“There is no doubt about it; Edwina Montgomery is dying. In her letter to Jeremiah, she told him that she had less than eight months to live. Well, according to her doctor, it’s now down to less than six,” Connor said.
The phone went quiet, and then Lyle asked, “Did you tell Carrie?”
“I did. However, her decision hasn’t changed.”
“Neither has mine,” Lance said. As if dismissing any further discussion about Edwina, he said, “So what have you decided to do about Skylar Kingston, Logan?”
Logan released a deep breath. “I’ve decided to go see him. Any of you are welcome to go with me if you want.”
“It might be best if you go alone,” Lyle said. “He might be more approachable that way. Having the three of us show up in his office might be a bit intimidating.”
“I agree,” Lance said. “Will you set up an appointment?”
“Yes. I think that’s the best. If he refuses to meet with me, that might mean he knows about Edwina and doesn’t want any relationship with us,” Logan said.
“And if he does agree to meet with you? Then what?” Lyle asked.
“Then I will introduce myself and give him the letter addressed to his father. He might decide to read it, or he might do as you and Carrie did, Lance. Ignore it.”
“When will you head out for San Francisco?” Connor asked.
“Tuesday. However, I will call his office first to schedule a meeting with him for Wednesday. I don’t want to fly to California for nothing. I will let you guys know how it turns out.”
PART 5
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
– Maya Angelou
CHAPTER 19
Logan and Skylar
On Monday afternoon, Skylar sat behind his desk, going over several documents that needed his attention. With the Napa Valley deal finalized, he could turn his full concentration to his other projects. He leaned back in his chair, wishing it could be that easy to deal with Haven. He couldn’t get her off his mind.
After walking her to her room last night, he had stayed a while. With her nestled tenderly on his lap, they had talked at length--about her college days at Yale, and his at Harvard, about the charities she supported, and he’d told her about his. What he had enjoyed more than anything were the kisses they had shared in between. More than once, Haven had accused him of deliberately making her lose focus. He smiled. She had been right.
He loved kissing his golden girl, holding her in his arms while she sat in his lap. Never had he given so much attention to a woman. But then, he knew she wasn’t just any woman. She was the one destined to have his heart. By the time he had left her hotel room, he was certain he had put to rest any concerns she might have had regarding his intentions. People were always trying to fit him into a mold. But like his fatherbefore him, Skylar was his own man. And he would be the only one to decide what kind of woman he wanted in his life.
He barely got any sleep since he’d had to leave the Ursala Hotel at five that morning to make a nine o’clock meeting here in San Francisco. Still, spending all that time with Haven had been worth it. He missed her already.
Sighing deeply, he leaned in to resume working and had just picked up another proposal when the phone on his desk rang. He picked it up. “Yes, Patricia?”
“There is a Logan Montgomery on the phone. He wishes to speak with you.”
The name didn’t immediately ring a bell. “From what company?”
“He says it’s a personal call.”
A personal call?Skylar frowned. He didn’t know a Logan Montgomery and was about to tell Patricia that he wasn’t interested in taking the call, when suddenly his hand, shuffling various papers, went still. “You said Montgomery?”
“Yes. Logan Montgomery.”
He then remembered a report Dante had given him a couple of years ago. He’d never finished reading the whole file, but he’d read enough to recognize the names of Edwina Montgomery’s other children, ones who had been born before him. Siblings he had figured that he would never get to know. He was pretty sure one was named Logan. But why would anyone in the Montgomery family be reaching out to him after all this time? Had Edwina put him up to it?
Silas had warned him that the woman who’d birthed him was hard, cruel, and totally without a conscience. And that even with Mario’s bone-chilling threat of what would happen if she ever contacted the Kingstons again, there wasa chance that when she heard Silas had died, she might feel bold enough to try. Was that what this was about? Skylar’s curiosity was piqued. “Please put the call through.”
He leaned back in his chair, and when the call connected, he said, in his most business-like tone, “This is Skylar Kingston. What can I do for you, Mr. Montgomery?”
