Her Beautiful Mind Page 21

  “Yes. I spent all morning and part of the afternoon with her. We even ate lunch together.” Liam takes a long swig of his beer before facing me again. “She hiked into the gap right after I got there. She was with these two guys. Stop,” he says, holding up his hand when I try to interrupt. “They’re good guys. I’m glad she’s with them. Safer that way. Anyway,” he continues. “They headed into Hiawassee, and Ari stayed with me. I told her she needed to come home, talk to you and Susan, and get this business all straightened out.”

  “What did she say?”

  Liam laughs, shaking his head. “She really went off on me. Said all she’d done for the past nine years was take care of business. Got right up into my face, even poked my chest with her finger.” Grinning, he stops to take another sip of his drink. “She was one really angry woman.”

  “Ariella did that? Wow, doesn’t sound like her. But she wouldn’t come back with you?”

  “No.”

  “Did you even tell her I was here?”

  He studies me intently for a few moments before answering. “No, Hudson, I didn’t.”

  Now I’m the one glaring down at Liam, but with a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and a beer in the other, I’m not as intimidating as he was. I’m tired, too. With a resigned sigh, I sit back down. “Why?”

  “Three reasons. First off, I’d already made her mad by telling her what to do, and I was afraid if I said you were here, she’d leave and not talk to me at all. I really needed to speak to her. I know you told me some stuff when you first got here, but I wanted to hear it from her. And I’ll admit I didn’t believe you entirely.”

  “And the second reason?”

  “She …” Liam stares off at the forest, which surrounds the back of his building. I can tell he’s trying to gather his thoughts. When he focuses back on me, I’m startled by the sadness on his face. “She told me she was trying to find herself, to find her soul. I had no idea how lost she’d become in your world. Did you know she took diction lessons because she was embarrassed by her accent? Did you realize she changed the way she dressed, what she ate, what she thought, just to fit into your world?

  “She cried, Hudson. The only time I ever saw Ari cry was at Granny Cora’s funeral. But I saw her cry this morning.”

  He pauses to look at me, gauging my reaction. But I can only stare back at him, stunned at his revelation and shamed at my lack of awareness. “I …”

  Shaking his head to silence me, he continues. “She told me she needed this hike, and I could tell she did. She’s already different, changing, becoming more assertive and more self-confident. She’s comfortable on the trail, knows what she’s doing, and it shows. I liked what I saw, and I want her to continue to change, to become the competent woman I know she’s capable of being. If it means with you, or without you, or with someone else, I don’t care. I like you, you’re my friend, but Ari comes first—she’ll always come first.”

  Liam leans back in his chair, drinking his beer, watching me mull over everything he’s told me. “I didn’t know,” I confess. “Never paid any attention. I guess you’re right about me being wrapped up in my upper class, privileged world. I just … Oh, God, Liam, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please help me find her so I can make this right.”

  He doesn’t reply, just stares at me, and I realize there’s something else he hasn’t told me. Although I don’t want to know the answer, I have to ask anyway. “Reason number three?”

  Nodding, he sets his bottle on the ground beside him. I get the impression he’s readying himself for battle, and I’m going to be the one who gets attacked.

  “I told you, if I found out you lied to me, I would kick your ass all over these hills. Well, I’m telling you now, if you want to see her, if you want to make this right, as you keep saying, then, you need to tell me the truth—all of it. You may not have outright lied to her, but you didn’t tell her everything. You lied by omission, and that’s just as bad.

  “Ari told me a lot of stuff today, including the details of her visit to your condo and finding Gia there. It took a lot of courage for her to go there. She faced up to that bitch, even defended you, but Gia really did a number on her. Pulled all of her strings, played on all her insecurities. I think she would have stayed in New York and met with you and Susan if Gia hadn’t been in the picture. So, let’s start there. Why did you sell your condo to her, and why is she pretending to be your fiancée?”

  “I …” Hesitating, I try to get my thoughts in order. I knew very little of what Gia said to Ariella. I knew it was terrible, but I didn’t know she defended me. Liam’s right—it must have been very difficult for her.

  “I didn’t know it was Gia who was buying the condo,” I start. “I was approached by a real estate broker who represented a wealthy client looking for a property overlooking Central Park. They offered me twice what it was worth and wanted to purchase the furnishings, too. It was a great deal, and I was already thinking of selling it, so I said yes. I’d hit a snag in funding for the business and thought I could use the money to tide us over for a while.”

  “But you didn’t tell her?”

  “No. I just …”

  “What?” he demands. “You just what?”

  “I was embarrassed, okay?” I glare back at him. “I didn’t tell her because I was embarrassed.”

  With a long sigh, I lean back in my chair, staring at the darkening sky overhead. “Ariella is the most interesting, unique person I’ve ever known. I was so in awe of her when we met. Her mind is so …” Pausing, I try to find the words to describe how I feel about her. “Her mind is so beautiful, Liam. It’s ethereal, almost otherworldly. She doesn’t think like us, doesn’t see the world like we do. I wanted her to stay that way. I knew a little about her difficult childhood and her diagnosis. So, I had it in my head I would be the one to protect and provide for her. I’d give her everything she never had growing up.”

