“Yes, Ma’am, she’s sitting squarely on that slice of rock. Looks good, you should drop by on your way out. Things are going well up here, I’ve got a few surprises for you.” He looked pleased with himself.
“Really? Like what? Good ones, I hope.”
“I hope you’ll think so. Are you planning on planting these tomorrow?” John looked up at the sky. “I hear we’ve got rain coming in tomorrow night. It would be good if you had them in the ground before then.”
“I am. I’ll be here bright and early in the morning to get started. Tell me more about the surprise.” Chelsea reached for the last bucket.
“Why don’t I just show you? Come along, Missy. Now remember, if you don’t like it, I can take it out.” John grinned at her and headed for the house, fully confident that she would love the surprise.
“Oh my God, John, they’ve finished painting!” Chelsea exclaimed as she entered the foyer. “It’s wonderful.”
“Yes, the painting’s done, but that’s not your surprise.” John kept walking towards the kitchen.
“Oooh, look, all the cabinets are in,” Chelsea felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The disarray she had left yesterday morning had morphed into a completed home, at least it felt that way downstairs.
“Yep, the cabinets are complete, appliances go in tomorrow. But that’s not your surprise.” He kept walking through the kitchen to her living quarters. Keeping this secret had not been easy. Chelsea wanted to know every detail about every room, but he had managed it, thanks to the fact that she wasn’t very adept at reading blueprints.
“Oh, look at the mountains,” she said as they passed her bedroom windows. “I can’t believe that I’ll wake up every morning to that view,” she sighed.
“It’s a beaut. Now, come on in here and see what you think.” John led the way into her bathroom, stopping just inside the door. He knew the moment she spotted the tub, her squeal of delight unmistakable.
“John, you didn’t! How did you? Oh I love it,” With a quick hug for the beaming man, Chelsea ran to the oversized whirlpool tub perched beneath a large picture window, mountain views stretched for miles in the distance. “How is this possible? It wasn’t in the budget.” Chelsea ran back over to him, eyes shining.
“I got a great deal from a buddy,” John lied. “I take it that you like it?”
“No, John, I love it!” Chelsea practically danced around the room. “How did you know I wanted one?”
“You’re a woman, aren’t you? My Martha always told me that she could handle anything, as long as she had a hot bath waiting at the end of the day. I thought you might feel the same.”
“But this is so much more than a hot bath, this is an experience. It’s amazing, John, you’re amazing. Thank you.” Throwing her arms around him, Chelsea squeezed hard. He squeezed her right back.
“And you two wonder why I thought you were dating,” Mac quipped as he came into the room. He’d heard the truck pass by earlier, but was only just able to make it up to the house. He knew about his father’s surprise and had hoped to see Chelsea’s face when she discovered it.
Laughing, Chelsea and John broke apart, sheer joy beaming from her eyes.
“Were you in on this too?” She asked Mac.
“If I say yes, do I get a hug?” He grinned.
Avoiding the question, Chelsea skipped over to inspect the tub more thoroughly.
“It’s so big, I bet it could hold at least three people,” she exclaimed.
“Sounds like a party,” Mac said as he came up behind her. “Why don’t you climb in?”
Kicking off her shoes, Chelsea did just that.
“Ooh, it’s so deep, and look how many jets it has. I still can’t believe it’s mine. Thank you, John, it’s a wonderful surprise!”
“You’re most welcome, Missy. I thought it would be nice for you to enjoy a treat after taking care of a house full of people all day.”
“Yes, it will.” Chelsea looked at the view once again and sighed. “It’s heaven and it’s perfect.”
“Speaking of heaven, are you planning to plant all of those roses along the front porch? That’s an awful lot of flowers for one area. Won’t the fragrance be overpowering?” Mac asked.
“No, I plan to place a few in the back garden and along the walkways. I probably bought too many, but once I started, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.” Chelsea climbed out of the tub.
“I can help you lay them out this evening, if you like.” Mac offered, hoping for some one-on-one time with Chelsea.
