CHAPTER ONE
This isn’t the way things are supposed to be, Camryn Bendixon thought, despair making her brain muzzy and thick.
The burly man standing next to her said, “I’ll give you two hundred for the table and chairs. And another two hundred for the sofa and end tables.”
Said tables, chairs, and sofa were the last large pieces left in the condo she’d called home for the past thirteen months. Everything else had already been Kijiji-ed off, the rooms now hollow and empty of any possessions.
“They’re worth five times that,” she protested. As the words left her mouth, she realized with a heart-pounding jolt she was still trusting what Anthony had said he’d paid. He’d lied about so much. He’d probably lied about that, too. She’d been scrupulous about paying her portion of everything. For all she knew, Anthony had inflated the prices so she’d paid more than the furniture was worth, while he’d pocketed the profit.
“Not my problem,” the man—Dave? Dan? She couldn’t remember and didn’t care—said, his voice rumbling and echoing in the almost empty space.
She simply didn’t have the energy to bargain. “Fine,” she said. “It has to be out of here by the end of the week.” Building management had ungraciously allowed her to stay until the fifteenth of the month, but it had taken a stern phone call from her lawyer to get them to agree to even that much.
“All right.” He extended a beefy hand. She shook it, not even wincing at its clammy dampness, her depression overriding everything else. “I’ve got to borrow a buddy’s truck. I’ll call you.”
She nodded and walked him to the door, closing it behind him, then leaning against it for a moment, gathering her strength. She felt like she had the flu, her bones aching, chills and heat alternately flushing her skin, a heavy weight in her chest. Until recently she hadn’t realized how much her mental health could affect her physical well-being, taking both for granted.
She’d taken a lot for granted. And now she was paying for it.
Two suitcases were ranged against the wall, packed and ready to go. A third lay on the floor behind the sofa. It had been acting as a dresser in the two days since she’d sold the bedroom suite, just as the sofa had taken the place of a bed.
Beyond the living area, the sleek kitchen with its black, high-gloss cabinets and gleaming marble countertop reflected the lights of downtown Vancouver as they streamed in through the wall of windows. Curling into a corner of the couch, she refused to dwell on the day she and Anthony had moved in, yet couldn’t help remembering how happy she’d been—a fairy tale princess living in a modern castle high in the sky with the prince of her dreams.
Ironic, come to think of it. Her life had been built on fiction, just like every fairy tale.
Her cell vibrated, rattling loudly on the plate glass top of the end table beside her. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone. But the screen showed the grinning face of her sister, Mattie, and Camryn never ignored a call from either of her sisters.
“Hey! What’s up?” she said.
“Hey, yourself. How are you doing?” Mattie’s voice was warm and soft, caring.
Obviously, Camryn’s forcefully cheery tone hadn’t fooled her. Her stomach clenched and she swallowed as a surge of nausea burned the back of her throat. She’d told her sisters that she and Anthony had split up. Since she had also worked with him at the same interior design firm, they’d believed her when she said she’d left her job to avoid him. But she hadn’t confessed the whole story.
The story that included embezzlement and fraud. And the shattering of Camryn’s self-confidence.
“I’m fine,” she said, keeping her voice from breaking through willpower alone. As the eldest, she’d long had the role of leader, the sister that set an example by being strong-willed, smart, successful. Now, she would have to cling to the memory of what she had been until she could find the strength to become it again. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone soon.”
“You are still coming, then?” Mattie sounded eager, yet uncertain.
“Of course I’m still coming. I said I was, didn’t I? Besides, it’s Thanksgiving.”
“Yes. But you’ve said that—” Mattie stopped abruptly.
Camryn had no problem filling in the blank. “I know I’ve changed my plans at the last minute before. But not this time, I promise.” Anthony had never wanted to take the one-hour flight north to Camryn’s hometown. He’d only met her parents and her sisters a couple of times in the two years they’d been together. While she would have liked to blame him for that disconnect along with everything else, she had to take responsibility for her own actions. She could have made the trip without him, tried harder to bridge the gap. Not that it mattered now. “I’ll see you at the airport on Friday night and we’ll gorge together on turkey with all the fixings on Monday.”
“It will be good to have you home, even if just for a few days.”
“Yes. I’ll see you soon. We’ll have a good visit then,” she said.
What Mattie didn’t yet know was that Camryn wouldn’t be returning to Vancouver at the end of the weekend. She had only purchased a one-way ticket. What had at first been planned as a short stay, a chance to regroup and rethink and spend healing time with family, was now a search for sanctuary.
****
A few days later, Camryn ducked out of the airplane’s low door and made her way down the metal steps. As she crossed the open tarmac, her coat flapped briskly about her thighs and hard pellets of cold October rain stung her cheeks. Once inside the doors leading to the Arrivals area, she looked up to see Mattie bounding across the concrete floor.
“You’re here!” Mattie wrapped her arms around her. She was several inches shorter than Camryn’s five-nine, and only some of the height difference was made up by the thick soles of the heavy work boots she wore. Her paint-splattered overalls were partially hidden under a canvas jacket, dark with rain on the shoulders. “It’s so good to see you!”
“You, too.” Camryn squeezed back, finding comfort in the casual embrace. “How’s Marcus? Isn’t he home soon?” Mattie’s boyfriend was a world-class cellist and had been on an international tour for the past few months.
“Two weeks today. Minus two hours.” Mattie’s face lit up with anticipation. “I can’t wait to see him again.”
Camryn couldn’t help feeling a pinch of jealousy. Two months ago she’d been in a stable relationship, had thought she might be soon engaged. She should be happy she’d escaped that disaster at least. Marrying Anthony would have been a failure overshadowing all others.
“Thanks for coming to pick me up,” she said as they joined the crowd at the luggage carousel.
“Of course I came. Jo’s waiting for you at the house.”
The plan had always been for Camryn to stay with Jo, the youngest Bendixon sister, since she was house-sitting the family residence while their parents were driving a motorhome around North America. She, too, thought it was only for the Thanksgiving weekend, but Camryn hoped that arrangement could be extended, at least for a few weeks. She needed some time to get back on her feet, but it shouldn’t take her long to find a job and a decent place to live.
At least, she really, really hoped so.
Mattie scanned the bags coming out of the chute. “Which is yours?”
Camryn pointed out three matching cases. She’d packed the personal items she’d salvaged from the wreck of her life into a pathetically few boxes and had begged an acquaintance to store them until she was settled. Everything else was right here, circling around on an endless loop of interlocking metal scales.
Mattie gave her an odd look, but thankfully didn’t comment on the fact Camryn appeared to have arrived with her entire wardrobe. They lugged the bags out to Mattie’s black, monster-sized pickup, waiting in the short-stay parking lot, and headed into town.
The drive home was quick and quiet, but Mattie barely gave Camryn time to say hi to Jo before she launched into her interrogation.
“Okay, spill it,” she demanded. “This is more than a simple breakup, isn’t it? What’s really going on? Even you don’t pack three suitcases for a weekend at home.”
The three of them were in Camryn’s old room, Jo and Mattie on the bed, Camryn methodically hanging clothes in the narrow closet. The room looked nothing like it had when she’d called it her own. It was now a cozy yet impersonal space with pale blue walls, a cream-coloured comforter on the twin bed, and beach-themed artwork and decor. Not even the echoes of Camryn’s teenage self remained.
“You’re right,” she said. “I haven’t told you everything.” She concentrated on making sure the petal pink silk shirt hung exactly right on the wire hanger as she answered.
“You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest,” Jo said. “Maybe we can help.”
The irony that Jo, eight years younger, was offering such advice was not lost on Camryn. Camryn was usually the one making suggestions on ways Jo could make her own life better—which made it galling that Jo had recently become engaged and seemed to be getting her life in order. Both her sisters were moving forward, finding good men, taking on new challenges. Camryn was the only one flailing around, out of her depth in a mire of her own making.
