Single Mom, Billionaire Boss

She turned away from Ho-Dad, giving Garrett her full attention. “Yes, being around horses became difficult, especially after my baby sister died and my parents got divorced.”

“You had a sister?” As far as he knew, his mom hadn’t uncovered that bit of information. If she had, she would’ve mentioned it to him, particularly with how determined she was in this whole forgive-Meagan affair.

She took an audible breath. “It was a terrible time for my family. Mom fell apart, and Dad got even meaner.” She glanced at the gelding. “Dad never appreciated horses the way Mom did. In fact, he hated that she and us kids shared the interest. So after the divorce, I took less of an interest in horses, hoping that Dad would be nicer to me. But it didn’t make a difference. On occasion I still rode with Mom, just so she didn’t feel so neglected. Then, as time went on, I stopped riding altogether because Dad was still trashing us for it.”

Garrett had never really thought about the kind of childhood Meagan might’ve had. But it wasn’t his concern. Still, it bothered him that her dad seemed like such a prick. “Your old man sounds like a piece of work.”

“I never should’ve tried to be a daddy’s girl. Not after how he treated my mother.”

Garrett debated whether to tell her that his mom and her mom had been loosely connected, that they’d actually belonged to the same Native American women’s group when they were younger, even if they’d barely known each other.

No, he thought. He wasn’t going to say anything. His mom was already making too big of a deal out of it, and he didn’t want Meagan blowing it out of proportion, too.

She cleared her throat. “None of us have anything to do with Dad anymore. Not me or my brothers. I’m not even sure if he knows that I went to prison or that I have a daughter. But he probably wouldn’t care, anyway.”

“You should start riding again and stick with it this time.”

“That’s what Tanner said. But he’s biased, especially with how much Ivy loves it.”

“I keep my horses here. They’re on the other side of the barn. I ride nearly every day, so you’ll be seeing me around, sometimes in the mornings, other times in the afternoons, depending on my schedule. You can ride here, too, if you want to take it up again. That’s a perk that comes with working at the stables. You can use any of the horses that belong to the hotel.”

“Thank you. I’ll think about it.” She smiled at Ho-Dad. He was pestering her to pet him again.

After the tour ended, Garrett and Meagan went back outside, with the grass beneath their feet and the sun shining through the trees.

She glanced around. “It’s so pretty here.” She looked higher up the hill. “Oh, wow. There’s a house up there, all by itself.”

Well, hell, Garrett thought. He couldn’t very well leave his home out of this. She would find out sooner or later that he resided on the property. “That’s where I live. I had it custom-built.”

She glanced at him and then back up the hill. “I should have guessed it was yours. It’s like a castle that overlooks your kingdom.”

He downplayed her words. He didn’t like to think of himself that way. “It’s just a beach house.”

“Well, it looks spectacular, even from here.”

Garrett didn’t thank her for the compliment. Someday he hoped to have a wife and kids to live there with him. Only he’d yet to find someone who loved him for himself and not his money.

But that was the last thing he wanted to think about, especially while he was in the presence of the beautiful young woman who’d ripped him off. He wasn’t going to let her sad story sway him, either. So she’d had a troubled childhood. So had he, but he hadn’t become a criminal. Or an ex-con or whatever the hell she was now.

He took her back to the hotel, and they parted ways, with Garrett doing his damnedest to forget about her.

But when he returned to his office, she was still on his mind, burning a fiery hole right through it.

Two

What a day, Meagan thought. But she’d gotten through it. She’d seen Garrett and secured her new job. Still, she was feeling the aftereffects of having been in his company.

And now she needed to go home and decompress. These days, she lived in a guesthouse on Tanner’s property, a far cry—thank goodness—from the correctional institution.

She climbed into her car and pulled out of the parking lot. Once she got on the main road, the traffic was heavy, the sights and sounds quick and noisy. Meagan had grown up in LA, but, since she’d gotten out of prison, she felt like a tourist, gawking at the city that surrounded her. Being free was a strange and wondrous feeling. But it was confusing, too. Everything felt different, somehow.

When she arrived at her destination, she parked in front of the main house, a bungalow built in the 1930s, where her brother and Candy resided. With its stucco exterior, brick chimney and stone walkway, it had tons of curb appeal.

