The Right Bride: Book Three: The Hunted Series Read online

  Chapter Three

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  “DADDY, DADDY, JIMMY let me put the window up and down in the car and have a soda while we drove here.”

  Jimmy walked in behind his little munchkin and put his hands on his hips and glared down at her. “You weren’t supposed to tell.”

  “You didn’t say not to.” Emma beamed the big man a smile and threw her arms around his leg and gazed up at him. “It was so cool. I pretended I was a movie star.”

  She struck a pose and Jimmy and Cameron both laughed.

  “How’s my golden girl today?” Cameron turned his thoughts away from the sailboat out his window and the lost dreams of his beloved wife.

  “I’m hungry. Can we go see Aunt Elizabeth now? Maybe she’ll let me make something in the kitchen.”

  Aunt Elizabeth was married to his boss’s brother-in-law. Cameron had become close with Jenna when she took over as CEO of Merrick International several years ago and made him president. Emma was just a baby. He and Emma had moved into a penthouse next door to Jenna and her husband, Jack.

  Jack’s brother, Sam, lived with Jenna and Jack at the time and they all spent many evenings together, especially after Jenna gave birth to her twin sons. Emma and the boys were close. They were all like one big happy family now. Emma thought of all of them as her aunts and uncles and cousins.

  After marrying Sam, Elizabeth opened her restaurant on the first floor of the Merrick International building. Elizabeth was like a little sister who nagged him to eat right and “Don’t forget dessert”. He loved her like a sister and loved her more for treating Emma like her own.

  Emma especially loved playing with Elizabeth and Sam’s daughter, Grace. Emma thought the baby was as close to a little sister as she’d ever have. He wanted a mother, a complete family for Emma, but realized she had a close family of sorts.

  “Aunt Elizabeth is expecting you and mentioned something about brownies tonight.”

  “Really?” Emma bounced up and down on her toes, her hands held in front of her like a prayer. “She’ll let me make the brownies?”

  “You’ll have to eat all your dinner. But yes, you get to make the brownies.”

  “Awesome.” Emma ran and jumped into his lap. She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “I wondered how long I’d have to wait for you to give your old man some love.”

  “You aren’t old.” She stared at his face. “Not really. You’re just tired. You should take a nap.”

  “A nap, huh. You think it will make me look younger?”

  “No, I think it will make you not be grumpy.”

  Jimmy smiled. “She’s got you there. Um, your guest is downstairs and she isn’t happy about waiting. Elizabeth said you better come down or she’s going to put Super Glue in her martini to shut her up.”

  Cameron frowned over his daughter’s head. Why the hell was Shelly downstairs drinking when she was having dinner with him and Emma?

  “Emma, remember I told you we’re having dinner with my friend?”

  “Yes.” She dragged out the word with melodramatic exasperation, like only a five-year-old (or teenager) could do. “You told me last night and two times this morning. I’m five, not three. I can remember what you said.”

  Cameron held back the laugh. His shoulders shook with the effort.

  “Of course you can, sweetheart. I want you on your very best behavior. Shelly has been looking forward to meeting you and . . .”

  And he didn’t want to introduce them, but couldn’t get out of it now. He’d just have to do it and see how Emma responded. He’d cooled toward Shelly, but maybe she’d redeem herself and show an interest in Emma.

  Maybe one day he’d stop looking for Caroline in every woman he met.

  He let his thoughts run away. Back to the past, and here and now, where every woman was dull and flat and never sparked anything more than a quick flash. This meeting had better turn out well. He didn’t want to disappoint his daughter or upset her in any way.

  He wasn’t sure what her expectations might be in meeting a woman he dated. She might think it meant more than it did. His fault. He’d spent last night and this morning telling Emma all about Shelly and her many good qualities.

  He might have embellished a bit and told a few white lies. Again, he felt like a supreme jackass.

  Irritable, he clipped out, “Let’s go.”

  “Maybe we should go home, so you can take a nap. You’re grumpier than normal.”

  He scooped up his daughter and headed for the elevator.

