Never Too Late (13 page)

Martin sat there, silent, his big shoulders bowed, radiating a sense of loss.

Martin dipping into Barrowdene’s coffers? But he was richer than Francine. He had no need to cheat her like that, and besides, that wasn’t the Martin she knew so well.

Icy panic gripped her.

Oh god! Jake!

If he found out, he’d destroy Martin.

She’d have to comb through all the accounts. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as it sounded. Maybe Martin’s fear had gotten the better of him. Maybe whatever was missing, he could return it without Jake ever finding out.

Martin’s voice cut into her feverish thoughts. “I tried to see Francine, down in London.”

“You did?”

“She wouldn’t listen. Wouldn’t see me. I waited days and she didn’t come.”

“Oh, Martin, does she have any idea why—”

“Why I’m desperate to see her?” He gave a humourless bark of laughter. “I’m the devil incarnate right now as far as she’s concerned. I’m the one sabotaging her neat plans to sell the place and move on.”

“Look, I’m sure there’s a way out of this.”

The shrill ring of his mobile phone startled them both.

With a frown, he dug his mobile out of his trouser pocket and glanced at the caller ID on screen. His mouth thinned, and he put the phone to his ear. “Yes.” His tone was abrupt. Silence filled the room as he listened to what was being said on the other end, and his frown deepened. “I’m here at the office.”

Belinda. It had to be.

Just then, Martin shot her a quick glance, confusion in his eyes. “She is.”

Molly stood up. It didn’t take much to guess what that insufferable woman must be saying. 

Picking up Martin’s empty cup, she indicated that she was going downstairs. He gave her a brisk nod and swivelled his chair around to face the window behind him. 

She left, quietly closing the office door behind her.

Barrowdene’s accounts. She needed to dig through them, but her stomach churned with dread at the thought of what she might find.

* * *

The sun had chased away all the grey clouds by the time she locked up the offices at five in the evening. 

She’d spent the day at her desk, poring over page after digital page of accounts, and found precisely nothing. Martin had hurried away soon after Belinda’s call, saying only that he would be back later. He hadn’t returned.

With a grimace, she tugged the key out of the lock.

What if this went deeper than the simple accounts she had access to? Martin needed to tell her everything. She’d force it out of him tomorrow.

“Molly.”

She froze in dismay at the familiar voice, then turned around slowly.

Brian strode up to the foot of the steps. “I need to speak with you.”

Molly glanced at the post office next door, half-expecting to see Clara Ainsley’s face peeking out the window, but all seemed mercifully quiet.

She looked down at him, eyebrows raised in question. “Really? I can’t think about what.”

“About what I said.”

“Don’t tell me. You’ve come to apologize.”

His lips quirked up. “Something like that.”

Anger flared in her. This was still just a game to him. If he planned on continuing with the disgusting offer he’d thrown at her by the church, she’d set him straight.

She bounded down the few steps and stood scowling up at him, almost toe-to-toe. “I already told you; there’s nothing for us to talk about, so just leave me alone.”

But he gazed down at her, amusement lingering on his face. “It’s not that simple, Molly. You see, I still care about you, and I think you’re getting yourself into a lot of trouble right now.”

What? But if she asked him to explain, she’d only be playing into his hands. “You don’t have to care, Brian. I can look after myself.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Oh, Molly. Molly. Still so gullible. At least, when we were together, I looked after you. Don’t expect Jake Hennessy to bother.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw the way you were looking at him at the pub, like you wanted to fuck him right there. I thought, of all women, you were better than that. So tell me, has he had you yet?”

She gasped. “That’s… it’s none of your business!”

How dare he? Had he not seen how Abby behaved? Mortified heat shot to her cheeks. Was that how everyone saw her when she was with Jake?

“Don’t get too comfortable with him, Molly.” Brian’s eyes glittered with leashed fury. “He’ll use you and spit you out like every other woman he’s gone through.” His lips drew back in a sneer. “His last girlfriend killed herself after he finished with her.”

It was like a body blow, and all the blood drained from her face.

