At least she could share today’s excitement with one of her family. “Hi, Mom.”
“Anna, thank heavens. For a moment I thought you weren’t home.”
Not home. Right. Anna smiled into the phone. “You should see the new Aubusson rug I found for the living room. It’ll look amazing in the photos—”
“It’s Jenny.”
“Jenny?” What did her younger sister have to do with today?
“Have you spoken to her?”
“No.”
“We were having lunch and a . . . situation came up with her business.”
Anna fought hard not to roll her eyes and harder still to keep from saying, And what else is new? If it wasn’t one thing it was another with her younger sister.
After a small pause, her mother said, “I’m worried about her.”
“You’re always worried about her.”
“Now, Anna, you know that’s not true.”
The noise from the magazine crew grew louder, and Marie reappeared at the bottom of the staircase. Anna motioned that she’d be right down. “I’m sorry, Mom, but I just don’t have time for this right now.”
Moments later, Anna clicked off the phone and made her way down the stairs. Alone.
THREE
Jared tore down the deserted road as if demons were on his heels. He laid hard on the throttle, pushed the bike to its limit. The weathered asphalt beneath him became a blur of faded gray, and the broken centerlines blended into one continuous yellow line. He blew past road signs and speed limits, gas stations and rest areas, giving them no more attention than he gave the landscape. Where he was headed—or not headed—didn’t matter.
As the sun became a weaker glow of yellow and the wind picked up, a chill penetrated his jacket and stiffened his fingers, but still he didn’t stop. No matter how hard he pushed, he wasn’t able to outrun his thoughts.
What in the hell had Steven been thinking? How could a man go from being a top gun to flying sissy-assed sea-planes for tourists?
He didn’t think, that’s how. And Jared was certain if a drunk driver hadn’t ended Steven’s life, he would have been back in the cockpit of a fighter jet going at Mach speed by now.
A man’s got to settle down at some point, Worth, Steven had often said.
Yeah, well, from everything Jared had seen, settling down and giving up were one and the same.
Ah, man, you don’t understand. Jenny’s different. She’s—
Exactly like all the rest. Although Jared had to give her credit. He’d seen a lot of pampered princesses in his day, but Jenny had it down to an art. The flash of confusion, the soft puckering of her forehead, those pouty, full lips . . . all of it designed to make a man fall under her spell.
But it wouldn’t work with him. He’d let himself fall for that kind of spell once. And it had been a disaster. He had never done anything as rash as Steven; he’d never gotten engaged. But for a few short months he’d let himself believe in the impossible. Believe he could be like the other guys. Believe he could be a part of something more.
What a crock of shit.
The rain turned hard, pummeled him. He flicked on his headlight then downshifted through a corner. It took him a moment before he realized where he was: right back where he started. He pulled onto the road’s wide shoulder and shifted into neutral. The bike purred with a low growl as he took off his helmet and ran his hand through his hair.
From his spot on the low hill, he had a near perfect view of the town below. If you could even call Hidden Lake a town. Two short blocks of Victorian-inspired, lattice-dripping, rainbow-painted businesses that would have been appropriate in a child’s theme park but looked only garish and out of place here. Businesses with names like John Dough’s Pizza, the Best Little Hairhouse in Town, the Way We Wore, and a drive-through coffee stand called the Bean Counter.
He swore silently under his breath but knew it was his own fault he was stuck in this town. He’d blown it with Jenny; he saw that now. All he wanted was to collect his money and get out of town. He should have just told her that, but it seemed abrupt.
From everything Steven had said, Jared knew Jenny had no interest in the business. Opening and operating a seaplane charter had been solely Steven’s idea. Jared was sure once Jenny knew he just wanted repayment, she’d be only too relieved.