He was tempted to go over there once or twice, but had changed his mind. But that hadn"t stopped him waking up around two every morning, easing onto the porch and sitting in the dark, hoping that he would catch a glimpse of her standing by the window again. He hadn"t. In fact, the light in her bedroom never came on, which meant she was getting a good night"s sleep, even if he wasn"t.
For the last two days, he"d been lucky with his fishing rod and had caught enough for a fish fry this weekend. He wondered if Ellie would be interested in joining him. No matter what her ultimate decision would be about an affair, they would remain friends, although it was hard to be friends with a woman you wanted to take to bed.
At that moment he heard a car door slam, and wondered if someone was paying him a visit. Four of his G.o.dbrothers were here in the States and knew where they could find him, but he doubted they would come looking for him.
He stood and walked through the kitchen to the living room, to glance out the window. The car he"d heard was actually next door. Someone was paying Ellie a visit, and it was a man. He frowned. She"d said she was not involved with anyone, so who would come to the lake to see her?
Uriel squinted his eyes against the sun and saw it was Daniel Altman, the man who had been Ms. Mable"s attorney for years. Evidently, the older man needed to finalize a few things with Ellie regarding her aunt"s estate.
Satisfied this was nothing but a business call, he headed back to the kitchen to finish his dinner, refusing to admit that for a moment, his deep, dark thoughts had been those of a jealous man.
"I wasn"t aware my aunt"s estate encompa.s.sed all of this," Ellie said, after Daniel Altman had gone over everything with her.
The older gentleman smiled. "Yes, your aunt invested wisely, and that"s a good thing, considering how the stock market has taken a beating. Other than the money she"s set aside for that scholarship at Smoky Mountain Community College, everything of hers is now yours."
The man then shifted uneasily in his chair. "Your aunt was a very private person, and there was one business deal she was involved with where she preferred that any correspondence relating to it come directly to me. I would deliver the mail to her."
Ellie lifted a brow. "Why?"
"I believe this letter will explain everything. It"s addressed to you, and she would update it every so often to try and keep it current," he said, handing Ellie the sealed envelope.
He glanced at his watch and said, "I need to leave now, but if you have questions about any of this, just give me a call tomorrow."
He paused a moment and then said, "I"ll be retiring from practicing law in a few months and will be moving to Florida. I bought a small place in Ocala. I"m getting too old to handle the harsh winters here any longer."
She smiled. "I am happy for you, Mr. Altman," she said, getting up off the sofa to walk him to the door. "I"m going to miss seeing you around."
Her aunt had left her enough money to open her own financial consulting company, and she was considering doing just that, and to work from here at Cavanaugh Lake.
Mr. Altman turned to her and said softly, "I considered your aunt a close friend as well as a good client, and there was nothing I wouldn"t do for her."
Ellie"s smile brightened. "Thanks, Mr. Altman." And I believe I speak for my parents as well as myself when I say that we have appreciated your friendship and loyalty to my aunt over the years. She always spoke highly of you and indicated you always provided outstanding service."
She thought she actually saw the man blush when he said, "I did my best." He then quickly opened the door and left.
Ellie stood at the door and watched him hurry to his car, and couldn"t help wondering what that was all about. For some reason, she thought Mr. Altman had begun acting rather strange. For someone who was about to retire, he didn"t seem all that happy about it. In fact, if she didn"t know better, she"d think he was sad. Shrugging her shoulders, she went back into the living room to read the letter her aunt had left for her. It had been dated a month before she died.
To my beautiful niece, If you"re reading this letter, it means I am no longer with you. There"s a lot I shared with you and some things I didn"t share. There are some things I could never bring myself to talk to you about. I admit I took the coward"s way out, but after reading this letter I hope you will understand.
A few years ago I did something that I thought I would never do, and that was to fall in love.
Ellie nearly dropped the letter. Aunt Mable? In love? She blinked and reread that pa.s.sage of the letter again, to make sure she had read it correctly, and when she saw she had, she quickly read on.
He was a widower and we talked about getting married, but I had been alone for so long, all I really needed was companionship, and he provided that for me; and with this being such a small town, and not wanting our relationship to be dictated by traditional ideals, we preferred being discreet and keeping our business to ourselves. Anyway, I"ve always wanted to write, and he encouraged me to do so. I wanted to write a love story, and after much encouragement I sat down and started on it.
Ellie was feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she had a strong suspicion what her aunt was about to tell her.
