His Tempest (4 page)

“What are you doing here?” Noelle asked, pleased to see him.

Her dad enveloped her in one of his big bear hugs. He was a tall, lean, broad-shouldered man who loved to play golf, which was one of the reasons he and her mother had moved to Monterey. He watched Tiger Woods play at Pebble Beach every time he came.

“Had to come and see you off. How are you?” Franklin Greenwood asked.

“Okay.” Angst ate at her insides. She needed to tell him the truth, but she feared he wouldn't understand. Up till now they'd shared everything, and her deception weighed heavily on her heart.

“Well, now. Is there still a bed for me to sleep in?” her dad said.

“Of course.” She stepped back from him and hugged her brother, Greg. “Come on in.” Her brother took his duffel bag to the spare bedroom, but her dad stopped as soon as he crossed the threshold and saw Colin taping up a box.

Colin approached her father and extended a hand.

“Dad, this is Colin Mayes. He lives next door to Blue Mountain Farms.”

Her father shook his hand.

“How do you do, sir,” Colin said.

Her father nodded. “You're George's grandson?”

“No. My grandfather was his partner.”

“He's here buying one of Brent's horses,” Noelle said to break the strained atmosphere.

Franklin nodded again. “I just came back from Virginia.”

“I didn't know you were going there,” Noelle said.

“Wanted to check on the work you had done on the house.” He shook his head. “You've got your work cut out for you.”

“I know. Had they finished the wiring?”

“Yes. I replaced a couple of broken windows, put in a new heating system and furnace. I scrubbed the walls and floors, aired it out. Greg and you will have to paint before you move the furniture in. But at least it's livable.”

“Thanks, Dad, but I was going to do all that.”

“Baby, I've got to be able to sleep nights. And if I had to worry about you being in a cold, unsafe house, it wasn't going to happen. Besides, you still have the camp to repair. It'll keep you busy.”

“What shape is the camp in?”

“Worse than the house. But I knew you had to do it.”

He knew about Mackenzie Avery, Noelle realized just then, but she wasn't ready to broach that subject just yet.

Her father hefted his duffel. “Well, I'm going to put this in back and we'll get to work.”

Colin came up beside her. “I don't think your father likes me.”

“He'll come around.”

“I don't know. I didn't make the best impression on him. I wasn't mentally prepared to meet your father.”

“We'll see.” According to Cindy, Colin was every father's worse nightmare. But when he closed the distance between them, the temperature in the room seemed to increase by sixty degrees. Colin tugged her to him, and the intensity of his gaze darkened. As much as Noelle tried to make herself believe Colin was deceptive, her heart wasn't listening. The room sizzled and crackled with sexual tension.

Tilting her chin, he lowered his head and kissed her. She wanted to fight the heat zinging through her body, but she was helpless against his potency. His mouth was warm and seductive, sending points of desire through her system. At that moment her entire world was centered on him. And by the time he released her, she knew she was in trouble.

He was regarding her with his trademark tilted smile. When she looked at that smile—when she gazed into his eyes—she believed they could last. Believed that in his eyes, she was the only woman alive. Believed he would never look at another woman again in the same way he was gazing at her.

As much as she wanted to share something deeper with him, she knew they weren't going to last. And that made her sad.

That night Noelle still hadn't broached the subject of Mackenzie Avery. She touched her father's arm. Her brother was in bed and she and her dad were sitting on the couch watching the late news.

“Dad, I need to talk to you. I should have said something before now.”

He turned from the news and focused on her. “I know.”

“Although it's been my lifelong dream to open Blue Mountain Farms, I have two reasons for going there.”

“You've wanted to be a part of that camp from the time you were little. It's the reason your grandparents left it to you.”

Noelle realized he didn't want to broach the real subject any more than she did. Could he be as afraid of losing her as she was of losing him?

“Do what you have to do, okay? Seek what you have to seek.”

Her throat felt as dry as cotton. “Daddy?”

His smile warmed her in a way that melted her heart. “What is it, sweetheart?”

