a trip to North Carolina. That’s where I lived when my son was taken.”
“Too bad. I was going to offer to show you around.”
Wasn’t that a little sudden? Hayden sounded as though he were quietly trying to get her to change her mind and not go to North Carolina so she could stay here and get to know him.
“Oh,” Ruby breathed, clearly delighted he’d made the suggestion. “I would be thrilled to have you show me around. Maybe some other time?”
She’d spend a day with a man she had just met? Georgia was taken aback. Was it his money? Who was this stepmother and what had she done with Ruby? Carson knew the man, so maybe that changed things. That was when an idea struck her.
Distancing Ruby from the search would minimize the amount of pain she suffered along the way. The less involved she was, the easier it would be on her, particularly if they never found Jackson.
“You did say you wanted to see the old lighthouse,” Georgia said.
“Yes.” Ruby looked disappointed.
“And the museums...?”
Ruby stared at Hayden forlornly. “Yes.”
“When are you leaving?” Hayden asked. “Perhaps we can take a day or two.”
“Why don’t you stay here, Ruby? Carson and I can go to North Carolina.” Beside her, Carson turned a sharp look her way. “I’ll call you every day with updates.” If there were any. “You don’t have to be there with us.”
“Oh...I...” Ruby’s happy light began to shine again. That and the shameless flirt Georgia had never met before.
“There’s Beachfront Village I could show you, as well,” Hayden said. “There’s a fabulous place to have lunch there.”
“If you like, you can join up with us later,” Georgia said. Or not. Hopefully, this mutual interest Ruby had with Hayden would keep her here and away from Jackson’s kidnapping investigation.
“Well...if you’re sure.” She smiled coyly at Hayden.
“I’m sure.” She met Carson’s wry look. He knew what she’d just done. At least he didn’t fight her on it. Now all they’d have to worry about was being alone together.
* * *
Carson brought Georgia a glass of wine and put his beer down before sitting beside her at the picnic table they had all to themselves. They had made their way around the barn, and she had met more people than she could possibly remember.
“What do you think so far?” he asked after sipping his beer.
What did he mean? “About what?”
“All these rich people.”
Oh, he was teasing her. “I think they’re rich.” She sent him a mock smile.
With a grin, he left it at that, making her wonder why. Was he playing games with her? Or was he just pushing her because he was offended by what she thought of him? Carson, offended? No. He was way too confident for that. He seemed amused. Charmed, even. Why would her opinion of him and his family charm him? What was her opinion of him? When she’d first arrived, she was full of animosity. She’d expected Patsy’s kids to carry through with what she’d started and keep her stepmother from the inheritance that was rightfully hers. But Carson had surprised her. Some in his family may be coldhearted snobs but he was not. Was just being a part of the family that had so hurt Ruby enough to keep her reticent? She didn’t know him, after all. And didn’t everyone put on their best face when they first met someone? Maybe the evil side would emerge later. If she gave him that much of a chance.
Dismayed that her thoughts had even gone down that path, she looked toward the dance floor and spotted her stepmother doing a two-step with Hayden. They were really hitting it off, ogling each other, oblivious to anyone else. They hadn’t run out of things to talk about, either. It worried her that her stepmother had taken to the rancher so quickly. Would she end up repeating old mistakes? She hadn’t taken any money from Reginald when they’d divorced. It had been a matter of principle. And guilt. Poor Ruby. But she didn’t look like a woman to feel sorry for right now.
“She fits right in,” Carson said.
Realizing he’d followed her gaze and that he was likely challenging her again, she said, “They just met. He could turn out to be no different than Reginald.” Just like what she’d been thinking about him.
“Hayden is a good man. He lost his wife five years ago. She was his high school sweetheart and he made his millions the hard way...on his own. Not only is she safe with him, he would take care of her like a gentleman.”
Would Carson do the same with a woman? And what did he mean by take care of her? That he kept his women?
She wasn’t prejudiced against all rich people. He had to know that, so she took the risk of offending him again and said in a light tone, “Well, then it’s probably a good thing he isn’t an Adair.”
He wasn’t. He just grinned, enjoying what he perceived as her misconception. Maybe she did have a misconception, but the agony Ruby had suffered when she had been a part of this family was too deeply ingrained in her. She couldn’t just turn off years of conditioning. And letting down her guard with him would be a recipe for unhappiness, as far as she could see.
“How much did this cost?” He fingered her scarf.
She looked down at his masculine hand lifting the soft, silky green material and then letting it fall back against her chest. She met the playfulness in his eyes.
“I don’t remember.” She did. It had been expensive. She saved her money so that she could go on a few hundred-dollar shopping sprees every so often. She could spend an entire day putting outfits together, and then loved organizing them in her closet and wearing them until she saved enough for her next spree.
“The purse?”
She couldn’t say she didn’t remember that one. It was a famous American brand. “Three hundred or thereabouts.”
He whistled. “You like expensive things.”
“I like clothes.” Lots and lots of clothes. Plus, accessories. The accessories were the best part about putting outfits together. But she’d never tell him that.
“That could cost a good amount of money if you do it often enough,” he said, sipping his beer without removing his gaze from her.
She did. Something else she wasn’t going to tell him. But then, she didn’t have to. He’d figured that out on his own. And, oh, he was having fun. She discovered that tickled her. He had an infectious sense of humor.
She couldn’t stop a brief laugh. “Okay, you got me.”
His deep chuckle did more than tickle her.
“There you are.”
Carson’s brother interrupted what would have ended up being a long, hot stare.
“Georgia,” Whit said in greeting.
“Mr. Adair.” She sat back, realizing she’d leaned toward Carson as though his charm had enticed her to.
“Call me Whit. We are in a barn, after all.”
She smiled and then Whit turned to Carson.
“I’ve finally managed to get away from Elizabeth,” he said. “And we don’t have mediation lawyers and police around anymore.” He looked over the crowd in the barn. “Just a bunch of neighbors and friends.”
What was he talking about?
“Why do you need to get away from Elizabeth?” Carson asked.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. I want it to be a surprise for her.” Something caught his eye to stop him.
Georgia