Daisy punched him lightly on the arm. ‘We’re alone now. You don’t have to say that,’ she said teasingly.
‘I know,’ he said quietly. ‘But I mean it. You are beautiful.’
She looked up at him uncertainly. With the sun’s dazzle illuminating the bones beneath his smooth golden skin, he was the beautiful one. But it wasn’t his beauty that was occupying her thoughts. It was the slight distance in his manner. Remembering how he’d been before their lunch with James Dunmore, she nudged his arm again.
‘And you’re clever.’ She gave him a quick reassuring smile. ‘That’s why tomorrow you’re going to be the new owner of a prime piece of Manhattan real estate. And you’ll have kept your promise to your father.’
His gaze was fixed on the ocean and her eyes fluttered anxiously over his face.
‘You don’t seem very happy.’
He turned to look at her, his mouth twisting into a smile. ‘Of course I am. It’s everything I want.’
Daisy nodded, her lips curving automatically into an answering smile. But inside a splinter of misery seemed to split her in two.
It’s everything I want.
His words reverberated dully inside her head, blocking out the sound of the waves and the sudden swift beating of her heart.
It was just a throwaway remark. He probably hadn’t given it a thought. But did that make it less or more true? And what had she expected him to say? That he had everything he wanted but her?
As casually as she could, she glanced past him out to sea. Really though, she was furtively watching his face. Since he’d confided in her she’d been doing that a lot, her eyes involuntarily searching for some change to reflect what felt like an incredible turning point in their relationship.
But what had really changed between them?
Sighing, she sifted through her memories, trying to be objective. It was true he’d shared a painful and personal fragment of his life, and for a short while at least he had seemed to need her. Not as an actress. Not for sex. But for herself.
And it had felt incredible at the time—a tiny but significant step towards trust, as though a tiger had momentarily allowed itself to be stroked.
Picking up a smooth white pebble, she sighed and laid it gently on the sand.
Of course, that was only her perception of what had happened. As far as Rollo was concerned he’d probably filed it away under ‘momentary weaknesses, never to be repeated.’ Certainly he’d given her no reason to think it had changed his view of either her or their relationship. Nor had he made any reference to their conversation or attempted to confide in her further.
She picked up another pebble. Whatever she thought had happened had most likely only taken place inside her head.
She sighed again.
‘That’s it. You’re out!’
Startled, she glanced up as his fingers caught hers and firmly unclenched her hand, tipping the pebble onto the sand.
‘Out of what?’
‘The game. You had three strikes.’ He frowned, his eyes picking over her face. ‘Or in your case, three sighs! So come on—what’s bothering you?’
It was the perfect opportunity to tell him the truth. That she loved him with a love that was rooted so deeply nothing could cause it to wither. That she would always have his back and would willingly go into battle for him.
But before she could reply he said quickly, ‘Is it coming here? Meeting Emily?’
His eyes were startlingly green in the sunlight, his voice brusque with that anger again, and she felt her spine stiffen and the words dry in her mouth. For a moment there was no sound but the surf and the crooning cry of a distant gull, and then his fingers tightened on hers.
‘Sorry.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound so forceful.’ His mouth twisted. ‘I know this is hard for you. James and Emily are good people, and I know how much you like them.’
Reaching into the sand, he picked up a pebble and handed it to her.
She nodded. ‘They’re so generous and humble. And so in love still.’ Her heart gave a thump as he handed her another pebble. ‘I suppose they remind me of my mum and dad.’
Shifting in the sand, she glanced over her shoulder to where the mansion could just be seen behind the sand dunes.
‘Although Swan Creek is slightly bigger than the Love Shack.’
‘More Love Chateau?’ he said softly.
She smiled, responding to the teasing note in his voice. ‘That’s good. Perhaps you should try running a business.’
‘I would love to run my own business, but I have this girlfriend. She takes up all my time.’ Abruptly his face shifted, grew serious. ‘How are they like your parents?’