Chelsea looked at her watch and her smile faded. “I’d like that, thanks, but I have to leave.” She shuddered a little at the thought of meeting Preston. But she’d given him her word, and she would keep it.
“Okay, well, maybe I can help you tomorrow morning.” Mac tried to hide his disappointment. “You should stop by and take a look at the restaurant, if you have time. We’ve installed one of the elevators.”
“Really? How exciting. John told me that it was attached to the rock, but he didn’t mention the elevator.” She cut her eyes at John. “You two are full of surprises today, aren’t you?”
Looking sheepish, John shuffled his feet. “One or two,” he agreed.
“Well I love them, thank you both.” Chelsea’s gaze warmed both of the men. “Now, let’s go take a look at that elevator.”
~~~
“But why did you agree to meet with him?” Sharon relaxed across Chelsea’s bed as Chelsea applied make-up.
“Now I wish I hadn’t, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.” Frowning, she hastily brushed mascara over her lashes.
“He doesn’t deserve one more minute of your time.” Sharon rolled over onto her back and closed her eyes. “I wish I’d been here when he came over; there’re a few things I’d like to say to him.”
“Maybe not, if you’d seen the look on his face. He actually cried. Real tears. I didn’t have the heart to kick him when he was down. Besides, it’s one dinner, what can it hurt?”
“I’m not buying it.” Sharon sat up and looked Chelsea in the eyes. “A leopard doesn’t change his spots overnight. Once an asshole, always an asshole.”
“You don’t think people can change? I hope that’s not true. We all evolve into better people, hopefully. Why else are we here? It just takes some of us longer than others.” Chelsea pulled on a pair of jeans.
“I didn’t say people couldn’t change, just that I don’t believe Preston suddenly realized how much he loves you and had to have you back. There’s something else going on here. I can smell it.”
“You and your nose,” Chelsea laughed. “It really doesn’t matter what Preston wants, I’ve no desire to rekindle anything, but it won’t kill me to give him a bit of closure.”
“Closure is the last thing he wants. Think about it, Chelsea. Why would he show up here, bound and determined to get you back after nearly a year? You think it took him this long to miss you? Or did he forget that he loved you, then suddenly remembered? No way, he’s after something and I’d lay odds that it’s your money.”
“Sharon, he doesn’t need my money. He’s got a trust fund, plus he’s invested in several lucrative businesses. I don’t know what took him so long to get here or what he may be after, but it’s not my money.”
“Trust funds run out, and the economy could have taken a toll on his businesses. All I’m saying is don’t trust him, Chelsea. Laugh at my nose if you want to, but it never steers me wrong.”
“Okay, okay, I hear you. Did I tell you that Mac stopped by last night?” Chelsea needed to change the subject. Sharon’s warnings were giving her a headache.
“Mac? Stopped by here? Talk about burying the lead, what happened?” Sharon tucked her feet beneath her, eager to hear something juicy.
“Nothing happened, he just wanted to apologize.” Chelsea went into her closet, looking for something that wouldn’t give Preston any ideas.
“Well it’s about time, what was his problem?”<
br />
“He thought John and I were dating, and that I was after his money.” Chelsea came out of the closet wearing a blouse buttoned up to her neck. “He didn’t like it.”
Stunned, Sharon took a moment to digest the news before bursting out in laughter.
“What an idiot. You and John, whatever gave him that idea?”
“He saw us talking and hugging a few times. You know that John and I talk about his wife and my mother. He just got the wrong idea.”
“I’ll say. Now that you’ve set him straight, what’s happening between you two?”
“Nothing’s happening, silly. He’s doing a job for me, that’s all.” Chelsea felt her cheeks redden at the lie and turned away before Sharon could see. It wouldn’t do for her friend to know how attractive she found Mac. She’d never hear the end of it.
“Umm hmm.” Sharon nodded, noting how quickly Chelsea had turned away. “That may be all for now, but give it a few days. That is one fine hunk of man, sure would be a shame to waste him, now that you’re on speaking terms.”
