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 |   MarNoWriMo 2009. Book 3 Endurance Series. |
| Chapter One A Little Note FURY RACED THROUGH LISA Green's veins like lava spewing from a volcano on the brink of eruption. She stared at the note, disgust leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Her sister's sloppy penmanship blurred as her mind whirled. What in the hell is Penny thinking? My sister has no morals! Can't she see this could ruin my partnership with the Grayburgs? Unable to stand still, Lisa began pacing the store. Her thoughts were consumed by her sister Penny, who had been her source of joy and frustration for the past five years. "I've spent the last five years building my business from the ground up. I brought in fashion designer Anna Brady. I made the deal for the financial backing from the Grayburgs. Does Penny even appreciate how hard I've worked to get us this kind of stability? I've given up so much so she'd be well cared for, and how does she repay me?" Lisa's rant echoed off the walls of her empty Boutique, reverberating in her ears. Lisa hosted previews of Anna's new collection in Endurance several times each year. Together, the pair traveled to New York for business meetings with the Grayburgs. How often Anna and Lisa's financial backers came to town didn't matter. It wasn't enough to remind Penny of the Grayburg motto—never mix business with pleasure. Lisa stopped mid-step before the counter, grabbed the glass, and took a deep breath. Her mind flashed back to the debacle two months ago at Megan and Corey Brady's wedding reception that she hosted. She shivered thinking about the police barging in and arresting Corey for an unresolved crime since it happened in front of the entire Grayburg family. Even though it turned out all right, the drama was still fresh in everyone's mind and left the relationship between the two companies on shaky ground, in her opinion. The town gossip mongers tried and convicted Corey before knowing the facts, and God only knew what they would do with the news that Penny, her sister, ran off to elope, potentially jeopardizing their business union and Lisa's reputation. The thought of enduring public scrutiny again was unbearable for Lisa. She knew she had to act and act fast. Her only option was to intervene before it was too late. She had to catch the next flight to New York and halt that wedding, even if it meant risking her business union. Picking up the cell phone, she punched in Calvin Grayburg's number, her main contact, and paced the Boutique again, attempting to regain her composure. The second he answered, she spoke. "Calvin, it's Lisa Green. I don't know if you know this, but Edward and Penny are eloping." Lisa snatched her purse off the glass counter and headed to the front door of the Boutique. "What? Are you sure about that? I just saw him last night, and he said nothing." "Why am I not surprised?" she muttered. "I'm holding the note Penny left in my hand. I probably don't have to say this, but any marriage at this point would be a disaster for both of our companies." "You're right," Calvin sighed. "Besides, Penny's too young for Edward." Lisa scoffed, the lava in her veins erupting. "You meant to say that your younger brother is too old for my sister." Lisa couldn't be thrilled with her sister's actions, but she'd be damned if Penny became the scapegoat. "I'm heading to the airport on the next flight to New York. I'll call you with my flight information." She hit the end button without letting him reply and tossed the cell phone into her purse. She locked the door to the Boutique, got into her car, raced home to pack, and then headed out to the airport. On the drive, she called Anna Brady, the designer of Anna's Originals, Jill West, Debbie Porter, and Megan Brady to ensure that someone would cover her and Penny's shifts at the store, wondering how long she'd be away. She spun a tale about a family emergency and hoped no one questioned it. This couldn't get out, and Lisa would do whatever she had to do to make sure that if it did, she controlled the information. ONCE THE PLANE TOUCHED down, Lisa's heart raced. At this point, she had no idea where her sister could be. For all she knew, Penny hopped a plane to New York and then another to Vegas or Mexico for one of those quickie marriages. The mere thought made her scowl, and her stomach knotted in desperation. If Penny and Edward had managed to leave New York, they would have been impossible to find. All she could think about the entire flight was what kind of damage this could do to her business. It wasn't just the Boutique on the line; Anna's Originals also had a stake. Her thoughts ranged from the worst-case scenario of their partnership imploding to the Grayburg's elation about their son being married, though the latter seemed unlikely. Her head pounded as she grabbed her