From Now On: Atlanta Belles Read online

  Lee’s face turned red. “No, no. It didn’t happen like that. Sally and I came back here yesterday evening to look up some of the listing sheets, and your uncle called. He wanted to know if we were making any progress with our property search, and I told him about the house. I didn’t think there’d be anything wrong with that. It’s a great place—big, bold, and beautiful.”

  Cash groaned. “Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, except that it’s Whitney’s house.

  Lee shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Whitney as in your ex Whitney?”

  “That would be the one. She lives on the second floor, and her business, Atlanta Belles, is on the first. I went to dinner with her last night, trying to patch things up.”

  Lee sank into an arm chair and held his head in his hands. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea that was her place. You never mentioned the name of her salon.”

  Cash folded his arms across his chest. “How bad is it?”

  Lee hesitated a moment before answering. “Bad. You know how your uncle gets when he wants something… Well, he really wants that house.”

  Cash inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly, trying to calm his nerves and keep his temper in check. This was definitely going to put a damper on his relationship with Whit, if not end it altogether. And he wasn’t about to let that happen. He’d waited seven long years to get back with her. There was no way he was going to lose her again. He was just going to have to find another house that his uncle liked better. That was all there was to it. He glanced over at Lee, who looked absolutely miserable. “Don’t blame yourself. You had no way of knowing. Besides, you were just doing your job.”

  “Yeah, but I really screwed things up,” he said sadly.

  “I’ll figure something out.” Cash was about to pick up the phone to call his uncle when the front door opened. He expected to see Sally. Instead, a beautiful blonde in skintight jeans walked in.

  His heart nearly skipped a beat. “Whit? What are you doing here?” He quickly slid the picture of her house under the other photos, then closed the file folder.

  “I was about to pick up some groceries at the store across the street, when I noticed your car in the lot, so I thought I’d stop in to say hello.” She glanced at both men, then said, “But it looks like I’ve interrupted something, so I’ll just talk to you another time.”

  Cash sprang out of the chair and crossed the room in three long strides to stand beside her. “No, no. Don’t be silly. I’d finished up my meeting.” He looked over to where Lee was sitting. “Whit, this is one of the Galloway Realtors, Lee Cummings. And Lee, this is Whitney Adams.”

  Lee got up when she went over to shake his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lee.”

  “Same here,” he said, somewhat awkwardly.

  Cash didn’t think she noticed, but why run the risk of having her pick up on the weird vibes that were ricocheting off Lee—it was apparent he was still very upset—so Cash ushered Whitney down the back hall. “Here, let me give you a quick tour of the place before you leave,” he said as they walked. “There’s not much to it, just these two sales offices, but it serves its purpose for the time being.”

  “Yeah, it’s nice.” Stains of scarlet appeared on her cheeks and she looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry for barging in like this. I really shouldn’t have bothered you.”

  He tilted her chin up with his hand so that her gorgeous green eyes met his. “That’s ridiculous. I’m glad you stopped in. I’ve been thinking of you ever since last night.”

  “Really?”

  He hated that she doubted him, and he wanted to take her in his arms and show her how he felt, but this wasn’t the time or the place, so he’d have to rely on words to relay his feelings. “Really. You’re no less important to me than you were years ago. I made a terrible mistake leaving you, and it’ll never happen again. I plan on spending as long as it takes to convince you of that.”

  She offered him one of her lovely smiles and linked her arm through his as they walked back up front. “Talk to you later?” she asked before leaving.

  “You bet.” He watched her walk across the street, then turned to Lee, who seemed to be a little less stressed now that she was gone.

  “I’m really, really sorry, Cash. I can’t believe how I might have messed things up for you and Whitney.”

  “Like I said before, don’t worry about it. What’s done is done. I just need to find a way to fix it.”

  “If I can do anything to help, let me know.”

  Cash took his cell phone out of his pocket and was about to call his uncle for the second time, when the front door opened again. This time it was Sally.

  “I’ve arrived with coffee,” she said happily.

  “Thanks, but I could really use something stronger,” Cash replied.

  She shot him a strange look. “Sorry, but I make it a point not to drink hard liquor before eleven o’clock.” Then she shifted her gaze over to Lee. “Did I miss something?”

  “Just another one of my screwups.”

  “Aw, sweetie, I’m sorry.” She reached into the paper bag she’d set down on the desk. “Here, have a donut. A heavy dose of sugar always makes you feel better.”

  Cash was glad Sally had arrived and was able to lighten the mood a bit. He left the two of them to the coffee and donuts and headed into one of the offices, closing the door behind him. Hopefully, now he’d get to call his uncle, before the situation with Whitney’s house progressed any further.

  * * * *

  Whitney had sensed something was off with Cash, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. Maybe it had something to do with the meeting he’d had with the other Realtor. Whatever it was, she hoped it would pass. After their wonderful time last night, she didn’t want anything to tarnish what she hoped was the beginning of a relationship. One that might end happily this time.