Choosing another item at random from her suitcase, she sucked in a deep breath, let it out, and forced herself to get it all out in one fell swoop. “Anthony was embezzling from our company. He got caught. Because I was his girlfriend, they suspected I was in on it, even though there was no evidence. They asked me to resign. So I did.”
Unwilling to see the looks on her sisters’ faces, she turned to the closet and hung the blouse on the rod. The silence behind her vibrated with unasked questions, hummed with unspoken thoughts.
“That scum.” Jo’s voice was so filled with fury it had Camryn spinning in surprise. Jo took everything in stride, never seemed to feel worry or guilt. She was the last person she’d expected to fire up over this. “I never liked him. Never.”
“Jo,” Mattie, ever the peacemaker, said, “that’s not helpful.”
“It’s okay.” Camryn sighed and squared her shoulders. “He is scum. I just wish I’d seen it sooner. Although I wasn’t the only one fooled. After all, the CEO of our company made him Vice-President of Finance.”
Mattie crawled off the end of the bed and hugged her. “This is so crappy. And unfair. Why should you lose the job you love because of him?”
“I wouldn’t have stayed, even if they’d wanted me to.” Camryn could still feel the sting of sidelong glances, hear the spiteful whispers that abruptly stopped when she entered a room.
“Of course you couldn’t,” Jo said. She also slid off the bed and wrapped her arms around her sisters’ waists, completing the circle, connecting them. For the first time in weeks Camryn felt the ice in her spine thaw slightly. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I have something that will make it all better—a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates.”
Jo was right. Wine and chocolate did make things better, at least for the moment. But it was having her sisters beside her that really helped.
She found herself telling Jo and Mattie the rest of the story. She told them how Anthony had been caught by pure fluke, when his assistant bookkeeper had discovered an anomaly and, instead of taking his query to Anthony, had brought it to the attention of the CEO. How he’d blustered and lied and tried to bully his way out of it. How he’d made snide comments to cast suspicion on Camryn but hadn’t come right out and accused her. How in the end she’d avoided charges, but couldn’t escape the censure and mistrust of her colleagues and had seen how impossible it would be to continue working with them.
But she couldn’t tell them the worst of it. Didn’t know if she would ever be able to.
Anthony hadn’t just embezzled from the company. He’d also maxed out their joint credit cards, hadn’t paid the rent on their very expensive condo for months, and left her tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
Though her firm had given her a small settlement when she left--guilt money, she thought bitterly—it hadn’t been enough to get her out from under. She’d been certain she’d be able to land a new job, but despite the fact she hadn’t been involved in Anthony’s crimes, every door had been shut in her face.
Vancouver was one of the most expensive cities in the world in which to live. With no job and no funds to tide her over, she’d had no choice but to come home, soul bruised and battered.
****
Camryn spent much of the weekend sleeping and watching the home renovation channel. It had been years since she’d been so lazy and unmotivated, but she felt like she was recovering from a bout of illness, and the rest was much needed.
Monday morning, she woke late to discover Mattie and Jo, along with Jo’s fiancé, Luke Donwell, elbow-deep in preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. She was immediately put to work peeling potatoes, and over the next few hours had little time to think about the mess that was her life as she obeyed Mattie’s orders. It was a relief to have someone else in charge, at least for a little while.
Since Marcus, Mattie’s boyfriend, wasn’t around, it was easy to forget she had a partner. But Camryn couldn’t avoid the secret glances, the casual-and-yet-not-so-casual touches between Jo and Luke. When Jo had told her she was getting married this December, only six months after she’d started seeing Luke, Camryn had worried they were rushing into things. But he was devoutly Catholic—in fact, had been considering the priesthood before Jo came into his life—and didn’t believe in sex outside of marriage. Jo had admitted this last with a deep blush, which led Camryn to believe something had happened between them. Seeing them now, though, her worries eased. They looked right together. Right in a way she didn’t think she and Anthony had ever been.
By four o’clock they were gathered around a table loaded with food. A laptop had been set up at one end as their parents were Skyping in from Arizona, and they’d been joined by their grandfather, Jason Bendixon, and his bride, Lorraine, who was also Marcus’ mother.
“It’s too bad Marcus isn’t home yet,” Jo said as she handed a dish heaping with potatoes to Luke. “We haven’t all been together since the wedding.”
Jason and Lorraine shared a private smile, and Camryn lowered her eyelids to hide the envy rising in her chest. It was hard being the only single person in the family. Not that she wanted Anthony back—the thought made her shudder.
“He wanted to Skype in, too,” Mattie said, “but we couldn’t coordinate it with the time change and his schedule. The orchestra is on its way to Athens right now.”
Conversation flowed, yet Camryn listened to the familiar voices with the unwelcome sense of being an outsider. Thirteen years ago, she’d left Prince George at the ingenuous age of eighteen to attend university and hadn’t returned except for short visits. While she’d kept in touch, nothing could replace daily interactions. She’d never felt the distance so keenly than right now.
She was roused from her introspection by Jason clearing his throat. “If you don’t mind, there’s something I’d like to say.”
The chatter died instantly, and everyone’s attention focused on him. He smiled at Lorraine, who patted his hand where it lay on the table.
“While Lorraine has made a wonderful recovery from her stroke a few months ago,” he said, “the whole experience was a reminder of how precious life is. We’ve been talking over the last few weeks, and I’ve come to a decision. I’ll be retiring at the end of the year.”
A chorus of congratulations rang out from the laptop, Jo, and Luke. Mattie, at Camryn’s side, gasped and stiffened. “You can’t! I’m not ready for you to retire,” she said.
Jason looked across the table at her, a slight smile curving his lips. “You’re the one who brought it up first.”
“Only because I was worried you were planning something and hadn’t discussed it with me.” She added in disgust, “Seems I was right.”
Jason shook his head, eyes glinting with a hint of devilishness. “Don’t worry, I’ll be around awhile yet. There’s a lot we need to figure out. But I am definitely retiring, and sooner rather than later.” His gaze settled on Camryn. Her stomach gave a funny little flip. “I decided weeks ago to make this announcement tonight,” he said. “But given what you’ve told us about the changes in your life, maybe it was meant to be.”
She swallowed. “What do you mean?” Camryn had told her parents, Jason, and Lorraine about breaking up with Anthony before they’d sat down for dinner. An abridged version, mentioning only that Anthony had been charged with financial indiscretions at the company, and that she had left her job because it had become too uncomfortable all round.
“I’m very proud of what Bendixon and Sons has achieved over the years,” he said. “But the last eighteen months have been tough. Competitors like the Kohlenburg Group”—next to her, Mattie nodded, and Camryn remembered her mentioning the company months before—“have been outbidding us no matter what I try to do. I think it’s time for new blood. Mattie knows Bendixon and Sons inside and out, has worked hard to keep us going, but she can’t do it on her own. Someone needs to take over my responsibilities. I think that someone should be you.”
Everyone’s heads swivelled to Camryn. She felt pinned by their gazes, a butterfly on a board. But she also felt the first prickles of hope rushing under her skin.
“I don’t know anything about running a construction company,” she said. She hadn’t told anyone about not going back to Vancouver. Could she avoid that humiliating confession? Could this be the salvation she was looking for?
“You’ll have more than two months to learn from me,” he said. “With your experience and education, I can’t see it being a huge leap.”
Mattie gripped her wrist. “Say yes, Camryn.” Her voice vibrated with excitement. “Jason’s right. This is meant to be. You need a new job, and Bendixon and Sons needs you. Say yes.”
Camryn looked around the table. Her parents nodded encouragement from the computer screen, Lorraine smiled, and Jo and Luke offered thumbs up. Identical expressions of hope lit Mattie and Jason’s faces.
