Page 96 of Reluctantly His

Instead, Ginnie handed him the bouquet of flowers and told him to find somewhere to put them as she looked around the room at all of the gifts from well-wishers and distant family.

“Put them somewhere I can see them, please,” I asked Luc, who took the bouquet and gave me a single nod before trying to figure out what to do.

Ginnie quickly stole his seat. “So I can’t stay long. I got another gig pretty soon, but I wanted to come and check up on you and see how you were doing and if there were any developments about that one thing that we talked about?”

“There have been a few developments,” I confirmed. “But nothing has been absolutely decided yet.”

“Ginnie, can you please help me convince my sister that there is no glamor in being a starving artist? And that she won’t be able to survive New York City without the lifestyle she was born into,” Luc said from across the room.

“I’ll survive in the same way every other woman does. I will work. There are jobs I can get. I can try to work my cello, and I don’t care if I have to bag groceries. I will figure out something?—”

“You don’t know how to buy groceries, let alone bag them. People who lose the kind of wealth we have generally don’t live happier lives in a lower economic class.”

“No, I suppose people who lose wealth are often miserable. But I wouldn’t be losing anything. I am willing to give up the wealth and choose a different kind of happiness.”

“Are you sure?” Luc asked.

Ginnie held my hand with an amused smile on her lips as she watched the back and forth between me and Luc.

“Of course she’s sure,” Olivia said, traipsing into the room. “Look at that glow. It’s not all just the morphine. She’s in love.”

My cheeks heated at the comment, but I couldn’t help the smile that graced my lips. She was right.

“She’ll be fine,” Ginnie said patting the back of my hand. “Giving up a life of wealth and convenience is not easy. But if it’s for the right reasons, then it can make life so much sweeter. Personally, I would rather live like a pauper and have my freedom than be surrounded by wealth but in a cage.”

“And how would you know?” Luc asked, not unkindly.

“Ginnie Kristiansen.” She smiled, reaching out her hand for Luc to shake. “Of the Nantucket Kristiansens.”

“The one who ran away to some satanic cult?” Olivia’s eyes widened in confusion.

“Yes, except it was a heavy metal band. But my family considers it to be the same thing.” Ginnie gave Olivia a wink.

I laughed at the bewildered look on Luc’s face as he took her hand and shook it.

“Well, you should have bought her a can opener for the baked beans and Spaghettios she’ll be eating, instead of these flowers,” remarked Luc.

I looked between them. “What are Spaghettios?”

CHAPTER 34

REID

Ihad been summoned.

Lucian Manwarring stood in front of a massive black marble fireplace inside what was arguably a majestic two-story library.

He didn’t turn as I entered. “Help yourself to the whisky.”

With a nod, I crossed to the credenza in the corner. Although displayed in an elegant, cut crystal decanter, I had no doubt the amber liquid would be a rather sublime, twenty-year aged Manwarring Single Barrel.

Just because I was battling with the enemy, didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy myself during the exchange.

After I poured my drink, Lucian finally turned to face me.

He stretched out his arm and gestured to the gilt, lion-clawed table between two high-backed leather chairs with his drink hand. “Do you play?”

On the table was a sterling silver and gold chess set, the pieces carved to resemble actual kings and knights. No doubt an authentic replica of the famous medieval set which depicted a 9th Century battle between the Ottoman Turks and the Carolingians.

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