Something to Believe In
Read Something to Believe In Online
Authors: Kimberly Van Meter
It’s time to get her life back
Lilah Bell isn’t asking for much—just a normal life. A future
that’s different from her shadowed, traumatic past. Maybe even a chance to start
over. Instead, all she gets is the suffocating attention of her overprotective
sisters, who seem to be waiting for her to break again. They don’t get that
helping save her family’s beautiful Virgin Islands resort is definitely a
challenge she can handle. But what she
can’t
handle
is a serious relationship with carefree visitor Justin Cales. After all, wanting
a man who isn’t planning to stick around isn’t smart.
Problem is, falling for Justin is too easy. And now life is
more complicated than ever. When the truth unravels, they’ll either be brought
together in unexpected ways…or torn apart for good.
What was happening to him?
Justin couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so out of
control with a woman.
“What’s going on back at the resort that you’d rather go
there than spend time with me?” He tried sounding playful but even to his own
ears he sounded defensive.
Lilah’s gaze sobered. “What happens if one of us gets more
attached than the other? Someone is going to get hurt.”
Someone must have hurt her in the past. “I would never hurt
you, gorgeous. I swear it.”
“I know that. I was talking about you.”
Justin stared. She was afraid he was going to be hurt? That
he was going to get too attached? Ha. But as a quick denial bubbled to the
surface, he realized, hot damn, she could see right through him.
Dear Reader,
Nowadays, it seems everyone can relate to a family member
suffering from the effects of Alzheimer’s or dementia. It is an intolerable
cruelty to watch a loved one who is hale in form and body slowly succumb to the
indignities of their deteriorating brain function. This Family in Paradise
series has been particularly meaningful to me as my own paternal grandmother has
been affected by this very affliction and although my heart is shattered at
losing the woman I knew as strong, shrewd, smart and kind, I know I’m not alone
as many have endured this pain.
As the final story in the series, I hope you have come to
love the Bell family as much as I have. Throughout these books, you’ve been
witness to their struggles, their triumphs and most important, their ability to
persevere through the strength of their love for one another.
Lilah’s story has a very deep arc as she finds her true self
through a journey of self-love and finally, the love of a good man. I hope you
enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Hearing from readers is a joy. If you’d like to send me a
snail mail letter, send to: P.O. BOX 2210, Oakdale, CA 95361. If you’d like to
send me an email, send to:
[email protected]
.
And for updates about upcoming releases and other cool stuff,
check out my website at
www.kimberlyvanmeter.com
.
Kimberly Van Meter
Something to Believe In
Kimberly Van Meter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kimberly Van Meter wrote her first book at sixteen and
finally achieved publication in December 2006. She writes for the Harlequin
Superromance and Harlequin Romantic Suspense lines. She and her husband of
seventeen years have three children, three cats and always a houseful of
friends, family and fun.
Books by Kimberly Van Meter
HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE
1391—THE TRUTH ABOUT FAMILY
1433—FATHER
MATERIAL
1469—RETURN TO EMMETT’S MILL
1485—A KISS TO
REMEMBER
1513—AN IMPERFECT MATCH
1577—KIDS ON THE
DOORSTEP*
1600—A MAN WORTH LOVING *
1627—TRUSTING THE
BODYGUARD*
1694—THE PAST BETWEEN US**
1700—A CHANCE IN THE
NIGHT**
1706—SECRETS IN A SMALL TOWN**
1778—LIKE ONE OF THE
FAMILY***
1802—PLAYING THE PART***
HARLEQUIN ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
1622—TO CATCH A KILLER
1638—GUARDING THE
SOCIALITE
1666—SWORN TO PROTECT†
1669—COLD CASE REUNION†
1696—A
DAUGHTER’S PERFECT SECRET
*Home in Emmett’s Mill
**Mama Jo’s
Boys
***Family in Paradise
†Native Country
Other titles by this author available in ebook
format.
To anyone who has watched a loved one slowly succumb to
Alzheimer’s or dementia and cried tears of grief at the ambiguous loss…I’m right
there with you. The deepest sorrow is looking into the eyes of your loved one
and realizing they are no longer there.
