“Uh, thanks.”
“I mean it, Nina. And it’s not just me. Everyone here appreciates the effort you put into it.”
She couldn’t help flushing at his praise. “Yeah, well, guess I don’t break as many plates now.”
“This is a tough mob to impress. I’m tough to impress. You’ve earned our respect.”
She could tell he meant every word. She had earned their respect, and she’d done it without her name or wealth to confuse the situation. This respect was all hers. She’d achieved the goal she’d set for herself when she’d first wandered into Hartley, and nothing could take that away from her.
“Thanks.” It was something to remember when she was far away from Joe.
He rubbed his hands against his jeans. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone.”
She gaped at him. Her eyelids began to twitch, and she couldn’t help sniffing.
“Nina? Are you okay?”
No, she wanted to shout. I am not okay! This time tomorrow she would be miles away from him, and she’d never see him again. In what universe could that be okay? Her chest heaved, and to her horror her lower lip started to tremble.
“Nina…” He touched her shoulder, and even through her turmoil she registered that his hand shook. “Maybe…you don’t want to go?”
But she had to. She had to. Her heart twisted and turned like a captive bird desperate to find an escape.
She could only stay if she told Joe the truth. But if she did that, he wouldn’t want her to stay… Or would he? It was a high-risk gamble with awful odds. Even if she told Joe who she was and, by some miracle, he forgave her the deception, he wasn’t offering her a relationship. He’d never wanted a relationship.
Joe’s fingers tightened on her shoulder, and she saw the strain in his eyes. Maybe Joe was slowly realizing that he didn’t want to be a bachelor all his life. Maybe he could envision some sort of future…with her?
She licked her lips, dizzy with fear and hope and tiredness. The choices before her were so scary she could hardly think straight.
“Nina?” A male voice spoke from the door behind her. “Is that you?”
The confusion in her head shattered and reformed into black dread.
No, it can’t be… She spun round to find her worst fears confirmed—her father stood in the open doorway.
Whether she wanted him to or not, Joe was about to find out who she really was.
Chapter Thirteen
“Dad!” Her voice was a high-pitched squeak. “What on earth are you doing here? How—how did you find me?”
Carson Beaumont stepped into the room, his face craggy with disapproval. “I got it out of Lindsey.”
Lindsey! How could her best friend have given her up? But Nina knew what a bulldozer her father could be when he wanted something. Lindsey had probably tried calling to warn her, but Nina’s cell phone lay forgotten in her room.
“Dad, I don’t—”
“Are you the owner of this place?” Her father’s suspicious gaze had moved past her and fixed on Joe.
“That’s right,” Joe said stiffly, holding out his hand. “Joe Farina.”
Her father ignored Joe’s outstretched hand and turned back to Nina. “What the hell are you doing in a place like this? I thought you were taking a vacation, but—” He pulled a face as he waved at her grubby jeans and work-soiled T-shirt. “It sure doesn’t look like it, from the way you’re dressed.”
She flushed with anger at his rudeness toward Joe, toward herself. But before she could speak, Joe interrupted.
“Nina’s not a guest here,” Joe snapped, his face tight with anger. “She’s my maid and busgirl.”
Carson’s jaw sagged open. “You mean to say she’s…”
“Yup. Your daughter is scrubbing toilets, clearing tables, washing dishes. She even peels vegetables on occasion.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Her father gaped at Nina, completely bewildered. “Why?”
A hot lump in her throat prevented her from breathing. The sound of impending doom crashed in her brain.
“Dad, we need to talk.”
“Damn straight we do. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, young lady.”
Finally anger spurted out, a welcome relief. “Don’t treat me like a child. We’re going to talk as adults and equals, or not at all.”
Her father blinked at her in surprise. “Fine. But you’re going to tell me everything.”
Joe moved between them, his eyes flinty. “Maybe you’d like to talk here in my study, Mr. Summers,” Joe said, his voice like steel.