Meagan’s place, a guesthouse in the back, was just as charming. She even had her own little courtyard that included a patch of grass, a smattering of flowers and a fountain with a naked putto, a Cupid of sorts, who appeared to be peeing in the water. Most people would call it a cherub, but she knew the difference. Cherubs were angels, hailing from heaven, and putti were mythical beings who misbehaved. In that respect, Meagan could relate.

She noticed that Candy’s car was missing from the driveway, which meant she was still out and about. She’d taken Ivy grocery shopping with her this afternoon. Tanner was at work and wouldn’t be home until later.

For now, Meagan was all alone. She took the side entrance to her house and opened the gate.

She unlocked the front door, went inside and placed her purse on the kitchen table. Next she wandered into Ivy’s room. It was fully furnished and decorated in a fairy-tale theme, but Ivy wasn’t occupying it yet. Although Ivy had gotten to know Meagan from the prison visits, she’d thrown a panicked fit when they’d tried to move her in with Meagan. Bedtime was the worst. Her daughter absolutely refused to sleep there. So, for the time being, Ivy was still living with Tanner and Candy.

It made Meagan feel like a failure as a mother. But she needed to be patient and give her child time to adjust. It had only been a week.

Meagan went into her own room and heaved a sigh. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off her boots.

Barefoot, she returned to the kitchen and checked the microwave clock. To keep herself busy, she brewed a cup of herbal tea and sat in the courtyard. The water from the fountain flowed from tier to tier, making rain-like sounds.

After a short while, she heard a car pull into the driveway. Meagan hopped up and headed over to it.

Candy was just getting out of the driver’s side, looking as gorgeous as ever. She was a long, leggy brunette, a former beauty queen and model who’d become a yoga teacher. She and Tanner used to date when they were teenagers. At the time Meagan was only eight, but she’d adored Candy, impressed that her brother was seeing someone so sweet and pretty.

Then, after their baby sister died and their parents started going through the divorce, Tanner couldn’t handle having a girlfriend anymore, so he’d broken up with Candy.

Now all these years later, they were back together and engaged to be married. Who knew it would turn out this way? Meagan certainly hadn’t seen it coming, especially the part where she ended up in prison while the couple helped raise her child.

Candy walked around to the passenger’s side of the vehicle and removed Ivy from the safety seat. Meagan had one in the backseat of her car, too. Tanner had bought two of them, so they didn’t have to switch the same one out all the time.

Ivy was dressed in a bright red romper with her silky brown hair fastened into fancy pigtails sitting high atop her head, twisted and parted in clever ways. Meagan didn’t have a clue how to fix her baby’s hair like that. It was all Candy’s doing.

Ivy glanced over and grinned, waving at Meagan. She wanted to melt on the spot. She waved back, excited by the acknowledgment. Her daughter was the most precious person on earth.

Candy turned and saw Meagan, and they exchanged a smile. Then Candy asked, “How’d the job meeting go?”

“Good. I’ll fill you in later, when we’re able to sit and talk.” Meagan came forward and reached for Ivy. “I can take her now.”

“Sure.” Candy passed the toddler off. “I’ll get the groceries.”

“I can help with those, too.” Meagan balanced her daughter on her hip, took one of the bags and headed for the back door of the main house.

Once they were inside, she set Ivy down and Candy’s dog, a yellow Labrador named Yogi, came into the room.

“Yoey!” Ivy raced toward her canine friend. “See, Mommy? Yoey?”

“Yes, sweetheart, I see her.” She loved hearing her daughter mispronounce the dog’s name, but she loved hearing her say “Mommy” even more. Ivy had been taught from the beginning who Meagan was. She was too young to grasp it completely, but she liked looking at pictures of animals with their offspring. She knew there were all types of mommies. And daddies, too. That much, she understood.

“Where Tanny?” Ivy asked, using the name she’d learned for Tanner. For Candy, she used Canny.

“Your uncle is at work,” Meagan replied.

“Horsey,” the child confirmed.

Meagan nodded. “Yes, he works with horses.” Tanner owned a riding academy and stables near Griffith Park. He also leased horses to the movie industry. He rode Western and English styles, and Ivy was fascinated with his job.

