When You Don't Have a Choice (Windhaven Manor Series #1)

By Wendi Cassel

After being abandoned by her parents at a very young age, Hailey Nix has worked hard to get through school and make something of herself. Her lifetime alone has taught her that it’s better to be self-sufficient and not depend on anyone for anything.
When Hailey’s job leads her to renovating the historical Windhaven Manor in London, she has no idea just how much her life is about to change. She’s impressed by the manor’s owners, the highly influential Grayson family, and their attractive son, Andrew. She’s shocked at how quickly he slips through all the defenses it’s taken her a lifetime to build. But can Hailey overcome her feelings of abandonment long enough to open her heart to the one man she knows has the power to break it?
Just as she’s finally ready to take a chance on love, Andrew discovers the truth about a family secret that has altered the entire course of his life. Feeling betrayed, he leaves Windhaven in a fit of anger, leaving Hailey behind and abandoned all over again.

Is the love they share strong enough to bring them together and survive the family’s secret past, or is there a limit to the forgiveness someone is capable of?

What if love isn’t always enough?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wendi Cassel
• Release date: Oct 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301238897

Wendi Cassel

I was born and raised in the grand old state of Texas where I currently work full time as a Project Accountant. I’ve raised two sarcastic teenage boys and have an intense love for reading, studying genealogy and architecture. I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me via Facebook at “Author Wendi Cassel” or http://goodreads.com/wendicassel.

Book preview

When You Don’t Have a Choice

A novel by:

Wendi Cassel

Copyright © 2012 & 2019 by Wendi Cassel

Version 2

Published by Wendi Cassel at Smashwords

Cover art by Stephanie Mooney at mooneydesigns.net

Edited by Emily Nemchick & Debra L. Stang

All rights reserved. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please go online and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Novels by Wendi Cassel:

Windhaven Manor Series

When You Don’t Have a Choice

When You Know What Matters

Table of Contents

Bronte Quote

Preface

Chapter 1 – Ambition

Chapter 2 – Windhaven Manor

Chapter 3 – All for You

Chapter 4 – Just Fake It

Chapter 5 – I Want

Chapter 6 – Shooting Stars

Chapter 7 – You Belong Here

Chapter 8 – I’ll Get Over It

Chapter 9 – The Truth

Chapter 10 – The Hard Part

Chapter 11 – Doing the Right Thing

Chapter 12 – Here to Stay

Chapter 13 – Jeremy Miller

Chapter 14 – Take Me Home

Chapter 15 – I’m Not Leaving

Chapter 16 – Pure Torture

Chapter 17 – Where I Belong

Chapter 18 – Closure

Chapter 19 – Welcome Back

Chapter 20 – Made Whole

Sample Chapter 1 – When You Know What Matters

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Bronte Quote

I feel akin to him, I understand the language of his countenance and movements: though rank and wealth sever us widely, I have something in my brain and heart, in my blood and nerves, that assimilates me mentally to him

-Charlotte Bronte

Preface

I knew I was going to die. He was going to kill me, burn me alive. The smoke continued to thicken and fill my lungs. I wanted to hold my breath and gasp for air, all at the same time. The fire was raging and the heat was intense, but I was helpless to do anything. My instincts were yelling at me that the only options I had were those of fight or flight, yet I could do neither. My vision, already hampered by the smoke, began to go black, and I wanted to surrender to the serenity of unconsciousness.

"Hailey!" Again, I heard my name being called from somewhere in the distance, but I couldn’t remember whose voice it was. It sounded so very far away. I forced myself to focus and to listen, but I only heard his laugh. His sick, morbid, sinister laugh that, despite the heat, made chills go through my body. That wasn’t a sound I wanted to hear, so I allowed serenity to once again come within my grasp. He’d said that I’d pass out before the real pain set in. Where was that mercy, and why was it taking so long to find me? I began to fade away until I was nudged back into consciousness by the sound of breaking glass.

