A Man's Promise (3 page)

Four

D
alton Granger checked his watch before entering the private investigator’s office. Great! He was on time for once in his life. He had toyed with the idea of hiring a private investigator for a couple of weeks, and now here he was.

He glanced around the sparsely furnished room and saw a woman sitting at a desk. She glanced up at him and smiled. He immediately thought she didn’t look bad for her age, which he estimated to be late forties. And she didn’t have a ring on her finger. While living in England, he was known as a man who preferred older women. In other words, he didn’t mind being a cougar’s cub. It had its benefits. A mature woman was usually independent, didn’t have time for game playing and wouldn’t create any baby-mama drama.

Since returning to the States, it seemed his tastes had changed, and now he was checking out women his own age or younger...just like the woman he’d met a couple of weeks ago at a local nightclub. The same woman who’d been so hot he still sizzled whenever he thought about her. This same woman had behaved as if he was a bother. She’d even had the nerve to refuse to give him her phone number. And when he told her he was interested in her and asked how he could reach her so the two of them could hook up, she’d had the audacity to tell him he’d have to find her first.

He’d been mad as hell. Dalton Granger didn’t go looking for any woman. There were too many out there to suit his fancy, and usually it was the other way around. Women came looking for
him.

So why was he here doing the very thing he swore he wouldn’t do? Why was he willing to hire a private investigator to find the one woman who’d gotten away? The one who had snubbed him at the nightclub.

He could answer his own questions. Because she was a novelty. Different. Pretty damned refreshing. And, besides that, he had a feeling she would be hot in bed. Any woman who wore stilettos on legs like hers had to be. Damn. He would find this mystery woman and find out for himself just how hot she was. For her, he would make her an exception.

He walked toward the receptionist. “I’m Dalton Granger. I have an appointment with Mr. Harris.”

“Yes, Mr. Granger. Mr. Harris is expecting you.”

“Lead the way.”

She stood and led him to a door and, without knocking, she entered. “Mr. Granger is here.”

The man sitting behind the desk reading a sports magazine glanced up and stood, smiling. “Mr. Granger, thank you for coming in. I understand you want me to find someone for you.”

Dalton nodded. “Yes, Mr. Harris, I do.” The man had come recommended by Myron, the bartender/owner he’d met while frequenting McQueen’s, a sports bar and grill not far from Granger Aeronautics. Myron swore that Emory Harris was one of the best in the business and that he specialized in missing persons. Usually it was deadbeat dads that Emory Harris tracked down, but Dalton figured if he was as good as Myron claimed, then he would give the man his business.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Granger,” Harris said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“Thank you.” Dalton heard the receptionist leave, closing the door behind her.

“Would you like something to drink? Thanks to Myron, I keep a pretty well-stocked bar.”

“No, thanks. I’m fine. How did the two of you meet?”

Emory, who looked to be in his late forties, smiled. “Myron’s wife and I went to college together and remained close friends.” He paused and then said, “I understand you’re looking for someone. A female. Is she your ex?”

Ex? Boy, was he way off, Dalton thought
.
“No, she’s a woman I met one night at a club. She seemed to be in a hurry, and when I asked for her contact information, she rushed out and called over her shoulder that I should find her...and I intend to.”

“She must be some woman if you’re willing to go to the trouble.”

For a second Dalton thought about what Harris had just said. He’d already beaten himself up about what he was doing. It was so unlike him. But then all it took was for him to remember how she looked walking into that club—stilettos, legs and a shapely figure any man would appreciate. He had done more than appreciate it. He’d been lusting after her ever since. Shit, the woman was interfering with his sex life, making it hard for him to desire any other woman. He thought it would have passed by now, but so far, it hadn’t. He needed to meet her, talk to her, have sex with her a few times to see why she had such an effect on him. And she definitely was having an effect. He got an erection every time he thought about her.

“Yes, I guess you can say she was some woman. So, you think you can find her?”

“I’m sure I can. I’ll need the name of the club. She might be a regular there.”

Dalton gave him the name of the club, which Harris jotted down.

“Did you see what kind of car she was driving?” he asked.

Dalton shook his head. “No. By the time I walked outside, she was driving away, and it was dark.”

Harris nodded. “Describe her.”

Dalton smiled, thinking.
Gorgeous legs. Firm breasts. Curvy ass.
But to Harris he said, “She was pretty. Sexy. Hot.”

