Free Finding Pride (Pride Series) by Jill Sanders Page A

Matt, or so she had thought.
     
    She knew he had moved here almost five years ago, right after she married, but even then, she knew he traveled a lot. Not once did she believe that he had been investing his inheritance. She had paid off her college tuition and put a down payment on the townhouse she had lived in when she had married. But, after that, she hadn’t really touched it for fear that Derek would find it.
     
    She just couldn’t get her mind around it, according to these documents, everything was taken care of; the house, land, car, enough money to make the Bed and Breakfast a huge success. His stock accounts covered all of it, and so much more.
     
    Now she was looking down at papers that told her Matt’s holdings equaled to enough that she no longer had to worry about anything for the remainder of her life. Why hadn’t her brother told her? Had he guessed about Derek? Is that why he kept all this from her?
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     

     
     
     
    T odd could see the color leaving her face, so he tried to interrupted her thoughts. “Are you hungry?”
    She looked up at him and blinked, “What?” she asked in a shaky voice.
     
    “ Are you hungry?” he repeated in a husky voice. Then he took her hand in his and pulled her up from the chair, setting her on her feet. “Shall we go have some of the best food around?”
     
    The short drive to the restaurant was pleasant. As he drove, Todd talked about the town and the people. She could tell he was trying to prevent her from thinking about the papers back on the desk. Thinking about it, she was sure it would just take some adjustments to get used to. She finally had a chance at a new life and it had only cost her the most important person in her life. What a price to pay!
     
    They drove up to a large building that sat right on the water front. Large white lanterns lit up the whole front of the building. The older two story had new white washed siding. Looking at it; it appeared to have been a warehouse at one point. A large hand carved sign hung over the front doors. “ The Golden Oar” was carved in vibrant gold letters above a large ship with white sails, which sat in dark blue waters. She was not only impressed, but enchanted.
     
    Todd parked the car, walked around and helped her out. Her eyes were fixed on the building in front of them.
     
    “It’s been recently remodeled,” he said, taking her left elbow and walking them towards the door.
     
    He was very proud of the business, actually in the last two years he’d left Lacey and Iian to run the restaurant completely while he focused on the other business. Neither Iian or Lacey had any desire to work in the shipping business.
     
    “This is really Iian and Lacey’s baby, that’s mine over there,” he said pointing to a four story brick building across the way. “Jordan Shipping” was in big white letters across the top. “We’ll save that tour for another day,” he said, guiding her towards the restaurant.
     
    He would always think of himself as a sailor. But, the truth of it was, since his father’s death almost four years ago, he’d become a businessman. He’d spent most of his youth running ships with his father. He’d been to Singapore at the age of eight, Europe by ten and so many other places he stopped keeping track.
     
    The shipping business was his life, it’s just now, he was the one that sat behind the desk instead of behind the wheel of a ship.
     
    “Iian runs the kitchen here and Lacey runs everything else, including Iian,” he said with a smile. “I mainly stay out of their way.” They walked through the double doors with “Welcome to the Golden Oar” etched in the glass.
     
    She was greeted by a rush of warmth, the smells and sounds of a fine family restaurant were soothing. The lighting was soft and warm, and the walls were covered with elegant oil paintings that hung on almost every wall. A large stone fireplace sat near the back of the room. There was a wall