In some distracted sense, I knew that once I finally died and this suffering was over, it would all have been worth it. Even as death was tugging on my arm, begging me to follow, I knew I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Chapter 1 – Ambition

I was walking down the hallway towards my office at Kingsley Architecture when I came to Brad Ryder’s office. I knocked softly and poked my head in. He was typing away at his computer with his brows furrowed in concentration.

So, what happened to you this morning? I asked with mock irritation.

Morning, Hailey. Sorry, I had an early meeting and didn’t want to wake you up. He looked up at me with his golden-green eyes, smiling apologetically as he ran a hand through his reddish-brown hair.

I’m just giving you a hard time.

Yeah, I know. He grinned.

Brad Ryder and I were a lot alike, both workaholics. He joined the firm after I did, and once he’d been here a few months, I noticed that he and I were usually the last to leave the office in the evenings. We’d started talking and eventually he asked me out. Here we were, two years later and still a couple.

Hey, did you call the foreman on the Hunt house? I asked. He should have the pre-construction meeting set up by now.

Oops, I got sidetracked. I’ll call him this afternoon, Brad said, only half paying attention now that he was looking back down at his computer. It wasn’t the kind of statement that filled me with an overwhelming sense of confidence.

Don’t worry about it, I’ll call him, I said, rolling my eyes. The only way I knew for sure it would get taken care of was to just do it myself.

Oh, I almost forgot, Brad said as his head popped back up to look at me. Kyle wanted to see us both in his office once you got here.

Okay. Just let me run to my office and set my stuff down. Did he say what it was about?

No, but he had that wicked gleam in his eye that tells me he’s up to something.

Kyle Perkins had been my boss for the entire six years I’d worked at Kingsley Architecture. I admired and respected him, and that said a lot. I wasn’t one of those people who respected people just because of status, position, or the size of their bank accounts. If you wanted my respect, you had to earn it. I could be respectful to anyone, but actually having them own my genuine respect was a different matter altogether.

Kyle was one of the few men on earth that I truly admired. He was honest and hardworking, but still a family man in every sense. He was one of those rare successful men who was able to keep his priorities straight. He didn’t work himself to death at the expense of family relationships, yet he took pride in his work and a job well done. He had an amazing ability to always make people feel at ease. He was in his mid-fifties with thinning brown hair that was heavily mixed with gray.

I walked into my office and looked at all of the papers waiting for me on my desk. I let out a deep breath and thought of all the work that I had to get done today.

As long as I could remember, I’d always wanted to be an architect. I didn’t want to design skyscrapers or bridges or monuments or churches; I wanted to design homes. Not just any homes, but beautiful, elegant homes. I always believed that a home should be a person’s safe haven, where they could escape from the hectic, frenzied, all-consuming troubles of the world. A place where you wipe off the stresses of life on the doormat and enter with a calm sense of peace in your soul.

All of this, of course, sounded pretty profound coming from someone who lived in an apartment.

I quickly checked my emails to make sure there weren’t any emergencies I had to deal with. Luckily, it was just the usual stuff. Intrigued by what Kyle might possibly want, I headed over to see him. I walked into his office, and Brad was already there, sitting in one of the dark leather chairs in front of Kyle’s desk.

Hailey, come on in. Kyle smiled warmly at me and motioned for me to take the companion chair next to Brad.

As I went and sat down, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of Kyle’s corner office. We were on the fortieth floor of a sky-rise in downtown Dallas. You could look outside his office windows and see all the way to Ft. Worth on a clear day. His view wasn’t obstructed by other buildings the way my view was. Here there were only a couple of white, puffy clouds in the sky and a distant line of planes as they made their way to the flight paths of Dallas Love Field Airport and DFW International.

Kyle had a large, mischievous grin on his face, and I could tell he was excited about something.

What’s up? I asked, smiling in response.

Well, I have a new project that I’d like for you two to assist me with.

Okay. What is it? I asked, even more curious. I’d worked as an assistant project manager for Kyle on several projects, so what was so special about this one?

Well, you’ll be traveling and staying on-site. Not so much because of the work involved, but because of its importance. You do have a current passport, right?

That got my attention. I looked over at Brad, and he was as alert as I was. We were talking about international travel? Exciting! Getting away from the office for a while sounded like a much-needed change of pace.