She tried to speak but the words caught in her chest. Tears clogged her throat, but she had to tell him.

“I contacted him.” She didn't need to say who
him
was.

Her father nodded.

“I just…”

He gathered her into his strong arms. She used to think he could solve all her problems, handle any situation. She'd always been Daddy's girl. There were times they'd sat on the steps of their home and weeded through any problems, her concerns floating away as gently as a summer breeze. She wasn't a little girl any longer, yet, she still needed him. Still needed to smell the subtle scent of his familiar cologne. Still needed to reaffirm he was her dad and her world hadn't changed.

“I…I love you,” she finally said, not knowing what else to say.

“Honey, I know that. I love you, too.” He leaned back and lifted her chin with his thumb. Wiping the tears from her eyes, he said, “Nothing will ever come between us.”

Noelle closed her eyes again and found herself enveloped in his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around him as if she'd never let him go.

Noelle stood by the truck at the Jamison place two days later, waiting for Colin and the Jamisons' general manager to finish loading the horses into the trailer. Her brother and dad had packed her moving truck and hitched her car to the back.

All that was left now was to say goodbye. She'd been emotional all morning, not knowing what to say to her father.

Finally, she just hugged him. When she pulled away, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands.

Franklin dug into his pocket for his wallet, as if she were a teenager. “Need some money?”

Noelle laughed. “No, Dad. I have enough.”

“I need money,” Greg said, coming around the corner eating one of the sandwiches Gloria's cook had prepared for them to take on the trip.

“When don't you need money?” Her dad pulled out several bills and thrust them into Noelle's hands even with her objections. He seemed to need to complete that fatherly act, so she accepted with a hug. Then he handed money to his son.

His real son, Noelle thought.

But she was his real daughter in every way that counted.

Noelle was closer to meeting her grandfather, closer to seeing photographs of her natural father, learning about the man he'd been. She wondered what he'd looked like, if her hair was like his. Or her eyes, her nose.

They started out on 40 East, which ran into 81 North, Colin and the trailer behind them the whole way. Though the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains was breathtaking, she was glad her brother was there to help with the long hours of driving.

They were halfway through the trip and Noelle was resting in the passenger seat when Greg asked, “Does Mom know why you're really moving there?”

“I'm sure she and Dad discussed it.”

“This year you're going to be busy repairing everything at the camp, but after this summer, you'll have nothing to do for the rest of the year.”

“I'll figure out something. I can always teach computer classes to make ends meet, and my old job will let me work a few months.” The computer company she'd worked for would allow her to telecommute. “The summer camp seemed to take care of Grandma and Grandpa.”

“That's because they were both teachers. I still wonder why after teaching all year, they'd want to babysit kids during the summer.”

“They loved kids. They only had one camp session each summer, remember?”

“I was too young. You're the one who did the summer-camp thing. That's why they left me the cave. Think I'll take a look while we're here. So what's up with you and Colin? Is it serious?”

“Don't pull out the suit. I've only known him a week.”

“Hmm. Y'all were looking pretty tight.”

Noelle shrugged. She couldn't name what they shared and didn't even try.

She was grateful for the next fill-up stop to avoid her brother's probing questions. And because she and Colin got to spend a few minutes together. She felt herself falling for him in a dangerous way. No matter what Cindy said, Noelle didn't think a man could fake emotions this intense. At least she wanted to think better of Colin.

Around eight that evening, they made it to Front Royal, Virginia, less than an hour's drive to her new home. While Colin drove the horses home, Noelle and her brother stopped at a hotel. After the long drive she wasn't up for rolling out sleeping bags in the house and spending the night on a hard, dusty floor. Besides, after her father's assessment, she'd rather get her first glimpse of the place in daylight.

It was late when Colin called her.

“Got the horses settled in?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“How is Mr. Avery?” Colin had talked about him during their time in Memphis so she felt comfortable in bringing him up.

“Great. He came out to the barns. He likes Maggie Girl. I told him all about you. He was friends with your grandparents and is looking forward to meeting you.”

