by Debra Kayn
He climbed into the car and grinned. “That’ll keep Diana busy. There’s no way she’ll find out I’m here and what I’m doing.”
“I don’t know. Those girls have their way of finding out everything that happens in Cottage Grove. It’s damn scary how that happens.” Grayson drove off the field toward Cottage Grove. “Right now, I’m sure they’re planning a way to hang us by the balls.”
“No … ”
Grayson shook his head. “Yes.”
“Shit.” He gazed out the window. “Would you have done what I did?”
“Yeah.” Grayson shrugged. “But, you’re going to have a helluva time making it up to her. If Diana is anything like Shauna, you’ll enjoy getting on her good side.”
He closed his eyes and groaned. If he would’ve talked to Diana first, she would’ve told him no. Stingy and proud, she’d never listen to reason. Hopefully, she’d realize why he came to Cottage Grove and forgive him.
• • •
Diana walked out of the credit union and leaned against the brick wall. Her hands perspired, and she closed her eyes against the nausea making her dizzy. After wrestling with her blankets all night, she’d decided to do the one thing she’d sworn never to do.
She got a loan, and not from her father.
Just thinking about all the papers she signed moments ago, only to receive pre-approval to purchase the Ferriday house, left her wondering if she’d survive writing her name on the dotted line when she offered to buy the house and it was officially hers. She swung her purse over her shoulder and pushed off the wall. Only thing left to do is walk across the street to the real estate office and write up an official offer.
Dominic’s check weighed heavier on her mind than in her purse. She’d finally figured out last night the reason she put off running to the realtor the moment the plane landed was because of how she felt about being paid to fall in love with him.
She couldn’t use his money. She’d hate herself for the rest of her life.
Their time together meant more than a half a million dollars, and if she cashed the check, she’d forever know how much she lost. She held up her hand to stop traffic and crossed the street. Despite her broken heart, she couldn’t take money he’d normally send to his parents. The image of him as a little boy playing sock hockey in the basement with his parents cheering him on deserved the money more than her.
When all was said and done, she’d given him a couple of weeks of privacy in his crazy life but in the long run, he’d forget about her. She stepped onto the curb. Giving the money back would allow her to go on with her life; she could move on to running her own bed and breakfast, and Dominic would play hockey and enjoy his freedom to choose the right girl for him.
“Diana?” Her mom’s voice reached her.
She turned in surprise. “Hi, Mom.”
Tara Spenner, fifty-eight years old, trim, and exceedingly professional appearing in her black blazer and pencil skirt, hurried toward Diana. Diana put the envelope of papers she’d received from the bank behind her back out of guilt. Her mom was going to flip when she found out she’d used all her savings as a down payment.
“Sweetheart.” Mom kissed her cheek. “You haven’t called or stopped by the bank since you arrived back in town. Your dad and I are worried about you. You’re not acting normal, going off with a man we don’t even know. What has gotten into you lately?”
She laughed self-consciously. “It was a little vacation, Mom. That’s all. I called and left a message, remember?”
“Yes, but a man, Diana? We had no idea you were seeing anyone.” Her mom’s voice softened. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She smiled. “Better than fine, really. I-I’m buying a house.”
“What?” Mom pulled back. “But with your wages at the hotel, you aren’t scheduled to have enough money to afford your own house until you’re twenty-eight years old. Your dad has your portfolio at the bank, why don’t you find time to go sit down with him and he can help you figure out how to put more money into an IRA. Besides, what about the hotel? It’s free rent as long as you’re working there, and a great place for someone young and pretty to meet — ”
“Yes, but I want to own a bed and breakfast, Mom.” She paused and looked at the door of the real estate office. “I’m not satisfied working for someone else. I need to grow and learn. I love making others happy, giving them the best accommodations and helping them enjoy their stay in Cottage Grove. I want that satisfaction of supplying a need for the town. It’s a good business decision. Cottage Grove doesn’t have a bed and breakfast, just the hotel.”
“I don’t think your planning this right. You’ve got yourself mixed up with some man who’s giving you all these ideas. It’s ridiculous. When your father hears — ”
“No, Mom. My decision has nothing to do with a man. If I screw up then I’ll be the one to pay the price. Not you. Not Dad. Me.” She sighed. “I have an appointment, and if I don’t go, I’ll be late getting back to work. I’m on my lunch hour, so I must hurry.”
“Diana?”
“I can’t talk right now. I’ll call you tonight, okay?” She opened the door, and rushed in the building without waiting for a reply.
If she gave herself two minutes to discuss her plans with her parents, she’d chicken out. Paying on a loan for the next thirty years went against everything she believed in when it came to investing her money. Financial security was the one thing she could count on to keep her safe, happy, and content.
“Diana.” Sue Patrick walked out of her office. “Come on back to my office, and we can sit down.”
“Thank you.” She followed the forty-year-old woman and mother of two girls, and took the seat across from the desk. “I’m glad you were able to see me on such short notice.”
