Then suddenly, as if he’d known she was still watching him, he turned, captured her gaze, and smiled.
Even from across the lobby, his dimples mesmerized her. Why did she suddenly feel some strong, magnetic pullbetween them? She’d never experienced this feeling before with a man. Whatever it was, it enticed her to smile back.
Forcing her gaze from him, she checked her watch. She had only five minutes to get to her destination. There was no telling how much time she had lost ogling the guy. But she had to admit, he had been worth every minute. She began walking in the direction of the meeting room, and on impulse, she glanced to where he’d been earlier, but he was gone. Oh, well, it had been good while it had lasted. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt the need to be naughty.
She would not have dared when Gramma Dora was alive. But then, she would have done anything for Dora Gables. She’d raised a ten-month-old baby alone after losing her only daughter, barely two years to the day of losing her beloved husband. But her grandmother had been the best, even though she’d had to put off her retirement until after Haven was out of high school and into college. Upon her grandmother’s insistence, Haven had not only gotten a bachelor’s degree but also her master’s, both from Yale. Though Haven had loved the years she had spent in Connecticut, she’d always looked forward to going home during the summers to the small town of Tifton, Georgia. Tifton was known as the “Friendly City” and, over the years, had attracted young professionals, retirees, and young families, all while retaining its small-town feel.
She knew, from their family history, that Tifton was where the Montgomery family originated. Then, back in the early 1960s, some had migrated north to Chicago and settled in nearby towns such as Gary, Indiana, to work in the steel mills. Haven’s great-grandmother had watched her three older brothers leave, but she had remainedin Tifton to marry Alto Fields. They’d had one daughter, her grandmother, Dora, who had married Percival Gables when she was eighteen. Their only daughter, Barbara Jean, had been Haven’s mother. She was told her mother had named her Haven because it meant a safe and peaceful place. Although most people had found her name odd, she had always liked it.
No one had known just how sick Gramma Dora was, not even Jeremiah, and the two had been close cousins all their lives. Dora had kept her illness hidden until she couldn’t anymore. Both Haven and Jeremiah had gotten notification on the same day that her grandmother had been put in hospice. Haven had been shocked, since she talked to her grandmother at least twice a week. She’d noticed her grandmother’s weight loss at Jeremiah and Thea’s wedding, but Gramma Dora said it was due to medication her doctor had prescribed to stabilize her diabetes. The hospice doctor explained that Dora had a rapidly spreading form of bladder cancer.
Haven returned to Tifton just in time to receive her grandmother’s two deathbed requests. Dora had told her only grandchild to appreciate every moment, because tomorrow wasn’t promised to anyone. She also told Haven that there would be times when strangers would appear in her life. They’d show up for a reason, and she wanted Haven to appreciate it when they did.
Gramma Dora’s only deathbed request for Jeremiah was that he always be there for Haven. She appreciated Jeremiah’s support throughout the funeral arrangements, as well as that of his wife, their children, and their spouses. They were all the family she had left now.
Remembering her grandmother’s last request to Jeremiah was the main reason she’d accepted the job as a medicalresearcher in Chicago for one of the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Jeremiah and his wife, Thea, lived in Gary, Indiana, which was less than an hour away from Chicago. This would be her first Thanksgiving without Gramma Dora, and spending that day with the Montgomerys would make it easier to get through.
As she made it to the huge meeting room, grabbed a cup of coffee and a cranberry muffin from the complimentary breakfast table, she then took a seat. She felt lucky to be here, having been chosen by her boss, Addie Lowery. She had only worked for Marimar Pharmaceuticals for a few months, but Addie felt that, given her minor in Engineering Technology, she was the ideal candidate to attend the four-week training session. The summit was designed to introduce medical researchers to advanced technology that would benefit them in their work.
She took a sip of coffee as she waited for the meeting to begin. While waiting, she couldn’t stop thinking about the sexy guy she had bumped into earlier. He’d smelled so good… Whatever cologne he’d been wearing was definitely memorable. This was a huge hotel, and chances were, their paths wouldn’t cross again…unfortunately. Still, she was here for business and not pleasure—regardless of how much pleasure she’d like to have with him.
Just then, the first speaker walked over to the podium, putting an end to her naughty daydreams.
Dante Mario Avera served as both the general manager and the head of security for the Ursula Hotelsand Resorts. He looked up at the man, who was known to be a stickler for promptness, as he slid into the seat across from his desk. “You’re late, Sky.”
“Then dock my pay.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t sure you would come.”
“Did I have a choice? I was in the fitness center this morning when I got your text from that special number. What’s up?”
“Someone, we don’t know who just yet, was trying to get into databases for information on Silas.”
Skylar Kingston sat up straight in his chair. “Why?”
“We have no idea. However, we’re on it.”
“I’m sure you are,” Skylar said, grinning. Dante’s father, Mario Avera, had been Skylar’s father’s best friend. He’d also been Silas’ trusted confidant, security manager, and if needed, his henchman. Upon Mario’s death ten years ago, Dante had inherited the roles. Mario had trained his son well. In Italian, the name Dante meant enduring or steadfast. Dante was both.
“In the meantime, Sky…”
“I know the drill, Dante. Have you ever thought that maybe you’re getting a little paranoid as you get older?” Dante was thirteen years older than Skylar, but at times, he acted a lot older than that, especially when it came to his protection.
“This isn’t funny, Sky. Your Italian ancestors, the Romanos, were known to engage in some shady shit back in the day. Although it seemed to end with your great-grandfather Sergio’s death, we need to make sure. Sergio made a lot of enemies. Luckily, your grandfather, Savino, who didn’t want to have anything to do with the family business, walked away from it. He changed hislast name from Romano to Kingston, and married Ursula, the American woman he’d fallen in love with. Savino and Ursula were determined to protect their only son, Silas, and build their own empire - a legitimate one. And then Silas-”
“I know the story, Dante,” Skylar interrupted, holding up his hands. “Dad told me everything before he died. No need to rehash it. Alright?”
Dante nodded. “You’re the boss. How are all your other business interests doing? The ones in San Francisco, Phoenix, New York, and Denver?”
“Great. I am trying to close the deal on that vineyard near Napa Valley.”
Dante shrugged. “It will happen. Silas taught you well. Whatever you touch turns to gold.”
His words made Skylar think of the woman he had bumped into earlier. The woman he had touched. She’d been breathtakingly beautiful, and he was certain that when he turned back and caught her staring, something had passed between them. It was as if there had been some magnetic pull. And when she had smiled back at him, it felt as if that smile touched his soul. He had a feeling that if she hadn’t broken eye contact before walking away, he would have returned to her, just to touch her again to make certain she’d been real.
Skylar tilted his head and looked at Dante, who lifted a curious brow, evidently seeing the strange, whimsical look on his face. “What’s wrong with you, Sky?”
He saw no reason not to tell him. “The reason I was late is that I bumped into someone on the way here.”
