- -
- 100%
- +
www.millsandboon.co.uk
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
THERE was no sign of him.
Morgan Keenan stared out the bay window of her craft shop at the family Inn, willing the tardy Fortune 500 corporate CEO to appear. Not that she didn’t realize what a long shot it was to get Justin Hilliard to even consider investing in her project.
She glanced up at the clouds gathering over the San Juan Mountains, knowing the forecast was for snow flurries later tonight. It was still early in the season, but it could be a blessing for the old mining town of Destiny, Colorado. Especially when she was trying to promote the perfect location to build a ski resort.
Since being elected mayor last year, Morgan had worked hard, pulling together a cost effective package and looking for investors. She’d received a few nibbles over the previous months, but it hadn’t been until she heard from Justin Hilliard of Hilliard Industries, that she thought she just might have a chance to pull off this deal.
And today, the CEO was coming to see the town…and to meet her. Or was he?
With one last glance at the empty parking lot, Morgan walked to the back of the craft shop she ran in her parents’ bed-and-breakfast, the Keenan Inn. A wooden quilting frame was set up in the turret-shaped alcove. She took her seat facing the windows so she could keep an eye out for her visitor while relieving tension by working on the wedding quilt.
Morgan picked up her needle and took a measured stitch, a skill her mother had taught her years ago. It had been her salvation too many times to count. Lately the resort deal had been heavy on her mind, but after today, if Mr. Hilliard decided he wanted to invest in the resort she could breathe easier.
Busy with her intricate work, it took a while for Morgan to realize she wasn’t alone. She glanced up to see a small dark-haired girl standing in the doorway. Dressed in a pink nylon ski jacket and matching bib overalls, she was too cute.
Morgan smiled. “Hi.”
The girl didn’t answer.
Since the Inn’s guests didn’t usually have children, Morgan decided the girl belonged to a day tourist. She glanced toward the front of the shop but didn’t see anyone around.
“I’m Morgan,” she said. “What’s your name?”
“Lauren,” the child answered softly.
“Pretty name. Do you want to see what I’m making?”
Her gray-blue eyes widened, then to Morgan’s surprise, the little girl walked to the edge of the stretcher board.
Morgan ran her hand over the multiblue patterned fabrics already sewn into circles. “It’s called a wedding-ring quilt. See the circles?” She outlined one with her finger. “They look like rings.”
The girl didn’t speak, but leaned in to look at the half-finished quilt.
“I like to use blue,” Morgan continued. “It’s my favorite color. What’s yours?”
Those big eyes rose to hers. Morgan felt a tug at her heart. “Pink…” the girl whispered.
“You want to see if we can find pink in the quilt?”
Surprisingly the little girl raised her arms to Morgan. She didn’t hesitate to lift the child. A soft powdery smell emanated from her as she was tucked perfectly onto Morgan’s lap. Morgan took a moment to savor the rare gift, because this would be as close as she would ever get to having a little girl of her own.
Justin Hilliard stood at the Keenan Inn’s front desk. He hated being late. Punctuality had been a discipline drilled into him throughout his life. Even if it couldn’t be helped because the company jet had a minor mechanical problem, and Lauren had fallen asleep. He’d decided that she needed the rest more than he needed to be on time.
“Sorry for the delay, Mr. Hilliard.” The middle-aged innkeeper had short gray hair and warm hazel eyes. “We put you in the suite on the second floor. My husband is bringing in a rollaway to accommodate your daughter.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Keenan. I apologize for not informing you ahead of time.”
“It’s not a problem at all.” The older woman smiled. “We’ve all been looking forward to your visit but especially, my daughter, Morgan.”
He checked his watch. He was ninety minutes late. “I was to meet with her today. I’m going to have to reschedule. I want to get Lauren settled.” He looked behind him at the antique love seat, but his daughter wasn’t there. He glanced around the large entry that served as a lobby for the three-story bed-and-breakfast.
He tried to stay calm. “Lauren?”
