You were never more than a fling I used you to amuse myself. I would never marry the son of the town drunk. Don't come back. It would embarrass me to be seen with you. Elizabeth Marie Kingsley.
That letter shattered Jason's dreams. He hadn't wanted to believe what he read and went to confront her. She repeated every word in the letter as though she'd memorized them. Each word drew blood until he'd been drained dry.
To escape the pain, he left Minnesota, but the ache of Beth's betrayal followed him. He got a job that forced him to get out of bed each day, but at night he struggled with his despair until he met Matt. With Matt's, Helen's, and Callie's help, he made a new life for himself. Jason locked his feelings in the darkest closet of his heart and became J.D. Richards.
Then a month ago, he received another letter postmarked Serenity Bay, MN.
Mr. Fischer, If you want to learn the truth, you should return to Serenity Bay and talk to Elizabeth Kingsley.
The letter wasn't signed.
He swept a hand through his hair.
For years he dreamed of going back to town in triumph. To show people who'd called him worthless how wrong they'd been. No longer was he a hoodlum they could grind under their shoes. He rubbed his hands together. The time for vindication had arrived.
He intended to uncover Beth's secrets and to teach her what those who betrayed him learned—if you cross J.D. Richards, expect retribution. Jason Richards didn't walk away from a fight, and even if he was late to this one, he planned to win.
When he walked into the council chambers, he'd fought the desire to stare at Beth. She was more beautiful now than she'd been at eighteen. Her hair was still the color of wheat in the summer sun, and her lips had that slight pout that made a man hungry for a taste.
When they'd been together, what had touched his soul had been her caring, loving heart.
His shoulders drooped. He could negotiate a merger with a hostile opponent but was lousy at choosing women to trust. All his life he'd wanted a wife and children, but failed. So he buried his disappointment and bitterness in his work. Now there were few women he trusted other than his mother and sister.
With a bright smile, the flight attendant set a cup on the table. "Would you like anything else, Mr. Richards?"
"No. Thank you." He inhaled, and the honeysuckle in her perfume reminded him of the cologne Beth wore when she was eighteen.
"Take me with you, please. Don't leave without me."
"It's just two months. Then you can come with me. In the meantime, I'll find a job and find an apartment. I know it's hard to be apart, but I want to have a place for us to live when you get to the city."
"Then, before you go, make love to me."
"We agreed to wait until we got married. I don't want you to regret what we do."
"Please, Jason. I need to believe you'll come back for me."
"Mr. Richards."
"Beth, I want you—"
"Mr. Richards?"
Jason's eyes blinked open. The flight attendant's eyes were wide with surprise. No doubt shocked he'd fallen asleep. He never slept on these flights.
"We'll be landing in twenty minutes, sir."
"Thank you." He straightened his shoulders. I'm nobody's fling.
The worthless Fischer boy had never gone into the homes of Serenity Bay's elite. He'd lived on the poor side of town, and people called him a hoodlum. Archer even tried to have him arrested for a crime he didn't commit.
Now, J.D. Richards received an invitation to the homes of the wealthy and influential. Presidents asked his opinion and courted his friendship. Although only thirty-one, he had earned the admiration of those he called friends and the respect of those who challenged him. Now no one was foolish enough to call J.D. Richards worthless.
Jason spent his first morning back in town working in the study, or at least he tried.
He dialed the first number.
"Jackson."
His no-nonsense-let's-get-down-to-business investigator's greeting always made him smile. "Have you learned any new information about the months Beth traveled?"
"Everyone I've talked to said she traveled in Europe with her mother. I checked with my contacts. She's never had a passport."
Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "What are you going to do now?"
"I've talked to several of Kingsley's household staff. He fired a maid a short time before Elizabeth left for Europe. I want to find her."
"You think she knows something?"
"Well, the timing seems coincidental."
"—and you don't believe in coincidences." Jason chuckled. "All right. I'll call again in a couple of days."
After Jason ended his call to Jackson, he dialed again. He never had a chance to say hello.
"I'm so glad you called." The greeting was warm with an underlying hint of concern.
"I left Chicago yesterday, Mom. Don't tell me you miss me already?"
Helen Richards' laughter rang through the connection. "Don't tease me. How are you?"
"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not the scared boy who left town nine years ago. I'm older now and tougher. No one pushes me around anymore," he sighed, "except you."
"I don't understand why you went back. That town holds so many bad memories. You don't have to prove yourself to those people."
"In my mind, I know you're right, but a part of me needs the closure."
"All right, but be careful. We love you and want you back where you belong."
"Try not to worry." Even though she supported his decision to return to Serenity Bay, Helen would worry.
"I love you."
Jason said, "I love you, too."
