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CARTER KNEW SOMETHING was wrong when he watched Gina return to the table. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“You used me. You lied to me, and you used me.” She glared at him as if he were the devil incarnate. She reached for her coat and handed Brandy hers.
“What? I never lied to you.”
“I ran into your boss.” She violently tugged on her coat and then snatched her purse. “Apparently, I became an heiress to a luxury sports car empire and didn’t even know it.”
“Ohhh.” Brandy’s gaze traveled from Gina to Carter.
He shook his head in denial, although he knew where this was coming from: his father. “I swear I didn’t . . . I tried to tell you.”
Gina marched off without listening to him. Brandy followed closely.
Panic gripped him. He didn’t want to lose her. Clumsily, he scooted out of the booth as fast as he could, knocking the table, which caused a refill of coffee to spill over his cup. The waitress stepped into his path. He hadn’t paid for their drinks yet. His pulse raced as he reached into his pocket for his wallet. He flipped it open and handed her a twenty. In his rush, a five fell out onto the carpet. “Take that, too,” he said, before racing to the door.
By the time he reached the parking lot, both women had already climbed into a black SUV. Gina narrowed her eyes into angry slits when she spotted him, then turned her face away, shutting him out. He ran across the lot to catch them before they could get away, but Brandy increased her speed.
“Gina!” He watched the bumper of the SUV bounce when Brandy ran over a curb as she exited the lot and then turned onto the town’s main street. “No!” He slowed to a walk, his hope to fix the situation draining away. With a heavy heart, he stopped and bent in half. With both hands on his knees, he breathed deeply. I should have told her the first chance I got; the minute I returned from the ranch.
"Carter! What are you doing?” His father stood with Wheeler, the senior partner, in front of the restaurant.
You went too far this time, Dad. He marched over to them, anger churning in his gut.
Wheeler furrowed his brow. “What’s up?”
“I’m afraid there has been a big misunderstanding.” Carter blew out an exasperated breath. “Miss Ferari is not related to the car manufacturer. I didn’t know you were under that assumption until you said something at the ranch.” He fought the urge to glare at his father. Instead, he paused and then continued speaking to Wheeler. “I didn’t want to correct you in front of Thompson. I should have tracked you down later and told you the truth, but I didn’t. That is my fault. I thought I had time to clear this up.”
The senior partner scratched his cheek with his gloved hand. “I should have clarified the situation with you before I bragged that we had a new client, implying we didn’t need Thompson’s account. That wasn’t my shining moment either. I was getting frustrated by his refusal to budge an inch.” He wrapped his arms around his chest and rubbed the cold, or perhaps irritation, from his arms. A moment later, he turned to Carter’s father. “Where did you get the idea that she was an heiress?”
The color visibly drained from his father’s face. “I overheard a couple of employees at the resort.”
“You said she was going to send work our way,” Wheeler reminded him with disdain in his voice.
“I have confidence in Carter.” Palmer shoved his hands in his coat pocket. “My son can get anyone to trust him.”
Trust. Carter clenched his fist. Gina had trusted him. She didn’t want to because a man with money stole her mother away. In her mind, money meant greed, a lack of character, the willingness to hurt others for personal gain. He studied his father’s irritated expression. Palmer embodied everything she had assumed about men with money.
But I proved I’m there for her. If only Palmer hadn’t said anything . . . No, this is all my fault. “I have to be honest.” Carter ran his hand through his hair. “I waited to tell you the truth because I wanted to figure out a way that wouldn’t interfere with my chances of being named partner. I am ashamed of that. This partnership is turning me into someone I’m not.”
“Carter!” His father warned.
Wheeler placed his hand on Palmer’s arm to stop him. “Let him finish.”
Carter felt the heat of his father’s stare. I must say this. He couldn’t stay in his father’s shadow forever. “I want what is right for the firm.”
“Don’t,” his father warned again.
Wheeler turned on him. “Stop treating him like he’s twelve. Carter is a fine young man, and it sounds to me like he’s the only one who has his priorities straight.” He turned back to Carter. “You want what is right for the firm. Continue.”
Carter avoided eye contact with his father. “Douglas should be a partner. It will help guarantee the continued success of the firm.”
“No!” His father jerked away from Wheeler. “I did not build this firm for you to throw it all away.”
That’s it! He stared straight into his father’s eyes. “I’m trying to save everything you built.” He turned to Wheeler. “Naming Douglas partner will ensure he stays with the firm and adds another avenue for revenue with his trust and probate cases. On the other hand, Thompson is our biggest account. We need that account until we have enough clients to make up for a potential loss.”
“What do you suggest?” Wheeler stepped in front of Palmer, assumingly to keep him from interfering.
“I am willing to move up here if Thompson will stay with us. He has enough business to keep me busy full-time, especially if he goes with my plan to turn his apartments into condominiums. I have a few more projects I want to run by him as well.”
“I can’t believe this,” Palmer muttered as he stomped off.
“Would you get over yourself? You raised a good man,” Wheeler said. “You should be proud.”
His father stopped and turned to face Wheeler. “You don’t understand because you don’t have any children to succeed you.”
“I do understand. I’ve known you forever. You’re a self-centered jerk, but you’re also one of my best friends. So, knock off your pity party. The way I see things, we make Douglas partner first and place Carter in charge of our northern division.”
“We don’t have a northern division.” Carter wished they did.
