He was there.
Permanently.
His dark disturbing presence reminding her of all that had brought them together and what, in the end, had torn them apart.
Ashleigh had not long arrived at the main outlet of Howard Caule Antiques in Woollahra the next morning when Howard rushed towards her excitedly.
‘Ashleigh, I have the most exciting news.’
‘What?’ She put her bag and sunglasses on the walnut desk before tilting her cheek for his customary kiss. ‘Let me guess…you’ve won the lottery?’
His light blue eyes positively gleamed with excitement. ‘No, but it sure feels like it. I have just spoken to a man who has recently inherited a veritable warehouse full of antiques. He wants to sell them all—to us! Can you believe it?’ He rubbed his hands together in glee. ‘Some of the stuff is priceless, Ashleigh. And he wants us to have it all and he’s not even worried about how much we are prepared to pay for it.’
Ashleigh gave a small frown. ‘There must be some sort of catch. Why would anyone sell off such valuable pieces to one dealer when he could play the market a bit and get top dollar?’
Howard shrugged one shoulder. ‘I don’t know, but who cares? You know how worried I’ve been about how things have been a bit tight lately and this is just the sort of boost I need right now.’ He reached for a sheet of paper on his desk and handed it to her. ‘I’ve made an appointment for you to meet with him later this morning at this address.’
‘But why me?’ she asked, glancing down at the paper, her heart missing a beat when she saw the name printed there.
Jake Marriott.
She lifted her tortured gaze to Howard’s blissful one. ‘I— I can’t do this.’ The paper crinkled in her tightening fingers.
‘What are you doing?’Howard plucked the crumpled paper out of her hand and began straightening it as if it were a piece of priceless parchment. ‘He particularly asked for you,’ he said. ‘He said he knew your family. I checked him out on a few details. I wouldn’t allow you to deal with anyone who I thought was unsafe. He knew both your parents’ names and—’
‘That’s because he’s Lachlan’s father,’ she said bluntly.
Howard’s eyes bulged. ‘Jake Marriott is Lachlan’s father?’
She gave a single nod, her lips tightly compressed.
‘Jake Marriott?’ His throat convulsed. ‘Jake Marriott as in the billionaire architect who’s designed some of the most prestigious buildings around the globe?’
‘That’s the one,’ she said.
‘Oh, no…’ Howard flopped into the nearest chair, the freckles on his face standing out against the pallor of his shocked face.
Ashleigh gnawed her bottom lip, fear turning her insides to liquid.
Howard sprang back to his feet. ‘Well, for one thing, you can’t possibly tell him about Lachlan,’ he insisted, ‘or at least not right now. If you do he’ll withdraw the offer. I need this deal, Ashleigh.’
‘I’ll have to tell him sometime…’ She let out a painful breath. ‘Mia told me Lachlan has been asking about his father. He must have heard the other kids at crèche talking about their dads. I knew he would eventually want to know but I didn’t expect it to be this soon.’
‘Let’s get married as quickly as possible,’ he said, taking both her hands in his. ‘That way Lachlan can start calling me his dad.’
She eased herself out of his hold, suddenly unable to maintain eye contact. ‘I don’t want to get married yet. I’m not ready.’
‘Are you ever going to be ready?’ His tone held a trace of bitterness she’d never heard in it before.
She turned back to him, her expression wavering with uncertainty. ‘It’s such a big step. We haven’t even…you know…’ Her hands fluttered back to her sides, her face hot with embarrassment.
‘I told you I don’t believe in sex before marriage,’ he said. ‘I know it’s old-fashioned, but my faith is important to me and I think it’s a small sacrifice to make to show my loyalty to you and to God.’
Ashleigh couldn’t help wondering what Jake would think of Howard’s moral uprightness. Jake hadn’t even believed in the sanctity of marriage, much less waiting a decent period before committing himself to a physical relationship. He’d had her in his bed within three days of meeting her and if it hadn’t been for the prod of her conscience at the time, she knew he would have succeeded on the very first.
She was trapped by circumstances beyond her control and it terrified her. No matter how much she wished her past would go away and never come back she had a permanent living reminder in her little son. Even now Lachlan was a miniature of his biological father and even if a hundred Howards offered to step into his place no one could ever be the man Lachlan most needed.