To my paternal grandmother…in my heart you will always remain
the smart, shrewd, kind, generous, crafty woman you ever were. You taught me so
much. My life was blessed to have you in it. I miss our chats, your laughter,
the smell of your kitchen and your wealth of knowledge. All I have now are my
memories.
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
J
USTIN
C
ALES
FEARED
his
father was going to have a coronary event as he crumpled the gossip rag in his
hand until it was a tight, ink-smeared ball of newsprint before throwing it in
the wastebasket with far more force than required.
“Calm down before you hurt yourself, old man,” Justin muttered,
failing to see what his father was losing his temper over. “It’s no big deal.
You can barely make out my face anyway and it was a joke. Benny thought it would
be funny if—”
At that Senator Vernon Cales growled, “Am I laughing? I fail to
see what’s laughable about the fact that your fool head is stuck between Starr’s
giant melon breasts.”
Justin chuckled at the memory but sobered immediately when he
saw his father was really about to lose it. “It was Benny’s idea to go to that
strip club but we were only there for maybe a half hour before this happened. It
was a total joke but—”
“But a photographer managed to catch the shot because he sure
as hell knew who you were and who you were connected to. Damn it all to hell,
Justin! What are you trying to do to this family?”
A familiar resentment rose in his chest that threatened his
earlier decision to ride out the storm of his father’s anger with a humble
attitude. Screw that. The old man could kiss his ass. He hadn’t done anything
wrong—per se. It’s not as if he was out whoring and visiting strip clubs all the
time. For God’s sake, it was one time and they’d been clowning around. “It’s
always about the
family.
Let’s get real, Dad. It’s
about your image, not mine.”
“I’ve built a solid political foundation on morals and family
values and I’m not about to let you tear it all down with your irresponsible
ways. Everyone is toeing the line, but you.”
Justin exhaled a short breath, quickly losing interest in the
You’re-a-Screwup show his father loved to roll out. He’d seen this show before
and he didn’t much care for the way it ended. “Is this what this meeting is
about? If so, I’m going to bounce. I don’t need this. It was a bit of harmless
fun. There were half a dozen guys doing the same exact thing as me.”
“But you’re my son.” Vernon’s tone lowered with finality and
there was something in his eyes Justin had never seen before. Hell, maybe the
old man was serious this time around. Vernon drew a deep breath as if needing
calm to proceed, then returned to his high-back leather chair. “Things are going
to change,” he announced, sliding paperwork to the forefront and steepling his
hands over it. A sense of foreboding followed as Vernon continued. “You’re
thirty-two years old. It’s time to start acting your age and take your
responsibilities serious.”
Justin rolled his eyes in ill-disguised irritation. This again?
“I have a college degree, even a master’s degree in business. I think I’ve
fulfilled my debt to your expectations. You need to back off and let me live my
life.”
His father ignored him and continued undeterred. “When I was
your age I was already working my way up the political ladder. It’s time you
start making your mark, too.”
“I’m not interested in politics,” Justin said flatly. He hated
politics and his father knew it.
“I’ve decided not to run for my seat in the Senate,” Vernon
said, shocking Justin and sending a trickle of unease into his gut. He didn’t
like the general direction of the conversation. Vernon met his stare squarely.
“I want you to run in my stead. I want you to be the next Cales New York
senator.”
“No.” Justin sat straighter. “Dad...no. What are you doing? You
can’t be serious.” As far as bad jokes went, this one sucked pretty hard. Justin
excelled in doing nothing, being highly educated for zero purpose—and he liked
it that way. He liked hanging out with his overprivileged friends who had trust
accounts with more money than some small countries. He fully embraced his
bacchanal lifestyle and a career in politics would definitely put an end to
those types of shenanigans. He swallowed the spurt of raw panic but before he
could launch a suitable protest, his father had begun again.