Could she do it? Could she take over from Jason? The idea was like the warm, bright light at the end of a dark, dismal tunnel. Everything that had happened recently with Anthony had had her doubting herself. It was wonderful to know her family still had faith in her. Of course, they didn’t know it was misplaced. Camryn wasn’t as smart and successful as they thought she was. But she would be, she vowed. She would be.
“Yes,” she said.
CHAPTER TWO
“Hey, got a minute?”
Will Danson looked up from his laptop screen to see Samuel Antoski hovering in his office doorway, a plate of cookies in his hand.
“Only a minute. I’ve got to get to the open house for the dental office soon.”
“Won’t take long.” Samuel approached with his long, loping stride. He held out the plate. “Want a cookie? Made them myself.”
Will waved it off. “Thanks, but I’m still stuffed from Thanksgiving.”
“That was two days ago.” Samuel shrugged and took a treat for himself. Thin to the point of gauntness—Will had no idea where the many calories he ate went—with blond hair styled in a Caesar cut and a taste for bright colours and tight pants, he was the glue that held the offices of the Prince George division of the Kohlenburg Group together, monitoring the world from his console in the front office. At any given moment he knew where every crew was, whether they were on budget and on time, and what they had had for breakfast.
“We’ve got a problem with Barrow Hardware.” Through bites of cookie, Samuel launched into a complaint over delays incurred because a supplier had delivered the wrong items. “This is the third time they’ve screwed up. I think we need to look at other options.”
“I agree. Make me a list of alternatives. We’ll go over them tomorrow.” He rose to his feet and hooked his jacket off the back of his chair.
“Will do.” Samuel rose with him and together they headed down the hall. “Good luck at the open house,” he said, and veered off to his desk.
Will shoved out the exit, taking the stairs two at a time and trotting onto the street through the employee entrance. The wind wrapped icy fingers around his neck and he hurried to his SUV, slamming the door against the bitterness.
He had accepted his promotion to Prince George in a stew of pride and panic, exultation and trepidation. He’d worked for the Kohlenburg family for more than ten years and owed them much for the personal security and professional satisfaction they had provided him. Yet when Wayne Kohlenburg had asked him if he’d take over the new branch in Northern British Columbia his first instinct had been to refuse. His daughter, Laura, didn’t take well to even the smallest change in routine, and this was so much more than that. But Will was aware that his chances of advancement if he stayed in Vancouver were slim. The upper management was settled and committed, and opportunities were rare. Since he wanted to continue growing, he made the move. While there’d certainly been major hurdles along the way, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret the decision.
It only took ten minutes to get to his destination. He parked in front of the two-story building with depressing grey siding and large windows, the interior hidden from view by gap-toothed vertical blinds. As he pushed open the door, the scent of antiseptic assaulted his nose, and he made a mental note to include a high-quality air purification system in his quote. It was bad enough having to go to the dentist—who wanted to be reminded of needles and pain the minute they entered?
He suppressed a childish sigh of relief that he wasn’t there to have anyone scrape and scrub at his teeth. The dental practice had plans to build a state-of-the-art facility at a new location, and they had sent invitations to contractors to attend this open house, a meet and greet opportunity where information would be shared about the project. Will wanted it badly, not just because the plans were a modern, sophisticated design that would showcase their work, but because the dentists were well-respected, prominent citizens in the city, and their endorsement would open even more doors into the business community.
As it was a weekday, the office was filled with clients, and the small space was crowded. An elderly man with a pinched look about his mouth and a woman with a preschooler squirming on her lap sat in hard, plastic seats ranged in front of the reception desk. Another woman wearing bright pink surgical scrubs led a man in a business suit down a narrow hallway leading to the back of the building.
Yet another man—wearing a pin-striped suit and a boldly-coloured tie, both items Will would wear only under extreme duress—stood at the far end of the room, near two easels holding architectural renderings and blueprint layouts of the new clinic.
“Hello!” he said, stepping around the row of chairs, hand outstretched. “Are you here for the open house?”
“Will Danson, the Kohlenburg Group.” He shook the offered hand.
“Abel Quinson, Charette Architects.” He gestured at a row of green folders laying on a white-draped table pushed up against one wall. “Feel free to take a package and review it while you’re here. I’m available for any questions.”
“Thanks.” Will took a folder and started flipping through it. A thought struck him, and he looked up. “Charette, you said?”
The other man nodded.
“Aren’t you the architects for the proposed development up in College Heights? Crossroads Corner?”
“Yes, that’s us.”
Will was about to question him further when a rush of cold air swirled in and his attention was drawn to the outer door. He recognized Jason Bendixon coming through the entrance. The older man’s company was a long-time player on the local construction scene, but not one Will considered much of a competitor. Too caught up in the past, not forward thinking enough.
The person immediately behind Jason had Will forgetting all about Charette Architects and the folder in his hand.
Later, he wouldn’t be able to say what he noticed first. It might have been her hair, the colour of buttered popcorn, shorn so short it hugged her skull in a way that should have looked masculine but only emphasized the delicate bone structure of her cheek and jaw. It might have been how she held herself, poised and straight, or the clear blue eyes artfully yet subtly enhanced by mysterious makeup magic. It might have been the stylish trench coat belted tight at her slim waist, or the long legs encased in burgundy slacks, or the stilt-high heels.
In the end, it didn’t matter what it was. Because once he’d seen her, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Abel Quinson was still talking, but Will had no idea what he was saying. Jason and the woman approached, and Abel turned his attention to them, introducing himself, offering his hand to both.
“This is my granddaughter, Camryn Bendixon,” Jason said to Abel. Turning to Will, he added, his gruff voice even more curt than usual, “Camryn, meet Will Danson. Of the Kohlenburg Group.”
Was that a flicker of attraction he saw in her amazing blue eyes? Or was it only wishful thinking?
“How do you do?” she said, reaching out her hand.
Will took it, the feel of her warm, smooth skin sending a wave of lust through his veins. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, as if suddenly struck by sickness. His heart beat so hard he could barely hear over the ringing in his ears. She wriggled her fingers and he immediately let go, not sure how long he’d been holding her, curling his fingers into his palm, aware of the loss of her touch.
Realizing he hadn’t answered her, he swallowed hard to work some saliva into his mouth. “I’m good. Great. Thanks for asking,” he stuttered. “We finally meet. I knew Jason’s granddaughter worked with him, but somehow we’ve always missed each other.” Which now seemed a tragic loss. Months when he could have been getting to know Camryn, wasted.
Her eyes widened, but before she could speak, Jason said, “Wrong granddaughter. You’re thinking of Mattie. Camryn has been in Vancouver the last several years.”
Now that Jason mentioned it, the vision in front of him certainly didn’t look like a woman who spent much time working construction sites. Digesting this new detail, Will said, “I’m from Vancouver. Were you in the industry there? Maybe I know the company.”
She hesitated before answering, shifting slightly on those towering heels. “Not exactly. An interior design firm.”
He was about to ask the company name when Jason said, “Not anymore, though. Camryn’s joined Bendixon and Sons. She’ll be part of the team from now on.”
“Welcome back to town,” Abel said, his expression about as starstruck as Will felt. The other man took Camryn’s elbow and drew her toward the easels. “Here, let me go over the project with you.”
As Abel began his patter, Will did his best to drag his attention to the business at hand. It was difficult to concentrate with Camryn just in front of him. A light, orangey scent drifted from her, and the nape of her neck held him spellbound.
“We’re looking for high-end finishing work and strict adherence to deadlines. There must be a seamless transition from this building to the new one,” Abel said. He looked at Jason. “I know you are well-respected in the community, but do you have a large enough crew with the skills we need to meet these expectations?”
