Kiss Yesterday Goodbye: A Serenity Bay Novel

by Danni Rose

  Beth pressed her head against the steering wheel. She dealt with the challenges of owning a business and being a council member, but when Jason walked into the council room, she'd once again been that fifteen-year-old girl in need of rescue.

  She climbed out of the car. Then she grabbed the tote bag with her computer and the month's receipts. The last bag she pulled out had the ingredients she needed to try a recipe for a banana cake with cream cheese frosting.

  While she struggled to open the door, her cell phone rang. She'd forgotten it when she left for work this morning. She rushed into the kitchen to answer the call but stumbled and dropped the bags. Her things skated across the floor.

  With a frown on her face, she grabbed the phone. "Hello."

  A harsh voice killed her hope for a peaceful evening. "Elizabeth, this is Archer Kingsley."

  Damn. She should have checked the caller identification. "You don't need to introduce yourself."

  "I wasn't certain you remembered me."

  "What do you want, Father?" She grinned. He hated when she called him father. It reminded him he was old enough to have a grown daughter, one he no longer controlled.

  "There is no need for sarcasm." He scolded. "Your mother told me you called to say you aren't able to attend her birthday celebration. That is not acceptable."

  "In case you've forgotten, I decide what's acceptable in my life." Although she no longer lived in his home or under his thumb, her father expected her to rush to follow his orders. "The party is an excuse to show off for your business associates. Or have you arranged another marriage for me? Whatever your scheme, I won't be part of it."

  Archer ignored her words the way he ignored anything he didn't want to hear. "If you don't come, you will embarrass your mother. Regardless of how you feel about me, I know you're fond of Deidre."

  There it was. The emotional blackmail he used with surgical precision to force her obedience. Beth's hand curled until her nails cut into her palms.

  "Will you disappoint your mother?"

  When Beth had been young, her father scolded her for being too soft. If you let others know what you're feeling, it gives them the power to control you. Archer should know, he was an expert at controlling others.

  A frustrated sigh slipped through her lips. "If I attend, will you promise not to lecture about my duty to the family name or you?"

  "This is a celebration of your mother's life. It would not be a proper time to discuss how you've failed your family."

  "I'll reconsider my decision, but I'm not making any promises."

  "It will be good to see you perform your family duty on this occasion at least." The line went dead.

  Beth's shoulders slumped. She'd prefer to have a root canal without anesthesia than spend time with Archer.

  On his personal plane, Jason worked during the flight to Chicago. He called Andrew, one of his senior vice presidents. "I want the loose ends on the Hawkins deal tied up before I leave Chicago next week."

  "That deal is at a critical point. You should be here. How long will you be away?"

  "I'll fly in from time to time, but otherwise I'll work from home until the construction is complete. In the meantime, Matt will manage the daily operations."

  "You don't oversee small projects. Why is this one different?"

  "I want it done right." He trusted Andrew but didn't share personal information with anyone except those closest to him—his family.

  "If you want the Hawkins contracts signed before you leave town, we need to close the deal at tomorrow's meeting," Andrew said.

  "I want that company and don't want more delays. Let's meet in the morning to discuss the negotiations and the best way to handle their board of directors." He loved a battle of wits, and the challenge to close this deal made his blood race. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

  He scrubbed a hand over his face. The pain of his past had returned, but it wouldn't stop him. He wanted revenge and planned to get it no matter the cost, but only after he had his answers.

  Jason made another call, and one ring later he was bombarded with questions. "How was the meeting? Were they surprised? What was their reaction to the complex? Was it all you wanted? Did they ask about the change in your name?" A frustrated huff sounded across the connection. "Well, say something."

  "I'm waiting for you to take a breath."

  Callie's laughter made him smile. His best friend, she was the best adopted sister a man could have.

  "Oh, all right. Did you recognize anyone?"

  "Several people who knew Jason Fischer attended." He chuckled. "And before you ask, surprise doesn't begin to describe the stunned looks on their faces."

  "Did anyone ask about your name?"

  "One person did. Stephen Howard a guy I knew in school, asked."

  "Did anyone comment on your past or make any snide comments?"

  "None that I heard."

  "I wish I could have been there. With all you've accomplished, none of those people would dare talk down to you now. If they try, you let me know, and I will take great pleasure in kicking their butts."

  "Calm down, slugger. I appreciate the support, but I can handle this battle. If I need help, you'll be the first person I call."

  "Growing up in Serenity Bay wasn't easy. Are you sure about this?"

  He'd told Callie more about his life in Serenity Bay than anyone. When she heard the story of how Beth dumped him, her outrage soothed his pride. The memory of her rant brought a smile to his face. But Callie didn't know the whole truth. His pride kept him from telling her the depth of Beth's betrayal and his need for retribution. "It's time to put my ghosts to rest."

  "Then you make them eat every insult they ever uttered."

  CHAPTER TWO

  You were never more than a fling I used you to amuse myself. I would never marry the son of the town drunk. Don't come back. It would embarrass me to be seen with you. Elizabeth Marie Kingsley.