“Get your mind out of the gutter and help me put on this bracelet, please.” Chelsea held out her arm. “If you think he’s so fine, why don’t you do something about it?”
“Because I’ve known him a long time. If there were any sparks between us, they would have shown up long ago.” Sharon quickly flashed on the man from her past who made fireworks go off whenever he touched her. Shaking her head, she pushed any thoughts of Jason right out of her mind. It wouldn’t do to go down that road again.
“Thanks.” Chelsea shook her arm to settle the bracelet. “The only sparks between Mac and me were hostile ones, up until yesterday. I’m just grateful that things are better between us. I’m certainly not looking for anything more.”
“You don’t have to look for the good stuff to find you.” Sharon gave her a knowing glance. “Just don’t let Preston get in the way.”
“There’s nothing to get in the way off,” Chelsea insisted. “It’s just one dinner, don’t worry so much.”
Chapter Seventeen
“We could have gone somewhere nicer,” Preston’s voice held the hint of a sneer as he opened the diner door for Chelsea.
“I like it here,” Chelsea breezed by him, waved to Lila and selected a booth by the front window. “The food is good, the people are friendly, what else could you ask for?”
“Candlelight, a good wine list and a waitress who doesn’t yell across the counter, for starters,” Preston mumbled.
“I don’t suppose this place meets your standards, but I’m comfortable here. You can leave, if you like. There’s a very nice restaurant in Monroe, about twenty minutes away. Sharon works there.”
Preston cringed. “No thanks, if you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Chelsea seriously doubted that, but she nodded and picked up the menu.
“You should try Lila’s chili, it’s amazing, or the grilled salmon, if you’re in the mood for fish.”
“It doesn’t matter what we eat, I’m just grateful that you agreed to meet me.” Preston slipped back into the silky sweet manner he had adopted since the start of the evening.
Chelsea smiled noncommittally and continued to peruse the menu.
~~~
Across the diner, Mac observed the two from the cover of his own menu. Feeling his gut clench at the sight of Chelsea with the stranger, he ignored what it could mean and focused instead on the well-dressed man. There was something about that one that he didn’t like. More than the fact that he was out with Chelsea, the man’s entire demeanor reeked of slime.
“He thinks he’s too good for this place,” Mac said aloud.
“Who does?” John asked, his back to the pair.
“That guy we saw in here last night. He’s here again with Chelsea.” Mac didn’t hear the venom in his voice, but John did.
“Ohhhh, so that’s how it is.” John chuckled and went back to doctoring his coffee.
“That’s how what is?” Mac kept his eyes on Chelsea and her date.
“You like her. I wondered why you got so riled up over thinking I was courting her, now it makes sense. You want her for yourself.” John smiled at Mac’s shocked expression.
“Where did you ever get that idea?” Mac protested. “I just don’t like the looks of that one, is all. I wonder who he is, and why he’s hanging around Starsdale.”
“More like why he’s hanging around Chelsea,” John muttered, then spoke louder. “There’s one way to find out, go over and speak to them, introduce yourself.”
“I just might do that, on our way out. More natural, that way.” Mac dropped the menu, but kept Chelsea and her date in sight.
~~~
“How are things going with the B&B?” Preston asked after they’d placed their order. “I’d enjoy seeing the place, if you wouldn’t mind showing it to me.”
“Things are going really great,” Chelsea remembered the delight she’d felt, seeing John’s and Mac’s surprises. The restaurant looked spectacular, riding down to it on the elevator was a treat. Her eyes glowed with the memory.
“I can see that. So, will you show me?” Preston hid his impatience. He needed to see the property to accurately assess the value.
“Of course. You can drop by tomorrow, I’ll be there all day, planting the roses I bought today.”
“Why don’t I help you?”
“You? Plant roses? You do realize that entails digging holes in the ground and getting your hands dirty, don’t you?” Chelsea teased.
“Of course I do. I’ve planted things before.” Preston lied; he’d never dug a hole in his life.
