Heart of Stone

Ana whirled in her lovely flower-sprinkled wedding dress, a gift from her new husband that had been handmade by eighty-year-old Milly McPherson. Her gaze followed the direction of Tara’s stare. “You mean Stone, of course?”

“Of course,” Tara replied, reliving how her heart had fluttered when he’d taken off his sunglasses and she’d seen his eyes for the first time. She’d never seen such eyes on a man. They were gray-blue, at once both harsh and gentle, like cut crystal, or perhaps more like shattered crystal. And dangerous. But it wasn’t just his eyes.

Stone Dempsey exemplified the kind of controlled power that automatically attracted women. It was a power that spoke of wealth and civility and manners, but it was also a power that held a tempered kind of unleashed energy, a wildness that no amount of designer duds could hide.

“He seems as if he’s about to…pounce.”

Ana gave her a quizzical look. “I suppose he has to be intense, being such a shrewd businessman. From what Rock tells me, Stone has accumulated a vast amount of money in a short amount of time, mostly through commercial real estate development.” Taking a sip of punch, she said, “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him, since you work in the same field. Stone Enterprises is one of the fastest growing companies in the South. He buys up property, resells it to corporations to build subdivisions and resorts, then starts all over again. Rock says he’s driven. He works hard, and he plays hard, by all accounts. And has women begging at his feet. Or at least according to the island gossips.”

Tara gasped, her mouth dropping open. “I have heard of Stone Enterprises, but that company is way out of my league. I mean, the firm I work for is small potatoes compared to that.” Pointing a finger, she said, “So you’re telling me that the man standing out there is Stone Enterprises?”

“The very one,” Ana said. “Stanton Dempsey himself, in the flesh, better known around here by his nickname, Stone. But he likes to keep a low profile.” She grinned, then whispered, “Rock and I actually joked about introducing you two, since you both work in real estate, and given how you both seem to love what you do to the point of distraction.” Ana indicated her head toward Stone. “So welcome to lifestyles of the rich and famous.”

Immediately recognizing the matchmaking grin on her sister’s face, Tara glared at Ana. “I think I’ll pass. Been there, done that, don’t recommend it.”

Ana didn’t seem convinced. “C’mon, you know you love the life to which you’ve become accustomed—the travel, the clothes, the perks of being such a driven, successful person. It just reminded me of you, when Rock was talking about Stone’s need to accumulate more money, more material possessions.”

“Do I seem that greedy to you?” Tara asked, acutely aware that she had indeed been that greedy and obsessed with work and money at one time. But not anymore.

“No, honey,” Ana said. “I know you’ve changed over the months since Chad’s death. And I’m very proud of you. Turning back to God, spending more time with the girls—that’s so important. They need that kind of structure and stability in their lives.”

“But I was that way once, wasn’t I?” Tara asked, humiliation coloring her words. “I neglected my daughters, just to make that next big deal.” And look where that had gotten her, she thought to herself.

“You have never neglected your children,” Ana countered. “You just got caught up in work, Tara. It happens to all of us.” Then she smiled, tugged Tara close. “Thankfully, I have Rock now to keep me grounded. And you have your girls. They’ve enjoyed having you around these last few weeks before the wedding. And so have I.”

“I’m glad,” Tara said. “And I really am trying to slow things down, to let go of that need to work so much.”

Her guilt grating like sand in a sandal, she remembered her cell phone, still nestled in the deep pocket of her dress. And remembered how Stone Dempsey had caught her doing business on that very phone.

She wanted to tell Ana the truth, that she had to work, had to make the next sale, for the very sake of her daughters. But she wasn’t ready for that much honesty. Instead, she turned her thoughts back to the intriguing subject still standing outside like a sculptured statue.

Stone Dempsey was obviously a very rich and powerful man, but more infamous than famous, Tara thought. Since he didn’t run in the same business circles as her, she couldn’t really say how she knew this about him. She just knew, somehow. Besides, she could see it in the cut of his designer suit, in the shape of his sleek golden-brown, too long hair, in the way he walked and talked. The man exuded wealth and power. She knew the type, after all. She’d been married to one.

“He seems to stand around and brood a lot,” she told Ana as they both glanced out the big bay window. “He’s barely been civil to anyone, including his mother and brothers.”

She saw Rock approach Stone now, saw the blank, bored look Stone gave his brother even as he shook his hand and congratulated him. Saw the way Rock turned away, a confused anger in his eyes. It had been much the same when Eloise had spotted Stone earlier and rushed to hug him close. He’d barely allowed his mother to touch him before he’d held her back, his hands on her arms, his expression devoid of any emotion.