“I work with horses now, too,” Meagan said.

Ivy cocked her head. “Mommy horsey?”

“I’ll be taking care of them.” At the resort owned by one of the men she’d embezzled from, she thought. But that wasn’t something she could tell her daughter. Ivy didn’t know that the place where she used to visit Meagan was a prison, and even if she did, it wouldn’t have meant anything to her. Someday it would, though. Once Ivy got older, it would be a discussion they were destined to have.

After the groceries were put away, Candy gave Ivy a sippy cup with milk in it, and the child sat on the floor with Yogi, drinking her beverage and pretending to do yoga. Or maybe she was actually doing it for real, to the best of her ability. The dog got into some poses with her.

Besides regular yoga, Candy also taught doga, yoga for dogs, where the animals exercised with their owners, and Yogi knew her stuff.

Meagan watched her daughter, smiling as Ivy concentrated on her task. She was proud of her little girl but intimidated by how strong Candy’s influence was on her. Ivy mirrored the other woman’s mannerisms, not Meagan’s.

Then again, did she really want Ivy to emulate her? Meagan was still working on becoming the kind of person who would make her daughter proud, and Candy was already an elegant role model. Even as casually as she was dressed, in leggings and an oversized T-shirt, she exhibited grace and style. As a child, Meagan had wanted to grow up to be just like her. Boy, had she missed the mark on that one.

Candy removed a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge. “Want some?”

Meagan nodded. “Sure. Thanks.” There was a lemon tree on the property, so it was fresh-squeezed juice.

Candy poured two frosty glasses. Meagan accepted hers, and they sat in the living room, where Ivy and Yogi played.

“You can fill me in now,” Candy said.

“Yes, of course. It turned out fine, but I was super nervous seeing Garrett again. He admitted that it wasn’t his idea to hire me. His mother convinced him to give me a chance.”

“Really?” Candy angled her head. “She must be a nice lady.”

“I’ve never met her. I got a glimpse of her at the sentencing, though. He said that she felt bad for me then, and me having a baby while I was in prison was part of it, too. I guess that affected her somehow. I asked Garrett if I could send her a thank-you card, but he’s going to relay the message instead.”

“What about the other men? Did you see them?”

“His foster brothers? No. They weren’t at this meeting. They don’t own the hotel with him. They have their own businesses. One of them is a real estate mogul, and the other one is an internet entrepreneur.”

“What type of person is Garrett?”

Meagan drew a breath. “He’s...” She couldn’t think of the right adjectives to describe him, not without her heart going a little haywire. She’d never told anyone that she used to have feelings for him. Finally she settled on, “He used to be really kind to me.”

Candy frowned. “He isn’t being kind to you now?”

“He was proper and professional. A bit cautious, I suppose. But he used to go out of his way to treat me like a friend.”

“That’s confusing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why, of all people, did you embezzle from a man who was good to you? Not that you should steal from anyone, but to choose him? I don’t get it.”

“I took the money before I met him.”

“And afterward?”

“I didn’t take any more money, but it was already too late by then. He was really nice to me until he found out what a traitor I was. He even gave me a daisy.” She explained how she’d first met him, reciting the details. She left out the part about being attracted to Garrett, though. She didn’t think it was wise to mention that. Besides, she didn’t want anyone figuring out that she was still having those types of feelings for him. Nonetheless, she admitted how important the daisy had been to her. “I kept the flower for a while. I wrapped it in plastic and tucked it away in my drawer. Neil didn’t pay attention to stuff like that. But I finally got rid of it, because every time I looked at it, it made me feel worse about what I’d done.”

Candy had a sympathetic expression. “Have I ever told you about the language of flowers?”

Meagan shook her head. “Not that I recall.”

“It’s called floriography, and it’s a method that was used in the Victorian era when people would exchange flowers in lieu of written greetings. I became really fascinated with it, and I taught your brother about it, too. Each flower has a meaning, so you can give someone a single bloom or an entire bouquet to express a certain sentiment or have conversations. I studied a book about it.”

“That does sound fascinating.” Curious, Meagan asked, “Do you know what daisies mean?”

