Playing For Keeps (Emerald Lake Billionaires 2) Read online

  Ryan coughed.

  “Be careful not to choke,” Sophie said sweetly. “You won’t be able to tell me where my keys are if you’re gasping for breath.”

  The smile she got in return made her knees weak. She straightened her spine and pretended she hadn’t seen the gleam in Ryan’s eyes. He had an annoying habit of being incredibly charming when he wanted things to go his way. But no amount of charm would make her forget that she was looking for her car keys.

  Ryan walked across to their makeshift counter and poured himself another mug of coffee. “Rachel is John Fletcher’s fiancée. He also has a daughter called Bella. I’ll take you across to their home and introduce you to them.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Sophie said. “I won’t be here long enough to meet your neighbors.”

  “You will if you can’t find your keys.” Ryan aimed another lethal smile at her heart.

  Sophie ignored him and turned her attention back to Danny. He squirmed under her gaze. Tanner’s laugh turned into a cough when he saw the terror on Danny’s face.

  “Danny, why don’t you go outside and see if the timber from Jake’s Hardware has arrived?” Ryan said quickly. “Make sure you leave the delivery slip in my office.”

  Danny moved faster than a streak of lightning. Before Sophie took another breath, he was gone.

  Jamie shook his head. “He can’t stretch the truth to save himself.”

  “He’s the most honest male in the room,” Sophie said. “And before you tell me that none of you know where my car keys are, I’ll let you in on a little secret. I know where your car keys are.” Three pairs of eyes swiveled toward the kitchen counter. Sophie smiled and dangled Tanner’s keys in the air. “Look at this. One set has mysteriously reappeared.”

  Jamie looked between Tanner’s car keys and the plate of cookies in her other hand. “I don’t know where your keys are, but I wouldn’t mind another cookie.”

  Sophie held the plate toward him. “You’d better take an extra one for Danny.”

  Jamie took a handful of cookies and left the table. “I know it’s none of my business, but Ryan’s got a point. If someone’s trying to find you, this is the best place to hide.”

  Sophie looked at Ryan. “You told them?”

  Jamie shook his head. “He didn’t need to. You’re as jumpy as a Jack-in-the-Box when someone comes here. I thought you had ex-husband or ex-boyfriend trouble.”

  Sophie didn’t have time for friends, let alone ex-husbands. It would have made her life easier if she’d known who was trying to find her. Unfortunately, the conversation she’d overheard hadn’t given her enough information to know who wanted her formula.

  “Why don’t you stay here tonight?” Jamie asked. “You could put your sleeping bag on the folding bed that Tanner brought with him. If you sleep in the downstairs office, you won’t have to put up with Ryan’s snoring.” He looked at Ryan and smiled. “No offense, boss. You can’t help it if you sound like a train.” Jamie didn’t pay any attention to the scowl on Ryan’s face, but he did walk quickly outside.

  Sophie looked closely at Tanner. “I suppose you were simply driving past and decided to drop by. What a coincidence that you had a folding bed in the back of your truck.”

  Tanner didn’t look intimidated by the grouchy female in front of him. “If you want my professional opinion, you should stay here. The campground isn’t the best place to sleep if someone is looking for you. I don’t know what’s happened, but I can guarantee you’ll have even more issues if you keep living out of your car. But, at the end of the day, it’s your life.”

  Tanner was wrong. It wasn’t just her life that she had to consider. Her mom and sister were relying on her in more ways than anyone knew. She had to be there for them and stay alive.

  Sophie watched Ryan out of the corner of her eye. He was leaning against the kitchen cabinets, slowly sipping his coffee.

  Sophie left the cookies in the middle of the table. “Okay. I’ll stay here for a week and see how it goes. But no one can find out that I’m living here.”

  Ryan glanced at Tanner. “Your secret’s safe with us. I’ll let Jamie and Danny know so they don’t say anything.” He put his hand inside one of the open boxes sitting on a shelf. “I guess you’ll need these now. Travel safely.” Ryan threw the keys toward her and she caught them in mid-air.

