Seducing Zeb (Tarnished Saints Series) (22 page)

“Aunt Cappy bought Cat a car?” He wondered just what the old woman was up to. Somehow he knew it had s
omething to do with her controlling ways and matchmaking techniques trying to get all the Taylor boys to do what she wanted and make them think it was their idea instead of hers. It was a game she’d always been very good at ever since Zeb and his brothers were just kids.

“Yep,
and I sure could use a car too. So if you’re ever getting rid of this one, I’ve grown attached to it lately.”

“Well, just get unattached because you’re not getting it. And stop playing like you’re so broke
. I know you have enough money put away to buy your own car. Maybe not a Mercedes but something half-way decent at least.”

“I’m saving that for something important.
Like starting a business maybe. And how would you know that anyway?”

“B
ecause I accidentally opened your mail since you’ve taken it upon yourself to give the post office my address as your own.”

“Well, I needed an address when I got back from the
Caribbean and I haven’t got a place of my own yet.”

“Then rent a place of your own because you can’t have mine
.”

“
No. I don’t want to waste money. I told you, I’m waiting for the perfect opportunity. I want to make a good investment and at the same time have my own business like you do, Zeb.”

“I went to school and got a degree. Something maybe you should have thought of years ago.”

“We’ll see,” said Nate. “I have an idea that might just take care of all my problems.”

“What’s that? Marry a woman who can get your head
on straight and your life in order?”

“Oh. You mean like you’ve already done.
”

“Hah!” he laughed. “I may be married, but I’ve got my own life in order. I don’t need a woman to do it for me.”

“Really? Then why did Cat tell me when she came by to move not only her things but also yours to the lake house, that she was going to spend the next few days cleaning up your office and organizing it so you wouldn’t have to hire a secretary?”

“She did what?” Zeb couldn’t believe his ears.

“That’s right,” said Nate, heading toward the airport. “She said she was going to surprise you. I wasn’t supposed to say anything but you’re my brother so of course I had to tell you.”

“What does she think she’s doing by cleaning up my mess?
”

“Well, isn’t that what wife’s do?
” asked Nate.

Zeb thought about it, and realized he was right. Maybe Cat was only acting like a wife and he should start acting like a husband – though he wasn’t sure he knew how to act that part.

They drove in silence for a bit while Zeb contemplated everything, until Nate finally spoke. “So . . . you’re staying married to Cat, aren’t you?”

“We haven’t rea
lly had the chance to discuss that yet.”

“So you’re saying you didn’t do anything about stopping the annulment
yet?” asked Nate, stopping the car at the drop-off at the airport and pushing the button to pop open the trunk.”

“Not yet. I’ve been too busy.
But even if we do decide to stay married, I still have time to stop the annulment. I may have paid a little extra to rush the finalizing of the annulment, but I know how slow the courts are, so I’m not worried.” Zeb got out of the car and Nate followed suit.

“S
o who are you going to meet anyway?”

“I’d rather not say.”

Nate grabbed Zeb’s carry-on bag from the trunk and handed it to him. “It’s kind of sudden that you’re leaving town, and you don’t have much luggage.”

“I’m only
going to be gone for a day or two,” said Zeb taking his bag from his brother and slamming the trunk. “And since I now know you can’t keep a secret - it’s none of your business.” Zeb collected his briefcase from the back seat of the car.

“A little rendezvous?” Nate asked, raising a brow.

“I guess you could say that.”

“I bet Cat would be surprised to hear about it.”

“No! Whatever you do, don’t mention anything to Cat. The last thing I want is for her to get wind of any of this.” He headed into the airport wondering if he was doing the right thing after all.

Chapter 18

Cat sat with her eyes closed breathing in the scent of sage incense and wildflower candles. She was holding on to an amethyst crystal, able to feel the vibrations running through her hands. The whole thing was totally amazing.

“Now release your breath and slowly open your eyes,” came Laney’s voice over the soft, relaxing music
as she ended the guided meditation.

Cat’s eyelids fluttered open slowly, and she looked around the attic room of Laney’s antique shop. Aunt Cappy sat next to her on the large pillows on the ground, her lump of a body falling
in between them. Cat wondered if they were going to have to pry her out with a crowbar.

“How does everyone feel?” asked Laney, turning on the lights and blowing out the candles. There were only two other people at the meditation. A
n older woman they’d introduced to her as the past mayor, Mabel Durnsby, and another woman a little younger than Mabel who was the wife of Gus who owned the gas station. Her name was Pearl Kramer.

“This
is always so invigorating,” stated Mabel, getting up and wiping off her dress.

“Mrs. Dur
nsby, it’s supposed to be relaxing, not invigorating,” said Laney with a hand on her stomach.

“Come on, Pearl
,” said Mrs. Durnsby. “I’m having the school board over for tea this afternoon and we’re using that nice antique dining room table that Levi gave me.”

“Oh, that table that is the talk of the town?” asked Pearl.

“That’s the one,” said Mabel with a lusty look on her face.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” said Laney, rushing from the room.

Mabel and Pearl said their goodbyes, and Cat walked downstairs with Aunt Cappy after helping her get off the pillows.

“I think that really helped,” she told her new aunt. “I was able to see exactly what I want to do now. It’s all so clear.”

“Sorry about that,” said Laney coming out of the bathroom. “What are you saying, Cat?”

“I’m saying that I’m going to fix up the lake house so nice that Zeb won’t care about living in his condo.”

“Do you think that’s possible?” asked Laney.

