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“Morgan, Dad says it’s almost time for us to go on stage and beg for money.”
She turned away from River as a wave of relief washed over her. Morgan needed the interruption. Things had escalated quickly with years of words bottled up between them, but now was not the time. She would say something she regretted if she didn’t get away from him right now.
“Do you have your speech ready?” This time it was Sawyer’s twin, Finn, coming to fetch her. The identical twins were a year and a half older than she was, both with their father’s dark blond hair and golden hazel eyes. She could tell this was Finn because of the dimple in his right cheek. Sawyer’s dimple was in his left cheek. She also knew Finn was wearing a bright orange bow tie with his tuxedo to agitate their father. Finn lived to exacerbate Trevor Steele.
“I’ll be right there.” She turned back to where River was standing with an expectant look on his face. He’d called her arrogant, and the way he looked at her made her want to slap the smug smirk off his face. She’d settle for making him eat his words. “We’ll have to continue this conversation later, Mr. Atkinson.”
“I look forward to it. I’m certainly not going anywhere,” he said.
As Morgan turned and made her way up to the stage to join her family in greeting the guests and donors at their annual charity event, she worried that River meant every word he’d said.
Whether it was a promise or a threat, River Atkinson was suddenly back in her life and he wasn’t going anywhere.
* * *
River watched Morgan walk away with a grin on his face. He was pleased. For one thing, he’d gotten under her skin. That was exactly what he’d wanted when he set out tonight. And for two, watching the curve of her ass sway in that satin-and-lace gown as she left was a delicious sight that brought back some very hot memories. Her womanly curves had certainly filled out since he’d seen her last. That would make any man smile. Even a man who had spent years plotting to make her regret the way she’d abused his affections.
Those affections for Morgan were long gone now. Swept under the rug with his other youthful naïveté. He should’ve known that his romance with a rich little princess wouldn’t end well. She had just been stretching her wings, rebelling against the tight reins they’d kept on her as a child. That’s what college was for after all. The problem was that they’d both taken it too far. They’d fallen in love.
Even that wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world. Love wasn’t permanent. Marriage was another matter. It was legally binding. Or at least he’d thought it was until the Steele family lawyers managed to get their little indiscretion wiped away.
And Morgan had let them do it. That was what hurt the most. When Daddy yelled, she’d fallen in line, throwing away everything they’d planned together. He’d been left with an empty bed and a consolation prize, if you could call it that. Some would call it hush money. Or a bribe to walk away and not cause a stink. If there was one thing he’d learned about the Steele family, it was that they hated a scandal. He probably could’ve gotten more money from her father if he’d asked for it. Whatever it took to make River go away.
But, of course, he hadn’t thought to do that. He hadn’t wanted to take the money at all. It felt cheap. What he wanted was his wife back. He wanted the future he’d planned with her.
When River realized that wasn’t going to happen, he knew he had a choice. He could turn tail and go home with nothing but his bruised pride, or he could take the money and make something positive come out of this whole mess. He supposed Mr. Steele thought he would blow every penny on cheap beer and an expensive truck, or whatever he thought poor white trash liked to do with their money.
The joke was on him. River might’ve been poor and lacked all those fancy degrees on his wall, but he wasn’t stupid. He took that money and started his own construction company. He’d practically grown up in this business, following his dad around job sites as soon as he was old enough. With his father’s experience, River’s drive and a housing boom just beginning in Charleston, he’d turned that hundred thousand into a hundred million in cash and assets.
And to keep in touch with his roots, when River made his first million, he bought a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a tricked out Ford F-250 to celebrate. Couldn’t let ol’ Trevor down, could he?
The sound of applause roused River from his thoughts. The family was done welcoming the crowd and asking for money. That meant his chance to track down Morgan again had come. Unfortunately, the petite brunette was easily lost in the crowd. He supposed she wasn’t too eager to continue their discussion, but like it or not, it was going to happen. It had been festering for ten years now and it needed to be dealt with.
Even then, there wasn’t a rush to return to their argument. He had time, so he made his way to the bar for a refresher and enjoyed some of the cold canapés being passed around. They weren’t particularly filling, but rich people seemed to like fancy foods that cost a lot yet left a gnawing hunger in their bellies.
“Mr. Atkinson?”
River turned to find an older man with a young blonde on his arm. “Yes?”
“Kent Bradford,” he said, thrusting out his free hand to shake with River. “I hear you build some amazing houses.”
River smiled. “I’m glad that’s the word going around, but I like to think of it as well-built homes my customers love. Are you interested in building a property, Mr. Bradford?”
“Call me Kent. And actually, yes I am. Do you work outside of the Charleston area at all? I’ve secured some mountain property near Asheville, North Carolina, and I was hoping to build a cabin.”
His brow went up. “A cabin?” A cabin wasn’t worth the time or energy to travel that far. The man could get a better deal from a local company.
Kent chuckled. “Well, I say cabin, but let’s be honest. A five-thousand square foot, three-story house is hardly a cabin. I just want it to have that mountain cabin feel. With all the modern amenities and luxuries, of course.”
That was more like it. “I haven’t built out there, but I would be happy to discuss it with you.” River reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a business card. “Why don’t you give me a call next week and we can talk about what you’re interested in. I can have my architect draw something up.”
“Wonderful.” The man accepted the card and slipped it into his pocket. “I’ll be calling you.” With a smile, the man turned and led the younger blonde over to the dance floor.
Tonight wasn’t all about confronting Morgan, despite what she might think.
It was also about business. Working with the Steele Tools company on their annual charity project was good PR for him. Just being in this room put him within shouting distance of damn near every millionaire in the state of South Carolina. While he waited to talk to Morgan, he was happy to pick up a few business contacts. These types were always wanting to build a summer home or a new status-symbol mansion to keep up with the Joneses, and that meant business was good for him.
He figured that eventually he would get a chance to talk to Morgan again. The room was only so large and the night had really just begun. But the next thing he knew, one of the twins got back on stage. River knew she had three older brothers, two of whom were identical twins, but he couldn’t even begin to be able to tell them apart, especially with them all sporting similar, Mark Twain-esque names.
