"I need to tell you something." Will glanced at Maisey. "Is your nanny here or is Bella busy?"
James sat up in his seat, slid his watch on and swung his legs around to the deck. "Bella was answering emails, but she can watch Maisey. Is everything okay?"
Will shook his head. "Not really."
Worry and concern crossed James's face as he nodded. After taking Maisey inside, he returned moments later, closing the patio doors behind him.
"This must really be something if it has you this upset." James sat back down on the edge of his chair. "What's going on?"
Will took in a deep breath, blew it out and raked a hand through his hair. "This is harder than I thought," he said on a sigh. "Do you remember the night Mum died? Dad woke us and said she'd been in an accident?"
James nodded. "I heard them arguing earlier that evening. I was heading downstairs to get some water and heard them fighting so I went back upstairs."
Will straightened. "You heard them arguing?"
James nodded. "Dad raised his voice, and then Mum was crying and Dad was saying something else but in a lower tone. I didn't hear what all he said."
Will closed his eyes and wished like hell he could go back and...what? What could he have done differently? He'd been a kid. Even if James had gone downstairs and interrupted the fight, most likely their mother still would've walked out to get away from their father.
"What is it?" James prodded. "What aren't you telling me?"
Will opened his eyes and focused on his brother. "Dad had an affair. They were arguing about that."
"What?" James muttered a curse. "Has that man ever valued his family at all?"
"There's more." Will hesitated a moment, swallowed and pushed forward. "The affair was with Maria. Cat's mum."
Will started to wonder if James had heard him, but suddenly his brother jumped to his feet and let out a chain of curses that even had Will wincing. James kicked the leg of the chair, propped his hands on his hips and dropped his head between his shoulders.
"If I'd have gone downstairs that night..." he muttered.
"Mum still would've left," Will said softly. "We can't go back in time and you're not to blame. Our dad is the one whose selfish needs stole our mother. He crushed her. She would've done anything for him and he threw it all away."
James turned. "Does Cat know this?"
Shaking his head, Will came to his feet. "I doubt it. She's never said a word to me."
"Do you think once she knows the truth she'll take you back?"
Yeah, the odds were more than stacked against him, but he refused to back down. Nobody would steal his life again. And Cat was his entire life.
"I don't even know what to say about this," James said, staring out to the ocean. "I never had much respect for Dad, but right now I hate that man."
"I've made his life hell." Will was actually pleased with the timing. "As CEO of Rowling Energy, I've frozen his shares. He can no longer vote on any company matters that come before the board."
James smiled. "If this action were directed to an enemy, dear old Dad would be proud of your business tactics."
"Yeah," Will agreed, returning the grin. "He's not too proud right now, though. But I have more pressing matters to tend to."
James reached out, patted Will on the back. "I'll do what I can where Cat is concerned. I know what this is like to be so torn over a woman."
Torn wasn't even the word.
"I never thought either of us would fall this hard." Will pulled in a deep breath. "Now we need Bella to convince Cat to work the party. I can take it from there. I just need you guys to get her there."
Seventeen
If Catalina didn't adore Bella and her valiant efforts to raise money for the Alma Wildlife Conservation Society which she'd recently founded, Catalina wouldn't have stepped foot back into this house.
But Patrick was out of town and Bella and James had caught Catalina at a weak moment, offering her an insane amount of money to help set up for the event.
In the past week since she'd last seen Will, she'd not heard one word from him. Apparently she wasn't worth fighting for after all. Not that she would have forgiven him, but a girl likes to at least know she's worth something other than a few amazing sexual encounters.
Catalina hurried through the house, hoping to get everything set up perfectly before the first guests arrived.
Okay, fine. There was only one person on the guest list she was trying like hell to avoid.
She'd spent this past week furiously working on her final designs. She didn't have the amount of money saved up that she wanted before she left Alma, but it would just have to be enough. Alma had nothing left to offer her. Not anymore.
Catalina took a final walkthrough, adjusting one more floral arrangement on the foyer table before she was satisfied with everything. She'd already double-checked with the kitchen to make sure the food was ready and would be served according to the set schedule. She'd also told Bella she would be back around midnight to clean up. There was just no way she could stay during the party. That had been her only condition for working tonight, and thankfully Bella had agreed.
Catalina checked her watch. Only thirty minutes until guests were due to arrive. Time to head out. She'd opted to park near the side entrance off the utility room. Just as she turned into the room to grab her purse and keys, she ran straight into a very hard, very familiar chest.
Closing her eyes, she tried like hell not to breathe in, but Will's masculine aroma enveloped her just as his strong arms came around to steady her.
"Running away?" he whispered in her ear.
Knowing she'd never get out without talking, Catalina shored up all of her courage and lifted her gaze to his. "I'm not the one who usually runs."
Keeping his aqua eyes on her, Will reached around, slammed the door and flicked the lock. "Neither of us is getting out of here until we talk."
"I don't need you to hold onto me," she told him, refusing to glance away. No way was he keeping the upper hand here just because her heart was in her throat.
"I want to make sure you'll stay put."
He dropped his hands but didn't step back. The warmth from his body had hers responding. She wished she didn't fall so easily into the memories of their lovemaking, wished she didn't get swept away by such intriguing eyes. Even through their rocky moments, Catalina couldn't deny that all the good trumped the bad...at least in her heart.
"I'll stay." She stepped back until she was flat against the door. "If I don't listen now, I know you'll show up at my apartment. Might as well get this over with."
Why couldn't he be haggard or have dark circles beneath his eyes? Had he not been losing sleep over the fact he'd been a jerk? Why did he have to be so damn sexy all the time and why couldn't she turn off her hormones around this man who constantly hurt her?
"There's so much I want to say," he muttered as he ran a hand over his freshly shaven jaw. "I don't know where to start."
Catalina tapped her watch. "Better hurry. The party starts soon."
"I don't give a damn about that party. I already gave Bella a check for the foundation."
"Of course you did," she muttered. "What do you want from me, Will?"
He stepped forward until her body was firmly trapped between his and the door. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he replied, "Everything."
Oh, mercy. She wasn't going to be able to keep up this courage much longer if he kept looking at her like that, if he touched her or used those charming words.
"You can't have everything." She licked her lips and stared up at him. "You can't treat everything like a business deal, only giving of yourself when it's convenient for you or makes you look good in the public eye."
Will smoothed her hair away from her face and she simply couldn't take it anymore. She placed her hands on his chest and shoved him back, slipping past him to get some breathing room before she lost her mind and clung to him.
"I'm actually glad you cornered me," she went on, whirling around to face him. "I didn't want to run into you tonight, but we both need closure. I don't want to leave Alma with such awkwardness between us."
"Leave Alma," he repeated. "You're not leaving Alma."
Catalina laughed. "You know you can't control everyone, right? I am leaving. In two weeks, actually. My mother and I have tickets and we're heading to Milan."