by K C West
Chapter 1
“You said cottage, PJ. Your words were crystal clear. You told me that plans had changed and we were meeting your dad in Newport at the cottage.”
“Okay, let me - ”
“This place is huge. It must have twenty or thirty rooms.”
Kim’s jaw hung open as she stared at the house. She raked her fingers through her short, dark hair, and I watched the sun glint off strands of silver in the gentle breeze. Tall, tanned, and muscular from years of working dig sites, my partner was not easily cowed by man or beast. Facing the evidence of my financial situation, however, often left her disturbed.
“Thirty-four, to be exact,” I said, hoping to lessen her apprehension with an abundance of details. “But you see, these places have been called cottages from the day they were built, which in the case of Grandma Jo’s place, was in the 1890s.”
We were standing on the paved driveway inside the compound leading to the south entrance of Windswept. My grandmother’s summer retreat was a mansion set high on the hillside overlooking Rhode Island Sound and, beyond that, the Atlantic Ocean. It was a late Victorian structure with a wide, wrap-around porch, cross-gabled roof, and Palladian windows.
Grandma Jo’s retreat was shingled with cedar on the upper floors, but its first level was encased in native stone. The exterior shutters and trim gleamed with a fresh coat of Wedgwood blue paint. The rugged stone and weathered cedar gave the house a patina of rustic charm that spoke of permanence, despite decades of exposure to the elements.
Warm sunshine bathed the flagstone terrace to our right. Wrought iron tables and plump chaise lounges awaited casual dining, conversation, or sunbathing. I had whiled away many summers on that terrace, gazing out toward the horizon, pondering my future.
Pup, Kim’s fifty-fifty blend of wolf and German Shepherd, made a thorough circuit of the terrace, sniffing and whining at every stray insect or wisp of sea grass that had the audacity to cross his line of sight.
“Pup seems to be enjoying himself,” I said, as we started through the walkway. “You know he’s a good judge of character.”
Kim shifted her daypack to her other shoulder. “I never said it wasn’t a lovely place, just big.”
“Once you know the people who live here, you’ll think of it as a home like any other, only with more bathrooms.”
She laughed. “Yeah, right.”
“Please try to like it, if only for my sake. We won’t have to stay long if it bothers you too much.”
We gazed at each other for several seconds.
“I’m sorry,” she said, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “You know that I come from a small, narrow-minded family that was only too glad to see me leave. I forget what it’s like to be loved and welcomed.”
My free arm circled her waist. “I thought I was doing my best to convince you of both of those, especially the love part.”
She gave me a hug. “You certainly are persuasive. Please tell me more about this clan.”
“Okay. Where was I?” We entered by way of the sun porch, walked through a sitting room, and went into a long hallway. “The place has been in my father’s family for generations.” J opened a door and we peeked in. “When she was eighteen, Grandma Josephine Lane married Will Samuel Curtis right here in the grand ballroom.”
We crossed the shiny oak floor to the large windows and admired the view of rugged coastline below. “Dad was born two years later and spent a great deal of his summers here, fishing, sailing, swimming, and racing motorcycles up and over the narrow roads along the coast - much to the dismay of his parents.” I moved to another window and waved in the direction of the nearest mansion. “Fortunately, the neighbors lived on estates of their own and didn’t concern themselves with noise or reckless youths. When Dad married my mother Rachael, her mother, Priscilla Ludlow, joined the Curtis family groups spending summers here.”
Fearing I had put Kim to sleep with my ramblings, I turned to apologize and found her still staring at the shoreline and its breaking waves.
“This place is amazing. Every window has a million-dollar view.”
Oh, shit. I retraced my steps. “Don’t worry about the size or the view, okay?”
Kim’s brow furrowed, and she aimed one of her withering stares at me. “Easy for you to say. You aren’t entering the land of the rich and famous for the first time.”
I dropped my bag and put both arms around her waist, hugging her close. “Kimmy, please. You’ll get used to it, I promise. You’ve been to the town home in Boston several times. That can be intimidating.”
