A Man's Promise

Sandra Timmons frowned. “And you believed that?”

Caden shrugged. “Seeing is believing.”

The woman shook her head. “You saw what Samuel wanted you to see. Those photographs were altered with Photoshop. That was not Shiloh. She was nowhere near the beach that day.”

Caden stared at the woman as her words sank in. “Then where was she?”

Sandra Timmons eased back down on the chair across from his desk, and Caden actually saw her trembling. And then he saw the tears. Whether they were genuine or not, they were there all the same. “I came here thinking that you knew. Certain that you did, and now to know that you have no idea...”

An uneasy feeling crept up Caden’s spine. What did she mean that those photographs had been altered with Photoshop? That woman in the pictures had been Shiloh. Hadn’t it? He narrowed his gaze at Mrs. Timmons as he crossed the room to her, and anger consumed every part of his body. “Where...was...she?”

The woman dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, saying, “That same weekend, while you waited for her in Vegas, she was in a hospital in Boston, fighting for her life.”

Stunned, Caden grasped the edge of his desk to keep his balance. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Sandra Timmons lowered her face to study her hands in her lap before lifting a tear-streaked face to Caden. “I don’t know how, but Samuel found out what the two of you planned and flew to Boston to try to stop her. He said he was only going to talk some sense into her. They argued, and she asked him to leave. When he refused, she rushed from the house and darted into the path of an oncoming car.”

Shocked beyond belief, Caden had to lean back against his desk for support. “Shiloh was hit by a car?”

“Yes. Things were pretty bad. She had to remain in the hospital for almost two months. The doctors managed to save her...but they couldn’t save the baby.”

The bottom of Caden’s stomach dropped. “Baby?”

“Yes. She was pregnant with your child.”

Three

Caden remembered very little after that. He recalled that the shock of Sandra Timmons’s words had rendered him speechless, mindless and senseless. He’d been so stunned, so horrified by what he’d learned that he’d covered his face with his hands as an onslaught of emotions slammed into him. Shiloh had been pregnant? With their child? And when she had finally discovered the duplicity of her parents, she had come to him to tell him. And he had rejected her in a very cruel way.

He vaguely recalled hearing the sound of Mrs. Timmons walking softly toward his office door, whispering tearfully, “I’m truly sorry,” before opening the door and leaving. He recalled clutching his stomach and remembered feeling suddenly sick as he agonized over and over about what Shiloh’s mother had said.

He had believed the worst of her. If anyone should have recognized those pictures had been doctored, he should have. But he hadn’t. Instead, he had accused her of the worst betrayal possible, calling her degrading names. Names she hadn’t deserved.

And while he’d been indulging in his holier-than-thou attitude, she had been lying in some hospital room fighting for her life after losing their child.

Oh, God. The thought of her lying there in pain, hurting, brokenhearted, without him there to comfort her, filled him with anger. Intense rage. “Damn you, Samuel Timmons! Damn you!” he muttered under his breath with an alarming force because, at that moment, he knew how it felt to hate someone.

He thought he’d hated the man at fourteen, when he had ended his and Shiloh’s friendship, but now he knew how real revulsion felt. At thirteen, she had been afraid to go against her tyrant father’s orders; however, their friendship never really ended—it was just suspended. She would still smile at him whenever they passed in the halls at school, would silently slip birthday cards in his book bag and tape those you’re still my best bud notes on his locker. And then there was the time on prom night when they managed to slip away from the watchful eyes of the chaperones to steal a kiss in the garden.

Then he finished high school and left for college. But he had thought about her often, wondering what she was doing and if she was still under her father’s thumb. Had she broken free of him, now thinking for herself, living the full life she deserved?

He’d always thought about looking her up and he used to ask his grandfather about her during his visits home, but fear of what Samuel Timmons would do to her made him keep his distance.

He would never forget that night, six years ago, while onstage performing with his band, when he had looked out in the audience and had seen her. Shiloh was in her last year of college, and it was her birthday weekend. It had been years since he’d last seen her, but he had recognized her immediately. Gone was the kid he’d grown up with, the one who used to be his best pal, who would smile up at him through her braces. She had grown into a totally beautiful woman.