Yes, from my trip to Italy… I said slowly as Brad nodded his head.

Good. Have either of you heard of Windhaven Manor? Kyle’s eyebrows were raised, knowing full well that we had. Everyone had.

My heart skipped a beat.

Of course. I smiled back hesitantly, afraid of getting my hopes up.

Stay calm and professional, I kept telling myself.

The Graysons, the family that owns the house, called the other day. They liked what we did for them a couple of years ago and want to make a few more renovations to the manor. Hailey, I feel that you’d be the best person to help me oversee this project.

I just sat there, stunned. I didn’t know what to expect when I walked in here, but this was much more than I could’ve hoped for! I forced myself to take a deep breath. Windhaven Manor was a huge estate in Newbury, England, that had been built in the early 1800s. It was known throughout the architectural community for its brilliant design and was one of the best-known houses in all of England. You couldn’t even really call it a house; it was more like a castle. I’d seen the drawings from when Kingsley Architecture worked on its previous renovations. To be able to see the house with my own eyes would be a dream come true!

Are you serious? Windhaven Manor? I sat up straighter in my chair, still not convinced I’d heard him right.

We will need you there for a few months to personally ensure that everything goes okay. I’m hoping this will help us break into the European market, so we can’t have any problems with this project. I’ll be going with you to get you started since I already know the Graysons, but I’ll have to fly back to continue the projects I’m already working on here. All of the day-to-day operations will be on your shoulders, Hailey. He paused to see my reaction before continuing. Brad, I’ll need you out there at the beginning to get some of the special permitting needed for historical properties. Since you’ve dealt with that before, we can use your help. Especially having to deal with British laws that are different from our own.

That sounds wonderful! Brad said, grinning nearly as big as I was. I’d be happy to do whatever I can.

Kyle looked back over at me expectantly.

So, Hailey, is this something you might be interested in? He grinned, already knowing my answer. I was thrilled and grateful that Kyle trusted me with such a huge responsibility.

Wow! I’m speechless! Of course I’m interested! This was the biggest news of my professional career so far.

He laughed at my excitement. Well, I hope you aren’t speechless for long. We have a lot to talk about. Here, let me show you some things.

He stood up, and we all went over to his small conference table so he could show us some rough sketches of the planned renovations. He discussed some of the details about the changes the Graysons wanted, as well as a brief history of the house.

So, how soon until we leave? I asked.

We’ll fly out early Sunday, and we meet with them on Monday morning.

"This Sunday? That’s only four days from now!" Brad exclaimed.

Yeah, I know, Kyle said. But the Graysons aren’t a family you keep waiting.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

It was about ten o’clock that night and I was still at the office, redlining some plans that needed to be reviewed. I’d been working on them for so long that I found myself fighting to stay awake. I decided that caffeine was the answer, so I went to the break room and grabbed a soda. When I was returning to my office, I found myself drawn to the dark, vacant conference room across the hall from the break room. I went in but left the lights off. The entire back wall was nothing but floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a beautiful view overlooking the city.

The skyscrapers were outlined with little white lights, and you could see the rest of the city glowing for miles. As many times as I’d looked at this view in the dark, it never ceased to impress me. I looked down and watched the little cars stopping and going in rhythm with the synchronized street lights. It was the heartbeat of the city, the cars moving like the city’s pulse, bringing life wherever they went. The view filled me with a sense of power.

First the city, then the world! I was unable to contain my excitement at all the possibilities ahead of me.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

I fell asleep on the small, albeit comfortable sofa in my office and awoke to bright sunshine pouring in through the windows. I squinted up to find Brad standing over me with two cups of coffee and a small bag in his hand.

I thought I’d find you here, he said, grinning down at me.

I sat up and made room for him to sit beside me as I rubbed my face and combed my fingers through my long brown hair. He handed me my daily iced coffee, and I took a drink as he sat down next to me. He took a blueberry muffin (my favorite) out of the bag and passed it to me.

You’ve got to stop sleeping at the office; it isn’t good for you, he said, taking a bite of his bagel and propping his feet up on the coffee table, which had plans spread out all over it.