Camryn answered for her grandfather. “Of course we do,” she said. Will felt her low, confident tone deep in his gut. “Bendixon and Sons is prepared to do what it takes to make you happy. As a smaller, boutique firm, we’ll work with you, one on one, right from this moment until the final day. Unlike larger firms where your initial contact will, in all likelihood, be replaced by someone else, possibly multiple times during the project.”
Will wryly appreciated her not-so-subtle shot at the Kohlenburg Group. This was a woman to be reckoned with, and while his animal instincts might have responded to her sensual beauty, his brain was definitely intrigued by her smooth, intelligent response.
Abel’s expression softened, grew thoughtful. “A boutique firm,” he said. “What an interesting idea. I’d like to hear more.”
Will knew he had to speak up, get the Kohlenburg Group back into Abel’s sights, but before he could, Camryn answered. “You won’t be disappointed, should you choose us. We’ll be sure to get you our bid quickly, and I look forward to working with you.”
Jason opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. Will felt sympathy for the older gentleman. Camryn’s confidence overshadowed her grandfather’s more casual approach. If she was planning on sticking around, Will should be concerned about that. Bendixon and Sons’ solid reputation combined with an aggressive and bold personality would be sure to provide a much bigger challenge in future.
He’d have to keep his eye on Camryn Bendixon.
It would be a pleasure.
****
After the open house, Will returned to the office to wrap things up for the day, but his concentration was shot, his thoughts filled only with Camryn Bendixon. He’d never experienced such an instant attraction to anyone, not even Laura’s mother. Exasperated with himself, he stuffed his laptop and folders into his briefcase to work on at home later.
One of the things he liked most about this small city was how close everything was. In under fifteen minutes, he’d be getting a welcome hug from his little girl. His thoughts drifted as he drove, blue-white headlights and siren-red taillights cutting through the early gloom of the autumn evening.
He and Laura had been in Prince George for a year and a half now. At first, it had been as traumatic as Will had feared. Laura woke up screaming from nightmares she couldn’t describe and reverted to sucking two fingers, a habit she’d grown out of months before. She’d cried and clung to him every time he left and suffered frequent stomach aches. Her distress was so severe that he’d wondered if they should return to Vancouver, even though giving up wasn’t a lesson he wanted to teach his daughter. Her life would be full of challenges and she needed to learn to conquer them. When consulted, her pediatrician recommended patience, and they’d stuck it out, although it had taken many weeks until life settled down. The advent of kindergarten just over a month ago had brought new anxieties, but not to the same degree, thank goodness. Hopefully everything was on the upswing again.
He grinned as he turned onto the wide, tree-lined residential street. It was easy to spot his house. Lights were on in every single window, as well as above the front door, on either side of the garage, and on the peak of the second story gable. Laura was so sensitive to the lack of light that, especially in the darkening days of fall, she would go from room to room, switch to switch, turning every light on. She said it was to welcome him home, and that was certainly one reason. But he also wondered if it was to delay the moment when the dark would take over completely.
The garage door rumbled closed as he pulled his briefcase out of the backseat and went in through the entry leading to the open plan kitchen and lounge area. He sniffed with appreciation, tasting vanilla and chocolate in the air. Corinne and Laura must have baked that afternoon. The lid of the ceramic Winnie the Pooh cookie jar clinked as he lifted it.
A cheerfully scolding voice stopped him. “No cookies until after you eat dinner! I helped Corinne make spaghetti.”
Laura stood in the opening leading to the playroom. She grinned and he saw the gap in her top row of teeth. She was only five and he hadn’t been prepared for her losing that baby tooth. That wasn’t supposed to happen until grade two, maybe even three, right? She was growing up so quickly.
“You have ears like a cat,” he said, moving forward to scoop her into his arms.
She laughed delightedly as he swung her around. “No, I don’t! Cat’s ears are furry.”
“I mean you hear really well.” Her blue eyes shone, perfectly clear, sparkling with fun. He grabbed her hand and blew a raspberry into the palm. She giggled and wiggled and he had to grip her tightly to keep her from falling. “What else did you and Corinne do today?”
Laura nattered away about a trip to the grocery store as he carried her into the playroom, a bright, airy space just off the kitchen. Corinne Matheson sat on the floor in the centre of an explosion of Lego. The first thing he’d done when he and Laura had arrived in Prince George was start the search for a housekeeper/nanny. He’d envisioned a grandmotherly woman with years of experience and a professional manner, a clone replacement for Mrs. Grady in Vancouver. Instead he’d ended up with a purple-haired, multi-pierced early-twenty-something with a sarcastic attitude.
She made him feel decades older than his thirty-one years, and frightened him, just a bit, with her sheer efficiency. He didn’t know what he’d do without her.
“Hi,” he greeted her, as Laura wandered off to the corner where a kid-sized kitchen was set up. “Sorry I’m late. How was her day?”
“One of her good ones.” Corinne tossed the last of the Lego into a bin and hefted it onto a shelf. “Her teacher says she was much less anxious at school than normal, so I took her grocery shopping.”
“Yes, she told me. It sounds like she enjoyed it.”
“She did. No jitters at all.”
He watched his daughter chatter to herself while stirring an empty pot on the tiny toy stove with one hand. The other hand patted the counter until she found a lid and put it in place with only a small fumble. His heart broke with pride and pain.
His beautiful, perfect daughter was blind.
One day just after her first birthday she’d been irritable and out of sorts. Short hours later he was holding her limp, feverish body, listening in sheer terror as the doctor decreed meningitis. He’d known it wasn’t a simple flu, but hadn’t expected that terrible diagnosis. Through the long days that followed he’d prayed for her to live, prayed that she wouldn’t be taken from him so soon. She had survived, but not unscathed. Discovering the illness had left her blind had been a gut-wrenching blow, but one he’d been willing to accept, if it meant he still had her with him.
Corinne finished tidying and stood next to him. “She really is doing much better. It’s been weeks since she had a major panic attack.” Absently, she reached out and knocked on the wooden door trim, an old-fashioned superstition Will found charmingly out of character for such a cynical young woman. “We did some Braille training and her spatial awareness exercises, then she helped me make the spaghetti. She cut up the mushrooms.”
His eyebrows shot up in alarm and he opened his mouth to remonstrate, but Corinne held up her hand before he could speak. “I gave her a butter knife, and, more accurately, she tore the mushrooms apart. I wouldn’t give a sighted five-year old a real knife. I’m not an idiot.”
“I’m sorry. Of course you’re not.” Together they moved into the kitchen, leaving Laura to her play. “How’s school going?”
“Ugh.” Corinne took her army camouflage jacket down from a hook by the back door and pulled it on. “I have a huge project due Monday.”
She attended the local university part-time, studying social work. He still didn’t know why she’d applied to cook and clean and care for a child who was severely visually impaired. But after Laura had thrown screaming fits when introduced to the first two women he’d chosen, he’d been willing to try anyone. He could only guess that Corinne, being the complete opposite of her beloved Mrs. Grady, had been enough of a novelty for his daughter to staunch her homesickness. “I’ll pick up Laura after school tomorrow as usual. Anything special you want for dinner?”
“Surprise me. I’ll see you later.”
Corinne called a casual goodbye to Laura and clattered out the door. Will opened the oven and found the spaghetti, already mixed with sauce, keeping warm. The work he’d brought home with him was a constant burr at the back of his mind, but for now his evening stretched ahead, sweet and familiar. He’d eat dinner with his daughter, then he’d help her with her bath, and they’d cuddle in bed as he read stories until she fell asleep.
If he wished there was someone with him to share those precious moments, that wasn’t a new wish. What was new was the uncomfortable certainty that he’d met that someone.
And that she had barely acknowledged his existence.
