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* * *
The hot springs was a series of small pools that covered about an acre. Small paths meandered around and between the pools. Rocks were strewn around the ground bordering the springs. The ground sloped gently down to the water’s edge. Someone had positioned benches on the paths. The area felt remote even though the hotel was a few hundred feet away.
Hunter could understand why Lydia wanted to put a spa here. The area was peaceful and serene. Civilization seemed to be so far away. Hunter shaded his eyes, expertly assessing the surrounding area and mentally starting to build the spa from the ground up. He wanted something unobtrusive that would work with the natural beauty of the land.
“I was in England a few years ago,” Lydia said when they stood on the edge of the hot springs. “One of the places I went to was Bath. The Roman baths were so beautiful. I wonder if there’s any way we can duplicate that kind of atmosphere here.
“I’ve been to Bath, too. I studied architecture in London.” He looked around, gauging the possibilities. In his mind’s eye, he calculated how to best work out the layout of the spa. Nothing too elaborate. He was all about keeping things simple and clean.
“You did. What a great adventure you must have had.” She gave him a shy look.
“I learned a lot about historical preservation. It was incredible. To think that something people built lasted a thousand years and more without falling down was quite a departure for me. Our own culture is into tearing down and rebuilding.” Usually into something ugly and irritatingly modern. That had been the real reason why he’d gone into historical preservation. The past was important and obliterating it by pulling buildings down severed an important link to who people used to be.
The challenge of creating the spa gave him a tiny thrill of excitement. Unlike Las Vegas, Reno was still doing ticky-tacky. The Mariposa was a diamond amidst the glaring lights of the tacky. This city needed more style, class and elegance. Maybe then people would stop thinking of Reno as Las Vegas’s ugly baby sister.
The water sparkled in the morning sun. A large hawk spiraled lazily overhead. The tall grass rustled in the light wind. Trees dotted the area around the springs and more benches were situated under them to take advantage of the shade.
“Isn’t it beautiful here?” She sat down on a bench and gazed at the water. “This would be a great place for dining.”
“That’s not a bad idea. You could serve lunch and keep people here all day.”
“But don’t you want people to spend their money at the gaming tables?” she asked.
“Of course, but if we do this spa right, it could be a big attraction and money maker. The whole point is to draw people in and make them stay here, along with their money.”
The hot springs spread out over a half acre, with sloped foothills beyond gradually growing to the higher, jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The sound of running water created a serenity that could make this place a refuge for tired gamblers who wanted a bit of pampering.
“When you say do this right, what do you mean?” Lydia shaded her eyes with one hand as she studied the terrain.
“I have an idea working around in the back of my head. When it germinates, I’ll share it with you. It’s going to take a bit of time.” In the dirt he noticed what he thought were deer tracks. Identifying tracks was one thing he recalled from his time as a Boy Scout.
She clapped her hands like a child. “The creative process at work. I’m so envious.”
“What makes you think you don’t have any creativity?”
She shrugged.
“For all you know, you may just be the world’s greatest macaroni artist. You just haven’t discovered your talent yet.”
She laughed lightly. “I have no desire to be a macaroni artist.”
He loved her laugh. She sounded so carefree. She needed to be this way more often. “Give it a try. You may never know.”
“I’ll start working on my portrait of Elvis right away. I can hang it right next to your velvet painting of him.”
“You can borrow the velvet painting for inspiration.”
“No, thank you.” Her tone was always so polite. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw it.”
“It kinda grows on you after a while.”
Lydia knelt down and dipped her fingers in the heated water. “This feels so good. I can just see women lounging in the water, sipping glasses of cool white wine, or maybe sherry.” She closed her eyes and wriggled her fingers in the water. “I want to jump in right now.”
Anyone for skinny-dipping? Hunter thought. He watched her, the pure joy on her face, the way her lips curved upward so slightly in a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. She did that a lot and he wondered if her mother had told her smiling too much created wrinkles. Even though he hadn’t met the woman he had the feeling her mother would say exactly that.
He wanted to help her make the spa a success because he wanted her to be successful. He would do everything in his power to make the dream a reality. He wanted to be her hero. That and a few other things.
* * *
Lydia left Maya with her tutor and went to find a suitable office for herself. Louisiana schools and Nevada schools had different curriculums, and Maya needed to be brought up to speed before September, when she would attend a local Reno school. Until she’d moved to Reno, Lydia had never thought about things like differing curriculums. Reno seemed to have its own culture and that culture was so different from New Orleans. New Orleans was old money, sedate and dignified or wild and excessive. Reno was new money, brash and still a bit rough around the edges. She liked it. Reno seemed to have an energy New Orleans lacked. She wanted to be a part of that rough-and-tumble, all-American vibe Reno had. New Orleans was all about history and culture. Reno was fresh and about new beginnings. It was redefining itself from a wild west frontier town to an exciting, eclectic city that was all about growth and new business.
