were eating at the Clam Shell last night.”
“Oh?” Jamie said warily.
“He’d cooked a special dish and you didn’t come.”
“I’ll have to tell him I’m sorry I didn’t make it.”
She had an urge to ask when Gordon had been told she’d arrive. Seven? Eight? Nine? It hadn’t occurred to her that he would prepare a particular dish, or that Zack would have mentioned she was coming. If she had known, she might have swallowed her outrage and gone to the restaurant anyway, though she wouldn’t have been able to appreciate the meal after Zack’s tactics. In some circles his actions would be considered smart business; to her they were just lousy manners.
Jamie pulled out her BlackBerry and keyed a quick text to Gordon saying she hadn’t known he’d expected her and wished she’d gotten to taste his cooking. She didn’t make any excuses or say why she hadn’t made it to the restaurant.
Gordon was a nice guy, but this situation showed how complicated things got when other people were tangled up in your life. It wasn’t that she wanted to be a hermit, but it was important to maintain her independence. And keeping a certain distance from others would help.
“I’m sure you missed some terrific food,” Brad said, sounding half-asleep. “He’s one hell of a chef.”
Without a doubt. Jamie looked at her watch. Elegant people in elegant clothing would soon be headed to the Clam Shell and Sunfish Grotto dining rooms. Gordon would be up to his elbows getting ready, so he wouldn’t read her message until later, but at least she’d sent it.
She hadn’t seen the Grotto—Zack’s interrupted “tour” hadn’t gotten that far—so she could only imagine the restaurant’s appearance and atmosphere. But it wasn’t difficult; everything at the resort was tasteful and luxurious, in contrast to her brightly colored homemade signs.
Argggh. She had to quit making comparisons. Mar Vista had a completely different purpose than the Little Blue Fruit Stand. Zack Denning wanted her to feel garish and out of place compared to him. But she had every right to do business on her own land, a business that had been operating much longer than Mar Vista. Too bad Zack didn’t like it. If Granddad’s trailer was an issue, he ought to have done his research and chosen somewhere else for his wealthy clients to spend their money.
* * *
AS BRAD HIKED back to the resort, he decided his muscles were improving. As uncomfortable as he was in Mar Vista’s moneyed setting, it was helpful being in California. Walking the grounds was far more pleasant than using a treadmill, and the resort’s well-appointed gym had weight machines that approximated the therapy equipment he’d used in Maryland. It was one of his better days, so he hadn’t taken a ride from Jamie; the pain wasn’t gone, but it was manageable.
Zack had stomped out of the apartment in the early morning, plainly disturbed...a condition most likely caused by Jamie Conroe. Something about her got under Zack’s skin, and Brad wondered if there was an attraction his brother was trying to ignore. He couldn’t tell what Jamie felt, but it wouldn’t be remarkable if she reciprocated. Zack was a handsome devil. When they were teenagers, the girls had practically drooled over him, though his thirst for success had also been a draw for some of them.
Brad went in through the rear entrance of the administrative wing and stopped to greet Zack’s office manager, thinking he could have used her efficient skills in his military unit.
“Hi, Trudy.”
“Hey, Brad,” she said. “Zack wanted me to
pass on a message in case you came by—Ms. Wheeler is spending the weekend at the resort and suggested the three of you have dinner at the Grotto at seven.”
Kim? What had brought her back to Mar Vista...though considering Zack’s mood this morning, perhaps he’d needed her to deal with something.
Brad checked the office wall clock. He had time for a shower and a short rest. It would be great to see Kim, and he enjoyed watching her shift into lawyer mode, reminiscent of a general marshaling forces and directing battle. It was amazing that Zack had let her get away years ago, and an even bigger mystery how he’d kept her as a friend. In Zack’s shoes Brad wasn’t sure he could have managed it, but he was glad Kim still liked the Denning family.
At dinner he was surprised the conversation stayed away from business and by Kim’s casual statement that she’d come solely for relaxation. She seemed to be aiming the remark at Zack.
“I know,” his brother muttered.
“Just keeping you honest.”
He glared, but didn’t say more.
Brad almost snickered. Zack had to learn how to do something other than run a resort—he didn’t even finish his meal, rushing off to investigate a minor problem the reception desk had discovered, leaving them to have dessert alone.
“That’s Zack.” Kim laughed, seeming unperturbed.
She’d chosen a raspberry-chocolate torte from the selection available and ate it, relishing every bite, without a single comment about the calories or having to “work it off.”
It was unaccountably...hot.
“You want to do something tomorrow?” she asked when the last crumb had been consumed. Brad looked down and saw that he’d polished off his own pastry and had only a vague idea of how it had tasted. “I have zero leisure skills,” she explained. “I need a friend to keep me on the right track.”
“Zack isn’t free?”
“You’ve got to be kidding. What that guy knows about leisure could be poured into a jar lid.”
He grinned. “True enough. Okay, sure. Let’s do something.”
Harlequin Superromance January 2014 - Bundle 1 of 2: Everywhere She GoesA Promise for the BabyThat Summer at the Shore Page 63