His question pulled her up short. She frowned. ‘I suppose they have the same sort of closeness...like they’re always aware of each other.’
She bit her lip. It was the sort of closeness she’d dreamed about for years. A closeness born of trust and honesty.
‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’
He sounded so unsure that she burst out laughing. ‘I think it is.’
He nodded. ‘Only you sounded like it might not be.’
His eyes searched her face so intently that suddenly she felt shy, self-conscious.
She shrugged. ‘It’s what I’ve always wanted.’ She gave him a swift, tight smile. ‘But you can’t always get what you want—’
‘Just what you need?’
Their eyes met.
I need you, she thought helplessly.
Instead she nodded. ‘Which is why you can buy chocolate and stationery everywhere.’
He groaned. ‘Chocolate, I get. But stationery?’
She laughed. ‘I love notebooks. And pens.’
‘That stops as soon as we’re married.’
‘Is that your version of a prenup?’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘Then you’re going to need a lawyer, because stationery is non-negotiable.’
His eyes gleamed. ‘In that case I might have a few non-negotiables of my own.’
Watching his expression grow blunt and tight, she shook her head. ‘You have a one-track mind, Rollo Fleming.’
‘Only with you. And if we weren’t being forced into a state of celibacy—’
‘It’s only been a couple of hours.’
Glancing at his watch, he grinned. ‘Five hours and seventeen minutes.’
It was stupid, but the fact that he was counting the minutes made her feel ridiculously happy. The urge to tell him so was almost overwhelming. But instead she shook her head.
‘Only another day to go and then we’ll be back at the apartment and we can do whatever we want, wherever we want.’
He ran his finger slowly down her arm. ‘I thought I was the cold-blooded one,’ he said softly.
She hesitated, and then took a breath, fear and hope tangling inside her. ‘Of course, you could just tell James the truth. About why you want the building.’
He didn’t reply—just stared past her at the tumbling waves so that she thought he hadn’t heard her.
Finally he turned and gave her a small, polite smile. ‘I don’t think that will work.’
‘Why not?’ There was a knot in her stomach. Biting her lip, she tried to keep her voice steady. ‘He wants to sell to someone with family values. You only want that building to keep a promise to your father.’
He was still smiling, but his fingers felt suddenly rigid against her skin. ‘And how do I explain us? What “family values” does our sham engagement represent?’
There was no easy way to answer that.
She drew in a deep breath. ‘It was just an idea.’
‘Are you having second thoughts?’
His eyes on hers were dark and tormented. She shook her head, bewildered by the sudden shift in his manner. ‘Of course not. I like the Dunmores, and I don’t like lying to them. But my loyalty’s with you, Rollo. It will always be.’
He nodded, and some of the tension in him eased. ‘Always as in for ever?’
She nodded. ‘I know how much this deal means to you.’
She stared at him, blindsided by longing and hope and fear, wanting to speak, to go further, to risk everything. But instead she wrapped her fingers more tightly around his and squeezed.
‘It means a lot to me too.’
She swallowed; her voice was shaking, and the beating of her heart was drowning out the sound of the waves. Only it didn’t matter. All that mattered was finding the words to reach him. To make him understand. Even if that meant making herself vulnerable.
‘I care about you and I want you to be happy.’
His face was blank and unsmiling. She held her breath as he stared at her in silence, and then finally he said quietly, ‘I want you to be happy too.’
She could hear the struggle in his voice. But she knew how far they had come for him to admit even that much. And right now it was enough. Glancing down at the heart of pebbles she’d made in the sand, she breathed out softly. She had enough love for both of them.
‘In that case let’s go back to our room. We’ve got at least an hour before dinner.’
His dark, hungry gaze fixed on her face, tugging at her like a fish hook, so that suddenly she was breathless with desire, her body impossibly hot and tight. And then, without warning, he pulled her to her feet and hand in hand they ran towards the dunes.