Noelle swallowed her anxiety. “I'm looking forward to meeting him, too.”

He sighed. “Noelle, I'm falling for you in a way I never expected. I mean, we've been together less than a week, yet we've spent so much time together it seems as if we've known each other much longer.”

“I feel the same.”

“I don't know where this is taking us. It's so new and—I don't know. I haven't been serious about one woman in years…. I can't promise you anything. I don't know the future of the farm.”

Her heart beat erratically in her chest. “I'm not asking for anything.”

“But women like men who have a promising future. And everything for me is up in the air. But I love what I do. If I didn't, I'd get a regular nine-to-five job so that I could buy you jewels and the biggest house and—”

“I'm not asking for anything. My future is just as iffy as yours. I gave up a great job to drive halfway across the country to start a summer camp that hasn't been open in twenty years. So I guess we're starting from the same place.”

“You're special, you know that?”

Oh God, oh God. What have I gotten myself into?
After the days they'd spent sightseeing, she thought he'd be ready to move on by now. She'd deceived him and now he was baring his soul to her. She had to come clean.

“Colin, when we met, I never expected—”

“I know. I never thought we'd get this far, either. But all this can't be one-sided. You feel it, too, don't you?”

“Yes, but—”

“Give me a chance, okay? Give
us
a chance. That's all I'm asking. I want a chance to see where this leads. I want to get to know you better.”

Noelle closed her eyes on the emotions lapping over her like the rippling warm waters of a whirlpool. She wanted to move forward with him, too. “Okay,” she whispered.

T
he workday began early on a thoroughbred farm. At quarter to five Colin was out of bed. A half hour later he was downstairs, where the housekeeper, Leila Nelson, was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and looking much too fresh for so early in the morning. Her hair was neatly pinned up and, as usual, she wore a dress, a blue one this morning. Colin couldn't ever remember seeing her in a pair of slacks.

The brown-skinned woman glanced up and smiled. “Welcome home,” she said. “I stayed up as long as I could last night, but you got in very late. Left supper in the fridge for you, but you didn't touch it.”

“After unloading the horses, I went straight to bed. How's George?”

“Moping around. I couldn't convince him to go to the grief session at church. Maybe he'll listen to you.”

Disappointed, Colin said, “I'll take him with me to the track this morning. We have three yearlings that will start racing soon.”

“Good. He needs to get out,” she said, setting a plate of pancakes before him.

After the delicious breakfast, Colin made his way to the barn, where they were preparing some of the horses for the practice track.

Thinking of Noelle, as he always did lately, he dialed her cell number. She'd asked him to call her early, but he wondered if she'd appreciate being awakened this early.

She cleared her throat before uttering a sleepy, “Hello.”

“Half the morning's gone. What're you still doing in bed?” Colin asked.

“What?”

He grinned. “This is your wake-up call.”

“Oh, hi.” She moaned and the sound shot heat right through Colin's groin. There was something sexy about a woman's sluggish morning voice. “It's still dark. It can't be morning yet.”

“Sure it is. Now, if you were home I could ride my horse over there and wake you gently and slowly. You'd only be a mile away. But this is the best I can do from here.”

“You're only a mile from my grandparents' house?”

“Less than that by horseback.” He heard the mattress groan when she moved. He'd give anything to be in that bed snuggled up close with her right now. He felt his body react at the thought. He tightened his hand around the phone.

“It'll be late before I can get away to see you. Got a long day ahead of me.”

“Yeah, me, too. Thanks for the wake-up.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” Sighing, he closed his phone, tossed his diposable cup in the trash and entered the barn where the groom was already at work preparing the horses to board the trailer for the short ride to the practice track.

Colin wanted to keep George too busy to sit around the house grieving.

Within that one week Colin had been away, George had lost weight, adding to the total he'd lost since Mackenzie's death.

Although Colin respected the grieving process, he wanted to help George. And the best way, he figured, was to get him involved in an activity he loved.