When the concert was over, he invited her backstage, and later they went to the after-party. When that party ended, he took her to a late-night restaurant for ice cream and cake to celebrate her twenty-third birthday. After that night, she would show up at his concerts whenever she could while working on her graduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston.

During his concerts he would search the audience, seeking her out, hoping to see her face. And then there was the night she had gone back to his hotel room with him after a concert and they’d made love. Wonderful, beautiful love, and he’d known that night that he loved her and that he had always loved her.

For two years, they’d kept their affair a secret from everyone and planned to elope to Vegas. She was supposed to meet him in Vegas that weekend, and once the ceremony was over they would fly to Paris for a brief honeymoon.

But she hadn’t shown up that weekend. He had waited in that hotel room for three days; he had tried calling her. When he finally made a connection at one of her numbers, some man had answered her phone and said she was in the shower and couldn’t be bothered.

He had just been about to leave, to fly to Boston to find out what the hell was going on, when he’d received a special delivery packet—a packet containing pictures that were still imprinted on his brain. He had taken one look at them and, combined with the conversation with the man who had answered her phone, he had immediately assumed the worst.

Caden moved away from his desk and walked to the window, a deep self-loathing within himself for the way he had treated Shiloh after that. He hadn’t heard from her for more than three months after receiving those photographs, and now he knew why.

Believing the worst, he had deleted her number from his contact list and blocked any calls from her. Even when she’d shown up at one of his concerts eight months later, he’d asked Security to escort her out. He hadn’t wanted her there.

She hadn’t attended another concert...until that night last month in New York. He had looked into the audience and she was there, but still he had a hardened heart. And over three weeks ago, she had sought him out to tell him what had happened, and he hadn’t wanted to hear anything she said. He closed his eyes when he remembered how he’d spoken to her, the mean, hateful things he’d said. How could he have been so wrong?

He had to apologize. He had to ask her to forgive him. But what if she didn’t accept his apology? What if she didn’t forgive him? Dread consumed him at those thoughts. He inhaled a deep breath, knowing he had to try. But first he had to find out where she was. Mrs. Timmons said she was no longer living at Shady Pines. Had she left Charlottesville? If she had, where had she gone? If she was still here, then where was she living? The last person he wanted to talk to again was her mother, but he would try her brother. Sedrick would know how to contact her. All he had to do was contact St. Francis Hospital and track him down.

Caden was about to move away from the window to use the phone on his desk when there was a knock at his door. Thinking it was Dalton returning, he said, “Come in, Dalton.”

Instead of Dalton, his brother Jace walked in.

Taking one look at his younger brother, Jace said, “What is it, Caden? You look like shit.”

Caden knew Jace’s observation was probably true, because that was exactly how he felt right now. “What are you doing here, Jace?” he asked, instead of responding to his brother’s inquiry. “We thought you wouldn’t be back for a few more days. You didn’t think Dalton and I could handle things till you got back? You aren’t the only one who can run things around here.” As soon as he’d said the words, Caden regretted doing so.

“Sorry,” Caden said, moving to his desk, pulling out the chair to sit down. “Ignore me today. It hasn’t been my best.”

Jace stared at his brother for a moment. “Does it have anything to do with Sandra Timmons’s visit? She was getting on the elevator when I got off. She seemed upset about something.”

“And she should be. Damn, Jace—she and Samuel Timmons did the unthinkable and, like a fool, I fell for it. How could I have been so damned gullible, so fucking stupid?”

Jace took the chair in front of Caden’s desk. “I can’t answer that until I know what you’re talking about.”

Caden drew in a deep breath and then told Jace the nature of Sandra Timmons’s visit. He could tell from Jace’s expression that he was just as appalled as Caden was, but he listened without interrupting.

Then Jace asked, “So what are you going to do? From what you’ve told me, you treated Shiloh pretty damned shabbily.”

Yes, he had. And Caden wasn’t proud of what he’d done. “First I intend to find out where she is. Then I’ll go to her and apologize and then try like hell to convince her that I’m truly sorry for my actions.”

