by Ruth Langan
Ethan turned from the grill, then nearly dropped the tongs in his hand at the sight of her. “You’ve done it again. Turned Hannah the landscaper into a fairy princess. Are you some sort of magician?”
She arched a brow. “Oh. You mean this old thing?” With a laugh she twirled like a model, causing the hem of her cool mint-green summer dress to sirl around her strappy little sandals. The dress was backless, displaying an expanse of tanned flesh that had him drooling.
With Danny and T.J. watching, Ethan crossed the space separating them and drew her close for a quick kiss on her cheek.
“Daddy’s kissing Hannah.” At Danny’s chant, T.J. laughed and clapped his hands.
Surprised and more than a little pleased at their reaction, Ethan looked over at his sons and wiggled his brows. “Do you think I ought to do it again?”
“Yes. Yes.” With the two little boys shouting and dancing around them, Ethan brushed a second kiss over her cheek before stepping back.
Hannah laughingly brushed at her cheek to hide the rush of heat she’d been forced to absorb. Just being close to Ethan caused her pulse rate to soar. “Kisses are very nice, Mr. Harrison. But I believe you promised me protein.”
“And I always keep my promises.” He turned away and picked up a fluted glass.
She studied it as he handed it to her. “Champagne? What’s the occasion?”
He merely gave her one of his most charming smiles. “It goes with protein.”
“Ah.” She sipped and watched as he began filling a platter.
“Hannah, sit here,” Danny called.
She took her place between the two boys and clinked her glass to their glasses of milk.
With giggles, the boys drank their milk and watched as their father filled their plates. Hannah reached over and began cutting T.J.’s meat and vegetables into small bites.
She glanced at the platter that Ethan was holding out to her. “Is that steak? Thick and marbled with fat and dripping blood?”
“I hope that’s the way you like it.”
“Oh, be still my heart.” She stabbed a steak and set it on her plate.
“I made some pasta to go with it.” Ethan set a bowl of pasta loaded with tomato sauce and baked cheese beside her plate and watched as she helped herself to a mound of it.
Danny glanced over. “Are you going to eat all that, Hannah?”
“You bet. And probably more if your daddy doesn’t take it away from me.”
Across the table, Ethan’s smile lit his eyes as he sipped his champagne and watched Hannah tuck into her meal. He loved watching her eat. In fact, he loved watching her do everything. Work. Talk. Laugh with his sons. He’d never known anyone like her. And as much as he enjoyed seeing her with his boys, he could hardly wait until later, when Danny and T.J. were asleep, and he could have her all to himself.
“Hannah gave me a string and told me to shake it in front of Marmalade. Daddy, that old cat started jumping and leaping and…”
The little boy’s voice trailed off as a car rolled to a stop in the driveway. When the door opened, Selena lifted out an attaché case and headed toward them.
“.” Ethan got to his feet and stood at the top step of the deck. “What are you doing here?”
“More trouble with the Davis account.” When she saw Hannah, something flickered in her eyes. But when she spoke, her voice was smooth as silk. “I see I’m disrupting your meal. Sorry. But that’s business.”
“I tried phoning you several times, only to get your answering machine. I had no idea you were flying all this way again. Why didn’t you just work out the problems over the phone or on e-mail?”
“Because I prefer face-to-face.”
“I see. Well then, join us.” Ethan took the briefcase from her hand and offered her his chair. “I’ll put this inside and get another plate.”
“Don’t bother. I ate on the plane.”
“A glass of champagne, then?”
She arched a brow. “I never turn down a glass of champagne. What vintage?”
“Would you like to check the label?”
She shrugged. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
Ethan walked inside.
While he was gone, Selena glanced at Hannah, addressing her for the first time. “Is this part of your landscaping contract? Dinner with the boss?”
“Actually, this is a bonus.” Hannah touched a napkin to her mouth and pushed aside her half-eaten meal. “Danny and T.J., did you say hello to Selena?”