  Shifting in my chair, I sit up straighter, focusing back on Liam as I speak. “You know how hard raising capital is. I’m sure you jumped through hoops to get funding for this place. It’s the same with our business. But I was supposed to be the money guy. I had the contacts, knew the shakers and the movers. I was the golden boy from the socially elite family. Getting investors was supposed to be easy for me. Except it wasn’t, and I was getting desperate. The offer on the condo came at the right time. I left everything but my personal belongings and the art collection I inherited from my grandparents and moved into my parents’ home.”

  “Why didn’t you get another place?”

  “I was already thinking about moving the business away from New York. The city is too crowded, too loud, and I thought she would be happier if she were closer to you and her other relatives. I also thought this might be a nicer place to raise a family. It seemed foolish to buy or rent something when my parents had plenty of room.”

  “Raise a family?” Liam asks with a smirk. “Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself?”

  “Well, maybe, but I do want that someday with her.”

  “I suppose this is another thing you neglected to tell her?”

  “Yeah,” I admit. “The list keeps getting longer and longer.”

  “When did you find out Gia was living in your old condo?”

  “About six months ago. There was a mix-up in a delivery, and I went by to get my package. Gia was in the lobby getting her mail. That’s when I learned she was living there.” My beer is almost finished. I swallow the last little bit and place the bottle on the stone paving beneath me while I watch Liam.

  I can tell he’s thinking about everything I’ve told him. With a calculating look, he leans forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Hudson, Gia is pretending to be your fiancée. There are photos of the two of you on the piano. She’s wearing an engagement ring. Her uncle announced your appointment as head of their new security division. There is s
o much more here than just a kink in your cash flow. What the hell is going on?”

  “She’s running a Ponzi scheme out of the condo. My family name and my address gave her a certain amount of credibility, and none of her investors are people from the East Coast who might know me. I think she realized the FBI was investigating her, and she was getting desperate. So, apparently, she convinced Vincent I wanted the position, and we would move to Italy together. She even told him I owned the company, that Ariella was just part of the development team.

  “When Vincent made the announcement, I was as shocked as she must have been. He’d offered me a job several times in the past, but I always told him no. There wasn’t much I could do while we were still on the stage in front of everyone, but as soon as we left the room, we went directly to his office and hashed it out.

  “I don’t know any more of the details, and the authorities have warned me not to talk about it until the investigation is complete, but I’m hoping she’ll be going away for a long time.”

  Liam sits back in his chair, a stunned look on his face. “Wow … What a conniving bitch.”

  “True,” I agree with a wry smile. “She had all the details in place, or at least she thought she did.”

  “Wait.” Liam leans toward me again. “How did she get you to take her to the charity ball?”

  “Charity ball? I never took Gia to anything. Where did you get that idea?”

  “From Ari. She saw the photo in the newspaper the next day. You were talking to Vincent, and Gia was standing beside you holding your hand.”

  “Oh, shit,” I mutter, shaking my head as I remember what happened. “She never said anything. Why didn’t she mention it?”

  “Because it’s Ariella, asshole. You told her you weren’t going, then you show up in the photo spread holding hands with another woman. What did you expect her to do?”

  “That’s not what happened. I swear it isn’t.” The long day is finally catching up to me, and I can’t stop my yawn. Leaning my head against the chair back, I stare up at the stars, which are beginning to make their appearance.

  “We’d barely started our negotiations with Banca Italia. I was supposed to go out of town to meet with Vincent, but his assistant called and said his plans were changed, and he preferred to speak to me at the ball that night. It was the last minute, so I put on my tux and went. We were deep in conversation when I felt someone take my hand. I thought it was probably my mom, who wasn’t expecting me to be there. I remember a photographer took our picture just then. When I turned to greet who was holding my hand, it was Gia.

  “I remember pulling away from her quickly, surprised she was touching me. I was disgusted when I saw the photo because it looked like we were together. At the time, I had no idea why she would do something like that. She knows I can’t stand her. Thinking about it now, I can see it was all staged. Hell, she was probably the one pretending to be the assistant.”

  Another yawn stops my account, and I look over to see Liam regarding me thoughtfully. “I thought she was a family friend,” he finally says.

  “She is, or was, I don’t know.” I shrug. “My mom never approved of her—thought she was too wild—but she was Kathryn’s friend, so she was around some.” Hoping he’s satisfied with my answer, I don’t say anything else. I should have known Liam wouldn’t let it go. For a moment, I feel like a suspect trapped in an interrogation room as he stares me down.

  “There’s more between you and Gia than you’re telling me,” he finally says. “I warned you, Hudson, all of the truth. I still haven’t decided whether I’m going to help you find Ari or not.”

  I can’t stop the deep, resigned sigh that escapes me. He’s right, of course, but sharing these memories is not something I want to do.

  “Liam. It’s personal and painful, and it was a really, really long time ago. Don’t ask me to go there.”

  “Oh, my God,” he exclaims. “How young were you? Did she—”

  “No, no,” I interrupt. “It wasn’t like that. I was seventeen—it was completely consensual. It’s just … Let’s say it was a rude awakening.”

