Alveus (ABC's Inc. Romance #1) (21 page)

“I
really do not understand what the fuss is all about,” she declared with a
British accent. “I merely wish to see the house, before I move in.”

“Jean
gave me the impression that the buyer was already familiar with the estate,”
Lexi rejoined. “Surely it wasn’t purchased sight unseen.”

“The
land, the location, the outside of the house…” She waved her hand around
flippantly and strode through the foyer to the formal dining room. “A bit
small…” she observed, as if to herself. “I suppose it would do for intimate
parties.”

Although,
the woman was attractive, her personality could certainly do with an overhaul,
Lexi thought. She appeared to be in her mid fifties with dark blonde hair
pulled up into a fashionable twist. Her tweed slacks, green silk blouse, and
dove gray cardigan, screamed casual chic – and the black pearl necklace and
earrings shouted money. Not that any of it impressed Lexi, though it appeared
to be the woman’s aim. However, she had to admit that the huge ring on the
contessa’s left hand was interesting, if not a bit garish. Large diamonds and
garnets wove intricately around the ring finger, forming a vine-like motif. The
way the woman brandished it about, as heavy as it appeared, had Lexi worried
she would smash something with it.

Abruptly,
the woman took a sharp turn, elbowed her way passed Lexi and headed down the
hall leading to the offices and Alicia’s bedroom, which had been remodeled to
connect with her home lab after she’d become ill. It had comforted Lexi’s
mother to putter around in the lab during her lucid days, and later it became beneficial
for her care to have a bedroom downstairs. Since her mother’s passing the rooms
had been kept locked. One of the items on Lexi’s to-do list was to sort through
the objects in both rooms; she just had yet to be motivated.

After
a disinterested glance into the open door of Lexi’s office, the contessa caught
the eye of Reggie and gave him a flirty smile. Floored by the complete change
in the woman’s demeanor, Lexi couldn’t resist teasing her assistant with a
jiggle of her eyebrows.

“Why
are these doors locked?”

Lexi’s
attention was drawn back to her intruder. “They were my mother’s rooms. I’ve
not yet had a chance to arrange her things.”

“I’ll
take that into consideration,” she said, pointedly.

“Look,”
Lexi’s temper surfaced, “I don’t care if you’re the queen of England, you have
no right to come into my home uninvited and order me about...!”

“It’s
alright, Miss Alberton,” Edith interrupted, “the realtor is here and I have the
keys.” The housekeeper opened the door, and Jean led the contessa in with an
apologetic smile to Lexi.

“What
did you say your name is?” Jean asked, politely.

“Contessa
Arrivista,” the woman answered, as if astonished that she wasn’t recognized.
“My son bought the estate to use when he has official business at the capitol,
and I’m sure I will be entertaining many important heads of state here as
well.” She examined the room in surprise. “Well, I can see how you would be
embarrassed about showing these rooms,” the contessa huffed indignantly.

Lexi
stepped inside her mother’s bedroom and gasped. It had been ransacked! Clothes
and personal items were strewn about the floor. A quick glance at the bathroom,
and then the laboratory, showed the same results. She looked at Edith.

“I’m
so sorry, Miss Lexi. I cleaned it myself after your momma passed, and then
locked it up until you could go through it. I had no idea… it must have been
your uncle!”

»ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

Dane
drove up to the house and was surprised to see so many cars flanking the
driveway. Harold Jensen waved him over to the garage and guided him into a
slot. The elderly man handed him a garage remote, security code, and a set of
keys, offering to help him with his bags. Dane gave him a friendly slap on the
arm.

“I’ve
got it, ol’ man,” he said. “What’s going on, here?” He gestured toward the cars
at the front of the house, as the garage door slowly closed.

“Well,
Mr. Reginald is here, as you know,” Harold’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Of
course the Jensens must have overheard his earlier ranting. “And that young
accountant, Dillsworth, is in the office with Mr. Reginald.” Hmm, Dane looked
forward to meeting the so-called whiz kid. He pulled his bags from the trunk and
started for the door, but Harold wasn’t finished. Blocking Dane’s way into the
house, he continued.

“
And
,
a taxi cab dropped off a woman who insisted upon seeing the house, so the real
estate lady was called to come over.”

Dane’s
radar perked up.

