Читать книгу One to Love - Michelle Monkou - Страница 11

Chapter 2

“Boss, I just saw Miss Grace park her car.” Tawny set down the coffee and donut in front of Belinda and made a quick backtrack to the entrance door.

Belinda slid the plate with the donut off to the side. The cup of coffee could remain. She might need something to keep her hands busy through her grandmother’s visit.

She desperately tried to smooth back the loose hair that hung wildly around her face. After her morning ride on her horse in the June humidity, Belinda knew her ponytail holder couldn’t maintain control over her hair. Normally, her disheveled appearance didn’t bother her. She wasn’t one to fuss over wardrobe and makeup. After all, this wasn’t an office job. But the next few minutes of her life with her stiff and starched grandmother would cause enough anxiety that she’d wished she dragged out a skirt suit from the deep recess of her closet, dug through the underwear drawer for a pair of panty hose and found a tube of lipstick to quickly sweep over her mouth.

Instead, she groaned after quickly surveying her clothing. It was her standard uniform of black T-shirt and black jeans, kind of a night and day contrast to whatever Grace usually wore. The old lady had to have been off her game at one time in her life. At almost eighty years old and still getting front-page coverage on how fabulous she looked, her grandmother was a fashion icon. Deservedly so, but still.

Belinda wiggled her toes. As a rule, when she came to the office, she stepped out of her boots and left them at the entrance door. The treks back and forth, from the office-barn to the stables, the torn-up dirt around the renovated areas near the riding ring, and general outdoor work pushed the necessity for the rule. Not only did it save the brand-new Berber carpet, it cut down on the strong odors of horse urine, manure, and tack that combined with the hay that would be tracked into the office. Usually, her old pair of sneakers was in the office for her to slip on. Of course, today would be the day that she couldn’t find them.

Meanwhile, Tawny, who didn’t have many dealings with the stable, could balance herself while walking around the office in her skinny, skyscraper-high heels and flaunting the latest fashion trends. She belonged in New York City, not in the small city of Midway in upstate New York, working in a barn with horses as their closest neighbors.

“Belinda, are you here? It’s Grace.” Her grandmother’s distinctive elocution shot her musings to pieces.

“Good morning, grandma...er...Grace.” Belinda rose and headed around the desk, but her grandmother had already marched across the room. That was a good thing. She could keep her shoeless feet a secret for a little while longer.

Her grandmother got everyone in the family to call her “Grace” whenever the subject matter concerned Meadows Media. In the case of Dana, she not only called their grandmother Grace, but also boss. Their special bond had blossomed over several years as Dana worked her way up the ladder, culminating in her leading the company. A strategic move that had been met with resistance by business experts, not to mention a few family members, because of Dana’s young age. Belinda’s take on the issue remained in full protective support for her cousin, as long as Grace had Dana’s full buy-in.

“How are you?” Belinda resumed her seat in the safe zone, behind the desk.

“Good as can be. Still busy even though I’m out in the pastures.”

The image of her grandmother whiling away time in a field couldn’t have been further from the truth. Grace was still making business deals and her social calendar hadn’t shrunk. Grandpa Henry had spilled the latest at the last family dinner.

Belinda probed, “Are you still heading to the office every day? You should enjoy retirement. Take a trip. See the world from beyond corporate offices.” She’d consider talking her grandmother into a worldwide trip a major coup. Every chance she got, she pushed the idea.

“Is that what your cousin complains to you about?”

“No.” Now Dana was going to kill her for putting Grace on alert. It had taken a while for the former CEO of the family business to step down. Dana had shared how much she looked forward to flexing her leadership muscle without Grace’s shadow. Even the staff was coming around to relying on Dana without the constant presence of Grace. The cousins had joked that the complete separation might require Grandpa Henry to kidnap his wife and keep her off the grid for several months.

Grace looked around the office. Then her gaze hovered and settled on the wall behind Belinda. She remained silent. But her gaze shifted over the entire visual presentation of the riding program’s trajectory. Though Grace’s expression remained stoic, Belinda sensed her grandmother’s keen interest.

“Renovations are underway. We still have major work to be done. I’m sure that we’ll be ready on opening day.” Grace’s quiet regard unnerved Belinda.

“Really? That’s good news. Who are you using?” Her grandmother slowly slid her glance away from the wall to Belinda. “I did take note that you didn’t ask for my help after I sent Santiago to you.”

“I used Ed. I felt good with your referral since you’ve used him on several projects. That was enough of a recommendation.”

“He’s dependable. Not terribly creative, though, when it came to designing the trellis frames in the garden.” She sighed with such regal pretension that Belinda wanted to snort. “But his work is solid and above par. I wouldn’t want anyone else.”

