Her Billionaire Secret Romance Read online

  Herbert looked up with fear and then glanced away. “Yes, I need to get out of here before they come back.” Herbert tried to stand and ended up crawling toward the beach. Eliza walked along beside him, stooping to pick up his sandals.

  “Who, Herbie, who is coming back? Stand up. You can’t crawl all the way to the water.” She too looked around, worried. She reached down to hold him under his arm and tried to support him as he stood up. They walked slowly to the beach, with Herbert wobbling side to side. He almost fell once, but she grabbed him in a front hug, getting vomit all over her blouse. Just as they made it to the ocean, he fell toward the water, taking Eliza with him. She came up gasping for air.

  “Sorry,” he apologized.

  “Who do you need to get away from?” She quickly washed off her t-shirt and shorts with the warm ocean water while Herbert let himself float close to shore. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “No. If I don’t get out of here, I am not going to be okay.”

  “Well, can you walk now?” Eliza waded toward him as his body floated up and down on the gentle waves.

  “No, I’m hammered and everything is spinning. Can you just drag me along in the water?”

  Eliza scoffed at the idea at first but then figured she would at least give it a try. She grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled his floating body along until she lost her footing and had to swim. Thank heavens she had her lifeguard training.

  “You are going to owe me for this, Herbert.” She struggled as she took him in the position and started swimming with him to the shore. The riptide was strong and was pulling her off course. Finally, she could touch bottom as they reached the beach in front of his house. Herbert crawled out of the water and collapsed on the dry sand while Eliza struggled to catch her breath.

  Eliza remembered sitting next to him, trying to get some information out of him. “Listen, Herbert, do you want me to get your parents?” She had heard he traveled with a rough crowd. so she didn’t take his worries casually. She searched the beach in both directions for anyone who might be coming. It was completely empty of people. There were a few pelicans fishing close to shore, and that was it.

  Herbert became very agitated. “No! And promise you won’t tell anyone about this.”

  “If you are in some kind of trouble, they should know.” This was getting exciting. Like one of the mystery novels she’d been reading that summer.

  “Look, thanks for helping, but I am fine now. Just go and promise you won’t say anything to anyone.”

  “Okay, but I would like to help.”

  No, it’s not safe for either of us. Go now.”

  For about two weeks Eliza set up camp in the dunes and spied on Herbert and his friends. Nothing looked out of the ordinary until a greasy-looking man came to meet the boys. They exchanged something and he left. Her first thought was they were buying drugs and that was confirmed when they ran all over the beach, laughing and falling into the sand like idiots all the rest of that day and evening. Finally, she was so disgusted with their behavior she gave up on the idea of a real-life mystery. One thing she had learned however, Herbert and his friends were disgusting individuals—and now he was coming over for dinner. Oh joy. She sighed.

  They arrived at the swim club, and Eliza got out of the car. “See you later, James.” Eliza was happy to have the time to swim. They were put through a fairly rigorous practice. It was good to keep up her training during the summer months. After she dressed, the coach sat them on the side of the pool.

  “Today we are doing something a little different. I want to challenge you, so I asked the men’s swim team to join us today to give you tougher competition.” A lot of the girls moaned, but Eliza thought back to her training with Tandy and her coach riding in front and how that had increased her speed. “Each guy from the team will pair up with one of you and swim in front, challenging you to go faster.”

  She was getting excited as the boys came in until… “Oh no, there’s Charles.” Even worse, Charles came right over and teamed up with her.

  Charles looked like he was on the verge of busting out laughing. “Hello, Eliza! How’re you doing?”

  Eliza rolled her eyes. “Hello, Charles, the day started out well.”

  “Listen, I figure between the two of us we can beat every other person on these teams.”

  She was listening. “Okay, how do you propose we do that?” She looked up into his green eyes and smiled a little.

  “First of all, we have to swim fast.” He nodded at her raised eyebrows. “When we make the turn, tuck really tight and keep your arms straight out—that will save a tenth of a second.”

  “Okay, I can do that. If you dive out farther, I will dive at the same time and that will save time too.”

  “Great idea. With your will to win and my skill we can do this.” He smiled confidently.

  “You are not the only one with skill.” His arrogance was truly amazing.

  “Okay, to get on this team you have to have skills. But you have to admit my legs and arms are longer than yours, which is a big advantage, and I do have a larger set of musculature supporting these long appendages.”

  Eliza had to laugh. He did have unnaturally long arms and legs.

  The coach explained the race and had them take their positions at the side of the pool. The boys faced the pool with their partners right behind them. The coach rang the bell, and everyone dove in. Eliza and Charles dove at the same time, which put them in front immediately. Eliza swam like she never had before. She was determined to keep up with Charles’s long legs.

  In the lane next to them was Becky, the fastest swimmer on the women’s team. She had Olympic dreams. She kept swimming into her partner, John.

  When they got to the end, they both tucked tight and pushed off smoothly, which kept them in the lead. Eliza’s arms were killing her, but she put on even more speed. Becky and John were gaining on them. Charles saw them and swam even faster, and Eliza, determined not to be left behind, kicked even harder. They reached the end just barely ahead of Becky and John but a long ways ahead of the rest of the class.

