Winning the Heiress' Heart by Bellamy Susanne

Author:Bellamy, Susanne [Bellamy, Susanne]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2016-02-03T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Eva gripped the newspaper and stared in disbelief. How had she and Luc made the gossip section? Below a long-distance photo of Luc and her apparently holding hands and leaning close, the words taunted her. Local estate owners, Lucien Martineau and English heiress, Miss Evangeline Abbott in the King Kamehameha Hotel lobby yesterday. Are two of our big plantation owners considering a merger?

She dropped the paper on the kitchen table and pressed her hands to her temples. Was this Luc’s doing? Somehow, it didn’t ring true. From the first day, he’d helped her. She understood his desire for her land, even while she fought him. Land meant security and more, like Luc’s program that gave so much to the community.

Merging their skills and combining their two plantations made sense. But giving up control as he’d suggested? It felt like giving in to her desire for Luc, a weakness she couldn’t contemplate. Not after Timothy.

But how had word of their discussion got out? Who would benefit by leaking it to the press? She nibbled her thumbnail and read the caption again.

Seb entered the kitchen without a word and avoided meeting her eyes. He reached across and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. As he turned to leave his hip caught the newspaper and his hand shot out to stop it falling off the table. He paused and went still.

Eva followed his glance down to the gossip page. She reached for his arm but he shook her off. “It’s not what it looks like, Seb.”

“You told me I couldn’t work with Luc and the boys then you run off and meet him on the quiet.” He stared at her, accusation in his eyes before he raced down the hall. The front door crashed shut behind him. Moments later, his bike engine roared as he gunned it down the driveway.

She’d done it again. How did she keep making such a mess when all she wanted was what was best for Seb?

Lunch passed without his return. By the time dinner came and went and he still hadn’t shown up, Eva was beside herself with worry. Enough. Luc hadn’t contacted her about the newspaper story and Seb had disappeared.

She marched into her office and dialled. It rang three times before being picked up.

“Luc, it’s Eva. Have you seen the paper today? Gossip pages.”

“Not usually my cup of tea. Give me a minute to look.”

She gripped the hand piece and pressed it to her ear. Paper rustled on the other end of the phone followed by a soft “Shit!” and several heartbeats worth of silence.

“You didn’t speak to anyone about it?” Was that anger or annoyance in his tone?

She rested her head on her free hand. “No. And Seb stormed out after he saw it. He hasn’t come home.”

“I’m coming over.” The line went dead.

For several seconds she stared at the receiver before replacing it. Luc was coming. Why did that feel so right?

***

Luc pulled up at the foot of the steps and jumped out.

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