“Summers? My name’s not Summers.” He appeared offended that he wasn’t instantly recognizable. “I’m Carson Beaumont,” he announced in that booming, self-important tone of his that made Nina wince.
She couldn’t breathe again. She could only watch as sheer disbelief blanked out Joe’s expression.
“Carson Beaumont?” he echoed, incredulous. “The guy who’s been trying to get his grubby hands on my property so he can bulldoze it and dump a fucking megaresort here? The guy who sends his numbskull goons to do his dirty work for him? That Carson Beaumont?” His face puckered with disgust.
Nina’s father puffed up with rage. “Who the hell are— Wait a minute! I thought this town rang a bell, and now I remember who you are—”
“That’s right, I’m the owner of that property you’re so desperate to buy,” Joe snarled. “And I’m never going to sell to you.”
“Now don’t be so hasty.” Carson adjusted the collar of his jacket, looking highly annoyed. “Damn that Perry. Can’t rely on him to do a simple job.”
Joe turned on Nina, his eyes blazing with fury. “You’re Carson Beaumont’s daughter? I can’t believe it.” His contempt made her skin peel.
“Please, I can explain.” She reached for him, but he jerked away like she was contaminated.
“I don’t want to hear it.”
Without another word, he exited the room, leaving behind an emotional vacuum that threatened to burst Nina’s chest.
“That fella needs a lesson in manners,” her father grouched.
Helpless fury filled her. “Look who’s talking! You refused to shake hands with him!” Her entire body was shaking with shock.
Carson screwed up his forehead. “What’s got into you?”
She couldn’t do this in Joe’s office. “Let’s go somewhere else,” she said and led the way next door to her room.
“What’s this?” Her father looked about the bare room, his nose wrinkling. “Don’t tell me this is where you’ve been sleeping?”
She huffed impatiently. “It’s fine, Dad.”
He clasped her arm. “Tell me the truth. Are you okay? Did Farina do anything to you, because if he’s hurt you, I swear I’ll make him pay.”
“Never mind that,” she snapped. “Why the hell are you trying to squeeze Joe into selling his property to you? Why can’t you leave him alone?” Her cheeks were hot with anger, and she was having trouble controlling her temper.
He waved a hand dismissively. “It’s just business—”
“Business? I knew you were a hard-ass, but I never thought you could be so ruthless. I’m ashamed of you.”
His eyes hardened. “Where do you think the money comes from to buy you BMWs?”
“Oh, no. Don’t try to put the blame on me. You do this all for yourself. You enjoy stomping over other people. Well, not this time. You’re not going to stomp over Joe and this town.”
Her father blinked and stared at her as if seeing her for the first time.
“Does this Farina guy have something over you? Is he forcing you to work here without telling anyone?”
She sighed in exasperation. Her father wasn’t going to give ground on his business dealings with Joe, and neither was she, but that battle would have to wait until later.
“He didn’t force me to do anything. This job was all my idea.”
“But why? I don’t understand? You want a crap job in the boondocks?” Her father looked almost comical in his amazement. “And why did you give him a false name?”
“I didn’t want anyone here to know who I was. I wanted to forget I was a Beaumont, at least for a while.”
“By cleaning toilets and busing tables? People like us don’t do that.”
“Don’t be such a snob. Someone has to do those jobs, so why not me?”
“Because you have several million reasons not to.”
“Oh, why don’t you see?” She whirled on him. “I’m sick of being a Beaumont. That name and that money ruin everything!”
Carson looked taken aback. “You’re still hurting over Oliver. I can understand that. I never took him for a fortune hunter either.”
Nina shook her head. “It’s more than Oliver; it’s my job, too. My manager gave me a promotion, but everyone I work with thinks I only got it because I’m a Beaumont, and when I talked to Harry about it, he sounded so weird I knew something was up. Did you order him to promote me?”
He lifted his hands. “Not ordered, encouraged. And I was only trying to help you.”