  Both Eliza and Charles came up out of the water and into each other’s arms as they cheered for their win. It was a short hug, but it had a powerful effect.

  Becky was berating John, who had already gotten out of the pool, trying to get away from her. “John, didn’t you think since I was swimming into your feet that you might want to go faster?”

  Eliza leaned back. ”That was great, Charles. I don’t think I have ever swum that fast. I wish I knew my time.”

  Charles looked down at her, and she suddenly realized how tall he was. His broad shoulders and ripped muscles towered over her.

  “You were amazing, actually. I’m impressed.” He smiled at her, holding her eyes for a long time. When his eyes searched her face and lingered on her lips for a moment, she thought he might want to kiss her. Her face burned at the thought.

  Charles smiled. “Let’s meet up after practice at the sports bar.”

  Eliza looked up at him coyly. “Are you trying to sneak in a date before the race?”

  Charles blushed. “Caught me. But seriously, let’s just have smoothies or something and talk.”

  The men’s coach called them out of the pool and back to their regular pool. The complex had four pools, two of which were Olympic size.

  “Okay, we did win. Let’s mark the occasion with a small celebration. It’s a great idea. I will meet you there right after.”

  “Great.” He climbed out of the pool, looking back and smiling at Eliza.

  Eliza smiled back, looking up into his eyes. She was tired. Keeping up with Charles was not going to be easy if they kept swimming together. She loved swimming, but she was not serious like Becky.

  She took a little more time dressing after practice and called James to tell him she would be a little late coming out.

  Charles was sitting in a booth at the sports club in the complex. Eliza walked up, carrying her sports b
ag. “Hey, that was fun. I still wish I knew what our time was.”

  “It was the fastest of the day, so that is something.” Charles looked great. His hair was brushed back and butched up in front. Eliza kept looking at his lips, for Pete’s sake. She blushed and tried to look at something else. He got this knowing smile on his face. She was sure she was bright red.

  The waitress walked over. “Hi, guys.”

  “I’ll have the strawberry banana with extra protein.” Charles looked over at Eliza.

  “I’ll have your mixed berry with cranberry juice base.” Eliza put her gym bag on the bench beside her.

  She looked over at Charles. “I feel like we are doing something really bad.” If her parents or even her brothers saw her with a Harrington, she would never hear the end of it.

  “Would our parents be delighted we are hanging out after swim practice? Probably not. So yes we are being very bad, and there is something delicious about it—besides these smoothies.” The waitress placed the drinks on their table.

  Eliza scoffed. “Well, I can see you must have been a handful growing up.”

  Charles sat back for a minute. “I used to climb up the tree outside my brothers’ apartment on the third floor and spy on them.” He smiled, raising one eyebrow. “What have you done that would explain your current rebellion?”

  “I’m afraid spying is in my history too. I listened to my parents’ conversations from the top of the stairs.” Eliza sighed in mock disappointment.

  They both finished their drinks and stood to go. Charles leaned over. “I wanted us to have this meeting so you would see a date with me could be pleasant. That way, when I beat you in next year’s race, you will not feel so very bad.” He laughed and walked away, smiling.

  No, Charles Harrington, that would not be so bad. But it’s not going to happen if I have anything to do with it. Eliza was more determined than ever to find a way to again wipe that snide smile off of his face.

  Eliza walked out to the limo, where James was waiting. “I’m exhausted. Let’s just go home today.” While driving home, she closed her eyes and saw Charles’s green eyes looking down at her speculatively. He was thinking about kissing me in the pool, I know it. The pool would have been the perfect place. If he tried it on land, she would need a stool to stand on. She laughed at that.

  Eliza figured she would just go home and decide what to pack for the horse camp next week. She had read all the brochures and studied the pictures and was very excited to have a week away with just horses and training. She was also excited to actually be going out West.

  And then she remembered who was coming to dinner. “Oh no, I almost forgot about dinner tonight.”

  James smiled. “I didn’t want to remind you.” He dropped her off at the back door, per her request, and she ran up the back stairs to her room.

  That evening, Eliza came down the back stairs to welcome their guests in jeans and a t-shirt with her wet hair pulled up into an enormous bun on the top of her head. Her mother was in the kitchen, checking on the hors d'oeuvres and took one stern look at her before pointing back up the stairs. Well it was a try, anyway. She tromped back upstairs to her bedroom and asked Marie to come help her dry her long, thick auburn hair.

  “You know, Marie, I really can’t stand Herbert.” Marie was blow-drying her hair one section at a time.

  “Yes, but your parents have grand plans for you, Liza.”

  “Well, I have grand plans too. And so far Herbert is not even on the radar.”

  Eliza preferred her first attempt at dressing for dinner. She wanted to send the message that she was not interested. Most of her parents’ associates were not involved in politics, but the Winstons were. She heard that they had political aspirations for Herbert. Oh please! Herbert the spoiled rotten, throwing up, drug kid? If she gave them a negative impression, they would quickly cross her off the list as unsuitable. She smiled. Unsuitable for Herbert. She yearned for that designation.

