Читать книгу Covert Kisses - Jane Godman - Страница 10
ОглавлениеCameron gripped the steering wheel hard. What was he doing? What had possessed him to invite her to dinner? You know what it was, a voice inside his head chimed instantly. You idiot. Carla is dead. This woman is not her. Perhaps if he repeated those words often enough, his heart would stop pounding so loudly every time he thought about Laurie Carter.
Twelve months ago, he would have said his heart couldn’t pound. If anyone had asked him such a stupid question, he’d have explained it wasn’t possible for his heart to do anything. Because the night Carla died, Cameron had been left with a gaping hole in place of a heart. So he supposed the fact he could feel something in the region of his chest in place of the awful, aching heaviness that had been there for the last year was a positive step. He just wasn’t sure it should be focused on this stranger who reminded him of Carla. Reminded him? He almost laughed out loud at the understatement. Laurie Carter was Carla’s double. The resemblance was uncanny enough to be scary. It was frightening the hell out of Cameron. In a spine-chilling yet surprisingly exciting way.
He steered the car up the narrow track that led to the Paradise Creek vacation village. A group of twenty or more log cabins clustered together at the base of the mountain like children clinging to their mother’s skirts. More and more of these places were springing up each year as people were discovering that Stillwater had as much to offer as Yellowstone. Some, like this one, were tastefully done and well managed, but there were a few eyesores that caused Cameron and his fellow council members an ongoing headache.
Cameron took his role as mayor seriously. Having been Stillwater’s youngest-ever council member at twenty-four and its youngest-ever mayor at twenty-six, he never forgot his duty to the community where he grew up. His four-year term of office was coming to an end, but, in the words of the local radio station, “There’s more chance of the Wyoming wind forgetting to blow than there is of Mayor Delaney not getting reelected.” That validation would allow him to continue the projects he had already started. Closing down cheap tourist traps was on his list.
Leaving his car in the little parking lot at the end of the road, Cameron walked a few yards to the first cabin and knocked on the door.
“It’s open. Come on in.”
She doesn’t sound like Carla. The thought steadied him, and he stepped straight into the open-plan living space. The place was furnished in traditional vacation-rental style. Polished pine paneling, exposed brickwork and functional furniture had been softened with colorful rugs, cushions and subdued lighting. As Cameron was taking in his surroundings, a door to his left opened and Laurie appeared.
On the drive over he had done his best to convince himself the likeness was not as strong as he remembered. It couldn’t be. Unless they were identical twins, two people couldn’t possibly look that alike. He’d done a pretty good job of persuading himself. Now she stood before him, a smile just beginning to light the blue depths of her eyes, and his internal lecture became so much meaningless white noise.
Laurie wore tight black jeans, heels and a gray silk blouse. Her hair, which had been wet and bedraggled when he last saw her, was styled now, the chestnut waves falling loose to just below her shoulders. She favored a less-groomed style than Carla, with only minimal makeup and jewelry. Even so, he was stunned all over again at the sight of her.
“I didn’t know where we were going. I hope this is okay?”
Aware some sort of response was required, he coaxed his facial muscles so he was able to return the smile. The effort was painful. “You look amazing. And we’re going to my favorite restaurant, Dino’s.”
And what will Dino—one of my oldest friends—say when I walk in with Carla’s double on my arm? Will he ask me if I’ve lost my mind? Tell me I can’t turn the clock back? Point out what I already know, that just because she looks like her, it would be unfair to expect Laurie to become some sort of Carla substitute?
“Is everything okay?” The smile in her eyes had faded and was on the verge of becoming a frown.
“Everything is fine.” The lie came easily. Despite his misgivings, he wanted to know more about this woman who had the face of his lost love. “Shall we go?”
It was a short drive from the cabin into town, and Cameron was reminded again of the little things he’d lost when Carla died. Companionable silence and the subtle perfume of a beautiful woman were two of them. They were approaching the main street when Laurie shifted slightly in her seat. He got the impression of her bracing herself before she spoke.