“I am serious. I’ve let you dick around too long and
that—
” he pointed to the ball of incriminating
evidence in his wastebasket “—is proof. Your mother and I have come to a
decision regarding your future. You’re going to take a monthlong vacation,
someplace warm and sunny, where you can appropriately say goodbye to your wild
ways. At the end of that month, you will return home where you will immediately
clean up your act and start the campaign trail for my seat. Of course, you’ll
have our full support and resources behind you. I’ve been assured your candidacy
would be looked upon favorably.”
“How is that even possible?” he asked, sweat beading his upper
lip. “It’s not as if I’ve been the model son, as you’ve enjoyed pointing out.
Who the hell would put their resources behind me as a candidate?”
His father shot him a quelling glance. “Yes, who would? Well,
let’s just say it helps to have friends in high places. Most times your antics
never made it to the press if it could be helped. This time was unfortunate,” he
said, referencing the stripper episode. “But with some creative handling, we
should be able to maneuver around it. However, once your candidacy is announced
it’s important to avoid any more of these types of incidents. Am I clear?”
Clear? Was his father joking? Not hardly. “I’m not doing this,”
he said, shaking his head.
“You will.” It was the certainty of his father’s voice that
deepened the chill chasing his spine. Justin felt the walls closing in on him,
squeezing out the oxygen in the room.
“No!” Justin jumped from his chair. “I’ve never harbored any
desire to follow you into politics or expressed any interest in current events
or world issues. You know this, Dad. Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because it’s time you stop thinking about just yourself. The
Cales name has been associated with strong politics for generations. I’m not
about to let my only son ruin that legacy without a fight.”
Suddenly logic calmed his panic. His father couldn’t make him
do anything. He drew a deep breath and shook his head. “Sorry, Dad. I know I’m
letting you down but I’m not about to jump through your hoops just to satisfy
some ego stroke for you. I’m not that guy and if you thought I was, you
obviously don’t know me at all.” He turned to leave, finished with the
conversation, but his father’s voice at his back pulled him around.
“I know who you are and who you can be. Today you’re a lazy,
spoiled playboy who spends more than he makes and depends on his trust fund to
survive. You haven’t held a serious job since graduating college and you have a
penchant for fine things and expensive pastimes. Oh, son...I know quite well who
you are
right now.
But I’m not interested in that
person. I’m interested in finding who you
can be.
And I have a feeling that person is going to be someone worth knowing. So here’s
the deal... You will go on your vacation, leaving tomorrow. Mourn your playboy
days and then when you return, you will devote your considerable energy on
securing your campaign funds for your candidacy.”
“And if I don’t?”
Vernon’s gaze hardened and Justin knew he wasn’t bluffing. “You
will be cut off. Permanently.”
Justin balked, not quite comprehending what his father was
saying. It seemed unbelievable in this day and age, something so medieval as
familial extortion would become part of his father’s arsenal but as he stared,
meeting his father’s steady and unflinching gaze, he realized the senator was as
serious as a heart attack. “This is bullshit,” he finally murmured in a shaky
voice, unable to hide his shock. “And beneath you.”
“You brought us to this end.”
“A little archaic don’t you think?” he bit out.
His father shrugged. “Some methods haven’t lost their
effectiveness no matter their age.”
Justin felt betrayed by his own blood. He’d always known his
hard-nosed father was a bit of a ruthless bastard when it came to getting what
he wanted but he never thought he’d get caught in those deadly crosshairs. “Mom
in on this, too?”
“She is agreed.”
Swell. There went his only ally. Could he handle life on his
own? Away from the safety net of his parents’ influence and resources? He liked
to think he could but he’d become accustomed to the privileges wealth provided
and the idea made him shift uncomfortably. Before this moment, getting a job,
having a career had been a back burner priority. Now it seemed paramount if he
wanted to survive. He didn’t like that feeling. Not at all.
He hated the idea of yielding to his father even more.
Pushy, overbearing jackass.
He
shoved his hands in his pockets to hide the hard clench of his fists. He needed
time to think his way out of this. A month ought to be long enough. So, he’d
take a vacation in a tropical paradise on his father’s dime all the while
figuring out his exit strategy. Sounded doable. He relaxed his fists, drawing
air through his tight chest and forced a cool smirk. “A vacation it is, then.