“That place isn’t as enormous, and doesn’t have the Atlantic Ocean in its backyard. And besides, I was in Boston to see your father about work. He and the Curtis Foundation provided the funds for several of my expeditions, and that intimidated me more than your ritzy digs in Back Bay.”
“Comforting thought, since Dad’s here, too.”
“Don’t remind me.” It came out as one long groan.
I rubbed my cheek against her shirt, inhaling her distinctive, spicy scent. “I’m sorry.”
She ruffled my hair and kissed the top of my head. “We’ll manage somehow.”
I looked up at her, grinning. “You may even grow to love the place. Plenty of aunts, uncles, and cousins have relaxed inside these walls. The Lane, Ludlow, and Curtis clans all congregated here during the summer. I’m just sorry that I never got to know my grandparents very well before they died. Grandma Jo lived the longest. She inherited the place and lived here year-round, through several hurricanes and countless blizzards, until she and two of the servants were killed in a boating accident in 1971.”
“That’s sad. She sounds like she was a pretty feisty woman.”
Still embracing, we turned and looked down at the water. “I imagine she was,” I said. “I’m named after both my grandmothers, though I shortened my name to PJ as soon as I could.”
“Why’s that?”
“Too many relatives made comparisons and always found me lacking.”
Kim’s arm tightened around my shoulder. “I understand, sweetheart. But, you have no reason to feel that way. You’re the bravest, boldest, most intelligent - ”
“Yeah, yeah, give me a swelled head. You aren’t exactly unbiased, you know.”
“Most beautiful, most sexy - ”
“Jesus, Kim, you’re good for a woman’s ego.”
Pup joined us, having apparently explored some terrain below the terrace. His black muzzle was peppered with damp, sandy granules, and pieces of seaweed and beach debris clung to the fur on his narrow legs.
Kim used a tissue to wipe the sandy residue from his head and scratched his ears in the process. “Geez, Pup, you can’t go around looking so grubby. This is a fancy place, and PJ’s ancestors may be looking down on us right this minute, shaking their heads in dismay.”
I laughed. “I’m sure there are plenty of my living relatives who’d criticize me for the life I’ve chosen, but I’m more resigned to it now.” I looked into Kim’s dark eyes, and my heart overflowed with love.
I’d found what I really wanted. I’d found my knight in shining armor; only she’d turned out to be an Amazon warrior archaeologist in khaki cargo pants.
She had been waiting for me in Arizona, searching for a lost tribe of Amazon warriors. All I’d had to do was earn her respect and convince her that our initial distrust could change to love if given half a chance. The fact that we both thought I was straight slowed the attraction that grew between us, but eventually I wore her down. Displaying a patience I’d never known I had, I convinced her that she was the person I wanted to live with and love for the rest of my life.
We did have our differences. Not the least of which was what I l
iked to call the “wealth issue.” I’d been blessed - or cursed - with it all of my life, but Kim had to work her way through college and graduate school, earning her honors and degrees with academic scholarships and part-time jobs. In matters of finance, she was proud, frugal, and fiercely independent. In the six months we’d been together as lovers, I’d learned to compromise - a lot.
Pup seemed bored with the ballroom and sniffed the air for hints of more exciting discoveries. He had been Kim’s companion and protector for many years. To my surprise and delight, once he stopped trying to scare me away from his mistress, he became my friend and extended his protective services to include me.
“Come on.” I touched Kim’s forearm. “Mitch can’t stay, and we need to get the luggage.”
We went back to the Mercedes and helped our pilot and chauffeur empty the trunk. Without another word, we shouldered the lighter bags and followed Mitch back into the house.
We finished our quick tour of the downstairs, breezing into and out of the main room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, library, and Dad’s spacious suite of offices. Kim peeked at the screened-in porch, with its comfortable chairs and love seats, and her tension seemed to ease.
“Now, that looks comfortable. I could live in one of the rocking chairs, or on the loveseat.”