This isn’t the way things are supposed to be, Camryn Bendixon thought, despair making her brain muzzy and thick.
The burly man standing next to her said, “I’ll give you two hundred for the table and chairs. And another two hundred for the sofa and end tables.”
Said tables, chairs, and sofa were the last large pieces left in the condo she’d called home for the past thirteen months. Everything else had already been Kijiji-ed off, the rooms now hollow and empty of any possessions.
“They’re worth five times that,” she protested. As the words left her mouth, she realized with a heart-pounding jolt she was still trusting what Anthony had said he’d paid. He’d lied about so much. He’d probably lied about that, too. She’d been scrupulous about paying her portion of everything. For all she knew, Anthony had inflated the prices so she’d paid more than the furniture was worth, while he’d pocketed the profit.
“Not my problem,” the man—Dave? Dan? She couldn’t remember and didn’t care—said, his voice rumbling and echoing in the almost empty space.
She simply didn’t have the energy to bargain. “Fine,” she said. “It has to be out of here by the end of the week.” Building management had ungraciously allowed her to stay until the fifteenth of the month, but it had taken a stern phone call from her lawyer to get them to agree to even that much.
“All right.” He extended a beefy hand. She shook it, not even wincing at its clammy dampness, her depression overriding everything else. “I’ve got to borrow a buddy’s truck. I’ll call you.”
She nodded and walked him to the door, closing it behind him, then leaning against it for a moment, gathering her strength. She felt like she had the flu, her bones aching, chills and heat alternately flushing her skin, a heavy weight in her chest. Until recently she hadn’t realized how much her mental health could affect her physical well-being, taking both for granted.
She’d taken a lot for granted. And now she was paying for it.
Two suitcases were ranged against the wall, packed and ready to go. A third lay on the floor behind the sofa. It had been acting as a dresser in the two days since she’d sold the bedroom suite, just as the sofa had taken the place of a bed.
Beyond the living area, the sleek kitchen with its black, high-gloss cabinets and gleaming marble countertop reflected the lights of downtown Vancouver as they streamed in through the wall of windows. Curling into a corner of the couch, she refused to dwell on the day she and Anthony had moved in, yet couldn’t help remembering how happy she’d been—a fairy tale princess living in a modern castle high in the sky with the prince of her dreams.
Ironic, come to think of it. Her life had been built on fiction, just like every fairy tale.
Her cell vibrated, rattling loudly on the plate glass top of the end table beside her. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone. But the screen showed the grinning face of her sister, Mattie, and Camryn never ignored a call from either of her sisters.
“Hey! What’s up?” she said.
“Hey, yourself. How are you doing?” Mattie’s voice was warm and soft, caring.
Obviously, Camryn’s forcefully cheery tone hadn’t fooled her. Her stomach clenched and she swallowed as a surge of nausea burned the back of her throat. She’d told her sisters that she and Anthony had split up. Since she had also worked with him at the same interior design firm, they’d believed her when she said she’d left her job to avoid him. But she hadn’t confessed the whole story.
The story that included embezzlement and fraud. And the shattering of Camryn’s self-confidence.
“I’m fine,” she said, keeping her voice from breaking through willpower alone. As the eldest, she’d long had the role of leader, the sister that set an example by being strong-willed, smart, successful. Now, she would have to cling to the memory of what she had been until she could find the strength to become it again. “I’m looking forward to seeing everyone soon.”
“You are still coming, then?” Mattie sounded eager, yet uncertain.
“Of course I’m still coming. I said I was, didn’t I? Besides, it’s Thanksgiving.”
“Yes. But you’ve said that—” Mattie stopped abruptly.
Camryn had no problem filling in the blank. “I know I’ve changed my plans at the last minute before. But not this time, I promise.” Anthony had never wanted to take the one-hour flight north to Camryn’s hometown. He’d only met her parents and her sisters a couple of times in the two years they’d been together. While she would have liked to blame him for that disconnect along with everything else, she had to take responsibility for her own actions. She could have made the trip without him, tried harder to bridge the gap. Not that it mattered now. “I’ll see you at the airport on Friday night and we’ll gorge together on turkey with all the fixings on Monday.”
“It will be good to have you home, even if just for a few days.”
“Yes. I’ll see you soon. We’ll have a good visit then,” she said.
What Mattie didn’t yet know was that Camryn wouldn’t be returning to Vancouver at the end of the weekend. She had only purchased a one-way ticket. What had at first been planned as a short stay, a chance to regroup and rethink and spend healing time with family, was now a search for sanctuary.
****
A few days later, Camryn ducked out of the airplane’s low door and made her way down the metal steps. As she crossed the open tarmac, her coat flapped briskly about her thighs and hard pellets of cold October rain stung her cheeks. Once inside the doors leading to the Arrivals area, she looked up to see Mattie bounding across the concrete floor.
“You’re here!” Mattie wrapped her arms around her. She was several inches shorter than Camryn’s five-nine, and only some of the height difference was made up by the thick soles of the heavy work boots she wore. Her paint-splattered overalls were partially hidden under a canvas jacket, dark with rain on the shoulders. “It’s so good to see you!”
“You, too.” Camryn squeezed back, finding comfort in the casual embrace. “How’s Marcus? Isn’t he home soon?” Mattie’s boyfriend was a world-class cellist and had been on an international tour for the past few months.
“Two weeks today. Minus two hours.” Mattie’s face lit up with anticipation. “I can’t wait to see him again.”
Camryn couldn’t help feeling a pinch of jealousy. Two months ago she’d been in a stable relationship, had thought she might be soon engaged. She should be happy she’d escaped that disaster at least. Marrying Anthony would have been a failure overshadowing all others.
“Thanks for coming to pick me up,” she said as they joined the crowd at the luggage carousel.
“Of course I came. Jo’s waiting for you at the house.”
The plan had always been for Camryn to stay with Jo, the youngest Bendixon sister, since she was house-sitting the family residence while their parents were driving a motorhome around North America. She, too, thought it was only for the Thanksgiving weekend, but Camryn hoped that arrangement could be extended, at least for a few weeks. She needed some time to get back on her feet, but it shouldn’t take her long to find a job and a decent place to live.
At least, she really, really hoped so.
Mattie scanned the bags coming out of the chute. “Which is yours?”
Camryn pointed out three matching cases. She’d packed the personal items she’d salvaged from the wreck of her life into a pathetically few boxes and had begged an acquaintance to store them until she was settled. Everything else was right here, circling around on an endless loop of interlocking metal scales.
Mattie gave her an odd look, but thankfully didn’t comment on the fact Camryn appeared to have arrived with her entire wardrobe. They lugged the bags out to Mattie’s black, monster-sized pickup, waiting in the short-stay parking lot, and headed into town.
The drive home was quick and quiet, but Mattie barely gave Camryn time to say hi to Jo before she launched into her interrogation.
“Okay, spill it,” she demanded. “This is more than a simple breakup, isn’t it? What’s really going on? Even you don’t pack three suitcases for a weekend at home.”
The three of them were in Camryn’s old room, Jo and Mattie on the bed, Camryn methodically hanging clothes in the narrow closet. The room looked nothing like it had when she’d called it her own. It was now a cozy yet impersonal space with pale blue walls, a cream-coloured comforter on the twin bed, and beach-themed artwork and decor. Not even the echoes of Camryn’s teenage self remained.
“You’re right,” she said. “I haven’t told you everything.” She concentrated on making sure the petal pink silk shirt hung exactly right on the wire hanger as she answered.
“You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest,” Jo said. “Maybe we can help.”
The irony that Jo, eight years younger, was offering such advice was not lost on Camryn. Camryn was usually the one making suggestions on ways Jo could make her own life better—which made it galling that Jo had recently become engaged and seemed to be getting her life in order. Both her sisters were moving forward, finding good men, taking on new challenges. Camryn was the only one flailing around, out of her depth in a mire of her own making.