When he laid the phone down, he grinned. Time to take the next step in his plan. He'd visit her in the middle of the day. She'd be less likely to expect him, and she wouldn't have time to practice her lies.
Beth's shop was on Main Street in the heart of the business district. When he'd lived in Serenity Bay, a café that made the best hamburgers in town had been in the building. There wasn't an open space in the lot, so he parked around the corner.
His heart pounded hard and fast as he walked into Delectable Delights. He took a deep breath and inhaled the rich, earthy scent of fresh-brewed coffee mixed with the aroma of sweet baked pastries. The shop vibrated with the buzz of happy, spirited conversations.
The shop invited people to stop in to visit with friends and family. There were areas with easy chairs filled with customers who chatted and enjoyed their coffee. Along the walls were several tables overflowing with customers.
There was one problem; Beth wasn't here. He assumed, in the middle of a workday, she'd be in the restaurant. He knew trying to predict another's actions could undermine a plan no matter how well designed. When he decided on a course of action, he considered roadblocks and hurdles, but never made assumptions. Until today. Where is she?
Behind him, a door whooshed opened. He turned. Beth walked out of the kitchen. This woman was self-assured and confident. She was no longer the child of his memories. Her hair fell in a braided waterfall to her waist, and her eyes were the translucent blue of the oceans around exotic islands. But it was her body that made men dream of tangled sheets and long, mind-blowing nights of sex.
Beth picked up a pot of coffee and walked to the tables. She talked with the customers while refilling their cups. At last, she stepped away from a table and turned. The bright smile on her face faded to a frown, and her eyes narrowed.
This is how it felt when time stopped.
Beth embodied grace, elegance, and radiated a seductiveness that captivated others. Jason clenched his teeth. She'd crushed his heart once; he'd be a fool to give her a chance to hurt him again. It would be easier to do if the sight of her didn't make it so hard to breathe.
Her gaze drifted to the kitchen door. If she left, he intended to follow her. They would talk. He went to her with a smile pasted on his face. "Hello, Beth."
She huffed. "Mr. Richards, or is it J.D.?"
"My friends call me Jason."
"We aren't friends." Her words were colder than winters in Minnesota.
He nodded at the coffeepot she held. "That smells good."
"It's the best in town. Do you want a cup?"
"I would love one—strong and black."
"You used to drink your coffee with cream." She pressed a hand to her lips.
He bit off a laugh before it could escape. She remembered.
She waved to the one empty table in the shop. "Have a seat, and I'll get you a cup."
"Great. Will you join me?"
"What?"
"I came to talk to you. We didn't have time to visit at the council meeting."
She lifted her chin. "My office is this way."
He'd won this skirmish, or had he? Beth never gave up without a fight. He'd bet she didn't want witnesses when she told him to get lost.
She walked behind the counter. "Abbey, I'll be in the office. Call if you need help."
Abbey shifted from foot to foot while she stared at Jason. "Okay."
Beth walked through the door, and he followed. Not until her desk stood between them did she look at him. They watched each other like two combatants searching for weaknesses. She waved at the chairs behind him, and he sat in the one opposite hers.
"I didn't know you wanted your own business."
"People change." She shrugged. "Dreams change."
"Yes. Sometimes by choice." Every muscle in his body tightened, but he leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankle. Never let the prey see you sweat. "Sometimes it's forced on us."
"Why are you here?"
"I like your shop."
Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer my question."
"I wanted to visit old friends." He smiled.
"You couldn't wait to leave town or your friends. What's the real reason for your return?"
He held onto his smile. "To build the recreation complex."
He exhaled. His infamous reputation for ice water running through his veins was a lie. Hot, burning anger ran through him now.
Beth stared at him.
Would she ignore his request?
After several moments passed, she picked up the telephone. While she waited, she ran her tongue across her lips.
He watched the seductive movement, and the heat of his anger turned to lust. His gaze returned to her eyes when she snapped her mouth shut.
He covered his mouth and coughed to hide his laughter.
"Could you set up two cups of coffee? One a double espresso, and the other my usual."
Silence.
"I'll come out." Beth set the telephone on her desk. "They'll be ready soon."
"Excellent." He tilted his head. "What have you been doing for the last nine years?"
"I don't know what you're up to, but we aren't friends and have nothing to talk about. Whatever your reason for returning to town, it has nothing to do with me."
He crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you sure?"
"Why are you here?"
"It's time people in this town learn the consequences of judging others."
Her eyes flashed. Was it a reflection of the light or intense emotion?
"Is that why you’re here?" she taunted. "J.D. Richards has returned to teach us a lesson?"