carry-on and walked off the plane, determination filling every footstep. Calvin stood near the exit, looking rougher than usual. His cropped blonde-brown hair had that rumpled, just rolled-out-of-bed look, and his attire mirrored that tale. At every fashion show and the countless business meetings over the years, Calvin wore only the finest in suits, dressed to the nines. Remarkable. "You look like hell," Lisa admitted. Calvin smirked and reached out to take her bag. "Thanks for noticing. You didn't give me much time to go home and change." Lisa's eyebrow rose as she looked him over again from head to toe. "Did I interrupt your little rendezvous?" "Yes and no. Let's just say the call was welcome. Liz Beth can be a little…clingy," Calvin said, winking at her, his brown eyes dancing. Lisa rolled her eyes, not interested in the least about his sexual escapades when their siblings were about to make the biggest mistake of their lives. "Spare me the raunchy details. We have a wedding to stop." Calvin chuckled. "Right, I forgot, it's all business with you. No fun, no games, no excitement." Heat rose to her skin as anger shot through her in an instant. Lisa reached forward and pulled her bag from his hand, but he wouldn't let go. "I don't have time to waste standing in the airport while you take jibes at me. I think I'll just find them on my own." They tugged on the bag back and forth before Lisa gave up and crossed her arms over her chest, surprised by the knowledge that he could annoy her so quickly. She glared at him. "Drop the bag," Lisa ordered, her voice dropping an octave, impressing herself with that authoritative tone. Instead of complying, Calvin grabbed Lisa's hand and dragged her out of the airport. "My father always says, 'Cal, Lisa Green is our number one priority, make sure she gets whatever she needs.'" Lisa struggled to keep up with him as he took long strides, his grip firm on her hand and the sharp clicks of her heels across the white tile producing a steady rhythm. He led her outside the crowd into the bright afternoon sun to the awaiting limousine. The chauffeur jumped to open the door for them and relieved Calvin of the suitcase. Calvin slid into the backseat and tugged Lisa along with him. Her heel caught on the door jamb, and she lost her balance, the jolt sending her head first into Calvin's lap. Her hands landed on the black leather, one on each side of his hips. She looked up into his face, his eyes dancing with amusement as he gazed down at her. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Don't be," he whispered, his breath hot in her ear, "I don't mind. At. All." She pushed away from his body and sat, slid closer to the door, and away from Calvin. He irritated her as he never had before and made the anger boil over, ready to explode. She was so used to his pleasant and professional demeanor. "Just take me to the nearest hotel. I can take it from there." "Already taken care of; I made reservations for you at my father's favorite hotel. In fact, you have the room right next to mine." Mortified by the thought, she turned in his direction. An irritating smirk took over his face when he noticed her reaction. What is going on here? The Calvin Grayburg she'd grown accustomed to was kind and soft-spoken, polite to a fault, and quiet with no sense of humor, who took the term all business to a whole new level. Who is this man? What happened to him in the last six months to make him have such a drastic character change? She knew his fiancée broke the engagement at the last minute but doubted that could affect him like this. "What happened to the penthouse suite with your parents?" "I moved," he stated. "Obviously," Lisa said and then sighed. "I mean, why did you leave your parent's place?" He turned towards her, and as if a light switch had been flipped, Lisa watched as his irritating smile and the laughter in his eyes faded away. A seriousness settled over him, etching his dreamy brown eyes and crinkling his forehead. He looked more like the man she had dealt with, and Lisa felt a wave of relief wash over her. She could relax and be herself with this man. "It was time." Lisa chuckled at his typical response. This was one of the things she admired about his straightforwardness. He never wasted words, never beat around the bush. He said what was necessary and moved on, often at a pace that left others struggling to keep up. "I bet it's hard not having the maid to pick up after you or a chef to cater to your appetite," Lisa quipped. She crossed her arms as a smug smile lifted the corners of her mouth, her satisfaction evident. Calvin shifted in his seat, his body language tense. He turned to face her, his eyes piercing. "Listen, Lisa, small talk won't do us any good. We've never engaged in it before, and I see no reason to start now." He paused, his gaze unwavering. "May I see the letter Penny