But I have so much to get done before we leave!

Maybe, but you don’t have to do it all in one day, he said, wiping some cream cheese from the corner of his mouth.

No, I have to do it in four…well, now only three. I took a deep breath, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Thanks for breakfast.

As Brad continued to eat, he glanced down at the plans with an odd expression on his face. He put his bagel down and leaned over, picking up one page, then another, and another, flipping through them quickly as he saw all the red marks for needed corrections.

What the hell happened here? he asked.

I know; I had to correct so many mistakes on those, it’s ridiculous. It’s the new drafter. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. It’s the second project of mine that he’s worked on, and they’ve both ended up looking like that. I pointed at the plans in disgust. I spend so much time fixing his mistakes that I might as well just do the drafting myself.

I stood up as I popped the last bit of muffin into my mouth. Brad stood up with me.

Well, I’m going to run home and take a quick shower. I’ll be back soon, I said.

By the time you get back, I’ll be at a bid and proposal meeting, so I’ll see you later. He kissed me quickly and was out the door.

I realized sadly that this was the typical rhythm of our relationship: one of us was always coming as the other was going.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

I finally made it home to my actual bed that night. I walked in the front door and threw my keys on the entryway table, taking a look around my two-bedroom apartment. It was small, but that was all I needed since I practically lived at the office anyway. Since I was never home enough to mess it up, it stayed fairly clean and clutter-free.

I thought about London as I flipped through my mail, tossing aside all the latest bills, a reminder that I’d need to ask my neighbor to get my mail for me while I was gone.

My stomach growled angrily at me for skipping lunch. I hated to cook and was too tired to mess with it right now anyway, so I kicked off my heels and made myself a ham sandwich. I flipped on the television, fell onto the sofa, and allowed myself to relax for the first time in what felt like days.

I watched the news and checked my email from my cell phone one last time for the evening. Just as I was getting up to go to bed, there was a knock at the door. I knew it would be Brad. He always worked late, so it wasn’t unusual for him to show up at this time of night.

Really? At this hour? I just want to go to sleep…

I went over and opened the door.

Hi, beautiful! Brad leaned in to kiss me as he walked past me into the living room. Even this late in the evening, he was full of energy. Sorry it’s so late; I’ve been at a city council meeting. I was last on their agenda, and right before me, they had a huge debate about natural gas drilling in residential neighborhoods.

I nodded in understanding. Depending on the issues being discussed, being last on the agenda meant that you could be there for hours. He sat down on the sofa and instinctively kicked off his shoes, indicating that he wasn’t going anywhere tonight.

Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich, I offered weakly as I sat down beside him, hoping he would decline.

No, thanks. I grabbed a bite on my way over. I know better than to ask you for food, he joked. I just smiled. So, did you get everything done today that you needed to for London?

I’m getting there, I said. There’s still a lot to do, though.

Can I do anything to help?

Thanks for the offer, but no. I’ve got it covered.

What’s that little laugh for? he asked, looking offended.

Let’s just say that sometimes your follow-through leaves something to be desired.

A few months ago, I’d been sick with the flu and he’d tried to help me out by taking on one of my meetings. There was a lot of miscommunication, and it had taken me a while to get everything straightened out. I knew Brad was just trying to help, but I also knew that if I handled everything myself, things wouldn’t get messed up. I’d made my fair share of mistakes, but I never made the same mistake twice. I learned my lessons the first time.

Hey, I’m a busy guy with a crazy schedule. Things are bound to fall through the cracks sometimes, he said defensively.

I know, but forgive me if I take care of everything myself this time. I grinned and nudged him playfully.

Yes, I know how your mind works, he said grudgingly. One little thing gets messed up and you’ll never let me help you again.

You know what they say: ‘Once bitten, twice shy.’ By the way, Kyle told me to reassign the Hartin house to you since you won’t be in London as long as I am.

Okay, no problem. His mood turned serious as his eyes held mine. Are you sure going to London is what you want to do?

"What I want…is more. More of everything. More projects, more responsibility. I’d go wherever they asked me to if it would boost my career."

