Crazy Love (31 page)

“No way. I’m not speaking to him even if he crawls on his slimy belly over a bed of nails to apologize.”

“Is that likely to happen? What’s the last thing you said to him?”

“Fuck you.”

“Beg your pardon, young lady?”

“Not you, him. That’s the last thing I said to him.”

“Oh.”

Flo downed the rest of her brandy, set her glass on the table and stood. “In that case you’re the one who needs to do some serious crawling, not him.”

“Like hell.”

Tut-tutting, Flo headed for the door. “Think about it.”

While young Sierra stewed, there was only one thing to do. Discover the truth, ring Liv, start planning to reunite the star-crossed lovers and hope to God they did a better job of getting the two together this time around.

Hank unlocked the back door and eased it open, not wanting to wake Liv. He’d been on the road for three hours straight, eager to get home to Liv, but as he’d turned in the drive and seen the house in darkness he’d been surprised she’d gone to bed at nine. The only time they retired that early was when they canoodled.

Perhaps that’s where she was, in bed reading one of those spy novels she devoured by the boxful, waiting for him to slip in beside her.

Intent on heading to the bedroom, he almost tripped over a box next to the kitchen table, bruising his shin and cursing as he stumbled around it.

“You’re home.”

The overhead light flicked on, blinding him.

“Liv?”

As his vision cleared, he saw her for the first time, fully dressed, car keys in hand, and suitcase at her feet.

“What’s going on—?”

“This
is
your home? Or is it another lie too, Mr.
Warner
?”

Bloody hell.

He’d been unable to reach Eric all afternoon, had prayed he hadn’t spoken to Marc yet. While he’d concluded business at the farm as fast as possible he’d convinced himself even if Eric got onto Marc it wouldn’t necessarily mean he’d see his mother today let alone mention his news.

Looked like his prayers had been in vain.

“I can explain—”

“I’m sure you can. Pity I’m not interested in hearing it.”

“I was going to tell you everything this afternoon before I got called away. You have to listen to me—”

“I don’t have to do anything of the sort.”

She cut him off again, the polite woman who never interrupted replaced by a flinty-eyed, steely-voiced stranger.

“You
knew
how important trust is to me. Full disclosure, remember?” Her glacial glare froze his heart. “After what I’ve been through I need to trust you’ll always tell me the truth.”

“I’ve been trying to tell you—”

“Let me guess.” She held her hand up as if warding him off, her anger evident when it wavered. “Business, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“It always is with you men. I’m sick to death of it.” She shook her head, sadness pinching her mouth. “Heard it all before.”

Hank rarely lost his temper. However, when Liv lumped him in the same canoe as her no-good son-of-a-bitch ex-husband, he saw red.

“You’re saying I’m like George?”

She shrugged and he didn’t know what terrified him more. Her coldness or her nonchalance. “He always said it was business too.”

He heard the bitterness in her voice, the resignation, and anger slashed through his desire to explain. “I’m nothing like him.”

“Why should I believe you’re any different?” She fixed him with a stare filled with doubt. “You’ve lied to me about your identity, why not
business
?”

“This is bollocks.”

He could’ve stood there and argued his point, made her see sense. Instead, he turned on his heel, stalked into the bedroom and slammed the door, wishing he could shut out their painful exchange as easily.

The woman he loved didn’t trust him and though she had reason to be angry she hadn’t given him a chance to explain.

He hadn’t lied to her, he just hadn’t told her the whole truth. A lie by omission? Maybe, but he’d wanted to be sure she loved him for who he was, not what he had. He’d almost fallen prey to a single-minded spinster a while back, his first and last foray into dating before Liv.

The experience had soured his belief in women and when he’d first met Liv he’d been suspicious. For all he knew she could’ve been an excellent actress who’d got the lowdown on his life and made a bee-line for him, hoping to snare his fortune as well as his heart. She might’ve left one billionaire in search of another.

He’d had to be careful. No use losing his head over the first woman to fall for him in twenty years. But what about his heart?

He plopped on the bed, kicked off his boots and fell back, hands behind his head.

So much for the supposed love this town was famous for.

