Four Weeks

by Melissa Ford

  She had to leave Hawk's. It was for her own good. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he'd convince himself it was good for him too.

  Chapter Nine

  AS THE MINUTES ticked past, Trent studied the menu thoroughly even though they'd already ordered. Eventually, he slipped it between the condiments and started gazing around at the historic battle maps and other memorabilia hanging throughout the pub style restaurant. The maps and soldier uniforms weren't that interesting; he was obviously stalling.

  That kiss? They'd been in a serious situation and reacted by seeking comfort in each other's arms. There was nothing unusual about that, and there was nothing to be sorry about. But that simple comforting kiss had changed everything for Louise. Now there was no denying the truth. Her feelings for him were deep and true.

  That initial attraction she'd felt had grown. He had qualities she reluctantly admired. One of them was the way he stuck to his word. He hadn't said a single thing about closing Hawk's since agreeing to the one-month trial, even after Pete's carelessness and the fire.

  Real or not, she couldn't act on her feelings.

  The silence stretched on. The waitress set down their salads. Louise picked up her fork, but stopped when she saw Trent staring blankly at the plate as though he'd never seen lettuce.

  "What is it Trent?"

  His head jerked up and she searched his hazel eyes. His lips tightened and he glanced away. Louise waited. Eventually his gaze moved back to hers. “I'm worried about the fire."

  That didn't surprise her. “The fire chief called to say he'd be by this afternoon. An inspector came by to make sure we're safe for business."

  "That's not what I meant.” He leaned back and folded his arms over his chest.

  The heavy weight of despair was settling on her shoulders, but she keep her tone casual. “Well, what is it then?"

  "I'm worried about you."

  Louise laughed. “Don't be. I promise not to chase any more kittens into smoky lofts."

  His eyes darkened at her flip response. He'd been the one who chased after her. “I really appreciate what you did for me,” she added in a hurry.

  "Something's going on at the stable. I don't know what it is, but I'm sure someone started that fire on purpose."

  She shook her head. “Trent, that doesn't make any sense. Why would anyone want to do that?"

  He looked as though he was about to say something, but then he shrugged. “Call it a hunch."

  Louise believed in hunches, but she didn't want to accept this one. “How does any of it involve me?"

  He scowled. “You could have been killed, Louise."

  When she didn't say anything, he stared at her, making a sour sensation settle in her stomach. To keep busy she speared the salad with her fork. He reached for her other hand. His touch was light, but the effect was strong. The expression on his face was a mixture of remorse and resignation.

  "You're in danger at the stable, Louise,” he said as he squeezed her fingers. “I don't want you to work there anymore."

  The fork clattered to the plate. Her skin went cold and her stomach turned to stone.

  "Please understand,” he pleaded, “after last night I realized, well...” He looked away and his tone cooled. “I don't want you there anymore.” He let go of her hand. “It's not safe."

  "Safe?” she echoed. What a fool she was for believing in him. For thinking he had faith in her. She jerked her hands away from the table to clutch them in her lap. He was using the fire as an excuse to shut down Hawk's. He didn't even respect her enough to tell her the truth, so he'd made up a ridiculous excuse to end their bargain.

  She had too much at stake, not the least of which was her pride, and she wasn't going to give up and go looking for the next pot of gold. “I'm a big girl, Trent. You don't have to worry about me."

  "If you aren't at the stable I won't have to."

  Louise glared at him. “I was hired to do a job I'm capable of doing. I resent you saying I'm helpless."

  "I didn't say that."

  "Yes, you did."

  Trent dragged his hand through his hair. “I don't want anything to happen to you."

  She leaned over the table. “You never intended to let me prove myself."

  "No, it's not that, I...” he searched her face while she stared back at him, her resentment and anger clearly there for him to see. She was not going to let him intimidate her.

  She lifted her eyebrows at his silence.