  Sophie wrapped her fingers around the pendant on the end of the chain. “I’ll be back in about two hours. If you need me, call me on my cell phone.”

  “You forgot something.”

  She frowned at Ryan’s outstretched hand.

  “Keys?”

  She patted her pocket and pulled out two sets of keys. She handed them to Ryan and went outside. She had an order to collect and more than one reason to stay by the lake.

  She just hoped Ryan didn’t mind his kitchen being used as a chemistry lab.

  ***

  Sophie walked into Angel Wings Café. The bell above the door jingled and three heads swiveled toward her. Two elderly women sitting beside the front window smiled, and Tess looked up from a table at the back of the room.

  “Hi Sophie. How are you?”

  “I’m great. I thought I’d come and say hello.” Sophie looked at the waitress who came across to her table. “Could I have a cappuccino, please?”

  “Would you like something to eat, as well?”

  Sophie shook her head. “No, thanks.”

  The waitress smiled. “I’ll be back soon. Help yourself to a seat.”

  “Come and sit with me,” Tess said. She closed the lid of her laptop and moved some folders off the table. “Did you find the campground?”

  “I did. It’s a nice place to stay.”

  “And what about a job?”

  Sophie put her bag beside her. She didn’t like talking about what she was doing, even with Tess. Ever since she’d left Chicago, she’d been terrified that someone would overhear a conversation and work out that she was as fake as the knockoff Gucci handbag she was carrying.

  She glanced around the room. No one was paying them any attention. “I’m working for Ryan Evans. I help in his office and do some work around the house.”

  Tess tilted her head to the side, studying Sophie like a bug under a microscope. “How did you meet Ryan?”

  “My car ran out of gas as I was driving into Bozeman. The day I met you was when Ryan stopped to help. I think he took pity on me and decided to give me a chance.”

  Tess smiled. “That sounds like Ryan. Are you enjoying working for him?”

  “It’s hard work, but fun. I’m learning more about remodeling than I ever thought I would.” The waitress left Sophie’s coffee on the table. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” The waitress looked at Tess. “Would you like another soda?”

  Tess shook her head. “I’m okay at the moment. Can you make sure we’ve got enough meals for The Lighthouse tonight?”

  The dark-haired waitress nodded. “We’ve got more than enough. Sally’s giving Pastor Steven a hand tonight. She said she’d meet us there.”

  Sophie looked between the two women.

  Tess waved toward the waitress. “Sophie, this is Kate Carter. We make meals for The Lighthouse most nights. Pastor Steven provides free meals for anyone who’d like some company.”

  “How many people come for dinner each night?”

  “It depends,” Tess said. “We’ve got about six regulars, but most nights we have anywhere from ten to fifteen people at his home. Most of the people who have dinner volunteer for other jobs in the community. It’s their way of giving something back.”

  “It sounds like you’ve got a busy night ahead of you.”

  “No busier than usual,” Tess said with a grin. “Between The Lighthouse and The Bridesmaids Club, I don’t have a lot of free time.”

  “Which is why she’s doing her invoicing from a table in the café,” Kate said with a frown.

  Tess shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I don�
�t like accounting very much. At least here I can get easily distracted and find someone interesting to talk to.”

  Sophie was about to tell Tess that there wasn’t anything remotely interesting about her, when the doorbell jingled.

  The smile on Tess’ face grew wider. “Rachel? I thought you were on school camp with your class?”

  “I was. We got back this afternoon and I’m desperate for a decent coffee.” She looked at Sophie and smiled. “Hi. I’m Rachel.”

  Sophie held out her hand. “I’m Sophie Elliott. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Rachel frowned. “You’re not the same Sophie that’s helping Ryan build his home, are you?”

  Sophie slowly nodded. “I am. How did you know who I was?”

  “My fiancé owns the house beside Ryan’s.”

  “Your fiancé is John Fletcher?”