I"m hoping by the time you read this I"ve gotten published. That is my dream. That is my goal. A publisher out of Texas has purchased my first story. They loved it! They gave me an advance, and understanding that I was a new writer, they were gracious enough to give me a year to complete it. I am attaching my agent"s card to this letter. Her name is Lauren Poole. She"s been a jewel to work with and the book has been a jewel to write. The ma.n.u.script is my baby. I"m entrusting it into your care if something were to happen me. I"m writing under the name of Flame Elbam. Note that Elbam Elbam is is Mable Mable spelled backward. That"s kind of cute, don"t you think? I"m hoping by the time you read this letter, I would have finished plenty of novels. spelled backward. That"s kind of cute, don"t you think? I"m hoping by the time you read this letter, I would have finished plenty of novels.
Always know that I love you and I hope that one day you will share the kind of love that I have shared in the last few years. Don"t wait as long as I did to find love. There is nothing more precious for a woman than sharing the love of a man that she can call hers.
Many kisses and much love, Aunt Mable Ellie couldn"t fight back the tears that fell from her eyes. It was hard to believe. Her aunt, who had never married, had become Flame Elbam and had penned a beautiful romance filled with more pa.s.sion than Ellie could ever imagine.
It was a story she hadn"t finished, and now, with her pa.s.sing, it would be a story that would never get finished.
Ellie shook her head at the cruelty of it all. She removed the agent"s business card denoting a New York address. Ellie would call her tomorrow, to see if there was something that could be done. Maybe a ghost writer could finish the final chapters. Surely, the publisher could find someone to do that.
And if that option wouldn"t be acceptable to the publisher, Ellie would make sure the company got back every dime of its advance.
She then wondered about the man who had been her aunt"s lover, and when she recalled the artwork hanging on her aunt"s bedroom wall, it all made sense.
To Flame, with all my love. D.
Her aunt never said who her lover was, but Ellie had a strong suspicion that the man who"d given her aunt the risque painting and the man who had delivered the papers to Ellie this afternoon were one and the same, although she would not have thought so in a hundred years. But that just proved you couldn"t discount what people did in their bedrooms. In order for her aunt to write about such pa.s.sion, she"d had to experience it at the hands of Daniel Altman.
Ellie stood. She would call Lauren Poole, and whatever it took, she would make sure the ma.n.u.script her aunt considered "her baby" got published.
"No, Xavier, I really mean it. The fish have really been biting the last few days," Uriel said to one of his G.o.dbrothers, the only one who also lived in Charlotte.
"If I didn"t have plans for this weekend, I"d be tempted to head your way," Xavier was saying.
Uriel nodded. He didn"t have to figure what kind of plans Xavier had. Like him, all of his G.o.dbrothers were Bachelors in Demand, who had no desire to marry anytime soon-or ever.
He and Xavier talked for another fifteen minutes or so, and then they ended the call. Uriel had been enjoying a movie every night this week, and had been getting in bed before ten. That would be just fine if he slept through the night, but he did not.
Tomorrow, after his early morning workout, he would start cleaning all the fish he"d caught, and then, if Ellie still hadn"t made contact with him by Sat.u.r.day, he planned to go over there and have a talk with her. She"d made it pretty clear she did not want to indulge in an affair, and that was fine, although he wished otherwise.
He noticed Daniel Altman hadn"t stayed long, and now the house was completely dark. The lights in the upstairs bedroom were off, which meant she"d gone to bed and was probably getting a good night"s sleep.
He decided to take a shower and then check out the sports station to see what was happening there. He didn"t want to admit it, but he missed seeing Ellie over the past couple of days and hoped he got a chance to see her tomorrow.
Ellie tossed around in the small bed, trying to get comfortable. Instead of sleeping in her aunt"s room for the past two nights, she had slept in the guest room, which was located on the opposite side of the house. That way, Uriel wouldn"t know when she turned on a bedroom light.
She hadn"t wanted him to know, especially that first night, that the kiss they"d shared had definitely made an impact on her. She knew he was still waiting on a decision regarding an affair, but she didn"t have one to give him. She didn"t want a short-term affair and he didn"t want a long-term one. A relationship would not work out between them, because they wanted different things in life. She had tried avoiding him, but eventually she would have to go outside.
And when she did she would see him. She remembered the kiss that nearly scorched her toes. The kiss that still could render her breathless, just thinking about it.
To keep Uriel off her mind, she had been able to pack up a lot of her aunt"s belongings over the past two days and had everything ready for the Salvation Army truck when it arrived. More than once, she had been tempted to call Uriel over to handle a big box for her, but had quickly changed her mind, not wanting to give him any ideas. He had pretty much told her what he was looking for in a relationship, and it wasn"t the same thing she wanted. He wanted a summer fling that would last while the two of them were here on the lake. But she couldn"t risk that because when it was over, her heart would break.
