Noah nodded.
"I know Sterling is gay. The whole world knows. He let Hunter use him to hurt us. And why? To preserve a ridiculous non-secret. So much for fatherly love."
"I'm screwed up."
"You broke my heart."
The pain she saw in Noah's eyes made her ache to hold him. But, she wasn't ready. Not yet.
"If you'd told me—"
"Told you what, Anderson?" Noah scrubbed his face with both hands. "My pride hit rock bottom. When Hunter was through with me, I had less than before I left New York."
"You stopped answering my calls."
"Add coward to the list of my sins." Noah reached for her, pulling back at the last second. "I didn't have the words, or the guts, to explain. I told myself you were better off. Was I wrong?"
"Yes." How could he be so clueless?
"I kept up with your career. When we met, you were ready to take off. Without me to weigh you down, you soared."
"Because I didn't fall to pieces, you think everything was okay? Jerk." Andi wondered if any man was worth the effort. One look into Noah's blue eyes and she had her answer. "Not unhappy is different than happy."
"I was miserable."
"Good." She smiled. "Tell me the rest. Obviously, you found another investor."
"I did," Noah nodded. "After I found a cheap bottle of whiskey. Then another. And another."
"Oh, Noah." Andi's heart sank. All the times she wanted him to suffer, she never dreamed what he actually went through.
"I didn't tell you so you'd feel sorry for me." Tentatively, he reached for her hand. Andi grasped his and held tight. "The truth is ugly. I was ugly."
"What turned you around?"
"I was sick of myself. Literally sick. One morning, I woke up in a pile of my own vomit. My hair was matted, my clothes filthy." Disgust for himself radiated from Noah in palpable waves. "I swallowed what pride I had left and called the man I used to work for here in New York."
Absently, Noah ran his thumb over the back of Andi's hand.
"John Mahoney's his name. He loaned me enough money to rent a cheap place to work. I bought an old cot to sleep on. Then, I put my head down and refused to let anything distract me. Maybe the cheap booze knocked something loose in my hard head. I don't know. But everything fell in place like a row of dominos. Six months later, I had a working prototype."
"And now you're a billionaire."
Shaking his head, Noah chuckled.
"Not quite."
"I did some checking up of my own. Your first billion isn't far from a reality."
"I guess."
Andi's heart swelled with pride. She knew money meant a lot to Noah—only a fool would think otherwise. But she didn't care. What mattered was his will to survive. No, to thrive.
"You didn't let them win."
"Almost." Noah wasn't about to let himself off the hook so easily. "When Dee Wakefield asked me to help take down Ingo Hunter, I jumped at the chance."
"Who could blame you?"
"I promised myself I'd leave you alone." Noah kissed the back of her hand, his eyes filled with hope. "Whatever you want, Anderson, I'm all in."
"What if you woke up tomorrow and all your money was gone? How would you feel?"
"Pissed off."
Andi had to laugh.
"Seriously. I'd start over. And work my ass off. Not for the money. Not anymore." Noah placed her hand over his heart. "All I want is for you to be proud of me. And to love me. The rest doesn't matter."
"I've always loved you, Noah." Andi looked into his deep-blue eyes, the beat of his heart strong against her palm. "But I've never loved you more than I do right now."
"What about tomorrow?" Noah gathered her into his arms.
"I'll love you more." Andi raised her lips to his.
"And the next day?" he whispered.
"More."
Noah deepened the kiss.
"More?"
"More, and more, and more."
Wonder and amazement surged through Andi with wild intensity. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the same emotions reflected on Noah's face.
"I love you, Anderson. I promise—"
With a sharp shake of her head, Andi pressed her fingers to Noah's lips. "No promises. No guarantees. We love each other. Right?"
Noah nodded. Taking her hand, he kissed each finger, one by one. Andi laughed. Her heart felt light. She would always love him. More, and more, and more. However, she didn't want either of them to look too far ahead.
"All I ask is we never take what we have for granted."
Andi cupped Noah's cheek. Not so long ago, she would have sworn their love was in the past. Now, he was here, and he was hers. In her eyes, they were a minor miracle. Whatever forces conspired to bring them back together, she didn't want to tempt fate. The future would take care of itself. They needed to concentrate on the here and now.
"One day at a time?" Noah asked.
"Yes."
"Sounds like the perfect plan."
Thoughtfully, Andi turned her head to the side.
"May I ask you a vitally important question?"
Noah's gaze turned serious, the blue, a deeper blue. Nodding, he waited.
"Why do you have on so many clothes?"
"Hell if I know." A teasing twinkle replaced the somber cast in his eyes. He whipped his shirt over his head. "Better?"
