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Harrison regained her attention by slapping Mac on the shoulder, dislodging more filth. “That’s right. Mac, here, or better known as Wild Man at Harvard, is my—” he gave his friend a head-to-toe look “—my Environmental Specialist. As a favor to me, he’s going to do an impact study of the changes I want to make at the mill.”
Ashley nodded, not surprised that Mac Wild would make a career out of something involving dirt. The man clearly was not averse to the stuff. His choice of transportation to what undoubtedly was an arranged, early-morning, casual meeting with Harrison before her brother left for his trip made sense for an earth-conscious guy. As far as Mr. Wild’s taking free rein with the Rivers’s home and hearth…Perhaps he felt his friendship with Harrison gave him greater privileges.
She heaved a sigh of relief. Not only was his presence explained, but her contact with the man would be minimal. Thank goodness. The last thing she needed right in the middle of planning Harrison’s two-year-old son Nathan’s christening was Mac Wild’s disturbing come-ons. Her hands were blessedly full as it was keeping her family’s traditions thriving and everyone from floundering beneath their social and philanthropic obligations, as her mother had done before she lost her battle with cancer.
Her gaze involuntarily flicked past the front of Mac’s bike shorts and her suit became too warm once again for the mid-May morning. Yes, it was a good thing she wouldn’t be subjected to Mr. Wild’s presence often. She didn’t have the time nor inclination for distraction.
After living her entire life in Harrison’s towering shadow, she wasn’t about to jeopardize her father’s notice and approval by losing her focus now.
And a man, especially one who could very well be cut from the same cloth as Roger, wasn’t worth the risk.
Or the heartache. Discovering Roger had been using her had rocked her to her soul. She would never, ever, open herself up to that kind of hurt again.
“Oh, hey, Ash.” Harrison drew her gaze. “I know you’ll want to kill me for springing this on you—” To his friend he gave a conspiratorial aside, “She runs a tight ship, and likes to do that whole gift-basket, arrange-for-all-your-needs-in-advance type of thing.”
Mac gave a sage nod in response, an oddly knowing look in his hazel eyes as his gaze traveled over her.
A sense of doom gripped Ashley.
To her, Harrison said, “But ol’ Wild Man is going to be our houseguest for oh…” He raised questioning brows at Mac.
Mac’s gaze fastened on hers, a predatory gleam making his eyes glow to a deep topaz. He neatly supplied, “No less than a month.”
Ashley dug her nails into the pliable leather of her day planner but forced her expression to remain pleasant. She silently chanted the Three P’s again.
Propriety, Presentation, and Principle.
“That’s right,” Harrison concurred. “No less than a month. Since he’s doing this study as a favor to me, and all, he’ll be staying here with us.”
Mac reached out and pried one of Ashley’s hands off her day planner, sending her body temperature through the roof. “And it’ll be enjoyable, I’m sure,” he practically purred before bringing her knuckles to his wonderfully sensual lips for a soft-as-you-please kiss.
For the first time in her highly refined adult life, Ashley wondered just how cold the McKenzie River, running smooth and deep at the edge of the house’s vast lawn, was this time of year. And if it would be cold enough to help her resist the temptation of Mac Wild.
Chapter Two
Mac watched Ashley’s perfectly bowed, lightly glossed and achingly kissable lips pucker ever so slightly before she made a visible effort to shift her features into a pleased expression. If he hadn’t been staring at her mouth he would have missed it. He pulled a sardonic grin.
Then he realized that for the exceedingly proper Miss Ashley to show even that much displeasure meant she must be heaving with it on the inside. Now, he knew he wasn’t that distasteful. Mud washed off, for saints’ sake.
She pulled herself up and flashed him a brilliant smile that he suspected would have knocked him to his knees if it had been a little warmer around the edges and had reached her deep-lake blue eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t know in advance about your arrival. You would have received a much warmer—er—hospitable reception.”
He smirked. Things certainly didn’t need to get any warmer between them. “No worries, sunshine. The less pretenses, the better, as far as I’m concerned.” The pretenses of dating had landed him in this nightmare in the first place.
His mood sobering, he turned to Harrison. “Do you have a minute, or are you on your way to the office? I know you’re the big boss, now, but you do still work Fridays, right?” They needed to get their story down so no other surprises threatened this so-far perfect escape from Stephanie and her attempt to use outright lies and scandal to land herself a MacDougal.
