Page 37 of An Heir For Her Enemy

“Do you need anything?” he asked.

“No, thank you. This is very generous.”

“It is not a problem. To be honest, this house sometimes feels too big and empty without my grandfather.” Marco looked around the room. “Family is the most important thing. I miss him.”

Logan nodded at Marco and gave a pleasant smile, but his heart wasn’t in it. It felt like the universe was hitting him over the head with a single message: that he should be happy about Delaney’s pregnancy. It just wasn’t possible, though. Even if Logan had wanted to be a father, the timing was terrible. He simply couldn’t allow his work to slip by the wayside because of a child.

“I will leave you to it.” Marco ducked out, and Logan got his laptop out of his briefcase and opened his email. He read a few messages about potential investment opportunities and some emails about the event he was planning to hold for investors. It was hard to focus, though. His thoughts kept drifting back to Delaney. What was she thinking right now? Was she anywhere near as overwhelmed as he was?

She shouldn’t be. Delaney would be a wonderful mother; Logan was sure of that. She was thoughtful and patient and funny and caring. Any child would be lucky to have her — even if she had to raise that child alone.

Logan opened another email and tried to read it, but it took several minutes for him to realize that it was an advertisement about a new TV show and not anything he needed to understand for work. This was hopeless. He closed the laptop and leaned back in his chair. His thoughts were still whirling.

He was still sitting there, staring up at the ceiling and trying to figure out what he was going to say to Delaney, when Marco appeared at the doorway.

“Your consultant is finished,” he said.

“Oh, thank you.” Logan grabbed his briefcase and followed Marco out of the room.

“Speaking of which, is she looking for more work? I am in need of a good art consultant to help me sort out the rest of the paintings I inherited.”

Logan’s heart skipped a beat. The thought of Delaney working for Marco, in Rome, was very unpleasant. Yet he knew that he didn’t have any claim on her. She could do whatever she wanted — and she did love Rome.

“I’m not sure. You’d have to ask her.”

“Thank you.” Marco opened the doors to the gallery room. “Please, take some time to discuss the painting. I will be here.”

“I appreciate that.” Logan nodded his thanks, then turned to Delaney as Marco closed the door behind him. Delaney waspacking up her tools, her back to him. Logan gathered his nerves.

“Delaney—”

“It’s a good painting,” Delaney said. Her voice was neutral and professional. “You should buy it. Marco is asking a lot for it, but it’ll pay off. It’s a beautiful piece with a very rich history — and it does align with Botticelli’s work, so although it’s impossible to give a one hundred percent guarantee, it’s very likely that he did paint it.”

“You’re sure?” Logan came to stand beside her, and they both looked at the painting.

“I’m sure about the authenticity. Butyouhave to be sure, too. It’s an expensive painting, so buying it isn’t a decision to make lightly — even though it is real.”

“It’s just what my collection needs. I’ll buy it.”

“Okay, then. I’ll let you and Marco sort out the details.” She turned to go, then stopped and looked up at Logan. Her blue eyes were wide. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him for several moments. Logan looked back down at her. His heart began to ache. He wanted to reach for her, but he didn’t. Then Delaney turned and left, her footsteps loud against the marble floor.

Logan spent another hour with Marco and his lawyer, hammering out the details of the painting’s delivery and looking over the purchase contract. Logan sent a copy to his own lawyer, who reviewed it quickly and gave it his okay. When Logan left the mansion, he was the proud owner of a historic painting with more significance than he would ever fully grasp as someone who didn’t know much about art.

Delaney was waiting outside on a wooden bench, her back to him. Her long hair was loose around her shoulders now, the clip that had held it up in her hand, and her head was tilted back. She wore the cream-colored sweater and slacks she’d had on the first day. It was cool outside, but not cold, and she looked peaceful, somehow. Logan didn’t want to disturb the moment, but it was time to leave.

“Are you ready to go?”

She stood and turned to him. Her expression was neutral again. “Yes.”

“I know we were planning a celebratory meal, but it might be best to head straight to the airport.” Logan’s heart twisted as he said the words. This was it for the two of them. “I have some urgent business in New York.”

“So do I.” Delaney stood and brushed down her slacks. “Let’s go.”

They got back in the car and Logan instructed the driver to take them to the hotel. The car rolled out, down the lane from Marco’s newly inherited estate and onto the highway. At the hotel, they picked up their bags and checked out, and it wasn’t long before they were back on the road on the way to the airport.

Logan looked out the window as they went. He wasn’t usually a nostalgic person, but the memories of the time he’d spent in Rome with Delaney flooded him as they drove. He wanted one more day with her, without the specter of pregnancy hanging over their heads. He wanted one more meal, one more hour — he’d take anything he could get. He just wanted a little more time with her before all this was over.

They arrived at the airport a few hours earlier than originally planned and the pilot asked them to wait in the airport’s small building while he prepared the plane. Delaney sat in an armchair, her legs crossed and her e-reader open. Logan sat across from her, answering emails. There were several other people in the lounge, so they couldn’t have talked — even if Logan had known what he wanted to say. Which he still didn’t.

---