Mrs. Keenan came around the desk. “I’m sure she’s probably close by, probably just wandered into the craft shop.” The older woman led the way along a hallway and into a room that housed the usual touristy things, along with several quilts hanging on the walls. But there was no sign of his daughter.
Panic rose in his throat. Lauren stayed close by his side, especially since her mother’s death. The innkeeper walked ahead, then she turned and smiled, motioning toward an alcove.
Justin froze as he spotted his daughter seated on a woman’s lap. A protective hand rested on Lauren’s, guiding her small fingers through the task of pushing the needle through the fabric. His chest tightened at the enchanting scene.
Then other dormant feelings raced through him as he took in the woman’s long auburn hair brushing her shoulders in soft curls and encircling her heart-shaped face. Her pert nose wrinkled when she smiled. She had a fresh-scrubbed look that he found appealing.
“It seems your daughter has found a friend,” Mrs. Keenan said, breaking into his thoughts. Then she turned and walked away.
Just then Lauren became aware of his presence. The joy in her eyes faded as she climbed down and hurried to his side.
Justin knelt and wrapped his arms around his daughter. “Lauren, you shouldn’t have run off. I was worried.”
“Sorry,” she whispered.
“Just tell me the next time. Okay?” He rose and turned to the woman who’d managed to gain his daughter’s trust. “I’m Justin Hilliard.” He held out his hand.
“Morgan Keenan.” They shook hands. “And I apologize. I had no idea that Lauren was missing, or that she was your daughter.”
“She usually doesn’t wander off.” Or talk to strangers, he thought.
“Well, she’s welcome here anytime.” Morgan looked at the child and smiled. “As long as she asks for permission first.”
Ms. Keenan was even lovelier close up. Her eyes were a deep emerald-green and expressive. Who would have thought the all-business mayor he’d talked with would turn out to look so soft…so feminine? His throat suddenly went dry. “I don’t see it as a problem.”
“Good.” Morgan brushed her hand against her long skirt. “I hope you and Lauren had a pleasant trip here.”
“We had a few delays,” he said, his hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “I hope my tardiness hasn’t caused problems for you.”
Morgan shook her head, fighting her nervousness. Justin Hilliard was more handsome than in his magazine and newspaper pictures. Tall, with wide shoulders, he was dressed in jeans, boots and a coffee-colored, cable-knit sweater.
Her attention went to his steel-gray eyes. “I’d planned to spend the day with you…I mean I was scheduled to present the Silver Sky Canyon project.”
He frowned. “I apologize. I need to reschedule our meeting.” He raised a hand. “It will be at your convenience. Since I’ve brought Lauren along, I’ve decided to stay the week. I thought I would mix business with some pleasure time with her.”
It was a good sign that a busy CEO like Justin Hilliard was going to be here all week. “That’s wonderful. There is so much to see and do around here. I hope you brought some warm clothes. They’re predicting snow this week. Probably just flurries, but it’s still fun to watch.” Why was she babbling? “But then you get snow in Denver.” She finally shut her mouth when she saw his smile.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Hilliard. As you can tell I’m anxious to tell you about the project.”
“There’s no need to apologize and, please, call me Justin.”
“And I’m Morgan.” She was just happy he was here. She’d been afraid he’d changed his mind. “And yes, we definitely can reschedule our meeting.” She glanced at the little girl. “And maybe after you rest Lauren, we can have a look around town.”
With questioning eyes, Lauren glanced up at her father.
“I think we both would enjoy a trip around Destiny,” he said.
At that moment, Claire Keenan rejoined the group. “Then, let’s get you settled Mr. Hilliard. We can send sandwiches up to the suite.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
She waved her hand in the air. “Oh, it’s not a bother at all. We want you to feel welcome.”
Justin looked back at Morgan Keenan. “I thought that was your job.”
A delightful blush crossed her cheeks. “I’ll do my part, but my mother’s cooking is just one of the fringe benefits Destiny has to offer.”
The look in his eyes sent a strange feeling coursing through Morgan’s veins.
“I can hardly wait to discover the others,” he told her.
