Garrett kept his gaze trained on her. But he didn’t comment. He just listened.
“I’m not saying that what I did is Neil’s fault. I should have had the common sense to say no.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“I thought that taking the money would make me more exciting in Neil’s eyes. And that he would love me.” She hated how pathetic she’d been back then, a girl whose every action was born of desperation. “He never actually told me that he loved me, and it was the one thing I kept waiting to hear.”
“Did he say it after you took the money?”
Shame coiled in her heart. “Yes, he did. But it felt hollow, especially after I met you. Before then, you and your foster brothers were just some rich guys who weren’t going to miss the money. Or that’s what I kept telling myself. But when you stopped to comfort me that day, all the remorse I’d been fighting came rushing to the surface.” She was feeling it now, too. “I even kept the flower you gave me. But I was too guilty to keep it forever.”
“I wasn’t expecting you to keep it, let alone forever.” His tone sounded a little raw.
Her words went raw, too. “I still wish that I had it, tucked away somewhere. It was really special to me.”
He dragged a hand through his hair. He seemed troubled. Or uncomfortable. Or both.
Then he said, “I think I should check on the horses.”
When he stood and stepped off the blanket, Meagan watched him walk away, his tall, broad-shouldered body creating a dark and looming shadow. He was like a gunslinger on his way to a fight.
* * *
Garrett used the horses as an excuse to clear his head. He’d spent the last three years, while Meagan was in prison, condemning her for what she’d done, and now he was trapped in a prison of his own making.
This outing was supposed to be an exercise in analyzing her character, not falling for every word she said. Yet everything she’d told him sounded painfully real. Even more disturbing was the memory she and Garrett shared. That stupid flower she’d mentioned. He remembered the moment he’d given it to her and the beautifully fractured way she’d looked at him, as if she needed him more than he could possibly know. He’d pilfered it from the arrangement in the lobby and handed it to her because he’d wanted to make her smile.
He still liked seeing her smile.
Damn, he was losing his perspective. Then again, maybe it wasn’t such a stretch that he and Meagan could work toward becoming friends. They’d been drawn to each other from the start.
The sexy stuff wasn’t plausible, though. That was definitely off-limits. She was the last woman on earth with whom he should get romantically involved.
He checked on the horses, as he’d said he would. They were fine, of course. But he stayed there with them a bit longer.
Finally, he went back to Meagan. She was sitting in the same spot as before.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“It’s all good,” he replied, even if it wasn’t. His thoughts were still scattered.
He rejoined her on the blanket. Then he realized that there was a detail about the day they’d met that eluded him. “Not that this matters, but what kind of flower was it that I gave you?” The bloom she wished that she’d kept. “I don’t remember what it looked like.” All he recalled was the act itself.
“It was a daisy, and it’s funny you should ask, because there’s this thing Candy has been studying called the language of flowers, and I’m fascinated by it now, too.”
She went on to explain that the type of daisy he’d given her had several meanings—sadness, friendship, protection—all of which felt highly significant to her.
With all the emotional vines that were tangling inside him, he was feeling the significance, too. But he said, “I didn’t choose that flower specifically. It was just handy.”
“Yes, but it’s the one you gave me, the one that was meant to be.”
He didn’t want to cop to the idea, at least not out loud. “It was just a random thing, Meagan.”
She pulled her knees closer to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “So you don’t believe that things can happen for a reason?”
He tried to play down her theory, without squelching it completely. “Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t.”
“Well, whatever it was, whatever the rationale, I think communicating with flowers is a captivating notion.”
“It’s different, that’s for sure.” And so was his behavior. He couldn’t seem to rid himself of the hunger, the knee-jerk need inside him. He’d never gotten this twisted up over a woman before. If only he could kiss her, just to know how it would feel, just to get it out of his blood.
Was there a flower that meant forbidden? he wondered. If there was, he needed to plant them all over his yard, keeping those damned urges at bay.
Meagan said, “Candy is going to carry white roses in her bouquet. And a dyed blue one. They don’t exist in nature, so that’s why she wants to include them in the ceremony—to represent her unattainable dream coming true. I’ll get to carry one, too. I’m going to be a bridesmaid, and Ivy and Candy’s dog are going to be the flower girls.”
He busted out a grin. “Her dog?”
She smiled, too. “Yogi is a really smart Labrador. I’m excited about the wedding.” Her smile fell a little. “I missed my other brother’s wedding.”
Garrett assumed that meant she was in prison when her oldest brother got hitched. “His name is Kade, isn’t it?”
“Yes. He lives in Montana, with his wife and twelve-year-old son. Kade didn’t even know he had a son, until a few years ago. Then, when he found out, he got back together with the boy’s mother. They’re expecting another child now, too.”
“Are they going to attend Tanner’s wedding?”
“Yes, they’ll be there. I was never really close to Kade when I was growing up. There’s a fairly big age gap between us. He left home when I was still in elementary school and hardly ever came back to visit. But we’ve been working on becoming closer now that we both have children.”