The casino, which had been mostly empty during the morning, grew to bustling as the afternoon progressed. Miss E. was meeting with the Gaming Commission and then her lawyer. Jasper had gone with her to help expedite the change in ownership. Getting everything changed into the names of the new owners was turning into a huge task. Owning a casino was not like owning any other businesses. Not only did the three new owners need to be investigated by the state, but by the federal government to make sure they were free of any unsavory connections. The only thing not required was a blood sample. Hunter had sequestered himself in the office he’d requisitioned as he pored over the original blueprints for the resort. Lydia felt the need to find her own office.
When she found a small, out-of-the-way room that seemed to be nothing but storage, Lydia claimed it as hers. Maintenance workers were currently emptying it and she held a tape measure in one hand and a notebook in the other as she made note of all the dimensions of the room and her thoughts on how she wanted to decorate it. Nothing too elaborate but something tasteful and elegant, a place she could be the woman she wanted to be. But the room needed to be comfortable. She would need filing cabinets, a desk and chair. She already had her laptop, but she would need internet and a hundred other things that raced around in her head. What an exciting venture she was starting on.
The maintenance supervisor nodded at her list. He would have everything she needed in a couple of hours. He even had some paint to brighten up the walls. He listed the colors he had and she asked for just plain white. He told her the office would be ready for her in the morning and she smiled her gratitude, thrilled to get started.
Her cell phone rang and she answered it.
“Mrs. Montgomery, this is the front desk,” came a man’s soothing, pleasant voice. “There are two men here to see you.”
“I’ll be right there.” Who could possibly be looking for her?
She walked to the lobby and stopped suddenly. Leon and David had found her. Rubbing the corners of her eyes, she walked up to her stepsons. She’d hoped for a little more time to prepare for whatever nastiness they were planning to throw at her.
“Leon. David,” she said pleasantly. “What are you doing so far away from home?”
Leon was the elder of the two and time had not treated him graciously. Frown lines marred the corners of his mouth and his eyes were hard and cold. Though his suit jacket was cut well, it didn’t quite hide the slight expansion of his waist. His hands were soft and well-manicured. David was the epitome of soft, pampered and almost charming. Like his brother, he’d never really worked. Both held token jobs in their father’s real estate development business, but they held no real power. Power they both craved. Power that had been denied them at the reading of the will.
Leon glared at Lydia. “Thought you could hide from us forever, didn’t you.”
“I didn’t keep my whereabouts a secret,” she said calmly. She hadn’t seen fit to tell them where she was going, she didn’t need to. “Any connection we have is over. You’ve both made it quite clear you no longer wanted to have anything to do with me.”
“That didn’t mean you could just disappear with our sister.” Leon’s voice was low and threatening.
“I believe you once referred to Maya as my ATM machine.” Lydia stiffened even though she trembled inside. Standing up to these two angry men was difficult, which one of the reasons why she’d simply left. They’d never cared for her when their father was alive. Why they should care now was beyond her.
Leon scowled at her. “David and I were hoping we could put this in the past.”
David stepped forward, one hand on his brother’s arm. “We’d like to spend some time with Maya.”
“I beg your pardon?” With one eyebrow lifted, she tilted her head at them.
“We miss her,” David replied.
His singular lack of sincerity alerted her. Something was wrong, but what? David and Leon had never given Maya the time of day, much less wanted to spend time with her.
“I doubt that,” she finally said, her tone dry. She wanted to be pleasant to these two men, but something in their posture made her wary. “But if you want to spend time with Maya, I’ll be happy to speak to my lawyer to see what kind of visitation we can work out.”
Leon pushed forward. “You don’t trust us with our sister!”
Lydia studied him. She wouldn’t trust him with the stuffed animals in Maya’s bedroom.
“Trust has nothing to do with it. But I have to make sure that we all understand exactly where we stand on this issue. Maya’s well-being is at stake here.”
Leon took a deep breath. “You pulled her away from everything she knew to this...this...seedy little backwoods gambling town. I fear for her moral welfare.” He tried to look outraged, but failed.
“Since when have you been worried about Maya’s moral barometer? If I remember correctly, your ex-paramour had to take you to court to get you to pay child support for your two children, who you claimed weren’t yours to get out of taking responsibility for them. And David, you’ve been married to three different Bourbon Street strippers. Such classy wives you chose.”
David shrugged.
Leon looked furious. “We don’t own a casino that preys on people’s weaknesses.”
“If I remember correctly, your father paid your gambling debts a time or three, or maybe four. Or was it five times?” Lydia hated getting nasty with these two, but being nice never seemed to work with them.
Leon scowled. “You’re corrupting Maya and we don’t like that.”
“You don’t have a say in how I raise Maya. And if you don’t mind,” she looked at her watch, “I have to pick up my morally fragile daughter from her tutor and take her to her amoral ballet lesson.”
“Until you talk to your lawyer, David and I will be staying.” A small gleam of triumph glittered in Leon’s eyes.
