How To Seduce An Heiress: The Reluctant Heiress / Pride After Her Fall / Project: Runaway Heiress

“That’s fine. Come up to the house and we’ll talk. You can follow me in.”

“Thanks.”

Garrett returned to his car to drive through the gates. Edgar turned in behind him. At least he had been civil, which was a hopeful sign. More than he expected from Sophia when she discovered the truth about his connections.

At the house, he led Edgar into the library where a decanter of brandy and small crystal glasses sat on a mahogany table.

“Would you care for brandy?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Shedding his jacket, Garrett poured two brandies although he had no interest in drinking. He handed a glass to Edgar.

“You’re more than CEO of a Houston property management firm,” Edgar said. “You’re CFO of Delaney Enterprises in Dallas. I assume the property management business here is a sideline of yours.”

“It actually was started by my dad,” Garrett said. He looked at Edgar, waiting for the rest. When Edgar didn’t continue, Garrett asked, “Have you told Sophia yet?”

“No.”

“I’ll tell you what I’m doing here and why I haven’t told her about my connection,” Garrett said, proceeding to run through his history with the Delaneys and his purpose in meeting Sophia.

“I intended to get to know her so she would at least let someone talk to her about meeting with Will Delaney. So far, she won’t even talk to their lawyer, much less to any of them. Edgar, I don’t know what details she’s told you, but she stands to lose an enormous inheritance and cost the Delaney brothers theirs. They are as innocent in this as she is.”

“I know,” Edgar said, swirling his brandy in the snifter and then looking up to meet Garrett’s gaze. “She’s told me. That’s why I’m here. First, I don’t want her hurt.”

“I don’t want to hurt her either. I hate keeping this secret from her. I’ve come to care very much about Sophia. To be honest, I’ve thought about resigning, but I have deep obligations to the Delaney family.”

“Don’t resign. I want you to succeed. I want Sophia to get her inheritance. It’s absurd for her to toss aside that kind of money. I came to see you to learn what you intend and to make certain you’re not going to hurt her. I feel like a father to her.”

“I will try in every way I can to avoid hurting her.”

“Sophia is very cautious with men. Therefore, she’s rather naive. As far as the Delaneys go—I hope to heaven you succeed in making her listen.”

“They want to know her and want her in their family. But they didn’t even know she existed until the reading of Argus’s will.”

“Why am I not surprised. That man was arrogant.”

“There’s one grandchild, Caroline Delaney, who is five years old. This will hurt her, too,” he said, pulling out his phone and touching it. He crossed the room to show a photo to Edgar.

“Great heavens!” Edgar exclaimed, taking the phone to stare at the picture. “Except for the curly hair, she looks like Sophia. Actually, Sophia and this half brother bear a strong resemblance.”

“Yes, they do.”

“Does Sophia know about the child?”

“She has to because Caroline is in the will. There’s a trust for her. Caroline’s mother walked out when Caroline was a baby and the oldest brother, Adam, was her father. When he was killed in a plane crash, Will became Caroline’s guardian. Caroline has lost enough in this life.” Garrett put away the phone, retrieved his brandy and sat again.

Edgar sipped his brandy. “I’ll do what I can, but I can’t keep her from looking you up. I’m amazed she hasn’t already. She must like you and take you at your word.”

“I think she’s been reassured because Jason Trent knows me. She knows I have a business here and you had already met me. I’ve had her to my house and now we’ve spent a weekend together.”

“Believe me, that’s unlike her. She’s very cautious and I’m sure she’s already told you why.”

“Argus again and his treatment of her mother. I’m not Argus or even close, and not one drop of his blood runs in my veins.”

“True. I hope you can talk some sense into her for her own sake. It’s absurd for her to toss aside that fabulous inheritance. She doesn’t have the kind of money to be so blasé about it.”

“Thanks for letting me try to work this out. I just want her to talk to Will and to think about what she’s doing to them and herself.”

“If I can help in any manner, let me know.” Edgar took another long sip of brandy and set down his glass. “I’ll go now. I’m relieved to hear your purpose and I hope you succeed. I’ll stay out of this until I’m asked to do otherwise.”

He offered his hand and they shook again. “Thanks, Edgar. I appreciate it. I intend to tell her soon and I hope that doesn’t end her speaking to me.”

“I can’t help you much if it does. Sophia has a mind of her own and is quite independent. She grew up that way.”

At the front door, Garrett walked out on the porch. “Take care, Edgar. The gates will be open.”

“Good luck. I will try to get her to listen to reason. Sooner or later she will tell me when she learns the truth about you.”

As Garrett watched him drive away, his cell phone rang. It was Will Delaney.

“How did the weekend go?” he asked.

“It was fine. But suppose you had called in the middle of a moment when I would not have wanted to talk to you?”

“You wouldn’t have answered your phone,” Will said with a laugh.

“I’m actually glad you called. I’ve been thinking about it, Will. I don’t want to accept any pay for this.”

“What the hell? Is there something in the water in Houston that makes people not want money? She won’t take her inheritance. Now you don’t want your pay.”

“Just accept that I am off the payroll on this. I’m doing the Delaneys a favor. It’s free, gratis,” he said, feeling a faint degree better that he wasn’t taking money for keeping his purpose from Sophia. But he still hated being secretive.

“I’m not going to argue with you. You’re a big boy now and if you don’t want money, okay. We can renegotiate your salary.”

“Don’t push me, Will,” Garrett said. He knew Will was teasing and being flip, but he didn’t feel like horsing around.

“Sorry, Garrett, if this has turned sour for you. Okay, no pay. We’re all grateful as hell, as usual. So it went well?”

“Yes, it went well. I’ll call you when I have something solid to report. Night, Will.”

He clicked off. His thoughts shifted to Edgar and then to Sophia. Tomorrow night he had to tell her the truth. Would the intimacy they had shared this weekend be a strong enough bond to keep her from despising him? He couldn’t answer his own question.

Sleep eluded him again. He mulled over the fact that she had been a virgin. He was the first man in her life, which shook him. She had strong feelings about intimacy and had avoided it all these years. He hadn’t expected that and now, not telling her his connection to the Delaneys seemed even worse.

Why had she changed her mind this weekend? How deep did feelings run between them? Were they deep enough to withstand the shock she was going to receive?

Could she forgive him? If she did agree to meet the Delaneys and give them a chance, would it mean that she was willing to give her relationship with him a chance? Garrett clenched his fists. He was anxious to tell her while at the same time, he dreaded the moment. The fact that she had let him make love to her made him feel a bond with her that he hadn’t experienced before. Thinking about making love last night, his thoughts shifted and memories flooded him until he had to get out of bed and do something physical because he couldn’t sleep. The prospect of flying home and resigning still tempted him, yet he couldn’t do that either. Obligations to the Delaneys, to Will, to memories of his father’s wishes were all too strong. Now the Delaney legacy made him sink even deeper into his obligations to them.