“I guess so.” His strong, tanned fingers closed around hers as they walked the few steps to the SUV. Was it her imagination or did he sound just as regretful as she felt?
CHAPTER 5
The next day, Maddie hummed as she dusted the walls of the cabin. After that amazing kiss yesterday, they’d driven back to the house for lunch, and then gone horseback riding afterwards. She’d protested that there was plenty of cleaning still to do at the cabin, but Garrett had insisted it could wait until tomorrow.
Really, she thought, a smile on her lips, she’d have to give Garrett back about two-thirds of her wages. She wasn’t going to allow him to pay her for giving her the chance to ride a horse or...
Or to kiss him.
Just like Sunday, when he’d kissed her when she stumbled on the bit of loose gravel, he hadn’t made another move. Last night she’d become engrossed in a mystery novel after she’d told herself to stop wondering if he was going to kiss her again. Garrett had closeted himself in the study, saying he had an urgent business matter to attend to, although she had no idea what kind of business he needed to conduct at 7.30 p.m.
The sound of the SUV’s engine cut into her thoughts. She hadn’t been here that long. Surely it couldn’t be lunchtime already?
Putting down her dust cloth, Maddie headed out to the small porch. Garrett’s vehicle was parked in front. She watched him emerge from the driver’s side, then a second later, the passenger door opened, and another man exited the vehicle.
Maddie stared in shock.
Howard.
“Maddie,” Garrett said tersely, “there’s someone here to see you.”
Her lips parted as Howard walked toward her. Average height, average build, with designer-cut sandy hair, he wore an expensive suit and tie that looked out of place.
No, no, no! Her mind screamed. She wrapped one hand around the porch railing, her knuckles whitening.
“Maddie.” Howard had a nice, well-modulated voice, she recalled, except when it ascended to a nasal whine.
“Howard.” She inclined her head.
His pale green eyes assessed her, noting her dusty appearance.
“I think we should talk.”
Garrett cleared his throat. Maddie swung her gaze toward him, having forgotten for a second he was there. All her attention had been focused on the man she’d jilted at the altar.
“I guess I’ll leave you to it,” he said gruffly. He stared at her. “If you need anything - anything at all, I’ll be waiting over there.” He gestured to a large pine tree several feet away from the cabins.#p#分页标题#e#
Somehow, Maddie managed to nod as she watched Garrett walk away.
“Maddie.” Howard’s slightly impatient tone regained her attention.
“I thought you’d be in Greenland,” she blurted out.
“I could hardly go on my own, even if it meant missing out on seeing the Barnacle Goose.” He shook his head. “Besides, your father said it would be best if I returned to work as soon as possible.”
Maddie tried not to roll her eyes. One of the reasons she preferred to be independent and make her own living was so she didn’t have to answer to her father. Now that she was aware of Howard’s real reason for marrying her, all the times he’d deferred to her father while they’d dated made a lot more sense.
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t like to cause pain to anyone, and although Howard’s motives for marrying her had come as a shock, she guessed her running off like that had equally appalled him.
"Why, Maddie?” He looked earnestly into her eyes. “I thought we were a good match.”
“Until I found out you were only marrying me so you’d become partner in a year,” she replied crisply, folding her arms across her chest.
A crimson tide tinged his cheeks. “That was business.” He waved a hand in the air. “Your father approved of me dating you, and when it started to became serious between us, he hinted at partnership possibilities. And when we became engaged ...” He shrugged self-deprecatingly. “He said he’d make me a partner on our first wedding anniversary.”
“How did you find me?” Right now, she didn’t want to think about her father’s machinations.
“It wasn’t easy.” He flicked a speck of dust off his Italian suit. “Lyndsey refused to tell me where you were. I finally found out that she’d sent your purse to you, and managed to get the address from the delivery company.”
Maddie raised her eyebrow. When he wanted something, Howard was like a terrier, digging away until he got what he desired. That was what probably made him a good lawyer. But it didn’t change her feelings toward him.