“Why did you ask me out tonight?”
Cameron drew into a parking space in front of Dino’s and switched the engine off before he answered. He supposed he should have anticipated the question. “You intrigue me and I’d like to get to know you better.” Honest, but only a fraction of a complicated answer.
“Because I look like Carla?”
He liked the directness of her approach. It meant he could be equally blunt in return. “I’d be lying if I told you that wasn’t a big part of it.”
Cameron turned to face her. For a moment something shimmered in the dark space between them. Something that had nothing to do with Carla. He wanted to reach out and grab it, hold on to it, welcome it as the first sign of life going on. In twelve long, empty months, he hadn’t once dared let himself believe he could ever feel anything for another woman. Hadn’t wanted to. It felt like the ultimate betrayal. Now, like a fragile candle flame in the darkness, there was an unexpected flicker. He wanted to cup his hands around it and shield it. He wasn’t sure what it meant. If it meant anything. Wasn’t sure he wanted it to mean anything. All he knew was emotions, even conflicting and confusing ones, were better than hollow, gut-wrenching emptiness.
Before he could do or say anything, Laurie smiled. “I’m starved. I hope this place does a good steak.”
* * *
When your job meant you were constantly playing a part, you had to be prepared for any eventuality. Walking into a busy, brightly lit restaurant and having the whole place fall instantly silent was a new experience. It was one Laurie hadn’t been prepared for. In hindsight, she should have anticipated it. Every eye followed their progress as the hostess escorted them to a table at the rear of the room. Cameron nodded and smiled at a few people, apparently at ease with the situation even though she suspected he wasn’t. He’s a politician; he’s used to the limelight. Even so, this is bizarre. Do they actually think I might be Carla? That she didn’t die on the lake that night after all? She faked her death and has staged a comeback? Or I’m her ghost following in Cameron’s wake and he hasn’t noticed me? That last thought made her choke back a nervous snort of laughter.
Curious stares continued to be directed their way, even once they’d taken their seats. There was no way she could not comment. “So that was fun.”
“I’m sorry. Is this too weird for you?”
Those dark eyes were achingly intense, and once again she experienced a pang of guilt. No matter who he was, or what he had done, this man was grieving. If her mission was successful and ended in his arrest and conviction, would Laurie feel proud of her part in his undoing? She didn’t want to explore that question any further. She had a feeling she wouldn’t like the answer. “Just doing my job” didn’t always cut it. Not in response to her own conscience.
“I was thinking more of you. This—” she outlined her own face with a circular motion of one finger “—must be painful for you.”
“Not really. I’ll admit it was a shock when I first saw you, especially when you emerged from the lake...” Laurie winced. Her plan had been to get his attention. She hadn’t thought about the impact on Cameron of her wading out of the very waters where Carla had died in a boating accident. Take his breath away? You were lucky he didn’t have a heart attack. One more reason for her to lie awake tonight questioning her own integrity. “Now? The resemblance still jolts me, but, believe it or not, I am able to convince myself you are not her.”
His smile nearly undid her resolve to keep a grip on her emotions. You can’t trust this man. Every piece of intelligence points to him being the mastermind of one of the most repulsive operations we’ve seen in a long time. That was what she had told herself as she read his file and studied his drop-dead-sexy photographs. Face-to-face, it didn’t help. One look from those dark eyes and her insides melted.
“Delaney!” A booming voice interrupted her thoughts and made Cameron roll his eyes. “Who let you into my place while my back was turned?”
“You are about to meet Dino. He delights in living up to his reputation for being larger than life. My advice is to roll with it.”
The man who approached their table was of average build, but his personality filled the room. His sharp eyes skimmed Laurie’s face before coming to rest on Cameron’s countenance. She got the impression some sort of silent communication took place between them, as though Dino was reassuring himself his friend was okay, before he spoke again.
“Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
“Dino, this is Laurie Carter. She’s here on vacation, and yes, she looks like Carla.”
Dino made a pretense of mopping his brow. “I’m glad you mentioned that. Otherwise I’d have spent the whole night wondering if you’d noticed.” He winked at Laurie. “You do know every single person in this place is talking about you, don’t you?”
She groaned. “Is it that bad?”
“It would have happened anyway because you look so much like her.” She decided she liked Dino, liked his bluntness and his warm smile. “Put you together with our esteemed mayor here and you’ve given our little community the best bit of gossip it’s had since—” he scratched his head “—well, I can’t remember anything this exciting. Maybe the last time was when Sarah Milligan’s daughter took off with that no-good, out-of-town boyfriend of hers. Remember that? We talked about it for weeks.”
“You talked about it for weeks,” Cameron corrected him. “I had other things on my mind.”
“That’s right. It was only about six weeks after Carla died, wasn’t it?” Unabashed, Dino nodded agreement with his own question. “So, what are you guys eating?”
“We haven’t decided. Some moron interrupted us before we had a chance to look at the menu.”
Ignoring Cameron’s deliberate rudeness, Dino grinned at Laurie. “I recommend the steak. And maybe a different companion.” With a wave of his hand, he was gone, pausing to talk to various diners as he made his way back to the kitchen.
“I like him.” Laurie smiled as she opened her menu.
“So do I, but don’t tell him. His ego is big enough already.”
She studied the food choices while taking in her surroundings. Stillwater was the county seat. The most densely peopled town in a sparsely inhabited county in the least-populated state in America was still going to be classed as a small town by anyone’s standards. Her internet searches had shown her a picturesque place, cradled by mountains, largely untouched by time, reveling in its own Western charm. A website had gone on to expand on how this town was home to cowboy history, an immense outdoor playground, with fine Western dining and friendly faces. It looked like Dino had tried to capture all of that in his restaurant. It worked. The place had a homey, easy feel, and judging by the number of diners, the food must be good, as well.
They ordered steaks, and once the waiter had brought beer for Cameron and soda for Laurie, she decided to kick things up a notch. “Tell me, how do you find time to be mayor and also run a business?”
“I don’t sleep.” His face remained expressionless for a few seconds, then he grinned. “Seriously? I founded the company with the money my father left me. I’m the person who built it up from nothing, put the hours in to make it a success. I’m still the CEO. But these days my role is strategic, not hands-on. I pay other people, namely my two brothers, to do the day-to-day stuff. Politics is pretty full on.” He waved a hand, encompassing the restaurant. “You see quaint, laid-back and charming? You wouldn’t believe what goes on beneath the surface.”
“So your brothers actually run the company?” This was an interesting piece of information. One that hadn’t been obvious from the file. This was why it was so important to get someone in here on the ground. But don’t clutch at straws. What he’s telling you doesn’t let him off the hook. He’s still the one in overall charge.
“Bryce, who you met briefly, takes care of operations. My older brother, Vincente, is the money man—”
“Did I hear my name being taken in vain?”
Two men had approached the table without them being aware of it. The one who spoke was dark, but that was the only resemblance between the two brothers. Vincente Delaney was tall with a strong, sinewy build, his looks reflecting his Italian mother’s heritage. In any other company, his proud features, neatly trimmed beard and olive skin would have been considered handsome. In comparison with Cameron, Laurie decided he didn’t quite match up.
“Is the whole town in here tonight?” There was a trace of a groan in Cameron’s voice.
“Is this Dino’s and is it Saturday? If so, you’ve answered your own question by coming here.” Laurie’s attention was drawn to Vincente’s companion, a man whose voice rumbled out his reply. She had heard the expression “a bear of a man” without having seen anyone who embodied what it meant until now. This man was huge, blond and imposing.
“Laurie, I guess more introductions are required. As you may have gathered, this is my brother Vincente. And this is Grant Becker.”