  "This isn't about the stable. It's about you.” His message was clear. He thought she was incapable and unskilled. She should've seen it coming. He didn't believe in her. No longer able to bear sitting with him, she pushed her chair back to rise. “Are you going back on the deal we made?"

  For a long moment he stared at her and her heart pounded. With his face an unreadable mask, she had no idea what he was thinking. Finally, he shook his head.

  That was all she needed to know. “Thank you. I appreciate that."

  Before she let anger get the better of her and said something that would make him change his mind, Louise stiffly thanked him for lunch and left the restaurant. The fresh air outside cooled her face but not the emotions churning through her. As if it weren't bad enough that she'd let their stupid kisses and her haywire emotions cloud her judgment, Trent had seen her for the fool she was. She brushed past a crowd of sightseers and headed across Huron Street to the docks.

  Fueled by anger and disappointment, she hurried on. There was no way to tell which emotion was the strongest: hurt, anger, disappointment, or any of the other nameless sensations coursing through her. She should've been happy to see the masses descending the ferry ramps, but she barely noticed the potential customers.

  She passed the loading ramps and reached the end of the wide cement dock. There she leaned on the railing and tried to take a calming breath, but she gritted her teeth instead. She wasn't ready to calm down.

  A ferry chugged by, creating a wake that splashed when it hit the concrete. That was how she felt. Twisted and torn apart.

  She'd been stupid enough to think that Trent had accepted her trial period because he had faith in her. She'd let herself believe he wanted to see her turn Hawk's around the way she said she could. Being wrong was nothing new to her. The truth was, he didn't want Hawk's. And he didn't want her.

  Why had he agreed to the trial period? Maybe he thought it would be fun watching her fail, but then the fire happened and like a silly girl she'd cried and thrown herself in his arms. He'd decided she really wasn't management material after all.

  She didn't care what he thought. If she had the chance to do things over she'd still go after that tiny cat. Unlike him, she had a heart.

  She'd showed him that, too. She wanted to regret the kisses, but she didn't. She'd given them willingly and accepted them honestly. But she wouldn't be making that mistake again. There would be no more intimate encounters with Trent Parker. Louise pushed herself from the railing. Just because she'd reacted stupidly to Trent's attention the night before didn't mean she had to waste the whole day feeling sorry for herself. He was going to let her stay on as agreed. She forced a smile onto her face. She would be thankful for that.

  The smile dropped. Now what? For the first time since she'd been on the dock, she really saw the people. Dozens and dozens hurried toward the island. Some carried luggage. Others, who were visiting for the day, held a child's hand or a backpack. All of them were potential customers.

  Mentally she gave herself a kick. She needed to get back to Hawk's and check with Gail and see how she did with the flyers. Maybe they could think of another quick way to advertise the stable.

  Weaving through the crowd, Louise hurried back to Hawk's to bury herself in work and drive forward. After all, that's what she'd come to the island to do.

  * * * *

  TRENT PAID THE bill for the uneaten lunches and went outside. Deciding he might as well see what the big deal was, he headed the fort. He wouldn't be likely to run into anyone he
knew there, and that was a good thing because anger and frustration simmered through him making him more than just irritable.

  Louise had flat out rejected him. She wouldn't even listen to what he had to say. She cared more about her precious job than her own safety. And his concern for her? Completely ignored.

  Climbing the steep incline leading to the fort's entry gate released some of his surging exasperation. The eager voices of school children surrounded him, but he paid them little attention as he waited in line behind a chatty group of seniors.

  Had he really expected Louise to react any differently?

  He paid his entry fee to the Boy Scout at the gate and wandered into the courtyard of the fort. The high stone walls surrounded him, blocking out the view and isolating him from Hawk's and the rest of the island. He almost wished the stable had burned down. Then he'd have had a real reason to send Louise away and get her out of his life.

  What a fool he was.