“Sweetheart, you can live any place here that you want, except for Dad’s office and his suite.”
“Suite?” Kim chewed her lower lip. “I’m getting nervous about staying in a place that rivals Buckingham Palace.” She looked up at the high ceilings and ornate crystal chandeliers. “Must be a bitch to clean the cobwebs from those.”
I put my hand on her shoulder, giving it a rub. “Relax, okay? I’ll be with you every step of the way. But first, we need to dump our things in my suite and get changed.”
Her body tensed. “There’s that word again. You both have suites?”
“Mine’s only three modest rooms, overlooking a corner of the bay.” I nudged her hip. “Come on, we can leave breadcrumbs to find our way back, if you want.”
“Very funny.” She gave me a weak grin. “All this opulence is making me a bit queasy, that’s all.”
I kissed her cheek. “The salt air will fix that right up. We can change into jeans and sweatshirts and take Pup on the Cliff Walk up to The Breakers. That’s three miles along the coast, with a view of several mansions. It’ll get your blood flowing again.”
“Breakers? Does the ocean get that rough up here?”
“The Sound is choppy, but - Oh, The Breakers.” I smiled. “No, actually, that’s the name of the biggest estate up here, a retreat for the Vanderbilts - Cornelius, the second, I think. It has twice as many rooms as this place.”
Before Kim could react to my statement, Dad walked into the main room and paused. Workouts in his private gym and frequent games of tennis and golf kept him fit, especially for a man in his sixties. Though not tall, he stood and walked with confidence, and his thick, white hair was cut in a casual, boyish style that I had always liked. Despite our difficulties, I was proud of him. My heart ached for the close bond we once shared, and I wondered if we could ever get it back.
A tentative smile twitched the corners of his mouth as he patted Pup on the head and turned to Kim, pouring on the charm. “Welcome to Rhode Island, Dr. Blair. Did you have a good flight?”
Kim nodded. “Very pleasant, thank you.” She waved her arm to indicate the large room with all its furnishings. “This is very impressive. Thank you for inviting me.”
Dad walked over, and they shook hands. “The pleasure is all mine.” Then he turned to me, his arms outstretched. “And Priscilla, thank you for coming.” When I hesitated, he lowered his arms. “I’m so glad you agreed to meet with me. I’m just sorry so many things kept getting in our way.”
“Yes,” I said. “First one thing and then another.”
“That problem with the oil spill took forever to clear up. I just couldn’t - ”
I held up my hand. “I understand, Dad. It’s okay, really.”
“And then you two got busy.”
Kim nodded. “I promised PJ a trip to see some very old trees in Colorado. Bristlecone pines.”
“And then we went to Mexico to… uh…” Oh, shit. That wasn’t business. That was pure pleasure. Me and my big mouth. “We went there to work on…” I could feel my neck and cheeks flush.
Kim rescued me. “Glenna Rhoderick asked me to write a chapter for her new book about warrior women. That took several weeks and some more traveling to sort out.”
I shot her a grateful smile. “But well worth the effort.” I turned to my father. “Kim is going to collaborate with a very distinguished archaeologist.”
“Yes, I read about that. Quite a feather in your cap, Dr. Blair.”
Kim looked embarrassed. “Thank you, Mr. Curtis. And I wish you’d call me Kim.”
He grinned at her. “Only if you stop calling me Mr. Curtis. It’s Frederick, okay?” He stuck out his hand again.
“Okay.” She grinned back and clasped his hand.
“The whole deal is great publicity for the foundation,” I said. “I don’t know if you realize it, but Glenna Rhoderick is a hot property in our field.”
“As is Kim,” Dad said, giving her shoulder a squeeze.
Oh yeah, was she ever. Hot. Hot. Hot.
Kim glanced at me, apparently reading my lecherous thoughts, because she blushed. “It isn’t a done deal yet, but we discussed the project and did some preliminary groundwork.”
“And then we couldn’t leave Arizona before Sandy and Laine got their doctorates.” I smiled, remembering our group’s festive reunion at Mrs. O’Brien’s.
