The Heiress's Pregnancy Surprise (Heirs to an Empire 2)

“That’s twice you’ve held your ground, Charlotte. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for,” he answered, squeezing her arm again before going to meet with security.

The show was canceled, and the fashion division team that had come from Paris came to pack up the room. It was unusually quiet after Charlotte had spoken to them as one, praising their hard work, asking them to keep mum on the events of the day and allow Charlotte, and Aurora, time to issue an official statement.

It was bound to be a PR nightmare. Charlotte knew she’d be dealing with press releases and interviews and sound bites all week, but this... This was different. No one canceled shows during Fashion Week. Everyone would be after the scandalous details.

She had a brief video call with the family to update them on what was happening, saying she’d have an initial press release to send to them and Legal by noon. All the while Jacob was in the background, helping where he could. Including sending someone for coffee and blintzes from the same deli she’d gone to that first morning. It was a sweet gesture, and a warm spot in a cold, horrible day. He, too, was an Aurora employee, but he did something that he knew would make her feel cared for, and it nearly made her cry, if she hadn’t had such a firm hold on her emotions.

They left the venue, doing their best to avoid the journalists who had already got wind of the story, and went back to the apartment, where Jacob made more coffee and put it at her elbow as she worked on a press release and sent it to Paris. Then she sat back and rubbed her eyes, exhausted. It had been five hours and it might as well have been fifteen. She felt as if she’d been run over by a truck.

This was supposed to be the day. A triumph. How had it come to this? All her plans and hopes crushed by one upset employee. How could Charlotte have been so blind?

Jacob came back into the dining room and put another mug by her elbow, but this time it was full of soup. “You need something to eat. You can’t survive on coffee and half a blintz all day.”

“You don’t h

ave to care for me so,” she said softly. “But for the first time since I got on that plane last week, I’m truly very glad you’re here.”

“You lost the person you trusted most, and that leaves you feeling alone,” he said, taking the seat beside her. His gray eyes delved into hers. “You totally sprang into action, but you’ve got to have some pretty heavy feelings about it all.”

“I do. I’m not sure I’m ready to feel them yet. I’m still in crisis management mode.”

“Fair.”

“I wish my father were here.” The words came out of nowhere, hitting her with a punch of emotion. “Dad always had a way of taking a bad situation and putting it in perspective. Or keeping things calm while we sorted out a plan.”

“You still miss him.”

“A lot. The family hasn’t been the same since he died. We’re faking it a lot. But today... I’m not sure I have the energy to pretend.”

“It’s okay to still be sad. It’s a testament to how much you loved him.”

He was right. “I’m glad you’re here, Jacob. Even if I don’t need protecting anymore.” She shook her head, still trying to wrap it around the fact that Amelie was behind it all. “Amelie wouldn’t dare try anything now. I think she knows I would press charges. She’ll go back to Paris with her tail between her legs.”

Charlotte lifted the mug and sipped some of the flavorful broth. “Oh, that’s perfect. Thank you.” Then she looked at Jacob and sighed. “I just can’t figure out what her end game was. What did she hope to achieve?”

“Ruining you, for a start. And once it was over, I bet she would have started looking for another job and quit. Her mission would have been accomplished, and she could have faded away without anyone suspecting. Consequence free.”

“It seems like a pointless waste of time,” Charlotte replied, sipping more soup. “The truth is, Marie deserved to be fired. It’s not like we enjoyed it. She was a brilliant designer. Anyway, while I’m waiting for feedback on the press release, what are we supposed to do about the party tonight?”

“You haven’t canceled it?”

She shook her head. “Amelie destroyed our clothing, but that’s all. I think it should go ahead. One ruined show doesn’t have to ruin everything.” She smiled up at him. “I’m a bit stubborn that way.”

“It’s one of the things I’ve come to like about you,” he admitted, his voice softer than she recalled it ever being before.

“My stubbornness?” she laughed.

“Yes.” His gaze clung to hers now. “It made me pretty angry the first day, but last night, after getting that email... You were so determined to be unafraid and go on with your plans. Not in a foolish way, but in an I-refuse-to-be-intimidated way. I admire that.”

“Well,” she said, a little breathless, “imagine that. Jacob Wolfe actually admires something about me.”

“More than one thing,” he murmured, and she suddenly realized how close they were sitting. Not once had he acted inappropriately toward her, or touched her in any way that wasn’t professional. The most he’d touched her all week was a hand at her back when they entered a room, and today when he’d gripped her arm. Now he wasn’t touching her at all but oh, it felt as if he was, he was that close. Close enough she could reach out and touch him if she wanted.

What she really wanted was to rest her head on his shoulder for a few minutes and let the weight of the day fall away. It was only the feeling that she’d seem ridiculous that held her back.

And then he did the most amazing thing. He lifted his hand and placed it along the side of her face, a tender, reassuring touch that made her close her eyes with gratitude. She tried to remember the last time she got a really great bona fide hug and couldn’t. If she had it was probably William or something, at Christmas.

As she leaned into his warm hand, she realized that she was incredibly touch-starved. A sigh escaped her lips as she let some of the stress of the day go.