The sun hadn't quite broken the horizon when they left the farm. Frost was still on the ground when they arrived at the track.

Colin went to get more coffee for them. He handed one cup to George. “So what do you think of Maggie Girl?”

“Good choice.”

When George failed to mention any of the characteristics that made a prime thoroughbred, Colin changed the subject.

“Do you remember the Eppses on Blue Mountain Farms?” he asked. “They used to run a summer camp.”

George nodded.

“Their granddaughter is here. She's opening the camp.”

“Those buildings need work.”

“She's having them repaired.”

“Where's she going to stay?”

“In the house. Her dad had some work done to make it livable.”

“He stopped by when he was here. The family came to Mackenzie's funeral.”

Colin didn't remember. So many people had attended. “The granddaughter's name is Noelle. I want you to meet her. I saw a lot of her in Memphis. Her brother is here for the week to help her settle in before he returns to school.”

“You like her?” George asked, never taking his eyes off the activity around them.

“Yes.”

“Is she different from the rest? Her grandparents were friends with my wife and me.”

Colin focused on the racetrack where jockeys and trainers were preparing for the race. “She's special.”

“Why don't you invite them to dinner?” George nodded toward Colin's shirt pocket. “Use that fancy phone of yours and call Leila.” George hadn't caught on to cell phones yet.

“I'll do that.”

George sipped his coffee and looked out toward the track. “Be good to have company again. Leila likes to entertain. Been complaining nobody's been over lately.”

This was a good sign, Colin thought. A very good sign. He'd have Noelle and her brother over if he had to drag them kicking and screaming. But with Noelle's soft heart, she'd readily agree.

Noelle was still basking in her call from Colin when daylight broke over the horizon. She and her brother drove past the camp entrance and a half mile later turned onto the graveled path that led to her grandparents' home. She dodged huge potholes, small branches and patches of weeds. The trees were thick and plentiful, but it was easy to see through the bare branches. They entered a clearing and she got her first glimpse of the old Colonial-style house. What used to be white had now weathered gray with age.

“This place is begging for paint,” Gregory said from the passenger seat.

“At least it has good bones,” Noelle said. “You're offering to paint the outside?”

“If I had another month or two.”

Four columns supporting the wide front porch stood tall and strong.

Noelle remembered sitting in a rocker with a glass of juice. An old rusty glider was still there, pushed to the side. It had been sitting on that front porch in rain, snow, heat and hail for years.

Nostalgia carried Noelle back a couple of decades, and a lump formed in her throat. “Do you remember summers here?”

“A little, not much.”

“You're too young,” she said. “See that pecan tree over there? Grandpa made a rope swing on it. It was the best swing I ever had.”

“Hmm.”

“And although they had the summer camp, they did special things with us. We visited Luray Caverns and the thoroughbred farm next door. I used to love riding the horses there.”

“The caverns and horses sound familiar. I can remember seeing the different stalactites and stalagmites.”

“You used to love the caves.”

“Probably the reason I'm a geology major.”

“Maybe.” She pointed out the truck window. “We had an entire play area over here, especially when we were too young to spend nights at the campground.”

“I'm surprised we haven't seen your Colin rolling over here yet.”

She couldn't hold back a smile at the mention of his name. “He's working with his horses today, but he called earlier, while you were sleeping.”

“He could have hooked us up with some food. You starve a brother.”

“If you had gotten out of bed, we would have stopped some place, but you wanted to sleep in.

Now you'll have to settle for a ham sandwich when we get to the camp.”

“Travel a couple of thousand miles to help you and you starve me.”

Noelle chuckled. “Free labor has to work to earn meals.”

Gregory shook his head.

There was a lot of work to do that day, but Colin was coming by as soon as he could get away, and Noelle wanted to get as much done as possible before Greg left.

Slowly she exited the truck and stood in front of the old house, letting her memories warm her.

“I'm glad they left it to you,” Greg said as he came up alongside her.

“Me, too.”

He chuckled. “I didn't mean it like that.”

