“I think we’ve got a good business plan,” Eleanor said to Mr. Thomas and Mr. Hayden, as they stood to leave.

“I have to confess,” Mr. Hayden said, “I had my eye on this place as an exclusive hotel at one time, thinking that it was abandoned. But, Mr. Thomas assured me a lovely, young woman lived here and he was right.”

Smiling, she shook his hand and they walked through the foyer. “I could never leave my home, but I’m very excited to work with you on the building of the center.”

Stepping outside, he looked over her lawn and said, “Whoever your groundskeeper is, he’s got the gift. I need someone I can trust with some of my other properties.”

“I happen to know that he’ll soon be starting his own business. Can I have him give you a call when he’s up and running?”

“Absolutely,” he enthused, pumping her hand up and down before walking to his truck with a wave goodbye.

Mr. Thomas offered her a hug, smiling down at her. “My dear, your parents would be so proud of you.”

“Thank you…that means a lot to me.”

“I get the feeling that there is more going on than just the burn center. I just hope that you’ll introduce me to your young man sometime.”

Blushing, she agreed readily. “As soon as he’s back in town, I’ll have you over. And I hope it is the first of many gatherings here in Bellamy House again.”

With a final goodbye, she waved him away, her heart light.

* * *

Rafe showed up at Marty’s office, late that day, stepping up to his assistant, who looked as harried as usual. “Hey Donna, is Marty in? He’s been blowing up my phone wanting to meet even though I’ve told him over and over my modeling career is finish.”

“He didn’t come in today, Rafe, which makes no sense because I know he’s been dying to get hold of you and convince you to not quit modeling,” she replied, her lips pinched together. “He took off from here and left me with a pile of meetings to cancel or reschedule, a shit-ton of models to placate, and didn’t leave me his fucking itinerary.”

Lifting his eyebrow, he asked, “Is that usual?”

“Which part?” she groused, lifting her hands to pull her hair back from her face before securing it in a knot on top of her head with a pencil. “Leaving the complaining models for me to deal with? Only when they’re on the lower end of the spectrum and not a big name. Rescheduling meetings? Only when he has a more important meeting to take, which happens all the fucking time. But not giving me the itinerary? Nope, that’s a new jerk move for him. I’d think he was off having a tryst with a sweetheart…if he had a heart.”

Barking out a laugh, he said, “Honest to God, Donna, he doesn’t pay you enough.”

“Well, don’t worry about what he pays me. Marty’s losing clients every day after that dumbass stunt he pulled with you.” Grinning, she said, “And I’m going with another agency. This is my last couple of days, just trying to put things right.”

“Donna, you are one of only three people I’ll actually miss from here. And Marty isn’t one of them.”

Now it was her turn to laugh, standing to offer him her hand. “Good luck with wherever life takes you.”

“I’m staying in Virginia, starting a new business. And found the love of my life.” With a dip of his chin, he walked out, sliding his sunglasses on his eyes. Smiling to himself, he realized that without having to meet with Marty, he was free to leave a day early. Pulling out his phone, he called the airlines.

By ten p.m. that night, he was sitting on a plane. Thrilled he had been able to get on an earlier flight from California to Virginia, he did not mind the premium he had to pay for changing his ticket or the last-minute fees. Before he had to power down his phone, he shot off a text.

Got finished early. On plane now. Will be in your arms before lunch tomorrow. Miss you!

Leaning his head back against the seat, he closed his eyes, his mind filled with the beautiful woman waiting for him at home.

* * *

Eleanor walked into the kitchen the next morning, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. The sun was peeking through the window at the front of the house that she’d moved through the rooms and opened the draperies. Her late-night text from Rafe had her smiling and she could not wait to see him and tell him of the latest plans for her project, and the fact that Mr. Hayden might hire him to do more landscaping when he got his business started.

Moving to the desk in the study, she opened the folder that they had been working on and perused the documents. The center would be comprised of a small apartment building, housing both efficiencies and one-bedroom units. A large therapy room, gym, and indoor pool would be on the first floor, along with offices and a large kitchen.

The windows would face the river below or the extensive lawn and gardens on the back. Only two miles from Bellamy House, it would be close enough for her to spend a lot of time there and yet far enough away to not feel like it was in her backyard.

Her mind rolled to the business Rafe wanted to start. He wanted to plan landscapes and she knew several of her parents’ old friends would love to hire him. Ones that had not given up on her and continued to call, even when she tried to hide away.

Glancing down at her right hand, the scars still just as red and puckered as they rose up her arm, she realized they no longer held her captive. She smiled and had just looked back down at the papers when the doorbell rang.

Walking through the foyer, she opened the door, seeing a middle-aged man in a suit standing on the stoop. “Hello,” she greeted. “May I help you?”

* * *

The red-eye flight had been long, but Rafe was pleased he had been able to sleep. Climbing into his car, he began the drive back home. Home. He liked the sound of that word. Not since he had left Miss Ethel’s home at the age of eighteen had he felt like anywhere was home. And all because of Eleanor.

The drive, like his time working on the grounds of Bellamy House, gave him time to think. He realized he never saw her scars when he looked at her. Or when he made love to her. Love. Home and love. A huge grin split his face as he drove along, each mile bringing him closer to the place he never wanted to leave.

His phone indicated an incoming call and he hit the answer button as well as making sure it was on speaker. “Hello?”

“Rafe? This is Donna. I wanted to let you know that if you were back in Virginia today, you can have your meeting with Marty.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I guess Marty must have been planning on meeting you and never told me. I got a look at his itinerary that he finally sent to me late last night. He had a meeting with a few models and agents in New York but then diverted his tickets to Virginia’s Richmond airport before he planned on coming back here. I assume it’s to meet up with you.”

“Marty knew I was going to be in California,” he explained. “I can’t imagine what he’d be doing here in Virginia.” An uneasy feeling slithered through him and, glancing at the time, he knew he could be home in another half hour.

“I don’t know where he was planning on trying to meet you. The note on the side of his calendar says Bellamy House. Does that make sense?”

The uneasy feeling roared to life, his breath leaving his lungs in a rush. “Yeah, it does. Thanks Donna.” Disconnecting, he pressed down on the accelerator, revving the engine, hoping to make it home in time.

Calling Zander, he barked, “Almost home, but I think Eleanor might need some help. My slimy, former agent, who doesn’t like to take no for an answer, may be trying to get to her. Get over there as fast as you can.”

“You got it,” came the expected reply.

Sucking in a deep breath, he hoped he was wrong about where Marty might be heading, but was afraid his fears were right.