I studied the numbers on my screen. Revenue was up that year at the park, with a significant increase in overall visitors, but a slight decrease in return customers. It was time to consider adding a new attraction.
Pru barged into my office, her disgusting perfume making me nauseous. It smelled like a mixture of mothballs and fruitcake.
“Do you ever stop working?” she demanded.
“Do you ever knock?” I muttered without looking up from my computer.
“I need to talk to you, Brooks.”
“We all have needs, Prudence. Doesn’t mean we always get them met.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“You put it out there. Have the balls to explain yourself.”
“I’m busy.”
“You can’t even tear yourself away from that computer for five minutes to talk to me,” she snapped, “and you wonder why our marriage failed.”
I gritted my teeth, flicking the monitor off before leaning back in my chair with my arms crossed. “What do you want?”
“I have to go out of town for a few days.”
“I know you don’t have any real estate listings. You neglected your business to kiss your daddy’s rich ass. And now you don’t need to work. What reason could you possibly have to leave town during the holidays?”
“It’s none of your business, Brooks.”
“Then why even bother to tell me you’re leaving?”
“I can’t take Miriam with me.”
“Why not?”
“She can’t fly.”
“She flew here two days ago.”
“Yes, she did,” she said with an impatient sigh. “But she had to have a doctor’s note.
“She’d require a new one to get on a plane again, and her doctor in Vancouver said twenty-four weeks is the latest he’d recommend flying with twins.”
“So you brought your stepmother here, knowing full well she couldn’t return home until after her babies were born?”
“Are you dense, Brooks?”
“Are you?!”
“Miriam doesn’t have a home to go back to. She has nothing.”
“I already have, you heartless bastard.”
“Good.”
“She’s going to stay at the B&B.”
“It’s fully booked through to New Year’s Day.”
“Garth said she can stay in the innkeeper’s apartment. Nobody is using it.”
“Is she planning to pay room and board?”
“I’ll pay her bill, you cheap son of a bitch.”
“Fucking right, you will. We’re not running a charity. I don’t see you offering to share any of your inheritance with your poor, penniless stepmother.”
“My father set up a trust fund for the babies.”
“How does that help Miriam?”
“It doesn’t. They won’t get it until they’re twenty-five. But I’m in charge of it, so I’ll make sure nothing happens to it.”
“How kind of you, Pru,” I snorted. “They’ll grow up in poverty, but no worries, because if they don’t starve to death, there is a pot of gold waiting for them.”
“Do you really think I would neglect my sisters?”
“Yep.”
“Fuck you, Brooks.”
“I think we’re finished here. Get out.”
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.”
“The longer, the better.”
“You’re an asshole, Brooks,” she hissed before storming out the door.
“Try not to sleep with any married men while you’re away!” I yelled.
I opened the fridge, pulling out the container of Christmas leftovers that Suzy sent home. It would’ve tasted better if I warmed it up in the oven, but I didn’t want to waste hydro.
I scooped a generous portion of turkey, dressing, potatoes, and carrots onto a plate, drowning the food in gravy before popping it in the microwave.
Jasper and Cami were at the Cartwrights’ for dinner, since they spent Christmas Day at Huxley’s house.
Pru was gone, after getting her stepmother settled at the B&B. Garth would take care of Miriam. Ardley’s husband was a great guy with a big heart.
And I was alone.
Just me and my leftovers, in a big empty house.
Peace at last.
I took my place at the head of the dining room table.
Why did we have a table with eight chairs?
I couldn’t recall the last time we had any family or friends over for dinner.
Huxley and Ethan used to take turns having Christmas, but that ended when Lisa got sick. Ardley didn’t know how to cook, and Garth was always busy at the B&B on Christmas Day.
Suzy started hosting all of the family dinners after that. Pru couldn’t cook a box of macaroni and cheese. There was no way we could have Christmas, unless we had it catered.
Pru’s antique grandfather clock ticked away, grating on my nerves while I picked at my dinner. If she didn’t take that thing with her when she moved out, I was going to smash it.
I finished my dinner, returning to the kitchen to rinse my plate before loading it in the dishwasher.
The top rack was full of baby bottles and sippy cups. I slammed the door closed and turned to stare at the kitchen table.
I had two high chairs at my table. There would soon be three, when Sadie learned to sit up. Jasper’s house would be finished by early summer. The kids would be leaving.
I realized too late that I wanted a family.
When I agreed to have a vasectomy, I was young and foolish. I couldn’t imagine ever wanting children. Money and success were more important.
I had a vision for Stillwell Enterprises. And I’d done well. Our family business was flourishing, and providing us all with comfortable lives and the means to support our families.
My family was just me now.
I had no interest in trying to save my marriage.
The minute I found out Pru slept with someone else, I knew we would never reconcile.