She"d had this crush on Uriel for years-one that had lasted through her adolescent years and all through her teens. Even after that incident that day on the pier, when he had walked off from her with anger in his eyes at what she"d done, she had still loved him and had come to the lake each year after that for five straight years, hoping the anger within him would have subsided. She had even tried calling him a few months later at college to apologize, after getting his cell number from his father, only to get cold feet and hang up when she"d heard his voice. When it became apparent to her that he would keep his word and not come to the lake while she was there, she had stopped coming.
And now, after ten years, they were both back at the lake; they were adults who were attracted to each other, though for her it went a little farther than that. A part of her still loved Uriel and would always love him. For some women, teen crushes faded over time; but not for her, which was why she could not consider a fling with him. She would need something more lasting than that.
Chapter 9.
"Okay, El, start at the beginning."
Ellie rolled her eyes as she slumped down in her favorite chair. She glanced out the window. Uriel was in the middle of his workout. It was close to nine, which meant he"d gotten a late start this morning for some reason. She"d had a sleepless night, and she couldn"t help wondering what his excuse was.
She tried turning her attention away from Uriel and back to her conversation with Darcy. She had meant to call her aunt"s agent first thing this morning, but before she could do so she had gotten a call from Darcy, who in a very excited voice had told her about a job offer she"d gotten with the City of New York.
Ellie was happy for her friend and knew it had been Darcy"s lifelong dream to live in the Big Apple. Darcy worked hard and was good at what she did as a city planner. Minneapolis"s loss was now Manhattan"s gain. After going through all the congratulations and deciding when the two of them could get together to celebrate, Ellie, needing someone to talk to, and had unloaded on Darcy, telling her all the things that had happened over the past two days, namely Uriel wanting a summer fling and her aunt being, of all things, a romance author of erotica fiction.
"Just what part didn"t you get, Darcy?" she finally asked.
"Both."
Ellie pulled in a deep breath as she went through everything again. From her time spent in Gatlinburg with Uriel to their heated kiss, and then his proposal that they have a summer fling, all the way to the letter her aunt had left with her attorney. Surprisingly, Darcy just listened and let her talk without any interruptions.
When she was finished Darcy had her turn. "Okay, let"s take one issue at a time. I understand about you and Uriel. You"ve been hooked on the guy forever, and you"re not bad-looking, so quite naturally he would come on to you. Personally, I expected it. And if you recall, that day the two of you kissed on the pier, he was enjoying it. He only got p.i.s.sed off because I interrupted things. You were too busy kissing him back to notice that he was attacking your mouth just as much as you were attacking his."
Darcy paused briefly, then continued. "Now fast-forward to present day. Most men his age aren"t ready for commitment. In a way, I wish Harold hadn"t a.s.sumed that he was. It would have saved me a lot of misery. I applaud a guy who won"t marry until he feels that he"s ready. And in the meantime, do you really expect him to twiddle his thumb and lay off women until then? Come on, El, that"s not how it works. I read plenty of romance novels, but this here is the real world. Men prefer affairs, and believe it or not, some women do, too. Things are less complicated that way."
"Are you saying that maybe I should should consider having a summer fling with Uriel?" consider having a summer fling with Uriel?"
"It"s your decision, Ellie, and I can"t help but admire Uriel for giving you the time to make it. Most men, especially one our age, would use this time to seduce you into one. From what you"ve said, Uriel has kept his distance, giving you a chance to think straight, without him being around. In other words, he hasn"t sought you out."
Ellie gnawed on her bottom lip, deciding it wasn"t necessary to tell Darcy that it had been the other way around. She had sought him out, without him knowing she"d done so. Uriel had no idea that she watched him work out every morning or that she would often watch him fish from the pier.
"Now, with this issue involving your aunt. I can"t believe she actually penned a romance novel. And one with love scenes. How hot were they?"
Darcy"s words pulled Ellie"s thoughts back in. "They were hot. Actually a bit erotic. But the love scenes fit the story."
"So you enjoyed it, hmm?"
Ellie knew what Darcy was getting at. "Okay, I did enjoy it. It was different from what I"ve been reading, so I was quickly pulled in. After the first chapter, I knew it was more than that. It was truly a well-written story. I hate that the ma.n.u.script didn"t get finished."
"So, what are you going to do about that?" Darcy asked.
"There"s nothing I can do but contact her agent to let her know Aunt Mable pa.s.sed on, and to find out how much of an advance she received so that I can return it to her."
Darcy didn"t say anything for a moment, and then said, "You know there is another option, don"t you?"
Ellie raised her brow. "And what option is that?"
"You can finish it."
"What!" Ellie exclaimed, jumping out the chair. "Are you nuts, Darcy? There"s no way I can finish that book. First of all, I know nothing about writing a novel, and then, did you miss the part when I said that it"s a romance romance book, with plenty of sensuality and pa.s.sion-two things I know nothing about?" book, with plenty of sensuality and pa.s.sion-two things I know nothing about?"