“A
woman… who is she; what does she want?” Dane reached into his pocket for his
phone. He wouldn’t put it passed that low-life scum, Billy Chen, to send
someone in to case the place for him. There has to be more to his story, why
all the interest in Lexi? Dane dropped his bags and tried to shove passed
Harold, as he tapped for his phone contacts. The old man placed his hand on his
to stop him.

“There’s
more, son.” His voice was serious, as he locked eyes on him. “She calls herself
Contessa Something-or-another, but I’m not one to forget a face – especially a
pretty one. It’s your mother, boy – I’ll bet my life on it.”

“How
can you be certain, as far as I know she’s never been here before?” Dane tried
once again to open the door leading into the house. Harold stood firm.

“She
was here once, before you were born. She couldn’t have been more than about
sixteen, a pretty little thing. Your grandfather brought her with him when he
stopped by for a short meeting with Mr. Alberton. I guess she got bored waiting
for him. I caught her out back in the work shed with Mr. Alberton’s young
brother.” Harold looked sheepish, his face red. “They were in the throes of…
well, you can figure out the rest on your own. I didn’t hesitate to give them
hell, either.”

Dane
stared him down. Yeah, it sounded like her.
Shit
, so she knows Richard?
Acid churned in his gut – something is definitely up and it sure wasn’t good. He
punched in a contact on his phone.

“Ferguson,
there’s a woman at the Alberton estate. She came here in a cab. I’d like
whoever’s watching the house to follow her when she leaves. I want to know who
she meets with and what she’s up to – understand?” Ending the connection, Dane
slipped the cell phone back in his pocket and grabbed his suitcase. Harold gave
him a nod, picked up the smaller briefcase and stepped aside, allowing Dane to
enter before him.

“What
are you doing here, Cara?”

Dane
had no trouble finding his mother; he just headed the opposite direction from
where his instincts were telling him to run. Sure enough, he could smell her
expensive perfume before he got within fifty feet of her. The question that
immediately popped into his head was why she would be interested in Alicia’s
workroom. He took some time to scrutinize her, before he made his presence
known. She was searching for something – he would put money on it. His voice
startled her; and she abruptly turned toward him with guilt leaking out of
every pore, giving credence to his hypothesis, until she quickly pulled herself
in check. 

“Darling,”
she drooled, “I could ask you the same thing.” Her eyes wandered to Lexi, as if
noticing her for the first time.

“I’m
a
guest
here,” he emphasized, “you?” He wasn’t about to allow her to maneuver
her way off the subject. Taking hold of her arm, he steered her out the door
and into the hall. Worried about Lexi’s reaction to his mother’s unwarranted
intrusion, he glanced over his shoulder, back into the room. Oblivious to the
drama unfolding around her, she was intently studying the metal relief of an
angel, hanging on the wall. He released his breath, not realizing that he’d
been holding it. One challenge at a time, he told himself, as he forcefully
escorted Cara to the foyer.

“Kindly
call a cab, Mrs. Jensen. The
contessa
is leaving.”

“Why
is it a crime to be interested in my son’s new purchase?” Cara asked. “I may
wish to send you a housewarming gift, and how am I to know what would be
appropriate without having first seen the place?”

“My
understanding is that you have seen the place, before. Not only that, you are
also intimately familiar with Richard Alberton – a previous resident of this
estate. Has he asked you to find something in this house for him? Whatever he’s
agreed to pay you, I hope you realize you’ll never see a dime of it.” Cara’s
face turned pale.

“I
don’t know why you believe such awful things about me. Is your grandmother
still filling your head with fantasies?” The last word spat out of her mouth with
a slant of mockery. “Has this woman, the media’s been pairing you with, gotten
you so captivated that you’ve forgotten everything I’ve taught you about being
a real man?” Leave it to his mother to make him feel emasculated. She glanced
over his shoulder and gave a satisfied smile. Dane turned to see Lexi watching
their interaction with a stunned look of confusion.

“Ma’am,
your taxi’s here,” Harold announced, reaching across her to open the front door.

Cara
kissed Dane on the cheek, “Do enjoy your new…” she glanced around
depreciatively, “…house. I’m sure the object of your
affection
will
appreciate
your kind gesture.”  She slithered out of the door and delicately footed her
way to the awaiting cab, as if tiptoeing through mud.

Dane
watched to make sure the taxi drove his mother off the Alberton property,
before closing the door. He exchanged a look of exasperation with Harold and
then turned to face his next challenge. But, Lexi was gone.