She turned to him. “I guess I can see beyond the rough edges.”

“Hell of an eyesight.”

Noelle climbed the front steps, and using her key for the first time, she unlocked and opened the door. The place smelled of paint and age, and the rooms were cold, but she felt as if she'd stepped into heaven.

She walked through each room. A wide hallway led to the back of the house and ended at the first-floor bathroom. To the right of the entrance was the dining room and in back of it was the kitchen. Surprisingly, the old fridge still ran. Noelle turned on the water in the deep sink. It came through strong and clear.

Through the kitchen window, she saw a pile of wood out back just waiting for the fire. Her dad had told her he'd ordered it for her in case the electricity went off.

She walked into the living room on the left, with its huge river-rock fireplace. Then on into the bedroom her grandparents had used all of their married life.

Noelle climbed the stairs to the second floor. Two sizable bedrooms flanked the hall, with the bathroom between them. The upstairs foyer was the size of a regular room, with French doors that opened to the upstairs porch.

She'd make that area a sitting room. Already she could picture a couch and couple of chairs and bookcases. Comfortable for reading and gazing out the French doors.

The ceilings had been painted antique white, but the walls were washed, patched and primed, waiting for Greg and her to paint them.

The house was old, but the beautiful stained woodwork was in surprisingly good repair.

Greg shook his head as he came upstairs. “I have a whole week of winter break left. I can drive you back to Memphis or to Monterey. The folks won't mind if you stay with them until you decide what you want to do. As a matter of fact, Mom would love for you to come home.”

Obviously, Greg didn't see the potential she saw in the house. She turned to him and spread her arms wide. “Now why would I want to leave all this?”

“Let's see if I can list the reasons. You're in the middle of nowhere. Alone. The outside looks terrible.” He wrinkled his nose. “So does the inside.”

Noelle tilted her chin. “A fresh coat of paint, curtains and my furniture will have this place looking like home before you leave.”

Greg shook his head. “If you say so.”

She looked through the windows facing the campground. In the distance a few more weathered buildings could be seen through the bare trees. She was sure their state of disrepair was worse than that of the house, since her parents had at least periodically made minimal repairs to the house. She hoped she could hire someone reasonable to make the campground repairs.

In the meantime, there was work to be done. “I have cleaning supplies in the trunk.”

Her brother sighed. “You know love doesn't fix everything.”

Noelle hit him and he chased her to the car.

It didn't take long to clean the inside since her father had done most of the work. At nine they drove to the nearest paint store for supplies. After getting some fast food, they returned and started painting. They worked on the upstairs bedrooms first since they hoped to sleep in them that night. Afterward they left the windows open to get rid of the sharp paint smell.

“This stuff is supposed to dry quickly. Hope it lives up to its label,” Greg said.

“So do I,” Noelle agreed.

By five they had completed the upstairs. They took a minute to survey their labor.

It was just as she'd said. After a long sleep, the house was awakening.

Colin had tried to get away all day. But so much work had backed up it seemed he'd been running since he set foot on the farm. And although he'd told Leila to expect guests for dinner, he'd failed to invite Noelle and Greg. He changed from his boots to his shoes and changed his pants and shirt before he drove to Noelle's. He had horse all over him. He badly needed a shower, but it would have to wait until he returned home.

When Colin drove into the yard Noelle and Greg were taking a mattress out of the truck. He pulled to a stop and hopped out.

“I'll take your end, Noelle,” he said setting words to action.

“That's going upstairs.”

“Hi,” he said and kissed her lightly on the lips just before he moved away with the mattress. She had tied a bandana on her head, her luscious hair hidden beneath. She was splattered with paint.

“Man, you're going to regret offering to help,” Greg said. “She's going to use you until she wrings you dry.”

“She's been working you pretty hard, huh?”

“Yeah. And starving me, too.”

“I have a remedy for that. I'm here to invite the two of you to dinner. Actually the invitation is from George.”

“Yeah!” Gregory yelled and almost pumped the air before he remembered he was carrying a load.