“I’m sure Reno has enough vices to occupy you both. Enjoy your stay.” Lydia turned on her heel and headed for the elevator, trying not to have a full-blown panic attack.
They were up to something. Thoughts whirled around her brain as she tried to figure out her stepsons’ intentions.
Once she was in her suite, she walked into her bedroom after quickly hugging Maya and giving her instructions to get ready for her ballet lesson. She also graciously thanked the tutor for her time. She leaned against the closed door for a second and then took out her phone and called Mitchell’s lawyer in New Orleans.
Everest Tynan had a warm, welcoming voice. “I was expecting your call.”
“You were. Did you know David and Leon are in Reno? They’re being a bit obnoxious.”
“I suspected you were going to have some trouble from your two stepchildren.”
“They arrived a little while ago. They appear to be concerned about Maya’s moral development.”
Everest snorted. And Lydia found herself almost smiling. Everest was a man of very limited emotional responses and the fact that he’d snorted told her the whole situation was ludicrous.
“They came to see me,” Everest continued. “They want visitation rights with Maya.”
“That is what they said, but I’m suspicious. They never wanted anything to do with Maya when Mitchell was alive.”
“I agree, and since you’re now a resident of Nevada, I did some research and put together a list of Reno lawyers. I’ll text them to your phone. They are all excellent lawyers. I suggest you contact one. David and Leon are there to make trouble and you need legal representation to make sure Maya’s rights are taken care of.”
“Thank you.” Everest Tynan had always been loyal to Mitchell and on Mitchell’s death had transferred that loyalty to Maya. Maya had always been able to twist him around her little finger. Lydia would always be grateful for him and the way he helped her through the torturous months after Mitchell’s death. Even though Lydia had never been in love with Mitchell, she had loved him more like a father because he was so different from her own father. He had indulged her and adored Maya. Lydia would have been content the rest of her life with Mitchell. But cancer was so unpredictable. Sixty-four was too young to die, but it was not unexpected.
Lydia felt tears gather in her eyes. Suddenly, she missed him so much her heart ached with intense pain. They’d been talking about a second child when he’d been struck down. A part of her would never get over him, but in the last year, her grief had eased.
“Take care, Lydia. I’ll be talking with you soon.”
“You take care, too.” She disconnected. If she missed anyone from New Orleans, it was Everest. And maybe her mother a little bit, too.
* * *
The coffee shop was a tiny little alcove off the main lobby. Lydia ordered a decaf latte and turned around to look for a table. She found Hunter tucked in a corner, a cup of coffee at his elbow, a half-eaten piece of apple pie and his laptop open in front of him.
The café was a pleasant place with cheerful colors, black-and-white tile on the floor, red vinyl booths and a long counter with red-covered stools. The café was very clean, right down to the corners, but small signs of wear showed in the chipped Formica on the snack counter and small cracks in the vinyl covering the booths.
“Can I join you?” Lydia asked Hunter. Even though she hated to interrupt, she just liked being around him. Even though they’d only know each other a couple days, he made her feel safe, and even more important, he made her feel special. He looked at her as though she was a person who was capable of making an intelligent decision. He treated her like a real person not a doll to be put up on a shelf and dusted every once in a while. And the way he made her heart race. Well, actually that bothered her a bit, but she liked that he made her feel alive.
Hunter looked up and smiled. He closed his laptop. “I hear we have new guests in the hotel.”
She took a long sip of her coffee, trying to calm her nerves. “Yes, my stepsons. It’s family reunion time.”
He smiled. “I can see you’re overjoyed.”
“Just get it out of your system,” she said, liking the way his eyes crinkled at the corners like a real smile.
“What do you mean?”
“Your opinions about my stepchildren being older than me.”
“Commenting on such a thing would be...crude.”
“The fact that you know my stepsons are older than me, and they’ve only been in the hotel less than an hour, tells me people are gossiping already. So just get it over with.”
“I’m sure it’s awkward, having them underfoot.”
“It’s more awkward not knowing what they want.” She tapped her fingers on the table.
“Maybe they just want to spend time with you.” He looked as though he didn’t believe his words, but they had to be said.
Her eyes narrowed, and held her fingers over her mouth to prevent the building torrent of words from coming forth. That would be unladylike and rude. “I’m sure they have a reason to be here, but I can guarantee you it’s not to be sociable with me.”
He held up a finger. “Give me a second while I find the right response.”
He thought and finally said, “Okay, I don’t have the right response.”
“I don’t either, but I do know I don’t want them here.”
He shrugged his broad shoulders. “You’re part owner of the place. Call security and have them remove your step-kiddies.”
She thought about that for a second. As much as that idea appealed to her, it would simply make things worse, or worse than they already were.
He leaned forward, his amber-colored eyes intense. “You look like you’re plotting.”
“I am.” Though for a second she was distracted by his closeness. Her gaze lingered on his lips. They were full and seductive. She had so little experience with men and yet she couldn’t stop from thinking what it would feel like to be kissed by him.
“Need any help?” Hunter looked eager.
