Sweet Life

by Nina Lane

  She waved Marco away. “I’m just going to finish up a few things here.”

  “Sure.” He glanced at the cube, his eyebrows raised. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  When her office door closed, Julia gave a huff of irritation. She opened the bottom drawer of her desk to throw the cube inside, then changed her mind and put it in her handbag instead. That way, she wouldn’t forget to return it to Enzo tomorrow.

  She closed up the office and walked along Ocean Avenue, assessing the evening holiday decorations with a critical eye. The charm of downtown Indigo Bay lay in the rows of high-end shops and restaurants clustered beside art galleries, boutiques, and coffee-houses. Historic cottages spoke of the architects and artists who had once lived here, and ivy-covered stone buildings with arched entryways led to hidden courtyards. Multicolored lights wound around the iron lamps lining the streets, wreathes and stars decorated posts, colorful Christmas trees and reindeer adorned the flower beds.

  Julia loved the beauty and history of Indigo Bay. She loved the way Sugar Rush presided over the town like a benevolent king, sustaining so much of the economy and residents. She loved that the Rebecca Stone Foundation was the town’s unofficial charity and that it did so much good.

  But, god in heaven, did she wish the town didn’t expect the holidays to be something out of a hyperactive, animated Christmas movie.

  She went into Asante, an upscale bar and restaurant, and hitched herself onto a stool at the bar. A quick drink might take her mind off the fact that her list of action items was still a mile long, which meant she’d have to put in some hours this weekend.

  She had no intention of cutting into her time with her family, especially since Hailey would be back in Indigo Bay for the Stone family tree-trimming party. The tension in Julia’s shoulders relaxed a bit. She hadn’t seen her niece in several months and had planned some outings for them when Hailey returned. Julia couldn’t wait to spend time with her niece. Hailey was a bright spot in the holidays, the Cindy Lou Who of Julia’s Grinchy Christmas.

  “What can I get for you, darling?” The bartender placed a cocktail napkin in front of her.

  “Scotch. Neat.”

  He lifted an eyebrow.

  “Did you expect me to ask for a glass of white wine?” she asked dryly.

  “No, but I’ve got a Christmas peppermint martini, if you’re feeling festive.”

  “Bah humbug.”

  He grinned. “Unfestive scotch coming right up.”

  “Aunt Julia.”

  She turned to find Tyler waving at her from a booth where he was seated with Luke and Evan. Pleased, she took the glass from the bartender and walked over to her nephews. Tyler moved over to make room for her.

  “What’re you doing here?” he asked. “Waiting for a hot date?”

  “Hardly.” She spoke with derision, hoping he didn’t notice the flush creeping up her cheeks. She usually deflected Tyler’s teasing remarks about her love life with a roll of her eyes, but this time his mention of a hot date brought up an image of… his father.

  Julia took a gulp of scotch. She’d had sex with the boys’ father. And while she’d been totally into it at the time, now in the clear light of day it seemed all the more wrong. What in the world would the boys say if they knew she’d been writhing around on the floor of the great room while Warren—

  No need to go there.

  She squirmed a little and cleared her throat. “Just getting a drink. What are you boys up to?”

  “We’re talking about Dad.” Luke reached for his beer. “The whole retirement thing that came out of nowhere.”

  “I believe he didn’t tell you sooner because he knew you’d try to talk him out of it,” Julia said.

  “Right. Like we won’t now?” Evan asked.

  Julia gave them both a repressive frown. “You have no right to try and stop your father from retiring. He’s earned the right to retire early and do something else with his life.”

  “What’s he going to do?” Luke argued. “Play poker? Build model airplanes? Without Sugar Rush, he’ll be lost.”

  “Unlike you, Lucas Stone, your father’s entire identity has not been wrapped up in Sugar Rush,” Julia reminded him. “I strongly suggest you all listen to him and work to restructure the company instead of attempting to convince him not to retire.”

  “I’m telling you, man.” Tyler tilted his head back to take a swallow of beer, then eyed Luke pointedly. “It’s a chick.”