Harris stared at him for a minute and then asked, “What about her skin tone? Eye color? Hair color? Did you notice any of that?”

Dalton had to really think hard about it. “Brown skin. Brown eyes. Brown hair.”

Harris nodded as he jotted the information down. “Notice anything else?”

“She was wearing Amarige.”

Harris looked up. “Excuse me?”

“Her perfume was Amarige. Nice fragrance on a woman, and it smelled super nice on her.”

Harris lifted a brow. “You’re so familiar with fragrances that you can name one?”

Dalton shrugged. “Yes. I guess I can. I’m a bit of an expert.”

Harris chuckled. “I would definitely say that you are.” He leaned back in his chair. “I have a case I’ll be wrapping up over the next week or so, and then I’m on it.”

Dalton smiled. That was what he wanted to hear. He couldn’t wait to see the woman again.

Five

J
ace knocked on the closed door.

“Come in.”

He entered the office, locking the door behind him, and his gaze immediately went to the woman sitting behind the desk. Shana Bradford. When he’d hired her almost three months ago, he had been attracted to her from the first. The sexual chemistry between them had been undeniable, and they both knew it. Being the professionals that they were, intent on keeping their relationship strictly business, they had tried ignoring the attraction...until it got the best of them.

They’d been having a secret affair. But now that was about to come to an end. She was pregnant with his child, and he intended to put a wedding ring on her finger.

Her smile was radiant and warmed not only the room but his heart. “Jace, what are you doing here? I left you in bed.”

“I noticed. I thought we both decided to stay away from the office for a few days, clear our heads, get our heart rates back in sync.”

She leaned back in her chair. “You needed to do that more than I did. Did you talk to your dad?”

“Yes, Warden Smallwood let him take my call immediately.”

“And?”

He drew in a slow breath, moving away from the door to stand in front of her desk. “And, unfortunately, he heard about the kidnapping attempt on the news. He was upset. He was glad I was okay and realized how close he could have come to losing me.”

Shana nodded. “I know the feeling.”

Jace didn’t say anything for a second and then added, “And he’s upset about Vidal. He couldn’t believe it. The man had been a family friend for years. Now I’m sure he’s wondering just how far back the man’s treachery went and whether perhaps he could have been involved in my mother’s death.”

Shana sat up straight in her chair. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I have,” Jace said. “So have Caden and Dalton. But I don’t think he was.”

Shana lifted a brow. “Why?”

“Vidal said a lot of things while holding that gun on me, convincing me I was about to take my last breath. He had no problems bragging about all his misdeeds—including siphoning funds for the company from right under my grandfather’s nose. He seemed to take great pride in confessing all the things he’d done. If he had killed my mother, he would have bragged about it before killing me.”

Shana thought about what he said. “You might have a point.”

“I do,” he said, coming around her desk, pulling her out of her chair and rubbing a hand over her stomach. “I had planned to tell my brothers about us and the baby today. However, Dalton left for an appointment someplace, and when I walked into Caden’s office, he was dealing with a few issues.”

Jace pulled her into his arms and smiled down at her. “But I can’t wait to tell them, and we’ll do so later today at Sutton Hills.”

* * *

Caden tried to be patient as the phone rang several times. He released a sigh of relief when it was answered. “Dr. Timmons.”

“Sedrick, this is Caden Granger.”

There was a long pause and for a minute Caden thought the call might have been dropped. “Yes, Caden, what can I do for you?”

“I’m trying to locate Shiloh.”

There was another long pause. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Caden wondered how much Sedrick knew about the situation and quickly figured he knew all of it since Shiloh and her brother were close. “I need to talk to her. Your mother came to see me today, and she told me everything.”

There was a flow of muttered expletives from the other end of the line that almost burned Caden’s ears. “Mom had no right to do that. I’m surprised that you listened to what she had to say when you wouldn’t listen to Shiloh when she came to see you.” Sedrick’s tone was sarcastic in the extreme.

Caden rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes. I believed things about her that I shouldn’t have. I was wrong.”

“Yes, you were. And you hurt her. Badly.”

Hearing these accusations from Sedrick only reinforced how deeply Caden had wronged Shiloh and how much he needed to correct the mess he’d made. At this point, he couldn’t place the blame entirely on Samuel Timmons and use the man as a scapegoat. He should have believed in Shiloh and trusted her. “I know, Sedrick, and I plan to make things right,” Caden said solemnly.