"For a start." Andi's mouth watered as she ran her hand down his warm, muscled chest to his flat, sculpted stomach. She traced each defined ridge with her finger and sighed. "You're awfully pretty."
Chuckling, Noah divested her of the puppy nightgown.
"Pretty doesn't begin to describe you." Slowly, reverently, he cupped her breast, his thumb teasing the hardened tip. "I thought my memories of you were perfect. I was wrong."
As Andi glanced at her naked body, she tried to see herself from Noah's perspective. Three years wasn't a long time. But she'd changed. He'd changed. If he wanted something different, something new, she needed to know.
"Tell me what you like."
"I like you," Noah growled, nibbling on her shoulder.
"I mean in bed." Andi cleared her throat. She actually felt embarrassed. "Tell me. Teach me. Or I can look on YouTube."
"YouTube sex lessons?" Noah's lips twitched.
"I'm serious." She met his gaze, and suddenly, she realized how ridiculous she sounded. Laughing, Andi pushed him onto his back. "I'm a quick study."
"I'll tell you exactly what I want. Kiss me here." Noah pointed to his jaw. She complied. His finger moved to the other side of his face. "And here."
Holding back her smile, Andi did as he asked.
"And here."
"Here?" She brushed her lips against his.
"Mm." Noah's hands gripped her hips and sighed. "Perfect."
No, Andi thought, melting into his embrace. They weren't perfect. But together, they were as close as any two people could hope to be.
~~~~
HALF ASLEEP, ANDI reached for Noah and found the bed beside her empty. Panic zipped through her and she bolted upright, the smile falling from her face. Had she dreamed everything? Had the past few hours been a wonderful dream? Had she awakened to a cruel reality where he wasn't here—where he didn't love her?
The sheets were cold. However, the pillow held the indentation of someone's head. Andi leaned close, breathing deep. Noah. She'd recognize his unique scent anywhere. On the nightstand sat his watch, on the floor lay his shirt.
Not a dream. Snuggling under the covers, her racing heart calmed to a normal rhythm.
"Yes!" The cry of elation came from the far side of the room. "I have you now, you son of a bitch."
"Noah?" Andi slid from the bed. She tugged his shirt over her head before she hurried to where he sat hunched over his laptop. "What's going on?"
"Want to see what's left of Ingo Hunter's so-called fortune?"
Noah sat on the sof
a wearing nothing but a pair of unbuttoned jeans. Worried he might be cold, she grabbed the blanket from the bed. Wrapping the fluffy quilt around his shoulders, she took a seat next to him.
"So-called fortune? You mean Hunter isn't rich?"
"Let me back up a bit." As he talked, Noah continued to type. "I started my investigation into Hunter's finances before I left Los Angeles. One of the programs I've developed does a continuous scan, all day, every day. If something pops, the computer sends a message to my phone."
"Technology is amazing. And scary as hell."
"You're right on both counts. Depends on who's behind the keyboard."
"I'm glad you're on our side." Burrowing under the blanket, Andi slipped her arm around Noah's bare waist. "Show me what you've found."
"Hunter doesn't have as much money or liquid assets as he'd like the world to think."
"So?" Andi shrugged. "Most wealthy people fudge the numbers."
"A few million here or there, maybe. Not tens of millions."
"Holy crap," Andi breathed.
"I can't say for certain who, but someone very smart and very wily is behind Hunter's financial woes."
Noah practically vibrated with energy. The feeling was contagious.
"Someone?" Andi asked, afraid to get ahead of herself. "As in Ingo Hunter's son?"
"You want facts or my gut feeling?"
"Both."
"Fact is, a mysterious figure has maneuvered Hunter toward high-risk investments for years. A few paid off—just enough to keep the greedy bastard on the hook. Incrementally, Hunter lost more and more money. The more he lost, the more he invested as he tried without success to recoup his flagging fortune."
"Stupid." Andi would have stopped after the first big failure.
"Typical." Noah brushed a kiss across Andi's cheek before he continued typing. "Arrogant and stubborn, Hunter wants to believe he inherited his father's brilliant business acumen. He's wrong."
Andi frowned at the screen. Good thing Noah knew what was what because she didn't.
"Question? Did Hunter lose all his money legitimately? All through bad investments? Or embezzlement?"
"No sign of outright thievery. Two things I know about whoever's responsible. The person is damn good. Almost as good as me."
"You never suffered from a lack of ego," Andi chuckled.
"Thank you." Noah winked. "Second thing is only my opinion."
"Your gut?" Andi teased.
