Free A Heart For Business draft 2 by Alexis Blake Page A

it would explode like this. I just wanted us to have a quiet wedding, with a small ceremony. How about you?”
    “The quieter the better as far as I’m concerned.  I have no family to speak of, so the only ones that really need to be there are your parents, and maybe dear sweet Norman Fields.  After all, I consider him to be the one responsible for bringing us together.”
    “Okay, just my parents, Norman, and the few thousand people my mother is sure to invite.” Carter said with a chuckle, and Vanessa hoped he was joking. She was just about to ask when the phone to their private line rang.
    “I’ll get it.” she said, and reached over to pick up the phone, while Carter went to the kitchen bar to pour them each a well-deserved drink.
    “Congratulations.  I hear you’re engaged” said a deep and ominous voice over the phone that Vanessa didn’t quite recognize.
    “Who is this?”
    “You don’t remember me? How quickly we forget. I figured you’d forgotten our arrangement when I saw your engagement in the society column of the paper today.”
    “I didn’t do that! Our arrangement hasn’t been broken!” Vanessa insisted in a desperate tone. “How did you get this number?”
    “I’ve always known how to find you. I’m not like that bumbling moron Trevor Mills who took a month to track you down, although I was pleased at how quickly you and your fiancé were able to dispatch him.”
    “You’ve been watching me this whole time?”
    “I always keep an eye on my investments. Don’t break our deal or I won’t be able to uphold my end of the arrangement either and I know you don’t want your dirty little secret to come out. Would your fiancé be quite so smitten with you if he knew the truth?”
    “Our deal hasn’t been broken. I promise.” Vanessa said, near panic.
    “Good.  Make sure it stays that way.” The line went dead but Vanessa continued to clutch the phone to her ear, white knuckled with fear.  She concentrated on taking deep breaths to calm herself, and then slowly hung up the phone, trying to look casual.
    “Who was that?” Carter asked with curiosity as he handed her a vodka soda.
    “Just an old business associate. He wanted to make sure our contracts were still in effect since I left Chicago. Nothing to worry about.”  She tried to sound nonchalant, and concentrated on her drink so he couldn’t’ see the fear in her eyes.
    “Are you sure? You’re trembling.” Carter said.
    “I’m just a little cold.  The winters here are even harsher than they were back home.  Everything’s fine.” Vanessa lied.  She’d never told Carter anything deliberately untrue before, and she didn’t like doing it now, but what choice did she have?  The caller had been right, if her secret came out, she would lose everything.  That was the one bad thing about finally getting everything she ever wanted; she had too much to lose and she had to protect it, whatever it cost.
    “I love you.” Carter said, and kissed her softly on the lips before covering her with a blanket. “And nothing on earth can ever change that.”
    “I love you too.” Vanessa said, wondering if she could really trust him with her secret. As she looked at his handsome, adoring face she decided the risk was too great. She would keep her secret as long as possible, unfortunately that was a lot shorter than she knew.
     
     

END OF PART ONE
     
     

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