  Luke made a scoffing noise. Evan shrugged. Julia’s shoulders tensed. She regarded each of her nephews in turn.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked evenly.

  Evan sighed. “Ty thinks Dad is seeing someone.”

  Julia’s heart stuttered. “You mean a woman?”

  “No, a duck,” Tyler replied dryly. “Of course a woman.”

  “He has been dating more recently,” Evan admitted. “And he’s been going off with his climbing buddies too. With the retirement thing coming out of nowhere, there’s gotta be something else he’s not telling us.”

  “Exactly.” Tyler nodded in satisfaction.

  “So you think Dad’s playing the field?” Luke asked. “That’s why he wants to retire?”

  “Maybe.” Evan took a few chips from the bowl in the center of the table. “He was vague about his post-retirement plans, right? And a few times over the past month, Hannah and I have asked him to go with us somewhere on the weekends—to dinner, down to Catalina, trip to San Francisco. He turned us down every time.”

  “So?” Luke asked. “He’s never been into going out.”

  “So maybe that’s changing. And maybe he doesn’t want to tell us yet.”

  “Why would he not want to tell us?” Luke argued. “We know he’s seen a few women over the years.”

  “A few women.” Tyler rolled his eyes. “What about one super-hot woman? Who’s also into climbing and hiking and stuff?”

  Luke’s forehead creased. “You think he’s getting serious about one woman?”

  “It’s possible,” Tyler said. “He seemed pretty into that lady Gia a while back. And he’s going on a ski vacation after Christmas, right? He never said he was going alone.”

  “Boys.” Julia’s voice came out sharper than she’d intended, honed on the granite rock that had settled into the pit of her belly. “Speculating about your father’s love life is both rude and disrespectful.”

  The three of them all blinked in faint surprise.

  “Uh, why?” Tyler asked.

  “It just is,” Julia snapped. “He wouldn’t speculate about your love lives.”

  “Yeah, he probably would,” Evan remarked.

  Julia took a swallow of scotch, appreciating the burn as it spread through her chest. Her insides knotted like a ragged hemline. Warren wouldn’t have had sex with her if he was serious about another woman. He had far too much integrity for that. And despite the lustful combustion of their fuck, he also possessed more than enough self-control to have stopped things before they’d gotten out of hand. If he’d wanted to.

  Julia wasn’t at all certain she could say the same about herself. And now more than ever, she hated the mere idea of Warren with another woman, which made her nephews’ speculation all the more vexing.

  “I’m telling you to stop it.” She slid out of the booth. “Your father’s love life is none of your business. So instead of gossiping, I’d suggest you check your emails and see where I’ve volunteered you for the Deck the Halls finale.”

  “Can I dress up as an elf again this year?” Tyler pulled his phone out of his pocket and swiped the screen. “Please say yes. I could use the costume when Kate and I get busy… uh, delivering toys to the children’s hospital.”

  Evan grinned. Julia compressed her lips and reached for her handbag.

  “You’re selling roasted chestnuts,” she informed Tyler. “There is no costume.”

  He gave a drawn-out groan.

  “What am I
doing?” Evan asked.

  “You’re setting up seating, and Luke, you and Adam are supervising backstage. There will be more, but those are your jobs for now.”

  “Come on, Aunt Julia.” Tyler’s pleading gaze locked on her. “Can’t I help at Santa’s Sleigh or something cool like that?”

  “No.” Julia rose, her spine straightening. “You all have your assignments. And stop gossiping about your father’s love life or I’ll give you a whole new definition of the term roasted chestnuts.”

  She strode away just as the boys burst into laughter.

  Chapter

  SIX

  Curses blistered through Warren’s brain. He ran faster, his breath burning his lungs. Sweat dripped down his back. He charged up the hill toward his house, ignoring the pain in his muscles. He ran the steps up to the redwood deck and came to a slow halt and checking the time on his watch. Thirteen seconds faster than yesterday’s run. He pulled the fifty-pound backpack off and dragged in a few breaths.

