“So you asked her to marry you,” Rainey murmured.
Their eyes met for a long unsmiling moment.
“Yes. I thought my proposal would bring about the required miracle. I told her I’d take a month off. We’d combine her hospital stay with a honeymoon.
“Since our engagement she’s said yes to the idea and then reneged a hundred times. We were still battling over it the day Catherine and Diane came flying into my brother-in-law’s study to show me the cover on Manhattan Merger.”
“That was my fault,” Rainey cried in anguish. “I should never have taken the risk of painting your face or anyone else’s from memory!”
“Who’s crucifying themselves now?”
“Touché,” she whispered. “Payne—I—I have an idea.”
“That’s good, because I’m running out of them.”
“In a few minutes I’m going to pack my bags and leave for good.”
Rainey, Rainey.
“You think I didn’t know you were going to say it before you did?”
“Please listen.”
She was being all serious and noble. He folded his arms so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach for her and never let her go.
“Behold your captive audience.”
Like a nervous doe in the forest sensing danger, she backed away from him. “As soon as I’ve left in the helicopter, drive over to Diane’s and surprise her.
“Tell her she was right, that you hired me to make her angry, and now you and I both realize the ploy failed miserably. Let her know I’ve gone back to Colorado, which is exactly where I’m going after I leave here.
“Then ask her to go away to Paris with you tomorrow instead of Tuesday. Tell her nothing’s more important than her happiness, and that you’ll never mention Switzerland again. I honestly believe if you do that, she’ll find the strength to go to this clinic.
“I’ve seen evidence of that Wylie pride you were talking about. It means that deep down the last thing she wants is the Sterling name and your protection because she ended up in a wheelchair and you felt guilty about it.
“Like any real woman she wants your love, given freely.
“She knows the only way she can win that love is to fight for it after she’s done everything in her power to stand on her own two feet first. That’s why I’m convinced she’ll end up doing what’s best for her and you.
“And now I’m going to leave here because it’s best for me.” She started out of the study. “Will you tell your pilot I’ll be ready for takeoff in ten minutes?”
Payne let her go. He had to. His commitment was to Diane. Rainey respected that commitment. She was an honorable woman. In fact she was so many wonderful things, he didn’t dare start listing them or he’d never stop.
In less than ten minutes she was back downstairs again with her bags. They walked out of the house together without saying anything. When he’d put her belongings in the helicopter, he turned to help her inside. Her sunny smile would have fooled anyone except Payne.
“You don’t ever need to worry about stumbling on to your life, Rainey Bennett. It lives inside you and infects everyone you meet.”
Her eyes filmed over. “That’s the nicest compliment anyone’s ever paid me. For what it’s worth, I meant what I said to Diane. You’re a hero in every sense of the word. The next time I read a Red Rose Romance, I’ll think of you, but I promise to control the urge to paint you.”
The rotors whipped the air. It was time.
“Be happy,” she whispered. Her kiss felt like the brush of a butterfly’s wing against his jaw.
He closed the door and stepped away from the chopper. The noise it made rising in the air covered the groan coming from the deepest recesses of his soul.
When it was out of sight he broke into a run and headed for the beach. After a half hour’s workout he went back to the house to shower and pack a bag.
Downstairs he found his housekeeper in the kitchen.