Page 57 of Landen

“Hey.”

“I hope I amnot interrupting your work.”

“As a matter offact-”

“Let me putit another way. I don’t care if I am interrupting your day.”

Putting aside thebills she had been perusing, she burst out laughing. “At leastyou are being honest.”

“I am.”His deep voice sounded warm and made her miss him even more. “Howare you, love?”

“Now that I amtalking to you? I am feeling much better. Now, how about you tell mewhat’s wrong?”

“What makes youthink anything is wrong?”

Leaning back againstthe chair, she stretched her legs out. She was feeling tired anddejected and was unable to sleep much. “I can hear it in yourvoice. Now spill.”

“I miss you.”

“I miss youtoo, but that’s not the problem.”

“That is aproblem.”

“Stopprevaricating and tell me what’s going on.”

A sigh escaped him.“You are very persistent, aren’t you?”

“You don’tknow the half of it. What’s going on?”

“She knowsabout you.”

Tessa closed her eyesbriefly and blew out a breath. “How bad is it?”

“She hasforbidden me to see you again.”

“I see.”

“I told her togo to hell.”

“You toldyour mother to go to hell?”

“Not exactly,but that’s what it boils down to.”

“Landen-”

“Then I went tothe hospital to tell my father that I was no longer going to standfor his tyranny.”

“Is heawake?”

“No. I wantedto vent, and I did.”

“Darling, asmuch as I applaud your ingenuity and attempt to get things out in theopen, don’t you think you are going too far?”

“Worried thatthey are going to disinherit me?” He teased.

“Will they?”

“No. And ifthat happens, I already told you I have my own money.”

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