* * *
The following morning, James Dunmore invited Rollo to his study to go over the proposal, and Daisy joined Emily on a guided tour of the estate’s lavish gardens.
‘So is this the actual creek?’
They were standing on a small wooden bridge above a grass-edged stream.
Emily smiled. ‘It is. And those are the swans.’
As Daisy turned two immaculate swans glided across the water, their curving necks as delicate as white bone china cup handles.
‘They were here when we bought the land. Just the two of them and a tiny run-down fisherman’s hut.’
‘How do you know they’re the same pair?’ Daisy asked curiously.
‘The local wildfowl centre keeps track of the birds. And, of course, swans mate for life.’
Daisy nodded, a pang of guilt clutching at her stomach. It felt wrong to deceive such good people. But she had promised to be loyal to Rollo and she would keep her promise.
They had lunch behind the house, beneath a beautiful canopy of the palest purple wisteria.
‘Emily and I thought we should have champagne.’ James smiled at his wife. ‘To celebrate your engagement.’
‘How lovely!’ Daisy managed to say. But she couldn’t keep her eyes from sliding towards Rollo.
‘That’s very kind of you both.’ His smile was dazzling and irresistible, and she forced her lips upwards into a smile of her own.
‘I wonder, James, would it be premature to celebrate another forthcoming union?’ Rollo spoke easily, master of the situation. ‘Between our two companies?’
There was a short silence, and then James nodded slowly. ‘Yes. Let’s make it a double celebration.’
So that was it, then, Daisy thought dully. Everything she and Rollo had worked so hard to make happen had happened. Why, then, did she feel as though it was over before it had begun?
Suddenly she wanted to cry. But instead she smiled and laughed and drank champagne and ate her meal, focusing on every mouthful until finally it was over.
She lay down her spoon and looked up at her hostess. ‘That was delicious, Emily. Thank you.’
Emily smiled. ‘I think we’ll take coffee in the gazebo. It’s so hot, and there’s always a lovely light breeze there.’
Five minutes later, James handed Daisy a cup of coffee, a smile creasing his face. ‘You must come and stay with us after the wedding.’
They had moved to the gazebo and, as Emily had predicted, it was cooler and more comfortable to sit there, with the breeze coming in from the ocean.
‘Rollo’s looked at buying a property out here before, and New York’s no place to bring up a family.’
A family!
Daisy nodded mechanically. But her mind was blank. They had never discussed a family, and she had no idea of the correct response.
But rolling her eyes at her husband, Emily leaned forward and said quickly, ‘James! They’re not even married yet!’ She turned to Daisy. ‘I’m sure you and Rollo will want to enjoy some time together in the city.’
James frowned. ‘Of course.’ He glanced apologetically at Daisy. ‘I’m sorry. Forgive me, I’m an old man, I work on a different time scale to you and Rollo.’
Daisy nodded. The effort of smiling was making her face ache. ‘P-please don’t apologise. It’s just we’ve never talked about children. We didn’t have to... I mean, we won’t be—’
She glanced across at Rollo, expecting him to smooth over her confusion. But he said nothing—just stared at her, an expression on his face she couldn’t fathom.
There was a short, strained silence, and then Rollo cleared his throat.
Daisy’s eyes were pleading with him. She needed his help—needed him to step up and save the day. Save the deal that was the culmination of years of hard work.
He’d never wanted anything more.
But now that it was within his grasp he realised that it wasn’t worth the sacrifice. Wasn’t worth the lies and deceit. And the compromise.
‘We haven’t discussed children.’
‘Of course not. Couples these days tend to wait—’ Emily began.
But he shook his head. ‘I wish that were the reason, Emily.’ He paused, his face like stone. ‘But it’s not. Daisy and I didn’t discuss children because it’s not you, James, who’s working on a different time scale. It’s me.’
His eyes met Daisy’s and suddenly she knew what he was about to do.