Choosing another item at random from her suitcase, she sucked in a deep breath, let it out, and forced herself to get it all out in one fell swoop. “Anthony was embezzling from our company. He got caught. Because I was his girlfriend, they suspected I was in on it, even though there was no evidence. They asked me to resign. So I did.”
Unwilling to see the looks on her sisters’ faces, she turned to the closet and hung the blouse on the rod. The silence behind her vibrated with unasked questions, hummed with unspoken thoughts.
“That scum.” Jo’s voice was so filled with fury it had Camryn spinning in surprise. Jo took everything in stride, never seemed to feel worry or guilt. She was the last person she’d expected to fire up over this. “I never liked him. Never.”
“Jo,” Mattie, ever the peacemaker, said, “that’s not helpful.”
“It’s okay.” Camryn sighed and squared her shoulders. “He is scum. I just wish I’d seen it sooner. Although I wasn’t the only one fooled. After all, the CEO of our company made him Vice-President of Finance.”
Mattie crawled off the end of the bed and hugged her. “This is so crappy. And unfair. Why should you lose the job you love because of him?”
“I wouldn’t have stayed, even if they’d wanted me to.” Camryn could still feel the sting of sidelong glances, hear the spiteful whispers that abruptly stopped when she entered a room.
“Of course you couldn’t,” Jo said. She also slid off the bed and wrapped her arms around her sisters’ waists, completing the circle, connecting them. For the first time in weeks Camryn felt the ice in her spine thaw slightly. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I have something that will make it all better—a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates.”
Jo was right. Wine and chocolate did make things better, at least for the moment. But it was having her sisters beside her that really helped.
She found herself telling Jo and Mattie the rest of the story. She told them how Anthony had been caught by pure fluke, when his assistant bookkeeper had discovered an anomaly and, instead of taking his query to Anthony, had brought it to the attention of the CEO. How he’d blustered and lied and tried to bully his way out of it. How he’d made snide comments to cast suspicion on Camryn but hadn’t come right out and accused her. How in the end she’d avoided charges, but couldn’t escape the censure and mistrust of her colleagues and had seen how impossible it would be to continue working with them.
But she couldn’t tell them the worst of it. Didn’t know if she would ever be able to.
Anthony hadn’t just embezzled from the company. He’d also maxed out their joint credit cards, hadn’t paid the rent on their very expensive condo for months, and left her tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
Though her firm had given her a small settlement when she left--guilt money, she thought bitterly—it hadn’t been enough to get her out from under. She’d been certain she’d be able to land a new job, but despite the fact she hadn’t been involved in Anthony’s crimes, every door had been shut in her face.
Vancouver was one of the most expensive cities in the world in which to live. With no job and no funds to tide her over, she’d had no choice but to come home, soul bruised and battered.
****
Camryn spent much of the weekend sleeping and watching the home renovation channel. It had been years since she’d been so lazy and unmotivated, but she felt like she was recovering from a bout of illness, and the rest was much needed.
Monday morning, she woke late to discover Mattie and Jo, along with Jo’s fiancé, Luke Donwell, elbow-deep in preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. She was immediately put to work peeling potatoes, and over the next few hours had little time to think about the mess that was her life as she obeyed Mattie’s orders. It was a relief to have someone else in charge, at least for a little while.
Since Marcus, Mattie’s boyfriend, wasn’t around, it was easy to forget she had a partner. But Camryn couldn’t avoid the secret glances, the casual-and-yet-not-so-casual touches between Jo and Luke. When Jo had told her she was getting married this December, only six months after she’d started seeing Luke, Camryn had worried they were rushing into things. But he was devoutly Catholic—in fact, had been considering the priesthood before Jo came into his life—and didn’t believe in sex outside of marriage. Jo had admitted this last with a deep blush, which led Camryn to believe something had happened between them. Seeing them now, though, her worries eased. They looked right together. Right in a way she didn’t think she and Anthony had ever been.
By four o’clock they were gathered around a table loaded with food. A laptop had been set up at one end as their parents were Skyping in from Arizona, and they’d been joined by their grandfather, Jason Bendixon, and his bride, Lorraine, who was also Marcus’ mother.
“It’s too bad Marcus isn’t home yet,” Jo said as she handed a dish heaping with potatoes to Luke. “We haven’t all been together since the wedding.”
Jason and Lorraine shared a private smile, and Camryn lowered her eyelids to hide the envy rising in her chest. It was hard being the only single person in the family. Not that she wanted Anthony back—the thought made her shudder.
“He wanted to Skype in, too,” Mattie said, “but we couldn’t coordinate it with the time change and his schedule. The orchestra is on its way to Athens right now.”
Conversation flowed, yet Camryn listened to the familiar voices with the unwelcome sense of being an outsider. Thirteen years ago, she’d left Prince George at the ingenuous age of eighteen to attend university and hadn’t returned except for short visits. While she’d kept in touch, nothing could replace daily interactions. She’d never felt the distance so keenly than right now.
She was roused from her introspection by Jason clearing his throat. “If you don’t mind, there’s something I’d like to say.”
The chatter died instantly, and everyone’s attention focused on him. He smiled at Lorraine, who patted his hand where it lay on the table.
“While Lorraine has made a wonderful recovery from her stroke a few months ago,” he said, “the whole experience was a reminder of how precious life is. We’ve been talking over the last few weeks, and I’ve come to a decision. I’ll be retiring at the end of the year.”
A chorus of congratulations rang out from the laptop, Jo, and Luke. Mattie, at Camryn’s side, gasped and stiffened. “You can’t! I’m not ready for you to retire,” she said.
Jason looked across the table at her, a slight smile curving his lips. “You’re the one who brought it up first.”
“Only because I was worried you were planning something and hadn’t discussed it with me.” She added in disgust, “Seems I was right.”
Jason shook his head, eyes glinting with a hint of devilishness. “Don’t worry, I’ll be around awhile yet. There’s a lot we need to figure out. But I am definitely retiring, and sooner rather than later.” His gaze settled on Camryn. Her stomach gave a funny little flip. “I decided weeks ago to make this announcement tonight,” he said. “But given what you’ve told us about the changes in your life, maybe it was meant to be.”
She swallowed. “What do you mean?” Camryn had told her parents, Jason, and Lorraine about breaking up with Anthony before they’d sat down for dinner. An abridged version, mentioning only that Anthony had been charged with financial indiscretions at the company, and that she had left her job because it had become too uncomfortable all round.
“I’m very proud of what Bendixon and Sons has achieved over the years,” he said. “But the last eighteen months have been tough. Competitors like the Kohlenburg Group”—next to her, Mattie nodded, and Camryn remembered her mentioning the company months before—“have been outbidding us no matter what I try to do. I think it’s time for new blood. Mattie knows Bendixon and Sons inside and out, has worked hard to keep us going, but she can’t do it on her own. Someone needs to take over my responsibilities. I think that someone should be you.”
Everyone’s heads swivelled to Camryn. She felt pinned by their gazes, a butterfly on a board. But she also felt the first prickles of hope rushing under her skin.
“I don’t know anything about running a construction company,” she said. She hadn’t told anyone about not going back to Vancouver. Could she avoid that humiliating confession? Could this be the salvation she was looking for?
“You’ll have more than two months to learn from me,” he said. “With your experience and education, I can’t see it being a huge leap.”
Mattie gripped her wrist. “Say yes, Camryn.” Her voice vibrated with excitement. “Jason’s right. This is meant to be. You need a new job, and Bendixon and Sons needs you. Say yes.”
Camryn looked around the table. Her parents nodded encouragement from the computer screen, Lorraine smiled, and Jo and Luke offered thumbs up. Identical expressions of hope lit Mattie and Jason’s faces.
