Rebecca Winters - Manhattan Merger

“You just wanted to squeeze him,” Nyla said with a sigh. “I can still see those big dimples and adorable blue eyes.”

“Someday I want a baby that looks just like him.”

“Let’s make that about ten years away, sweetheart.”

“Uncle Payne-”

Everyone laughed except his fiancée whose gaze remained leveled on Rainey.

“How did you happen to end up painting covers on romance novels of all things?”

“One day while I was in the media center of the high school where I taught art, I came across a book called Writer’s World U.S.A. I started looking through the pages at the hundreds of publishing companies that use artwork.

“On a whim I sent out queries. Sometimes I got an answer back. Sometimes not. A few times I was asked for a sample of my work.

“To my delight, Red Rose Romance asked to see my portfolio. I sent in my disk and they hired me. I was hired by Global Greeting Cards the same way.”

“You’re very talented.”

Diane sounded tired. Not only of the subject, but physically worn out.

“Thank you, Ms. Wylie. Once again, I’d like to apologize for the pain I unknowingly caused you. I hope you’ll be able to get past this.”

“I already have,” she muttered. “It’s obvious you meant no harm. I wish you luck in your future endeavors.”

“I want the same thing for you. Have you set a date for your wedding?”

“August first.”

The words cut like a knife through Rainey’s heart. “That’s not far away.”

“You’re right,” Payne broke in. “Diane and I still have an important matter to decide. If you’ll excuse us, we’ll say goodnight.” He rose to his feet.

“See you tomorrow, sweetheart. That was a terrific meal.” He kissed Catherine’s cheek.

“Goodnight, Ms. Bennett.”

“Goodnight,” Rainey whispered.

“Nyla?” He patted the maid’s shoulder. “Don’t ever change.”

The second he wheeled his fiancée into the house, Catherine turned to Rainey. “If I brought you some paper, would you do a picture of Lady?”

Rainey wanted to hug her for making the request. The announcement of Payne Sterling’s imminent marriage had come as a greater blow than she would have imagined.

When Rainey got upset, she always turned to her drawing board for solace. Right now she was in agony.

“I’d be honored. In fact while we were eating dinner, I sketched her in my mind.”

“You mean it?” Catherine looked stunned.

“Yes. I’ve already given the drawing a title.”

“What?”

Nyla looked equally curious.

She winked. “You’ll see.”

Both of them smiled.

“I’ll find you some paper and a pencil!” Catherine cried.

“There’s no need for that. The art case next to my overnight bag has everything I’ll require.”

“I’ll get it!”

Lady raced after her.

“She’s a darling girl,” Rainey murmured as Payne’s niece disappeared inside the house.

The maid nodded. “You’re coming here this evening has made her happier than I’ve seen her in a long, long time.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Her younger brother, Trevor, died of leukemia last year. She took it harder than the oth-”

“Leukemia-”

“Oh…I didn’t realize you didn’t know. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised Mr. Sterling didn’t tell you. Too many similarities between the book and his life.”

“Dear God, Nyla.”

“It’s been a difficult year. First his nephew’s death, then Ms. Wylie’s horrible accident. He’s determined that she’ll walk again, but she fights him so. I’m afraid Mr. Sterling has had about as muc-”

“Here you go.”

Catherine reappeared so fast, Nyla didn’t get the opportunity to finish what she was going to say. Rainey was still so shaken by the news of another tragedy befalling the Sterling family, she felt ill.

Bonnie Wrigley wouldn’t believe it when Rainey phoned to tell her that Payne’s nephew had died from leukemia.

How many more uncanny coincidences were waiting to come to light Rainey didn’t know about yet?

Nyla’s revelation cast a new twist on the old adage about truth being stranger than fiction. Chills ran through Rainey’s body.

With trembling hands she opened her case and removed the items she would need.

“Do you want Lady to pose for you? I can make her sit still for a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Catherine, but it won’t be necessary.”

“Do you mind if I stand behind you and watch?”

“Of course not.”

Lady plopped down next to them. She might not know what was happening, but she acted as if she did. The retriever had a beautiful head.

It didn’t take long for the drawing to come to life. Pretty soon Nyla, who’d been taking dishes in the house, came back out to join Catherine. “Will you look at that…”

“I don’t see how you do it.”

“Believe me, Catherine, neither do I.”

“It’s a gift,” Nyla stated.

“One that landed me in a lot of trouble,” Rainey’s voice shook.

“Uncle Payne’s forgiven you. Otherwise he would never have brought you home with him.”

“Well, now that I’ve apologized to Ms. Wylie, we need to destroy those paintings so she won’t ever be reminded of them again.”

“Destroyed?” they both cried at once.

“Yes. That’s what the judge ordered. If you’d dispose of them, Nyla, it will save Mr. Sterling having to deal with any more grief.”

“You’re right. If it’s a legal matter I suppose now’s as good a time as any to take care of them.”

“Thank you, Nyla.”

While the maid picked them up and carried them into the house, Rainey finished fleshing out the drawing. In the top left-hand corner she put, “To Catherine.” Down in the right-hand corner she titled it, then wrote the date and her initials.

“There.” She carefully removed the sheet of paper and handed it to Catherine.

The teen held it at both ends. “The Beggar.” She broke into laughter. “That’s perfect! I love it! I’m going to have this framed and put it above my bed. Excuse me while I show it to Nyla. Then I’m going to run it upstairs so it won’t get damaged.”

Alone for the moment, Rainey glanced at her watch. It was quarter to eleven. They’d been out on the patio for a long time.