  His father taught him that business and pleasure don't mix. Mr. Parker had even taken it even a step further and ruled out personal feelings altogether. He hadn't wanted to believe that Louise was the same kind of person as his father, but her reaction at the restaurant had changed his mind. She was more interested in her own future than in relationships—and he knew the pain brought on by one-sided relationships.

  After drifting around, Trent found himself in an officer's quarters. The rickety narrow bed and small dresser looked out of place encased in the solid stone walls. The people who'd lived in the fort and protected the island from invasion had lived a hard, lonely life. He'd never known physical hardship, but thanks to his father he'd known loneliness.

  He left the modest room hoping that at least the island soldiers had companionship and family. Family. Hah! What a joke.

  The narrow walkways weaving through the fort and circling the fortress walls were jammed with people so Trent left the inside rooms and headed back for the fresh air in the center court. A battle reenactment was taking place in the far courtyard. Clouds of smoke billowed from the muskets. Shouts and cheers from the crowd followed the thunder of gunfire.

  The racket started to annoy him, so he headed for the back exit. By going out that way he could wander past the Governor's Residence and up to the old cemetery. Maybe he'd stop at Skull Cave. The last two possibilities suited his mood better than the pretty white building Michigan's governor used occasionally. Just as he was about to slip through the gate, he stopped.

  Pete and Gail?

  What could they be doing together? Gail had said something about passing out flyers, but she couldn't need Pete for that. The wobbly old man was more likely to scare customers away than to encourage them to come and try Hawk's.

  Trent leaned against a split rail fence. Gail's body was taut as she pointed an accusing finger at Pete. They were too far away for him to see their clearly faces, but he knew she wasn't smiling the way she'd been earlier.

  Pete nodded and shoved his hands into the pockets of his work pants. What could those two possibly have in common? Louise hadn't said anything about Gail knowing Pete personally, and it sure looked like whatever they were talking about was personal.

  Trent made a mental note to speak with them separately about what they'd done that afternoon. It would be easy enough to compare their stories and see if things matched up.

  Just as he decided to get going, the two split up and headed off in opposite directions. Gail's stiff shoulders and Pete's defeated slump spoke volumes. Could those two have something to do with the fire? Or was his hopeless situation with Louise making him crazy and paranoid?

  Whether those two were involved or not, something was going on at Hawk's. That something was tied to his father's reason for buying the place. Trent shouldn't care why his father bought the place, but he did. He needed to know what his father was up to when he died. If he didn't, the restlessness that plagued him might never go away.

  Maybe a surprise visit to Michael Robbins would spark the man into giving him some information about the deal he'd worked out with his father. Maybe he hadn't asked the right questions last time.

  More determined than ever to uncover the buried truth, Trent headed west, toward Michael Robbins's office.

  * * * *

  MR. ROBBINS'S OFFICE was small but had a pleasant view of the craggy west side of the island. The realtor wasn't there, but assuming he must be nearby because the door had been left open, Trent decided to wait and admire the dozens of pictures of homes for sale and cottages for rent. If the prices listed were any indication of typical prices, Mr. Robbins must've been living very comfortably.

  "Well, Trent Parker, you're sure a welcome sight."

  Trent didn't let himself be flattered by the other man's enthusiasm. No doubt he looked like a huge dollar sign to the other man. “Good to see you too,” he said as he accepted Mr. Robbins's outstretched hand.

  "Please sit down,” the other man said.

  After dropping into the chair next to the coffee table, Trent leaned back and tried to look relaxed.

  "I'm glad you came by, I've been getting ready to give you a call. I've got some news you might be interested in."

  Trent perked up. “Really?"

  Enjoying being the man with the plan, Mr. Robbins leaned back and smiled. “Seems that woman you got running Hawk's is making quite a reputation for herself."

  Louise's face flashed in his mind. “That's true, she's something else."

  "Apparently, Zigler's noticed ... and ... they're thinking about making you an offer."

  "To buy?"

