Judd wouldn’t make the same mistake again. This time, he wanted to do it right. If he couldn’t find the right woman then he’d just remain single and keep pouring all of his energy into the business. A cold knot formed in his stomach. That was no way to live. He wanted to find someone. Was Whitney Fox that woman?
Was Whitney serious about the mayor? Or did he stand a chance? Even as the thoughts ran through his mind, he laughed inwardly. He’d not been around Whitney since high school. Would the two of them even click? If they did hit it off, it was presumptuous of him to think that he could waltz in and sweep Whitney off her feet. Then again, his success with Homestay had made him bold. Judd was no longer that timid teenager hiding in the corner. He’d learned that if you want something in this life, you have to reach out and grab it.
“Talk to Whitney tonight, will you?” There was a pleading expression on his mother’s face.
He pushed out a heavy sigh. “Okay, I’ll do it. But only because you asked me to.”
She wagged a finger. “One conversation, it’s all I ask.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Judd knew his mother could see right through him and knew his desire to talk to Whitney had nothing to do with the promise that he’d just made. It would be interesting to see what happened with Whitney tonight. Very interesting.
2
The chill in the air cut through the fabric of Judd’s sports coat as he walked briskly across the parking lot. With it being the next to the last weekend in May, he would’ve thought it would be warmer. That’s Wyoming, for ya! Countless memories tumbled through his brain like fragments of lyrics from worn-out songs. How many times had he walked over this very stretch of ground? Anyone seeing him wouldn’t connect him with the painfully shy kid who tried to make himself invisible by tucking his chin into his neck to avoid making eye contact with the jocks and other hoodlums who got their jollies out of torturing the quiet and timid students. Judd had been such a wimp back then! He was grateful to have shed that weak part of himself.
Although, when he opened the door of the school, he was unprepared for the apprehension that snaked through him when the familiar smell of faint sweat and ammonia cleaner invaded his nostrils. For one terrible second, he was right back where he started. He pushed aside the misgivings as he straightened his shoulders. He’d started a Fortune 500 company from scratch. By golly, he could face a bunch of old classmates from Laramie, Wyoming. Piece of cake!
Whereas Judd struggled socially in high school, his younger brother Doug had been a superstar. Not only was he a star athlete, but he was the student body president for his class. It made perfect sense that Doug would decide to go into teaching, coaching, and eventually high school administration. This was Doug’s world, and he was the king. Doug had married his high school sweetheart Sylvie. They had two daughters and a rowdy son who kept his sisters on their toes. Judd could tell that his parents desperately wanted him to follow a similar pattern—marry a good girl, give them more grandchildren.
He paused in front of the floor-to-ceiling trophy case, his gaze settling on the ones the math team had won. A reminiscent smile tugged at his lips. While Judd didn’t have many fond memories of high school, he had enjoyed being on the math team. He looked at the plaque of scholarship recipients, feeling a burst of gratitude that he was in a position where he’d been able to donate money. Mrs. Roth had wanted to name a few of the scholarships after Judd, but he refused. It wasn’t about receiving accolades, but about helping kids in need.
As Judd neared the gym he heard music, and then the murmur of upbeat conversation. His stomach coiled into a knot. Why was he so nervous? He stepped in. His eyes scoped the gym, taking it all in. The lights were dimmed just right so that it offered a bit of ambience. Yet, it was still light enough to see clearly. The school colors were red, black, and white. A large projection screen was set up in front of the stage with a podium beside it. The round tables with red fabric tablecloths and five-star restaurant place settings looked out of place in comparison to the cheap vinyl chairs tucked around them. The tables were positioned along the edges of the gym, leaving the center section open for dancing. Two tall arches covered with balloons, displaying the school colors, stretched across the width of the gym. It was an impressive setup. His eye caught on his brother Doug, who was standing near the stage, laughing and talking to several of the jocks who were congregated around him, as if lapping up every word that came out of his mouth. Judd bit back a smile, feeling a smidgen of admiration for his quicksilver personality little brother.