“My pleasure.” Sue clasped her hands together on the desk. “What can I help you with today?”
She fingered the edge of the manila envelope. “You know I’ve been interested in the real estate market lately, and you’ve been so nice to send me all the listings when I’ve asked for them.” She smiled. “I’ve made a decision. I’d like to make an offer for the Ferriday house on Baltimore Street.”
Anxiety whooshed out of her with the words, and she laughed in relief. She’d wanted to make that announcement for the last three years, ever since she’d returned from college. Nothing could stop her now. She’d held strong against her mother, worked her ass off at the hotel, and the paperwork was only a formality.
“Oh, no. I’m afraid I have bad news for you.” Sue leaned back in her chair. “I’m sorry, Diana, but the Ferriday house went off the market early this morning.”
“What?” Not possible. That was her house.
“A cash buyer approached me last night, offered full price, and the lawyer in charge of the estate accepted early this morning,” Sue said.
Gone? Diana stared at the desk. What about her bed and breakfast? The renovations? Her future?
“I would be more than glad to help you search for another house.” Sue clicked the mouse and brought up a different screen on the computer. “We have an older, one story house on Oak Street, across from the middle grade school. The house has all the original woodwork and is in great shape for the age. The new listing came on the market last week.”
“No. Um, no, thank you.” She stood.
“I’m sorry again, Diana.” Sue’s bottom lip came out in understanding. “Please call me if there is anything I can do for you in the future.”
She nodded, numb and heartbroken. In a daze, she walked outside. How could someone buy the house after all these years? It’d been on the market since she returned from college. And now, someone bought it and probably wanted to knock it down and build something new. She walked along the sidewalk. Her dream was over. There were no other houses of that caliber in Cottage Grove that would fit her ideal of a historical bed and breakfast.
“Diana.” Her dad’s baritone voice broke through her thoughts. She raised he
r gaze off the sidewalk, spotted Jerry Spenner, and ran into his arms. “Oh, Dad, someone bought the house.”
“Shh.” He patted her back. “Your mom told me what you were doing.”
She sniffed. “I know you don’t approve, but I wanted that house. It’s all I’ve thought about for the last three years.”
“I know,” he said.
She pulled back. His freshly shaved face, his gleaming glasses, and gray hair didn’t distract her from the understanding smile he aimed at her. “How?”
“Cottage Grove is a small town, honey.” He swiped her cheek with his finger. “I own the main bank, and I also know you weren’t putting your wages in my bank. It wasn’t hard to figure out you had other plans. Besides, I saw the list you’d made on your table last time I visited you. It wasn’t hard to put all the information together and guess what you were up to.”
“You’re not disappointed?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m proud, so very proud of you. You’re young, single, and the most headstrong person in our family. If anyone could make a success of a bed and breakfast in Cottage Grove, you could’ve with no problems.”
“But you and Mom … ”
“We were young once too. We struggled and fought, and you’ve only seen the benefits of what took years and years to accomplish. You might not believe it, but there was a time we were wild and lived on our last dollar, because we thought traveling to Portland, Oregon to a concert or driving cross country with a group of our friends to go skiing was more important than whether we had macaroni for dinner or steak.”
Shocked and intrigued by the image of her careless parents, she shook her head and sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now.”
“You pick yourself up, go back to work at the hotel, and keep saving so the next time an opportunity knocks at your door, you’ll be ready.” He lifted her chin. “Then if you need anything, you come to me. I’ll help you.”
She kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Now, tell me about this man you snuck away to stay with.” Her dad frowned. “A professional athlete? That’s quite a change of lifestyle from what you’re used to here.”
She glanced away. “It’s nothing. I just helped a friend of a friend.”
She couldn’t think about what a mess her life was at this moment. She’d lost her dream, and though she didn’t want to admit it, she’d fallen in love with Dominic and lost him too. If she dwelled too much on all the bad things happening to her suddenly, she’d burst into tears.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Not wanting Diana to see him before he was ready, Dominic parked the Porsche behind the City Hall and walked across to the hotel. He whistled as he hopped onto the sidewalk. The change in his life since the last time he showed up in Cottage Grove was not lost on him.
He’d practically had to fight his way inside the double doors. The women had been crazy and determined in their quest to get a piece of him. Today, everyone left him alone and barely glanced at him. He had Diana to thank for the turnaround in his life.
Inside the old hotel, several people stood at the desk and a large group of individuals walked out of the restaurant to his left. He moved in closer and peered over the heads of the guests in front of him.
Diana stood with her head lowered, signing a paper behind the check-in desk, her curls loose and wild around her shoulders. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered.
He knew everything about Diana. He’d studied, mesmerized, and learned how fast she was to smile when he made her happy. She’d stand with her hand backward on her hip when he made her flustered. Most of all, he loved to watch her eyes ignite with passion and soften when he kissed her.
Diana tucked her hair behind her ear. He smiled, because at any moment he knew she’d brush the stray strand away from her face — yes, just like that. Now she’d bite her bottom lip. His grin stretched his cheeks. He’d missed her.