He’d landed smack bang in the middle of a godforsaken mess.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cupid’s Dating Tips for the Enlightened Male

When a woman asks what you’re thinking, don’t tell her the truth: sex or football isn’t a clever answer
.

Flo had slipped out of her fancy suit when Peter Allen started singing his tune.

“Can’t a woman get a little peace in this town?” she muttered, tying the sash on a purple chenille robe that had seen better days.

Lordy, if that was Will ringing her bell she was in real trouble. He’d take one look at her and run all the way back to LA.

She mentally added item thirty-five to her extensive list of
new stuff to impress Will if they ever moved past the friend stage
: sexy robe.

Opening the door a fraction in case Will had returned, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh, it’s you, Liv. Come in.”

Flo’s relief was short-lived as she glanced at her watch. Nine-thirty was late for a social call and by the stricken look on her friend’s face this impromptu visit had
man trouble
written all over it.

When she opened the door wider and saw the suitcase at Liv’s feet, she rolled her eyes. “Not you too.”

Liv grimaced. “Sorry. I had nowhere else to go. Do you mind if I stay the night?”

“No worries. Though you better not snore.”

Liv managed a weak smile as Flo pointed to the first room on the right, a den-cum-spare room, and deposited her suitcase there.

“Planning on staying a while? Because if you are, there’s always the apartment your son vacated today after trampling on Sierra’s heart.”

A nasty jibe but she wanted to snap Liv out of her stupor. The woman looked like she’d taken a box of Valium and was drifting along in a daze.

“Thought something like that must’ve happened.” Liv shook her head, not rising to the bait to defend her son. “He left so suddenly, I knew they must’ve had a row.”

“You could say that.”

Flo ushered her into the kitchen and set about making tea. “What’s your story? Hank not living up to expectations in the bedroom?”

Liv blushed and collapsed into a chair. “This isn’t the time for your teasing.”

“There’s always time for a laugh,” Flo said, adding boiling water to the teapot and covering it to steep.

How could a day that had started out so brilliantly in Will’s dashing company end with her playing shrink to her morose friends? Shouldn’t everyone be as happy as her? Usually it was the other way around but this time the bridesmaid had one up on the brides.

“Do you know about Hank?”

“Know what? The fact he’s an old reprobate?” Flo snorted. Already warned you about that.”

Sudden fire replaced the glazed look in Liv’s eyes. “No, the fact he isn’t who he says he is.”

“Huh?”

“Hank Warner. Owner of Warner Haulage. Mega rich.”

Flo’s jaw dropped. It fell open like one of those sideshow clowns at Love Fest before snapping shut.

“We’re talking about your Hank, right? Must be some mistake. I’ve known him for years and his name is Stevens. As for being mega rich, I think you’re mixing him up with your ex.”

Sadness warred with fury on Liv’s stricken face. “No mistake. Marc told me before he left.”

So Liv’s son had screwed up two relationships before he left town. 
Nice going, kid
.

Flo poured the tea and placed a steaming cup in front of Liv, along with a plate of brownies.

“The old fool is rich?” Flo sipped her tea and chuckled. “Damn, if I’d known I would’ve taken a shot at him myself years ago.”

Liv shot her a startled stare before seeking refuge in her cup. “He lied to me.”

“No, he didn’t tell you the whole truth and I bet there’s a darn good reason for it.”

“You sound like him.”

Liv reached for a brownie and took a huge bite, a dead giveaway she was stressed. Liv rarely touched her baking, saying the smell alone added ten pounds to her trim frame.

At least that was one thing Flo had going for her. Being tall had its advantages, the fat spread evenly over her body to give the illusion she didn’t have any. Until the clothes came off. Then it was blackout time.

Item thirty-six to add to her
impress Will once past the friend stage list
: dimmer switch for the lights in her bedroom.

Flo placed her cup on the table. “Listen up. Hank’s a good man. So he has a secret? It’s not like he has another wife hidden away somewhere or is playing around on you.”

“How do I know?”

“Because this is
Hank
we’re talking about. He’s as honest as the day is long. If no one in this town knows his real identity, there has to be darn good reason why. Maybe you should give him a chance to explain?”