“I’m playing devil’s advocate for a minute,” Jace said, staring at his brother. “What if she doesn’t believe you and wants nothing to do with you?”

Caden tapped his finger on his desk a few times as he thought about what Jace was asking and had to face up to the fact that that was a real possibility. “I won’t give up on her, Jace. No matter how long it takes, I will not give up. I will make it up to her. But first, I need to find out where she is. I need to go see her and talk with her. Then we’ll go from there.”

Four

Dalton Granger checked his watch before entering the private investigator’s office. Great! He was on time for once in his life. He had toyed with the idea of hiring a private investigator for a couple of weeks, and now here he was.

He glanced around the sparsely furnished room and saw a woman sitting at a desk. She glanced up at him and smiled. He immediately thought she didn’t look bad for her age, which he estimated to be late forties. And she didn’t have a ring on her finger. While living in England, he was known as a man who preferred older women. In other words, he didn’t mind being a cougar’s cub. It had its benefits. A mature woman was usually independent, didn’t have time for game playing and wouldn’t create any baby-mama drama.

Since returning to the States, it seemed his tastes had changed, and now he was checking out women his own age or younger...just like the woman he’d met a couple of weeks ago at a local nightclub. The same woman who’d been so hot he still sizzled whenever he thought about her. This same woman had behaved as if he was a bother. She’d even had the nerve to refuse to give him her phone number. And when he told her he was interested in her and asked how he could reach her so the two of them could hook up, she’d had the audacity to tell him he’d have to find her first.

He’d been mad as hell. Dalton Granger didn’t go looking for any woman. There were too many out there to suit his fancy, and usually it was the other way around. Women came looking for him.

So why was he here doing the very thing he swore he wouldn’t do? Why was he willing to hire a private investigator to find the one woman who’d gotten away? The one who had snubbed him at the nightclub.

He could answer his own questions. Because she was a novelty. Different. Pretty damned refreshing. And, besides that, he had a feeling she would be hot in bed. Any woman who wore stilettos on legs like hers had to be. Damn. He would find this mystery woman and find out for himself just how hot she was. For her, he would make her an exception.

He walked toward the receptionist. “I’m Dalton Granger. I have an appointment with Mr. Harris.”

“Yes, Mr. Granger. Mr. Harris is expecting you.”

“Lead the way.”

She stood and led him to a door and, without knocking, she entered. “Mr. Granger is here.”

The man sitting behind the desk reading a sports magazine glanced up and stood, smiling. “Mr. Granger, thank you for coming in. I understand you want me to find someone for you.”

Dalton nodded. “Yes, Mr. Harris, I do.” The man had come recommended by Myron, the bartender/owner he’d met while frequenting McQueen’s, a sports bar and grill not far from Granger Aeronautics. Myron swore that Emory Harris was one of the best in the business and that he specialized in missing persons. Usually it was deadbeat dads that Emory Harris tracked down, but Dalton figured if he was as good as Myron claimed, then he would give the man his business.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Granger,” Harris said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

“Thank you.” Dalton heard the receptionist leave, closing the door behind her.

“Would you like something to drink? Thanks to Myron, I keep a pretty well-stocked bar.”

“No, thanks. I’m fine. How did the two of you meet?”

Emory, who looked to be in his late forties, smiled. “Myron’s wife and I went to college together and remained close friends.” He paused and then said, “I understand you’re looking for someone. A female. Is she your ex?”

Ex? Boy, was he way off, Dalton thought. “No, she’s a woman I met one night at a club. She seemed to be in a hurry, and when I asked for her contact information, she rushed out and called over her shoulder that I should find her...and I intend to.”

“She must be some woman if you’re willing to go to the trouble.”

For a second Dalton thought about what Harris had just said. He’d already beaten himself up about what he was doing. It was so unlike him. But then all it took was for him to remember how she looked walking into that club—stilettos, legs and a shapely figure any man would appreciate. He had done more than appreciate it. He’d been lusting after her ever since. Shit, the woman was interfering with his sex life, making it hard for him to desire any other woman. He thought it would have passed by now, but so far, it hadn’t. He needed to meet her, talk to her, have sex with her a few times to see why she had such an effect on him. And she definitely was having an effect. He got an erection every time he thought about her.