  Eliza descended the front stairs, resigned to playing her part as a lovely, available debutant.

  She walked into the hall where her parents and the Winstons were admiring a recently purchased painting. “Hello, Mother.” She screwed up her face to give a smile only her mother could see.

  “You look beautiful, my dear.” Marie had pulled half of her hair back into a lovely braid and the rest hung down to her waist.

  “Thank you, Mother.” Another hidden smile. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Winston, so nice to see you.” She wore a brown wool flared skirt with a light cashmere cream sweater. This was a good standby for her. Red hair limited the colors you could wear. Bright pink would never do.

  As she walked into the living room, Herbert was kicked back on the sofa with his dirty feet on the table like some kind of royal sheik. Immediately Eliza’s ire went up.

  “Get your feet off of the table, Herbert. Seriously, where are your manners?” She pushed his feet to the floor.

  He patted the seat next to him, leering at her.

  She shook her head. “I’m fine standing.”

  Herbert sat up. “You better be careful, Eliza, or I will take you off of my list of prospective wives, and let me tell you I have learned a few things in the marriage department that you would enjoy.” He smirked and lifted his phone like he would show her.

  She pushed it away. “You’re sick. Back off or perhaps at dinner tonight I will mention the incident at the beach.”

  Herbert’s face paled. “You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone.”

  “I did, and I kept that promise. But don’t push it. And furthermore, the last thing in the world I want is to marry someone like you. You owe me, so take me off of the list if you want me to continue to keep the promise.” She brushed off the dirt from the table.

  He held up his hands. “Woah. What turned you into such a shrew?”

  She sighed. “Let’s go into dinner. And don’t suggest we go for a drive; that’s not happening.” Eliza felt very satisfied getting those sentiments off her chest. Perhaps it was good the Winstons were here for dinner after all.

  Chapter 6

  Charles left the swim practice that day even more intrigued by Eliza. They had that moment after the race that kept running through his mind. I think she would have let me kiss her. He couldn’t even think about the hug after the race without raising his pulse. She had beautiful, long dark auburn hair. When she took her swim cap off, her hair just fell all around her like a cape. And those violet eyes with green specks were amazing, particularly as she flashed them at him. He kept dreaming she was on her horse, taunting him to win the next race and to win her.

  He was quite satisfied with himself when she accepted his invitation to meet at the sports bar. She was looking at him speculatively, he thought. It was dangerous to upset his whole family by pursuing her, but he just couldn’t help it. She was worth the risk.

  On the way home he called Rachael. “Hey, Rach, I am going to be gone for a week for this summer riding camp, do you have anyone who could take my place with the kids?”

  “I’ll call Hazel. She used to do it, just not the story telling, but I think I can get her to do that as well.”

  “Oh, thanks, how is Sally doing?” Charles was dreading the day when her trips to the hospital were over.

  “I don’t know, Charles. She has lasted a long time with this disease, but the prognosis isn’t good.” Charles sighed, thinking back to their fun movie day.

  “The problem with going into medicine is you see the heartbreaking parts of people’s lives. How do you deal with it, Rach?”

  “You have a big heart, and this part of medicine will cause you pain because that is how you are. But I focus on the joyful parts of saving kids, and that helps. Barry was clear in his last MRI, so that is wonderful.”

  “Oh, that’s great! He was so set on becoming a soccer star, maybe he’ll do it now.”

  “Yes, a happy ending. I’ve got to go, have fun at camp!”

  “Hey, Rach, tell Sally where I a
m, and what I’m doing. Say hi for me.”

  Charles put away his phone. I’m not sure I can be a doctor. Maybe I can work in research or some other field around the medical profession. He sighed. His real joy came from helping people. He thought back to working on his horse’s injury. That was rewarding. His father’s manufacturing business required some travel to China. Farm equipment was the biggest part of the imports. But they also catered to pet supply companies as well. They sold tractors in every state in the Union. As impressive as that was, it just didn’t have the appeal medicine did.

  He pulled into his family’s drive and headed for the stables to park the truck. He called out to Jack, the ranch hand and horse trainer at his parents’ estate. “Hey, how is Sparks doing today? Did he get his exercise?”

  Jack walked with Charles into the stable. “We’re washing him down now.”

  Charles loved the stable. They’d remodeled it a few years ago, and it was now state of the art. They had twelve stalls, all with horses in them except the birthing stall. That was a closed-in room and much larger, which meant they could keep the temperature constant and the new foals warm. It was his favorite stall. Spending time with the new colts and fillies in a nice warm environment was great. When the vet came to check on them, Charles made a point of being there. He paid attention to all that they did. The tack room was luxurious with leather furniture and a large, thick rug. The saddles all sat on individual stands, with the tack behind them on hooks on the wall. A small bar and kitchen sat at one end of the room, with a restroom and shower behind. He’d kept Popsicles and small pizzas in that freezer when he was younger. The opposite wall had a desk and floor-to-ceiling shelving with an inset TV. I love this room. He sat down on the leather sofa. Growing up, he often came in here to read when his brothers were living at home, but now that he had the studio apartment and was away at college most of the time, he hadn’t been here in a while.