Morgan walked into the big kitchen, the hub of the Inn and the center of the Keenan family activates. This had been where she and her sisters, Paige and Leah, grew up.
It was the heart of the home, where family problems were discussed and triumphs were cheered, tears shed and laughter shared.
Claire Keenan turned as her daughter entered. “Are they settled in?”
“They seem fine. Thank you, Mom, for handling things.”
“It wasn’t a problem…we had the suite available.”
“I should have booked him there in the first place, but I thought he would fly in only for the day. That he’d fly home tonight.” She frowned. “And bringing his daughter with him. That was a surprise.”
Her mother smiled. “And she’s so sweet. I wonder where her mother is?”
Finding information on Justin Hilliard hadn’t been hard. Morgan had gone to her sister. Paige had lived in Denver for nearly ten years and knew all about Hilliard Industries’ CEO, both professionally and personally. “He’d been divorced for over a year and has had custody of his daughter since his ex-wife was killed in an automobile accident six months ago.”
“How sad,” Claire Keenan said. “That poor little thing. So both of them are alone.”
Morgan didn’t like her mother’s curious look. It could only mean trouble. Since Morgan had returned from college, she’d tried to fix her up with every eligible man who’d come to the Inn.
Just then her sisters, Paige and Leah, walked into the kitchen. “Is he here yet?” Leah asked.
Morgan knew who they were talking about. “Yes, he’s here,” she told them.
“Is he as handsome as his pictures?” Leah asked. The petite blonde couldn’t hide the twinkle in her brown eyes as she held out a computer printout from the Hilliard Industries’ Web site.
Morgan had to admit that she hadn’t expected a hard-driving businessman to be so good-looking. That dark, wavy hair and those gray eyes were…She quickly pushed away the thought.
“His looks have nothing to do with the man building a ski resort here.”
Leah frowned. “Now, I am worried. She doesn’t even react to a gorgeous man.”
“Why are you looking at other men anyway?” Morgan asked. “You two are married women.” She glanced pointedly down at their rounded bellies. “And pregnant.”
“We’re not dead,” Paige informed her. The brunette’s hair was perfect as was her makeup even though she was eight months pregnant. “Besides, Reed knows I love only him.”
“As does Holt,” Leah added.
Their mother joined in. “I love your father very much but Justin Hilliard even made me take an appreciative look. And that little girl of his…”
The two sisters turned back to Morgan. “He brought his daughter?” Paige asked.
“That’s impressive,” Leah added. “How old is she?”
“She’s about five and adorable,” their mother informed them. “Her name is Lauren and she’s already gotten attached to Morgan.”
Morgan covered her ears. “Stop it. None if this has anything to do with me getting the man to invest in our town. I haven’t even given my presentation.”
“You’ll ace it,” Paige said confidently. “He was interested enough to come here. It’s a good investment.”
“I still have to convince him.”
Morgan wasn’t about to tell her family that the man brought it to the surface, causing feelings in her she hadn’t felt in a long time. Since college, she’d managed to keep men at arm’s length because she wasn’t going to chance getting hurt again.
Justin Hilliard could make her change her mind. But for her own sanity, she refused to give that power to a man. Never again.
When they reached the suite, Lauren went right to sleep, which gave Justin time to catch up with correspondence from the office. He sat at the antique desk and worked on his laptop, although this wasn’t exactly the atmosphere for business. In the corner of the room there was a huge fireplace with a love seat arranged in front of it, along with a plush rug. The bedroom had a huge canopy bed, and the bathroom a large claw-foot tub.
He hadn’t originally planned on bringing Lauren along, since the business meeting wasn’t supposed to take longer than a day. Lately he made sure he was home in the evenings to be there for his daughter. In the past, he hadn’t been much of a part of Lauren’s young life, but that was all about to change.
His daughter was going to come first from now on. They were going to be a real family. But first he had to concentrate on business, but he was having trouble.
The memory of Morgan Keenan’s pretty face kept popping into his head. And he didn’t like that. He’d always prided himself on being able to stay focused on the task at hand.