  She quickly found all the groceries on her list, then made her way over to the checkout line. While she was waiting, she spotted Cash’s mom in the next aisle. Eve was the last person she wanted to run into today, so she tipped her head down, hoping the older woman wouldn’t notice her.

  Whitney breathed a sigh of relief as Eve chatted with someone behind her in line, giving Whitney the opportunity to checkout and then slip out of the store unseen. Although she was able to prevent an uncomfortable encounter with Cash’s mom, it served as a reminder that a rocky road awaited her up ahead, and the longer she waited to tell Cash about Mattie, the rougher it would be.

  She glanced down at the package of sirloin tips sticking out of the top of the grocery bag she carried. They’d make a nice dinner for two. That thought triggered a decision to tell Cash over dinner at her house. The next time she talked to him, she’d offer the invite.

  As Whitney drove home, she realized a weight had lifted from her shoulders, and she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. Indecision never sat well with her.

  Later, after putting away the groceries and then going over some bills, she went outside with a glass of iced sweet tea in hand, intending to look over the proofs that Travis had emailed her. But as soon as she settled in on one of the chaise lounges that were out on the patio, she spotted her landlord walking across the lawn. Clarice, who’d been lying next to her chewing a bone, shot up and trotted over to him.

  “Hey, Marshall,” she said, shielding her eyes from the sun as he approached. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

  “Gorgeous.” He sat down on the chaise beside her, and she could tell by the tightness of his mouth and the extra wrinkles that had formed above the bridge of his nose that something was wrong.

  “Would you like some sweet tea? I just made a pitcher.”

  “No, thanks.” He shifted his gaze over to the magnolia tree that shaded the far edge of the patio. “When I was a boy, that was a little stick of a tree. My parents planted it.”

  She followed his gaze across the lawn to the pecan grove.

  “I used to play out there, filling b
asket after basket with nuts.” There was a wistfulness to his voice that concerned her.

  The property had been in Marshall’s family for generations, and there’d been a time when he’d hoped to pass it on to one of his sons, but after both boys moved away, showing no interest in owning the big old house, and his wife had died a few years earlier, he realized it was time to put it up for sale. She’d thought he’d come to terms with that. After all, it had been on the market a long time before she came along. And he’d seemed genuinely happy that she wanted to buy it. However, now she was wondering if he was having second thoughts.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, studying his profile closely.

  He puckered his thin lips, and she knew he was having a hard time telling her what was on his mind.

  After about a minute, he shifted his gaze back to her and said, “You’ve done a wonderful job with this place. And not only are you a perfect tenant, but you’re also a friend. No, you’re more than that. You’re like a daughter…”

  Fear twisted her heart. Something was wrong. No doubt about it. Was he ill? She placed her hand on his knee. “What are you trying to tell me?”

  The lines in his leathery skin were deepened by his scowl. “I want you to know I’d never go back on my word. I meant it when I said I’d sell you the place. And it wasn’t like I’ve been in a hurry. I just never imagined I’d get another offer.”

  Her stomach clenched tight, and it was impossible to steady her erratic pulse. Panic like she’d never known before welled in her throat. “Has someone made an offer on the house?” she asked in a small, frightened voice.

  He looked away from her intense stare. “I haven’t accepted it. I said I needed to talk to you first.

  Anger knotted inside her. “It’s for more than we agreed upon, isn’t it?”

  “It’s a good offer, and it would be nice to have a larger nest egg. Everything’s gone up in price so much.”

  She swallowed hard, not wanting to ask the next question, but knowing she had to. “How much more?” The anxious look on his face told her it was a lot.

  “Twenty thousand.” His voice was low, almost like he didn’t want her to hear.

  She bit back a cry. How in the world could she match that? A tense silence enveloped them as she struggled to maintain her self-control, while inside she felt like a volcano about to erupt. “I guess I could pay off my loan early. But I’ll have to talk to my mortgage broker to see if I’ll prequalify for more.” Just saying those words made her feel sick to her stomach.

  When Marshall stood, his shoulders were slumped. “I’m sorry, Whitney. I never expected this to happen. I’ll tell the other party I need some more time before making a decision. Will a few days be enough for you?”

  “I guess.” Her head was pounding and her thoughts were a jumbled mess. “Who is the other party?” she asked before he left.

  “Galloway Realty.”

  Chapter 5

  Cash hung up his cell phone and then slammed it down on the desk. Sometimes his uncle was impossible to deal with, and this was one of those times. Hunter was set on purchasing Whitney’s house, and there didn’t seem to be any changing his mind. Even when Cash told him it would break her heart and most likely destroy any chance of getting back together with her, the response had been, “This is business. Let her find another place to put her salon. Why should Galloway settle for something else?”

  Cash was convinced Hunter’s coldheartedness was a big reason why he never married. Who’d want someone like that for a husband?

  He paced the floor, trying to come up with a solution, but with each step he took, his anger mounted. He knew Hunter well enough to know that even if Whitney were able to match his offer, his uncle would go back to the table with a higher one, making it impossible for her to win. Cash still held on to the hope, though, that he could find a property his uncle would like even better. He just needed to do so soon. However, before carrying on with his search, he needed to see Whitney. If she heard from someone else that Galloway Realty had put in an offer on her house, he could kiss this second chance with her good-bye.