Even if she hadn’t been unfaithful, I don’t think we would’ve gotten back together. Our marriage was over long before she started an affair with her high school sweetheart.
My phone vibrated from my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing briefly at the screen before I answered. It was the B&B.
“Brooks here,” I said.
“Hey, Brooks.”
“What’s up, Garth?”
“We have a bit of a situation over here that I think requires your attention.”
“What’s going on?”
“We have an unwanted guest who refuses to leave.”
“Call the police and have them removed.”
“I was about to do that, but I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Why?”
“He’s here to pick up Miriam. Says he’s not leaving without her.”
“Is it her father?”
“No. Someone who works for him.”
“I’ll be right over.”
I pushed open the front door of the B&B, glancing around the busy lobby. It was dinner hour. Lots of guests were mingling about. The last thing I wanted was a public scene.
“That was fast,” Garth said, coming out from behind the reception desk.
“Where is Miriam?”
“She’s in the innkeeper’s suite.”
“Where is the man?”
“Standing outside her door. He arrived while she was eating dinner. Demanded she pack her bags. She said no. He followed her to her room and grabbed her by the arm.
“That’s when I intervened and asked him to leave. He said he wasn’t leaving without her. Miriam is in the bedroom crying.”
“Fuck,” I muttered, scrubbing my hands over my face.
“Do you want me to call the cops?”
“I’ll try talking to him first,” I said. “I’d rather not have to get them involved. It’s bad for business.”
“I’ll come with you,” he offered. “He’s a big guy.”
“Thanks, Garth.”
We headed down the back hallway to the innkeeper’s apartment. A burly guy in a three-piece suit and a trench coat was standing outside the door of the apartment.
“Good evening,” I said, extending my hand. “Brooks Stillwell.”
“Feltham,” he offered briskly, accepting my handshake with a bruising squeeze.
I resisted the urge to rub my poor hand when he released it, plastering my CEO face on.
“Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Feltham?”
“I’m here to pick up Miss Stone.”
“Who?”
“Miriam Stone,” he clarified. “Her husband is deceased, so she will take her father’s surname back until she marries again.”
“From what I understand, Miss Stone does not wish to leave with you.”
“She has no choice, Mr. Stillwell. Her father has requested she return home immediately.”
“Miriam is not allowed to fly without a doctor’s note,” I informed him. “And I believe she was advised against any further flights until she gives birth.”
“Commercial flights,” he said. “I brought a private jet. She’ll be just fine.”
“If you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to go inside and speak with Miriam,” I said.
“Thank you.”
I tapped lightly on the door before entering the apartment. “Miriam?”
She opened the bedroom door a crack and peeked out, her puffy eyes wild with terror.
I barely knew this young woman. It wasn’t in my nature to give a shit about strangers.
But I was overwhelmed with a fierce desire to protect this gorgeous damsel in distress.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly.
“No,” she whispered. “I don’t want to go back there.”
“He can’t make you go with him, Miriam.”
“You don’t understand what he’s like. Feltham will stand out there all night. He won’t leave until I agree to go with him.”
“We’ll call the police and have him removed.”
“I don’t want to make a scene in your B&B. There are children here.”
“If he poses a risk to the guests, I need to contact the authorities.”
“He’s not like that,” she said. “My father doesn’t like negative publicity. When Feltham is doing his dirty work, he knows he must carry it out as discreetly as possible. He would never resort to violence or physical force.”
“Garth said he grabbed you by the arm.”
“He thought we were alone in the corridor.”
“So, he isn’t afraid to use force when he’s alone with you?”
“I’ll just go with him,” she said. “I have no choice. I should’ve never come here.”
I pressed my finger to my lips, motioning for her to go inside the bedroom. She cowered in the corner like a frightened animal while I closed the door.
“You don’t have to go with him,” I whispered.
“How are you going to get rid of him?”
“How did he know where you were?”
“My father saw me leave with Pru. He’s not stupid. And Feltham tracked us to the airport. He tried to stop me from boarding the plane.
“Pru told airport security he was my ex-boyfriend, and he was trying to stop me from leaving him, so they detained him.”
“I’m sure he knows where Pru lives, but Stillwell Ranch is a big place, Miriam. Why didn’t he come directly to my house? How did he know you were at the B&B?”
“He’s probably tracking my phone.”
“Can I see it, please?”
She handed me the phone, her fingers trembling so much that it almost slipped from her hand. “What are you going to do?”
I dropped it on the floor, stomping it with my boot.
“That was an expensive phone,” she gasped. “I can’t afford to replace it.”
“I’ll get you another one.”
“I have no money,” she sighed. “I was hoping PJ wouldn’t notice that he was paying my bill, at least until I could afford to get another one.”
“I’ll make sure you have a phone,” I said. “Now, do you think you can climb out the window?”
“Definitely not.”
