sunlight. “Can I try it on?”
“ No! It’s supposed to be bad
luck.”
“ Luck, schmuck.” Sheila slipped it onto
her ring finger and gasped again. “This has to be at least four
carats.” She held out her hand and admired the gem. Then the
realization hit her as to the identity of the lucky girl and it was
all she could do to contain her feelings of pity. Nick would be an
excellent catch for any woman but the woman he was after loved
someone else.
“ I know what you’re
thinking.”
Sheila realized her face must have read like
a neon sign. “What’s that, sweetie?” She pulled the ring off and
placed it back in the box.
“ I have more to offer Sara than Dagger
ever could. Dad said he’d give me the resort in Martinique to run.
What woman wouldn’t love to live in an island paradise? I’d buy her
a palace fit for a queen. Her own private plane. Shopping trips to
Paris. A second home in France.”
Sheila handed him the box, her mind turning
over scenarios. With Sara out of the picture, she might have a
chance to get Dagger back. Nick was so young and naïve and she
hated to see him get hurt. Dagger could claim that he and Sara are
just business partners but she had seen the way Dagger protects
her, had seen the two of them together. If there isn’t something
there now, it’s just a matter of time.
“ You said yourself,” Nick reminded her,
“that Dagger and Sara are just business partners. I think she may
be a little infatuated with him, with his exciting life. But that’s
all there is to it.”
“ Nick, players like you can have a
different woman every night. But when it comes to marriage, you are
always looking for the saintly virgin. And lord knows, Sara is
probably the last one in town. Why don’t you just sleep with her
and nip your curiosity in the bud?”
“ How do you know we already
haven’t?”
Sheila opened her car door and turned toward
him. “A big sister knows such things. I can see it in the way you
talk about her. The only thing missing is the word love.”
“ God, she’s beautiful, smart. Of course
I love her. What man wouldn’t? She’s never jealous. Understands how
my schedule and social status puts me in contact with a lot of
other women but she doesn’t mind.”
“ And why is that, Nicholas?” Ever since
Nick’s mother passed away, Sheila had always felt that Nick was
missing some sound, motherly advice. Robert was too busy to offer
any and Nick was too proud to display any weakness to his father.
Eric wasn’t an expert on women seeing how his deceased wife tried
to sell the family down the river. “Could it be she doesn’t mind
because she doesn’t care?” She could see in his face that her words
stung and she had to rein in her criticism. A plan was already
formulating in her mind.
“ She has yet to turn down a date, even
when it’s last minute notice. When I call her from Europe she is
ecstatic to hear my voice. We have been to so many places and done
so many things since we’ve met.”
“ Oh, sweetie.” Sheila walked back over
and wrapped her arms around him. “Sara has been so sheltered from
the outside world that she wants to see what’s out there. Dagger
likes to stay below the radar, believe me. He wouldn’t be caught
dead going to museum fundraisers, the theatre, or art shows. But
Sara wouldn’t feel comfortable going alone.”
“ So you’re saying she’s using me?” The
thought had obviously never occurred to him. He was used to using
women, not the other way around.
“ I just want you to be prepared for her
response. It may not be a direct ‘no,’ but she may say she needs
time.” She climbed into her car and started the engine. “In the
meantime, I might be able to give you a little help.”
She left him pondering that comment as
she sped down the driveway. The Lifestyles Editor at the Daily Herald was Gabby Goldstein.
Gabriella’s phone number was on Sheila’s speed dial and Gabby was
going to love this hot piece of
“ No! It’s supposed to be bad
luck.”
“ Luck, schmuck.” Sheila slipped it onto
her ring finger and gasped again. “This has to be at least four
carats.” She held out her hand and admired the gem. Then the
realization hit her as to the identity of the lucky girl and it was
all she could do to contain her feelings of pity. Nick would be an
excellent catch for any woman but the woman he was after loved
someone else.
“ I know what you’re
thinking.”
Sheila realized her face must have read like
a neon sign. “What’s that, sweetie?” She pulled the ring off and
placed it back in the box.
“ I have more to offer Sara than Dagger
ever could. Dad said he’d give me the resort in Martinique to run.
What woman wouldn’t love to live in an island paradise? I’d buy her
a palace fit for a queen. Her own private plane. Shopping trips to
Paris. A second home in France.”
Sheila handed him the box, her mind turning
over scenarios. With Sara out of the picture, she might have a
chance to get Dagger back. Nick was so young and naïve and she
hated to see him get hurt. Dagger could claim that he and Sara are
just business partners but she had seen the way Dagger protects
her, had seen the two of them together. If there isn’t something
there now, it’s just a matter of time.
“ You said yourself,” Nick reminded her,
“that Dagger and Sara are just business partners. I think she may
be a little infatuated with him, with his exciting life. But that’s
all there is to it.”
“ Nick, players like you can have a
different woman every night. But when it comes to marriage, you are
always looking for the saintly virgin. And lord knows, Sara is
probably the last one in town. Why don’t you just sleep with her
and nip your curiosity in the bud?”
“ How do you know we already
haven’t?”
Sheila opened her car door and turned toward
him. “A big sister knows such things. I can see it in the way you
talk about her. The only thing missing is the word love.”
“ God, she’s beautiful, smart. Of course
I love her. What man wouldn’t? She’s never jealous. Understands how
my schedule and social status puts me in contact with a lot of
other women but she doesn’t mind.”
“ And why is that, Nicholas?” Ever since
Nick’s mother passed away, Sheila had always felt that Nick was
missing some sound, motherly advice. Robert was too busy to offer
any and Nick was too proud to display any weakness to his father.
Eric wasn’t an expert on women seeing how his deceased wife tried
to sell the family down the river. “Could it be she doesn’t mind
because she doesn’t care?” She could see in his face that her words
stung and she had to rein in her criticism. A plan was already
formulating in her mind.
“ She has yet to turn down a date, even
when it’s last minute notice. When I call her from Europe she is
ecstatic to hear my voice. We have been to so many places and done
so many things since we’ve met.”
“ Oh, sweetie.” Sheila walked back over
and wrapped her arms around him. “Sara has been so sheltered from
the outside world that she wants to see what’s out there. Dagger
likes to stay below the radar, believe me. He wouldn’t be caught
dead going to museum fundraisers, the theatre, or art shows. But
Sara wouldn’t feel comfortable going alone.”
“ So you’re saying she’s using me?” The
thought had obviously never occurred to him. He was used to using
women, not the other way around.
“ I just want you to be prepared for her
response. It may not be a direct ‘no,’ but she may say she needs
time.” She climbed into her car and started the engine. “In the
meantime, I might be able to give you a little help.”
She left him pondering that comment as
she sped down the driveway. The Lifestyles Editor at the Daily Herald was Gabby Goldstein.
Gabriella’s phone number was on Sheila’s speed dial and Gabby was
going to love this hot piece of
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