ory, but with Adrian Blackwood, she found it had

it stepped out, holding an envelope with her name on it. Inside: details for Friday's dinner, a rundown of s

her input wa

re-then glanced out the window at the

y not," sh

r, looked up from the recept

oming to c

rowned.

fian

rows shot up. "Y

with a bank accoun

tepped in to save it-felt like opening a wound she wasn't ready to share. She'd worked hard to earn her

Elena cal

, polished as ever. "I trus

t I'm apparently moving into Mr

t it would be more co

e mentioned i

can relay yo

sell this engagement, he should start by re

fore her temper

es later, he

authority. She guessed he was standing in his glass of

Black

're unhappy with

ld what to do after decisi

. Your being there help

It doesn't explain why you t

onger than

your hotel until the first

ked before anythin

e temporarily, at least through the first roun

tiff and formal, as if

ainst the desk.

ents are over. You

e and go a

es

nd anyone for me

her

, El

t she barely knew the man whose voice she was starting to

I'll come th

iver will ret

ter I confir

reath. "After you c

pushed him, even a little. She didn't need Adrian to become a romantic partner overnight. S

ouse with a single suitcase, a handbag, and a clear inte

-ceiling windows framing the city like a jeweler's showcase. Everything was polished, calm, almost intimidatingly

ties smiled warmly

aret, the housekeeper. Mr. Blackw

rgaret. Ele

y system-every detail explained. Eventually, they came to a hallw

said, opening a door. "Mr. Bl

in and tried

windows, a cream sofa by the fireplace, fresh flowers. Someone had laid sev

l this?" E

. Adrian's assistant had the

ss inside probably cost more tha

osed t

wood I'm grateful, but

"He wanted to be certain

ing different, I'll ask. Otherwise

sed to people who didn't ask q

ressed down-no jacket, sleeves rolled. He almost looked

nd your suit

d

he clo

be wear

to the bags. "You

st don't want you p

making sure you were p

e simply asked

if she'd suggested

rgue with people

nk helping means d

ade hi

stly, she was done defending every little choice around th

fs. "I'm used to handli

y own decisions. We'l

but instead of snapp

rgaret return

nk y

und sur

returned things just b

at her, al

ined to make t

if y

and walked toward the dining room. "Dinn

be t

n't want to know w

rving mystery mea

dislike high-e

ad food, regard

her-then chuckled, catching hi

and his eyes lost that frozen distance. She was almost ca

left, and the brief

s. No fuss, no waiter lurking to refill wine glasses every two

world would collapse if he didn't. She counted six

e here work t

up, puzzle

That's the

e busi

hought the point was to

nt, Elena. There's no nee

ou could at least pretend to

tly put his

e. Ha

mew

hard to

you just n

stled, wal

back to his phone, but

u want to k

needed a fake engagement. But those felt too easy. With Ad

about your life, with no one

rtled. "Stran

ask

s your cho

er tell me your

le flickered. "

business. His answer sounded raw,

't you stop

thing I've built

on in his shoulders and the weariness

destroy yourself, maybe it's

her, unsure h

he silenc

s, and set a photo of her mother beside the bed. It was the o

her hair when s

here with a pr

dfather, Richard Sterling, and some board members wi

ka

year, kept in touch, became fr

ered it. "

ask why

ere scared I'd

e grinned. "Ki

nk this

etim

their hands touched-a quick brus

sness came back

ena. I need you to

he tried to hide. For o

t have to worry I

ot what w

uld press, he

night,

ight, A

nd a feeling she hadn't expected: uncertainty ab

onths. That was the deal. Her hotel was safe, her independence inta

things until they

Through the quiet, he could hear Elena moving in

, one woman with a single suitcase had arrived, questioned everything

it was temporary

more annoyed than he expected-that this was