But here are my terms if I’m going to give up my life, I want top shelf,
five-star accommodations. I want a credit card without a limit and I want you
and Mom to leave me alone for the month that I’m
mourning
—as you put it—my playboy ways. No calls, no nagging emails
or texts...family-free. Got it?”
His father nodded, accepting Justin’s terms. He picked up the
paperwork on his desk and held it out for Justin to grab. “I anticipated your
answer—as well as your demands—here are your travel documents, plane ticket and
whatnot. You leave at 8:00 a.m. for St. John. Enjoy your vacation, son. I look
forward to your return.”
Justin accepted the documents, his lips pressed tight.
Go to hell, Dad.
* * *
L
ILAH
B
ELL
RELIEVED
Celly, Larimar’s one real employee, for her lunch break and took her
spot behind the front desk of the airy resort she’d known as home since she was
old enough to remember. Her grandparents had bought the resort shortly after
they’d married and they’d planned to live their lives out among the surf and
sand. Well, Grams had accomplished that goal having died from breast cancer ten
years ago but Pops was still kicking, even if his mind was quickly losing its
sharpness.
Lilah loved Larimar, and the fact that it was in trouble caused
a flutter of real panic to steal her breath. No, it was going to work out, she
told herself fiercely. Her oldest sister, Lora, had come home—and fallen in love
with her former arch nemesis, Heath Cannon—and Lindy, Lilah’s twin, made
frequent visits home with her new fiancé, Gabe Weston, and for the first time in
a long time, Lilah wasn’t suffocating under a blanket of depression.
All in all, things were looking up.
Now, if only everyone would stop treating her as if she were
going to break.
Apparently, one suicide attempt was enough to put you on
permanent mental health watch.
She smiled in spite of the topic, noticing Maho, her adopted
cat, winding his way between her legs, meowing for her attention. She picked him
up and cradled the cat like a baby.
“Lilah, what did I tell you about that cat?” Lora said,
entering from the private section of the resort, wearing a frown. “I know it’s a
lost cause to ask that you find a different home for him, but at the very least,
please don’t keep him at the front desk. What if our guests come in with
allergies?”
Lilah shrugged. She used to worry about her sisters’ approval
or disapproval, as it were, but not anymore. She knew there were bigger issues
to worry about on any given day and potential dander allergens for guests was
not one of them. “When is Lindy flying in?” she asked, pressing a quick kiss on
the top of the cat’s head before gently setting him on the floor.
“She had to reschedule her flight,” Lora said. “Something about
Carys’s school and not being able to get her independent study approved. Sorry,
Li, but she said she’ll be on a plane as soon as possible.”
“It’s okay,” Lilah said, smiling to hide her disappointment and
her mild irritation that everyone felt the need to tiptoe around her feelings.
It wasn’t as if she were going to fling herself into the sea with every drop of
bad news. She twisted a hank of her long hair and secured it to the top of her
head in a messy knot, then busied herself with straightening the desk. “It isn’t
that big of a deal.”
“I know, but you miss her so much when she’s gone. I wish I
could understand that twin thing but...well, it’s a mystery to me.”
Lilah’s smile widened at her sister. To look at Lora today was
to see a woman transformed by the power of love. Corny as it sounded, it was
true. Lora had once been a royal bitch to put it lightly. Now, she was still
Type A—which rubbed against Lilah’s naturally creative and flighty Type B
personality—but at least now she didn’t make small children cry with a look from
those witchy blue eyes. “It’s okay. Besides, now that she’s engaged to the CEO
of a multimillion dollar company, her visits aren’t so few and far between.”
“Gabe has been good for Lindy,” Lora agreed. “And not just
because of his frequent-flier miles.”
Lilah chuckled. “Yes. He’s been pretty good. I wish I could’ve
seen her first play. I’m sure she was amazing.”
Since moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Lindy had
hooked up with a theater group that actually appreciated her acting talents and
not just her pretty face and body. For that, Lilah was inordinately grateful.
She’d always been uncomfortable with the lifestyle Lindy had been immersed in
while living in L.A.
“Are you thinking of going out tonight?” Lora asked, switching
gears.