“Hello, Selena,” the boys said in unison.
“Still no nanny, I see. Which is why your daddy is too distracted to attend to business. He should have listened to me and considered a good boarding school.”
Hannah sucked in a breath. “You’re aware, I suppose, that Ethan attended boarding school at an early age?”
“I see he’s sharing his personal history with you.” Her tone sharpened. “Boarding school didn’t hurt Ethan, and it wouldn’t hurt his sons. Right now he’s too confused to sort things out. But in time he’ll come to his senses and realize that he needs to focus on the details of the business—which he and I built at great financial risk—or we could both end up losing a fortune.”
“So this is about you?”
At Hannah’s quiet question, Selena rounded on her. Before she could speak, Ethan stepped out and handed her a crystal flute before topping off Hannah’s drink. As he did, she looked up at him and they shared a smile.
Seeing it, Selena set down her glass with a clatter, causing them to look over.
“Sorry. I guess I’m just weary from so much travel.” She managed a smile. “I hope you have a spare room. I think I’d like to sleep now, and then we can get started ironing out the difficulties with the Davis contract in the morning.”
“You’re staying the night?” Ethan was shaking his head. “Sorry. Of course you are. You couldn’t possibly flyo Maine at this time of night.” He thought a moment. “There are several spare rooms, but they’re not furnished.”
“No matter. I can sleep on the sofa.”
Hannah turned to Ethan. “There’s a lovely old inn in town. The Harbor House.”
“It sounds…quaint.” Selena chuckled. “But I’m not going to stay in some roadside motel. I’ll be just fine on Ethan’s sofa.”
“Nonsense.” Ethan started toward the door. “Do you happen to know the number of the Harbor House, Hannah?”
“Sure. We’ve been going there since we were kids.” She picked up her glass and followed him inside.
Minutes later, she returned to find Danny and T.J. eating in silence while Selena stood at the railing, tapping a foot and sipping her champagne.
“Good news,” Hannah called. “Ethan was able to reserve their best suite for you.”
Selena turned slowly and seemed about to say something when Ethan stepped out the door carrying her attaché case.
His smile was as broad as Hannah’s. “You heard?”
Selena nodded.
“Turn left when you leave the gatehouse and follow the main street into town. You can’t miss the Harbor House.”
“I’m sure I won’t have any trouble finding it.” Selena’s glance stayed fixed on Ethan, ignoring Hannah and the boys. “Thank you for going to all this trouble, Ethan. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter 14
“Thank heaven for the Harbor House.” Ethan pressed his mouth to a tangle of hair at Hannah’s temple.
The two, pleasantly sated, lay in a tangle of arms and legs on the sofa. The only light came from the moonlight that streamed through the skylights overhead.
“You don’t mind that I suggested it?” Hannah turned toward him, her fingers playing with the hair on his chest.
“Mind?” Ethan chuckled. “It was brilliant. I was beginning to feel trapped. I was trying to figure out just how I could lock Selena in an empty room upstairs so she’d be out of our way.”
“You realize she’s in love with you.”
; At Hannah’s words he froze.
Seeing his reaction she sat up, unmindful of her nakedness. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know that?”
He shook his head, as though to clear it. “I’m not denying it. It’s become painfully obvious. But I wasn’t aware of it until Elizabeth pointed it out. In fact, her words were stronger than yours. She told me that Selena was obsessed with me.”
“Obsessions can be dangerous, Ethan.”
He nodded, deep in thought. “I know what you’re thinking. But the private detectives I hired went over Selena’s file, looking for any flaw in her alibi, and gave her a clean bill of health. They did the same with every other person who might have come in contact with Elizabeth on the day of her death.”
Hannah sighed. “The perfect crime.”
Ethan ran his hands through his hair before pulling on a pair of camp shorts and walking to the kitchen. A short time later he returned with two steaming cups of tea. After handing one to Hannah, he sat down beside her.