Jake’s girlfriend? The one before Lilayni? She’d resisted the temptation to dig into Jake’s past. She was no stalker desperate for some, any involvement in his life when he had no real interest in her. But never in a million years had she expected this. 

Brian was watching her like a hawk.

He mustn’t see how much his words affected her. She mentally steadied herself. “Like I said, it’s none of your business, Brian.”

“I’ll make it my bloody business! I’ll not let some rich bastard take what’s mine.”

“But I’m not yours,” she mumbled, frowning in confusion. Who was this really about? Her or Abby?

The sudden fierce roar of an engine had her whipping her head around and staring as Jake eased his dark motorbike to a stop by the roadside. He balanced with one boot-clad foot on the ground, and taking off his helmet, fixed the two of them with a steely glare.

She took a small nervous step away from Brian.

Reaching around, Jake unhooked a second black helmet from the far side of the bike and jerked his head at her. “Come on.”

What? No way!

She scowled at him. She may not belong to Brian, but she didn’t belong to Jake either and he had no right to be ordering her about. She glanced at Brian, and his face was the same chagrined red she’d seen at the pub. Really, her only other alternative was to walk home and hope Brian wouldn’t follow. Not much of a hope at all really.

Gritting her teeth, she stomped over to where Jake waited, and with a glare, snatched the helmet from him and put it on.

Through the tinted helmet visor, she glanced back at where Brian stood fuming. 

Well, if Brian was going to label her Jake’s bit-on-the-side, then she was going to act that part to perfection. And as for Jake, she’d tell him exactly where he could go and throw himself as soon as they were safely back at Barrowdene.

Jake leaned back and pulled out a tan leather jacket and matching gloves from one of the bike’s compartments and held them out to her.

Glad he couldn’t see her expression behind the dark visor, she scowled at them. They were some of the most beautiful clothes she’d ever seen: light marbled tan, delicate stitching, soft lining, and they were a woman’s. 

Lilayni’s or a previous girlfriend’s?

But she couldn’t back out now.

Shucking off her suit jacket, she slipped the leather one over her cream silk camisole and zipped it up. The butter-soft leather fit like a second skin, as did the gloves.

Jake nodded in approval, his lips twitching into a smile. “That’ll keep you safe and warm. Get on.”

She really didn’t need anything to keep her warm with him around. She eyed the motorbike’s black seat, which came up well past her hips. Hmm, getting on the bike, looking like she did it everyday would be no easy matter.

Jake stowed her suit jacket and putting his helmet back on, waited, a dark hunter, one hand on the bike’s handlebar, impatience in every line of his leather clad body.

Suddenly she noticed what looked like a step, low on the bike, and on a breath of relief, she hitched up a trouser leg and swung herself up on to the firm seat behind him.

“Ready?” His clear voice sounded in her ear through the helmet.

Buzzing with an equal mixture of dread and anticipation, she nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see her face. “Yes.”

“Put your arms around me.”

“Wh–what?”

“Hold on to me.”

The engine throbbed to life beneath her and she grabbed at his jacket with both hands. The bike lurched sideways as he turned them around, and she threw her arms around his waist, wrapping them tight, a move that had her pressed up flat against his solid back, trembling.

God! Did she really want to do this?

But the sight of Brian glowering as they whipped past, had her smiling to herself.

Yep, it was so worth it.

On this thing, Barrowdene was only a few minutes away. She could hang on.

But her blood burned as it coursed through her, and it wasn’t in fear. It was Jake, all Jake, and the thrill of being this close to him.

The ride was exhilarating.

The bike cruised over the road like a missile, houses and people whizzing past them in a heartbeat.

But all she knew was Jake.

His body was as solid as a rock in the circle of her arms and against her legs, and the slight shift of his muscles as he controlled this beast of a machine sent shockwaves surging through her.

Molten heat pooled low between her thighs.

Thank god he couldn’t see her now.

Catching sight of the turning into Barrowdene’s driveway up ahead, she breathed out in relief. But relief soured to disappointment the closer they came. Would she ever do this again with him? 