  “I’m just hungry. Maybe I’ll have you for an appetizer.” He lifted her, pressed his mouth to her belly and blew on her stomach to make her laugh. Just being with her made him feel lighter and overshadowed his dark thoughts.

  Chapter Four

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  “AUNT ELIZABETH, I want to make the brownies now.” Emma tugged on her skirt.

  Elizabeth stood beside the table of one of her most prominent guests. The restaurant was popular with the well-to-do, executives, and the office workers in and around the Merrick International building. Elizabeth had a very popular—and often very overrun—bakery several blocks away. Brides-to-be stalked her in hopes of having her make their wedding cakes.

  Cameron was like a brother. She loved Emma as much as her own daughter, Grace. Since Emma didn’t have a mother, she and Jenna often took over some of the more motherly duties, like baking with the child and sharing girl talk. Elizabeth often wished Cameron would find a nice woman to settle down with so that Emma would have a mother.

  Until that day, Elizabeth and Jenna were surrogate mothers. They couldn’t be happier to fill the position until Cameron found someone to share his life with, someone who also loved Emma the way they all did.

  Elizabeth looked down at the little girl with the grown-up eyes and the wisdom of an eighty-year-old trapped in a five-year-old’s body.

  “Emma, I’d like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Stanford.”

  Emma turned to the two older people at the table. She held tight to Elizabeth’s hand and said, “Hello. I’m pleased to meet you.”

  “Pleased to meet you too.” Mrs. Stanford smiled warmly.

  “You should have the chicken and pasta Florentine with garlic and butter sauce. It’s my favorite. Aunt Elizabeth makes the best dessert. You should have some pie with ice cream. I haven’t made the brownies yet, but maybe they’ll be done before it’s time for your dessert.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Stanford turned to Elizabeth. “We’ll have Emma’s recommendation.”

  Emma beamed a smile. “I’m supposed to eat dinner with my daddy and his friend, but she’s boring. She’s only being nice to him because he’s the president. I think you should be nice to people no matter what, don’t you?”

  The couple smiled at the little girl with the insight of an adult. “Yes, dear. It shouldn’t matter if he’s president.”

  Elizabeth explained, “Her father is the president of Merrick.”

  The couple nodded their understanding.

  Elizabeth smiled at her guests in a silent thank you for humoring the little girl. “Dinner will be out soon. Enjoy your meal.”

  She led Emma toward the kitchen. “You handled that like a master hostess. I might hire you.”

  Emma beamed. “I like it here.”

  “I like having you here. Let’s stop at your dad’s table and get his order before we make the brownies. Everything is ready in the back.”

  “The lady keeps touching Daddy and smiling at him, but she doesn’t do it like you touch Uncle Sam. Do you know what I mean?”

  “Yes, honey. I know what you mean.”

  Emma knew what love looked like between a man and a woman. She’d watched her and Sam together and Jenna and Jack together. It spoke volumes she didn’t see those kinds of feelings between Cameron and Shelly.

  Sharp, nothing got past Emma. Elizabeth had often admired the little girl’s ability to sum up a person upon meeting them.

 
; Elizabeth might have to talk to Cameron about Shelly and Emma’s reaction to her. Cameron should know his daughter had Shelly’s number. Elizabeth hoped Cameron had it too.

  “Daddy, I found Aunt Elizabeth and I got to be a hostess.”

  “Darlin’, I’m speaking with your father. It’s not polite to interrupt,” Shelly insisted meeting Cameron’s daughter. She wanted to make a good impression. Cameron seemed so devoted to the little girl, so Shelly figured if she showed an interest in her too, he’d keep his interest in her.

  She might have miscalculated, thinking Emma would stay out of the way and be quiet. Instead, she’d been rude and tried to dominate her father’s attention. Shelly wasn’t going to play second fiddle to a five-year-old.

  Cameron heard the reprimand for his daughter’s interruption. She didn’t raise her voice, even sounded like a mother teaching her child a lesson, but still something bothered him. He let it slide and scooped Emma onto his lap and kissed her cheek.

  “Hi, Elizabeth.”