She touched a hand to his. “Tell me about Selena.”
He sipped, then looked away. “We met in college. She’s brilliant. Dean’s list. A string of degrees. Daughter of a prominent Boston family. An only child, expected to earn her M.B.A. and take over the reins of the family business. Instead, after finding out that I wanted to design specialized software programs for businesses, she offered to invest her money and come in as an equal partner.”
“Does she pull her weight?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded. “She’s a workaholic. Can get by on a couple of hours sleep a night. Never suffers jet lag, no matter how many time zones she flies through. Our first year in business she lined up so many clients, it became impossible to keep up with the demand. She’s the one who is always nagging me to work harder, faster, longer hours. If it weren’t for Selena, I doubt our business would be as successful as it’s become.”
“Did she seem upset when you got married?”
He shrugged. “Yes, but only insofar as she considered it a distraction. She’s so focused on her work, she thinks I should be the same and allow nothing to interfere.”
Hannah thought a moment before saying softly, “Earlier this evening Selena referred to Danny and T.J. as distractions.”
He winced. “Yeah. She’s made it plain that she thinks I spend way too much time being a father. She gently suggested boarding school for my sons, but I’ve made it just as plain that it’s not an option. I’ve been down that road.”
Seeing Hannah’s look of disapproval at the mention of boarding school, he smiled. “In Selena’s defense, I have to say one more thing, which to me is more important than anything else. When all my friends deserted me after Elizabeth’s death, Selena stood by me.” He set aside his cup. “For that alone I’ll be indebted to her for the rest of my life.”
Hannah sipped her tea. “Friends that loyal are hard to find.” She brightened. “I guess I’d better make a greater effort to like her, even though she’s made it obvious that she isn’t fond of me.”
Ethan smiled before taking the cup from her hands and placing it on the end table with his.
When she arched a brow he drew her close and brushed his mouth over hers. “Her loss.” Feeling her trembling response, he took the kiss deeper. Against her mouth he whispered, “Because I happen to be very fond of you, Hannah Brennan, and I’m about to show you just how much.”
“Don’t tell me it’s morning already.” Ethan reached out for Hannah, only to find her already dressed and perched beside him on the edge of the sofa.
“All right. I won’t tell you. But I’m leaving.” She bent down and pressed a kiss to his lips before heading for the door.
“Dinner tonight?”
She paused. “Are you cooking?”
“Of course.”
She nodded. “I’ll be here. Now I’ve got to run.”
As she drove home, Hannah thought about what Ethan had told her. For his sake, she would crank up the charm whenever she was with Selena Crain. If the woman was a friend of Ethan’s, Hannah would do what she could to make her a friend, as well. She hadn’t met anyone she couldn’t win over when she put her mind to it.
“We’ll be putting the playscape here.” Hannah unrolled the plans she’d drawn up with Ethan’s approval, and her crew gathered around for their assignments.
Martin Cross had already directed several of the crew to spray the vegetation. In the heat of the day, it had quickly begun to wither and die, making it easier to remove. Now the crew began digging up the old sod and replacing it with mulch that would soften the ground if the boys should fall from the swings and slide. Still other workers were busy putting together the equipment to be installed as soon as the area was prepared.
Hannah waved to Danny and T.J., who were watching from the safety of the deck. Through the wall of windows she could see Ethan and Selena bent over documents spread out on the kitchen table. Selena’s car had been there when Hannah and her crew had arrived for work.
Hannah couldn’t help smiling, wondering if Ethan had found time to shower and dress and straighten the sofa before Selena’s arrival. No matter, she thought. If he wasn’t bothered by having their romance made public, why should she? Sooner or later Selena would have to accept the fact that her business partner was getting on with his life.
Getting on with his life. The phrase had Hannah humming a little tune. Until Ethan and those two adorable boys, she’d wondered if she would ever find someone with whom she would care to share her life. Not that she hadn’t been perfectly content with the way things were going. But now that these three had come along, she was deliriously happy. There was nothing more she wanted or needed.