“Not sure if you can. I just talked with her today. She’s moved on with her life, Caden, and I think you need to just let things be and move on with yours.”

It was on the tip of Caden’s tongue to tell Sedrick that he really didn’t give a royal damn what he thought. But now was not the time for that, especially when the man had information he needed. “I can’t move on, nor can I let things be. If I ignore this situation, it means your father has won. And I refuse to let him continue to call the shots—even from the grave.”

Something he’d said must have resonated with Sedrick because, after a few moments, he said, “I’ll tell you where she is, but you have to promise me something.”

“What is that?”

“That if she asks to be left alone, you do just that and leave her alone.”

Caden knew he couldn’t make such a promise. Even if Shiloh refused to forgive him for the things he’d done, he would not give up on her. He still loved Shiloh and hoped there was a chance that she still loved him.

“Caden?”

“I heard you, man, but I can’t make you that promise, Sedrick. The only thing I can promise is to never hurt her again. And if you don’t tell me where she is, I will eventually find her. It might take me longer, but I
will
find her.”

Sedrick must have heard the determination in his voice. “Fine. I’ll tell you where she is.”

“Has she left Charlottesville?”

“No. She has a place in town and has opened a wine shop on Vines Boulevard. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’s there every day, except for when she’s away on business. But fair warning—you’re the last person she’ll want to see.”

“I’ll just have to deal with that. Thanks.” And then Caden quickly hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

Six

S
hiloh Timmons glanced around her wine boutique, thinking that everything was coming together nicely. After that huge argument with her mother and the confrontation with Caden, she had thought about leaving Charlottesville and returning to Boston but, in the end, she was glad she had decided to remain in Charlottesville. It was where she wanted to be. Besides, she had already invested a ton of money to get the shop up to her standards. Also, she figured that by living in town she would rarely run into her mother. And as far as Caden was concerned, it would be just a matter of time before he left on another one of his tours.

She’d heard about the deathbed promise he and his brothers had made to their grandfather to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics. Of the three, she could see only Jace being the one to stick it out. Caden was a musician, for heaven’s sake, and a very good one. He had a great following, and it was expected that his recent album would be nominated for another Grammy. And as far as Dalton was concerned, she knew he considered Europe his home and he was probably champing at the bit to return.

“I just love this wine boutique, Ms. Timmons, and I appreciate you hiring me. I know I will enjoy working here.”

Shiloh turned and smiled. The young woman she’d hired to work in the boutique was Tess, a junior at the University of Virginia. Tess was one of four students working for her. They were bright, energetic, dedicated and ready to learn the business. She understood how they felt since she had worked at a wine shop in Boston while attending college. She had learned a lot from the owner, Valerie Motley. Valerie had been more than an employer; she’d been a friend. And she still was. Valerie, whose family owned a winery in Italy on the island of Sicily, had taught her a lot about the business. Shiloh knew that if she could be half the businesswoman that Valerie was, then she would do well herself.

“Thanks, Tess. The next two weeks are going to be busy as we get ready for the grand opening. I’m going to need all hands on deck.”

Excitement spread across Tess’s face. “We know, and we can’t wait. We’re ready to do whatever you need. You do everything with class, Ms. Timmons. Just look at this place.”

Shiloh glanced around again, and she couldn’t help but be filled with pride. She had known this place would be perfect the moment the Realtor had shown it to her, and she couldn’t think of any better way to use the money from the trust fund her grandparents had set up for her. She loved the location—right in the middle of Charlottesville’s gorgeous historical district. The brick streets and sidewalks, the quaint shops, the old-fashioned light posts and the thousands of tourists ready to spend money were the perfect complements to her new business. The patrons could purchase a bottle of wine to take home, or they could sit and enjoy a glass of something special at one of the café tables in front of the shop. The huge overhanging oak trees helped provide shade in the summer and a blanket against the snow in the winter.

Once in a while, she would go outside and look up at the huge sign over the large storefront window. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’d had the sign custom made to blend in with the shop’s architecture, and just seeing it made her feel that at least she had accomplished one of the things she’d always wanted: to become an entrepreneur. One of her own choosing.

