And found a way out of them for himself.

  Another long sleepless night followed Savannah’s call, but Lindsay showed up at work on Thursday with strength and a new plan.

  A new quest.

  She was hanging around long enough to make certain that her three siblings were not being raised by a man who could still be quietly providing illegal substances to rich kids who could afford them.

  His company, his great reputation, his wealth all colluded to make him the obvious cover. She just had to read the news to know that a lot of wealthy, well-respected and revered people had secrets. Some of them really bad ones.

  Everyone had skeletons in their closets. No one was perfect.

  She’d called Savannah back on her way to work. Had the entire Sierra’s Web team looking at Elite Paper and Brent Wilson, anything and everything they could find, by any legal means, no matter the cost. She wanted to know if anyone associated with the man had had drug convictions. Or had any associations with rehab centers.

  If there were any ties to Brent Wilson and any known cartel members.

  And Cole?

  He was her bright spot. The blessing in her possibly being in town longer.

  She couldn’t think about what would happen to him if he found out his mentor was using his life in Shelter Valley to deal illegal drugs behind the scenes.

  Couldn’t think about what it would do to Kaitlin and Kerby and Kyle, or to Emily. Or all of the people she worked with at Elite Paper. The dozens of folks she’d gotten to know during Project Forever Friends.

  But neither could she walk away, suspecting, and doing nothing.

  For the rest of that day, she lost herself in her art. Playing around with some all-occasion “thinking of you” designs. And when she shared an elevator down to the lobby with Brent Wilson and a group of upper management after work, when her father smiled at her. She smiled back.

  And knew that, in her deepest heart, lingering inside Ms. Bohemian’s soul, she wasn’t looking for dirt on the man. She needed to clear his name.

  Maybe for herself. Most definitely for the others.

  Because if Sierra’s Web could find out about his past, so could any other number of people who’d want to do him harm. He deserved a heads-up on that.

  Not from her. But if need be, she could arrange something.

  He’d left her and her mother at their most weak and vulnerable.

  She might be her father’s daughter, but she wasn’t leaving him the way he’d left them.

  * * *

  When Brent Wilson called Cole into his office Friday morning, Cole entered with a bit of trepidation. Concerned about what he’d possibly shown the man regarding his personal relationship with their newest artist acquisition—in light of her recent refusal of their lucrative offer to her in exchange for the signing of a one-year contract.

  Loath to offend the man who was most definitely family to him, he also wasn’t a kid who needed, or in any way wanted, help, or any kind of advice, in the love department.

  He was a grown man, eyes wide open, living life to the fullest.

  Turned out, Brent just wanted to discuss a potential employee situation—a supervisor at the plant in Phoenix who’d been seen by a longtime friend of Brent’s leaving an upscale restaurant the night before while heavily inebriated. According to the friend, the man had climbed into a car on his own, and driven away. Wanting to avoid any possible accidents, and save potentially lost lives, the friend had called the police, but the man’s car had been parked in his driveway when the police caught up to it and no one had answered a knock at the door.

  Disturbed by the account, Cole assured his boss that he’d set up a meeting with the man that afternoon and was on his way to the door when Brent stopped him with, “I had a meeting with Jeremy Weldon this morning.” Elite’s art director. Cole turned, dreading the worst. Lindsay had quit. Left without saying goodbye.

  The thought lasted less than a second. She wouldn’t go without finishing Project Forever Friends.

  Or telling him.

  “We’d like to do a Lindsay Warren Valentine’s line, and need you to approach her with the offer.”

  Cole’s defenses shot up. If Brent was trying to buy him more time to...

  Time to what?

  And...her own valentine line.

  Genius.

  Getting her to stay little bits at a time.

  Who cared why Brent had made the offer?

  With a nod, he agreed to approach Lindsay Warren with the opportunity. And left the room before he made more of a fool of himself in front of the man whose respect meant more to him than a few nights of great sex.

  He’d blown it the week before over the movie night invitation. And had felt Brent’s gaze on him all week—whether the sensation had been real, or born of his own inner conflict, he couldn’t be sure.

  If he didn’t know better, he’d figure Lillie for carrying tales on him.

  And for what?

  Seizing the moment?

  Entertaining the thoughts on the walk from Brent’s office to his own, Cole shut his door with a bit more force than necessary, and no humor whatsoever.

  He wasn’t falling for Lindsay Warren.

  Did he wish things were different and she could stay in Shelter Valley?

  Hell, yes.

  Would he follow her to San Diego if she asked?

  No. Unequivocally. He was not giving up the life he’d built, the home he loved, on the off chance that a relationship with a woman he’d just met might work out.

  No matter how compelling she was.

  And that was all the answer anyone needed to fully grasp that he had things firmly under control where the gorgeous blonde was concerned.

  Lindsay had been completely honest with him from the beginning. She was only offering a short-term partnering. And that offer had allowed him to fully engage with her in it.