She’d seen Liv’s stubborn expression before. Marc had the same look when Flo tried quizzing him about Sierra, right before he’d clammed up good and proper.

“Does Sierra know?”

Flo shrugged. “No idea. She’s the closest person to him, or was until you arrived on the scene. What’s the difference?”

“I need to know.”

“Ah hell,” Flo muttered, getting up from the table and shuffling to the phone. “You women with your broken hearts, you’re all bonkers.”

A glimmer of an idea took root as she dialed Sierra’s number. Get the two together, give them an unending supply of brownies and who knew what could happen?

On a chocolate high, they might realize they had two amazing men in their lives and rather than drive them away with their own insecurities, they might put up a fight.

Nuts, the both of them.

It didn’t take long to convince Sierra to come over, especially when Flo mumbled something about getting hammered together. Though she did experience a moment’s remorse when she imagined how the young woman would feel when confronted by her one-time potential mother-in-law. What better way to get both of them to face their demons than together?

She’d had a long day and wanted to get to bed. Let the two sob it out on each other’s shoulders while she drifted off.

“I hope you’ve got Tequila,” Sierra said, flinging open the back door, slipping her boots off and shrugging out of her jacket. “Because I really want to get smashed…”

She trailed off as she caught sight of Liv. “Oh, sorry, Olivia.”

“Sierra.”

The two stared at each other in awkward silence before Flo waved her in and pulled out a chair. “Here, take a seat. We’re just getting started.”

“Uh, maybe I’ll come back another time.” Sierra backed up a few steps, fumbling for her jacket.

“You’re staying.” Flo crossed the kitchen, took hold of Sierra’s arm and almost dragged her to the table.

“No, I’m not,” Sierra muttered through gritted teeth, trying to yank her arm free.

“Whatever my son did to hurt you, he’s an absolute idiot,” Liv said, as some of the tension drained out of Sierra’s body. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to him and when I see him I’ll tell him in no uncertain terms.”

Flo released her grip as Sierra slid into a seat. “Men are pigs. Sorry to say, Olivia, your son included.”

“I totally agree.”

Liv nodded emphatically and Sierra’s eyebrows shot up.

Oh yeah, this was going to work out just fine. Maybe Flo should stay up and watch the fun after all? She hadn’t even brought out the rest of the brownies yet.

“What’s Hank done?”

“Everything.” Liv sighed and reached for another brownie. “Did you know his real identity?”

Sierra stared at Liv like she’d grown another head and Flo breathed a sigh of relief. Looked like old Hank had fooled them all.

“What are you talking about?”

Stunned, Liv replaced the brownie on the plate. “I thought he’d confide in you. Guess it makes me feel slightly better.”

Sierra glanced across at Flo, raised an eyebrow, silently asking her to confirm Liv had gone cuckoo and Flo gave a quick negative shake of her head.

“Look, Olivia, I know you’ve been under pressure lately. Sounds like you’ve made a mistake. Hank is—”

“A liar. His real name is Hank Warner and he’s a multi-millionaire. Ever heard of Warner Haulage?”

Sierra shook her head and Flo took a seat again, eager to hear this. She never would’ve thought Hank had it in him but looked like he had a life nobody knew about. Who ever said things were dull in Love?

“It’s one of the largest companies in California. I only know about it because I approached them for my last charity function. I was thwarted when some snooty PR manager told me the owner is a recluse and couldn’t be contacted so I backed down and approached the next business on my list.” Liv folded her arms and frowned. “Recluse all right. He’s so reclusive he shuts his fiancée out.”

“Wow.”

Sierra nibbled on a brownie while Flo mentally slapped herself for not hounding Hank harder. She could’ve been living on easy street by now, even if she didn’t find him in the least bit attractive.

Now Will on the other hand…phew, that man made her heart pound, fortune or not.

“Okay, we’ve established Hank is loaded but too shy to talk about it, and Marc has left town. Why don’t you two stop the pity party and get your acts into gear? These guys are obviously crazy about you, so what are you going to do about it?”