"The person has a grudge and, until recently, was content to play the long game. For years, Hunter's finances trickled away. A little here, a little there. He had to know something was up but couldn't stem the flow."
"You're impressed by our mystery saboteur." Andi could see the admiration in Noah's eyes.
"He or she has flair," he admitted.
"How long until Hunter loses everything?"
"Lately, I noticed an uptick in activity." Noah set the laptop aside. Turning, he took Andi into his arms. "If the trend continues, Hunter will be flat on his ass broke in a year. Maybe less."
"When we realized Hunter was after the Benedict fortune, we thought his motive was greed. A rich man who wanted more." Andi shivered, cuddling closer to Noah's warmth. "He's desperate, Noah. And desperate men are dangerous. Look what almost happened to Bryce."
"I don't think you or your sisters need to worry," Noah assured her. "Hunter can't risk another high-profile accident that points his way. Until Billie has the baby, he'll keep his nose clean."
"And then?" Andi gripped Noah's hand. "If Billie gives birth to a boy, Hunter will have access to everything. But will he want everything? If I die, my sisters, Billie. Our money will automatically go to the last remaining heir."
"Your brother."
"A helpless child who will be under his father's thumb until he turns eighteen."
Noah's arms tightened around her.
"We need to hire protection for you and your sisters. Just in case." His voice was raspy with emotion.
"Not yet."
"Andi—"
"You said yourself, Hunter won't make a move until after the baby is born. We have a few months to make a plan."
"I'd feel better if you had a bodyguard."
"I'd feel better if we could find Ingo Hunter III. Everything seems to lead back to him."
"Dee Wakefield is on his trail. So am I." Noah lifted Andi into his arms. "We can't do anything else tonight."
"Oh, I don't know." Andi enjoyed the ride to the bed. "I can think of one or two ways we can pass the time."
"Only one or two?"
The heat of Noah's blue eyes warmed Andi to the bone. He kicked away his jeans. Naked, glorious, he was a sight to be seen. And, wonder of wonders, he was all hers.
EPILOGUE
~~~~
SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER filled the backyard. On the brick patio, Adam and Zach were embroiled in a good-natured argument over the best way to grill a steak.
Bryce and Calder lounged near a bed of blooming begonias, drinks in hand. Nearby, Hitchcock, Zach's fast-growing puppy chased his tail until a butterfly caught his attention and he bounded off with gleeful abandon.
"We've acquired quite a crew over the past few months." Destry handed Andi a glass of Mrs. Finch's freshly squeezed lemonade.
"Life takes some funny, interesting turns," Andi nodded.
"According to Mrs. F., Billie is AWOL. Care to fill me in?"
Destry arrived an hour earlier. She went straight to her room for a much-needed shower before she joined them in the garden. So much had happened, Andi hadn't been able to catch her sister up on everything.
"We'll talk," she promised, sliding an arm around Destry's shoulders. "Right now, if you don't mind, let's enjoy the beautiful day."
"A few drama-free hours." Destry laughed. "Yes, please.
"Hey, gorgeous." A platter of steaks in one hand, Noah brushed a caress over Andi's arm. "After I make my delivery to the chefs, want to meet me in the gazebo?"
"I'll bring the lemonade," Andi promised.
"Good to see you, Destry."
"Noah," Destry nodded. "You two look good together."
"Do we?" Andi couldn't think of a nicer compliment. "The other day, I saw an old movie. A fairy godmother granted the main character three wishes. Made me think. What would I wish for?"
"And," Destry asked. "What did you decide?"
"I wanted to be happy. I wanted the same for you, Bryce and Calder."
"Wish granted," Destry smiled.
"I want Ingo Hunter to disappear from our lives."
"We'll get there."
The absolute certainty in Destry's voice made Andi believe her sister was right.
"What else? You have one more wish."
Andi looked around. The ones she loved most were close, and best of all, happy and healthy. Down a cobbled, flower-lined path, the only man she would ever love waited for her to join him. She was blessed with an embarrassment of riches. Only a fool would ask for more.
"I think I'll keep my final wish in reserve."
"For an emergency."
"For you."
Destry blinked, surprise lighting her dark eyes.
"Me? My life is great. What could I possibly need?"
Shrugging, Andi headed down the path.
"Anderson." Noah opened his arms, his smile going straight to her heart.
One day, she hoped Destry would understand. Love wasn't easy or simple, God forbid, predictable. But, when you loved the right person and were loved in return?
Love changed everything—in all the best possible ways.
~~~~
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Three Wishes: A Second Chance at Love Contemporary Romance (The Sisters Quartet Book 3) Page 22