She knew her father had been disappointed that neither she nor Sedrick ever showed any interest in joining his million-dollar retail business. Samuel had ended up reaching out to his brother and nephews. He had brought them into the business. Her uncle Rodney was the complete opposite of his brother, and Shiloh often wondered how the two ever got along.

Shiloh looked out the large front window. It was late August and pretty soon it would be September. Forecasters were predicting a short fall and an early winter. Shiloh hoped they were wrong, especially since the winter being predicted would be colder than usual. She much preferred the fall, when the days were still somewhat warm and the nights were cool. What she loved the most was the changing of the leaves—the colors turned from a bright green to a rusty-red.

Inside the shop, the floors were covered with tile that had been imported from Italy, and she had installed shelves made of rich mahogany wood that held racks and racks of the best-tasting wine available anywhere. Most of the wine had been purchased directly from the vineyards. In addition to the wine, the boutique sold various kinds of cheeses, wineglasses and an assortment of breads that were delivered daily. And for those who preferred enjoying their wine inside, she had a separate seating area complete with Wi-Fi. It wasn’t unusual for patrons to come and sit and sip for a while—some had already become regulars.

Most locals and tourists had been receptive to the new boutique, and business had been booming since day one. Originally, Shiloh thought she and Tess could handle things themselves, but within days she had had to hire Markel, Collette and Donnell.

Her office was located on the second floor, and the cellar below the shop was where all her stock was located. There was also a huge room adjacent to the shop itself that she could use for just about anything, and this week the decorator was busy transforming it into the reception area for her grand opening. Out back was the brick courtyard with a huge water fountain. She would be utilizing that area for the grand opening, as well.

The third floor of the building was a private floor where her living quarters were located. Right now, the two bedrooms, the one-and-a-half baths, the living room and the eat-in kitchen unit were all she needed. There was another huge room on that floor, and if she ever felt the need for more space, all she had to do was knock down a wall.

She glanced at her watch. She was expecting her accountant any minute. “Tess, I’m going down to the cellar to finish taking inventory. I’m expecting my accountant anytime now. Send him downstairs when he arrives.”

“Okay, I sure will.”

* * *

Caden walked into the Wine Cellar Boutique and glanced around. Nice. Classy. But then, he didn’t expect anything owned by Shiloh to be any other way. The place was busy, but her employees were very efficient. Most appeared to be college age, and they were serving and greeting customers, referring to many by their first names. Instead of getting in line to buy something, he approached a young woman who was watering one of the huge plants.

“Excuse me, miss. I’m looking for Shiloh Timmons.”

A huge smile touched the young woman’s lips. “Welcome to the Wine Boutique, and I’m Tess. Ms. Timmons is expecting you.”

Caden seriously doubted that. “All right.”

“She asked me to send you downstairs to the cellar. The elevator is just over there to your right.”

“Thanks.” Caden turned toward the elevator, passing a huge display of wineglasses that were stacked in the shape of a pyramid that went all the way up to the ceiling. He stepped on the elevator and braced himself for what Shiloh would say when she saw him. Regardless of what Tess had said, he was not the person Shiloh was expecting.

The elevator ride took a few moments, and when he stepped out of it, he glanced around and immediately saw that the place was huge. The fresh smell of paint permeated the air. Hearing the sounds of shuffling papers, he moved in that direction. Rounding the corner, he saw her.

He paused and stared. Her back was to him and she was leaning over a huge crate, counting the contents. Dressed in a silky blue blouse, a black pencil skirt with a slit in the back and black high heels, she presented a picture that he couldn’t help but appreciate. There was no doubt that Shiloh was a beautiful and desirable woman. Although their relationship had been built on more than just physical attraction, he would be the first to admit that the physical had been good. Damned good. But what he’d loved most about her was her bubbly and lovable spirit—something that shone through even when she had a tyrant for a father. But Samuel was dead, and Caden could blame only himself for being the one who’d now broken that spirit.

As he studied her further, he saw she had put her hair up. It swirled into an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck. She usually wore her hair up in the summer, when the July heat began getting to her. She had always preferred cold weather to hot, and he had always enjoyed keeping her warm during those cold nights when he’d visited her in Boston.

She straightened, and he watched as she flipped through the papers on her clipboard.

Figuring that now was as good a time as any to make his presence known, he said, “Hello, Shiloh.”