left?" Lisa nodded and averted her eyes. She noticed a flicker of something in his eyes, a hint of sadness perhaps, a vulnerability she hadn't expected from a man of his stature. It was a testament to his emotional control, something she respected. She retrieved the slip of white paper from her purse and held it out for him to take. Reaching out for the note, his long fingers brushing against her hand sent a tiny jolt of electricity up her arm. Closing her eyes, Lisa let the sensation creep up her arm and settle in her chest. How odd to have any reaction to such an innocent touch. Lisa peeked out of the corner of her eye as he read over Penny's letter and waited for a response. His tanned face remained unreadable; the hard lines around his eyes and chin never wavered. He remained all business. The lighthearted one that met her at the airport seemed like trouble, and she would avoid that at all costs. Penny created enough chaos in their lives, especially with her latest escapade, though this time, she wondered how she could prevent the circumstances from unfolding. They arrived at the hotel, and she followed Calvin inside, through the lobby, and straight to the elevator bank. He handed her a keycard as they reached the elevators, apparently not joking when he said he already had her set up. The sooner she got to her room, the sooner she could unpack her few items and devise a plan to locate Penny and Edward before they tied the knot. A thought occurred to her when the elevator doors opened, and they stepped inside. "Did you hire a private investigator to track them down?" she asked. Calvin hit the button for the 25th floor, and the doors closed. He stood before her, those eyes catching her off guard again. They seemed to change color and intensity right before her, no longer calm and calculating; the playfulness lit up his face, returning full force to how they were at the airport. "I thought about it and then had a better idea." Lisa's shoulders slumped a tiny fraction, and she shook her head. "What could be better than having a PI find them and report back to us?" Calvin laughed and turned away from her. "I called our pilot to see if any trips were scheduled." Lisa forgot about the three private jets the Grayburgs owned in the chaos. "Well?" she demanded, her impatience at Calvin's lack of dialogue and detail became an annoyance. "Edward scheduled a flight to Vegas for this evening. I'm sure he and Penny are holed up in a hotel somewhere, or they're out wasting money, thinking we're all clueless as they gallivant around without a care. This is a marriage of convenience, nothing more." He sounded confident and in control, his words hitting Lisa like a punch in the gut. His cold tone made the hairs on her neck stand at attention. "So, you believe Penny has nothing to offer someone like Edward? That she's beneath your family." Calvin gazed at her and shook his head. "I wouldn't say that. I believe Edward is out to prove a point, which would clearly convey that he means business." Lisa pondered that thought. Something had to be brewing inside the Grayburg family dynamic. She'd spent enough time with the family to know that Edward was second in line, which didn't sit well with him. She could garner a guess that it had much to do with a power play inside the company. Would Edward involve Penny just to make a point? Would he be that cruel and play upon a young girl's affections? "And now Penny will be caught up in all of this. My sister would only do this if she believed he loved her. Are you telling me that this is a game?" Penny's impulsiveness often sent Lisa into damage control and rescue mode. With their parents deceased, Lisa took it upon herself five years ago to make sure that Penny was well cared for and had everything she needed within reason. She paid for college and set her up at the Boutique, found her an adequate place to live once she graduated college. "I'm not going to lie to you; it could be. Edward is not comfortable being second in line behind me. He believes it should be a shared responsibility or his job to lead us into the next decade." Calvin moved to her side as the elevator stopped with a loud ding that jolted Lisa. He reached his hand out and rested it on her forearm with a gentle squeeze she didn't expect, which made her breath catch. "We will find them and stop it from happening. You have my word." She believed him. The kindness she noticed in this man-made made her think that they could locate their siblings and make them see reason, and with some luck, they would find them in time. Now, all they had to do was stop them from boarding the plane for Vegas. Calvin led her to the room, relieved her of the keycard, and opened the door. She followed him inside, glad to have a few minutes to freshen up before chasing Penny and Edward. Penny would wise up and head back to Endurance alone in