Too bad you don’t have any ambition. He smirked. He was quiet for a minute before looking over at me with a somber expression. He moved over closer to me, lifting my chin so I would look into his eyes. I’m really going to miss you when I have to leave you in London and come back here, you know.

I’ll miss you, too.

I meant it. I knew that leaving Brad for any amount of time would be hard. He was my closest friend. He understood me and my work and made no demands of me, just as I made no demands of him. We gave each other the space to do our own things and follow our own interests. We were both very independent, and if anyone understood this opportunity, it would be Brad. He loved nothing more than his work, and he had limitless ambition to go along with it. I had no doubt that someday he’d own his own company. He wouldn’t settle for anything less. I also knew that nothing, and no one, would ever stand in his way. If he ever had to make a choice between me and his work, we both knew that I’d lose. I could sense that day coming, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.

I think we may need to make some changes around here when we get back, he said, raising an eyebrow.

What type of changes? I asked hesitantly.

When Windhaven is completed and you’re back home, why don’t you move in with me?

I was shocked, not knowing how to respond. It was nice having him stay here a couple of times a week, but I wasn’t ready to move in with him. I enjoyed my privacy, and besides, we worked together all day, every day, so having a few nights to myself was sometimes a welcome relief. To be honest, while I loved Brad, I was never really sure if I was in love with him. I think my hesitation was partly because I didn’t think he was truly in love with me. I knew he cared for me and that we were great together, but I always knew he loved his work more. For this reason alone, I made sure to keep a safe distance emotionally to protect myself. I’d known nothing but pain and disappointment all my life, and I wasn’t about to willingly put myself through any more of it.

Move in with you?

Yeah, why not? We’re perfect for each other, Hailey. We understand each other’s work and the long hours of dedication that it takes. Neither of us goes out much, unless it’s with each other, so it just makes sense.

That was Brad, always so romantic: Move in with me because it’s convenient.

Can we wait and talk about this when I get back? There are just too many other things I have to deal with right now. I wanted to delay this conversation as much as possible.

"Okay, but we will talk about it." He pulled me closer to him, kissing me softly.

Brad stayed at my place for the rest of the week until we left for London. The moving in together conversation didn’t come up again. At least now I had plenty of time to think about it and figure out how to handle it. I liked things between us the way they were and didn’t want to hurt him by saying no. However, I wasn’t ready to tell him yes, either.

Chapter 2 – Windhaven Manor

It was a long flight from Dallas to London. I hated flying. Not out of fear but because of the long lines and cramped quarters. In addition to that, I was a little claustrophobic, and the idea of flying in a tin can with strangers breathing all over me made my skin crawl.

Once we landed in London, we picked up our rental car and drove the remaining sixty miles to the hotel in Newbury. I was thankful that Kyle was driving because I wasn’t sure I could drive on the left side of the road. It was terrifying enough just being a passenger as we traveled through all the intersection roundabouts, let alone trying to navigate one myself.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, Kyle went to his room and Brad and I went to ours, which was right next to Kyle’s. I put my suitcase down next to the large king-sized bed and looked around the place where I’d be living for the next few months. It was plain and simple. There was a large television and a small desk in the corner. It wasn’t much, but I’d be out at Windhaven most of the time anyway. Still, the room felt very cold and impersonal.

I flipped open my laptop and got to work. I had downloaded information about Windhaven Manor onto my computer so I could review it before meeting with the Graysons. It was complete with floor plans, dimensions, and a list of building materials. I wanted to be sure that I arrived knowing the house inside and out.

I discovered that Windhaven was a mixture of Baroque and Châteauesque-style architecture. It was built in 1814 by the Graysons’ ancestors and had stayed in the family all these years. The house itself was made mostly out of stone and granite and was over 109,000 square feet in size. The estate had over 30,000 acres of land and was the second largest privately owned home in the country. It was two stories, with forty rooms split between two separate wings. It had a sixteen-car climate-controlled garage, grass tennis courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a grand ballroom, full stables, and even a private helicopter pad on the back lawn. Needless to say, I was amazed. I’d grown up in a small three-bedroom house. I just couldn’t fathom ever having enough money to build something on such a grand scale. Even compared to some of the larger luxury homes I’d designed, this one was enormous.