“Somehow I find that hard to believe, but yes, if you’d like to help, come ahead.” Chelsea didn’t expect him to actually show up.
“The place where I met you the other day, that’s not the B&B, right?” From the plans he’d unearthed in the registrar’s office, Preston knew that the property held an old house.
“No, that’s the site for the restaurant and the event center. The B&B is farther up the hill. Just keep driving, you can’t miss it.”
“A restaurant and an event center? You’re certainly ambitious.” Preston made it sound as if he approved as his mind calculated the costs. She’d likely already wasted much of her inheritance. It would be most inconvenient to wait for the property to sell, after Chelsea died. He made a mental note to consider alternative solutions.
“Yes, but I can’t take all the credit. Sharon had the idea for an event center, and the restaurant bloomed from there. John, my contractor, said it would be more cost effective to build everything at once. Sharon and I are partners in both the restaurant, Cliffhangers, and in the event planning business, Cliffside.” Chelsea’s eyes lit up as she discussed her plans. “You may have noticed how beautiful the scenery was when you were there, the view of the mountains alone is breathtaking, not to mention the greenery and the rocky landscape of the forests surrounding it. It’s a wonderful place for weddings, parties and other special occasions. Starsdale doesn’t have anything like it, so why not give it a go? Sharon is a wonderful chef, she’ll be handling the restaurant, but I’ll help with the events.”
“But aren’t you in charge of the B&B? Isn’t that a lot to take on?” Preston asked politely, the calculator still running in his head.
“Yes, but we don’t expect to have an event every day. I should have time to do both, but if we get too busy, we’ll hire help. That’s another wonderful side effect of opening new businesses, creating jobs for the community.” Chelsea sipped her lemon water. “I do so love it here. I already feel part of the town.”
“I can see that.” Preston’s smile was more of a smirk. “You do seem happy here.”
“I am. Turns out that I’m a small town girl at heart. But I know that it’s not for everyone.”
“No, but I can see the appeal.” Knowing that his plan hinged on convincing her to trust him, Preston had no choice but to appear to embrace Starsdale. “I can tell you from first-hand expe
rience, this town needs an alternative to the lodge. If for no other reason than that, your B&B should be a success.”
“I plan to make the B&B a destination, not just a place for weary travelers. If you’re not comfortable at the lodge, you can always go back to San Diego.” Chelsea said sweetly.
“Chelsea, you know me well enough to know that the lodge is not exactly my style.” Preston wrinkled his nose. “But I’ll stay there as long as it takes to convince you that we deserve a second chance. When the B&B opens, I’ll be your first customer, if necessary.”
Smiling, Preston reached for Chelsea’s hand. She moved it before he could touch her.
“I have infinite patience, Chels, if I’m after something important. There’s nothing more important in my life at the moment than you.”
Rolling her eyes, Chelsea sighed.
“Are you trying to tell me that you would be happy living here? Because I don’t believe it. You love the city, the urban lifestyle. Your businesses are there, your friends are there, your family is there. There’s nothing for you here, Preston.” Chelsea’s tone was definite.
“Haven’t you heard anything that I’ve said? None of that matters. I can visit the city anytime, visit friends and family anytime. I can start new businesses here. You are my life, Chelsea. Believe that.” He looked deeply into her eyes, willing her to buy what he was selling.
Chelsea said nothing, simply looked back at him, trying to read beneath the words.
“I could help you get the B&B off the ground. Have you already built the website? Will you be marketing regionally or nationally? Have you put together packages, contacted other local businesses to see what kind of reciprocity agreements you can work out? I can help you with all of that and so much more. Let me help you, Chels. We made a good team, once.”
“Yes, we did,” Chelsea answered after a time. “I admit that I could use your expertise with everything you mentioned, but I can also do it alone.”
“But you don’t have to do it alone. What could it hurt? I’m in town for the duration. Use me. If at any point you decide that you don’t need me anymore, I’ll disappear.” Preston’s eyes pleaded with her to agree.
Killer Romances Page 50