  He wouldn’t have trusted anything more.

  And was done thinking about it all.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Lindsay didn’t know what to think when Cole texted and asked her to come to his office late Friday afternoon. She’d been hired, originally, to work on a stream of all-occasion card designs and for the remainder of her tenure at Elite Paper she was giving them her best effort in that regard.

  She’d turned down the lovely offer to sign a year’s contract. In spite of the fact that it would have been Lindsay Warren’s dream come true.

  Or part of it, anyway.

  Cole being the other part.

  There really was no reason for the chief of personnel to have any further business with her.

  Unless he wanted a quickie in his office.

  He had a dinner party for the local elite to attend that night and would be out late. And after she collected and deposited the day’s Forever Friends funds, she was driving into Phoenix to dine with Savannah—not that he knew that part. Or could know that Lindsay Warren-Smythe needed time in her own world to stay emotionally and mentally above water.

  Still, she’d been thinking all day about his naked body touching hers.

  If he’d been needing her as desperately...

  His office door locked.

  He had a couch.

  And a desk.

  Walking the breezeway in her silk-and-denim skirt, she got all hot and bothered just thinking about doing it on a desk.

  Cole’s desk.

  What in the hell the man had done to her...

  Or, she’d done to herself by setting Lindsay Warren free...

  Still, she was wet and filled with anticipation when she approached Cole’s closed door. And then stopped, taking a deep breath before entering.

  And got a good look at herself.

  Thinking only about her. What she needed and wanted.

  And that was most definitely not why she was in Shelter Valley.

  Feeling as though she’d been doused with a bucket of ice water, she knocked, waiting for Cole’s “Enter” before turning the knob.

  No more busting in on him as though she had the right to the kind of emotions with him that prompted such action.

  For a second, as their gazes met, the heat was back. Flooding her. Because his gaze was pretty clear as he eyed her up and down, practically stripping her.

  And realized that maybe she misread the look, seeing a signal where there wasn’t one, as, in a completely professional tone, he asked her to take a seat.

  And then said, “I have an offer for you, but before I deliver it, I need you to know that I had absolutely nothing to do with it. Didn’t even know about it until this morning.”

  Confused, wary, she nodded. “Okay.” The word was almost an afterthought.

  How could she know anything was okay when she had no idea what they were talking about? Or why Cole was acting so strange about whatever it was?

  “Elite Paper would like to offer you your own Lindsay Warren Valentine line.”

  From the depths of confusion and concern, to elation in a split second, Lindsay sat perfectly still. Holding her hands tightly clasped together.

  “The timing is yours,” he told her. “Based on how quickly you delivered Christmas designs that excited the entire executive suite, you could probably still leave right after the Project Forever Friends park festival. Your only obligation here will be to deliver the designs before you decide to leave Shelter Valley. And Brent is doubling what he’s already paying you.”

  Her grin split her face so wide it hurt.

  Until she noticed that Cole didn’t look equally pleased.

  “What’s wrong?” she said, when she’d opened her mouth to give him an unequivocal yes to his offer. The new design consignment would give her the perfect excuse to remain in Shelter Valley for as long as it took for her to feel satisfied in leaving. Another week or two, or a month if that was how long it took.

  Due to her last few phone calls with Savannah, she’d decided to remain in town while Sierra’s Web did as thorough a search on Elite Paper and everyone associated with it as they legally could. She’d called her grandparents and her charity boards and let them all know, personally, that she might be extending her leave by another few weeks.

  Cole, watching her, hadn’t answered her question.

  “Cole? What’s going on?”

  He cocked his head to the side. Smiled and, shaking his head, said, “Nothing.”

  “I don’t get it.”

  “Get what? It’s a great offer.”

  “Why are you lying to me?”

  “I’m not.” He grinned. “You don’t need me to tell you that this is right up your alley, fits your time frame in terms of getting back to your grandparents, and Brent’s showing you the respect you deserve with the money he’s agreeing to pay you, too.”

  She got all of that. Gave Cole’s words a cursory nod. “I meant with you. Something’s wrong.”

  “We’re at work.”

  And she got it. Like a slap in the face.

  His problem wasn’t with the deal on the table.

  It was with her.

  Personally.

  And for that she was sorry.

  Horribly sorry. Ready to cry, sorry.

  But she still had to accept the offer.

  It fit her purpose.

  And whether her heart hurt or not, she was there for a clear reason.

  Had turned over a rock that could expose harmful debris.

  And needed to make sure that she did all she could to limit the fallout before she disappeared from the lives of Shelter Valley citizens forever.

  Cole included.

  If he was done with her before she was ready, that was a good thing, really.

  Because if he’d been growing to need her like Lindsay Warren thought she needed him, she had no idea how she’d be able to hurt the man, by leaving, and live with herself.

  She had to go. That much was unequivocal.