  “I’m taking Emma in the back to make brownies. What would you like for dinner? Your usual, Cameron?”

  “Sounds great.”

  “I’ll have the filet and lobster dinner.” Shelly cocked her head to one side and asked, “Are you sure you should take Emma into the kitchen? She could get into a lot of trouble back there. It’s a lot of work keeping your eye on kids. At least that’s what I’m told.”

  Not the kind of work Shelly was interested in performing. Elizabeth imagined the only work Shelly performed happened on her back, conniving to extract money from whatever male was on top of her at the time.

  Shelly ordered the most expensive items on the menu and took little interest in Emma, except to criticize her. Elizabeth felt sorry for Cameron. He had the worst taste in women or, more accurately, he chose women who didn’t make him feel anything besides lust. Shelly was the worst possible choice for him.

  Cameron had gone too long without being loved. Elizabeth wondered if he remembered what it felt like to have someone love you above all else. Sure he had Emma, but it wasn’t the same as being loved by a partner. She sighed and felt sorry for him. He had everything going for him, and yet he hadn’t found someone who saw beyond the trappings of his life to the man who loved his daughter and wanted to be loved by a woman. Maybe the right person would show up before Shelly sunk in her claws and made Cameron’s life worse.

  She looked at Shelly and remembered her comment about Emma being in the kitchen. She’d just bet Shelly was happy to have Cameron to herself and Emma out of the way, no matter what she said to the contrary.

  “Emma will be just fine with me. I’ll get your dinners ready. How about some fresh drinks? Another martini, Shelly? Ice tea, Cameron?”

  “That would be lovely. It’s been such a trying day.” Shelly did her best to look overwhelmed. Elizabeth held back the roll of her eyes at the melodramatic tone.

  Elizabeth made a show of looking at Shelly’s empty martini glass and back at Cameron. Shelly already finished two martinis; the next would be her third in an hour. “I’m sure it has been. I’ll have your drinks sent over. Emma and I will be in the kitchen if you need us.”

  Alone again, Shelly confronted Cameron. “You seem close to her. She’s very beautiful. Every time we come in here she treats you . . . special.”

  Shelly didn’t want to say Elizabeth treated Cameron like they’d once shared a bed; maybe they still did, and that’s why Elizabeth was so close to Cameron. She knew what he liked to eat. She talked to him like they had a history, and she treated Emma like she was her own daughter. Maybe they had a relationship and that’s why Emma called her “Aunt”.

  “Elizabeth is like a sister to me. She’s Jenna Turner’s sister-in-law. Jenna and Elizabeth are married to twin brothers, Jack and Sam.”

  “Jenna the CEO. Wow.” She scanned the expensive and lavishly decorated restaurant. “It must be nice to have an in with the owner of the Merrick International building. Elizabeth didn’t do too bad for herself marrying into the Turner family and the Merrick wealth.”

  Cameron took exception. Elizabeth worked hard and was a great restaurant owner. Her bakery alone was renowned. The fact that Shelly assumed Elizabeth would use her marriage to Sam to get something from Jenna just showed how shallow she really was.

  Cameron had made a huge mistake. It kept getting thrown in his face what a jackass he’d been for a piece of ass who reminded him of Caroline. Maybe he was just as shallow as Shelly, since he’d obviously looked past her mind and used her solely for the purpose of a face and body that looked like his former wife’s.

  “Elizabeth is Judge Hamilton’s daughter. She runs this business and Decadence Bakery because she likes to, and because she’s good at it. She didn’t need Jenna’s help to start this restaurant. She already had the bakery. She did it as a favor to Jenna. It’s part of my perks that I get to eat here whenever I want. A few of the other executives have a standing table too.”

  “Well, you do know some interesting, wealthy, and influential people. Never hurts to be friends with a judge’s daughter. Not to mention the Hamilton fortune. Wow. I completely misjudged Elizabeth.”

  The misjudgment was in how wealthy and influential Elizabeth was and had nothing to do with how nice and kind she was. He ran his hand over the back of his neck and tried to work out some of the tension.

  “Listen, Shelly, we need to talk.”

