Escape for Valentine's: Beauty and the Billionaire / Her One and Only Valentine / The Girl Next Door. Caroline Anderson
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workout suit, Kristy curled her legs beneath her.
“And where do you see this thing going?”
“I haven’t thought about it,” Sinclair lied. She’d pictured everything from an “hasta la vista, baby” to a tear-stained goodbye, to a white dress and a cathedral.
“You work for him.”
“I know. Don’t you think I know?”
“Reality check,” said Kristy. “Hunter’s not a one-woman man.”
“Reality check,” Sinclair countered. “I’m not a one-man woman.”
“Not before now.”
“Do you honestly think I’ve fallen in love with him?” She hadn’t.
“Not yet,” said Kristy. “But you’re taking an awfully big risk. You’ll have to work with him afterward no matter what. With all the money he’s invested in Castlebay, he’s going to have to spend one heck of a lot of time at Lush Beauty. He needs this to work. And if your past becomes a problem, guess who’s going to be gone?”
“You think Hunter would fire me?” Talk about extrapolating facts to the worst-case scenario.
“I think he might have to make a choice.”
Sinclair took a long swallow of her wine, hating the fact that the scenario was possible.
She spun the stem of her glass around her fingertips. “What does Jack think?”
“Jack thinks Hunter’s playing with fire. He’s been reckless and impulsive before.”
Sinclair tipped up the glass for another swallow. Reckless and impulsive, everybody seemed to agree on that, including Hunter.
“And it was his idea to switch rooms with you?” Sinclair confirmed.
Kristy nodded.
Sinclair played around with that little fact. Switching rooms meant Hunter thought it wouldn’t last. Chivalrous of him to back off, really. Telling, but chivalrous.
“Did you get my message from last night?”
“I did.”
Sinclair couldn’t keep the hurt from her voice. “Why didn’t you call me?” At least then she would have known to give Hunter a heads-up.
“I’d already told Jack what you said.”
Sinclair watched her sister closely. “And Jack told you not to call me.”
Kristy hesitated, then she gave a nod. It was her turn to drain her glass.
“Men coming between us,” said Sinclair. “Who’d have thought?”
“He’s my husband. And Hunter’s his cousin. And this was family business.”
“And I’m not family.”
“Not the Osland family.”
Sinclair nodded. “Not the Osland family.”
Kristy tucked her blond hair behind her ears. “You sure you’re not in love with him?”
She wasn’t. Of all the things going on here, that, at least, wasn’t an issue. “We’ve known each other a week. We’ve slept together exactly twice.”
“I fell for Jack in a weekend.”
“Are you trying to talk me into loving Hunter?”
“I’m wondering if you should come back to New York with me tomorrow.”
“My makeover’s not done yet.”
She wouldn’t run away. But she could keep it professional. They’d finish the dance lessons, take the planned tours of Castlebay locations, then she’d return to the U.S. and normal life. Her career would get back on track, and Hunter would go out and make more millions.
No big deal. No huge goodbye. They’d settle into their respective lives, and he’d forget all about her.
The next morning, as arranged, Sinclair entered the hotel dining room for a goodbye breakfast with Kristy. The maître d’ recognized her and escorted her through the maze of diners, around the corner to a huge balcony overlooking the atrium.
There, the entire contingent of Oslands sat at a round table, heads bent together, talking rapidly and earnestly, frustration clear on Jack’s and Cleveland’s faces.
When Jack spotted Sinclair, he touched Cleveland’s arm. The man looked up and stopped talking. Hunter and Kristy caught on, and all four shifted back. Forced smiles appeared on their faces.
She’d never felt so much like an outsider in her life.
Kristy stood. “Morning, sis.” She came forward for a quick hug, gesturing to a chair between her and Cleveland.
Sinclair pointed to the way she’d come in. “I can …”
“Don’t be silly,” said Kristy. She shot a glance to the men.
They all came to their feet, talking overtop of one another as they insisted she stay.
She looked at Hunter, but his gaze was guarded. The intimacy was gone, and she couldn’t find a clue as to whether she should be here or go.
Hunter moved around Cleveland to pull out her chair.
Sinclair sat down.
“Where were we?” asked Kristy. “Oh, yes. We were talking about the cruise.”
Jack smoothly picked up on his wife’s cue. “Can you be ready tomorrow afternoon?” he asked. “The captain could wait in port until Tuesday morning, but it’s best if we keep the ship on schedule.”
Cleveland sat in sullen silence.
“Do you think I should pick up a few sundresses before we go?” Kristy chirped. “Or maybe do a little—”
“This is ridiculous,” said Sinclair.
Everyone looked at her.
She started to rise. “I’m going back to my—”
Reaching behind Cleveland, Hunter grabbed her arm. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She stared at him, then included everybody. “You have things to talk about. And it’s not Kristy’s sundresses.”
Jack spoke up. “I happen to have a passionate interest in Kristy’s sundresses. More so in her bikinis.”
“Sinclair’s right,” barked Cleveland.
“Thank you,” said Sinclair.
He swiveled in his chair to face her. “But she doesn’t have to leave.”
Sinclair didn’t know what to say to that. The hollow buzz of voices from the atrium washed over her while his piercing eyes held her in place.
“I understand you were involved in the Castlebay acquisition.”
“Gramps,” warned Hunter.
“Well?” Cleveland pressed. “Were you or were you not?”
Sinclair struggled not to squirm under his probe, excruciatingly aware that this man held controlling interest in Osland International, which held controlling interest in Lush Beauty Products, and he could end her career with the snap of his fingers.
“Yes,” she answered. “It was my idea.”
“It was my idea,” said Hunter.
“But—”
“Sinclair may have mentioned something about a single spa in New York. But I approached Castlebay. I did the research. I agreed to the price. And I signed the check. So, back off on Sinclair.”
Cleveland