Was this how Emily felt when Jason had come back to Devil’s Cove? Hannah thought of the pure bliss she saw in their eyes whenever her sister and brother-in-law looked at each other. Would they be able to tell, just by looking at her, that she was feeling the same sort of wondrous joy?
“That’s okay, Kevin.” Hannah cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted, “I’ll get those things out of the way.” Seeing the young football player heading her way on the tractor loaded with sod and earth, she snatched up an armload of shovels and hauled them to a waiting truck.
She spotted her water bottle lying on the ground and wondered howad landed there when she’d left it beside her truck. She snatched that up, as well. When the tractor was safely past, she looked around with approval.
“You know what?” She grinned at her crew. “We’re a darned good team.”
She lifted her water bottle in a salute before tipping it to her mouth. She was aware of the noxious odor of weed killer at the same instant that she felt her mouth start to burn like the fire of hell.
Though a tiny trickle of liquid slid down her throat, leaving it raw and blistered, she managed to spit most of it out before grabbing Martin Cross by the front of his shirt.
Her eyes were red and watery. Her words were little more than a strangled whisper. “Get me to Emily’s clinic right away.”
She was only vaguely aware of his strong arms wrapping around her, hustling her toward his truck while he shouted orders at the stunned crew. As he turned the key in the ignition, she leaned her head back, forcing herself to breathe in great gulps of fresh air. Every breath burned her mouth and throat and lungs. But she was determined to clear her head and remain coherent until she could get the help she needed.
“I won’t have a definitive answer until the lab has concluded all the tests.” Emily took Hannah’s hands in hers and squeezed. “But from the smell, I haven’t a doubt that the water was laced with weed killer. Now we need to know why. Have you ever used separate containers for mixing this stuff?”
Hannah shook her head, grateful that she’d had the presence of mind to cling to her water bottle. “Never. It’s been a firm rule from the beginning. All our containers are clearly labeled. In a business like mine, there are too many accidents just waiting to happen. I don’t leave any room for my wo
rkers to mistake one solution for another.”
“Then my next question is, how can you be certain the water bottle you drank out of was yours?”
“My name is clearly marked on the side.” She held it out to her sister. “With so many crew members, it’s a necessity.”
“So, if this was a deliberate act, anyone who wanted to lace your water with that weed killer wouldn’t have any problem knowing which bottle was yours?”
Hannah sighed. “I know where this is headed, Emily. You want to know if any of my employees might be holding a grudge.”
“I’m not the only one who’ll want to know.” Her sister wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I called Boyd Thompson. He’s coming by your place later to get a complete report.”
Hannah nodded. Boyd was the police chief of Devil’s Cove. “I understand.”
“Now go home, Hannah. The burning should be gone in a few hours. I want you to take this sedative as soon as Boyd leaves, and try to sleep. I’ve already alerted the family. Bert and Poppie are going to be spending the night at your place.” Emily touched her forehead to her sister’s. “Thank heavens you didn’t swallow more than a drop.”
“Yeah. I’m just glad that stuff smells so nasty. Otherw”
She saw her sister give an involuntary shudder and knew without asking what her fate might have been.
When she stepped out of the clinic, Martin Cross was waiting. “Your sister told me to drive you home. And I’m going to stay there until Boyd Thompson and your grandparents get there.”
“Thanks, Martin.” She settled herself inside and closed her eyes. “What about my truck?”
“I’ll have one of the guys bring it to your place later.”
As he drove, she dialed her cell phone and waited for Ethan’s familiar voice.
“Hannah. What are you doing on the phone? Why didn’t you just knock on the door?”
She heard the smile in his voice and was warmed by it. “I’m not in your yard, Ethan. I’m in Martin’s truck, heading home. I won’t be returning to work until tomorrow.”