  The dizziness hit him like a brick. He grabbed the deck railing. The world spun for a few seconds before grinding to a stop. He straightened slowly, smothering the unease spreading through his chest.

  He’d never had vertigo before, not even on the smaller-scale climbs he’d done over the past year in preparation for the Matterhorn. But three months ago he’d started having dizzy spells and a strange pressure in his ears that wasn’t related to an infection or even a common cold. He leaned his forearms on the railing and closed his eyes.

  He’d always been into physical fitness, but over the past year he’d taken it to a whole new level in preparation for the climb. Four times a week, he met the others at the gym for strength training, and every day he did some form of cardio and endurance work. They’d also been stepping up their local climbs, hiking to higher elevations with heavier packs.

  He went into the kitchen and downed a glass of water. In the morning, he ran the hills and valleys of his estate, knowing he needed more training than the younger guys to keep up. He was in better condition now than he’d been his whole life, but he was the oldest guy of the group. Aside from occasional digs, the other guys respected both him and his seniority, which only fueled his determination to lead the grueling climb. And not let a little dizziness get in his way.

  He headed upstairs to shower, the hot water and start of his daily routine shifting his mind back to his retirement. A little over a week until Christmas. Then he’d leave for the climb, which he’d purposely planned to give his sons complete authority over Sugar Rush. If he wasn’t available, they’d have to restructure and start working without him.

  Whether or not they wanted to.

  He dressed and checked his phone, trying not to be irritated by Julia’s lack of response to his calls and texts. She’d been ignoring him way too much lately. Maybe that was what had pushed him over the edge.

  He got into his car and drove to the Sugar Rush campus. He didn’t often feel badly about his actions. He tried to live and act with integrity, to be a good role model for his children, to treat women well. In fact, the last time he’d felt such sharp regret and guilt had been years ago… with Julia.

  Except this time it was magnified tenfold. He’d been unable to stop touching her, his desire reaching a fevered breaking point. It had felt like years of pent-up lust had suddenly exploded. He could have fucked her for hours, not wanting to leave the soft tight grip of her body. In the hours since their encounter, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her sweet, warm taste, the sound of her moans, the vibrations rippling through her.

  But despite the explosive heat, her multiple orgasms, her unmistakable response, she still thought it had been a mistake. Like their kiss from thirty years ago, but cranked up a thousand degrees.

  He hated the idea that she would connect the two events in her head, as if what had happened then had any impact on what had happened now.

  Unless it had.

  He shook his head. An image of Rebecca emerged in his mind, followed by the usual ache of sorrow. She’d never seemed to twist questions and mistakes around, trying to look at them from all angles and come up with answers. Not for the first time, he wished he had her certainty.

  He straightened his lollipop-pattered tie and strode toward the main office of the Sugar Rush campus—a sprawling complex of buildings nestled in the hills overlooking the ocean. He nodded greetings at several employees as they crossed the curving, flagstone pathways and manicured gardens between the buildings. He was immensely proud to be a member of the Stone family, to have been born into the legacy of Sugar Rush, but he was ready to leave the company to others and their visions of the future.

  He took the stairs to the seventh floor. Luke’s new executive assistant, Anne, wasn’t at her desk, but the office door was half-open. Warren knocked and entered. Luke was at the seating area, the company’s end-of-the-year reports spread on the table.

  Luke motioned him over. “Hey, Dad. Have a seat.”

  Warren sat beside his son, and they spent an hour reviewing the reports and discussing points to bring up at the next board meeting. When they were finished, Luke stacked the files and glanced at him.

  “Have you rethought retirement yet?”

  Warren’s insides twisted. He needed to get Luke on his side about this. If his eldest son supported him, the other boys would follow his lead, and the transition would be smooth.

  “No,” he said. “I don’t plan to, either.”