  "Of course to buy, what else? Their stable has been doing so well for years, and it seems they're worried about the competition, which,” Mr. Robbins leaned forward and grinned, “your girl is dishing out. They're worried, but also seein’ an opportunity."

  "Yes, of course...” Trent had no idea what he'd been thinking, only that he was shocked anyone would actually want Hawk's. Louise had been doing a great job, but still...

  "Now, they're not going to pay what Keith Klinger, that developer—who is still interested by the way—offered, because they'll be keeping it as a stable and all—"

  "Zigler's wants to keep it open?"

  Mr. Robbins cocked his head. “Yes, that's what I said."

  "My staff could keep their jobs?"

  "Well ... I'll have to check into that. I'll get in touch with both Zigler and Klinger, keep the lines of communication open, you know. I'll give you a call as soon as I've talked with them both.” The realtor made a note on a pad of paper on his desk. “You're worried about your staff?"

  Louise could keep her job, and he could wash his hands of the stable. “Of course."

  Catching the way Mr. Robbins was leaning back, rubbing his jaw and assessing him, Trent lifted an eyebrow in question. The gazes locked for a long moment until the other man broke the silence. “All right son, now I have to ask. I got the impression that you and your dad weren't well..."

  "Close?"

  "Well, yes."

  Trent shifted his gaze to the window. “No, we weren't close."

  "You don't do business like your dad either."

  "No. I don't.” Looking back to Mr. Robbins, Trent said, “I need to know why my dad bought that stable."

  "Wish I could tell you, but like I said, I never ask why.” He chuckled. “I only ask how much."

  Trent shook his head and smiled weakly at the realtor's joke. He stood to leave, but the other man stopped him.

  "Don't suppose it matters now, that I tell you, seein’ as your father has passed away, but your dad ... he's actually owned Hawk's for a long time. Recently, right before ... he passed away, he came to me and asked me to figure out how much it was worth."

  Long seconds ticked past as Trent sorted out what the other man said. “He owned it for a long time ... and he was just putting it on the market?"

  Mr. Robbins shrugged. “We can only assume he was going to sell it. He might've had another reason for wanting to kno
w its value. A lot of men, get older, and start putting their affairs in order, if you know what I mean."

  Trent stumbled back. “You think he knew he was going to die?"

  Mr. Robbins shot to his feet. “No. Absolutely not. He was driven, he had plans, and he did not act like a man getting ready to die. Only..."

  "What?"

  "Only like a man trying to get something settled.” Mr. Robbins spread his hands wide. “That's all I can tell you. I hope it helped..."

  More questions, no answers. Trent nodded, “Thanks for telling me."

  "Sure thing. We'll keep in touch?"

  "Yes, yes, of course,” Trent mumbled over his shoulder as he left the office.

  * * * *

  LOUISE WAVED OFF A newlywed couple and returned to the rental office. Gail was just coming in and Louise nodded toward the other woman's empty hands. “You passed out the rest of those flyers already?"

  Her new employee smiled and shrugged. “It was easy. I did what you suggested and went to the businesses along Huron Street. A couple of the T-shirt shops agreed to put flyers in the customer's bags."

  Good news was exactly what Louise needed after her lunch with Trent. If business picked up, that would keep her hands busy and her mind occupied. And maybe, just maybe, Trent wouldn't close down Hawk's.

  "Thanks, Gail. Have you seen Pete? I haven't seen him since I got back from lunch."

  The girl pressed her lips together. “Nope, I guess I haven't seen him since then either.” She waved her hands in the air. “Maybe he had an appointment or something."

  Louise worked to keep a frown off her face. “It seems like he would have mentioned something like that."

  "I'll tell him you're looking for him if I see him.” Gail went outside to help a family who'd just come into the yard.

  Louise didn't need Pete for anything. It just seemed strange that he'd leave the stable attended when he knew they'd be busy all day. Obviously she needed to make up an employee work schedule.