Then in a quick movement that took me by surprise, he cupped the back of my neck with his free hand and lowered his mouth to mine. The contact was brief, hard and possessive, and it was enough to bring back all the sensations of both kisses we’d shared the day before. My insides heated and began to melt. I wasn’t even aware I’d grabbed handfuls of his shirt until he drew away.
I had enough wits left to recognize satisfaction on his face before he said, “I’ll pick you up at ten for the tour.”
As he strode up the steps and disappeared into the house, I found myself both envious and a bit annoyed that he could walk. I wasn’t at all certain that I could.
Something drew my eyes to one of the balconies that graced the second- and third-story bedrooms, and I saw that Austin was standing almost directly overhead. Our gazes held for a moment and I thought I saw a look of pure hatred before he turned abruptly and disappeared into his room. I couldn’t help wondering if Sloan had known he was there when he kissed me.
“I thought you might like me to show you around the house so that you’ll be familiar with it,” Beatrice said.
I turned to find that she was regarding me with the most intent expression I’d yet seen on her face. “I’d like that very much. If you’re sure you have the time.”
“I’ll make the time. I enjoy showing off the hacienda.” She glanced down at the slim gold watch on her wrist and when her gaze returned to mine, her eyes were once more unreadable. “I have something to attend to in the greenhouse, but it should only take me twenty minutes or so.”
“I’ll meet you here.”
Without another word, she turned and walked away down the path.
“Breakfast is about to be served,” Marcie called from the terrace doors.
As I joined her, I wondered if she, too, had seen Sloan kiss me. Had he done it for our multiple audiences? And I couldn’t help but wonder if that was the way he’d kissed my sister. More guilt tugged at me. I was sinking deeper and deeper and I was beginning to wonder how in the world I was going to get out.
“This has got to be difficult for you,” Marcie said as we sat down at the table. “Not remembering anything.”
Understatement of the year was my first thought. “Yes, it is. Would you mind telling me how I came to hire you?”
If the question surprised her, she covered beautifully. “I met you at a fund-raiser about six months ago. I was working for the woman who was cochair of the event. You mentioned to her that you were looking for an assistant, so I sent you a résumé. We met for lunch—I guess it was my interview, because you hired me over dessert.”
“And what is it I hired you to do?” I asked.
She smiled. “I’m supposed to keep you organized. I also handle correspondence, keep track of your calendar and generally serve as your gal Friday.”
“Are you good at it?”
She met my gaze steadily. “Yes, I am.”
I really wanted to believe her. After all, my sister had hired her. And if I hadn’t known about her brother’s connection to those land developers, I might have.
She picked up her mug, then set it down. “I know that you have a crowded schedule today, so I’ll get right to the point. I want to apologize for Austin’s behavior last night.” Marcie ran her finger around the rim of her mug. “You have no way of knowing this, but he’s not usually like that.”
“You mean he’s not usually rude?”
“No.” The corners of her mouth lifted in a wry smile. “He can be extremely charming when he wants to. But he’s different when he drinks. He doesn’t usually drink that much,” she hurried to assure me. “Well, not anymore. He used to. But he’s changed. This is difficult to explain. Your father has never given him the kind of responsibility that Austin wanted and thought he deserved. When Sloan left five years ago, Austin thought that at last James would turn to him, but instead, he started giving more responsibility to you. These last few weeks while you’ve been away, his uncle has finally given him the chance to prove his worth to McKenzie Enterprises. And he’s done well. The surprise of seeing you last night made him think it would all slip away from him again. He’s very embarrassed about his behavior.”
I was pleased when Elena appeared with our breakfasts because I wasn’t sure how to reply to what Marcie had said. It certainly confirmed what I’d been thinking the night before. Austin wasn’t happy to have me back at the hacienda, and he could have been the one to rifle through my bag. He could have discovered my cell phone number simply by turning it off and then turning it on again, then made the threatening call later.
And if he was truly as sorry for his behavior as Marcie was professing, why wasn’t he here in person to make his apology?
Marcie waited until Elena had returned to the kitchen before she said as if she’d read my mind, “Austin would be here himself, but he has a bit of a hangover.”
I avoided making a comment by sampling the eggs and I immediately envied my sister for having a cook like Elena. Back in L.A., breakfast was something I ate on the fly—a granola bar if I’d remembered to grocery shop or a muffin out of a vending machine at work. With coffee—lots of it. I took another sip from my mug, trying to decide how to frame the question. Finally, I asked, “Why is it that my father waited until I disappeared to give Austin the kind of job he wants?”
Marcie set her fork down. “Austin has never been able to compete with you or Sloan. He doesn’t have a natural love of horses the way that you and Sloan do. In college, he decided to rebel and he picked up the reputation of being a bit of a playboy. But that’s not who he is, not really. And he’s really good at the PR end of the business. I’m hoping that you’ll give him a chance to continue to prove that. He’ll be an asset to McKenzie Enterprises.”
“Unless he’s drinking too much to keep his mind on business,” I said.
She leaned toward me. “He won’t. If you’ll just give him a chance to prove himself. That’s one of the reasons I asked you to come riding with us this afternoon. I hope that Austin’s behavior last night won’t make you change your mind. It will give you a chance to get to know him a little better. And we can show you the ranch.”
The idea of being alone and away from the ranch with two people who had motive and opportunity to search my duffel and make the threatening phone call I’d received should have made me wary.
But Marcie looked so sincere, so desperate, and I had to add in the fact that Cameron must have trusted her. But what finally decided me was that my inner Alice wanted to know more about both of them. “Of course, I’ll go with you. How about we meet at the stables at three o’clock?”
“Thank you.” She reached out and took my hand. “Thank you so much.”
Her relief was palpable, and I suddenly realized that Marcie Linton was either in love with Austin or she was a good enough actress to audition for a part on Secrets.
11
“THIS IS THE BALLROOM.” Beatrice led the way into one more cavernous room. The walls were a rich ochre color, and the deep red velvet drapes were pulled back from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Five crystal chandeliers, even larger than the ones in the dining room, hung from the ceiling. There were two large fireplaces, one at either end of the room, and the honey-colored oak floors were unmarred by carpets.
“Lovely,” I murmured. It was a word that I’d repeated often during my tour. As I’d followed Beatrice down long hallways and through a myriad of salons, parlors and bedroom suites, I couldn’t help but imagine what it must have been like growing up in a place like this. Hide-and-seek games could have gone on forever. And Cameron would have had two siblings to play with—Austin and Sloan. So far my absolute favorite space had been the library with its floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with books. One wall, nearly all glass, had let the garden in. To me it was paradise. I could have lingered there all day, but Beatrice allowed no loitering. She was on a schedule. She reminded me a lot of my resident advisor in college, the one Pepper and I had “borrowed” a car from. I wondered not for the first time how she and James could be brother and sister. He was so outgoing, and she was so contained.
“Countess Montega had her wedding celebration here, and since then it’s been a tradition that all the hacienda’s brides hold their receptions here. Except for you.” The tone held just a hint of censure. “Because of the small group of people who will be there, your father wants to use the parlor and the dining room. We’ll have dancing on the terrace.”
Feeling guilty, I said, “I’m sorry that Dad is rushing this wedding. It’s got to be a lot of work for you, but I couldn’t talk him out of it.”
Her brows shot up. “From the time you were born, you’ve always been able to wrap your father around your little finger.”
“Not about this. I couldn’t. I thought that I might be able to reason with him last night after everyone had left, but he looked so frail. I didn’t have the heart.”
I thought I saw a flicker of surprise in her eyes.