“Yes, I guess you can say she was some woman. So, you think you can find her?”

“I’m sure I can. I’ll need the name of the club. She might be a regular there.”

Dalton gave him the name of the club, which Harris jotted down.

“Did you see what kind of car she was driving?” he asked.

Dalton shook his head. “No. By the time I walked outside, she was driving away, and it was dark.”

Harris nodded. “Describe her.”

Dalton smiled, thinking. Gorgeous legs. Firm breasts. Curvy ass. But to Harris he said, “She was pretty. Sexy. Hot.”

Harris stared at him for a minute and then asked, “What about her skin tone? Eye color? Hair color? Did you notice any of that?”

Dalton had to really think hard about it. “Brown skin. Brown eyes. Brown hair.”

Harris nodded as he jotted the information down. “Notice anything else?”

“She was wearing Amarige.”

Harris looked up. “Excuse me?”

“Her perfume was Amarige. Nice fragrance on a woman, and it smelled super nice on her.”

Harris lifted a brow. “You’re so familiar with fragrances that you can name one?”

Dalton shrugged. “Yes. I guess I can. I’m a bit of an expert.”

Harris chuckled. “I would definitely say that you are.” He leaned back in his chair. “I have a case I’ll be wrapping up over the next week or so, and then I’m on it.”

Dalton smiled. That was what he wanted to hear. He couldn’t wait to see the woman again.

Five

Jace knocked on the closed door.

“Come in.”

He entered the office, locking the door behind him, and his gaze immediately went to the woman sitting behind the desk. Shana Bradford. When he’d hired her almost three months ago, he had been attracted to her from the first. The sexual chemistry between them had been undeniable, and they both knew it. Being the professionals that they were, intent on keeping their relationship strictly business, they had tried ignoring the attraction...until it got the best of them.

They’d been having a secret affair. But now that was about to come to an end. She was pregnant with his child, and he intended to put a wedding ring on her finger.

Her smile was radiant and warmed not only the room but his heart. “Jace, what are you doing here? I left you in bed.”

“I noticed. I thought we both decided to stay away from the office for a few days, clear our heads, get our heart rates back in sync.”

She leaned back in her chair. “You needed to do that more than I did. Did you talk to your dad?”

“Yes, Warden Smallwood let him take my call immediately.”

“And?”

He drew in a slow breath, moving away from the door to stand in front of her desk. “And, unfortunately, he heard about the kidnapping attempt on the news. He was upset. He was glad I was okay and realized how close he could have come to losing me.”

Shana nodded. “I know the feeling.”

Jace didn’t say anything for a second and then added, “And he’s upset about Vidal. He couldn’t believe it. The man had been a family friend for years. Now I’m sure he’s wondering just how far back the man’s treachery went and whether perhaps he could have been involved in my mother’s death.”

Shana sat up straight in her chair. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I have,” Jace said. “So have Caden and Dalton. But I don’t think he was.”

Shana lifted a brow. “Why?”

“Vidal said a lot of things while holding that gun on me, convincing me I was about to take my last breath. He had no problems bragging about all his misdeeds—including siphoning funds for the company from right under my grandfather’s nose. He seemed to take great pride in confessing all the things he’d done. If he had killed my mother, he would have bragged about it before killing me.”

Shana thought about what he said. “You might have a point.”

“I do,” he said, coming around her desk, pulling her out of her chair and rubbing a hand over her stomach. “I had planned to tell my brothers about us and the baby today. However, Dalton left for an appointment someplace, and when I walked into Caden’s office, he was dealing with a few issues.”

Jace pulled her into his arms and smiled down at her. “But I can’t wait to tell them, and we’ll do so later today at Sutton Hills.”

* * *

Caden tried to be patient as the phone rang several times. He released a sigh of relief when it was answered. “Dr. Timmons.”

“Sedrick, this is Caden Granger.”

