by Cat Schield
Yes. Yes. Yes! The word blasted through her mind, but she’d been through so much in the last year. It seemed impossible that everything had worked out so perfectly for her.
“Are you sure?” she asked, wanting so desperately for him to reassure her, but terrified that he might change his mind after further thought.
His eyebrow rose. “Do you still love me?”
“Of course,” she shot back, a smile trembling on her lips even as her throat tightened. “Always and forever.”
“That’s exactly how I feel about you.” His smile lit up her entire world. “I love you so much. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
This perfect moment seemed too fragile to last. Zoe needed a few seconds to linger in the perfect bliss of Ryan’s declaration. While her gaze toured his handsome face, she let her past hurts and failures fall away. Those things no longer had power over the Zoe Alston reflected in Ryan’s eyes.
He saw her as good and strong and worthy. Basking in his admiration, she felt beautiful both inside and out.
“I want that, too,” she whispered, her confidence skyrocketing.
This man had seen her at her worst and found a way to love her despite all her flaws. He’d accepted that she wasn’t perfect and had never required her to be anything other than who she was. They’d weathered her mistakes and she trusted that their love would carry them through any crisis.
That was more than enough to build a future on and Zoe couldn’t wait to begin.
Epilogue
At a little after three thirty in the afternoon, Everly entered Connor Properties and stepped up to the receptionist desk. “Everly Briggs to see Devon Connor.”
The pretty brunette smiled and said, “Have a seat. I’ll let Gregg know you’ve arrived.”
Ten minutes later, a slender man in his midtwenties entered the lobby and headed in her direction.
Gregg’s smile was cool as he approached. “Hello, Everly. How nice to see you’re early.” No doubt Devon’s assistant was referring to a meeting a couple of weeks earlier when she’d stood Devon up. “I’ll take you to the conference room so you can get set up.”
“Thank you,” she said, scowling at Gregg’s back as she followed him down the hall.
She’d been to Connor Properties several times since she’d pitched her branding approach to Devon three years earlier. Since then he’d doubled the number of resorts he owned and his account had grown to the point where it was over two-thirds of her business.
“Right in here.” Gregg ushered her into a conference room. “Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee? Some bottled water?”
“I’m fine.”
After showing her how to connect her laptop to the projector, Gregg left Everly to set up her presentation. In addition to the new design for the website, she had mocked up some brochures and promotional materials. Everly hoped Devon liked this version. He’d been very disappointed with the last two concepts she’d presented and if this round went badly, she might lose all his business.
The conference room door opened and Everly looked up. Delight coursed along her nerve endings as Devon Connor entered the room. Not only was he a brilliant businessman, but also one of Charleston’s most eligible bachelors and Everly had long wished they had more than a professional relationship. However, her heart stopped a second later as she spied the pair who came into the room behind him.
“Good afternoon, Everly,” Devon said.
Usually his deep voice gave her butterflies. Today all she felt was nauseated.
“Hello, Devon.” Although she greeted him, her eyes were drawn to his companions. “What’s going on?”
“These two were interested in speaking with you before our meeting.” He arched one dark eyebrow at her. “That’s not a problem, is it?”
“No, of course not.” She swallowed hard and forced a smile.
“Wonderful. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.” With that, he exited the room, abandoning Everly to her fate.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
London raised her eyebrows at Everly’s tone. “Being blindsided isn’t a lot of fun, is it?”
“We regret our part in plotting against Linc, Tristan and Ryan,” Zoe piped up. “It was wrong.”
“People were hurt.” The event planner looked cool and composed in an exquisite sky-blue suit and triple string of pearls. “Ourselves included, and we want you to stop.”
“Stop? Why would I do that? You both betrayed me.” Everly glared from London to Zoe. “You two deserve everything that happened to you and so much more.”
“You have to stop,” Zoe exclaimed, glancing to London for support.
From the start Everly had pegged her as the weak link and sent her next words into the heart of Zoe’s fears. “I don’t have to do anything of the sort. And you forget I have an ally in this little game we’ve all been playing. Have you forgotten what you tried to do to Tristan?”
“What she tried to do?” London countered. “You disclosed that Zoe had targeted him. He went after her store.”
Everly hadn’t heard that. She smiled in satisfaction. “Good.”
“No,” Zoe shot back. “It’s not good. All the revenge and payback has to stop.”
“We’re going to stop you.”
There was no way Everly was going to let these two tell her what she had to do. “And how do you plan to do that?”
As she spoke, the conference room door opened again. Everly composed her face, expecting to see Devon Connor, but the four people who walked in shocked her to her toes.
Susannah Dailey-Kirby entered first, her beautiful face lit with satisfaction at Everly’s surprise. She was followed by her brother, who stopped behind Zoe. From their body language, Everly guessed the break-up rumors were wrong. Harrison Crosby was there, as well, lending London his support.
Rounding out the quartet was Paul Watts, Ryan’s best friend. Everly wasn’t sure whether he or Susannah presented the most danger, but suddenly she wasn’t feeling all that steady.