‘No, Rollo—’
Reaching over, he took her hand and squeezed it, his eyes greener and brighter than she had ever seen them.
‘It never would have worked.’
Abruptly he dropped her hand and, standing up, he turned towards James, his face fierce.
‘It’s not her fault. I made her do it.’
‘I don’t understand, Rollo.’ The older man stood up too. ‘What time scale? And what did you make Daisy do?’
But he did understand, Daisy thought miserably. She could see it in the way his jaw was tightening, and in the hardening of his eyes.
‘It’s a fake. We’re a fake.’
Even though she’d known what he was about to say, Daisy flinched at Rollo’s choice of words. But it wasn’t just what he said that hurt. The relief in his voice was so painful to hear that she had to grip the arms of her chair to stop herself from crying out loud.
‘You’d do this? You’d lie about a marriage? About being in love?’ James shook his head, anger vying with disbelief.
Rollo shrugged. ‘You wouldn’t sell to me so I became someone else. And I needed Daisy to help me. To be my wife.’
She swallowed, the sound echoing inside her head. His eyes were staring at hers directly, as though they were alone, and the intimacy of his gaze was so at odds with the brutality of what he was saying that she thought she might throw up.
‘How long were you going to carry on with this charade?’ James asked coldly.
Rollo stared past him. ‘A year,’ he said finally. ‘But I see now that a year was too long. Even a month has been too big a sacrifice to make.’
She breathed in sharply. It felt as if she’d been stabbed.
‘You’ve gone too far, Rollo.’
James looked shocked, and for some reason that made everything so much worse.
‘The deal is off. Over.’
Rollo nodded. For what felt like a lifetime he stood and stared at her, his gaze clear and calm, with the same acceptance of a gladiator stepping into the Colosseum. Then, turning, he walked away, his footsteps swift and light against the stone slabs.
‘Please...’ Daisy turned towards the Dunmores. ‘You have to stop him. I k
now we did a bad thing, but he did it for the right reasons.’
James Dunmore stared at her in bewilderment. ‘I don’t understand. He made you a part of this, and yet you want to help him.’
‘Yes, I do.’ Her voice was filling with tears.
‘But why?’
‘I know why.’
Stepping forward, Emily Dunmore took Daisy’s hand.
‘It’s because you love him, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, I do. But it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?’
And as Emily pulled her into her arms she gave in to the misery and the pain and wept.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FOUR WEEKS LATER, Daisy was still not entirely sure how she’d got back to New York. After Rollo had walked out, the Dunmores had refused to blame her for her part in the deception, and she had managed to stay calm while James had teased the whole story from her.
But in the face of their kindness, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from bursting into tears again.
And it had been a relief to cry.
To grieve for what might have been.
But it had been more of a relief to get home.
For the first few days—a week, even—she had wept just like Emily Dunmore had. Then finally the tears had stopped.
Maybe she had no more tears left, she thought as she wiped down the tables in her parents’ restaurant with swift, automatic efficiency. Or, more likely, the time for crying was over.
Now it was time to start living again. That was pretty much what David had said to her. She had visited him in rehab and told him the truth. And, just as she had done when he’d admitted his gambling problem, he’d pulled her into his arms and told her he’d be there for her.
Back at home, her father had handed her an apron and suggested she take a few shifts at the restaurant. Neither he nor her mother had pressed her for details. They’d simply welcomed her home and offered comfort and support.
And, of course, a job.
Glancing across the restaurant, Daisy almost smiled. Unbelievably, and for the first time in her life, she was actually enjoying waitressing. There was something comforting in the repetition of clearing tables, taking orders and making small talk with people. Better still it was nothing like her life in Manhattan.
It was a month since James Dunmore’s limousine had dropped her at her parents’ house. A month since she had last seen or spoken to Rollo. Not that she’d expected to hear from him. She’d known the minute he’d turned and walked away that she would be deleted from his life. And so she’d done the same, ruthlessly weeding out everything he’d ever given her.
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