Judd tried to pick out people that he knew. He recognized a few faces. It helped that his classmates wore white stickers with their names. His attention settled on Howie Rutledge who’d been on the math team with Judd. Feeling his gaze, Howie broke away from the conversation he was having by smiling and waving. Judd did a half-salute/half-wave in return. Tall and lanky with poker-straight hair gelled tightly to his head, Howie still fit the profile of an intellectual nerd. A curly blonde-haired woman in a floral print stood by his side, her arm tightly linked through his. Her eyes darted around the gym nervously as if she were terrified someone might attempt to speak to her. Judd didn’t recognize the man Howie was talking to.
He made his way over to the welcome table. An attractive woman with a cap of dark, shiny hair smiled brightly, her face lighting with recognition. “Judd, welcome,” she said warmly like the two of them were old friends. However, Judd couldn’t remember them having ever spoken in the past. She arose from her seat. Judd didn’t have to look at the woman’s name-tag to know who she was—Whitney’s best friend … or at least the two of them had been tight in high school. “Cassidy Longnecker. How’ve you been?”
“It’s Cassidy Stewart now, thank you very much,” she said, motioning to the man who was seated behind the rectangle table.
The man rose to his feet and extended a hand as the two of them shook. “Nice to meet you,” he boomed with an eager smile. “I’ve followed your success. It’s impressive what you’ve been able to accomplish in such a short period of time.”
“Thank you,” Judd said.
“The name’s Hudson.”
“Nice to meet you.” Judd looked at Cassidy. “Do y’all live in Laramie?” Y’all. He was borrowing his mother’s lingo. Something Judd often did when he was nervous.
Cassidy draped an arm around her husband’s shoulders. “Yep. Hudson’s a medical tech at the hospital. I teach English here.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize.”
“Yes, siree. Someone has to keep the kids in line. You’ll be happy to know that your brother runs a tight ship,” she said admiringly.
“I have no doubt.”
Cassidy removed her arm from Hudson’s shoulder and motioned. “Grab a sticker and write your name on it. In roughly five minutes, I’ll make an announcement asking everyone to take their seats for dinner. Ten or so minutes into it, Whitney Fox will give you an introduction, and then you’ll speak for around twenty-five minutes.”
He blinked. “Whitney’s introducing me?”
“Yep.” She flashed a bright smile as she pointed to the table closest to the podium. “Your table is there. You’ll find your place card, telling you where to sit. If you have any questions, Whitney can help you through it. She’s seated next to you.”
He had to bite back the pleased smile fighting to stretch over his lips. Fate was offering him a clean shot at Whitney Fox. This go-around, he planned to be confident and assertive. His thoughts must’ve shown on his face because Cassidy chuckled. “You can thank me later.”
He jerked. “For what?”
She winked. “For giving you a shot with my bestie.”
Heat crawled up his neck. “I beg your pardon.”
“No begging necessary,” she sang. “Just show Whitney what you got.” Her eyes moved over him with open appreciation. “She needs a real man in her life. Not that twit of a mayor she’s been dating.”
Hudson cleared his throat as he nudged Cassidy with hi
s elbow. “Uh, hon, watch your mouth,” he warned, his face turning cherry red. “Discretion.”
“Hey!” she protested, shooting him a glare.
“I’m sorry, Cassidy means well, but her tongue gets the best of her sometimes.” Hudson offered Judd an apologetic grin.
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Sheesh. I’m just trying to help the man out here.”
“The guy runs a Fortune 500 Company. He seems to be doing just fine on his own, dear,” Hudson countered.
“Thank you,” Judd said, liking Hudson more and more by the minute.
“Running a business has nothing to do with finding the right woman,” Cassidy piped in.
Judd chuckled in surprise. “You and my mother have a lot in common.”
