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“She found out the day she died.” Patrick let out a sigh, his eyes darting to the ground. “We were arguing about it when she left that night.”
For once the great Patrick Rowling looked defeated. Which was nothing less than he deserved. Will’s heart was absolutely crushed. He reached out, gripped the back of his desk chair and tried to think rationally here. Finding out your father had an affair with the mother of a woman you had fallen for was shocking enough. But to add to the intensity, his mother had died as a result of the affair.
Dread settled deep in Will’s his gut. Did Cat know of this affair? Surely not. Surely she would have told him or at least hinted at the knowledge. Would this crush her, too?
“Get out,” Will said in a low, powerful tone as he kept his eyes on the blotter on his desk. “Get the hell out of my office and be glad my freezing your voting rights in this company is all I’m doing to you.”
Patrick didn’t move. Will brought his gaze up and glared at the man he’d once trusted.
“You have one minute to be out of this building or I’ll call security.”
“I never thought you’d turn on me,” his father replied.
“I turned on you four years ago when you threatened the woman I love.”
Will hadn’t meant to declare his love for Cat, but it felt good to finally let the words out. And now more than ever he wasn’t giving up. He was going to move heaven and earth to win her back because he did love her. He’d always loved her if he was honest with himself. And he wanted a life with her now more than ever.
Bella was having a fund-raiser this coming weekend and Will knew he was going to need reinforcements. He wasn’t letting Cat go. Not this time. Never again.
* * *
“I figured you’d be at work today.” James sank down onto the chaise longue on his patio as Maisey played in her sandbox. “You look like hell, man.”
Will shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced toward the ocean. “I feel like hell. Thanks for pointing it out.”
“You still haven’t talked to Catalina?”
Maisey squealed, threw her toy shovel and started burying her legs beneath the sand. Will watched his niece and wondered if there could ever be a family for Cat and him. She wanted a family and the more he thought of a life with her, the more he wanted the same thing.
“No, I haven’t seen her.” Will shifted his focus to his brother and took a seat on the edge of a chair opposite him. “Bella’s fund-raiser is going to be at the Playa del Onda house this weekend, right?”
“Yes. Dad will be out of town and that house is perfect for entertaining. Why?”
“I want you to ask Cat to help with the staff there.” Will held up a hand before his brother could cut him off. “I have my reasons, but I need your help in order to make this work.”
James shook his head and stared down at his daughter for a minute before he looked back at Will. “This could blow up in your face.”
Will nodded. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
“What’s in it for me?” James asked with a smirk.
Will laughed. Without even thinking twice, he unfastened the watch on his wrist and held it up. “This.”
James’s eyes widened. “I was joking.”
“I’m not.” Will reached out and placed the watch on the arm of his brother’s chair. “You deserve it back. This has nothing to do with you helping me with Cat. The watch is rightfully yours.”
James picked it up and gripped it in his hand. “We’ve really come a long way,” he muttered.
Will had one more piece of business to take care of and he was not looking forward to this discussion at all. There was no way James knew of the affair or he definitely would’ve said something. Will really hated to crush his brother with the news, but James deserved to know.
“I need to tell you something.” Will glanced at Maisey. “Is your nanny here or is Bella busy?”
James sat up in his seat, slid his watch on and swung his legs around to the deck. “Bella was answering emails, but she can watch Maisey. Is everything okay?”
Will shook his head. “Not really.”
Worry and concern crossed James’s face as he nodded. After taking Maisey inside, he returned moments later, closing the patio doors behind him.
“This must really be something if it has you this upset.” James sat back down on the edge of his chair. “What’s going on?”