After pouring a cup of coffee, he went to the window and looked out at the magnificent mountain range encircling the small town of Destiny. The once silver-rich town was thriving no more. Not since the last large mine operation had shut down ten years ago. Now, the few thousand residents remaining had to rely on tourism.
Mayor Morgan Keenan was doing just that, trying to bring industry to her town. Justin was intrigued, both with the town and the woman. Not a good combination, mixing business with pleasure.
Years ago, when his marriage to Crystal failed he decided he was never going to get serious about another woman. He wasn’t going to live a celibate life, and when time allowed, he’d been discreet about his female companions, and extra careful not to end up in the tabloids.
He’d had enough of the front page during his circus of a marriage and his ex-wife’s many indiscretions. Even after the divorce, Crystal had kept the drama going in his and their daughter’s life. But the loss of her mother had been devastating to Lauren.
His child had always been his number one concern. That was what brought him here. They needed to get away from the past, to start a new life…in a new place. Maybe Destiny could be a fresh start for the both of them.
There was a soft knock on the door and Justin went to answer and found Morgan Keenan standing at the threshold.
“I don’t want to disturb you or Lauren but we thought you might be hungry.” She stepped aside to reveal a cart with sandwiches and milk and coffee.
“Please, come in,” he said and moved aside so she could wheel the food tray in.
Morgan placed it in front of the hearth. He watched as the slender woman bent over the table to arrange the meal. Her long skirt prevented him from telling if she had any curves but did catch a glimpse of her slim ankles.
When she started for the door, he blocked her path. “Please, stay and join me,” he asked. “I hate to eat alone.”
She hesitated, then looked toward the bedroom. “What about Lauren?”
“She’s sound asleep.” He carried the chair from the desk to the table. “Please, sit.”
“You don’t have to wait on me.”
“A lady should always be seated before a man.”
When she passed by him, he caught a whiff of her shampoo. It was some kind of soft, citrus scent. He took a seat opposite her.
“I guess I should have asked if you’d eaten.”
She shook her head. “Milk or coffee?”
“Coffee, please.” He watched as she poured him a cup, then one for herself. He nodded toward the plate of sandwiches and after she took one, he helped himself to the thin sliced roast beef. It was delicious.
“Would you mind if we went over some questions I have about the project?”
She blinked. “Not at all.”
“I’m concerned about access leading to the Silver Sky Canyon. The map shows it’s pretty far from the highway.”
“That was a problem for a while. The private land owner is my brother-in-law Holt Rawlins. The original road was to cut across his ranch. In fact it’s a very beautiful natural area with waterfalls and wonderful hiking trails.”
“Sounds like a place I’d like to see.”
“It can be arranged for tomorrow, if weather permits.” Her gaze locked with his, but she quickly glanced away. “To get back to your question about access to the ski area, we found another way in. It’s on the back side of Holt’s ranch. It’s less intrusive to the environment and there’s less chance of disrupting the beauty of the area. Most importantly, Holt is willing to sell the property.”
Justin tried to focus on her answers, but found he was more interested in watching her sip her coffee. The slender fingers that held the bone china cup were the same fingers that made the intricate stitches in the quilt downstairs. How would those delicate hands feel on him? He swiftly pushed aside the thought. He was way off track.
“It sounds like you’ve spent a lot of time working out every detail of this project.”
“It’s important to me. This town is important to me. I’ve lived here nearly all my life. And as mayor, I promised to help bring in revenue. We can’t survive without new business resources.”
Justin smiled as he got up from the table and went to the window. “The view is breathtaking.”
Morgan joined him at the large window overlooking the mountains. “You must have a view of the Rockies in Denver.”
“Denver is beautiful, too. But there’s something here. A certain peace…serenity that seems to surround the town.” He gave her a sideways glance. “I have to say, Morgan, I’m more than intrigued with this area.”
Her smile was breathtaking, and so unconsciously seductive that his pulse began to race. She must have felt the change, too.