“Yes, but it depends on what kind they are. English daisies are the most recognizable. They’re sometimes called common daisies. But there are other kinds, too.”

“I don’t know what type it was, except that it was bigger than the usual ones.”

“Here.” Candy reached for an iPad sitting on a nearby table and gave the device to Meagan. “See if you can find it.”

She did an internet search, scrolling through the different varieties until she found the right kind. She noticed how bright and pretty the flowers were and how many colors they came in. Hers had been yellow with double florets. She turned the screen around. “It was a gerbera, like this.”

Candy looked at the picture and said, “Those embody friendship. But they can mean sadness and someone needing protection, too.”

“All of that works.” The sadness Meagan had been feeling that day, the friendship Garrett had offered, the protection she’d needed from her crazy life with Neil. She doubted that Garrett knew any of this. Still, the fact that he’d given her a flower with those meanings gave her goose bumps.

Candy took back the iPad and set it aside. “Isn’t it funny how things like that present themselves?”

“Yes.” A strange kind of funny. Now she wished that she hadn’t disposed of the daisy. If she’d held onto it, it would have been stored with the rest of her belongings. Tanner had kept Meagan’s things for her, along with items that had belonged to their mother.

Feeling far too emotional, she glanced at her daughter. Ivy was still playing with the dog, stretching out on the floor and lifting her stubby little legs in the air.

Candy watched the child, too. Then she said, “Tanner and I are going to set the date for the wedding. As you know, we’ve been waiting to get married so you could be there, and now that you’re home, we figured we should start planning it. I want you to be one of my bridesmaids, and I promise I won’t make you wear an ugly dress.” The bride-to-be smiled. “We’ll choose something that you feel glamorous in.”

Meagan hadn’t felt glamorous in a very long time. “What about a dress for you? It’s going to be your special day. That’s the dress that really matters.”

“Will you help me shop for it?”

“Yes, of course. I’d love to. And I’m honored that you want me to be in your wedding.”

“Ivy and Yogi are going to be in it, too. They’re both going to be flower girls. I figured that they could walk down the aisle together, but if Ivy falters and runs ahead, that’s okay. Tanner and I want the ceremony to be fun.”

Meagan smiled, warmed by the thought. She glanced at her daughter again, overwhelmed by how beautiful she was. “That’s sweet, and I’m sure Ivy will love it.”

Candy sent her a comforting look. “It won’t be long before she gets comfortable staying at your house, Meagan.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes, I’m sure of it. You’re an amazing mother, and she’s going to need you more and more as time goes on.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“Do you want to stay for dinner tonight?” Candy asked. “Or would you rather go back to your place and unwind?”

“I’d like to stay.” Being in a family setting felt good, and Meagan knew how important it was for her to spend as much time with Ivy as possible. “After dinner, I can bathe Ivy and read her a story and tuck her in.” They weren’t living together yet, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be part of her child’s bedtime. “I should probably start doing that every night, so she gets used to me putting her to bed.”

“That’s a great idea.” Candy shifted her gaze, glancing in the direction of the kitchen. “I’ll make a chicken-and-rice casserole for you and Tanner and Ivy.”

“That sounds good. But what are you going to eat?” Her brother’s fiancée was vegetarian.

“I’ll whip up a spinach soufflé. Of course you guys can eat that, too.”

“Does Ivy like spinach?”

“It’s one of her favorites.”

“That’s good to know.” Meagan was just learning how to interact with her daughter on a daily basis and that included becoming accustomed to her food habits. “I can help with the meal. I’m out of practice, but I like to cook.”

“Did your mom teach you?”

“Yes.” Meagan turned toward the fireplace, where a framed photo of her mother was, amid a grouping of other pictures. “I miss her every day.”

Candy sighed. “I had a difficult relationship with my mom when I was growing up, but things are good between us now. She adores Tanner and Ivy. She can’t wait for me to have kids of my own, too. Whenever she babysits Ivy, she mentions it.”

“I’m glad that Ivy is inspiring her to want grandbabies.” Meagan knew that Candy had been pregnant once and had miscarried, but that was years ago, when she was married to someone else—a man who hadn’t treated her right.