Harrison put a hand on Mac’s shoulder. “Boy, you must be tired. I’m not going in to work today. Remember I told you that Juliet, Nathan and I are heading down to the amusement parks in southern California for two weeks? I couldn’t wait any longer to take my little man to Disneyland.”
Mac ran a hand down his cheek, wiping off dirt stuck to his whiskers. “That’s right.” He was tired. Had been since he’d discovered his family intended to use the situation with Stephanie to force him to settle down.
He couldn’t. His heart was seared with the oath he’d made on the worst day of his life, and he wasn’t about to break it for the likes of Stephanie Thorton-Stuart. Even though Harrison was leaving, Mac had come anyway because he wasn’t here for a social visit. He was here to hide.
Thankfully not noticing Mac’s seriousness, Harrison chuckled. “I think Juliet is about as excited as Nathan. She’s never been there before, so she’s vowed to hit every attraction in the place. Nathan will probably sleep through half of it.”
A surprisingly soul-wrenching envy that his friend’s true love was alive and kicking broadsided Mac. Only practice kept him from doubling over with the ache. His throat constricting, he asked, “Nathan’s…two now?”
Still oblivious, Harrison grinned and his chest swelled up, definitely the proud pop. “Two and cute as all get out. We don’t have to leave until later this morning, so you’ll get to meet Nat and his gorgeous mama. Assuming, of course, they ever get their act together and come down here for breakfast.”
Ashley, who had been watching the conversation with a look that left no doubt that the wheels were noisily turning within her beautiful and clearly not so empty head, offered, “Why don’t I go up and inform Juliet about your guest while you take Mr. Wild to the kitchen. He claims to be in dire need of sustenance.”
Pushing away the pain he’d lived with for over a decade, Mac regrouped and returned her volley. “I’m in dire need of a lot of things, sunshine.”
She smiled, but it was still tight around the edges. “Harrison will take care of you, I’m sure.”
He wanted to say that there was no way in hell Harrison could take care of what she put him in mind of, but she turned crisply and headed back toward the front of the house. Mac settled for a soft whistle through his teeth and murmured, “Holy haggis.”
Harrison laughed and pulled him by the arm in the opposite direction, saying in a soft voice, “Come on, Mac. Better men than you have tried to get a rise out of that one.”
Unable to take his eyes off the sexy sway of Ashley’s retreating backside beneath her straight, cream skirt, Mac said, “But you know I’ve never been able to resist a challenge, Harrison old man, especially if I’m told it can’t be done.”
“Yes, but Ash is in a class by herself when it comes to single-mindedness.”
Mac jerked to a stop just inside the large, French Provincial-style kitchen. Maybe Ashley was in a class of two. Stephanie was proving to be very single-minded, also. Damn her scheming heart.
Heedful of the petite, gray-haired woman in a serviceable, light gray dress busily cooking pancakes at the professional range top, he said darkly, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Harrison patted the small woman on the back as he went by. “Good morning, Marie.”
She turned and gave him a genuine-looking smile that lit up her olive-skinned face and dark, almond-shaped eyes. “Good morning, Mr. Rivers.”
“Marie, this is a good friend of mine—” Harrison indicated to Mac “—Mac, ah, Wild. He’s going to be staying here for a month or so. Don’t let him charm you into making him some haggis, or any of the other bizarre stuff he has a penchant for.”
Mac gave Harrison his best glare. “I do not have a penchant for haggis.”
“You’re always mentioning it—”
“It’s a family saying.”
Having never met a cook—either short-order or gourmet—he didn’t like, Mac smiled at Marie, hoping his pearly whites could wipe away from her mind the image of having to prepare sheep intestines. “I’m of Scottish descent. Though my family can’t seem to get it through their heads that living in America since the colonial days pretty much makes us Americans.”
His charm working, the older woman beamed at him. “It’s a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Wild, and I’ll gladly cook you anything you wish. Just let me know far enough in advance so I can purchase ingredients if I need to.”
His stomach rumbled in anticipation, but Mac assured her, “You won’t have to do anything special for me, Marie. I can tell by the way this kitchen smells that I’ll be more than happy with what you normally prepare.”
