wanted her getting anywhere near her greedy uncle or any other relatives who’d never lifted a hand to help her when she was a child.
She picked up the pillow, holding it against her chest. “We did. We still do. But I need to go, for my parents as well as for myself.”
“You aren’t going alone.”
A relieved smile spread across her beautiful face. “I was so hoping you’d say that. So you’ll be my
Ty didn’t think Alex, whatever his last name was, would appreciate the label, either. But Ty didn’t touch the comment any more than he’d take the word
Six
After seeing his niece again for the first time in ten years, Marc Dumont drove to work, ignoring Paul Dunne’s phone call demanding a meeting. Marc didn’t think they had anything to discuss. The man was a prick. Always had been. There probably wasn’t a lot of difference between Marc and Paul, but Marc liked to console himself that he was at least trying to be a better man. Paul had no morals and no intention of reforming.
Marc thought of his niece. She’d grown into a beautiful young woman. When he looked at her today, he no longer saw his brother’s spitting image, only her own strength and beauty. But back when he’d become her guardian, looking at Lilly had reminded Marc of all his failures.
At the time there had been many, the most glaring of which had been losing Lilly’s mother to his brother, Eric. Marc had believed himself in love with Rhona but she only had eyes for Eric, who’d always been the golden child anyway. All things went his older brother’s way. He’d won Rhona, started a successful vintage car business, and he’d married wealthy. Marc hadn’t known about Rhona’s money when he’d fallen for her but what a bonus. Of course it had become Eric’s. His brother Robert merely went on his harmless, merry way while Marc seemed to bungle one relationship and job after another.
And when he looked at Lilly, Marc hadn’t seen the woman he’d loved and lost, he’d only seen his brother. His competition. The person he had a chance to defeat one last time.
Marc used to blame his actions on drinking but he accepted the truth now. He’d allowed jealousy to rule his life and he’d made both decisions-to drink and to destroy his niece and steal her money, he thought, bile rising in his throat. But at least Marc was trying to make amends. Paul had no such desire.
Whatever Paul wanted from Marc now-and Marc knew for sure it had everything to do with Lilly’s trust fund-he didn’t want any part of the other man’s scheme. The trustee had been siphoning money from the estate for years, as Marc had discovered during his first few months of sobriety. A time when he’d decided to take control of his life and see where things actually stood.
Paul, who’d known he could put anything over on a drunken Marc, claimed he’d intended to pay the money back before Marc inherited. A bald-faced lie if Marc had ever heard one. When Marc had threatened to go to the authorities, Paul had countered with a warning of his own. If Marc turned him in, Paul would expose Marc’s lies and abuse of his niece. That left them in a stalemate, since Marc couldn’t afford a public scandal now that he had a respectable job and the prospect of a future.
They’d both had too much to lose, so Marc had remained silent. After all, as soon as he inherited, the old bastard would be out of his life for good. Now there would be no inheritance and possibly no future if his fiancee bailed on him once she realized there was no money.
As for Paul Dunne, he was Lilly’s problem. Once she took control of her inheritance, it was only a matter of time before she realized what had been going on for all these years. Then she’d have to deal with Paul Dunne, trustee. The thought gave Marc little comfort.
He wasn’t a saint, only a flawed man and a recovering alcoholic to boot. He couldn’t help but admit everything would be so much simpler if Lilly had remained dead.
God, he needed a drink.
THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY for Lacey’s uncle Marc was to be held in her childhood home. Her uncle had been living in her parents’ house all these years, sitting by the fireplace in the den, eating in her mother’s beloved kitchen, and those were just two of what she knew were many other personal violations. All things that had been easier to put out of her mind when she lived three hours and a lifetime away than now when she had to dress for her return.
Because Lacey dated a businessman, she owned a few nice outfits, but she hadn’t brought them with her on this trip. She planned a quick trip to a mall in the next town over to buy something to wear. Hunter suggested she go with Molly-her uncle’s soon-to-be stepdaughter.
Although Lacey was wary of the woman based on her relationship with Marc Dumont, she trusted her best friend’s judgment. Hunter felt it important that the women meet and he believed they would get along well under any circumstances, including the one they found themselves in.
Lacey understood Hunter had dual motives. He wanted Molly to get to know Lacey and realize she wasn’t lying about the man her uncle had been-and probably still was. He also, along with Ty, didn’t want Lacey to be alone. Which was ridiculous since she’d been on her own for years.
Still, since it meant so much to them and since she missed having a close female friend around, Lacey had agreed to meet up with Molly at the local mall. It was hard to admit but she didn’t have many close women friends. She worked but not in an office where she could meet people her own age. Her employees were mostly young women who didn’t speak a lot of English and Lacey knew better than to make friends out of people who worked for her. Befriending her clients would have been as professionally ill-advised, and so other than Alex, she spent a lot of time alone. A part of her was looking forward to this shopping trip.
And not just for herself. Because when Hunter had spoken of Molly, Lacey had noticed a spark in his eyes she’d never seen before and his lips had curved into a smile. Hunter had a thing for this woman and Lacey wanted to see why. And she wanted to make sure Molly wasn’t going to break her friend’s heart. He’d been too good to her in the past and too protective of her now for Lacey not to feel the same way. She wanted the best for him and despite the other woman’s connection to Marc Dumont, Lacey hoped Molly was it.
She met Molly outside the Starbucks in the mall. Lacey knew Molly immediately based on Hunter’s description of a pretty brunette with a fondness for bold colors in her clothing and shoes. The other woman’s bright red top was one indicator, but she still could have been anybody. Her unique-looking red cowboy boots gave her away.
“Molly?” Lacey asked, walking up beside her.
The other woman turned. “Lacey?”
Lacey nodded. “Nice to meet you. Hunter’s told me a lot about you.”
Molly swallowed hard. “Unfortunately I can’t say the same. Most of my information’s come from-”
“My uncle.”
Molly treated her to an awkward nod.
“Let’s shop,” Lacey suggested. If she spent bonding time with Molly, she hoped the discomfort would ease and maybe they’d get to know one another better.
Lacey’s idea worked. What had begun as an awkward greeting changed over the course of shopping, lunch, and chitchat. Molly was warm and fun with a great sense of humor. Lacey enjoyed their day and now they sat at a table in Starbucks drinking lattes. They talked, if not like old friends, then not like adversaries, either. They hadn’t discussed the past, which was fine with Lacey. She knew eventually she’d have to explain things, but just not right now.
Molly wrapped her hand around her grande-sized cup and met Lacey’s gaze. “I love shopping,” she said, relaxing in her seat.
“It isn’t something I do much. Just for the basics,” Lacey said. “I work too much to have time for shopping as recreation.”
Molly smiled. “You’re a saver, I’m a spender. I think it comes from not having a lot while growing up. I crave the luxuries, not that I can afford them. Thank goodness for credit cards,” she said laughing.