“He is different from Rock, and Clay, too, for that matter, that’s for sure,” Ana said, smiling the dreamy smile of a new bride. “Like night and day. Think you’re up to the challenge?”

“What challenge?” Tara asked. “Look, Ana, I’m not interested in Rock’s brother.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Very sure.”

Ana looked doubtful. “I say go for it, but be careful.”

Tara gave her sister an infuriated look. “So are you telling me to go after Stone, or run in the other direction? Honestly, Ana, I’m not ready for a new relationship.”

“I’m not telling you anything,” Ana said, waving to her husband through the window. “But I do want you to be happy again. You and Stone…well, you might be good for each other.”

Tara didn’t see how two overachievers could be good for each other, and she was surprised Ana would even push her in Stone’s direction. But then, her sister was too blissful right now to think straight. Ana probably just wanted Tara to feel the way she did.

Tara watched as Rock entered the room and motioned for her sister. Ana walked toward her new husband, a brilliant smile on her face. Rock’s own angered expression changed instantly as he gazed at his new wife. They were obviously happy. And Tara was very happy for them. Ana deserved this kind of love, this kind of life.

I had this once, Tara remembered, her eyes still on Stone.

Correction. She’d thought she had true happiness. But it had been one big facade. She’d married Chad Parnell on a youthful whim, thinking she’d love him forever. That had been her first mistake. And throughout the marriage, there had been other mistakes. No more marital bliss for her.

“Mom, why are you staring so hard at that man out there?”

Tara turned to find her oldest daughter, Laurel, standing there with her hands on her hips, her starkly etched brows lifted in a question.

“I didn’t realize I was staring,” she said, her hand automatically fluttering to her hair. “Where are your sisters?”

“In the kitchen with Charlotte putting out more shrimp canapés,” Laurel said, rolling her eyes. “Can I please take this dress off now?”

“Not until all of the guests are gone,” Tara said, her gaze moving over the blue-and-white floral crepe dress Laurel was wearing. All three of her daughters had been in their Aunt Ana’s wedding, but Laurel had been the only one to moan and groan about wearing a frilly dress. “Besides, you look lovely. Did Cal notice?”

That brought a smile to Laurel’s sulking face. “He said I looked pretty, but I feel like such a kindergartner in this baby-doll dress.”

“Well, he’s right.” Reaching a hand up to cup Laurel’s face, Tara added, “And I agree with him. You do look pretty, baby.”

“I’m not a baby. I’m almost fifteen,” Laurel said, pushing her mother’s hand away. “Oh, never mind. I’m going to find Grandma.”

“Okay.” Tara hid the pain of her daughter’s rejection, but since her husband’s death a few months ago, she’d gotten used to Laurel’s shutting her out. Her daughter blamed her for Chad’s death.

And deep down inside, Tara knew Laurel was right to blame her.

“She one of yours?”

Tara whirled to find Stone leaning against one of the open pocket doors, his coat held in his thumb over one shoulder. He stared at her with that same intensity she’d just mentioned to Ana.

“My oldest,” she said, turning to busy herself with gathering napkins and punch cups. “And the reason I’m finding more and more gray hairs on my head.”

Dropping his coat on a chair, Stone reached out a hand to take the stack of dishes from her. “I don’t see any gray hairs.”

“Only my hairdresser knows for sure,” Tara quipped, very much aware of his touch. When he’d helped her down the gazebo step earlier, she’d felt a kind of lightning bolt moving up her arm. That same jolt was back now, like a current, humming right up to her heart.

Or maybe more like another warning.

“Does your hairdresser charge you a lot for that shampoo?”

Tara felt the magnetic pull of his eyes as they traveled over her hair then came to settle on her lips before his gaze met hers. Again, she got the feeling that he would pounce on her like a lion at any minute. “Drugstore special,” she managed to say. “I’m watching my budget these days.”

Why she’d said that, she didn’t have a clue. Or maybe she did. Tara had dealt with the whims and demands of her materialistic husband, and now that he was dead, she was dealing with the bills he’d left behind. Maybe she just wanted to set things straight with Stone Dempsey right away, so there would be no misunderstandings. So that he’d see she wasn’t like him, in any way, shape or form.

But then, what did it matter? Stone would be gone come tomorrow. And she’d be in a meeting that could very well change her life and hopefully take away some of the financial strain she’d been under since Chad’s death.