  Luke’s forehead creased with a scowl. Warren tried not to smile. Even now, he still saw the boy in his sons—as rough-and-tumble and rebellious as they were smart, kind, and energetic. As the eldest, Luke had always been the protector, especially of Evan. It hadn’t been a surprise that he’d felt the same way about the family company.

  Warren’s soft spot for Luke lay in the fact that the boy was his first-born, the heir to the throne. Luke was both the reason Warren had become a parent, and he was the son who’d taught him how to be a father. He’d made mistakes with Luke that he’d been able to correct for his other children. And since he’d been so young when Rebecca got pregnant, in some ways he and Luke had grown up together. Warren had become an adult because of Luke.

  It hadn’t been the same for Rebecca. She’d already been an adult, easing into motherhood and marriage as if she’d simply stepped into her life’s role. Warren hadn’t found the transition nearly as easy, but he’d worked hard to do right by his family. He only needed to look at his children to know he’d succeeded.

  “You knew I’d retire eventually,” he told Luke.

  “Not so soon.” Luke rubbed his jaw, still frowning. “And not when we’re expanding and launching new projects. Alpine Chocolates, the Corporate Social Responsibility Division, the Cocoa Bean Team… plus all the new packing technologies, the work Spencer is doing with flavenols and product blending… Sugar Rush is right at the edge of becoming a global leader in sustainability and innovation. How can you leave right now?”

  “Son, I’m not abandoning Sugar Rush,” Warren said, “Or you. The company will always face new challenges and technologies. As it should. And you and your brothers will continue to steer the ship on the right course with your strong leadership. I have nothing but faith and trust in you. That’s how I can leave right now.”

  He rose to his feet. “I’ve asked Mary to leave room on the meeting agenda so I can make the announcement. You should have a preliminary list of potential successors on hand. Don’t give the board a chance to think too much about their own choices. You be first.”

  Luke didn’t respond, but the creases on his forehead deepened. Again Warren ignored a pang of regret as he started toward the office door. All of his children had to find their own way at some point, just like he had.

  He pulled open the door and stopped in his tracks. His heart crashed against his ribs. Dressed in a pale blue linen sheath that skimmed her figure like water, Julia stood in front of the executive assistant’s desk in all her imperious glory,
her hands on her hips and her eyebrows arched. With her Grace Kelly features and her sleek blonde hair glowing like honey, she was a vision of flawless, elegant beauty.

  But Warren’s mind flashed back to the disheveled, eager woman she’d been last night. The woman who’d writhed underneath him, dug her manicured fingernails into his back, convulsed around his cock as if she could have milked him dry. He’d wanted to turn her over, spank her pretty ass, drive into her from behind.

  Hell. He wanted to do that to her right now. Mess up her hair. Tear off her dress. Rip off her stockings. Make her moan and beg and—

  His cock twitched. He took a breath, willing himself to calm down. He was at work. He needed to get his shit together. Focus.

  “It’s quite simple,” Julia was telling Anne, her tone arctic. “Luke needs to review the Sugar Rush charity schedule before we send it out to all employees. Would you distribute the board meeting agenda without his approval?”

  Anne, who was powerfully capable and efficient, opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut when Julia leaned closer. Though Warren was used to intervening in Julia’s ice storms without undermining her authority, he was having trouble smothering his instantaneous lust.

  “Of course you wouldn’t,” Julia continued frostily, her blue eyes narrowing on Anne like lasers. “Because that’s Executive Assistantship For Dummies, isn’t it? As is the fact that we announce the Sugar Rush holiday party after we’ve finalized the arrangements. So I strongly suggest you surgically excise your head from your—”

  “Julia.” Warren moved swiftly forward.

  She startled at the sound of his voice, but recovered quickly and shot him a glare dripping with icicles. Anne stood, her expression flashing with relief over his interruption.

  “Sir, I didn’t realize you were in Luke’s office,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t offer to see if you need anything.”

  “What he needs is for the executive assistants in this company to stop acting like deer caught in the headlights,” Julia said crisply. “Luke seems to think you’re a competent adult, but I have my doubts.”