Laurie studied Grant with interest, and found her gaze being returned by a pair of intense blue eyes. There was curiosity and something deeper in that light gaze. He didn’t seem the type to be strongly influenced by her resemblance to Carla, but there was no doubt it had affected him. Then he roused himself and smiled. It was a boyish, charming expression.
The pictures she had seen didn’t do him justice. In the flesh the sheriff of West County was younger and better-looking than his online image, although she could hardly tell him so. Moreton had informed her that the local police, both the city police department and the county sheriff’s office, remained unaware of the federal presence in Stillwater. It had struck Laurie as a strange move not to involve the local police in the undercover operation. Moreton had explained there were two reasons for the decision. The first was what Moreton described as the “sensitive and unidentified operational radius,” by which she assumed he meant there was no way of knowing how widespread the trafficking might be, or how many people might be involved. Secondly, and perhaps more important, Cameron Delaney and Grant Becker had been friends since first grade.
“When Bryce told me you looked like Carla, I thought he was exaggerating.” Vincente was speaking, and Laurie turned her attention back to him. “I see now he wasn’t.”
Laurie wasn’t sure she liked the way Vincente’s eyes assessed her. Maybe he was being protective of his brother. Cameron had been badly hurt when Carla died, after all. Possibly his judgment of a woman who looked so much like her might be impaired. Also, Cameron was a very wealthy man. For all Vincente knew, Laurie could be a gold digger out to manipulate his brother and take him for all she could get. Even so, those eyes bothered her. They seemed to look right through her.
Grant Becker, on the other hand, had an open, honest expression that invited trust. Having stared long and hard at Laurie, he turned back to Cameron with a slight smile. “I’m guessing you’d like us to leave you in peace?”
Cameron returned the other man’s expression with relief. “You guessed right.”
Vincente looked as though he might like to protest at this arrangement, but Grant slung an arm around his shoulders, forcing him to walk away with him. “Nice meeting you, Laurie. Enjoy your evening.”
When they’d gone, Cameron turned to Laurie with an apologetic expression. “In this town everyone knows everyone else. It makes them think they have a right to intrude on your business.”
“I like it. It’s very different from what I’m used to.”
It wasn’t just something to say. She had been here only a few days, but she liked the feel of this town. It saddened her that she was here under false pretenses. What is this? This is what I do. I trap the bad guys. I can’t suddenly feel sentimental and regretful about it.
“Where exactly in California do you live?”
“San Diego.” It was true, even though she hadn’t been back there in what felt like forever. Lately it had been one undercover job after another. Home felt like something other people had.
The food arrived just in time for her to avoid any further details. While they ate, Laurie turned the talk to what she should see during her vacation. She was an expert at keeping the conversation away from herself. Unwilling to ask too many questions about his business this early in the relationship, she steered Cameron onto the other topic that interested her. She was surprised to find he was quite willing to talk about Carla.
“Can I ask why she was out on the lake at night?”
“Carla was a keen sailor. More than keen. It was her passion. She took part in competitions. She spent every spare minute practicing. The night she died, I was going to a function where I had to stay over. It was a foul night, and there was a storm brewing. She was determined to go out on the lake. There was a big, twenty-four-hour race coming up and she said her night vision was bothering her. I tried to persuade her not to go, to come with me instead.” A corner of his mouth creased in an expression of remembered frustration. “She wouldn’t listen. We argued. If I’d tried a bit harder, maybe stayed home with her...”
The compulsion to touch him was overwhelming. Reaching out, Laurie covered his hand with hers. “You couldn’t have known how it would turn out.”
He turned his hand so he could grip her fingers. “It means a lot, being able to talk about her. Other people tiptoe around me, thinking if they don’t mention her the pain might go away. Dino, as you may have noticed, is the only one who doesn’t.”
“What was she like?” Asking wasn’t just part of the job. She was curious about Carla the person. Carla her cousin.