  “I think Gia may have said or at least hinted about your shared past when Ari talked to her. I could tell there was something she was hiding when she told me about the visit. You know you’ll have to tell her,” he adds sadly. “You can’t keep things from her anymore.”

  “I know, and I will. I promise.” With a defeated sigh, I lean back in my chair once more, staring up at the dark, star-filled sky. For a moment, I wonder if Ariella is watching the stars, and if so, is she thinking about me? “I just have to find her first,” I whisper to the lights above me.

  The evening has cooled, and Liam lights the fire pit between us. I pull my chair closer to its welcome warmth. Emma joins us with nachos and another beer for each of us. We eat, they talk, and I listen, yawning from time to time, trying to fight off sleep. I’m not very successful because I awake suddenly to find Liam leaning over me and shaking my shoulder.

  “Hudson. Hey, can you listen? I have two things I need to tell you. I’m sorry, I should have said this before, but I’m telling you now. Before I left Ari, she told me she loves you.”

  I stare up at him. “She did?”

  “Yes, she said she loved you and always would. And now I know you love her, too. But the very last thing I asked her was what I should tell you if you came looking for her. She laughed at me and said you wouldn’t because you were going to Italy with Gia. Then she said, ‘If Hudson shows up looking for me, you know what I’m doing and where I am. If I’m important to him, he can come find me.’ She should be in Franklin in three, maybe four days. You can rest here until then, and I’ll take you to her.”

  “No.” The word bursts from my mouth before I fully realize what I’ve said.

  “What?” Liam asks, clearly confused by my answer.

  “No, I don’t want you to take me to Franklin. I want to find her. On the trail, I mean. I want to follow her and find her, just like she said I should. I want to show her how important she is to me. I want to keep hiking.”

  He stares at me a long time before finally nodding. “Okay, you can start tomorrow, but for now, let’s get you into bed. You’re going to need your rest.”

  “Wait for me, my bella mente,” I whisper in my head as I follow him. “Please wait for me. I’m coming.”

  Chapter 30

  More than a Beautiful Mind

  Date: Wednesday, March 19

  Starting Location: Neels Gap

  Destination: Whitley Gap Shelter

  Total Trip Miles: 36.9

  During breakfast the next morning, Liam shows me a hiking schedule he’s prepared if I want to intercept Ariella. He doesn’t think I can catch her by the time she reaches Franklin and believes the best I can hope for is to make it to Nantahala by the time she does. It’s a little over a hundred trail miles away. I’ll have to average fifteen miles a day if I want to get there in time.

  “You don’t have to do this,” he reminds me. “I called a trail angel to pick her up when she gets to the road crossing at Winding Stair on Friday. Tator will take her into town where I’ve made reservations for her at the Franklin Motel. We could call and get you a room there, too. Your car is still in the parking lot. You can be there in little over an hour.”

  His offer is tempting, especially with my lingering muscle soreness, but I want to keep hiking. I want to follow her. I want to see what she saw, do what she did, and experience what she felt. If I left the trail now, I would never understand this part of her. If I’ve learned anything since starting at Springer, it’s that I only knew and appreciated the small piece of her I was focused on, the part I wanted to protect and provide for. I didn’t accept her as a whole person. As a grown woman accomplished in so many more ways than I acknowledged. I also want to read her shelter entries. Since Boyscout mentioned them to me, I’
ve wondered what else she’s written. I don’t want to miss this opportunity to know her better.

  “No. I need to do this. I want to do this. She needs to know she’s important enough for me to come find.”

  “Okay,” Liam reluctantly agrees. “But you should understand this is going to be a lot harder than walking from Springer to Hawk Mountain, even without thirty pounds of rocks in your pack. Which reminds me,” he continues with a smirk. “When did you finally figure out something was wrong?”

  “Long Creek Falls,” I reluctantly confess.

  His smirk turns into a howling belly laugh. “Five miles?” he gasps when he can speak again. “It took you five miles? Oh, you must have been hurting so bad.”

  “Laugh it up, you asshole. I’ll get you one of these days.”

  “Yeah, you probably will, if Ari doesn’t first.” He grins back at me. “In the meantime, let’s make sure you survive the next week.” Still chuckling, he leads me into the back room of the store where he has gear laid out for me.

  “You’re going to have to balance the need for speed versus safety,” he explains as he points to the gear on the table. “The lighter your pack, the faster you can hike, but you run the risk of not being prepared if you get caught in bad weather or some other threatening situation. Not carrying a tent lightens your pack by at least three pounds, but means you have to stay in a shelter each night. You can cowboy camp as long as the weather is decent.

  “Then there’s the food situation. A stove, fuel, and cook kit will add a pound or more. If you don’t carry one, you’ll have to eat cold food like jerky and trail mix. There are some decent trail bars out there, and we can put those in your food bag. But unless you want to go into town to resupply, your bag is going to be really heavy. Something else you need to consider.”

  Over the next twenty minutes, Liam and I discuss all the gear options and make some final decisions. The tent is left behind as well as the cooking equipment. A small fire-starter kit is tucked inside the titanium pot and added to my growing pile of gear. This will give me the ability to heat water over a campfire if the need arises.