“I should go.” She backed away, but her long skirt caught on the edge of the table and she started to fall. Justin reached for her arm and pulled her upright, but the movement brought her body against his. He immediately responded to her warmth…her softness. Morgan Keenan definitely had curves. But when their gazes met, she began to tremble.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She nodded, and quickly untangled herself from him. “I’m clumsy sometimes.”
“It happens.”
“I should help my mother with dinner.” Morgan hurried toward the door. “She wanted me to extend an invitation to you and Lauren.”
“I don’t expect your family to entertain us.”
“It’s a pleasure. Dinner will be at six,” she said, her hand on the doorknob. “If there’s anything you need just call down. Goodbye.”
Then she was gone, leaving him to wonder what had happened. Why did she tremble at his touch? There were a great many questions he wanted answered, but the main one was, did he want to get involved with a woman who wouldn’t be easy to forget?
He turned back to the scene outside the window. Well, Morgan Keenan would definitely be part of the picture if he decided to make Destiny his permanent home.
“Dinner was delicious, Mrs. Keenan,” Justin said as he pushed his plate away with the remains of his second helping of succulent roast pork and potatoes.
“Thank you.” She rose from her seat next to her husband at the head of the long table in the Inn’s formal dining room. Morgan was seated across from him. She’d changed into a black sweater that accentuated her fair skin. Auburn hair lay in waves around her face. He flashed back to the way she’d felt in his arms.
Not a safe place to go.
He quickly glanced down at Lauren seated beside him. She had wanted to change into a pretty pink dress for tonight, and he done his best to comb her hair and fasten it back with barrettes. Not his best skill.
“I hope you saved room for dessert, Mr. Hilliard,” Claire Keenan said. “Morgan made double Dutch apple pie.”
“Please, call me Justin.”
“And we’re Claire and Tim,” she said as she collected plates.
Morgan stood and looked at Lauren. “Since you finished all your food, I have a special treat for you.” Her smile and emerald gaze moved to Justin. “Of course if it’s all right with your father.”
The impact was more than he wanted to admit. He turned his attention to his daughter. She’d eaten her food without being coaxed. “Sure.”
Morgan held out her hand to the child. “Want to come with me and help?” she asked.
Lauren nodded excitedly as Justin lifted her down and the twosome walked out hand in hand.
“Daughters. They’re hard to turn down,” Tim Keenan said as the two left.
Justin turned to the big man with the warm smile. He’d caught the loving looks Tim had shared with his wife.
“Lauren’s had a rough time. It’s hard for me to deny her anything.”
“Losing a parent is difficult,” Tim agreed. “Our girls lost their biological parents early on. We were truly blessed when they came to us.”
Before coming to Destiny, Justin had dug deep into the town’s history along with the young mayor’s background. He’d learned how close the Keenan family was, and how the town helped raise the girls when they first arrived to town. It was apparent the three sisters had a special bond.
“You must be proud of them.”
The older man nodded. “That goes without saying. And it has nothing to do with their careers or what they’ve chosen in life. Morgan, Paige and Leah turned out to be good people. They’re kind and caring, and most importantly, happy. There’s nothing more a parent could ask for.”
“I’d give anything to make that happen for Lauren.”
Tim stared at him. “I’d say you’re making a good start. You brought her with you. There’s nothing better than spending time with your child.”
“It isn’t always that simple in my line of work.” After seeing her reaction to Morgan and the rest of the Keenan family, he realized how hungry Lauren was for a stable life. He wasn’t sure if he could give her that.
Tim leaned back in his chair. “It’s only as complicated as you make it. Of course there are choices to make.”
“Explain that to my father,” Justin said. Marshall Justin Hilliard, Sr. believed in success at all costs. Marriage and family had always come second.
“Hilliard Industries is a large conglomerate, with interests all over the world. I expect it takes a lot of manpower to run, but you should be able to delegate some of the work.” Tim arched an eyebrow. “In fact, you could have sent an assistant to oversee this project.”
Justin took a drink of his wine, not sure how much he should reveal right now. In the past, honesty had always been his strength in his business dealings and it might be time to lay out his plan.