“At any rate, guarding your heart doesn’t involve denying honest feelings,” she continued. “Your love is valuable. Treating something so valuable like a dirty secret sells you short. Dig up some courage and tell him how you feel. Maybe he feels the same way.”
“He doesn’t.”
“Maybe he doesn’t,” Laurie conceded with a tilt of her head, “but he hasn’t played you, and he’s earned your honesty. You both deserve that much.”
“All right.” She flattened a hand against her middle, hoping to release the knot in her stomach. “At the very least, I owe him an apology for running out this morning like I did.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m due at Las Ventanas to collect final signatures on the sale agreements. Afterward, I’ll ask for five minutes to apologize and then I’ll just”—she made a sweeping gesture with her hands—“lay my heart at his feet.”
“Atta girl. And remember, you’re the prize.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Rafe held the door to the meeting room open for Arden and their father. From the corner of his eye he saw another figure come around the corridor and step into the hall. Chelsea. He turned to his father. “Call Vanessa on the Polycom. She’ll put us into the conference with the rest of the board.”
“May I prepare a cup of coffee for you as well?”
Luc’s dry remark barely registered. “Thanks,” he said, and started down the hall, his attention on Chelsea. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, but you know my vote. You have my proxy if you need to make the motion without me.”
Her steps slowed as he closed the distance between them. He read apprehension in her big brown eyes.
“Miss Wayne, a moment of your time before the meeting?”
She fiddled with the legal-sized manila envelope clasped in her hands. “Yes. Certainly, Mr. St. Sebastian.” She looked right, then left, then back at him. “Where did you have in mind?”
A door swung open to his left, and a maid stepped into the corridor holding an armful of table linens.
“Here.” He caught the door before it closed, and held it open for her. “Step into my office.”
She hesitated, and gave him an odd look. Did she want him to go in first? He walked in, and found himself in the supply closet where they’d first met. Fine by him. He considered their first meeting a screaming success, aside from the part when she’d called him Paul.
“Chelsea!”
Speak of the devil. Barrington’s voice sailed down the hall. She turned, paled, and dodged his attempt at a hug, but the evasive maneuver didn’t send any hints to the man. “You came back. I knew you would. We need to talk.” He took her arm, stepped into the closet, and pulled her in as well.
“Work brought me back to Las Ventanas, Paul. I’m not here for you.”
“But—” Barrington spotted him. “What are you doing here?”
Rafe drew in a breath to tell Barrington to get the hell out, but before he could speak Arden appeared at the door. She stuck out her hand. “You must be Chelsea. I’m Rafe’s sister, Arden. I’ve been dying to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you.” Chelsea shook her hand, as if closet introductions occurred every day.
“Chelsea—” Barrington attempted to interrupt, but another voice broke in.
“What is going on?”
Arden grinned. “Hi Dad.”
Luc took the weight of the door from Arden and peered into the closet. “My memo did not arrive.”
“What memo?” Rafe asked.
“The one announcing you’d relocated our meeting to a closet.”
A beat of silence followed, and then people started speaking at once.
“Please give me another chance. I’m miserable with Cindy—”
“—Dad, this is Chelsea.”