“That’s good.” Garrett didn’t know much about Kade Quinn, other than he was a renowned horse trainer with celebrity clients who flocked to him. Both of her brothers were successful in their fields.
She released her hands from around her legs. “Tanner said that he wants to meet you. He really appreciates that you gave me a job here.”
“Sure, maybe I can meet him sometime. And maybe you can get a bit more acquainted with my foster brothers.” It might help to bring Meagan into the fold, for them to see her, too. “Especially since they’re such a big part of this.”
“Do they hate me for taking the money, the way you used to?”
“I never said I hated you. I just—” he searched for the right words “—hated that you pretended to be something you weren’t.”
“I’m not pretending now.”
He was, he supposed, with how badly he wanted to kiss her. “Just for the record, Jake and Max aren’t holding grudges against you. I was more affected by what you did than they were.”
“I’d like to see them. It would be nice to be able to apologize to them, like I’ve been able to do with you.”
“Jake used to steal,” Garrett said, tossing out a tidbit from the past.
Meagan blinked. “What?”
“He used to shoplift when he was a kid. He was really messed up after his parents died, and he stole things to fill the hole that was inside him. So, in that respect, he understands how easy it is to do something you shouldn’t do.”
“Thank you for telling me that.” She sighed, a soft sound of relief. “Did Jake ever get caught?”
“Yes, he did, when he was about fifteen. He didn’t go to a juvenile detention center, though. He got probation instead,
and he learned his lesson, because he never did it again.”
She spoke quietly. “And what about Max? Did he ever do anything bad?”
“Not that I’m aware of. But a lot of bad things were done to him when he was a child.”
“I’m so sorry. Is Max okay now?”
“Yeah, he’s all right. But the hurt and neglect that he suffered is always there, I think, breathing down his neck. You don’t get over that kind of pain. He even went on a recent sabbatical, taking time off from everything and everyone. He really is a bit of a mystery. I never really know what he’s thinking or feeling.”
“You seem like that, too,” she replied, reminding him that she’d already put him in the mystery category.
“Yeah, but I’m different from Max. I have a parent who loves me. Jake had a good family, too, even though he lost them. Max didn’t have anyone.” Garrett gazed solemnly at her. “But without Max, Jake and I wouldn’t be as successful as we are today. We all vowed when we were kids that we were going to become billionaires, but it was Max who clung the hardest to the dream, insisting it was possible. He’s also the one who made his fortune first, then loaned us the money to start our businesses. The foster children’s charity was his brainchild, too. He wanted us to create it together, and it’s become vital in all our lives.”
“You’re good men, the three of you.”
“We try to do good things.”
“I’m glad the restitution I’ll be paying is going to your charity. It would have broken my heart if Ivy had gone into foster care.”
“My mom felt broken every time I was separated from her. But it couldn’t be helped.”
“You’re together now.”
He nodded. He was grateful that he had the resources to provide for his mother, to give her a life of leisure and pay for the best medical care available. “She used to be a hotel maid. That’s what she did when I was growing up.”
“That makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? With you owning a resort now?” Meagan plucked a long spindly weed that was growing beside the blanket. “We’re all a product of our environments, in some shape or form.”
“Yes, we are. Products of the lives we’ve led.”
She pressed the weed to her chest, as if it were the daisy he’d given her. “Mine has been mixed up.”
“Mine, too.” He shuddered to think of how badly he was going to want her as time forged on, with this friendship of theirs on the rise. But instead of yanking it out by its roots, he was allowing it to grow.
Six
The following week, Garrett met with his foster brothers to discuss an upcoming charity event: a big fun-filled, family-style picnic in the park. They were in his office gathered around a conference table, wrapping things up. The rest of the organizers, the people who worked for their Caring for Fosters Foundation had already left. Basically, they’d created the nonprofit to help provide financial and emotional support to foster children.
Garrett poured himself a cup of coffee, his second one that morning. He offered Jake and Max a refill, too. Jake held out his cup, but Max declined, shaking his head.
Garrett silently studied both men. In his heart, the three of them could have been natural-born brothers. They didn’t look that much alike, aside from being tall and athletically built, but their bond was strong, as well as the culture they shared.
Jake was the most noticeable, with his trendy clothes, rebellious smile and swooped-back hair. His adoring wife thought that he looked like a Native American version of James Dean. Even as a teenager, Jake had girls flocking around him. He used to say that he was never going to settle down or have children, but he’d eaten those words when he’d gotten his personal assistant pregnant. Marrying her hadn’t been easy, though. She’d refused his proposal at first. But, in the end, it had worked out, and Garrett couldn’t be happier for them.
Max was a whole other animal. He had been a shy, skinny kid with no social skills and a genius IQ. He hadn’t beefed up until he was in his twenties and started hitting the gym. He’d become successful then, too, designing software that had earned him his fortune.