In that respect, Meagan and Candy were alike. They’d both survived controlling relationships. But now Candy had Tanner, the love of her life and the person she was meant to be with.

If the possibility existed, Meagan hoped that someday she would find someone special, too. But at this stage of her life, she was a single mother and brand-new parolee, taking one step at a time on the road to redemption.

* * *

In the evening, when Meagan’s brother came home from work, Ivy was thrilled to see him.

The instant he opened the door she dashed over to him, calling his name as she knew it. “Tanny! Tanny!”

He scooped her up and gave her a loud smacking kiss. The child giggled and looped her arms around his neck.

Meagan lingered in the background and watched the exchange. At six-three, Tanner was a striking man, with short black hair and slate-gray eyes. Today he was dressed in Western riding gear. He was a darned fine uncle. He’d earned Ivy’s love and respect.

Candy heard the commotion and came around the corner, moving forward to greet her fiancé. He kissed her, as well, only it wasn’t as noisy as the playful peck he’d bestowed upon Ivy.

“Hey, sis,” Tanner said, when he noticed Meagan standing there. “How’d the job stuff go?”

She stepped forward, keeping her response simple. “Good. I’ll be starting on Monday.”

He smiled and shifted Ivy in his arms. “You’re going to do great.”

Putting on a brave front, she returned his smile. But deep inside, her nerves were fluttering, a reminder of how working at Garrett’s resort was making her feel. “I’m certainly going to try.”

“Meagan is staying for dinner,” Candy said. “She helped me cook. We’ve got casseroles in the oven.”

“Cool.” Tanner sounded pleased. “We can all hang out together.” He put Ivy on her feet, and the child toddled off to dig through a basket of toys that was in the living room.

Tanner disappeared, probably to shower and change, and Candy bustled around, setting the table and filling the water glasses.

“Can I help with anything else?” Meagan asked her.

“No, thanks. I’ve got it under control. You can just relax.”

“Okay. Then I’ll stay right here.” Meagan sat on the floor next to her daughter, using the extra time to try to keep bonding with her.

Ivy reached into the basket and removed a pink plastic pony that had a long purple mane and a green tail. Clipped onto its back was a polka-dotted saddle.

She gave the toy to Meagan and said, “Pay.” It was her way of saying, “Play.”

Meagan gently obliged. She walked the pony in a slow circle, and Ivy watched it go round and round.

The two-year-old looked a lot like Meagan, with her dark hair and naturally tanned complexion. She didn’t favor blond, blue-eyed Neil, which was just as well. Meagan hadn’t seen him since he’d left her, pregnant and alone. He was still somewhere in the area, she suspected. He thrived on the LA club scene. Meagan had done her fair share of partying when she was with Neil, but all she wanted was stability now.

Ivy extended her hand, asking for her pony. “Mine.”

Meagan returned it, and the little girl trotted it high in the air, as if it were climbing a magical hill.

Instantly, Meagan thought about Garrett and his ocean-cliff home. She assumed that he’d never been married or had kids. But she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t know anything about his personal life. She wondered about him and the types of women he dated. As for herself, Neil had been her first and only lover, but she used to fantasize about Garrett something fierce.

“Is everything okay? You seem preoccupied.”

She glanced up and saw Tanner staring at her with a concerned look on his face. He’d just returned to the living room, attired in sweatpants and a T-shirt.

She couldn’t tell her brother what she’d been thinking. Her thoughts of Garrett were her own, particularly when they concerned sexy things.

“I’m just getting hungry,” she said.

“Then you’re in luck.” Tanner motioned to the kitchen, where Candy was putting the finishing touches on the salad and taking the casseroles out of the oven.

They sat at the dining room table, and Meagan snapped a bib around Ivy. The toddler was raring to go. She even brought the pony with her, setting it on her high chair tray.

Ivy ate both casseroles, quite happily. Dessert, a creamy chocolate pudding, made her even happier. Meagan kept wiping her daughter’s mouth and hands. She cleaned the pony, too. Ivy was making a gleeful mess feeding it, as well.

“I can bring Ivy with me when I go to work,” Meagan said to Tanner and Candy. “The resort offers free day care and after-school programs for children of the employees. I’m going to check it out and hopefully get her enrolled by Monday.”