  Rachel nodded. “Before you ask any more questions, I need coffee. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  While Rachel was ordering her coffee at the counter, Sophie picked up the catalog that Tess had left on the table. She turned to the first page and flicked through the first section. “These dresses are beautiful.”

  Each page featured a different bridesmaid’s dress. Under each entry someone had recorded the size of the gown, its length, waist measurement, and whether it was part of a set. “It must have taken a lot of time to put this together?”

  Tess watched Sophie turn to the next page. “It did, but Molly enjoys taking the photographs and Rachel, Sally, and Annie helped measure each dress.”

  “What does The Bridesmaids Club do?”

  “We find new owners for pre-loved bridesmaids’ dresses. When we started, we had twenty-two dresses. Now we’ve got about ninety gowns, a dozen tiaras, more than ten pairs of shoes, and the offer of a free limousine ride for any of our brides who live in Bozeman. Some days our heads spin when we think about all of the work ahead of us.”

  “You must enjoy it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t keep doing it.”

  Rachel sat beside Sophie. “Are you talking about The Bridesmaids Club?”

  Tess nodded. “I was just telling Sophie how much time it takes to match our bridesmaids with a dress.”

  “Whatever time Tess told you it takes, you might as well double it. She works so hard that some days I swear she’s Wonder Woman in disguise.” Rachel stirred a spoonful of sugar into her hot drink. “I’m looking forward to this coffee. There’s something about living with sixty-eight children for three days that makes me subhuman. Bella’s a dream compared to some of the children we were looking after.”

  The doorbell jingled again and Sophie looked across the room. She stared at the woman standing inside the café. Her blonde hair formed a perfect halo of curls around her head. Her big blue eyes had been made to look bigger with carefully applied eye shadow and smudge-proof mascara. Unlike Sophie, she looked as though she’d just stepped out of a beauty salon.

  “Can I help you?” Kate smiled at her new customer.

  The woman looked around the café. “I don’t want anything to eat or drink. I’m hoping you can give me directions to a property outside of Bozeman?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  The woman pulled a piece of paper out of her bag. “I’m looking for Ryan Evans. He lives somewhere around Emerald Lake. This is his address. I should have brought a map with me, but I didn’t think Bozeman would have changed that much.”

  Kate headed toward a brochure stand at the side of the room. “We’ve got some maps, but I don’t know if they go as far as the turnoff to Big Sky Resort. The properties around Emerald Lake share the same road.”

  Sophie felt Tess’ gaze on her. She might have been waiting for her to say something, but Sophie was trying to figure out who the woman could be. She hadn’t seen her before and Ryan hadn’t mentioned any visitors.

  Kate pointed to the map. “Take Gallatin Road out of town, turn right into Big Sky Resort Road, then keep going until you get to Emerald Lake Drive. It will take about forty minutes.”

  The woman nodded. “Do I owe you anything for the map?”

  Kate pulled a pen out of her pocket and wrote something on the side of the brochure. “The map is free. If you get lost, call the café. We’ll be here for another hour. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay, Big Sky Resort has plenty of accommodation options.”

  The woman folded the map in half. “Thanks for your help.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  As she left the café, the visitor glanced at the two women sitting at a table by the front window. The two elderly women frowned.

  The doorbell had barely stopped ringing when Rachel leaned across the table. “Do you think that was Ryan’s ex-wife?”

  Tess frowned. “I don’t know. She’s probably about the right age.”

  One of the women sitting at the front of the café turned around. “That was Cindy Armstrong. She left Bozeman with Ryan when he started making a name for himself. Marrying her was the worst thing he ever did. Cindy always had dreams that were bigger than anyone else’s.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, Doris,” Tess said. “If you don’t have dreams, you’ve got nothing to aim for.”

  Doris sniffed. “Cindy spent more years living off Ryan’s dreams than hers. From what I’ve heard, life hasn’t been too good since she divorced him. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s planning on wiggling herself back into his life.”

  “You don’t know that,” Kate said. “She could just want to say hello. It’s not against the law to keep in contact with your ex-husband.”

