that lay between them.
And it was magical.
So why did she truly want to buy back the house where she used to live with her family? He remembered it well. The house itself was fairly basic, with a stunning view over the bay from its position on the cliffs, but he had never truly paid much attention to the house. It was the family who’d lived there that was remarkable, and Marigold Chance had beenthe real star of the Chance home. He had never understood why he seemed to be the only person who saw that.
The auction room was filling up now and people were starting to block his view, so Ethan quickly moved forwards and took a seat directly behind Mari where she could not see him—but he could see her.
He could see how her shoulders stiffened and lifted a little when the auctioneer arrived and took his place at the podium. There was still twenty minutes to go before the start of the auction, but she was already tense and nervous.
There was the faintest whiff of the same perfume that she had been wearing yesterday in the air, mingled with heat and moisture from cold, damp clothing and a dusty room. Ethan sat back in his chair, but just at that moment the lady next to him dropped her handbag and the contents spilled out around him.
And Mari turned around to see what the commotion was, and saw him. He didn’t know who was more shocked. But her wide-eyed astonishment said it all.
She stared at him through narrowed eyes, shook her head from side to side just once, checked her watch and picked up her bag,leaving her coat on the chair to reserve her place, and then tipped her head towards the entrance.
He got the message. And followed her outside.
‘Are you stalking me? Because I have to tell you that one kiss last night does not entitle you to follow me around. And don’t you dare try to interfere in this auction.’
Then Mari stopped, pressed her forefinger to her chin and took a short intake of breath before Ethan had a chance to answer. ‘Oh. Oh, silly of me. I forgot. Why should you? I’m the one who’s planning to stay in one place long enough to make a home. But you wouldn’t know about that, would you?’
‘Are you quite finished?’ Ethan asked in a calm quiet voice as he leant with his back against his car.
‘No, actually I’m not. But I only have a few minutes before the auction starts and it’s freezing and you get me all frazzled when I’m trying to be calm and in control. So please. Just tell me. Why are you here?’
Ethan pushed both hands down into his trouser pockets and steadied himself.
‘Good question. Long answer. Let’s start with the stalking.’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘Someone clearly has a very high opinion of themselves.’ Ethan did not react to Mari’s instant cough of dismissal but carried on. ‘But you have a point. I am here to see you. I’m here to see just how far you are prepared to go to move right back to where you were ten years ago.’
There was a sharp intake of breath from the woman standing in front of him with her arms crossed before she answered with a look of total disbelief on her face. ‘You know why. I’m buying this house for my sister. She needs a secure home. And …’ Mari stretched out her neck a little. ‘It’s an excellent base where I can create business at some future point. Do you have any further questions or can we go inside now?’
‘Only one. How long are you planning to keep that excuse up? Because, the way I see it, you aren’t buying this house for Rosa—you’re buying it for yourself.’ He pushed himself off the car and reached out and fought off her protests to wrap his sheepskin coat around her shoulders.
He pulled the front of the coat towards him, with her inside. ‘You can fight me all you like, but I just hate to think that you’re going to come back here to lock yourself away from other people. Oh, I know. Peoplecan leave, people can hurt your feelings and people can break your heart, but sometimes it is worth taking
And it was magical.
So why did she truly want to buy back the house where she used to live with her family? He remembered it well. The house itself was fairly basic, with a stunning view over the bay from its position on the cliffs, but he had never truly paid much attention to the house. It was the family who’d lived there that was remarkable, and Marigold Chance had beenthe real star of the Chance home. He had never understood why he seemed to be the only person who saw that.
The auction room was filling up now and people were starting to block his view, so Ethan quickly moved forwards and took a seat directly behind Mari where she could not see him—but he could see her.
He could see how her shoulders stiffened and lifted a little when the auctioneer arrived and took his place at the podium. There was still twenty minutes to go before the start of the auction, but she was already tense and nervous.
There was the faintest whiff of the same perfume that she had been wearing yesterday in the air, mingled with heat and moisture from cold, damp clothing and a dusty room. Ethan sat back in his chair, but just at that moment the lady next to him dropped her handbag and the contents spilled out around him.
And Mari turned around to see what the commotion was, and saw him. He didn’t know who was more shocked. But her wide-eyed astonishment said it all.
She stared at him through narrowed eyes, shook her head from side to side just once, checked her watch and picked up her bag,leaving her coat on the chair to reserve her place, and then tipped her head towards the entrance.
He got the message. And followed her outside.
‘Are you stalking me? Because I have to tell you that one kiss last night does not entitle you to follow me around. And don’t you dare try to interfere in this auction.’
Then Mari stopped, pressed her forefinger to her chin and took a short intake of breath before Ethan had a chance to answer. ‘Oh. Oh, silly of me. I forgot. Why should you? I’m the one who’s planning to stay in one place long enough to make a home. But you wouldn’t know about that, would you?’
‘Are you quite finished?’ Ethan asked in a calm quiet voice as he leant with his back against his car.
‘No, actually I’m not. But I only have a few minutes before the auction starts and it’s freezing and you get me all frazzled when I’m trying to be calm and in control. So please. Just tell me. Why are you here?’
Ethan pushed both hands down into his trouser pockets and steadied himself.
‘Good question. Long answer. Let’s start with the stalking.’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘Someone clearly has a very high opinion of themselves.’ Ethan did not react to Mari’s instant cough of dismissal but carried on. ‘But you have a point. I am here to see you. I’m here to see just how far you are prepared to go to move right back to where you were ten years ago.’
There was a sharp intake of breath from the woman standing in front of him with her arms crossed before she answered with a look of total disbelief on her face. ‘You know why. I’m buying this house for my sister. She needs a secure home. And …’ Mari stretched out her neck a little. ‘It’s an excellent base where I can create business at some future point. Do you have any further questions or can we go inside now?’
‘Only one. How long are you planning to keep that excuse up? Because, the way I see it, you aren’t buying this house for Rosa—you’re buying it for yourself.’ He pushed himself off the car and reached out and fought off her protests to wrap his sheepskin coat around her shoulders.
He pulled the front of the coat towards him, with her inside. ‘You can fight me all you like, but I just hate to think that you’re going to come back here to lock yourself away from other people. Oh, I know. Peoplecan leave, people can hurt your feelings and people can break your heart, but sometimes it is worth taking
Similar Books
