Chapter 2 - THE MAN HER FAMILY FEARED
Miles Harper had the expression of a man whose carefully arranged future had just caught fire.
I recognized that look.
I'd seen it on businessmen who discovered their contracts weren't as secure as they believed.
He approached with a polished smile.
"Nora."
"Miles."
His gaze shifted toward me.
"Evan Cole."
I offered my hand.
"Miles Harper."
He shook it reluctantly.
"Didn't realize you two knew each other."
Nora squeezed my hand.
"We're dating."
Three words.
The entire room seemed to stop breathing.
Diane Bennett stared.
"You're what?"
"Dating," Nora repeated.
I smiled.
"Three months."
Miles laughed sharply.
"That's impossible."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Which part?"
He glanced at Nora.
"You've never mentioned him."
"That was intentional," she replied.
For the first time, I saw something beneath her nervousness.
Steel.
Diane recovered quickly.
"Well, isn't this a surprise?"
Her smile was sharp enough to cut glass.
"Mr. Cole, perhaps we can speak privately."
Nora stiffened.
I looked at her.
"Would you like me to?"
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Go ahead."
Diane led me toward a balcony overlooking the gardens.
The moment the doors closed, her polite expression disappeared.
"What do you want with my daughter?"
I almost laughed.
"At the moment? Lunch."
"Don't insult my intelligence."
"Then don't insult mine."
She stared.
I leaned against the railing.
"Nora invited me. That's all."
Diane's expression tightened.
"She's confused."
"About what?"
"Her future."
I looked through the glass.
Nora stood beside her grandmother, laughing at something the elderly woman had said.
"She seems reasonably clear about it."
Diane folded her arms.
"She doesn't understand the responsibilities that come with our family business."
"Then explain them to her."
"You don't understand."
"Probably not."
I paused.
"But I understand that she's twenty-five years old."
Diane went silent.
When we returned to the dining room, Nora's grandmother approached.
Margaret Bennett.
Seventy-five.
Silver hair.
Bright blue eyes.
And the kind of expression that suggested she'd spent a lifetime refusing to be intimidated.
"So," she said, studying me, "you're the boyfriend."
"Apparently."
She laughed.
"I like you already."
Nora turned pink.
"Grandma."
Margaret took my arm.
"Come sit beside me. I want to know how my granddaughter convinced a man like you to abandon his schedule."
I smiled.
"She's persuasive."
Margaret winked.
"She gets that from me."
Lunch began.
For thirty minutes, everything seemed almost normal.
Then Miles stood.
He tapped his champagne glass.
"Before dessert, I'd like to make an announcement."
Nora's smile disappeared.
Miles looked directly at her.
"The Harper family is pleased to confirm a new partnership with Bennett Events."
Polite applause filled the room.
Diane smiled proudly.
Then Miles continued.
"And to celebrate our families growing closer, I'd like to ask Nora something."
My jaw tightened.
He reached into his jacket.
Removed a velvet box.
And dropped to one knee.
"Nora Bennett, will you marry me?"
The room erupted.
Nora went completely still.
I felt her hand turn cold inside mine.
May you like
Then her grandmother whispered something that changed my entire understanding of that afternoon.
"Oh, Diane. You didn't tell the girl what you signed."
