regret. “You must still love him somewhere, underneath your anger and hurt.”
“I’m sure I do. I’m dumb like that.”
“Gavin’s a good man. There’s got to be something more to the story. Maybe this little discovery doesn’t have to spoil everything. It could turn out to be a hiccup you can get past.”
“That he took money to take me off my dad’s hands? That’s a lot to get past.”
“Why don’t you give him a chance?”
Could she? The possibility lit up Bree’s brain like the lights on the Golden Gate Bridge. Could everything work out anyway? Could they live happily ever after and go whistling off into the sunset together?
Fresh tears pricked her eyelids and slid over her cheeks.
She swallowed hard. “Elle, you don’t understand. This is what I’ve been so afraid of my whole life. I’ve always known men were only interested in me for the money I inherited from my mother. I fell so hard for Gavin because I was sure he was different. But he’s no better than the rest. Worse, in fact.”
“Maybe he really loves you, in spite of the money. Every time I saw him look at you, I could swear he had adoration written all over his face. I’ve never seen him like that before, and as you can imagine, he’s never short of women flocking around him. I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t believe it, but I really think he loves you.”
Bree cursed the way the possibility opened inside her like a ray of fresh hope. “I guess there is a really tiny possibility that you could be right.”
“He gets a very good salary and bonus—I should know, since I file all the records. He certainly wouldn’t need to marry you for money. I think you should stick around and figure out what’s going on before you throw away a good chance for happiness. Sometimes life is more complicated than we want it to be, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the trouble.”
“I’m not sure I can philosophize right now, but I won’t do anything rash.” Bree frowned. “At the very least, I want to hear his side of the story.”
“And maybe your relationship will end up stronger after you get through this.”
“I very much doubt it, but I’ll try to keep an open mind.” Bree ran a hand through her tangled hair. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t tell a soul. Trust me, due to some unfortunate circumstances, I’ve become very, very good at keeping secrets.”
Bree put the phone back in its base. She carefully deleted the message from her father, and wiped her fingerprints from the shiny surface like a criminal, despite the fact that she was apparently the only innocent party in San Francisco.
When the phone rang again, she snatched it up, terrified of discovering yet more shocking secrets about her new husband.
Her husband. The word that had filled her with such joy a short while ago now filled her with sadness and regret.
It was the hotel in Sausalito on the phone. Their wedding photos were ready and had been mailed to them. Oh, joy. Pictures of her grinning like a lovesick fool on the arm of a man who swept her off her oversize feet just to fatten his wallet.
The big question was what to do when he came home tonight.
Seven
T he sound of Gavin’s key in the lock almost made Bree squeeze her eyes shut for a moment, but she didn’t want to smudge her mascara. She’d just finished putting it on so she’d be sure not to cry.
“Hi, sweetheart.” His warm, rich voice rang through the apartment.
“Hi,” she called back, willing herself to sound bright and enthusiastic, as if she had no idea she’d been bartered for cold cash. “How was your day?”
“Pretty good.” Gavin hung his suit jacket in the closet and approached her, arms outstretched. She tried not to steel herself against his hug. Instead she stuck her arms out and approached him with shaky knees. “How was yours?”
“Fine.” One way to describe the worst day of her life. “I made lasagna for dinner,” she proclaimed, turningaway
“I’m sure I do. I’m dumb like that.”
“Gavin’s a good man. There’s got to be something more to the story. Maybe this little discovery doesn’t have to spoil everything. It could turn out to be a hiccup you can get past.”
“That he took money to take me off my dad’s hands? That’s a lot to get past.”
“Why don’t you give him a chance?”
Could she? The possibility lit up Bree’s brain like the lights on the Golden Gate Bridge. Could everything work out anyway? Could they live happily ever after and go whistling off into the sunset together?
Fresh tears pricked her eyelids and slid over her cheeks.
She swallowed hard. “Elle, you don’t understand. This is what I’ve been so afraid of my whole life. I’ve always known men were only interested in me for the money I inherited from my mother. I fell so hard for Gavin because I was sure he was different. But he’s no better than the rest. Worse, in fact.”
“Maybe he really loves you, in spite of the money. Every time I saw him look at you, I could swear he had adoration written all over his face. I’ve never seen him like that before, and as you can imagine, he’s never short of women flocking around him. I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t believe it, but I really think he loves you.”
Bree cursed the way the possibility opened inside her like a ray of fresh hope. “I guess there is a really tiny possibility that you could be right.”
“He gets a very good salary and bonus—I should know, since I file all the records. He certainly wouldn’t need to marry you for money. I think you should stick around and figure out what’s going on before you throw away a good chance for happiness. Sometimes life is more complicated than we want it to be, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the trouble.”
“I’m not sure I can philosophize right now, but I won’t do anything rash.” Bree frowned. “At the very least, I want to hear his side of the story.”
“And maybe your relationship will end up stronger after you get through this.”
“I very much doubt it, but I’ll try to keep an open mind.” Bree ran a hand through her tangled hair. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t tell a soul. Trust me, due to some unfortunate circumstances, I’ve become very, very good at keeping secrets.”
Bree put the phone back in its base. She carefully deleted the message from her father, and wiped her fingerprints from the shiny surface like a criminal, despite the fact that she was apparently the only innocent party in San Francisco.
When the phone rang again, she snatched it up, terrified of discovering yet more shocking secrets about her new husband.
Her husband. The word that had filled her with such joy a short while ago now filled her with sadness and regret.
It was the hotel in Sausalito on the phone. Their wedding photos were ready and had been mailed to them. Oh, joy. Pictures of her grinning like a lovesick fool on the arm of a man who swept her off her oversize feet just to fatten his wallet.
The big question was what to do when he came home tonight.
Seven
T he sound of Gavin’s key in the lock almost made Bree squeeze her eyes shut for a moment, but she didn’t want to smudge her mascara. She’d just finished putting it on so she’d be sure not to cry.
“Hi, sweetheart.” His warm, rich voice rang through the apartment.
“Hi,” she called back, willing herself to sound bright and enthusiastic, as if she had no idea she’d been bartered for cold cash. “How was your day?”
“Pretty good.” Gavin hung his suit jacket in the closet and approached her, arms outstretched. She tried not to steel herself against his hug. Instead she stuck her arms out and approached him with shaky knees. “How was yours?”
“Fine.” One way to describe the worst day of her life. “I made lasagna for dinner,” she proclaimed, turningaway
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