»ɞ»ɞ«ɞ«

“Sorry
about the interruption, guys.” Plopping down in the chair, Lexi rested her
elbows on the desk and ran her fingers through her hair. She took a deep
breath, straightened her shoulders and turned her attention to business.
Actually, it was the easy way out. She just didn’t have the energy to sort
through the emotions and disbelief that were battling their way through her
thoughts. “So, do you have any questions for me?” she asked the accountant.

“I
believe Reggie satisfied any incongruities I came across,” Dill answered,
picking up her cue. “Al-Tech is at the crawling stage right now, but at least
it’s moving forward. I would like to stress once again that you raise your
prices…” Lexi was emphatically shaking her head, so he raised his voice a notch
and continued. “…just minimally,” he insisted. “The price of the components
purchased to produce your product has gone up, it would be a natural
progression. A very small increase would be virtually ignored by your clients,
but would go a long way in hastening your company’s recovery.” He looked to
Reggie for support. “At least give it some thought,” he requested.

“All
right,” Lexi agreed, reluctantly nodding her head, “I promise I’ll think about
it.”

“Good,
I’ve taken the liberty of programming some suggested increases into your data
files, along with projected stats. Now, what have you got in mind for your next
move – do you want to continue upgrading your core product, work on bringing in
new clients through an advertising campaign, or maybe start some fresh product
ideas?”

“Lexi,
we need to talk,” Dane strode into the office and commanded her attention.

Lexi’s
heart jumped at the sound of his voice even as acidic emotions flowed through
her veins. Involuntarily, her forehead found solitude against her fisted hand.
Quickly gaining control, she looked up and smiled.

“Yes,
of course, Dane – later,” she said. “Right now I’m in a meeting with my
accountant, and we’ve already had one distraction. Later?” she repeated,
softening her tone.

Lexi
watched as the man she loved absorbed the tenor of the room. He nodded
apologetically to the two men, obviously in the middle of a serious conference,
and brought his attention back to her. As he studied her, it occurred that he’d
never before seen her in the part of a business woman, and she felt her body
warm when his eyes reflected admiration and pride. Realizing the rollercoaster
of emotions he’d ridden today, Lexi felt her own burst of admiration for him as
he reined them in. Excusing himself, he bent down to give her a soft kiss next
to her ear.

“Just
making sure you don’t run out on me,” he whispered. “We do have unfinished
business from this morning, remember.” Goosebumps rose on her skin and danced
down her spine. Lexi was unsure if it was from the suggestion in his words, the
tingle of his kiss, or his warm breath in her ear – probably all three, she
decided.

Reggie
and Dillsworth left on a positive note. Yes, Al-Tech was back in business, but
they both seemed to agree that they should quicken the pace. Lexi wanted
nothing more than to bring her parents’ business back to its former glory and
reputation. She just worried about pushing too fast, becoming greedy and
alienating the customers who’d shown faith in her through sticking with
Alberton Technologies. Upon bringing up Dill’s proposal report, the benefits of
even the slightest price increase became crystal clear. Still, the accountant’s
question as to where they go from here was not in anticipation of a price
increase – that had been to simply ensure that the company could continue to
keep its head above water. No, although obviously reluctant to put it into
words, he was referring to the money coming in from the sale of Alberton
Estate.
Dane’s money.

Lexi’s
insides twisted, wrestling with anger and pride. Dane knew how important it was
to her, to work things out for herself! Still, he’d snuck behind her back,
finding a way to rescue her. He’d insinuated himself… dominated… well, the
bottom line was, he didn’t believe in her abilities. And, that hurt. And the
fact that she loved him so much made her feel weak. Tears threatened to well in
her eyes, as she struggled for strength.

“I
refuse to be weak!”

“Liebling,
accepting help is not weakness.”

Lexi’s
head jerked up at the sound, and she watched as Dane strode over to her. He had
no right to command her body to heat up at his presence! Wearing jeans and a
pale blue Henley with the sleeves pushed up, his masculinity was displayed to
perfection. And, remembering the feel of his taught muscles under her hands brought
that heat to the melting point.
Arrrgh, weakness!
He reached down,
pulled her out of the chair and into his arms.
Yep, liquid.
She
dissolved against his chest as he glanced at the screen she’d been
contemplating and shut it down.

“We’re
going upstairs, now,” he informed her. “Mrs. Jensen sent dinner up, and we have
some air to clear between us.”

