Heidi Betts - How To Seduce An Heiress

“Forget it. It’s a gift. Of course, she knows nothing about it.”

“Yeah, too bad,” Will said. His smile faded as he set the picture on a nearby table and then picked up the wrapping to dispose of it in the trash. He sat and faced Garrett.

“I did my best, Will. Sorry I didn’t come back with Sophia.”

“We all know you did what you could. What do you think? Any chance she’ll appear?”

“I don’t think there is, but she was taken aback when I showed her your picture with Caroline and told her this was Caroline’s future inheritance, too.”

“She must have really hated the old man. He didn’t abuse any of us, he just ignored us until we were young adults. Even then, it was never a deep relationship. But once I started in this business that all changed.”

“From what I could glean her anger toward him came mostly from him ignoring her. And she’s angry over how much he hurt her mother. He merely liked her mother, but her mother always loved him.”

“I don’t know where we go from here.”

“I’ll think about it. In the meantime, keep hope alive because I sent her annual reports and brochures about the companies. I sent a few family pictures. I’ve said a lot to her that she can’t keep from thinking about.”

“Good. Maybe your efforts will pay off.”

“It may be Caroline who does it.”

“I don’t care how it comes about, but we’d all like to know her. We’d like to have her in the family, which is where she belongs. Give her time and then you can try again.”

“Next time, Will, get someone else. She’s made it clear she doesn’t want to deal with me.”

“Garrett, sorry if this job assignment interfered—” Will started.

Garrett shook his head. “I’m ready to start catching up here. If you want me, I’ll be in my office.”

As Garrett stood, Will came to his feet. “Garrett, we all appreciate what you did for us. Time will tell. It may be too soon to judge.”

“Even though she hasn’t yielded on this, she’s a great person. She’s a very talented artist. I bought five paintings, including yours. I liked her.”

“Evidently you had something going with her and this killed it. I’m sorry for that.”

Garrett shrugged. “She was happy to tell me goodbye.”

He walked out, feeling as if his story with Sophia was now officially over. He went back to his office in long strides and closed the door, crossing to his desk to start on the backlog of email. He only got through two before he stopped to pull out his phone and retrieve the picture of Sophia in the snow. His insides clenched as he looked at her picture. Memories engulfed him of that night and that moment when he could not resist kissing her.

He ached for her. Realizing where his thoughts were going, he put away his phone and concentrated on trying to catch up on work that had piled up while he had been away. But all through the day, memories of Sophia were distractions. His thoughts would drift to her and then when he realized he was lost in reminiscence and forgetting his work, he would try to focus.

Wednesday night, when he returned home from work, Garrett swam laps and worked out before going to his room to shower. As he dressed, he pulled on sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Glancing at a bedside table, he picked up the delicate gold bracelet he had given Sophia. He turned it in his hand, remembering it on her wrist. He recalled the moment she had thrown it at him. With a sigh, he laid it back on the table.

He wasn’t hungry so he skipped dinner and went to his workshop to start building a rocking chair, sawing and losing himself in the labor, finding a respite from memories for a short time only to stop working to think about her.

He shook his head and returned to building the chair, a task that at any other time in his life would have given him real pleasure. But not now, not tonight.

Thursday came and he hadn’t talked to Will about Sophia since Monday. She apparently had held to her original decisions and his disappointment was heavy. As he sat in his office, his cell phone beeped. He glanced at the number and frowned, growing nervous and curious. He touched it to say hello and heard Sophia’s voice.

“Good morning,” he said cautiously, hope flaring.

He struggled to keep from speculating on the reason for her call.

“You win, Garrett,” she said, and he closed his eyes. Just her voice made his heart thud. He wanted to see her and be with her to such an extent it took a second for her message to register. His eyes flew open.

“How’s that?” he asked, holding his breath.

“I’ve decided that I will meet with the Delaneys.”

Relief swamped him, and along with it, his yearning to be with her intensified. “Sophia, you won’t regret it,” he said. “I’ll arrange the meeting wherever you want.”

There was silence and his heart drummed as she hesitated. “I’d like you to come with me. This is not something I expected to be doing and I don’t want to meet them alone.”

“Of course I’ll go with you if that’s what you want. How about Saturday evening for dinner, if that gives Zach time to get back from wherever he is?”

“Whatever you work out,” she said in a quiet, forlorn voice that didn’t sound like her. “I haven’t decided what I’ll do, but I will talk to them. I would prefer to avoid having attorneys present for this meeting. This is just to meet and get acquainted.”

“That’s all I asked. Then it will be between you and the Delaneys. I don’t think you’ll be sorry. You’re doing the right thing—the unselfish thing.”

“We’ll see.”

“You can stay at my house. We can keep out of each other’s way. If that doesn’t suit you, I know you can stay at Will’s.”

“I’ll stay at your house,” she replied, surprising him.

“Excellent. How about flying Saturday early afternoon?”

“That’s fine.”

“I’ll pick you up at one. It’ll take little more than an hour to get here.”

“I know.”

“Sophia, thanks,” he said, meaning it, his heart racing with joy, relief and longing. He would see her in two days. “I’ll be glad to see you.”

“I’ll see you Saturday,” she said. Noncommittal words spoken in a noncommittal tone. Was she still angry? Or did staying with him mean she might give him another chance? He had no idea what to make of her tone or her plans. “My house at one.”

“That’s great. The Delaneys will be overjoyed that you’ve agreed to meet them. And, Sophia, I’ll be glad to see you. I’ve missed you.”

“We’ll see each other Saturday,” she said in the same noncommittal tone.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “See you soon.”

“‘Bye, Garrett.”

She was gone. His pulse raced. He tried to curb his excitement because it was a baby step in the right direction, but not a commitment.

Saturday. Eagerness lifted his spirits.

He called Will on his cell. Before Will could even say hello, Garrett spoke. “I just had a call from Sophia, Will. I’m picking her up Saturday afternoon at one, and you all can meet with her Saturday night. I figured it would be easiest to do this over a dinner because it will be more relaxed than meeting in an office.”

“You did it, Garrett!” Will exclaimed. “I knew you could. You got her to agree to meet with us. We couldn’t get along without you. Thank you beyond words. I’ll call Zach and Ryan and get them here. Saturday night we’ll have dinner at my place. Fantastic, Garrett. Way to go. Talk to you later.”

Will was gone and Garrett had to laugh and shake his head. He thought about Sophia and his laughter faded. He wanted more than just to see her, fly with her, go to Will’s with her. Saturday night she would stay at his house. He couldn’t wait to see her and wished he had asked if she wanted to come tonight. Saturday seemed far too distant in the future.