Belinda nodded. Now wasn’t the time to mention the switch from Ed to Jesse. She had her own misgivings. There was no need to hear her grandmother pile on with her criticisms. No matter what Grace would say, all Belinda would hear was that she wasn’t good enough. Out of the three cousins, she was the “rock,” per Grace’s compliment and with her mother’s implicit agreement. Belinda was the solid base to provide support, but lacked Dana’s nimble, razor-sharp leadership skills. She’d accepted the evaluation, partially relieved that she didn’t have what it took to lead anything, including Meadows Media. As a result, she had remained uninspired to prove her grandmother or mother wrong. Early discussions about starting this business hadn’t been met with enthusiastic cheers outside of her cousins, Dana and Fiona.

“Let’s go for a walk.” Her grandmother stood, smoothing her dress and waiting for her to move.

“Where are we going?” Belinda made a mental promise to kill Tawny if she conveniently had forgotten to tell her about this part of Grace’s plan.

“Show me the work that’s been done.” Grace’s attention shifted back to the wall in her office where the full layout and status of the project were mapped out. “I want to see what you’ve been up to.”

Tawny slid into view. Her attempt to nab Grace’s focus was as loud as her blue dress with white polka dots.

“Tawny, my dear, hope all is well with you. You’re looking quite...modern.”

Belinda considered Tawny’s mission accomplished. Her assistant looked beyond giddy over Grace’s remark. If she wasn’t mistaken, Belinda thought that she saw the young woman dip into a quick curtsy. As expected, Grace, her nose in the air, soaked in the adulation as she passed Tawny.

Bowing down to Grace had never been Belinda’s style. That was not to say that her grandmother didn’t intimidate the heck out of her. Grace and Grandpa Henry were her substitute parents when hers were too busy pursuing careers and she’d been like a satellite office they’d occasionally visit. That’s why, despite Grace’s hard-nosed demeanor, Belinda had a soft spot for her grandmother.

Today, however, she’d rather spend the morning tweaking her business plan and schmoozing with potential clients, not escorting Grace on a random tour of the area with the uneasy feeling that there was more to her visit than she’d let on so far. Her grandmother’s stern profile provided no hints, even after she stared at Belinda’s mismatched socks before she could stuff her feet into the boots.

Belinda led Grace to the golf cart that she drove to get around the property quickly. “Hold on,” she said. It was an unnecessary warning, since her grandmother had death grips on her arm and the side of the golf cart. She drove slowly down the road that led from the barn to the larger area dedicated to the riding rings and stable.

“Have you ever considered selling off some of the property?”

“No!” Belinda uttered a shaky, apologetic laugh and repeated the negative in a softened tone.

“It’s not an outrageous question.”

They’d stopped at the stable. Belinda rounded the cart to assist Grace.

“I’m asking because you have ambitions that don’t match your pocket.” Grace stopped short at the large wooden doors that led into the stables. Her nose twitched as the signature ammonia smell of horse and hay hit them.

Through these doors was magic, the place that brought Belinda peace and joy. She headed over to the stall that was home to her American quarter horse. From the start, Lucky Ducky, her own personal mount, had held a special place in her heart. When she was first looking for horses for the program, her network of business owners with similar equine-therapy services advised her that the retired show horse was up for sale. While she’d need therapy horses for now, she wanted her own horse. It was this gelding’s gentle nature and agility that convinced her that she was on the right path with her decision to acquire a member of this breed.

Grace joined her at Lucky Ducky’s stall. “Are you a bit over your head with this monster-size project?”

“I can manage. I’ve been managing.” Belinda hoped that she’d retained a knack for reading her grandmother’s trains of thought. Although, sometimes, she wasn’t sure that she ever had the ability and only had mastered feeling defensive.

From her pocket, Grace withdrew sugar cubes, which she fed to the grateful horse. Despite her grandmother’s reaction to the stable, she was a wet noodle around the chestnut gelding. Belinda wished she could take a secret photo of her grandmother making kissing noises. Lucky Ducky certainly loved Grace’s attention. His head bumped against her hand to make her continue scratching his muzzle.

“Why are we here...in the barn?” Belinda walked over to a new horse that she’d bought two weeks ago. She’d rather have waited on buying another horse, but, by acquiring him, she had rescued a pet that the owner could no longer afford to keep. She grabbed a brush and stroked Black Pearl’s powerful side with it. His head bobbed as he pranced in place.

“We needed to talk. And since you don’t have a proper office...” Grace pointedly looked over at her. “We must stand out here for privacy.”