Could she do it? Could she take over from Jason? The idea was like the warm, bright light at the end of a dark, dismal tunnel. Everything that had happened recently with Anthony had had her doubting herself. It was wonderful to know her family still had faith in her. Of course, they didn’t know it was misplaced. Camryn wasn’t as smart and successful as they thought she was. But she would be, she vowed. She would be.
“Yes,” she said.
CHAPTER TWO
“Hey, got a minute?”
Will Danson looked up from his laptop screen to see Samuel Antoski hovering in his office doorway, a plate of cookies in his hand.
“Only a minute. I’ve got to get to the open house for the dental office soon.”
“Won’t take long.” Samuel approached with his long, loping stride. He held out the plate. “Want a cookie? Made them myself.”
Will waved it off. “Thanks, but I’m still stuffed from Thanksgiving.”
“That was two days ago.” Samuel shrugged and took a treat for himself. Thin to the point of gauntness—Will had no idea where the many calories he ate went—with blond hair styled in a Caesar cut and a taste for bright colours and tight pants, he was the glue that held the offices of the Prince George division of the Kohlenburg Group together, monitoring the world from his console in the front office. At any given moment he knew where every crew was, whether they were on budget and on time, and what they had had for breakfast.
“We’ve got a problem with Barrow Hardware.” Through bites of cookie, Samuel launched into a complaint over delays incurred because a supplier had delivered the wrong items. “This is the third time they’ve screwed up. I think we need to look at other options.”
“I agree. Make me a list of alternatives. We’ll go over them tomorrow.” He rose to his feet and hooked his jacket off the back of his chair.
“Will do.” Samuel rose with him and together they headed down the hall. “Good luck at the open house,” he said, and veered off to his desk.
Will shoved out the exit, taking the stairs two at a time and trotting onto the street through the employee entrance. The wind wrapped icy fingers around his neck and he hurried to his SUV, slamming the door against the bitterness.
He had accepted his promotion to Prince George in a stew of pride and panic, exultation and trepidation. He’d worked for the Kohlenburg family for more than ten years and owed them much for the personal security and professional satisfaction they had provided him. Yet when Wayne Kohlenburg had asked him if he’d take over the new branch in Northern British Columbia his first instinct had been to refuse. His daughter, Laura, didn’t take well to even the smallest change in routine, and this was so much more than that. But Will was aware that his chances of advancement if he stayed in Vancouver were slim. The upper management was settled and committed, and opportunities were rare. Since he wanted to continue growing, he made the move. While there’d certainly been major hurdles along the way, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret the decision.
It only took ten minutes to get to his destination. He parked in front of the two-story building with depressing grey siding and large windows, the interior hidden from view by gap-toothed vertical blinds. As he pushed open the door, the scent of antiseptic assaulted his nose, and he made a mental note to include a high-quality air purification system in his quote. It was bad enough having to go to the dentist—who wanted to be reminded of needles and pain the minute they entered?
He suppressed a childish sigh of relief that he wasn’t there to have anyone scrape and scrub at his teeth. The dental practice had plans to build a state-of-the-art facility at a new location, and they had sent invitations to contractors to attend this open house, a meet and greet opportunity where information would be shared about the project. Will wanted it badly, not just because the plans were a modern, sophisticated design that would showcase their work, but because the dentists were well-respected, prominent citizens in the city, and their endorsement would open even more doors into the business community.
As it was a weekday, the office was filled with clients, and the small space was crowded. An elderly man with a pinched look about his mouth and a woman with a preschooler squirming on her lap sat in hard, plastic seats ranged in front of the reception desk. Another woman wearing bright pink surgical scrubs led a man in a business suit down a narrow hallway leading to the back of the building.
Yet another man—wearing a pin-striped suit and a boldly-coloured tie, both items Will would wear only under extreme duress—stood at the far end of the room, near two easels holding architectural renderings and blueprint layouts of the new clinic.
“Hello!” he said, stepping around the row of chairs, hand outstretched. “Are you here for the open house?”
“Will Danson, the Kohlenburg Group.” He shook the offered hand.
“Abel Quinson, Charette Architects.” He gestured at a row of green folders laying on a white-draped table pushed up against one wall. “Feel free to take a package and review it while you’re here. I’m available for any questions.”
“Thanks.” Will took a folder and started flipping through it. A thought struck him, and he looked up. “Charette, you said?”
The other man nodded.
“Aren’t you the architects for the proposed development up in College Heights? Crossroads Corner?”
“Yes, that’s us.”
Will was about to question him further when a rush of cold air swirled in and his attention was drawn to the outer door. He recognized Jason Bendixon coming through the entrance. The older man’s company was a long-time player on the local construction scene, but not one Will considered much of a competitor. Too caught up in the past, not forward thinking enough.
The person immediately behind Jason had Will forgetting all about Charette Architects and the folder in his hand.
Later, he wouldn’t be able to say what he noticed first. It might have been her hair, the colour of buttered popcorn, shorn so short it hugged her skull in a way that should have looked masculine but only emphasized the delicate bone structure of her cheek and jaw. It might have been how she held herself, poised and straight, or the clear blue eyes artfully yet subtly enhanced by mysterious makeup magic. It might have been the stylish trench coat belted tight at her slim waist, or the long legs encased in burgundy slacks, or the stilt-high heels.
In the end, it didn’t matter what it was. Because once he’d seen her, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Abel Quinson was still talking, but Will had no idea what he was saying. Jason and the woman approached, and Abel turned his attention to them, introducing himself, offering his hand to both.
“This is my granddaughter, Camryn Bendixon,” Jason said to Abel. Turning to Will, he added, his gruff voice even more curt than usual, “Camryn, meet Will Danson. Of the Kohlenburg Group.”
Was that a flicker of attraction he saw in her amazing blue eyes? Or was it only wishful thinking?
“How do you do?” she said, reaching out her hand.
Will took it, the feel of her warm, smooth skin sending a wave of lust through his veins. He felt lightheaded and dizzy, as if suddenly struck by sickness. His heart beat so hard he could barely hear over the ringing in his ears. She wriggled her fingers and he immediately let go, not sure how long he’d been holding her, curling his fingers into his palm, aware of the loss of her touch.
Realizing he hadn’t answered her, he swallowed hard to work some saliva into his mouth. “I’m good. Great. Thanks for asking,” he stuttered. “We finally meet. I knew Jason’s granddaughter worked with him, but somehow we’ve always missed each other.” Which now seemed a tragic loss. Months when he could have been getting to know Camryn, wasted.
Her eyes widened, but before she could speak, Jason said, “Wrong granddaughter. You’re thinking of Mattie. Camryn has been in Vancouver the last several years.”
Now that Jason mentioned it, the vision in front of him certainly didn’t look like a woman who spent much time working construction sites. Digesting this new detail, Will said, “I’m from Vancouver. Were you in the industry there? Maybe I know the company.”
She hesitated before answering, shifting slightly on those towering heels. “Not exactly. An interior design firm.”
He was about to ask the company name when Jason said, “Not anymore, though. Camryn’s joined Bendixon and Sons. She’ll be part of the team from now on.”
“Welcome back to town,” Abel said, his expression about as starstruck as Will felt. The other man took Camryn’s elbow and drew her toward the easels. “Here, let me go over the project with you.”
As Abel began his patter, Will did his best to drag his attention to the business at hand. It was difficult to concentrate with Camryn just in front of him. A light, orangey scent drifted from her, and the nape of her neck held him spellbound.
“We’re looking for high-end finishing work and strict adherence to deadlines. There must be a seamless transition from this building to the new one,” Abel said. He looked at Jason. “I know you are well-respected in the community, but do you have a large enough crew with the skills we need to meet these expectations?”