My father’s expression grew serious. “No matter how overdue it is, you’re both here now.” Moisture glittered in his eyes, and the lines on his face softened. “We began this on the phone when you were in Arizona, and now I’m ready to talk it all out and make a fresh start. I want to settle our differences, if you’ll give me the chance.”
“I’d like that too, Dad. When you called and told me that you loved me, it helped a great deal. I think we’ve been out of synch for too long.”
“And it shouldn’t have taken an earthquake to convince me that we can’t go on like we have. I want to fix that, or at least make a start.” He held his arms out again. “Please, let me try.”
I moved into his embrace with such speed it surprised us both. He stumbled, but gave me a hug and a delighted laugh. “Welcome back, Princess.”
“It’s great to be back,” I mumbled into his shirtfront.
We stood squeezing each other for several seconds, then I released Dad and stepped back.
“You get Kim settled,” he said. “Change into something comfortable, and we’ll talk.”
I wiped my eyes. “That sounds good. We have a lot to talk about.”
*
An hour later, I found Vivian, Dad’s personal assistant, working at her desk in the alcove next to his office. She was elated to see me. “Such a lovely tan, Priscilla. And you look so happy. I guess all that danger and excitement in Arizona must have agreed with you.”
“It was a bit scary at times, but I wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything. Is he ready for me?”
Snow-white curls bounced as her head bobbed vehemently. “Go right in. If you ask me, this chat is long overdue.”
“Wish me luck.”
“You’ll be fine. Just remember that he loves you, and he always has. He’ll take forever to say it, but that’s what he means.”
“Yeah, well… I wish I had your faith.” I squared my shoulders and walked through the door.
His office hadn’t changed much since the last time I had been in it. Although upgraded and updated, the computer, fax machine, copier, and file cabinet rested in their usual places against one wall. His huge, solid cherry desk stood alone in the center of the room, and framed antique maps and paintings of sailing ships cluttered most of the wall space. Aged brass seafarin
g instruments gleamed on glass-enclosed shelves on either side of a large picture window.
Everything looked just as I remembered it, but something had been added. On one corner of his polished desktop, next to the ugly clay pipe holder that I made for him in first grade, were three framed photographs. Two of them were familiar. I had seen the one of Mom and Dad on their honeymoon in Tahiti and the one of me as a child of five or six, sitting on my father’s lap in his New York office, pretending to dictate a business letter. The look of pride on my father’s face was enough to bring a lump to my throat. I used to matter to him so much.
I stared at the third photo, a group of smiling people in a restaurant. When I moved closer, I recognized Kim and me, standing in the middle of the group. It was one of our earliest gatherings at Mrs. O’Brien’s. How in the world did he get that? Kim must have sent it to him. What a sneak. What a sweet, adorable sneak.
“Is Kim all settled in?” Dad asked, startling me.
“Yeah. She’s reading on the porch. We’ll do the Cliff Walk when I’m finished here.”
“Good.” He put aside his paperwork, moved to the sleeper sofa along the far wall, and sat down. After my mother’s death, Dad had worked many nights in here to the point of exhaustion. He would crash on that sofa when he was too tired to climb the stairs to his own room. Now, he patted the space beside him. “Won’t you join me, Priscilla? I can vouch for the cushioning. It’s very comfortable.”
I perched on the edge, gripping my knees. “Dad, I noticed that new picture - the one of our Amazon-hunting group.”
“Yes. Quite an energetic bunch, wouldn’t you say?”
“Absolutely. They were the hardest workers I’ve ever had the pleasure of being around. We had some great times. I miss them a lot.”
“I hope you don’t mind. Kim sent me the photo with one of her reports. She knows I like to keep up with you, see how you’re getting along.”
I felt my face flush and looked away from him. I hadn’t realized he was keeping tabs on me. Should I have been flattered, or worried?
Dad cleared his throat. “I can see this is going to be awkward for both of us.”