“I don’t know what you all think you’re doing here,” she declared, deciding to go on the offensive. “But I won’t be intimidated.”
“Oh, I think you will,” Susannah Dailey-Kirby replied smoothly.
“Your little vengeance plot stops here and now,” her brother put in, his expression like granite.
Everly crossed her arms over her chest. “Or what?”
Ryan Dailey scowled. “Or we’ll ruin you.”
There was a reason they’d chosen to confront her at Connor Properties. Meeting here delivered a strong message. If she didn’t agree to their terms, they would mess with her business. Well, she wouldn’t be strong-armed like that.
“I’ll take you all down with me.”
“And who do you think the world will believe?” Zoe demanded, showing more backbone than she ever had before. “All of us or you?”
“In addition, I have a statement from the hacker you hired to get into Tristan Crosby’s computer,” Paul Watts said.
“But I didn’t use the flash drive,” Everly protested, pointing at London. “You did.”
The event planner shook her head. “Wrong again.”
Everly did not like how this was going. She hadn’t been able to get justice or revenge for Kelly. Neither Linc nor Ryan had been punished. And London had fallen in love with Harrison. Nothing had gone according to plan and she seemed to be the only one paying a price.
“So are you going to give up and leave us in peace?” Zoe asked, her voice softening.
The sympathy in her gaze was almost more than Everly could bear. “I hate all of you,” she snarled.
“But you’ll leave us alone,” London persisted.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” Zoe said. “We just w
ant all this to end.”
A coalition of six determined people stared at her, awaiting her answer. Everly was out of trump cards and dirty moves. Despite what Zoe had said about not wanting to hurt her, Everly knew if she persisted, they would do whatever it took to make her pay.
Still, seeing London and Zoe so happy, while her sister rotted in jail, made her more resolved than ever to fight. At least that was her plan until the door opened and Devon Connor appeared. His attention went straight to her and something in his unrelenting stare warned her he knew more than he’d let on.
“Have you settled everything?” he asked.
“Not quite,” Susannah said. “But I think Everly was just about to agree to our terms.”
Rage rose in her. She didn’t want to give up or to give in, but with Devon’s keen blue eyes watching her intently, Everly recognized she had to stop her vendetta or risk losing her business.
“Fine,” she snapped, unsure whom she hated more, the six of them or herself for failing. “Negotiations are over. You win.”
* * *
“Whew.” Zoe blew out her breath as they exited Connor Properties, giddy at being free of Everly and her stupid revenge plot. “That was intense.”
The late November sun warmed her face and a light breeze brought the distant chime of a church bell. She linked arms with London, basking in their camaraderie.
“You know,” London said, “I almost feel sorry for her.”
“Don’t you dare,” Susannah scolded, coming up on Zoe’s other side. “She’s responsible for so much heartache. Frankly, I think we let her off too lightly.”
Over the last few days Zoe’s life had changed in ways she’d never imagined. Not only had she and Ryan made their way back to each other, but now she also had a group of friends she trusted. Starting today, she could stop fretting about what Tristan or Everly might be plotting to do next and start to focus on all the wonderful possibilities her future held.
“Where are we going to celebrate?” Harrison asked as the six of them reached the parking lot.
Paul was the first to shake his head. “Rain check. I’m in the middle of several investigations.”
Ryan rolled his eyes at his friend. “When aren’t you?”
With a shrug and a wave, Paul headed for his Land Rover.
Zoe watched him go before turning to Susannah. “What about you?”
“Jefferson and I have a counseling session in an hour. I want to swing by the campaign office and let Gil know how this went today.” She gave Zoe a quick, hard hug. “You four have fun.”
Zoe suggested the rooftop bar at the Vendue and fifteen minutes later they were seated at a table with great views of historic downtown Charleston and the Cooper River. They’d just finished ordering a round of cocktails when Zoe noticed the large diamond sparkling on London’s left hand.
“Are you two engaged?” Zoe asked, grabbing her friend’s hand and inspecting the engagement ring.
“It must seem fast,” London said even as she beamed at Harrison.
“I’m a race car driver,” Harrison countered. “Fast is what I do.”
“What about you two?” London countered slyly.
Ryan grinned. “I haven’t asked her yet.”
Yet?
The ink was barely dry on her divorce. It was too soon to think about getting married again. Wasn’t it? Zoe’s heart skipped at the way Ryan was gazing at her.
“It’s been less than a month,” Zoe protested but her objection lacked strength.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Harrison asked.
Ryan pulled something out of his pocket. “I wanted the whole revenge plot problem behind us.” He scowled at their companions. “And a little privacy. But after what we’ve all been through together, maybe it’s right that you two are here.”
“What are you talking about?” Zoe clapped her hands over her mouth as Ryan slipped from his chair and knelt beside her. “Ryan...” His name escaped her on a low moan.
“Zoe Alston, woman that I love.” He paused to grin at her and then, with a dramatic flourish, he popped open the box in his hand. “Will you marry me?”
