Samantha threw the sandwiches in the trash, unable to face going back downstairs again. Instead, she phoned the kitchen and ordered two meals for dinner, though she wasn’t sure she would feel hungry.
Blake seemed lost in thought when he returned to the lodge that evening, so Samantha didn’t mention it straightaway. Besides, she didn’t want to sound like a harping wife.
She managed to wait until they had almost finished dinner before saying offhand, “By the way, Blake. Next time you don’t plan on having a drink with Mrs. Richardson, don’t do it in the bar.”
His eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?” he said coolly, thankfully not looking the least bit guilty.
“I saw you with her,” she said, still keeping her voice casual.
He frowned. “So?”
She lifted one shoulder. “I just thought it odd that you weren’t ‘free’ to spend time with her…and then you were.”
He had an arrested expression, before a look of male satisfaction crossed his face. “You sound jealous.”
She tried not to look flustered. If he thought she was jealous then he might realize she was more emotionally involved with him than she was letting on. “It’s not in my nature to be jealous,” she lied, quickly disabusing him of that.
His eyes sharpened. “So you don’t mind if I go out with other women, then?”
“While I’m here in Aspen, I do mind,” she said, seeing his jaw tense. “I think a person should show respect for their lover, don’t you?”
There was a moment’s pause before he gave a brief nod. “I totally agree, Samantha. Lovers should be true to each other.”
“Thank you.”
He broke eye contact and took a sip of his wine. “Anyway, you have nothing to worry about with Clarice. She waylaid me as I was leaving for my meeting in town and I felt I had to hear her out. Her proposition is a business one. She owns a chain of high-end boutiques and she wanted to know if she can put one here at Jarrod Ridge.”
Samantha digested the information. Now she felt foolish for jumping to conclusions about Clarice.
Yet not.
“It’s purely about business,” Blake assured her. “I’m going to speak to the family about it at tomorrow morning’s meeting.”
Her heart constricted at the thought of what else was on tomorrow’s agenda—the résumés for her replacement. She noted he didn’t mention that right now.
Trying not to think about it, she concentrated on what the other woman’s proposition would mean. “Clarice will be here in Aspen a lot, then.” And she wouldn’t be. Clarice would have a clear field with Blake.#p#分页标题#e#
He frowned. “I’m not sure. I’d say while it’s being set up, she’ll visit on and off from L.A.” His eyes caught hers. “Why?”
She schooled her features. “No reason. I was merely thinking out loud.” She planted on a smile. “And of course I won’t be here anyway, so it doesn’t concern me.”
His eyes turned somewhat hostile. “That’s right. What do you care anyway?”
“Exactly,” she agreed, her heart breaking. She stood up. “I’ll get dessert.” She hurried out of the room, aware that he still didn’t understand why she had to leave and thanking God he didn’t. She took comfort knowing he had no idea she loved him.
Unfortunately the marvelous chocolate concoction in the refrigerator wouldn’t lessen her inner pain. She doubted anything ever would.
“…And now that the Food and Wine Gala is completely out of the way for this year,” Blake said the next morning, looking down the boardroom table at his siblings, “let’s move on to the next thing on the agenda. Gavin, can you give everyone an update on the bungalow project.”
Blake already knew the details of the project, so he found his mind straying back to Samantha. Last night at dinner he’d actually been pleased that she might be jealous of Clarice. Never before had he wanted a woman to feel jealousy over him. Samantha had soon disabused him of that, but appeared to deliberately bring up the fact that she was leaving soon just to goad him. And he’d retaliated by lashing out with an I-don’t-care attitude.
Only trouble was…he did care. And he couldn’t shake that feeling. It kept hitting him in the face no matter where he turned. She didn’t seem to realize how much he was going to miss her. If she did, would she still leave? He’d already made it clear he didn’t want her to go. Hell, she should be here at his side right now taking notes. Instead, he deliberately told her not to bother attending the meeting today. Not when she was on the agenda.