Garrett said to both of them, “There’s something I want to run past you.”
Max replied, “About the event?”
“No. About Meagan Quinn. You guys already know that I offered her a job and she’s been working here, but I was hoping that you’d be willing to meet her. You only saw her around the accounting office. Neither of you have ever really spoken to her.” They hadn’t attended her sentencing, either. Only Garrett and his mother had gone. “So I’d like to get that cat out of the bag.”
“Is this your mom’s idea?” Jake asked. “For us to meet her?”
“No, it’s mine. But they’ll probably get acquainted soon, too. Mom wants to get to know her.” And he couldn’t keep them apart for much longer. Nor, he supposed, was there any reason to. “Meagan is a great employee. She works hard, and I’m trying to help her turn her life around.”
“So you’ve forgiven her?” Jake asked.
“I’m doing the best I can, befriending her and whatnot.” He chose his words carefully, admitting that they were becoming friends without letting on that he had the hots for her.
Max said, “I’d be willing to meet her, if that’s what you want us to do.”
Garrett glanced over at Jake. “How about you?”
“Yes, of course. I’ve always believed in second chances. I have my own delinquent history. But I’m curious about what made the difference for you, especially with how angry you were about getting ripped off. What has she done to convince you that she’s changed, besides how hard she works? Because she was a valued employee at the accounting firm, too, before she hacked into our accounts. So why would her work ethic be the deciding factor for you now?”
“It’s not just that. I’ve spent some time with her over the past few weeks, and she’s been confiding in me about how messed up she used to be. She explained why she took the money and how sorry she is. She’s trying to be a good mother, too, and raise her daughter right. I truly believe that she’s being sincere.”
“That’s nice to hear,” Jake said. “And I’m glad you’re getting over this.”
Yeah, Garrett was getting over the theft, but he was far from getting over Meagan. “I appreciate that you’re both on board.”
Jake nodded. “No problem.”
Max nodded, too, and moved to stand near the window. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, creating jagged shards of light. Max’s favorite sport was shadowboxing, and Garrett often wondered if it was his way of attacking the past and the demons that still lived inside him.
At the moment, Garrett knew the feeling. He wouldn’t mind taking a few swings at his own shadow. As much as he wanted to be around Meagan, he was worried about it, too.
What if he got too attached to Ivy? Or what if he never got over his hunger for Meagan? There was a fistful of reasons why he shouldn’t be hanging out with her. But, even so, he was determined to follow through on their friendship.
“When should we do this?” Jake asked.
“Do what?” Garrett asked.
Jake rolled his eyes. But he cocked a smile, too. He seemed perfectly relaxed, with his shirtsleeves rolled up and his tattoos artfully exposed. “Meet Meagan. That was what we were talking about.”
“I don’t know.” Garrett hadn’t gotten that far, which wasn’t like him. Typically, he was a highly organized person.
“Why don’t you invite her to the charity?” Jake said. “We’ll all be there, and she can bring her kid, too.”
“That’s a great idea.” And something Garrett should have considered, especially since this particular event was designed for families. “I’ll talk to her about it.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jake smiled again.
Max
didn’t say anything, but he’d always been the quietest of the three. He was still standing beside the window in his Star Wars T-shirt and time-worn jeans. He wasn’t opposed to wearing business attire, in the socially acceptable manner Jake and Garrett typically did. But today he’d shown up in casual clothes, like the nonconformist he sometimes was. Garrett never really knew what to expect of Max.
“Are we good to go now?” Jake asked.
“Sure,” Garrett replied. Their meeting had come to an end. “You guys can head out, and I’ll stop by the day care later to see Meagan on her lunch hour. She eats with her daughter every day.” Already Garrett had become accustomed to Meagan’s schedule, keeping her whereabouts etched in his mind.
* * *
Meagan and Ivy sat by themselves. The other kids at their table had already finished their lunches and had dashed off to play under the supervision of a teacher’s aide.
Meagan and Ivy were still eating. Meagan nibbled on a bologna sandwich, and her daughter was picking at finger foods.
Even though Ivy kept glancing around, she seemed content to stay with Meagan and make their visit last. Meagan, too, was enjoying every treasured second of their time together.
“Mommy! Look!” Ivy pointed to the open doorway that led to the patio. “Garry here!”
Meagan’s pulse jumped to attention. Indeed, it was Garrett entering the lunch area. He carried himself in his usual way, like a CEO—strong and polished and confident.
Meagan’s daughter wiggled in her seat while Garrett stopped to greet one of the teachers on staff.
“Him see me?” Ivy asked.
“Yes, I think he’s here to see you.” And to see Meagan, too, but she wasn’t going to say that.
Garrett glanced in their direction, and Ivy waved at him. She loved waving at people. He smiled and came over to them.
“Hello, Princess Ivy,” he said.
Single Mom, Billionaire Boss Page 7