"Calm down, Ellie, and listen to me for a second, because I think you"re wrong. You can can finish it. I think you owe it to your aunt to do so. You read what she wrote in that letter. It was her dream to get that book published. And you said there"re only a few chapters left. The only thing you need is to get romantically and s.e.xually inspired, and we both know the person who can serve as some real-life inspiration." finish it. I think you owe it to your aunt to do so. You read what she wrote in that letter. It was her dream to get that book published. And you said there"re only a few chapters left. The only thing you need is to get romantically and s.e.xually inspired, and we both know the person who can serve as some real-life inspiration."
Ellie frowned. "Don"t even think it."
"Sorry, too late. I"m already thinking it. I think it"s perfect. If the book is that good, then you owe it to Ms. Mable to finish it, even if it means that summer fling with Uriel to get inspired, to feel how sensuality and pa.s.sion works hand-in-hand."
Ellie rolled her eyes while shaking her head. "That doesn"t mean I would able to finish that book, Darcy. I"m not a writer."
"But you are your aunt"s niece. Her favorite niece. Her only niece. You even got her name, Ellie Mable Mable Weston. So, in essence, a Mable Weston Weston. So, in essence, a Mable Weston would would have written the book." have written the book."
"Jeesh" was the only comment Ellie could make, not believing Darcy"s logic.
"And I believe, once you start writing, that Ms. Mable will also inspire you with the right words to say," Darcy tacked on.
Ellie didn"t say anything for a moment. Would her aunt do that? She didn"t necessarily believe in the paranormal, but if it was possible, her aunt would find a way to reach her. "But what about Uriel? He would never go along with being used that way," she said.
"You"re talking nonsense now, Ellie. The man asked you to indulge in a summer fling. It"s all about s.e.x, girl, so get real. If you agree to it, do you think he"d care one iota that he"s inspiring you or that you"re doing research for a book? In fact, why even bother telling him? The fewer details men know about certain things, the better. Uriel thinks your aunt was a sweet old lady. Do you really want him to know she was a hot tamale?"
"Darcy!"
"Sorry, but you know what I mean. Think about my suggestion. Your aunt was given until the end of the year to finish that book. If I were you, I would finish it and turn it in as soon as possible. If the agent thinks it doesn"t work she will let you know it. If it flows and turns out to be a good book, like I know it will be, at least there will be one book on the shelf written by Flame Elbam, and no one will know the truth but me and you. And if the agent wants another book, we can tell her then that your aunt pa.s.sed away. We don"t have to tell her when."
Ellie eased back in the chair and closed her eyes. Sometimes she actually thought that Darcy was in the wrong profession. She could plot deception too easily. "I need to think about this."
"Then think about it, and if you decide to let Uriel be your inspiration, all you have to do is let him know you"ll agree to that summer fling. You don"t have to give him a reason. And then, who knows? In the midst of it all, Uriel just might figure out that you"re the best thing to ever happen to him, and you"ll cure him of his commitment phobia."
Ellie used the rest of that day to pack up some more of Aunt Mable"s things. Around noon, she had stopped for lunch, and later that day she took a break for dinner. It was only later, when the sun had finally gone down that she decided to call it a day, take a shower and relax.
She sat downstairs on the sofa with a gla.s.s of wine and her aunt"s letter and unfinished ma.n.u.script, to ponder her options. She hadn"t called Lauren Poole today, deciding to give Darcy"s suggestions some thought first. Was finishing this ma.n.u.script something she could actually pull off?
She took a sip of wine and then reread her aunt"s letter. Afterward, she placed it aside and picked up the ma.n.u.script and began reading it again.
The room was quiet, and reading her aunt"s words a second time was just as exhilarating as the first. After she finished the first chapter, she took another sip of wine and smiled to herself. Darcy really had a lot of confidence in her abilities, if she thought she could just come in and finish this story without a reader recognizing it hadn"t been written by the same person. But then, as she continued reading, she had thoughts and ideas on just how she would want the book to continue and then to conclude. But would those have been her aunt"s thoughts and plans for her hero and heroine?
Ellie lifted her eyes from the ma.n.u.script and sighed deeply. And what about those hot and steamy lovemaking scenes, where sparks were flying off the pages? It had been years since she"d actually shared a bed with a man, and even then things had been kind of rushed each time. Could she actually write the love scenes after obtaining some real-life inspiration?
In a way, Darcy was right. Uriel had asked her to indulge in a summer fling. If she decided to go along with it, did he have to know her motives for doing so? Darcy was probably right in thinking that he wouldn"t care. Especially since he"d made it known he was not interested in anything long-term. They would be former lovers who were nothing more than friends. Those had been his words, and not hers.