"I want people to admit they were wrong about me." He stood and leaned across her desk. "It doesn't matter where someone lives or who their parents are. No one should be called worthless because he lives in a trailer park instead of on River Road."
Beth jumped to her feet, and her chair slammed against the wall. "I'll get the coffee."
Jason sat with his back straight as the edge of a ruler. He shouldn't have let her see his anger, but she'd pushed too hard. Now wasn't the time to ask questions or confront her, but it would happen soon. If there was any hope he could make peace with the past, he needed answers and vindication.
Besides, the letter hinted she hid something. He didn't know what secrets she had, but he refused to leave town until he learned the truth.
He inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it. Calmer now, he flexed his fingers and looked around Beth's office.
Neat. No clutter, no papers, not even a paperclip on her desk. Three-ring binders stood on the shelves, lined up in a straight line like soldiers for inspection. On the cabinet next to her desk were several photos. Pictures of women, children, christenings, weddings, but not a single picture of her or her parents.
The sound of a throat clearing caught his attention. He turned and looked at Beth standing in the doorway holding two cups. He stood as she shoved a cup of coffee at him. She went to her side of the desk, picked up her fallen chair and sat. He settled back into his chair.
"You own a home out on River Drive." He watched her while he took a drink of espresso. "This is good."
"How—how do you know where I live?"
"People talk." He would never let her know he had reports from an investigator. "I'm surprised your father let you leave the family home. He was rather protective of you."
"My father doesn't tell me how to live. I wanted a home of my own, and now I have it."
"Are you married or involved with someone?" He wanted to know if she'd answer his question.
"That's none of your business."
He flashed his most charming smile. "True, but tell me anyway."
There was a sadness in her eyes when she said, "My husband died."
"I'm sorry." Jason's eye narrowed. "Why didn't you come to Minneapolis?"
Beth's heart skipped a beat. "What?"
"The day I left, you begged to go with me. But after I left, you changed your mind. Why?"
"I liked my life and didn't want to leave."
"You hated your life here. What changed after I left?"
"It's ancient history. Besides, it didn't matter to you."
"What do you mean it didn't matter? We made plans for a future together, but instead, you dumped me and said I was a fling. It mattered."
Then why didn't you come back when I begged for your help? She folded her hands together. "It took nine years, but I've learned you can't change the past and to try is a waste of hope. I got on with my life. You should do the same."
He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. "Will you have breakfast with me? We can catch up with each other."
"My life is boring."
"I don't believe anything about you could bore me. We can meet before the shop opens."
Beth pressed her lips together. Jason never gave up. He'd wheedle and push to get what he wanted. "When do you want to meet?"
"I'll pick you up at six-thirty.
She stood. "Fine. I'll see you in the morning."
He walked out with a swagger in his steps.
She mumbled, "I can't wait."
By the time she got home, Beth's head ached from clenching her teeth. She skipped dinner, went to her bedroom, and paced. I can't go to breakfast. She crossed the room. Why did he return? She walked back. I needed his help, and he ignored me. Now he wants to be friends? Never going to happen.
If she left the house early, she'd be at work before he came for her. He might be so angry he'd give up on his demand to see her. She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it. When they'd been young and in love, she'd admired his determination. Now that she was the prey, his persistence wasn't as admirable.
Beth took two aspirins and crawled into bed. If only there was a pill to make Jason go away. She closed her eyes determined to put him out of her mind and lose herself in sleep.
The sinister light of the moon passed over Jason. His face looked hard, angry, and dangerous. Then clouds gathered to hide the moon's glow, and he vanished into the darkness.
Alone and frightened, her scream echoed through the bleakness. "Jason."
"You didn't want me. You threw me away."
"That's not true. I had to protect you."
"You're lying."
"It's the truth. I would do anything for you. I love you." Murky shadows surrounded her and strangled her with their icy claws. She couldn't breathe.
Beth sat up to find her sheets tangled around her. She fought to get free then crawled out of bed. Beth stumbled to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet before heaving. With deep, long draws of air, she tried to slow her breathing and ease the nausea. It didn't help. She choked on the desolation that always tortured her after her nightmares. She sat on the floor and did nothing to stop the fall of sweat and tears down her cheeks.
The gagging stopped, but her stomach ached. Beth held onto the counter and struggled to her feet. Her sweat-dampened nightgown clung to her skin. She wrestled to get the gown off and ignored the sound of fabric tearing. When the cool air touched her skin, she shivered.
She ran a washcloth over her damp skin. By the time she put on a fresh gown, her heart had returned to a normal rhythm although her stomach still churned. She returned to the bedroom and turned on every lamp in the room. The light hid the terror and skeletons that came out in the dark, but nothing stopped the memories or guilt.