He smiled. “Well, I think we’ve already established she was stubborn. She was also beautiful, clever, talented and witty. She used to tell me I was lucky to have her and I’d have to work hard every day to keep her.”
“Yet it sounds like she was as devoted to you as you were to her.”
“She was, but that last bit was true.” He tossed back the last of his beer. “Carla had many admirers, including a very persistent secret one.”
Laurie tilted her head on one side, considering that statement. “Persistent and secret don’t seem to go together.”
“Whoever he was, he used to send her an arrangement of red roses in the shape of a heart once a week. No message, no other gifts. Just the flowers.”
“That’s quite sweet, really.”
“Carla thought so, too. I thought it was creepy.” He laughed. “Maybe I was just being macho and possessive.”
“You were together a long time. Did you have any plans to get married?” It felt like an intrusive question, but he’d been open so far and she was curious about why, when he clearly loved Carla so much, they hadn’t made their relationship permanent. His face clouded slightly, and it was clear the question provoked a memory that made him uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
Cameron shook his head. “It was the one subject on which we couldn’t agree. Yet it was such an important one. Looking back now, I wish—” He broke off, taking a moment to collect his emotions. “Carla didn’t want to stay in Wyoming, and I could never see myself living anywhere else. I wanted the whole fairy tale. Marriage, kids, big goofy dog, family life, all the things my own folks had. Carla wasn’t the maternal type. Her own childhood had been traumatic.” He hesitated, and she sensed this was a big part of who Carla was. Even though she had learned recently that she was related to Carla, she knew nothing about her early life. Clearly Cameron wasn’t ready to go into details. “We could never meet halfway on it. Now, in hindsight, I think if I’d done it her way, upped and left Stillwater, gone to live in a big city, she wouldn’t have been on the lake that night.”
His eyes were twin pools of anguish. There was a trace of guilt in his expression and something more. A plea for reassurance. Carla just went down a notch or two in Laurie’s estimation. Sure, cling to your independence. Stick to your principles. But at the risk of losing a man who loved you to distraction? A man like Cameron Delaney? No, Carla, I can’t understand where you were coming from. Mind you, her rational mind kicked in, let’s not forget we are talking about a likely criminal mastermind...even though Carla may not have known about that facet of his life.
“I’m a great believer in fate. I think there is a time and a place for everything and, while we control some aspects of our destiny, there are other things that are meant to be.” Her hand was still in his, and she clasped his fingers tighter. “You may never know what it was, but it’s possible there is a reason why Carla was meant to be on the lake that night.”
Cameron didn’t reply, but she thought some of the tension went out of his frame. Looking around, Laurie was amazed to see the restaurant was empty and they were the only ones left. A glance at her watch told her it was close to midnight. How had all those hours passed without her being conscious of them? Cameron settled their tab and escorted her out to the car.
When they reached the vacation village, Cameron walked Laurie to her cabin. This was always the tricky part. Make sure he wants to see you again without coming on too strong. For the first time ever, she felt a pang of regret at that necessity. It would be so easy to give in to her instincts right now and invite Cameron in for coffee. To explore where this attraction might take them. Instead, she rose on the tips of her toes, touched her fingertips to his shoulder and pressed a chaste kiss onto his cheek.
“Thank you for a lovely evening.” Determinedly, she ignored the insistent tingle that shimmered through to her nerve endings as her lips brushed his flesh. His delicious scent invaded her nostrils, and she resisted the temptation to press her face into the warm curve of his neck.
His face was in shadow, but she was aware of his eyes probing hers. “Can we do it again?” Somehow she sensed those words didn’t come easy. Cameron was fighting an internal battle. Whether he was winning or losing wasn’t clear.
“I’d like that.”
When he’d gone, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. Years of training had conditioned her. She scrutinized the room, checking for signs that anything might be out of place. The cabin looked exactly as she’d left it. Except for one thing.
In the middle of the table there was a heart-shaped arrangement of dark red roses.