Brad and I continued going over the details until the jet lag began to catch up with us. We finally stopped working, and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

The next morning, we met Kyle downstairs in the hotel café. He was sitting at a table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. It looked as if he’d been up for hours.

Good morning, he said, bright and cheerful. Clearly, he had already recovered from the jet lag. Did you two sleep okay?

Morning people, I thought, shaking my head.

I slept great, Brad said as we sat down. I wouldn’t ask Hailey until she’s had at least one cup of coffee, though. He nudged me playfully. They both knew it took me a while in the mornings to become fully functional.

I slept fine, just not long enough, I said, stifling a yawn and pouring myself a cup of coffee from the carafe. We were up late doing a lot of homework on the house. This place sounds like a fairytale!

Certainly not something you see every day, Kyle said, setting his newspaper aside.

I reminded myself that he’d already seen the house and wouldn’t be as impressed as I was. Besides, Kyle was a very successful, very rich man himself, with a very impressive house.

Explain to me why a rich English family would hire an architectural firm from Texas to work on their historical home. That never did make sense to me, Brad asked as he began pouring some creamer in his coffee and stirring it.

Kyle chuckled. "When you say it like that, I guess it does sound strange. The truth is that Robert Grayson—the owner—and I have been friends for a few years. We met while I was in London attending a dinner for the J. Grey Architectural Historical Society. He started telling me about some changes he wanted to make to the manor and asked for my opinions. A few weeks later, he called me up in Dallas and told me he was ready to get started. Networking, Hailey, he said pointedly. It’s all about networking."

I grinned and rolled my eyes at him. We’d had this conversation before. Networking came so naturally to him that he couldn’t understand why it was so difficult for me.

So tell us more about the Graysons, I said, wanting to change the subject before I got another lecture on how important it was to get out of my comfort zone and meet new people.

Well, Kyle said, taking a deep breath, they’re a very nice family. They’re very down to earth, not stuffy and arrogant as most people would imagine a family of such wealth to be. Basically, they’re like royalty around here. Everyone in the area knows who they are and listens to what they say. Because of the influence they have, we can’t have anything go wrong on this project. One bad word from them will ensure that we get no additional work over here. Period.

As long as there’s no pressure. I gave him a sarcastic grin.

Great: money and clout, I thought. Nothing intimidating there.

"Robert is an important judge in the community. He’s from a long line of judges, starting with his great-great-grandfather. He’s presided over criminal cases, mostly, so he’s had to deal with some pretty shady characters. He’s overseen some of the most publicized cases in this area’s history. He’s semi-retired now and spends most of his time at home with his wife, Olivia, and their three children.

Olivia, he continued, taking a quick sip of his coffee, "stays very busy helping out with one nonprofit event or another. Her main focus, however, is on their children. They have two sons and a younger daughter. Both of the sons graduated from Oxford and the daughter is still a student there, living on campus. I believe the younger son, Andrew, is about the same age as both of you, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Stephen is a few years older. They both live there at Windhaven.

That brings us to the family matriarch, Mrs. Lillian Grayson. Kyle smiled broadly. She’s Robert’s mother and, although she’s in her eighties, her mind is razor-sharp. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, gets by her. She makes one heck of an impression. He chuckled to himself, and I could tell that he was very fond of her.

Kyle went on to fill us in about the details from the last round of renovations. As we finished breakfast and the time to leave got closer, I became more anxious. When it came to business, I was as confident as one could be. I knew what I was doing and usually had no reservations whatsoever. Not only did I do my job well, but I knew how to stay focused and avoid distractions. When it came to people, however, I was less certain. Socializing was never one of my strengths.

Ready to go? Kyle asked, looking down at his watch. He smirked at me knowingly, understanding why I was beginning to fidget.

You’re always so calm and collected, I said. Don’t you ever get nervous?

