Page 43 of Covert

She should be angry. She should hate him for jumping to conclusions. Instead, she felt bereft, as if someone had reached into her chest and ripped her heart out, leaving a gaping, aching hole.

She’d never experienced such total and utter desolation and knew it would take a lifetime to recover from loving Dylan.

So what if her plan to prove her independence to her parents had succeeded? It would be a hollow victory, considering she’d lost her heart in the process.

She may be mad at him for lumping her in with the rest of the bimbos who’d tried to ensnare him, though she couldn’t blame him for jumping to conclusions. He’d overheard her say to Ebony that she’d lied to him, and though she couldn’t quite recall her exact words she’d mumbled something aboutmarrying him too. Ironic, that accusation hadn’t been far from the truth. She would’ve married him in a second if he’d asked.

After the plane touched down and Sam disembarked, she scanned the crowd for her brother Pete. Despite her protestations to Ebony that everything was all right when she’d called her from Melbourne airport, her friend had sensed trouble and insisted she would notify Peter to pick her up when Sam arrived home. In no mood to argue at the time, Sam had reluctantly agreed.

However, as Pete spotted her among the disembarking passengers and enveloped her in a bear hug, she wondered at her sanity. She was in no mood for lengthy interrogations or explanations, two things her brothers were experts at.

Stifling the urge to sob into Pete’s shirt, Sam pulled away.

“Thanks for picking me up.”

“No problem.” Pete picked up her luggage and headed for the nearest exit, leaving Sam gaping.

“What? No questions? No prying?”

He stopped and turned around. “Come on, Sis. It’s me you’re talking to.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Since when did you become sensitive to my feelings?”

Her brothers had taken it in turns to tease, berate, and lecture her for most of her twenty-five years and she couldn’t believe Pete had turned over a new leaf now.

He shrugged, appearing oddly uncomfortable. “I had a chat with Ebs. She told me to lay off you, in no uncertain terms.”

Sam tried to smother a grin and failed. If she had any doubts about the blossoming relationship between Pete and her best friend, her brother had just laid them to rest. He must be head over heels to take advice from a woman, especially one as opinionated as Ebony.

“When’s the wedding?”

She couldn’t resist teasing him, because it took the focus off her problems for more than two seconds.

To her amazement, Pete blushed. “She told you, didn’t she?”

“Told me what?”

He shook his head. “It’s supposed to be a secret. Damn woman.”

Sam grabbed Pete’s arm as a smidgeon of an idea took root and quickly grew to beanstalk proportions. “You’re gettingmarried?”

“Sshh.” He glanced around as if she’d announced it over the airport loudspeaker. “Nobody knows, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“You’re marrying Ebony?” Sam needed to find the nearest chair—and fast—before she collapsed. “You’re kidding, right?”

Pete stared at her and she’d never seen her brother so serious. “No, I’m not kidding. We love each other, probably have for years, and it’s time to make it official.”

“But why all the secrecy?”

“You of all people should know the answer to that one, Princess.”

With a blinding flash of clarity, Sam understood. While she’d been away, perhaps her brothers had borne some of her parent’s pressure in ‘living up to the Popov name’ and ‘marrying to fit their heritage’. After all that she’d endured the last few years, she finally had an ally.

She leaned over and hugged Pete. “I’m really happy for you. And don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Though I’m going to kill Ebony. She didn’t tell me a word.”

Pete squeezed her back. “She didn’t think it was the right time, what with your romantic problems and all… ” He trailed off, as if he’d said too much.

Sam pasted a bright smile on her face, determined not to let her pain resurface in front of her brother.

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