  That letter shattered Jason's dreams. He hadn't wanted to believe what he read and went to confront her. She repeated every word in the letter as though she'd memorized them. Each word drew blood until he'd been drained dry.

  To escape the pain, he left Minnesota, but the ache of Beth's betrayal followed him. He got a job that forced him to get out of bed each day, but at night he struggled with his despair until he met Matt. With Matt's, Helen's, and Callie's help, he made a new life for himself. Jason locked his feelings in the darkest closet of his heart and became J.D. Richards.

  Then a month ago, he received another letter postmarked Serenity Bay, MN.

  Mr. Fischer, If you want to learn the truth, you should return to Serenity Bay and talk to Elizabeth Kingsley.

  The letter wasn't signed.

  He swept a hand through his hair. Had Beth sent the letter or was someone else trying to manipulate him? Why did he need to return to Serenity Bay? What truth was he supposed to discover?

  For years he dreamed of going back to town in triumph. To show people who'd called him worthless how wrong they'd been. No longer was he a hoodlum they could grind under their shoes. He rubbed his hands together. The time for vindication had arrived.

  He intended to uncover Beth's secrets and to teach her what those who betrayed him learned—if you cross J.D. Richards, expect retribution. Jason Richards didn't walk away from a fight, and even if he was late to this one, he planned to win.

  When he walked into the council chambers, he'd fought the desire to stare at Beth. She was more beautiful now than she'd been at eighteen. Her hair was still the color of wheat in the summer sun, and her lips had that slight pout that made a man hungry for a taste.

  When they'd been together, what had touched his soul had been her caring, loving heart. But her love had been a lie, and nothing could ease the pain of betrayal. This time, lust wouldn't blind him to her character. She was a viper who waited for her prey's most vulnerable moment to destroy him.

  His shoulders drooped. He could negotiate a merger with a hostile opponent b
ut was lousy at choosing women to trust. All his life he'd wanted a wife and children, but failed. So he buried his disappointment and bitterness in his work. Now there were few women he trusted other than his mother and sister.

  With a bright smile, the flight attendant set a cup on the table. "Would you like anything else, Mr. Richards?"

  "No. Thank you." He inhaled, and the honeysuckle in her perfume reminded him of the cologne Beth wore when she was eighteen.

  Her lips were hot like the blood flowing through his veins and weakened his resolve. "We have to stop."

  "Take me with you, please. Don't leave without me."

  "It's just two months. Then you can come with me. In the meantime, I'll find a job and find an apartment. I know it's hard to be apart, but I want to have a place for us to live when you get to the city."

  "Then, before you go, make love to me."

  "We agreed to wait until we got married. I don't want you to regret what we do."

  "Please, Jason. I need to believe you'll come back for me."

  "Mr. Richards."

  "Beth, I want you—"

  "Mr. Richards?"

  Jason's eyes blinked open. The flight attendant's eyes were wide with surprise. No doubt shocked he'd fallen asleep. He never slept on these flights.

  "We'll be landing in twenty minutes, sir."

  "Thank you." He straightened his shoulders. I'm nobody's fling.

  A week later, Jason returned to Serenity Bay. He stayed in a house owned by friends who lived in Chicago and vacationed in northern Minnesota. It was a renovated nineteenth century Victorian. The builder in him loved the workmanship of the home. Ornate and elegant, the house had been restored with attention to the details.

  The worthless Fischer boy had never gone into the homes of Serenity Bay's elite. He'd lived on the poor side of town, and people called him a hoodlum. Archer even tried to have him arrested for a crime he didn't commit.

  Now, J.D. Richards received an invitation to the homes of the wealthy and influential. Presidents asked his opinion and courted his friendship. Although only thirty-one, he had earned the admiration of those he called friends and the respect of those who challenged him. Now no one was foolish enough to call J.D. Richards worthless.

  Jason spent his first morning back in town working in the study, or at least he tried. His jaw tightened as he tossed aside the contract he'd read for the third time. Instead, he made phone calls.

  He dialed the first number.

  "Jackson."

  His no-nonsense-let's-get-down-to-business investigator's greeting always made him smile. "Have you learned any new information about the months Beth traveled?"

  "Everyone I've talked to said she traveled in Europe with her mother. I checked with my contacts. She's never had a passport."

  Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "What are you going to do now?"

  "I've talked to several of Kingsley's household staff. He fired a maid a short time before Elizabeth left for Europe. I want to find her."

  "You think she knows something?"

  "Well, the timing seems coincidental."

  "—and you don't believe in coincidences." Jason chuckled. "All right. I'll call again in a couple of days."

  After Jason ended his call to Jackson, he dialed again. He never had a chance to say hello.

  "I'm so glad you called." The greeting was warm with an underlying hint of concern.

  "I left Chicago yesterday, Mom. Don't tell me you miss me already?"

  Helen Richards' laughter rang through the connection. "Don't tease me. How are you?"

  "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not the scared boy who left town nine years ago. I'm older now and tougher. No one pushes me around anymore," he sighed, "except you."

  "I don't understand why you went back. That town holds so many bad memories. You don't have to prove yourself to those people."

  "In my mind, I know you're right, but a part of me needs the closure."

