Free The Price of Honor by Emilie Rose Page A

serious attitude adjustment. But if he’s truly the only one you want then remember he came all the way across the Atlantic for you.”
    Megan waved that observation aside. “He has a private jet and a pilot at his disposal, so zipping from one continent to another is no big deal for him.”
    â€œBut, Megs, he’s still here with his horses, and he’s paid a year’s lease on a farm that you said was far below his standards.”
    She tried to squash the hope sparking inside her. “He’s wealthy enough he’d never miss the money if he walked away. Where are you going with this, Hannah?”
    â€œAll I’m saying is he must feel something for you—something strong enough to make him fight for you instead of just replacing you. Let’s face it, he’s rich, easy on theeyes and from what you’ve said, a god in bed. He wouldn’t have any trouble finding other women to warm his sheets. But he wants you. If you still love him, why not fight for him?”
    â€œMaybe he just hates to be dumped instead of being the one doing the dumping.”
    â€œMaybe. And maybe he can’t stand the thought of letting you go.”
    â€œBut he’s engaged to her and that’s not going to change.”
    â€œHe’s not married yet. And that article you showed me said he’s known her for years. Years. Did you believe him when he said he hadn’t slept with her?”
    Had she? Yes. She’d seen the truth in his eyes. “Yes.”
    â€œIt’s not as if he hasn’t had the opportunity to make it legal before now. Seems like he’s not all that eager to spend time with her—in bed or out—if you know what I mean.”
    Megan gnawed her lip and considered her cousin’s theory. It made sense. Sort of. “I hear what you’re saying, but…”
    â€œLet me put it another way—and good grief, I can’t believe I’m actually arguing for the bastard—you’ve lost him already. What more do you have to lose by fighting just a teensy bit harder?”
    â€œMy baby. Another piece of my heart.”
    â€œAnd how will not fighting for him change that?”
    A sinking sensation settled over her. “Good point. I hate it when you’re right.”
    â€œAll you need to do is make him realize all the things you can give him that Mademoiselle Prissy Pants Debussey cannot.”
    The spark of hope—along with a heavy dose of competitive spirit—caught and blazed to life inside Megan. Tapping a finger to her lip, she paced the break room.
    Why not try to win him back? But she’d have to becareful, because the higher the jump, the harder the fall. And the more she allowed herself to believe this crazy scheme had a chance of working, the more it would hurt if she failed.
    â€œI’m going to need a foolproof plan.”
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    Megan shoved a spoonful of Ben & Jerry’s Clusterfluff ice cream into her mouth and stepped back to contemplate the three columns of sticky notes she’d attached to her refrigerator door.
    A visual map of her strategy always helped her clarify her thoughts, and while she’d only used this method of attack on her competitors before, it couldn’t hurt to try it in her bid to win Xavier.
    She rolled a sweet caramel cluster around in her mouth and debated plan A. The vertical row of pink squares was by far her first choice, the plan that would make everything right in her world and restore her previous fairy-tale romance state.
    On the first square she’d written, “Get Xavier to choose me.”
    The black scrawl on the second patch said, “Convince him to ditch his fiancée by enlightening him to their differences and C’s deficiencies.”
    The third, “Show X we are perfect outside of bed as well as in and that I am truly an asset, his other half.”
    Next, “Facilitate introductions to powerful connections.”
    And last,