“Is
that what they call it where you come from?” she asked coyly. He squeezed her
tighter and his rumbling chuckle caused happy, contented bubbles to dance in
her heart.
Weakness
.

Dane
had been a busy boy. While Lexi was in conference, his old room had undergone an
overhaul. She could feel his eyes watching her reaction as she took in the
change. The twin bed was pushed against the wall and piled with large pillows
to look like a sofa, or lounge, while the dresser was positioned beneath a
bookshelf to appear inconspicuous. Other than that, the room took on the feel
of an office, complete with a desk, tables, chairs and file cabinets. His
laptop was open on the desk, with a sheaf of papers scattered to the side of
it. And a landline telephone? She stepped around to the back of the desk,
trying to remember where she’d seen it before.

“The
attic,” Dane filled in for her. “Harold and I scavenged the attic for the
furniture. I like the leather chair.” He motioned to the brown office chair
with the outdated metal rollers. His boyish enthusiasm rubbed off on her. Lexi
sat down on it and crossed her feet up on the desk.

“Quite
comfortable,” she agreed.

“It
will do,” he said, modestly. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold.” Opening a
patio door, Dane escorted her onto the tiny balcony set up with a small table and
two chairs. “Dinner for two, madam?”

 The
small alcove could barely hold two adults, as well as the dining set, but with
much squeezing, they made it work. Dane must have fallen upon some Christmas
decorations in the attic, as well. Tiny white lights were strung along the
railings, their dim glow cordoning romantic intimacy. The ambience was
continued in the formal adorned table set with two covered plates, wine glasses,
and a bud vase containing a single, perfect, red and white rose.

“You
did all of this?” Lexi asked, flattered by his romantic gesture.

“I
have ulterior motives,” Dane admitted. He poured them each a glass of wine and
then seated himself in the tight confines.

“Do
tell,” she encouraged, placing the domed lids out of their way into the small
corner behind her chair.

Dane
separated a flake of grilled salmon with his fork and brought it up to his
mouth. Chewing contemplatively, he seemed to gear himself up before answering. He
took a sip of his wine and swallowed.

“Well,
I know that you’re not exactly pleased about the revelations thrust into your
face today,” he began. “Revelations you resent my keeping from you. I had my
reasons, and planned to tell you myself when the time was right. My main
motive…” his arm swept to encompass the balcony, coming close to knocking the
wine bottle over, “was to keep my feelings for you first and foremost in your
mind. I love you, Pips…”

“Don’t
call me that,” she interrupted feebly, more out of habit.
He loves me…

“I
can’t stop wanting to do everything possible to make your life easier, and if
it means helping you save your house and company, so be it. I won’t apologize.”
He took another slow taste of his wine and scooped in a mouthful of wild rice,
giving what he’d said time to sink in.

Lexi
couldn’t bring up a retort. She knew she’d been angry with his deceptive
methods, but all she could think of was –
he loves me
.

“I
know your fiery temper, Pips. I grew up around it, and many times on the wrong
end of it.” Dane smiled. “I am both in awe and leery of it, but it’s one of the
things I love about you. It’s spunky and sometimes unpredictable in its form.
That brings me to another ulterior motive, here tonight. I had to find a way to
keep you from running out on me, didn’t I? This way you’re conveniently trapped
and at my mercy.” He dramatically raised his eyebrows up and down, insinuating
lecherous motives.

Lexi
had never seen the adult Dane so animated and seeing it now, turned back time.
She laughed so hard, her eyes misted and her nose began to run.

“You
think so, do you?” she challenged. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone
descended from this terrace.” She was remembering the time Dane broke his arm
climbing down the trellis. The adults were so mad that they immediately had it
removed. Lexi was pretty sure that it hadn’t stopped the boys from finding other
escape options. Dane was laughing, now.

“We
would have never been caught if Stef had kept his mouth shut,” Dane insisted.

“Oh,
really? So, you would have born the pain of a broken arm in silence?”

“Well,
probably not, but I could have made up a story which would have fared better
than the truth. I can’t believe he was such a wuss back then.”

“It’s
good to have them back in our lives, isn’t it?” she said soberly.

“Yes,
it really is,” he agreed. “That’s why I couldn’t bear to imagine anyone else
living in this house. It’s so full of my fondest memories.” He reached over and
took her hand in his. “I want to make more memories here, Pips – with the
Carstens and with you.” Lexi looked into his eyes and sunk into their amber
depths.