  Shelly didn’t like Cameron’s definite brush-off tone.

  “Cameron, darling. This night hasn’t turned out like you hoped. I want so much to spend time with your Emma. She’s such a pretty and smart girl. Too bad she had her heart set on helping in the kitchen. I’m sure if we spend some time together, we’ll be fast friends.” Cameron gave her a skeptical look and she went on quickly, “How about dinner again tomorrow? She can’t possibly get to know me in just one night. She probably sees me as a rival for your affections and doesn’t want to give me a chance. Let’s try again tomorrow and see how it goes.”

  Cameron didn’t want to put his daughter through another dinner, but Shelly seemed so intent on getting to know Emma. He didn’t know what to do. He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck again.

  “Come to my place tonight. I’ll wear the pink negligee you like so much. We’ll have a wonderful evening together and it’ll take the tension right out of your neck,” she said and cocked her head, indicating his action.

  He dropped his hand and grabbed his ice tea. He liked the pink negligee. It was exactly like one Caroline had worn for him. The color made her skin look like porcelain and her golden hair glow. The pink made her eyes look deeper blue, the blue of the greatest depths of the ocean.

  Cameron thought about the sailboat he’d seen in the distance from his office window earlier and wished again to be onboard, putting out to sea.

  “Fine, we’ll have dinner again tomorrow. If I know Emma, she’ll be in the kitchen through the rest of dinner.”

  “That’s wonderful, darling.” She brightened her words with excitement, even though she could care less about another dinner with the child. It was the man she wanted, and a proposal. The sooner the better.

  “You know how important you are to me. I want a chance to show you Emma and I can be close.”

  She almost choked on the word. The only person she wanted close to her was Cameron. Well, Cameron and his bank account and big penthouse, and the lovely limo and driver, and all the other perks she’d have at her disposal when she became his wife. He was having second thoughts about their relationship. Even the sex had tapered off. They hadn’t made love in over a week. She needed to keep him interested. He liked that damn negligee because it reminded him of his dead wife. She didn’t care so much, as long as she ended up with the ring in the end.

  She needed to come up with a plan, because if tomorrow night didn’t go well, she’d lose her ticket to easy street, and that would not do.

  Chapter Five

  * * *

  MARTI CON
SIDERED THE rain fitting for her last morning onboard her beloved ship. She felt as gloomy as the day.

  Captain Finn would see to it her packed bags arrived at the Four Seasons. She had her backpack ready with all the folders and papers she needed for her meeting with her grandmother’s attorney. She didn’t want to go to the meeting, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d fulfilled her grandmother’s last request, and now she’d have to sit through the reading of her will.

  The terms of the will dictated Marti take the yearlong trip before the final settlement of the estate. Although her grandmother requested the trip be for one year, Marti could end the trip at any time for whatever reason. She designated the ports of call and stayed in any one place as long as she liked. Her grandmother simply asked she take a year to see the world. Marti did just that and saw everything she possibly could in that short time. Everywhere she wanted to visit, she went with an eager heart. Many times the ship had sat in dock for weeks while she traveled inland by train or plane. She had the experience of a lifetime. Exactly what her grandmother wanted for her only grandchild.

  Marti understood the trip was to repay her for being virtually trapped in San Francisco with an ailing grandmother. She’d taken care of Sofia for five years, since the time she was seventeen. Her grandmother took ill and become very frail. She spent much of her time in bed due to a bad heart. Any strain could set off another attack and leave her in bed for months.

  Raised privileged, they employed a maid and cook, but Marti had been taught from an early age that her grandparents expected her to learn to take care of herself.

  Her grandfather had been a hard man. She learned to get around him and his cantankerous ways. In the end, he loved her without having to say he did. She knew she was loved, even when he was ranting about a paper she’d written for school, or a position she’d taken on an issue. He loved to discuss business and politics over dinner and, ornery kid that she was, she often took up the opposing side just to set him off. He knew it, she knew it, and they enjoyed the exchanges. Her grandmother often joined in—on Marti’s side, of course—and the two of them would drive her grandfather nuts for an hour.