Camryn answered for her grandfather. “Of course we do,” she said. Will felt her low, confident tone deep in his gut. “Bendixon and Sons is prepared to do what it takes to make you happy. As a smaller, boutique firm, we’ll work with you, one on one, right from this moment until the final day. Unlike larger firms where your initial contact will, in all likelihood, be replaced by someone else, possibly multiple times during the project.”
Will wryly appreciated her not-so-subtle shot at the Kohlenburg Group. This was a woman to be reckoned with, and while his animal instincts might have responded to her sensual beauty, his brain was definitely intrigued by her smooth, intelligent response.
Abel’s expression softened, grew thoughtful. “A boutique firm,” he said. “What an interesting idea. I’d like to hear more.”
Will knew he had to speak up, get the Kohlenburg Group back into Abel’s sights, but before he could, Camryn answered. “You won’t be disappointed, should you choose us. We’ll be sure to get you our bid quickly, and I look forward to working with you.”
Jason opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. Will felt sympathy for the older gentleman. Camryn’s confidence overshadowed her grandfather’s more casual approach. If she was planning on sticking around, Will should be concerned about that. Bendixon and Sons’ solid reputation combined with an aggressive and bold personality would be sure to provide a much bigger challenge in future.
He’d have to keep his eye on Camryn Bendixon.
It would be a pleasure.
****
After the open house, Will returned to the office to wrap things up for the day, but his concentration was shot, his thoughts filled only with Camryn Bendixon. He’d never experienced such an instant attraction to anyone, not even Laura’s mother. Exasperated with himself, he stuffed his laptop and folders into his briefcase to work on at home later.
One of the things he liked most about this small city was how close everything was. In under fifteen minutes, he’d be getting a welcome hug from his little girl. His thoughts drifted as he drove, blue-white headlights and siren-red taillights cutting through the early gloom of the autumn evening.
He and Laura had been in Prince George for a year and a half now. At first, it had been as traumatic as Will had feared. Laura woke up screaming from nightmares she couldn’t describe and reverted to sucking two fingers, a habit she’d grown out of months before. She’d cried and clung to him every time he left and suffered frequent stomach aches. Her distress was so severe that he’d wondered if they should return to Vancouver, even though giving up wasn’t a lesson he wanted to teach his daughter. Her life would be full of challenges and she needed to learn to conquer them. When consulted, her pediatrician recommended patience, and they’d stuck it out, although it had taken many weeks until life settled down. The advent of kindergarten just over a month ago had brought new anxieties, but not to the same degree, thank goodness. Hopefully everything was on the upswing again.
He grinned as he turned onto the wide, tree-lined residential street. It was easy to spot his house. Lights were on in every single window, as well as above the front door, on either side of the garage, and on the peak of the second story gable. Laura was so sensitive to the lack of light that, especially in the darkening days of fall, she would go from room to room, switch to switch, turning every light on. She said it was to welcome him home, and that was certainly one reason. But he also wondered if it was to delay the moment when the dark would take over completely.
The garage door rumbled closed as he pulled his briefcase out of the backseat and went in through the entry leading to the open plan kitchen and lounge area. He sniffed with appreciation, tasting vanilla and chocolate in the air. Corinne and Laura must have baked that afternoon. The lid of the ceramic Winnie the Pooh cookie jar clinked as he lifted it.
A cheerfully scolding voice stopped him. “No cookies until after you eat dinner! I helped Corinne make spaghetti.”
Laura stood in the opening leading to the playroom. She grinned and he saw the gap in her top row of teeth. She was only five and he hadn’t been prepared for her losing that baby tooth. That wasn’t supposed to happen until grade two, maybe even three, right? She was growing up so quickly.
“You have ears like a cat,” he said, moving forward to scoop her into his arms.
She laughed delightedly as he swung her around. “No, I don’t! Cat’s ears are furry.”
“I mean you hear really well.” Her blue eyes shone, perfectly clear, sparkling with fun. He grabbed her hand and blew a raspberry into the palm. She giggled and wiggled and he had to grip her tightly to keep her from falling. “What else did you and Corinne do today?”
Laura nattered away about a trip to the grocery store as he carried her into the playroom, a bright, airy space just off the kitchen. Corinne Matheson sat on the floor in the centre of an explosion of Lego. The first thing he’d done when he and Laura had arrived in Prince George was start the search for a housekeeper/nanny. He’d envisioned a grandmotherly woman with years of experience and a professional manner, a clone replacement for Mrs. Grady in Vancouver. Instead he’d ended up with a purple-haired, multi-pierced early-twenty-something with a sarcastic attitude.
She made him feel decades older than his thirty-one years, and frightened him, just a bit, with her sheer efficiency. He didn’t know what he’d do without her.
“Hi,” he greeted her, as Laura wandered off to the corner where a kid-sized kitchen was set up. “Sorry I’m late. How was her day?”
“One of her good ones.” Corinne tossed the last of the Lego into a bin and hefted it onto a shelf. “Her teacher says she was much less anxious at school than normal, so I took her grocery shopping.”
“Yes, she told me. It sounds like she enjoyed it.”
“She did. No jitters at all.”
He watched his daughter chatter to herself while stirring an empty pot on the tiny toy stove with one hand. The other hand patted the counter until she found a lid and put it in place with only a small fumble. His heart broke with pride and pain.
His beautiful, perfect daughter was blind.
One day just after her first birthday she’d been irritable and out of sorts. Short hours later he was holding her limp, feverish body, listening in sheer terror as the doctor decreed meningitis. He’d known it wasn’t a simple flu, but hadn’t expected that terrible diagnosis. Through the long days that followed he’d prayed for her to live, prayed that she wouldn’t be taken from him so soon. She had survived, but not unscathed. Discovering the illness had left her blind had been a gut-wrenching blow, but one he’d been willing to accept, if it meant he still had her with him.
Corinne finished tidying and stood next to him. “She really is doing much better. It’s been weeks since she had a major panic attack.” Absently, she reached out and knocked on the wooden door trim, an old-fashioned superstition Will found charmingly out of character for such a cynical young woman. “We did some Braille training and her spatial awareness exercises, then she helped me make the spaghetti. She cut up the mushrooms.”
His eyebrows shot up in alarm and he opened his mouth to remonstrate, but Corinne held up her hand before he could speak. “I gave her a butter knife, and, more accurately, she tore the mushrooms apart. I wouldn’t give a sighted five-year old a real knife. I’m not an idiot.”
“I’m sorry. Of course you’re not.” Together they moved into the kitchen, leaving Laura to her play. “How’s school going?”
“Ugh.” Corinne took her army camouflage jacket down from a hook by the back door and pulled it on. “I have a huge project due Monday.”
She attended the local university part-time, studying social work. He still didn’t know why she’d applied to cook and clean and care for a child who was severely visually impaired. But after Laura had thrown screaming fits when introduced to the first two women he’d chosen, he’d been willing to try anyone. He could only guess that Corinne, being the complete opposite of her beloved Mrs. Grady, had been enough of a novelty for his daughter to staunch her homesickness. “I’ll pick up Laura after school tomorrow as usual. Anything special you want for dinner?”
“Surprise me. I’ll see you later.”
Corinne called a casual goodbye to Laura and clattered out the door. Will opened the oven and found the spaghetti, already mixed with sauce, keeping warm. The work he’d brought home with him was a constant burr at the back of his mind, but for now his evening stretched ahead, sweet and familiar. He’d eat dinner with his daughter, then he’d help her with her bath, and they’d cuddle in bed as he read stories until she fell asleep.
If he wished there was someone with him to share those precious moments, that wasn’t a new wish. What was new was the uncomfortable certainty that he’d met that someone.
And that she had barely acknowledged his existence.