Harrison peered over Marie’s shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’re making Nathan pancakes again. You made them for him for dinner last night. The kid is going to turn into one.”
She laughed. “That baby couldn’t be anything but an angel, and today our angel is getting mouse-shaped pancakes in honor of your trip.”
Mac’s mouth started to water. “Ooh, if I go shower, can I have one?”
“Just wash your hands. You can have as many as you’d like.”
Mac grinned at her and made for the sink. “You’re my new best friend, Marie.”
She giggled and dismissed him with a wave, but she dumped a ton of batter on the griddle.
Harrison said, “Just eggs are fine for me, Marie.”
Mac washed and then sat down across from Harrison at the breakfast table, careful not to dislodge any dirt in Marie’s clean kitchen. Being in good with the cook could make a man’s life very pleasant. Double-checking to make sure she was too far away to hear, he said, “I can do Environmental Specialist.”
“It seemed right up your alley.”
“Come to think of it, it is. Too bad I have a billion in acquisitions and mergers to oversee or I might actually try it out.”
Harrison’s eyebrows went up. “So you finally broke the big ‘b’ barrier?”
“Yep. Last quarter.” Mac realized he’d puffed out his chest like Harrison had done at the mention of his son. Deep inside, Mac would have rather been a proud papa, but without Kate, that wasn’t going to happen. His business would be enough. “It’s been a real bear to hold on to, though. I’d gotten heavily involved in high-tech.”
“As well you should, seeing as all those neat gadgets let you do your job while on the back of your mountain bike, or hanging off a cliff…”
Or dodging paternity scandals. Harrison didn’t say the words, but Mac knew he was thinking them. His friend had stepped up and taken responsibility when he’d found out he’d fathered a child. But at least he’d actually had sex with the woman.
The bitterness simmering in Mac since his family had sided with Stephanie started to boil. “It’s past time for my family to accept that I have no intention of ever settling down, Harrison.”
His friend gave him a level look. “Kate’s been gone for a long time, Mac. She’d want you to—”
“I know exactly what she wanted me to do, and I swore I’d do it,” he snapped, the wound as raw as ever. But not wanting his friendship with Harrison to suffer, he reeled himself back in and after a moment, blew out a rueful breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just that this has all turned into such a mess. I never even slept with Stephanie. I took her out a few times, to make my folks happy, but it was clear from the get-go she was looking to set herself up for life in the manner in which she’s become accustomed.”
“Do you think she’s pregnant?”
Mac snorted. “No. She wouldn’t risk her figure just yet.”
“Then how does she think she’s going to get away with claiming she is?”
“She believes my family will be eager to force me to marry her quick to put an end to the scandal.”
“She doesn’t know the MacDougals very well, does she?”
“No, she doesn’t. Her father has had dealings with mine over the years, so she knows our bottom line, but that’s about it. Unfortunately my family is eager to get me to settle down, but not because of any scandal. They want me to start doing my part in increasing the Clan MacDougal.”
Harrison shook his head. “There’s a little more to it than that, I think.”
Before Mac could refute it, Marie came toward the table and set a huge, heavenly smelling pancake, complete with two little pancakes for ears, chocolate chips for eyes, and sliced strawberries forming a smiling mouth. Too bad he didn’t feel like smiling back. He did give Marie the smile and the thanks she deserved, though, as did Harrison when she served him a heaping plate of fluffy scrambled eggs.
They both dug into their breakfasts and ate in silence for a while.
Mac offered, “I apologize for dragging you into this on such short notice.”
Harrison answered around a mouthful of eggs. “No sweat.” He swallowed, then added, “I’m sorry I won’t be around right off.”
After Mac polished off his pancakes, he said, “Spending time with your son is important.”
“It is. And I love it.” Harrison pointed his fork at Mac. “I highly recommend it, Mac.”
The dark pain started creeping back out of its hole. He’d planned to head down that road once with a girl he had met in college who had shown him how to really live life. But he’d screwed up in the worst way possible. Knowing he would never be going down that road now, Mac steered Harrison elsewhere. “Finding out you have a son must have been a real shocker.”
“That, my friend, is an understatement. But I wouldn’t change anything for the world.”
“That’s great. And I really appreciate you letting me stay here. I wouldn’t have imposed, but I had to get away someplace where no one would find me. And I have to admit, the whole paternity thing put me in mind of you.”