Sure, but not for this meeting. I’m looking forward to seeing them again. Besides, I learned the secret long ago. He paused to get my full attention. When you’re nervous, just fake it. Pretend you have all the confidence in the world and no one will ever know the difference.

Just fake it? I repeated, doubtful that it was that easy.

Fake it. The secret of success according to Kyle: Be on time. Be prepared. Be confident. If you don’t feel confident, fake it. Oh, and never, ever, fidget. No one will believe you’re confident if you’re fidgeting.

He nodded at my hands, which were playing with the one ring I wore, twisting it around and around my finger. He laughed at me, making me grin. I clasped my hands together and put them on my lap.

~* ~* ~* ~* ~* ~*

Windhaven was about another twenty miles southwest of the hotel. Once we were out of the city, you could see rolling countryside with tall grass and flowers dancing in the occasional breeze. I was amazed at just how beautiful the scenery was. It was the middle of spring, and the foliage was painted in varying shades of green as it came back to life after the winter slumber.

Kyle was driving again, which gave me time to talk with Brad, who was sitting in the backseat. Kyle knew all about my and Brad’s relationship, although I don’t think he completely approved of it. During the years I’d known him, Kyle had taken on a fatherly role in my life. He was a great mentor and genuinely cared about my well-being.

Brad and I discussed the project I’d transferred over to him to finish back in the States. As our conversation wound down, the car ride was quiet for a while. I could see the deep concentration on Kyle’s face as he made a couple of turns; he wanted to be sure we ended up on the correct side of the road. When he spoke, I discovered it wasn’t only the driving that Kyle was thinking about.

Do you two ever talk about anything other than work? he asked.

Sure we do, I said automatically. All the time. I looked back at Brad. He simply gave a questioning shrug of his shoulders. Did we talk about other stuff? I suddenly wondered.

You two give the term ‘working relationship’ a whole new meaning, he said, sounding slightly disappointed. There’s more to life than work, you know.

I didn’t turn around and look at Brad any longer. I simply looked out the window so neither of them would see me contemplating Kyle’s question. The words were still echoing in my ears when we finally arrived at our destination. Before us was an enormous stone entrance with a large wrought-iron gate that had the name Windhaven Manor in big arching letters that towered above us. We had to stop at the gatehouse to talk to a security guard, and after he verified who we were, the gate opened and welcomed us into its secret world. We drove up a long, winding road. As we got closer, I found myself straining my neck, looking for the very first glimpse of the house. It didn’t take long, even through all the trees.

When I saw it, my breath caught. Of course, the first thing I noticed was its massive size. It had grayish-white stone walls that dwarfed the land around it. Above the front entrance was an enormous circular window that was made of violet and burgundy stained glass.

There was a large circular driveway with a fountain in the center, spewing forth water from angel’s trumpets as if to announce our arrival. As Kyle drove around it and stopped in front of the house, I looked across the driveway to the impeccable gardens. They were long and rectangular, with several symmetrical ponds. There were elaborately sculpted bushes lining a winding walkway dotted with benches. At the end was a beautiful vine-covered gazebo. There were flowerbeds scattered throughout in a kaleidoscope of energetic colors as far as the eye could see.

Okay, I’m intimidated. I was worried that I was going to mess up this opportunity somehow. It just seemed too good to be true. Why anyone would want to improve this house beyond its current perfection was inconceivable to me.

As we walked towards the wide stairs that led to the grand entrance, an actual butler appeared and opened the door. He looked to be in his late fifties, very formal, offering only a tense smile.

Good morning, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Ryder, Miss Nix, he said politely, with a slight nod. He stepped back and motioned for us to come in.

Good morning, Duncan, Kyle said.

Welcome back to Windhaven, Mr. Perkins. We have been expecting you. Please follow me.

As we walked through the house, I found myself looking around in awe. I already knew the layout of the house from looking at the floor plans, but actually seeing its grand size and the way it was so beautifully decorated was something else! I looked around, letting my eyes drink everything in. I tried to be professional, but I felt like a child in a magical castle. Brad and I exchanged a grin of excitement.

We walked through a grand, marbled foyer that