  "All right, but be careful. We love you and want you back where you belong."

  "Try not to worry." Even though she supported his decision to return to Serenity Bay, Helen would worry.

  "I love you."

  Jason said, "I love you, too."

  When he laid the phone down, he grinned. Time to take the next step in his plan. He'd visit her in the middle of the day. She'd be less likely to expect him, and she wouldn't have time to practice her lies.

  Beth's shop was on Main Street in the heart of the business district. When he'd lived in Serenity Bay, a café that made the best hamburgers in town had been in the building. There wasn't an open space in the lot, so he parked around the corner.

  His heart pounded hard and fast as he walked into Delectable Delights. He took a deep breath and inhaled the rich, earthy scent of fresh-brewed coffee mixed with the aroma of sweet baked pastries. The shop vibrated with the buzz of happy, spirited conversations.

  The shop invited people to stop in to visit with friends and family. There were areas with easy chairs filled with customers who chatted and enjoyed their coffee. Along the walls were several tables overflowing with customers. The atmosphere of the shop would encourage customers to linger over coffee and to feast on a tempting treat.

  There was one problem; Beth wasn't here. He assumed, in the middle of a workday, she'd be in the restaurant. He knew trying to predict another's actions could undermine a plan no matter how well designed. When he decided on a course of action, he considered roadblocks and hurdles, but never made assumptions. Until today. Where is she?

  Behind him, a door whooshed opened. He turned. Beth walked out of the kitchen. This woman was self-assured and confident. She was no longer the child of his memories. Her hair fell in a braided waterfall to her waist, and her eyes were the translucent blue of the oceans around exotic islands. But it was her body that made men dream of tangled sheets and long, mind-blowing nights of sex.

  Beth picked up a pot of coffee and walked to the tables. She talked with the customers while refilling their cups. At last, she stepped away from a table and turned. The bright smile on her face faded to a frown, and her eyes narrowed.

  This is how it felt when time stopped.

  Beth embodied grace, elegance, and radiated a seductiveness that captivated others. Jason clenched his teeth. She'd crushed his heart once; he'd be a fool to give her a chance to hurt him again. It would be easier to do if the sight of her didn't make it so hard to breathe.

  He couldn't judge her reaction. She appeared cool, indifferent until she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand trembled.

  Her gaze drifted to the kitchen door. If she left, he intended to follow her. They would talk. He went to her with a smile pasted on his face. "Hello, Beth."

  She huffed. "Mr. Richards, or is it J.D.?"

  "My friends call me Jason."

  "We aren't friends." Her words were colder than winters in Minnesota.

  He nodded at the coffeepot she held. "That smells good."

  "It's the best in town. Do you want a cup?"

  "I would love one—strong and black."

  "You used to drink your coffee with cream." She pressed a hand to her lips.

  He bit off a laugh before it could escape. She remembered.

  She waved to the one empty table in the shop. "Have a seat, and I'll get you a cup."

  "Great. Will you join me?"

  "What?"

  "I came to talk to you. We didn't have time to visit at the council meeting."

  Beth looked away and frowned. What was she thinking? The silence in the shop caught his attention. All conversations had died. He looked around. The customers and employees watched and listened to every word they exchanged.

  She lifted her chin. "My office is this way."

  He'd won this skirmish, or had he? Beth never gave up without a fight. He'd bet she didn't want witnesses when she told him to get lost.

  She walked behind the counter. "Abbey, I'll be in the office. Call if you ne
ed help."

  Abbey shifted from foot to foot while she stared at Jason. "Okay."

  Beth walked through the door, and he followed. Not until her desk stood between them did she look at him. They watched each other like two combatants searching for weaknesses. She waved at the chairs behind him, and he sat in the one opposite hers.

  "I didn't know you wanted your own business."

  "People change." She shrugged. "Dreams change."

  "Yes. Sometimes by choice." Every muscle in his body tightened, but he leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankle. Never let the prey see you sweat. "Sometimes it's forced on us."

  "Why are you here?"

  "I like your shop."

  Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer my question."

  "I wanted to visit old friends." He smiled.

  "You couldn't wait to leave town or your friends. What's the real reason for your return?"

  He held onto his smile. "To build the recreation complex."

  "Why would you give a gift to people you hated?"

  He exhaled. His infamous reputation for ice water running through his veins was a lie. Hot, burning anger ran through him now. He needed an excuse to stay longer. "Can I have a cup of coffee?"

  Beth stared at him.

  Would she ignore his request?

  After several moments passed, she picked up the telephone. While she waited, she ran her tongue across her lips.

  He watched the seductive movement, and the heat of his anger turned to lust. His gaze returned to her eyes when she snapped her mouth shut.

  He covered his mouth and coughed to hide his laughter.

  "Could you set up two cups of coffee? One a double espresso, and the other my usual."

  Silence.

  "I'll come out." Beth set the telephone on her desk. "They'll be ready soon."

  "Excellent." He tilted his head. "What have you been doing for the last nine years?"

  "I don't know what you're up to, but we aren't friends and have nothing to talk about. Whatever your reason for returning to town, it has nothing to do with me."

  He crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you sure?"