“No problem.”
“I just hope my family, or the press, for that matter, doesn’t find me before it’s obvious that Stephanie isn’t pregnant.”
“Your family believes her?”
“I doubt it. But they see this as an opportunity. And that’s one thing a MacDougal can never pass up.”
Harrison made a noise in the back of his throat. “That’s the truth, if you’re any indication. Talk about the perfect predisposition for a corporate raider.”
Mac shrugged. “I suppose it’s the same spirit that moved my ancestors to relieve the British of all that burdensome loot on the way to resettling the clan in America.”
“It was probably rightly theirs, anyhow.”
“My, but you have turned into the romantic, haven’t you?”
Harrison’s eyes focused on something behind Mac, and he said on a sigh, “You have no idea.”
A husky, feminine voice said, “Ashley told me we have a guest.”
Mac turned and met the smiling, rich brown gaze of a very pretty woman with long, light brown hair. A towheaded little boy propped on her slim hip gave him a curious stare. Mac knew immediately who they were. Between her looks and the kid being the spitting image of his father, it was no wonder Harrison was so proud.
The ache didn’t bother to creep this time. It jumped straight on his neck and tried to choke him.
Mac rose to greet them as Harrison made the introductions around the last of his scrambled eggs. “Juliet, this is Mac. Mac, this is my better half, Juliet Rivers.”
She smiled, transforming herself from pretty to flatout beautiful. “Now, I don’t know what they teach at Harvard, but I’ve learned at community college that one plus one equals two, Harrison.”
Mac liked her instantly. “And this little guy doesn’t need an introduction. Hi, Nathan.”
Rather than getting all shy as Mac expected him to, Nathan smiled a toothy smile and pointed at Mac’s shirt. “Dirt.”
Juliet laughed. “Oh, you two will get along just fine. I’m so sorry that Harrison booked our trip the same time as your visit. Usually Ashley keeps him from slipping up like this.”
Mac came to his friend’s defense. “It’s not Harrison’s fault.” Unsure of what Juliet knew of his situation, Mac said tentatively, “Besides, since I’m here to help with the mill…” He drifted off when Juliet raised a curious brow.
Mac looked to Harrison, who shook his head. “Sorry, bud. She knows.” To Juliet he said in a low voice, “We’re saying Mac is an Environmental Specialist come to help me out at Dover Creek.”
“Why all the Mission Impossible rigmarole?” she asked.
Mac cleared his throat. “I’d rather as few people as possible know the truth.”
Her shrug said whatever. “As few being…?”
“Just you and Harrison.”
She glanced at her husband. “Dorothy?”
Harrison looked to Mac, but he shook his head, still certain the fewer who knew, the better. Besides, it’d be that much less grief he’d have to suffer from those who might think his family was right.
Harrison sighed. “As far as I can remember, Grandmother has never met Mac, and she has no reason to know who he is or why he’d be here.”
Juliet’s eyebrows went higher. “And Ashley?”
Mac vigorously shook his head.
Harrison concurred. “Definitely not Ashley. You know how she feels about duty to family.”
Juliet smirked. “You’ve got a point, there.” She set Nathan in a booster chair fastened to one of the seats.
The two-year-old immediately started banging on the table with his fat little hands and chanting, “Dirt, dirt, dirt.”
Mac looked away.
Juliet said, “Okay, whatever you boys want to say is fine. I’ll just keep my yap shut.”
Mac blew out a relieved breath, wishing again that he’d thought things through a hell of a lot more. “Thanks, Juliet. I appreciate your help.”
“Is there anything I can help with?” Ashley offered as she came through the kitchen, a ringing cell phone in her hand.
With stricken expressions, all three of them hurried to assure her there wasn’t.
Ashley held the phone toward Mac. “Your bike was ringing.”
“Uh, thanks.” He glanced at the caller ID and fought a groan. This was his business phone and only his executive assistant, Bishop, was supposed to have the number. Damn it, had they gotten to him, also?
Knowing that simply turning the phone off as he was inclined to do would raise Ashley’s suspicions, he excused himself.
By all that was tartan, he prayed that Ashley’s rigid sense of propriety, the same sense that would keep her from being more than a distraction to him while he was there, had kept her from checking the display, also.
