Annie managed a smile. “He’s not buying auto insurance. He doesn’t need to comparison shop.”
“Maybe he needs to be reminded about what’s important. You’re the best thing that ever happened to him. If he doesn’t see that, he’s an idiot.”
“Should I tell him that, too?”
“Absolutely.”
Annie arrived at Duncan’s office shortly after four. She’d called and made an appointment, wanting to be sure she saw him. They were supposed to go out that night. Nearly their last event. A cocktail party. But he wouldn’t need her for that or the other parties to follow. His reputation had been saved and he had more important things to do. Like get on with his life.
She’d spent the day telling herself that she had to do the right thing. That loving Duncan meant wanting what was best for him rather than for herself. That she had to be strong. Losing Ron and A.J. hadn’t mattered. She’d recovered in a matter of weeks. But losing Duncan was different. She had fallen madly, hopelessly, totally in love with him.
She’d learned early that life could be a challenge. She’d been ten when her mom had first gotten sick and barely eighteen when she’d died. Her aunt wrestled with immobilizing depression, spending more time in hospitals than out. Over the years, Annie had helped raise her brother and her cousins. She’d always done her best. They were family and that mattered more than anything.
She’d made sacrifices, but nothing she regretted. It was her nature to give—she knew that. So the fact that she’d given her heart to Duncan shouldn’t be a surprise. Nor was the reality that he didn’t want it.
She waited outside his office door until four and then was shown in. Duncan put down his phone and smiled when he saw her.
“Why do we have an appointment?” he asked, walking around the desk to greet her. “I’m picking you up in a couple of hours.”
He looked good, she thought, taking in the shape of his mouth, the breadth of his shoulders. His eyes—how could she ever have thought them cold?—brightened with pleasure. He smiled, then kissed her.
“Let me guess,” he said. “You’re here to convince me to start a profit-sharing plan.”
“You can profit share with your employees? You should think about it.”
Typical Annie, Duncan thought, leading her over to a sofa and sitting next to her. Good thing she’d never gone into business. She would have given away her entire worth the first day.
She’d come straight from school. He could tell by her clothes—the long plaid skirt, the cardigan covered with beaded snowmen. Her curls were mussed, her light makeup mostly faded. This wasn’t the glamorous Annie he usually saw on their evenings together. This was more real, more beautiful.
She leaned toward him and covered his hands with hers. Her gaze was intense.
“Duncan, I talked to Valentina at the party last night.”
His good mood vanished. Why wasn’t he surprised? “Whatever she said, she’s lying. You can’t trust her, Annie. She’ll do anything, say anything, to get what she wants.”
“She wants you.”
Annie paused, as if waiting for a reaction. His was to swear loudly, then punch the wall. Dammit all to hell. “You believed her.”
“She loves you, Duncan. She realizes she made a mistake and wants to be with you again. You were married—you owe her the chance to try to make it work.”
She believed her words. He could see the truth in her big blue eyes. There was something else there, too. Pain, maybe. Regret.
Or was he reading too much into the situation? What he knew about women couldn’t fill a thirty-second commercial. He knew they lied and manipulated. That they only thought about themselves. That given the chance, they would sell out anyone to get ahead.
Well, not Annie. She seemed to be genuine. He’d seen her with her students, with her cousins, hell, even with his uncle. She was exactly what she appeared to be. Open, honest, smart and funny. She led with her heart, which made her a fool, but everyone had flaws.
“You’re here to plead Valentina’s case?” he asked. “Did she offer to pay you?”
“No. It wasn’t like that. She cried. She’s desperately in love with you. I didn’t want to believe her at first, but then she asked me if I’d ever been in love. If I’d ever known down to my bones that someone was the one. She meant it. Every word.”