Cassidy jutted out her chin. “I take that as a high compliment. Bev Hoffman is one of my favorite people.”
The pieces of the puzzle snapped into place. “Ah, I see what’s going on here. You’ve been conspiring with my mother.”
Cassidy’s cheeks turned pink. “You didn’t hear it from me,” she sang. Her eyes sparkled with mirth as she made a zipping motion over her lips.
Hudson’s head swung back and forth. “I’m sorry, dude. You know how women are.”
“Hey,” Cassidy countered with a mock pout. A group of attendees stepped up behind Judd. Cassidy looked past him. “Hello, welcome. Make sure and put your name on a sticker so everyone will know who you are.” A bright smile curved her lips. “Michelle … LeAnne. It’s great to see you guys.” She turned back to Judd, making a shooing motion with her hands before giving him a soft shove. “Go, you only have a few minutes to mix and mingle before dinner starts.”
“Good luck,” Hudson said with a flash of amusement.
“Thanks, I’ll need it.” As Judd moved into the belly of the gym, he had the awkward feeling of being alone in a crowded room. Feeling scores of eyes on him, he fixed a pleasant expression over his face, smiling and nodding at the people he passed. He felt like he was an animal on exhibit at the zoo. People were keenly interested in his every move. That was the downside of a small town—everybody knee-deep in their neighbor’s business.
His heart missed a beat when he caught sight of Whitney from across the room. He paused in his tracks, taking her in. Wow! She was incredible with her long, wavy auburn hair that cascaded down her back like flames. Her emerald dress hugged her figure just right. His gaze moved to her small waist and the gentle curve of her slim hips. Her legs were long and shapely. She was talking to another woman who’d been a cheerleader. Judd searched his brain but couldn’t remember the other woman’s name. Whitney touched the woman’s arm before throwing her head back and laughing, revealing an adorable dimple. She was so vivacious, so alive. All of the light in the room seemed to gather around Whitney. For an instant, Judd felt like a tongue-tied teenager again, quaking in his boots.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Judd Hoffman.”
He turned to see a woman traipsing toward him—the gorgeous, lethal type who was obviously on the prowl. “How’ve you been, darling?” she purred, trailing her hand down his arm.
He took a step back to put as much distance between them as possible. “I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.” He looked at her name-tag—Misty Ellis. The name didn’t ring a bell.
A low, sultry laugh flowed from her throat as she touched her chest. “I can’t believe you don’t remember,” she said with a petulant downcast expression. “We had computer tech together our senior year. My table was beside yours, remember?”
He tried to look past the heavy makeup and false eyelashes, sifting through the pages of the past. “Mousy Misty,” he uttered, “is that you?”
She scowled. “No one has called me that in years.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm. Just trying to connect the dots.”
Her smile cinched back up. “It’s okay. I know I look different now.”
“Yes, you do.” That was the understatement of the decade. She was a bombshell with her long hair and tight red dress that left little to the imagination, especially where her well-endowed bosom was concerned.
“You look different too,” she said softly, her eyes hopeful as they trailed over him in a hungry way that made his skin crawl. “You’ve been a busy boy. I just read an article about you in People Magazine.”
This was awkward! He searched for something inane to chat about. “What have you been up to?”
“I own a salon.”
“That’s awesome,” he said mechanically.
She stepped closer, giving him a whiff of her musky perfume as she touched his hair. “You should stop by the salon. I’ll take good care of you. We offer a top rate massage service,” she murmured.
Judd didn’t even want to try to figure out the innuendo behind her words. “I’ll bet you do,” he chuckled. Misty Ellis was the type of woman his mother had warned him about from the time he was fifteen. He glanced around, trying to figure out a means of escape. That’s when it happened. He felt Whitney’s eyes on him. A jolt of awareness buzzed through him as a goofy grin tumbled over his lips. She smiled back, making him feel like he’d scored a major victory. Misty turned to see where he was looking. When she realized it was at Whitney, her features tightened. Misty shot Whitney a venomous look before turning her attention back to Judd. “I hope you’ll save me a dance tonight,” she said sweetly.