M. MACDOUG. Ashley tapped a French manicured nail against her teeth and tried to pinpoint the stirrings of recognition the name on Mr. Wild’s cell phone caller ID generated. She hadn’t purposefully looked at the display, but always checking her own before answering had created a habit.
Mac distracted her from her mental run through her Rolodex by heading toward the nearest door—the one leading to the wine cellar—his phone still ringing in his hand. She watched until he disappeared through the door, closing it tight behind him. She looked at Harrison and Juliet to gauge their reactions to Mac’s odd behavior.
Harrison shrugged and took a swig of his coffee.
Juliet grinned and quipped, “That cellar’s good for all sorts of things.”
Harrison choked on his coffee. He quickly set his cup down and grabbed his wife to pull her in his lap and whisper something in her ear. Blaming the tugging sensation deep in her chest on her happiness for her brother’s state of wedded bliss, Ashley rolled her eyes at their antics and went to the refrigerator to grab a muffin. Thanks to their unexpected guest, her schedule no longer held time for her usual breakfast of granola, yogurt and half a grapefruit.
Marie rounded the island toward her. “Can I get you your breakfast, now?”
Ashley waved her off. “That’s all right, Marie, I’ll get it.”
The refrigerator door blocked her view, so she only heard Mac emerge from the cellar.
He grumbled something to the effect of, “Family, what a pain in the—” then broke off when he caught sight of her stepping back from the fridge to close the door.
Her curiosity running rampant, she offered, “Is there something I can be of assistance with, Mr. Wild?”
“Mac,” he corrected absently as he shook his head in answer to her question. “No. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.”
She was seized by the strangest need to show off with something she was very good at and to ease the troubled look in his golden-brown eyes. “Harrison and Juliet will vouch for my ability and willingness to handle most any situation,” she pressed.
Harrison made a noise that sounded shockingly like a snort. “Better known as meddling.”
Juliet came to Ashley’s defense with a crude, yet effective, elbow to the ribs.
Ashley satisfied herself with the simple reminder by saying, “I don’t meddle, Harrison, I manage.” A skill that had finally earned her the only things she had ever wanted—an indispensable presence in the family business and her father’s love, given in the only way he seemed capable, through his approval. And taking over after her mother’s death had helped them all.
To Mac she explained, “For example, right now I’m putting together Nathan’s christening ceremony and celebration. But I’m certain I could find time to help you if something has come up within the Wild family.”
Harrison started to cough and choke, again. Hopefully he wasn’t coming down with something before his trip.
Mac glanced from his friend to her, the corner of his mouth quirked, but he reiterated, “Really, everything is fine in the—” he coughed, too “—Wild family.”
Harrison regained his breath and said to Mac, “Speaking of Nathan’s christening, you should come. Since the, ah, circumstances around his birth were what they were and my name wasn’t originally on the birth certificate—” he glanced at Juliet and she gave him her patent shrug “—we’re having his name legally changed to Rivers and making a big deal of the christening ceremony. It would mean a lot to me to have you there.”
Mac visibly blanched. “I…” He ran a hand through his long and incredibly thick hair, drawing Ashley’s gaze to the unruly mass and the bunching muscles in his mud-splattered arm.
She jerked open the refrigerator’s door and stepped toward the sanity-returning blast of cold air.
After a moment of heavy silence, Mac finally said, “I’m sorry, you guys, but I can’t.” He gave a sheepish sort of grin. “I don’t have any decent clothes. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want some bozo in Lycra or zip-off pants at my kid’s shindig.” He looked down at himself. “Just like I’m sure Marie doesn’t want Pigpen in her kitchen. I’d better go get cleaned up.”
Juliet hopped off her husband’s lap and offered, “I’ll find Donavon and we’ll get you settled.”
Mac let loose a heavy breath. “Thanks, Juliet. Harrison, if I happen to hit a bed and the bed hits back hard enough that I don’t wake up until you’re already gone, have a great trip. I’ll catch you when you get home.”
He glanced at Ashley, an unreadable expression on his face. For the first time she noticed the bruised-looking circles smudging the tanned skin beneath his eyes and the heaviness with which he moved as he followed Juliet out of the kitchen, as if all those muscles were suddenly hard to lug around.