Deborah Mello - To Tempt A Stallion

Just a few short months before their sister Naomi’s wedding, they all discovered Nolan had been as deceived and betrayed as they had been. Blatant lies, half-truths and seriously bad choices had kept him from his children, and now he was making a genuine effort to make up for lost time.

Nicholas nodded. “He’s coming to help out when I have my surgery.” He shifted his eyes up to look directly at his brother. “He volunteered to come stay with me so Tarah doesn’t have to miss any time from the hospital. He’s also excited about coming for your grand opening.”

“It’s still weird to me that we have a father who actually wants to be a part of our lives. I’m still not sure how I feel about it.”

“I know, right? But it’s all good. No matter what, we still have each other. Stallions for life!”

Nathaniel grinned. “Stallions for life!”

The duo talked for another hour, falling into a rhythm they’d known since the womb. Nathaniel was excited to share his plans with his twin. Nicholas was proud of his brother and his added exuberance had them both riding sky-high.

Nathaniel suddenly cussed. “What time is it?” he asked as he tapped at his wristwatch, the device still reading nine-thirty. He looked around the room, the lunch crowd having disappeared almost entirely.

“It’s just four-thirty. Bad battery?”

“More like time for a new watch. But I need to run. I’m meeting Bec and the contractor at the new property.”

“Bec? Rebecca’s here in town?” Nicholas eyed him with a raised brow. “When did that happen?”

“She flew in this morning. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Nicholas laughed. “Oh my, my, my! No wonder your real estate agent couldn’t get any play from you. I can’t wait to tell your sisters this!”

Nathaniel shook his head. “Please, don’t start. I’ve just hired Bec and her firm to do the marketing and promotion for the restaurant. That’s all.”

His twin brother grinned. “If you say so! You do know what your sisters say about Rebecca, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Nathaniel responded as he laid cash on the table for the tab. “They say too damn much and they’re wrong, as usual!”

Nicholas laughed. “I definitely won’t tell them you said that!”

* * *

Rebecca Marks walked the perimeter of the 17-Mile Drive property to stare out at the magnificent views. The 3600-square-foot building was a fusion of glass and natural stone, blending seamlessly into the landscape. She loved everything about it. The foreclosure property was even more stupendous than Nathaniel had described. After seeing it up close and personal she completely understood his obsession. And knowing his dream she felt he was a step closer to his goal. Everything about that warmed her heart.

She and Nathaniel had been best buddies since the two had been freshmen at UCLA. They’d become each other’s confidantes, sidekicks and go-to pals for practically everything. Over the years they’d found an easy balance with each other that worked for them both. But truth be told, Rebecca had been head over heels in love with Nathaniel since the day she’d first laid eyes on him. Nathaniel had never looked at her with a romantic eye but their friendship and unyielding bond had been motivation enough to drop everything when he’d called and asked for her help.

Only Rebecca knew how difficult the past two years had actually been for him. His twin brother’s accident had taken a toll on his spirit. His father suddenly appearing in his life and wanting a relationship had stressed him immensely. Dealing with it all while still trying to maintain his medical practice had almost been too much for him to handle. Emotionally, he’d been fractured and desperate not to let it show. There had been many late-night calls between them when Nathaniel had shared what he was feeling, trusting the advice he knew she would give.

When he’d shared his desire to open a restaurant, pursuing a long-held dream of being a successful restaurateur, she’d been the first to encourage him to go for it. Others had laughed, some claiming he was ranting like a man in a midlife crisis. Nathaniel had never been known to take risks. Nor had he often stepped out of his comfort zone. He was a renowned orthopedic surgeon, one of the best in his field. His practice, which specialized in sports medicine, serviced many high-profile clients. He’d invested his money wisely over the years and had a sizeable bank balance to fall back on. He had absolutely nothing to lose, so why not do something that would make him happy. You only live once, Rebecca had insisted as she’d purposely tripped him toward the unknown and what she hoped would prove to be his destiny.

When he’d called to say he had decided to take a lengthy hiatus from medicine to take that leap of faith, and needed her help, she’d been excited for the opportunity. Excited to see him spreading his wings and allowing her to join him on the journey. And flying to Carmel meant being right by his side as he fulfilled his dream, even if it was only for a short time. Since buying the house in Carmel, Nathaniel had been spending less time in Los Angeles and although they spoke often, she missed their one-on-one interaction. She missed him, even if she didn’t say so out loud.

Lost in reverie, Rebecca jumped when Nathaniel suddenly stepped in behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso. A low squeal blew past her lips, replacing the scream that teased the back of her throat. She slapped at him lightly as he laughed.

“Boo!” Nathaniel exclaimed as he pulled her into a deep bear hug.

“You just scared the crap out of me, Nathaniel Stallion!” she said as she punched him again. “You’re so lucky you didn’t get maced.”

He leaned to kiss her cheek, his arms still holding her tightly. “Sorry about that. I couldn’t resist.”

“You’re too damn old to be playing games like that, Stallion.”

He laughed again. “I’m not that old.”

Rebecca shook her head. “Where’s Nicholas? I thought you two were together?”

“He had to fly back to LA so I dropped him off at the airport before I came here.”

“Shoot! I hate that I missed him! How’s he doing?”

“He’s good. He’s really good, actually. I told you about the surgery, didn’t I?”

“You did. And he’s good with everything?”

“Better than I am, probably. I still have some concerns.”

“Concerns like...?”

There was a moment of hesitation as Nathaniel dropped into thought before he answered. “I sometimes think he’s only looking for a miracle because others want one for him. Him walking again is more important to everyone else than to him and it’s the only reason he keeps putting himself through the stuff he does. I only want the best for him and I think he’d be happier if he never had to see another doctor again. He and Tarah are incredible together and he’s comfortable and happy with the life they have.”

“Have you talked to him about it?”

“Not really. Not like I should.”

“Talk to him. You keep waiting for the right time and it might never come, so just do it. Tell him how you feel. It’ll make you feel better.”

With a quick nod, Nathaniel changed the subject. “So how was your flight?”

“Great if you ignore the fact we took off an hour past our departure time, the woman next to me kept burping up beer and someone’s kids screamed from the time we took off until we landed. Other than that it couldn’t have been more perfect,” she said.

“I told you to let me arrange a private flight for you. Noah’s wife would have gladly sent one of her planes.”

“Noah’s wife is very sweet but she doesn’t know me from Adam. The woman is running a business, not a personal charity service for the friends of her family.”