No matter how much Grace worked Belinda’s nerves, being disrespectful was never an option. “No, we don’t have to, Grandma. Let’s go up to the house. I have tea.”

“Okay, for the house. No, on the tea.”

“It’s not the regular supermarket tea.” Belinda offered Grace a hint of a smile. “Herbal. Rooibos from South Africa.”

Grace clapped her hands. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.” She bid farewell to Lucky Ducky with an extra sugar cube and accompanied Belinda out of the stable.

Her grandmother resumed her death grip as they rode the golf cart eastward across the property.

On a small hill, the farmhouse stood out, its exterior painted in sunshine yellow accented with winter-white shutters. The morning sunrise was an amazing sight that climbed above the mountains in the distance.

Belinda gazed on her little home with pride. Well, it wasn’t so little, with five bedrooms ranging from a closet-size one to the master suite. Though many of the rooms were unused, here was the house for her future. One day, she wanted it full of children and a loving husband.

Given her lack of a social life, however, said loving husband would have to magically fall from the sky in front of her like an airdrop package.

“Have a seat. I’ll bring it to you.” Belinda motioned toward the living area before walking into the kitchen.

“No need to wait on me. I’ll follow you to your kitchen.”

Belinda hoped that the kitchen wasn’t a mess. The bad part about living alone was that any messiness could only be blamed on her. She cringed as she watched her grandmother swing her survey around the room before she took a seat at the four-seater table.

“You haven’t been to visit, much less sit in my kitchen, in a while. I’m nervous.” Belinda couldn’t deal with waiting for Grace to reveal the reason for her impromptu visit. There was no way that this was a casual visit.

“I’ve been remiss with keeping up with my grandchildren. Turning over Meadows Media to Dana was a bigger deal than I thought. It made me think about all of you. Our legacy as a family.”

“Dana’s doing fine, right?”

“Oh, yes. Dana was born for that job.”

“Proud of her.” Belinda always knew that her cousin was the only one to step into Grace’s shoes. Her mother and aunts, Grace’s daughters, grumbled a bit, but no one could deny that Dana had the brains and passion to take up the heavy responsibility.

“We all are. Meadows Media should always remain in the family.”

Belinda carefully set down the steaming cup of tea. “I’m not coming to work for Meadows Media.” For once, she wasn’t backing down. Not even to look away from Grace’s deep-set eyes.

“Not even for Dana?”

“Did she ask for me?” Belinda wasn’t biting, though the mention of her cousin needing her gave her pause.

“You know your cousin. She’d never ask for help. She’s too afraid that it would reflect on her. However, since stepping back from it all, I have a good view from the sidelines. What I see, in my overall vision, is for all of you cousins stepping up and taking your rightful places in the company. Making it bigger and better. Besides, you get along with each other. That’s half the battle.”

“What if the cousins aren’t interested?”

“Why wouldn’t you be? I built this company to hand down, not to sell out. Not that my three daughters ever stepped up to the plate.” Grace sniffed. The woman was a born queen and didn’t need a title to go with her mostly formidable demeanor. The one subject that could tighten that mouth and send the lines in her forehead into deeper grooves was her daughters—their mothers.

Away from the Meadows family home estate, away from the Meadows Media headquarters, Belinda had never heard Grace open up with such a sad, longing commentary. Took a visit, while sitting at her dining table, for the intimate disclosure. Anytime Grace’s tale was told in front of an audience, the rags to riches story had all the polish and shiny glint of a spin doctor’s touch. Not that her accomplishments were make-believe. However, Grace believed that imperfections of any sort belonged behind the family wall of privacy and loyalty. It was the one trait that was supported by every family member as a united front.

“Look, Belinda, the time is right. Dana is on the verge of taking the company to new heights. Kent is on board. Hopefully, they’ll be married soon. You’re turning thirty-one this year. I couldn’t be happier with all that you’ve done.”

“I’m running my own business here.”

“I’m not taking away from your plans. Not one bit.” Grace leaned in and took her hand. “I’m expanding on what you have.”

Belinda tried to avoid her hypnotic stare. Instead, she looked down at her hand still captured by Grace. Her grandmother’s rings and bracelets shimmered as the light caught the diamonds and bounced off the gold. The older woman wasn’t exactly touchy-feely. So to have her hands imprisoned in her grandmother’s firm grasp made her want to clutch on to something else and hang on for dear life.

“Come work for Meadows. I’ll give you the money to fix this place into what you want and hire a full staff. You don’t have to be here.”