  He picked up his cell phone, stuffed it in his pocket, then left the office, letting the door slam shut behind him. When he reached the front room, Lee and Sally were each on a computer.

  “That didn’t sound good,” Lee said, looking up at him. “No luck changing Hunter’s mind?”

  “Nope. I’m on my way over to Whitney’s. I won’t be back today. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Without waiting for a response, he headed out the door.

  While he drove, he kept going over in his mind what he should say to her, but he couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t leave him terrified that she’d throw him out. Hopefully, once he was face-to-face with her, the right words would come.

  His heartbeat quickened when he pulled in the Atlanta Belles’ parking lot. He took a deep breath before getting out of the car, letting it out slowly as he walked up to the front door.

  After ringing the bell a few times, it was apparent Whitney wasn’t inside. He knew she was home because he’d parked next to her car, so she must be somewhere outside. He wandered around back, expecting to find her on the patio, but she wasn’t there. He walked past the magnolia tree so he’d have a clear view of the yard, looking out to the pecan grove. He saw a little streak of white bolting around the trees, then heard a dog barking. Clarice! Whitney must be back there with her.

  He walked over, and when he reached the edge of the grove, the cutest little dog appeared from behind the thick trunk of a tree. It ran over to him, and as he stooped down to pet her head, he spotted Whitney about twenty feet away. She had her back to him and didn’t seem to know that he was there. He went up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She brushed it off and then turned around. By her red and puffy eyes, it was evident that she’d been crying.

  Her bottom lip trembled and her voice cracked when she spoke. “Why did you come back to Atlanta? What did I do to you to make you want to destroy my life?”

  “You heard?”

  “About you putting an offer in on my house? Yeah, I heard.” She wiped the tears off her cheeks. “I told you over dinner last night that I planned to buy this place, and then you turned around and tried to steal it from me by offering twenty thousand more. Don’t count your chickens just yet, though,” she spat. “I plan on keeping this place. I’ll do whatever I have to, to come up with the funds to match your offer.”

  “I hope you do.”

  Her expression changed to one of bewilderment. “Why would you say that? You must think I’m a real idiot.”

  “Of course I don’t. And by the way, I didn’t put the offer in. My uncle did. I just spent an hour on the phone with him, trying to convince him to withdraw it. But he’s a stubborn old man who won’t listen to anyone.”

  “I don’t know what to believe. You played me seven years ago. Who’s to say you’re not doing that again now?”

  “Come on, Whit. I never played you. We both put our careers in front of our relationship. That’s what happened.”

  “And you’re obviously doing the same thing again now.”

  “That’s not true. I want you to have this house, and I haven’t given up trying to change my uncle’s mind.”

  Her straight glance was coldly accusing. “I don’t believe you. And I’m done being a sucker for your sweet talk.” She shook her head. “You really had me going too, but never again. I want you to leave, and don’t ever come back.”

  He hesitated, torn by conflicting emotions. He knew in her current state that anything he said would fall on deaf ears. Yet, if he left, he was afraid that it really might be the last time he ever saw her.

  “What are you waiting for? Go on! Go! I told you to leave,” she yelled.

  Her glare burned through him, and his legs felt riveted to the ground.

  When he didn’t move, she brushed by him. He watched her race toward the house without a backward glance. His stomach churned with
dread. How could he have let this happen again? His greatest fear had come true. He’d lost her a second time.

  * * * *

  From her bedroom window, Whitney watched Cash drive away. After he was gone, she let the thin lace curtain slip from her fingers and gently fall back in place.

  Every part of her felt numb. How quickly things had changed! Just yesterday, she was on top of the world. It seemed like her dream had come true—Cash had come back into her life. Only not in the way she’d hoped. He’d come back to lie and deceive her. Well, that would never happen again. She was done with him. For good this time.

  She crossed the room and plopped down on the bed, staring at Mattie’s picture on the nightstand. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I wanted to tell you about your dad. But what is there to say? ‘Your father wants to steal our home?’”

  Clarice jumped up on the bed beside her, and Whitney hugged her close, then lay back and closed her eyes, hoping to shut out Cash’s handsome face. She must’ve fallen asleep, because when she opened her eyes, evening shadows fell across her room and a cool damp breeze from the open windows brushed over her face. She heard the ping of rain on the roof. The gloomy weather went right along with her mood.

  She blinked away the grogginess, realizing neither she nor Clarice had had dinner. As she made her way into the kitchen with the dog on her heels, Whitney decided she wasn’t going to let Cash ruin her life or Mattie’s. This was their home, and she was going to fight for it.

  After she fed the dog, she opened the refrigerator to decide what to make for herself and spotted the sirloin tips that she’d picked up at the store. Since she wouldn’t be having Cash over for dinner, she might as well fix them tonight for herself.

  While she waited for the beef to roast, she went over her budget to see if she could swing a higher mortgage payment and if there would be enough in her savings for a larger down payment. One way or another, she had to make this work.