a perfect world, but Lisa knew it would never happen how she wanted. Penny liked to see things through, no matter the cost. "My room is right next door. I need a quick shower, and I'll be back here within thirty minutes. If you're hungry, go ahead and order room service. The Shrimp Scampi is excellent." He backed out of the open door and pulled it shut. Lisa sat down on the large bed, which sat against the wall, twenty feet from the door, and sighed. She had never expected to be in New York; she had a million things at the Boutique she should be concentrating on, and now she would be stuck trying to save her sister again. Cleaning up Penny's messes was common practice over the last two years, each instance bigger than the previous escapade and creating a rift between the sisters. Lying back on the firm bed, gazing up at the white ceiling, her thoughts returned to the touch of Calvin's hand. Three times he touched her, the first forceful and harsh. The second slight touch of his hand left her heart fluttering like a schoolgirl, which took her off guard. She noticed a profound gentleness about him that she never knew existed the third time he touched her. Calvin Grayburg appeared to be a total and unexpected mystery. How much of that mystery do I care to unravel? Lisa closed her eyes and attempted to drive all images of Calvin out of her mind, knowing he was a big distraction. She had to concentrate on her mission; nothing else mattered then. She rose from the bed, went to the large window, stood before it, and looked at the city. Lisa loved New York and the feel of the vibrant city life as people rushed everywhere at all hours. She found the place to be exciting, especially when it pertained to the fashion industry. She imagined it would be her home countless times, that she would obtain her dream career, and be on the cusp of the latest fashion trends. That all changed when her parents died in the car crash. Neon signs in various colors sparkled below; the vibrant city was a spectacular glow of rainbow hues. Her gaze drifted toward the bridge to New Jersey, illuminated in the distance, far from where she stood. The only lights she saw back in Endurance were a star-filled night sky. In contrast, the glowing lights here took over, making it difficult to find one star. She turned away from the window and took in her lavish surroundings. The modern décor of the room surprised her. She knew the Grayburg family and their taste in antique-style furnishings. She wondered the real reason behind Calvin's sudden departure from the family Penthouse. After living in that flamboyant existence for decades, growing accustomed to such extravagances, she found it hard to believe he would give it all up and live in a hotel, even one this lavish, mainly since he remained single. The white dresser gleamed and shined with polish to catch the light from the small chandelier in the middle of the room. It sat across from the bed, which had night tables, one on each side. A plush navy carpet sat beneath her feet, her heels sinking in and keeping her off balance. A black table with three white leather chairs sat beside the window, adorned with fresh flowers in a crystal vase. She walked across the room and kicked her shoes off at the closet next to the front door. Lisa wondered what kind of treasures she would find in the bathroom and headed there to glimpse the pampering she would enjoy later. She opened the door, excitement taking hold. She entered the darkened room, opened the door, and located the light switch. With the bright lights engulfing the big room, they were almost blinding, making her squint before stepping inside. Baby blue ceramic tile covered the floor, leading to a Jacuzzi-style bathtub and a separate shower stall. An enormous smile took over her face, picturing herself turning on the jets and sinking down into a tub of hot water, surrounding her body in luxurious bubbles, something she enjoyed immensely after a long day at the Boutique. Thick white towels sat on shelves next to the double sink, with toiletries already in place. She could get used to this kind of treatment. Being in the Grayburg's inner circle could become addicting. That thought sent a quick, sharp pain to her heart. If I can be blindsided and lured into this lifestyle, then Penny doesn't stand a chance. Lisa knew that she had little time to find her sister and get her back home where she belonged. The longer she stayed with Edward, the harder it would be to convince her to return to small-town America. She had to act fast. She returned to the bedroom, determined to get this show on the road. Rummaging through the small suitcase she managed to throw together, Lisa swapped out her business suit for jeans and a nice shirt cropped at the waist, not knowing where this adventure would lead. WC:3532 |
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