Just the Way You Are (A Pleasant Gap Romance Book 1) by Pepper Basham

Author:Pepper Basham [Basham, Pepper]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-05T18:30:00+00:00

***

The snap mocked him, another chink in his well-placed armor of privacy. Perhaps a photo at Chatsworth or during their tour of Bakewell might have been expected. Any passerby could have taken one, but this photo had been taken directly outside his mother’s secluded family home of Rose Hill Cottage—an extreme breach of his privacy, almost betrayal.

The caption read: Is Wes trading in class for country charm?

How could anyone have known about their presence at the cottage this week? Most of the regular photographers and story-hunters knew of Harrogate, but Rose Hill? “How did someone take photos of us there?”

Eisley twisted the paper around so they could see it more clearly. “Aren’t people always trying to get pictures of the rich and famous?” She winced. “Ugh, the camera really does add ten pounds. I am never wearing those slacks again.”

“I can’t believe this.”

She started reading to herself. “From the London Eye to Darlington’s Christmas gala and finally snogging in the country, Christopher brings his newest conquest home to meet the family.” Her lips twisted with humor. “We snogged? Shouldn’t I remember doing something like snogging?”

He would have grinned. Taken her into his arms and reminded her exactly what snogging was, but those photos and the information posted with them revealed personal details very few should have known, or even found interesting. A Ransomed Gentleman proved a solid film, but nothing to warrant renewed interest from the tabloids, unless someone encouraged the interest— planted the information. He skimmed over the introductory sentences. Is she after the man or the name? Who is his mysterious American?

A sliver of doubt snaked its way through his chest as he lifted his gaze back to Eisley. The slight shake of her head and chuckle seemed to suggest she wasn’t even concerned about this violation. She was a single mum, pinching pennies as she’d mentioned when they’d purchased those Christmas gifts for her children. “Did you tell any of your family about Rose Hill?”

“My mom and Uncle Joe know about it, of course, but the rest of my family doesn’t even know where Derbyshire is, so why confuse them even more?”

It couldn’t be a ploy, could it? Not with Eisley. “But in your excitement, perhaps you revealed more?” The doubt slithered deeper, down the familiar path to suspicion against his will. “Did you make any contacts in London? Talk to anyone at the gala who would have extracted information from you?”

She looked up at him, confusion wrinkling her brow. “If you recall, you’re the only person I nearly debilitated that night. I might be a foreigner, but I’m not stupid. Why on earth would I ever want people printing pictures of me for the whole world to see? Besides, I care about your family and you. Why would I…?” She picked up the magazine and grimaced, then pierced him with a narrow gaze. “Wait a minute, are you back to the whole suspicious strangers thing from day one?”

The hurt in her rounded eyes slashed a knife’s blade through his middle.

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