Once her feet were back on ground, she would, of course, thank him for the lift home. He’d likely shrug it off and admit it’d been on his way and he’d only been polite, and everything would return to how it had been between them when Lilayni had been here. As it should.

The turning into Barrowdene came and zipped past.

Startled, she watched it disappear behind them. “Jake, you missed Barrowdene.”

“We’re not going there.”

Her eyebrows knitted together, and she turned her attention back to the wide road ahead. “Then where are we going.”

“Halstead.” His voice was matter-of-fact. “Your Nan was right; it’s a beautiful place. I wanted to share it with you.”

Share it with her. A tingle of guilty pleasure shot through her.

Wait. What about Lilayni? There was no such thing as an innocent outing with him anymore. “I… I don’t think that’s a good idea. It doesn’t take much to set tongues wagging around here.”

As it was, the speed at which some tongues were already wagging, they were in danger of coming unglued from mouths, and the way she’d left Brian standing today, she was really pressing her luck. More eyes than theirs would have seen that little stunt, and gossip about her and Jake was about to hit the stratosphere.

He laughed, a deep rich sound that filled her helmet. “Let them talk. I suspect they’re in dire need of the entertainment. Besides, I got the impression Halstead was out of the way of Appleby’s grapevine, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

She gritted her teeth. Oh, if only she could knock some sense into that arrogant skull of his. 

Why did she worry?
Because
—she wanted to yell down his earpiece—
you have a loving girlfriend who’d see this little trip very differently and I have a life here I don’t want to completely nuke.

But he was right about Halstead being out of Appleby’s reach. None of the village locals worked there as far as she knew.

Her tone was sullen as she answered. “I’m really not sure what you’re hoping to see there. The manor house closes to visitors after five o’clock.”

“Leave it to me.” His voice held a smile.

Did she have a choice?

But since she was stuck with his plans, she could at least make the most of the moment. And leaning in closer, she lost herself to the secret part of her that burst into flames at just being anywhere near him.

They didn’t pass Halstead’s grand manor house. Instead, Jake swung the bike on to a narrow road leading into tall green woodland on the edge of the estate’s grounds.

The air was cooler here, with the spreading crowns of imposing trees blocking the blue sky and subduing the sunlight. It was calm and quiet, like an undiscovered fairy wood. Even the big bike purred through, seemingly loathe to disturb the serenity around them.

His laughing voice reached her ear. “Can’t beat Mondays for peaceful sight-seeing. Everyone’s stuck at home dreading the next work day.”

Like she should be. With a pang of guilt, she remembered the trouble Martin was in, but quickly pushed it from her mind. She may only have this brief time with Jake; she was going to enjoy it.

“Never you though,” she teased.

“I make my own hours.”

Wow. What did that sort of freedom feel like? She loved her job, but it was another anchor among many in her life holding her in place. He was like an uncaged bird, free to come and go as he pleased, and it suited him. 

They passed a middle-aged couple, complete with hiking sticks and boots, threading their way hand-in-hand around the trees. The man stopped and put his arm around the woman’s shoulders as he pointed out something high in the trees. Then the bike left them behind. 

Unease stirred in Molly. “Did you and Lilayni walk through here on Saturday?”

“Yes, there’s a footpath just up there.” He nodded his helmeted head towards the trees on their left where the couple had been. “But it wasn’t like today. Every walker, his mother, and their dog was out in force. It was a forest of people, not trees. You couldn’t take a step without crashing into some oblivious fool.”

But I bet you still held hands
. She shook her head, furious with herself. How was it any concern of hers what he did with Lilayni? But she couldn’t reign back the images popping up in her mind of how it would be to walk hand-in-hand through the woods with him.

“Was that trip with Martin your first time here?”

His voice had her guiltily snatching back her thoughts. “No, of course not. Nan and Grandad used to bring me here on weekends when I was a child. Though… we never really went much further from home. We weren’t… aren’t great travellers.”

That last part came out apologetic, and she bit her lip. Why had she admitted that? But all of a sudden it was important to know what he’d think of her.