Money, the one thing that she desperately needed, landing in her lap. Hers for the taking. If only her stomach didn’t constrict at the idea. Her heart instantly ached at the steep price to her dream. Although the proposal came with a win-win solution—money and the riding program—she didn’t like it because of the sacrifice to her independence.

“I see you’re ready to say no.” Grace patted her hand. “Don’t jump into the deep end to show that you can.”

“I have something here. It’s important to me. At a young age, you had something that was important. We’ve all benefited from it. But Meadows Media isn’t for me.” Belinda stood and hoped that her legs would stop shaking. “And there is nothing more to discuss, Grandma.” This wasn’t business. It was personal. “I’ve got to return to the office. I’m expecting someone.”

Even the unsuitable Jesse Santiago would be a welcomed diversion.

“You’ve got moxie, kid.” Grace chuckled. She braced herself with her walking stick and pushed up from the chair. “I’ll mark my calendar. Same time, same place, next month—I’ll make the offer again. By then, reality might have a way of nipping at your heels.” The gravelly voice laid down the somber forecast.

Belinda nodded. A faint whiff of victory danced a fleeting pattern with her ego because Grace’s prediction had that edge of inevitability. But she’d take the victory lap and enjoy it. “I’ll drive you to your car.”

Grace nodded. Signs of sentimentality vanished with her stiff march to the front door. She pulled it open before Belinda could reach for the doorknob.

“Oh, hello. Who might you be?” Her grandmother effectively blocked Belinda’s view.

“Jesse Santiago, ma’am.” The man’s deep, crisp voice hooked Belinda’s attention.

“Grace Meadows, here.” Handshakes were exchanged.

Belinda tried to see around her grandmother’s formidable stature.

“Santiago? You must be Ed’s son.” Grace turned her head slightly toward Belinda and finished, “Devilishly handsome, this one.”

Good grief, her grandmother’s abrupt switch to playfulness embarrassed her. However, if she felt the need to comment, then maybe the subject on hand was worth a look-see. Belinda couldn’t deal with any trigger to tap her emotions out of sleep mode and distract her from the Dreamweaver facility. This man had better have the skill set to impress the heck out of her.

In the meantime, she really wished Grace would move out of the doorway.

“Now, be sure to say hello to your father. I’ve sent a fruit basket to the house.”

“Thank you. I’m sure he’ll be pleased.”

So Grace knew about Ed’s health issues and his son taking on the job. Now she wondered if that was why Grace seized on the timing to put in an appearance to pressure her to work at Meadows Media. It was too much to figure out, right now. Time for the big reveal at her front door. All she could see were his faded jeans and scuffed construction boots.

“Make sure you do a good job for my granddaughter, young man.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Belinda heaved a sigh of relief when Grace finally walked out through the doorway. Under the direct light of the morning sun, Jesse Santiago moved center stage into the frame. Wow. Now, that was tall, as, with her five-nine height, she still had to look up. Thick black hair framed the top of his head in a trimmed style that enhanced the attractive contours of his squared jaw and high cheekbones.

His hands were pushed down in the front pockets. Head tilted to the side. While his eyes remained hidden behind dark shades, her attention was transferred to the slender, prominent line of his nose. Her continued admiration landed on his mouth, the one feature that she’d lingered on in the photo, and it looked better in real life. Now she could verify that he had wide, full lips that were pure sexy. His pose didn’t shift under her perusal. In fact, he looked casual, but in control.

“Your assistant sent me over here.”

Belinda stepped out of her house and closed the door. “I’ve got to take my grandmother to her car. Mind meeting me back at the office? We can chat there.” She shook his hand and continued on her path to the golf cart where Grace waited.

He was handsome as all get-out, had a firm handshake and smelled like heaven. Having this man around would be tempting. If she didn’t stay on point, she’d do silly things like give him a second or third look. Because, that fast, she already connected to whatever wildly charged energy he exuded.

Crazy. It was not happening, even if the electricity shot in one direction, from her to him.

“Child, no need to kill me on the way to my car.”

“Sorry.” Belinda didn’t realize that she pressed on the accelerator, jostling her grandmother in the process.

“Trust me. He’s not going anywhere. He’ll be there after you drop me off. I don’t think he took his eyes off you once.”

Belinda deliberately brushed off the remark. The strange ping of excitement blipped on her romantic radar. “Good seeing you, Grandma.”

“Hmm. As I said, I’ll be back.”

Belinda waited until her grandmother drove away before she made a U-turn back to the office and pushed down on the accelerator. One thought muscled past her body’s silly reactions to this stranger. How would she stay focused, with Jesse Santiago sabotaging her steely determination with such übersexy maleness?