There was a long pause and for a minute Caden thought the call might have been dropped. “Yes, Caden, what can I do for you?”

“I’m trying to locate Shiloh.”

There was another long pause. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Caden wondered how much Sedrick knew about the situation and quickly figured he knew all of it since Shiloh and her brother were close. “I need to talk to her. Your mother came to see me today, and she told me everything.”

There was a flow of muttered expletives from the other end of the line that almost burned Caden’s ears. “Mom had no right to do that. I’m surprised that you listened to what she had to say when you wouldn’t listen to Shiloh when she came to see you.” Sedrick’s tone was sarcastic in the extreme.

Caden rubbed a hand down his face. “Yes. I believed things about her that I shouldn’t have. I was wrong.”

“Yes, you were. And you hurt her. Badly.”

Hearing these accusations from Sedrick only reinforced how deeply Caden had wronged Shiloh and how much he needed to correct the mess he’d made. At this point, he couldn’t place the blame entirely on Samuel Timmons and use the man as a scapegoat. He should have believed in Shiloh and trusted her. “I know, Sedrick, and I plan to make things right,” Caden said solemnly.

“Not sure if you can. I just talked with her today. She’s moved on with her life, Caden, and I think you need to just let things be and move on with yours.”

It was on the tip of Caden’s tongue to tell Sedrick that he really didn’t give a royal damn what he thought. But now was not the time for that, especially when the man had information he needed. “I can’t move on, nor can I let things be. If I ignore this situation, it means your father has won. And I refuse to let him continue to call the shots—even from the grave.”

Something he’d said must have resonated with Sedrick because, after a few moments, he said, “I’ll tell you where she is, but you have to promise me something.”

“What is that?”

“That if she asks to be left alone, you do just that and leave her alone.”

Caden knew he couldn’t make such a promise. Even if Shiloh refused to forgive him for the things he’d done, he would not give up on her. He still loved Shiloh and hoped there was a chance that she still loved him.

“Caden?”

“I heard you, man, but I can’t make you that promise, Sedrick. The only thing I can promise is to never hurt her again. And if you don’t tell me where she is, I will eventually find her. It might take me longer, but I will find her.”

Sedrick must have heard the determination in his voice. “Fine. I’ll tell you where she is.”

“Has she left Charlottesville?”

“No. She has a place in town and has opened a wine shop on Vines Boulevard. The Wine Cellar Boutique. She’s there every day, except for when she’s away on business. But fair warning—you’re the last person she’ll want to see.”

“I’ll just have to deal with that. Thanks.” And then Caden quickly hung up the phone, grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

Six

Shiloh Timmons glanced around her wine boutique, thinking that everything was coming together nicely. After that huge argument with her mother and the confrontation with Caden, she had thought about leaving Charlottesville and returning to Boston but, in the end, she was glad she had decided to remain in Charlottesville. It was where she wanted to be. Besides, she had already invested a ton of money to get the shop up to her standards. Also, she figured that by living in town she would rarely run into her mother. And as far as Caden was concerned, it would be just a matter of time before he left on another one of his tours.

She’d heard about the deathbed promise he and his brothers had made to their grandfather to take over the running of Granger Aeronautics. Of the three, she could see only Jace being the one to stick it out. Caden was a musician, for heaven’s sake, and a very good one. He had a great following, and it was expected that his recent album would be nominated for another Grammy. And as far as Dalton was concerned, she knew he considered Europe his home and he was probably champing at the bit to return.

“I just love this wine boutique, Ms. Timmons, and I appreciate you hiring me. I know I will enjoy working here.”

Shiloh turned and smiled. The young woman she’d hired to work in the boutique was Tess, a junior at the University of Virginia. Tess was one of four students working for her. They were bright, energetic, dedicated and ready to learn the business. She understood how they felt since she had worked at a wine shop in Boston while attending college. She had learned a lot from the owner, Valerie Motley. Valerie had been more than an employer; she’d been a friend. And she still was. Valerie, whose family owned a winery in Italy on the island of Sicily, had taught her a lot about the business. Shiloh knew that if she could be half the businesswoman that Valerie was, then she would do well herself.