“Good evening, folks,” Cassidy said cheerily into the microphone. “It’s time to take your seats for dinner.” She motioned to the table closest to the front. “This table is reserved for our keynote speaker, the reunion committee, and other staff members, including Principal Doug Hoffman who was kind enough to let us use the gym this evening. Give it up for Principal Hoffman.” Cassidy began clapping as the audience followed her lead. Doug waved and flashed a large boyish grin. He was in his element—a statesman to the core. “Everything else is open seating,” Cassidy continued. “We’ve got a fabulous evening prepared for you. Welcome back to Westside.” She pumped a fist in the air. “Go wolverines!” This brought thunderous applause, along with a few hoots and whistles.
Misty slipped a territorial arm through Judd’s, pulling him close. “Sit beside me.” Her dark eyes glimmered with a seductive allure so over-the-top that it was all Judd could do not to laugh in her face. It was time to break free from the temptress’s snare. Misty Ellis was about to see a side of Judd that no one at Westside High had ever seen before.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Whitney asserted as she stepped up, causing a bolt of energy to strike through the center of Judd’s heart. “Judd is sitting at the reserved table with me.” The statement was spoken with casual confidence as if she were stating a well-known fact. Whitney’s gaze locked with Misty’s, and Judd could sense the distaste the women had for one another. Whitney turned to Judd. “You ready?”
Her voice was cultured and refined. Not sophisticated and exotic like Dominique, but welcoming and familiar—the type of voice Judd would never grow tired of hearing. He couldn’t decide if her eyes were more gold or sable. Her skin was milky white with faint sprinkles scattered over her slightly upturned nose. She was both girlish and queenly, giving her an ethereal quality. “I am,” Judd said, feeling as though he’d follow her anywhere she asked him to go.
Whitney rewarded him with a dazzling smile that showcased neat rows of glistening white teeth. “Good.”
“But …” Misty countered with a sullen frown, not wanting to release her prey. “Remember, you promised me a dance.” She caught eyes with Judd, trying to weasel a commitment out of him.
Enough already! Geez, Louise, the woman was insufferable. “Actually, I didn’t,” he countered pleasantly.
Misty’s eyes widened before they narrowed to dark slashes. “I see.”
Whitney motioned with her head. “Shall we?”
“I’m all yours.”
A tinge of amusement played in Whitney’s eyes. “Are you?”
Energy ricochete
d between them. “At least for the evening.”
An enigmatic smile tipped her lips. “It’s a start, I suppose.”
“Here’s to great beginnings,” he murmured, relishing the flush of color that brushed her prominent cheekbones.
“To great beginnings,” she repeated as she led him to their table.
He traced the outline of her slender frame, taking in the length of her shiny copper tresses bouncing lightly on her shoulders with her every step. Judd felt like the luckiest man in the room. He was getting his chance with Whitney Fox and intended to make full use of the opportunity.
3
Judd’s senses were hyperaware of Whitney sitting right beside him. Her light floral perfume drifted over him, driving him to distraction. She reached for her water glass and took a sip. Her long, slim fingers were as elegant as the rest of her. Her nails were bare, yet neatly manicured. It was too bad that Judd had to share Whitney with the rest of the table. He wished he could have her all to himself. He was itching to know more about her life and career as a children’s book author and illustrator.
Cassidy and Hudson were seated on Whitney’s left. Judd’s brother Doug and his wife, Sylvie, were to the right of Judd. Across the table sat Mr. Peterson Judd’s former science teacher and his wife. Mr. Peterson had to be nearing retirement age, but he looked surprisingly good.
“We’re looking forward to hearing your remarks,” Cassidy said.
“Yes, we are,” Doug added with a teasing glint in his eye. “Judd loves to make long speeches.”
Saving the Billionaire's Daughter Page 2