  It would be best if she could get out as someone she could live with.

  No matter how hard the tears were to hold back as she left Cole’s office.

  Because in the end, herself was all she was going to have.

  * * *

  Cole did not enjoy the birthday celebration for the elder Sam Montford. Everyone he knew was there. Beer flowed freely. Jokes were abundant. Food was plentiful and delicious. An outdoor trivia game with high-stakes prizes got his adrenaline up. And the sheriff and his wife had even brought a lovely woman—a newcomer to town—to meet everyone. He enjoyed conversing with her. Laughed out loud at her wit. And was not happy.

  All night long, he wasn’t happy.

  Maybe because he’d rather have been in the smallest apartment in Shelter Valley having sex. But he didn’t think so.

  He’d been an ass with Lindsay in his office that day.

  For what had seemed like, still seemed like, good reason. He was uncomfortable with his wayward thoughts where his relationship with her was concerned and needed to shut it down.

  She was leaving. Wanted only a friendship with a fling attached. No hurt feelings.

  And it was possible he had feelings trying to worm their way into something neither of them wanted.

  Something that couldn’t possibly work.

  But Cole Bennet, hurting a woman?

  He was the guy who soothed broken hearts.

  There’d been no mistaking the flash of pain he’d seen in Lindsay’s eyes that afternoon when he’d told her nothing was wrong.

  Or rather, had inelegantly refused to tell her what was wrong. Him.

  Her eyes had been moist, as though she’d been ready to cry.

  And for what?

  Because he’d thought his boss had called him into his office to give him love life advice? Had suspected that Brent had offered a fabulous artist a deal that would greatly benefit Elite Paper, just to keep Lindsay in town for Cole’s sake?

  He stayed until the party broke up. Even managed to win himself a foursome at Phoenix’s most elite, world-renowned golf course.

  And then, before going home to face Lillie, he drove by Lindsay’s complex. Turned in. Just to see if a light was on in her upstairs apartment.

  The place was ablaze behind a lightly curtained window.

  And without giving himself time to think about anything but facing his housemate without making things right, he dialed Lindsay’s cell.

  She answered on the first ring, before he even had a chance to second-guess himself, though he was pretty sure that wouldn’t have happened.

  “Can I come up?” No point in pretending he was calling after midnight just to chat.

  “Not for sex.” He smiled at her tone.

  “Not for sex,” he repeated, completely serious, even while he admired her grit.

  “Then, yes.”

  She didn’t question what he wanted. Was just opening her door to him, post rudeness, in the middle of the night, because he’d asked.

  If Cole were the falling in love type, he might have just taken a tumble.

  Heading upstairs in his dress shorts and loose short-sleeved button-down shirt, he was more thankful than ever that he’d left all thoughts of romantic love and happily-ever-after at the altar.

  Nicky had not only given him undying friendship.

  She’d given him the gift of peace of mind, too.

  * * *

  Lindsay didn’t wait for Cole to knock. Still in the denim-and-silk skirt and blue shirt she’d worn to work that day—and to her dinner with Savannah—she flung open her door as soon as she heard Cole’s step on her landing.

  Then turned her back on him. After walking to her couch, she picked up the glass of wine she’d poured herself shortly before his call, and took a sip.

  Allowing herself the false courage, the sustenance, she needed while he told her that he was ending things with her.

  She was glad.

  Didn’t blame him.

  And was set to make things easy on him by not getting all emotional or acting like a close friend who’d established some kind of bond over a period of weeks.

  He made her laugh. She liked his dog. They’d had some great sex.

  None of which denoted personal commitment.

  “I discovered something about myself today that I didn’t like.”

  His words threw her off-kilter. But not off course. He was feeling bad for dumping her?

  He wasn’t supposed to feel bad. She’d put a plan in motion. No one was supposed to get hurt. Except maybe herself. And she’d known that, taken that risk, going in. Wanting to serve him as he served others, coming up with some light response, she failed. Ended up with, “What did you discover?”

  When he stood there, towering over her, she asked, “You want a beer?”

  There was some of his left in her refrigerator and she sure wasn’t going to drink it.

  Glancing at his watch, he nodded.

  And she couldn’t keep her mouth shut on that one. “You got someplace to be?”

  “I only drink one an hour when I’m driving.”

  Oh. He’d been at a dinner party. Had told her about it earlier in the week, which was why she’d chosen that night to meet Savannah.

  Handing him the beer, she then plopped back down to the couch. Picked up her wine, more as a shield to hold in front of her than anything else.

  But when he sat, looking so...un-Cole-like with his frown...her heart went out to him, and, taking another lesson from his ability to always be ready to offer comfort to others, she said, “What did you learn about yourself today?”

  He’d obviously come to tell her. Helping him out was the decent thing to do.

  “I think others feel sorry for me.”

  If she’d had wine in her mouth she’d have choked on that one. “Come again?”