Zoe’s gaze remained locked on Ryan’s face as she nodded. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might break out of her chest. Never had she imagined it was possible to be this happy.
“Yes. Oh, yes.” She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you so much.”
And then they were kissing and Ryan was sliding the ring on her finger while London and Harrison showered them with congratulations. A bottle of champagne appeared at their table with four glasses so they could toast to love, engagements and the future.
While the men talked football and car racing, Zoe held Ryan’s hand and noticed London’s fingers were also linked with Harrison’s. Luck, fate or some sort of miracle had transformed something that had started so wrong to end so right.
Catching her eye, London leaned in and surprised Zoe by whispering, “I never imagined I could be this happy.”
Zoe’s throat tightened at the catch in London’s voice and she nodded her agreement. “It’s pretty amazing how wonderful I feel right now, too.”
As she spoke, Zoe caught London’s hand, connecting the two couples while the sky darkened above the rooftops of historic Charleston.
* * * * *
If you loved Ryan and Zoe’s story,
don’t miss the next installment of
Sweet Tea and Scandal
by Cat Schield
coming September 2019
from Harlequin Desire.
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Convenient Scandal by Kimberley Troutte.
A Convenient Scandal
by Kimberley Troutte
History of Plunder Cove
For centuries, the Harpers have masterminded shrewd business deals.
In the 1830s, cattle baron Jonas Harper purchased the twelve-thousand-acre land grant of Plunder Cove on the now affluent California coast. It’s been said that the king of Spain dumped the rich land on the American because pirates ruthlessly raided the cove. It is also said no one saw a pirate ship after Jonas bought the land for a rock-bottom price.
Harpers pass this tale on to each generation to remind their heirs that there is a pirate in each of them. Every generation is expected to increase the Harper legacy, usually through great sacrifice, as with oil tycoon, RW Harper, who sent his children away ten years ago.
Now RW has asked his children to return to Plunder Cove—with conditions. He is not above bribing them to get what he wants.
Harpers don’t love, they pillage. But if RW’s wily plans succeed, all four Harpers, including RW, might finally find love in Plunder Cove.
One
Jeff Harper pressed his forehead to the glass pane of his floor-to-ceiling living room window and watched the mass of reporters swarming below.
They couldn’t get a good shot of him at this height, since he was twenty-two floors above Central Park, but once he stepped outside his building they’d attack. Every word he said, or didn’t say, would be used to bury him—shovel after shovel piled on top of his rotting career.
Dammit, he hated to fail.
Before this week, Jeff had been able to live with the invasion of his privacy and had learned to use the cameras to his advantage. The press followed him around New York because he was the last unmarried prince of Harper Industries and a hotel critic on the show Secrets and Sheets. Paparazzi photographed his dinner dates as if each one was a passionate love match. His name had appeared on the list of America’s Most Eligible Bachelors for the last three years running. When pressed during interviews, he always said there was no special woman in his life and he was never getting married. The author of the article inevitably wrapped up with some bogus statement about “Jeffrey Harper just need
s to find the right woman to settle him down.” Which was a big hell no.
Why end up like his parents?
He’d mostly put up with the press until he’d seen his own backside plastered across tabloid front pages with the headline “Hotel Critic Caught in Sex Scandal.”
Sex scandal. He wished.
He’d been set up.
And the incriminating video had gone viral.
The show he’d created and nurtured was canceled. Everything he’d built—his career, his reputation, his lifelong passion for the hotel industry—had exploded.
Just like that, Jeff was done.
If he didn’t fix this, he’d never regain what he’d lost.
Only one person might hire him at this point. Of course, he was the one person Jeff had vowed never to beg.
Grimacing, he dialed the number.
The phone rang once. “Jeffrey, I’ve been waiting for your call.”
Not a good sign since Jeff never called.
“Hey, Dad. I was wondering...” He swallowed hard. This was going to be painful. “Is the family hotel project still on the table?”
A year ago, when Jeff’s brother had returned home to Plunder Cove, their father had offered to put Jeff in charge of converting the Spanish mansion into an exclusive five-star resort. He liked the idea more than he’d dared admit. Hotel design, development and management had been his dream career since he was old enough to put blocks together, and he’d steadily worked to become an international expert in the field. But it was more than that. He couldn’t put into words why turning his childhood home into a safe place was important. No one would know why using his own hands to reshape the past meant everything to Jeff. Yet...he’d declined his father’s offer because RW was a mean, selfish, poor excuse for a father, and he’d never respected Jeff.
But beggars couldn’t be choosers, and all that.
“You’ve reconsidered.” RW stated it as fact.
Did he have a choice? “The network pulled my show. I’ve got time on my hands.”
“Wonderful.”
Strange word to use under the circumstances, but his father sounded pleased. The tightness in Jeff’s chest loosened a bit when he realized he didn’t have to beg for the job. He’d half-expected his father would make him grovel. “I’ll be there tomorrow.”