  “Ryan would be safer if it was. You mark my words, Cindy’s up to no good.”

  Sophie didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. She was too worried about what she was going to do next. Ryan’s home had enough bedrooms for everyone, but nothing was furnished. If Cindy stayed the night, she’d need somewhere to sleep. And then there were the sheets, pillows, and towels that she’d need.

  “You need to call Ryan,” Tess said softly. “Regardless of what Doris said, he needs to know that Cindy’s driving to Emerald Lake.”

  Sophie pulled her cell phone out of her bag. She glanced at Doris, then at Rachel. Their conversation had moved onto someone else, but Tess was still watching her. She found Ryan’s number and called him.

  He answered his phone on the first ring. “Sophie? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, at least I hope it’s nothing. I’m at Angel Wings Café. Someone came into the café.” She glanced at Tess. “Your ex-wife is on her way out to your house.”

  “Cindy? What’s she doing in Bozeman?”

  “I don’t know. She’ll be there in about thirty minutes.” She heard Ryan mutter something under his breath. “Is there anything you want me to get while I’m in town?”

  “Just get back here fast. Cindy and I aren’t getting along that well at the moment. If you’re here she might keep her visit short.”

  “I don’t understand,” Sophie said. “Has everyone else left?”

  “They’re still here, but Cindy needs some extra encouragement to leave.”

  Sophie didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but she couldn’t ignore the worry in his voice. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ve just got to pick up a few supplies from another store.”

  “I’ll see you when you get here.”

  Ryan ended the call and Sophie stared at her phone. If his marriage had been as bad as Doris had said, Cindy wouldn’t be welcome in his home. Everyone seemed to realize that except Cindy.

  “You did the right thing,” Tess said.

  Sophie hoped so.

  ***

  Ryan watched a plume of dust get closer to his home. Sophie wouldn’t have made it home yet. It must be Cindy, his ex-wife and soon to be tormentor.

  “Everything all right, boss?” Danny asked.

  “Not really. My ex-wife is on her way out here.”

  Danny looked toward the driveway. “She’s not wasting any time. It
must be urgent.”

  The only urgent thing on Cindy’s mind was getting her hands on Ryan’s money. He turned away from the driveway and walked inside.

  Danny followed him. “What are you going to do when she gets here?”

  “Encourage her to leave.”

  “Do you need any help from us?”

  Ryan unbuckled his tool belt from around his waist. “I’ll be fine. You might want to warn Sophie that Cindy’s already here. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” He didn’t wait to see what Danny did next.

  He’d already called Dorothy. She’d been in a meeting and was going to call him back as soon as she could. He’d bet his last dollar that Cindy’s lawyer didn’t know she was here. As usual, she was prepared to take matters into her own hands to get what she wanted.

  He picked up an empty box and started putting food into it. He needed to take everything out of the kitchen before the flooring contractors arrived in the morning. Cindy’s unexpected arrival wouldn’t slow him down.

  He heard a car door slam and took a deep breath. Cindy had arrived.

  “Ryan? Are you here?”

  Her shoes clicked across the floor. He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “If you’ve got high heels on, you’d better take them off. They’ll dent my floors.”

  Cindy stopped in the middle of the room. “You haven’t changed. A simple request would have been better. But then you never were very good at asking for anything.”

  “I’m not going to fight with you, Cindy. I’ve got nothing to say to you, so I suggest you leave.”

  “Of course, you want me to leave. With all of those dollars burning a hole in your pocket, I’d say you’ve got lots of ideas on how to spend every cent. It’s just as well one of us knows what they’re entitled to.”

  “We’ve been through this before. Six years ago. You got everything you were entitled to after our divorce. You don’t get to walk away and then come back for a second piece of pie. You made your decision six years ago and I suggest you make the same one now. Leave my home. There’s nothing here for you.”

  Cindy walked toward him. “There’s a lot here for me.” She looked around the double-height room and smiled. “How many millions is it costing to build this house?”