“Well, we do now. It also comes with a pay raise,” Wheeler added. “The way I see things, between your position up here and Douglas bringing in new clients, we’ll be able to afford to make you partner in a few years.”
Palmer watched the exchange with interest. “I want that in writing.”
“We’ll put it all in writing.” Wheeler looked toward the heavens as if asking for patience.
Carter’s shoulders began to relax. He felt like Wheeler had just pushed a huge boulder off his back, but then he remembered Gina. This victory meant nothing without her.
****
GINA CLOSED AND LOCKED her office door. “I can’t believe he used me.”
Brandy eased into the cushioned chair in the corner. “Did he have a tell?
“A tell?”
“Something he said or did that made you wonder about his integrity.”
“No. I wonder about the integrity of every man with money, but he spent more time helping me than going after this promotion. I had no clue I was his ace in the hole. I was a fool to think I could trust a man who wears Italian suits.”
“It’s not the suit. And it’s not the fact the suit is Italian. You’re Italian.”
“The suit is a symbol. A symbol for men who think they can say and take whatever they want because they have money.”
“Some men. Not all.”
Gina sighed. “Only the ones in my universe.”
“So, what now?”
“I have to come up with a new plan.” Gina tapped her pen against the paper on her desk. “But I don’t know how we can pull this off without Carter’s cottage. The resort is full. The burglar can’t steal your ring from the safe if you don’t have a room.” When her cell phone rang, she read the caller’s name and groaned. “It’s him.”
Before she could disconnect the call, Brandy grabbed her phone. “Carter, this is Brandy, Gina’s friend.”
“What are you doing?” Gina tried to grab the phone but failed when Brandy jumped out of her seat.
“We need to talk,” Bandy told Carter. “Meet me in the lobby.”
Gina chased her to the door and pried her property out of her friend’s hand.
“Too late, he hung up.” Brandy planted her hands on her hips. “The way I see it, he owes you. You said it yourself. There are no rooms available for me to rent, so we need his. We’re going to go through with your plan for your aunt’s sake whether he likes it or not.”
He does owe me. And she hadn’t been able to come up with another plan. “Okay. See if you can talk him into it,” Gina said.
“Did you forget who you’re talking to? I am a woman of many talents, especially where men are concerned. I’ll call you after we’ve played the happy couple.”
Gina always did envy the way Brandy could turn a man into putty. “Make sure you mention your spa appointment at least five times on the way to his cottage and then call me before you head off for your massage.”
“No problem, boss,” Brandy announced.
Gina shuddered. “I hate for you to spend time with him.”
“From what you said, he’s a liar, not a serial killer.” Brandy opened the office door. “You should relax while I earn my acting awards.”
Gina chuckled despite herself. After the door closed, she leaned back in her chair and rubbed the stress from her face. Memories of her carriage ride with Carter, and his charming smile, kept replaying in her mind. He seemed sincere. She hummed when she slipped into bed that night. It was the first time she thought they might have a future together. Tears slid down her face.
“I’m such a fool. I’m as bad as my mother.” She scooped up an empty water bottle off her desktop and threw it as hard as she could across the room. It hit the wall clock with a loud smack, bounced off and fell onto the cushioned chair where Brandy had been sitting. At least I didn’t run off with him.
A shuffling noise at the door caught her attention. Intrigued, she sat still until she heard it again. Brandy must have forgotten something. Gina had traveled halfway across the room when she realized her friend would have opened the door by now if it had been her. The shuffling came again. This time a shadow blocked out the light beneath the door. Was someone spying on her? Why? She eased the door open, and the white, blue-eyed husky leaped toward her from the hall. She lost her grip on the door as he barged into her office and then ran around the desk.
“Is that mean, old dog catcher after you again?” Glad she wore slacks and not a dress, she eased down onto the cold tile and sat cross-legged. “Hi, there, sweetie. You’re safe here.” She held out her hand for the shaking dog to sniff. He stepped forward and then back into hiding again. “It’s okay.”
After a long, silent moment, the husky inched toward her. She ran her fingers through his soft, thick fur and he didn’t run away. With each touch, she could feel the stress of the day begin to fade away. “You’re such a good dog.”
He whimpered and then placed his head on her thigh. She checked for a collar but didn’t see one.
“I wish I knew where you lived. Maybe you could stay with me until I find your owner. Would you like that?” She hugged the dog until her breathing eased into a slow, steady rhythm. “Thank you. I needed this.”
Voices drifted in from the hall. She recognized Isaac, the security manager. He did not sound happy.
“I’ll be right back. I need to know if they found the burglar.” Gina pushed herself up off the floor and then strained to hear their conversation through the closed door. All she caught was the word investigation followed by what sounded like her aunt’s name as the voices faded away.
Gina inched the door open in time to watch Isaac and a police officer turn the corner. Curiosity reigned over common sense, as she slipped out the door and then pressed it closed to keep the dog safely inside. She walked briskly down the hall, but it didn’t matter. The two men had separated when they reached the lobby. Isaac caught her watching him from the corner and scowled. So much for pumping him for information.
She returned to her office, still worried about her aunt’s fate, and hoping her plan to catch the thief would work.
“Okay, boy, I’m back.” Gina turned the corner of her desk, expecting to see a white ball of fluff, but she only found her chair and empty space. “Where did you go?” She checked under and around the desk, then marched down the hall where she passed every door, all of which were closed. Back in her office, she scanned every inch once again. He couldn’t have left this office without me seeing him. I never left the hall.
“He vanished again.”