Diana moistened, and then raked her teeth over her bottom lip. His legs shook as her tongue tempted him to push his way through the crowd and kiss her.
Every movement, every breath she took, hypnotized him. How could he think that she’d walk away from him, feeling nothing or believing what they shared together was a fling? Stubborn and yet giving, she did what he expected her to do. Not what she wanted, because that’s the type of person she was. He should’ve known.
He inhaled deeply, content to stand and watch her forever. But he had plans, and they needed to settle what was between them once and for all.
He’d never expected her to steal his jersey. That one simple act gave him hope that it wasn’t too late.
He could fix letting her get on that plane and fly out of his life. All he had to do was convince her to listen.
“Excellent.” Diana smiled at the couple in front of the desk. “Enjoy your stay.”
She gazed out at the others in the group. He recognized the moment she spotted him, because she lost her smile.
“Hey, sweetcheeks,” he mouthed.
She shook her head and frowned.
Burned from her reaction to seeing him, he peered around the room. Why wouldn’t she be happy to see him?
“Excuse me.” He shifted and walked between the guests, until he stood in front of the counter. “Diana, can I talk with you?”
“I’m working.” She looked at the computer screen. “Unless you want a room, you’ll have to leave.”
He glanced over his shoulder. An older woman raised her brows and elbowed her husband, who jerked his gaze toward him and lifted his chin. He smiled politely and turned back around. “Yeah.”
She snapped her gaze to him. “What?”
“I’d like to reserve a room at the hotel. For tonight.” He reached behind him and extracted his wallet.
She blinked rapidly. “Dominic, you don’t want to … ”
“One night.” He slid two hundred dollars across the counter. “Please.”
She glared. “You don’t want to stay here.”
“Yes, I do,” he said.
She stuck out her chin and challenged him. “No, you don’t.”
“Yes. I. Do.” He grinned.
She leaned over the desk. “What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want to talk with you.”
“We’ve said all there is to say.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not working for you any longer.”
“Excuse me. How long is this going to take?” A man spoke behind him.
“It’ll just be a minute.” He winked at the man’s wife and lifted his chin at the man in a silent plea for a few minutes of patience before turning back to Diana. “Have dinner with me.”
She shook her head, stepped over to the printer, and slapped the paper down on the counter. “Sign.”
He scribbled his name. “What time do you get off work?”
“I’m not going out to eat with you.” She snatched the registration papers from him and tossed the key toward him.
“Chinese? Mexican?”
“Go away,” she said.
“We’ll order in, and — ”
“No.” She clamped her mouth shut, and peeked at the guests waiting their turn. “Don’t you have a game to play?”
He grinned, because she was so damn cute when she tried to change the subject. “Suspended.”
“That’s not funny.” She frowned. “What is wrong with you?”
“For once … nothing.” He leaned over and braced his elbows on the counter. “Come closer to me.”
“Why?” She shifted her gaze away from him.
He crooked his finger. “Come here.”
She rolled her eyes and stepped toward the counter. “What?”
“A little bit closer,” he whispered.
“Dom, this is ridiculous — ” she leaned over the counter “ — and not at all appropriate while I’m working.”
“Who cares,” he murmured, right before he kissed her.
For all his nonchalance
and kidding, he went from slow to deep in a snap. All he could do was hold onto the counter to keep from hurdling over the top and showing her how damn much he missed her.
She met his tongue with her own. He deepened the kiss, excitement building in his chest until he felt like he could take on the whole Rangers team by himself in an away game. He slid his hand around her neck, keeping her from going away again. She stared into his eyes, questioning him without a word spoken.
“We need to talk,” he whispered.
She rubbed her lips together. “No, we don’t.”
“Dinner? Please?”
“I’ll be working through dinner,” she said. “Leave a message on my phone if you want to talk to me.”
“It’s too important to tell you over the phone.” He kissed her once more, fast and hard. “Dinner tonight. I’m not taking no for an answer. We’ll talk, and then you’ll understand.”
He turned around. From behind him, she called, “Understand what?”
He waved over his shoulder, smiling. “You’ll see, sweetcheeks.”
Then not giving her a chance to deny him his wish, he strolled through the double doors and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He had no idea if she’d noticed the change in him or not but by tonight, she’d finally learn the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Diana paced the small sitting area in her hotel room. It was seven o’clock. Dominic wasn’t coming.
She’d ignored her excitement all day over seeing him again and soon learning why he’d come to Cottage Grove. When she wasn’t glancing at the clock or peeking out the front door of the hotel, she beat herself up for how easily she fell back into thinking Dominic was her world. How could she expect him to be satisfied with a woman like her?
She’d failed in advancing her career when she missed purchasing the Ferriday house. He played professional hockey and traveled the world. She was stuck working for Mr. Dogger until she could make enough money to have a brand new bed & breakfast built. It’d take her years to supplement a loan of that size.