“Okay,” I said, eyeing her enormous belly while I tried to come up with a way to sneak her out. “What is Feltham’s weakness?”
“He doesn’t have one.”
“He must have. Think hard, Miriam, or you’re climbing out the window.”
“Gingerbread cookies,” she whispered.
“Perfect,” I said, pulling my phone from my pocket. “I’m sure Garth has some in the kitchen.”
“I can’t believe Feltham fell for that,” Miriam giggled as we drove away from the inn.
“He didn’t know there was a side exit,” I said. “Apparently, Feltham isn’t as smart as you thought.
“He figured you’d have to walk past him to get back to the lobby. Garth did a great job setting him up at that table with the milk and cookies.”
“He’ll come to your house when he realizes I’m gone,” she said.
“I have a security system,” I assured her. “I work from home, so I can’t be as cavalier as the rest of my family. They never even used to lock their doors, but that all changed last summer.”
“I can’t believe that woman burned down Jasper’s house and tried to kidnap Cami.”
“It was pretty frightening, but she’s locked up now.”
“I’m really sorry for causing all this trouble, Brooks.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. None of this is your fault.”
I pulled into my garage, glancing in the rearview mirror before I gave the verbal command for the door to close. There were no visitors coming down the driveway yet.
Miriam stared straight ahead, her chin trembling as tears spilled from her eyelids.
“Why don’t we go inside?” I suggested gently.
“I should go to a hotel.”
“If that’s what you want to do, I can drive you into Rocky Mountain House.”
“I can’t go to a hotel.”
I scratched the back of my head, blowing out a slow breath. Pregnant women weren’t exactly my area of expertise.
“It’s too late to go to a hotel tonight,” I said. “Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow?”
“Okay.”
I grabbed her suitcase from the back, pulling it to the door. “I guess it’s a good thing you hadn’t unpacked yet.”
“I could’ve gone back tomorrow and gotten my stuff.”
I unlocked the door, punching in the alarm code while she waited in the garage. “I’ll make you your own code,” I said. “Think up a set of four numbers that you’ll remember, and I’ll program them in later.”
“I don’t need an alarm code, Brooks. I can’t stay here indefinitely.”
“What was the long-term plan when Pru invited you to come home with her?”
She pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and sat down. “I have no idea,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she dropped her head in her hands. “I just had to get away from my father, but I really didn’t think this through.”
I joined her at the table, taking the seat next to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No,” she sobbed, her voice muffled as she kept her face buried in her arms.
I lifted my arm, placing it back at my side before I did something stupid, like touch this girl. I’d never experienced such a strong urge to comfort someone. I was swimming in unfamiliar and dangerous waters.
“Is there anything I can get you?”
“No, thank you.”
“Okay, then,” I said, pushing back my chair. “If you change your mind about wanting to talk, let me know. I’m a great listener.”
“Do you have a fondue set?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied, rubbing my temple while I processed her random question.
“Do you have any cheese in the house?”
“Do you have a craving for cheese fondue?”
“I really do,” she whispered. “But I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“If a cheese fondue will make you feel better, I’m all for it,” I said.
“What kind of cheese do you have? There’s some that I can’t eat. Nothing unpasteurized. And I prefer not to have any alcohol in it.”
“Hm,” I said, wandering over to the fridge. “I usually have a good selection of cheese on hand.”
“I guess you do,” she laughed when I lined up my offerings on the counter.
“I’m a bit of a cheese aficionado.”
She joined me at the counter, a small smile creeping across her heart-shaped mouth while she studied my cheese.
“I miss my Jersey Blue,” she sighed. “It’s the first thing I want to eat after I have the babies.”
“It is delicious,” I agreed.
“That’s a very expensive cheese, Brooks. You must really like it.”
“I can afford it. I’m not wealthy by your standards, but I have the means to enjoy some luxuries.”
“I grew up with the best things money can buy, but I would’ve traded it for a normal life in a heartbeat.”
“What is your favorite cheese, Miriam?”
“My favorite?” She pursed her lips, her cute upturned nose twitching like a little bunny’s. “I don’t think I have one. I love all types of cheese. Even American cheese.”
“Oh no,” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder as if someone might overhear. “A true cheese aficionado would never admit that out loud.”
“I saw some in your fridge.”
“It’s not mine.”
“Okay,” she laughed. “Relax. I won’t tell anyone you have cheese slices in your house.”
“Cheese slices are not real cheese,” I said. “Only half of what’s in there is real cheese. When the Kraft guy invented them, he was just trying to use up his old cheese.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I have an excellent documentary on the evolution of cheese. You’re welcome to watch it.”
“I might just do that.”
“We could watch it together while we eat our fondue,” I suggested.
“That sounds fun,” she said, glancing up at me with a shy smile.
“Let’s do it.”