“Sure it is,” Aunt Cappy broke in. “You have too much furniture around this place, Laney, maybe you can let Cat decorate her place with some of it for now.
It’ll be a step up from that old lake house furniture that is worn and pretty sad looking.”

“Well, I supposed that’d be fine.”

“I’ll pay you for anything I take as soon as I start making money,” Cat told her. “I have a little saved up from living in Vegas, but Denny’s name is on the account too so I’m not even sure he hasn’t cleaned it out by now. But I have a few appointments to go over the books at the restaurant, the police station and even the village hall. And Mr. Burley asked me to come take another look at his books as well.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea to go back over to Burley’s?” asked Laney. “Zeb won’t like it.”

“Well, I don’t care,” said Cat. “I don’t like the fact Zeb went away for the weekend without telling me where or why and without even a kiss goodbye, but he did it anyway.”

“That’s men,” said Laney. “Especially ones who have been bachelors too long. They think they don’t have to report to anyone where they are or what they’re doing.”

“I wonder where Zeb went?” asked Aunt Cappy. “When I saw Nate this morning he said Zeb only packed a carry-on and that he was going to be dropping him off at the airport.”

“You don’t think it’s another woman, do you?” asked Laney.

Cat hadn’t really thought about that until now. But now that Laney had mentioned it, Zeb had seemed pretty secretive lately. “Laney, I know I said I’d help you out at the store today, but I’d really like to get over to Zeb’s office and start organizing his desk.” Now her motive of just helping him clean was a little different. She figured while she was filing and organizing, she just might be able to find out what all his secrecy was about.”

“I’ll help her here today,” said Aunt Cappy. “You go on, Cat.”

Laney covered her mouth and ran one more time for the bathroom, and Cat started wondering if pregnancy was something she really wanted to experience after all.

* * *

Zeb glanced at his watch once more and ordered another martini from the airport’s VIP lounge. His plane had landed an hour ago, and the man he was supposed to be meeting was late. The man’s name was Lorenzo Rudawski and he was a lawyer in St. Louis and also could possibly be Cat’s brother who she thought was dead. He’d spoken to Lorenzo’s secretary and made the appointment on the phone, but Zeb didn’t tell him his true reason for wanting to meet with him yet. Still, Zeb had done some research and found that Lorenzo was a good, fair lawyer and not corrupt as Cat had said her father had been.

But now Zeb realized that Cat’s father was even more devious than Cat had relayed. Because there was no excuse for him to tell Cat and her mother her brother was dead when he really wasn’t.

“Excuse me, I’m supposed to meet a man named Zeb Taylor,” he heard a voice from behind him and turned to see a tall, dark-haired man who had similar eyes and features of Cat talking to the bar tender.

“I’m Zeb Taylor,” he said, getting up and shaking the man’s hand.
“I take it you’re Lorenzo Rudawski? I spoke with your secretary on the phone.”

“I am,” the man said, looking confused. “What can I do for you, Mr. Taylor?”

“I have a table reserved for us,” Zeb said, motioning with his hand to the waiter. He slipped him some money for holding the table and the waiter showed them to where they’d have lunch. “Please have a seat,” Zeb said. “Because I’ve got something to tell you that might come as a shock.”

* * *

Cat sat at Zeb’s office desk piled so high with papers she could barely see over them. She was glad that Zeb had at least left a key with Angel and Thomas and that Angel had given it to her or she wouldn’t be able to clean and organize Zeb’s office while he was away.

“This is unbelievable,” she said, letting out a breath and swiveling around in the chair. Then the phone rang, and she stopped for a moment not knowing where the sound was coming from. Finally after digging through a pile of papers, she was able to find it and picked up the receiver and answered it. “Zeb
edee Taylor’s office, may I help you?” she spoke into the phone.

“Yes, I’m calling from the employment agency to let Mr. Taylor know we’ll be able to send over a secretary this afternoon after all.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” she told them.

“So, you’re saying he’s found someone for the position already?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, but thank you anyway.”

She hung up the phone and looked around, figuring the best thing to do would be to organize some sort of filing system. She spied a file cabinet across the room and walked over to peer into it and almost laughed when she found it empty.

“Oh, Zeb,” she said aloud. “You need more help than you think.” She pulled a rubberband out of her pocket and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves, ready to work.

* * *

“So that’s the story,” said Zeb, finishing off his bruschetta and pushing the plate to the side of the table. Immediately the waiter was there taking it away.

“This is amazing and unbelievable,” said Lorenzo with a hint of wetness to his eyes. “I truly thought Cat as well as our mother had died years ago. That’s what my father led me to believe.”

“And it seems that is what he told them about you too. But I assure you, Cat is alive and well and I think she would love to see you again.”

“I’d love to see
my sister,” said Lorenzo nodding to the waiter as he placed their lunch in front of them. “But tell me, how did you meet Cat in the first place?”

“That’s a funny story,” he said and then looked up to the waiter. “
Please bring us another round of drinks and make sure I get the check.”

“So you and Cat are married
?” he asked, trying to understand.

“Uh . . . yes. We are married.”

“Well, congrats,” said Lorenzo. “So how many nephews and nieces do I have?”

“No
,” Zeb said with a wave of his hand. “No kids. We just got married.”

“Well, knowing Cat
she’ll have your whole life planned by the time you get back.”

“What?” He didn’t want to hear this.

“My sister is great with organizing and likes to be the one in charge. It’s hard to tell her no. I know because she never let me get away with anything when we were growing up.”