She got up and put everything in her case including her brother’s photograph. The picture of Winston went back in her purse. On the way indoors she met Nyla.

“Where will I be sleeping tonight?”

“Up in the guest room next to Catherine’s. I’ll get your overnight bag and take you there.”

“I’d appreciate that, but before we go, I have another favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Could you manage to bring me a photograph of Trevor without Catherine finding out?”

The maid eyed her with a knowing expression. “You bet. There’s one she carries in her wallet. It’s her favorite. I’ll get it.”

Within fifteen minutes everyone had said goodnight. By the time Rainey had prepared for bed, Nyla returned with the photo.

Thankful for an important project that would help keep her thoughts off Payne and his fiancée, Rainey got started on the picture. Instead of using a pencil, she decided to work with her pastels. She wanted this gift to be perfect.

In the snap, Trevor appeared to be nine or ten years old and bore a strong resemblance to his sister. Several times throughout the night tears rolled down Rainey’s cheeks to think he’d had to die so early in life.

At five in the morning she was finally satisfied with her work. She’d depicted him and Catherine sitting out on the back lawn. Lady lay at their feet with Catherine’s arm thrown loosely around her brother’s shoulders.

After putting the pastels away, Rainey climbed into bed exhausted. But two hours later and sleep still hadn’t come. She’d sopped her pillow and couldn’t stand to lie in bed any longer.

Meeting Payne Sterling had changed her in ways she was terrified to contemplate.

Though his fiancée might not be the warmest person, after what had happened to her, Rainey couldn’t fault her for anything. She had courage to get on with her life, to marry the man of her dreams.

Why would Rainey want to torture herself by hanging around a few more hours just to be with him one more time when his devotion to Diane Wylie was unquestioned. Heavens-they would be married in another month!

If Rainey didn’t take control of herself and the situation right now, then there wasn’t that much difference between her and the stalker who’d put his fiancée in the wheelchair.

Calling on her inner strength, Rainey straightened the bed, got dressed and hurried downstairs with her cases. A man she hadn’t seen before was sitting on a chair in the hall reading a sports magazine. He lifted his head.

“Good morning, Ms. Bennett. My name is Stan.”

“Good morning.”

How could Rainey have forgotten nothing went on in the Sterling’s world without the presence of security?

“Is there someone on the Boyce staff who would drive me into the city? Mr. Sterling was going to have me flown back to New York later in the day, but I’ve just had a phone call that has forced me to change my plans. I need to leave now.”

“Of course. I’ll have a limo brought around back for you.”

“Thank you. At some point you’ll have to inform Mr. Sterling, but would you please wait a while? I happen to know he’s with his fiancée and it’s a Saturday morning. I’d hate for him to be disturbed over a matter as trivial as my transportation. She appeared very tired last night.”

The security man hesitated briefly, then nodded. While he got on his radio phone, Rainey walked through the house to the back hall and let herself outside.

To her surprise there was a strong wind coming off the ocean. It filled the air with salt spray. Judging by the overcast sky, the sun might not make an appearance at all.

She would love to be at Crag’s Head enjoying the elements right now. But that magnificent place and the man who lived there were forbidden to her.

You need to remove yourself from temptation and fly far away, Rainey. Much farther than your studio apartment.

By the time the limo had rolled around, she’d made up her mind to move back to Grand Junction. Coming to New York had been the biggest mistake of her life.

PAYNE walked in the back door of his sister’s house at five after eight, ready for a morning swim in the ocean with Catherine and Rainey.

To his surprise Lady didn’t come flying down the rear entrance hall to greet him. With a guest as exciting as Rainey to talk to, his niece had probably stayed up late last night and was sleeping in.

Rainey might still be in bed too, but Payne had a hunch she was an early riser. Somewhere in the house he imagined her hard at work on her latest art project.

In the hope she might be out on the patio where they’d had dinner, he headed in that direction. When he discovered everything was locked up tight and she was nowhere in sight, a keen sense of disappointment swept through him.

Maybe she was in the kitchen eating breakfast with the staff. But he quashed that thought the moment he spied Stan, one of his sister’s security people, drinking a cup of coffee by himself.

When the other man saw him, he put down his mug. “I was going to call you in a little while.”

Stan didn’t have to say another word for Payne to know something had gone on he wasn’t going to be happy about. Like the fact that Rainey was no longer on the premises.

“When did Ms. Bennett leave?”

“About an hour ago. Jed drove her back to the city. She asked me not to bother you since she knew you and Ms. Wylie were together.”

“You’re supposed to bother me. That’s part of your job!” Payne bit out in a rare show of anger because Rainey’s charm was so potent, she’d managed to con even a pro like Stan.

Payne shouldn’t have cared. It shouldn’t have mattered she’d slipped away without his knowing about it. But it did matter. Even more than he’d imag-

“Uncle Payne?”

At the sound of his niece’s subdued voice he wheeled around. Both she and Nyla were standing in the doorway with Lady.

“I’m afraid it’s my fault Ms. Bennett left in such a hurry this morning,” Nyla murmured.

“Come and look,” Catherine urged him.

On leaden feet, Payne followed them into the main dining room where he glimpsed a sheet of art paper laid out on the table.

Nyla stood at his other side. “Last night I happened to say something to Ms. Bennett about Trevor’s illness because I thought she’d already been told about it. You know, after reading about the hero who had leukemia.

“I never saw anyone look as devastated as she did when she found out. Before she went to bed she asked me to bring her a photograph of him. This is the result.”