Page 27 of Just One Look

“Sorry. Thinking.”

“About the sister?” Now the tone was more serious.

“About a lot of things.” Dang, his cousin was always too smart for anyone’s good. “I have to get going. Thanks for helping with the horses.”

“Any time.”

Disconnecting the call, he went to check with Hazel on the afternoon snack he’d asked her to pack. A little wine and cheese and crackers. Maybe some fruit. Like Mitch, she told him to stop fussing and pretty much shooed him out of the kitchen. Now he was back at the window staring at the empty driveway. The second he saw dust blowing up in the distance, his heartbeat kicked up. His feet rooted to the floor, he watched as the unfamiliar sedan pulled up behind a row of family cars already parked in the driveway.

Expecting her to already be out of the car, he looked at his watch. Five minutes to two. She didn’t want to arrive early, that made him smile. Another couple of minutes and she was out of the car, straightening the hem of her shirt and staring up at the family home. When she glanced back to the driver door, he wondered what was delaying her. Ready to bolt outside and see what was wrong, she slung her purse over her shoulder and slowly moved down the drive.

Her steps were slow and careful. Her gaze drifted from one car to another, up to the house and back to the drive in front of her. When she reached the front steps, she once again stopped and stared up at the house.

Not wanting to startle her, he waited for her to step up and ring the bell. The family butler appeared in the foyer to open the door before Devlin could catch up and wave him off.

“I’m here for Devlin, uh, I mean, Mr. Baron.” Her voice sounded so small, not at all the strong self-assured woman he’d been getting to know.

“I’ve got this, Jeeves.”

“Very well, sir.” The man bobbed his head and turning, walked away.

“Punctual.” He waved her into the house.

“I do my best.” Her steps were measured and her grip on her purse was surprisingly tight. He could see the tension in her hands. “I hope it’s okay that I wore jeans?”

He tapped his jean-clad thigh. “Best for riding.”

“Good.” Her head bobbed but her smile seemed a tad shaky for him.

“Hazel has made a little snack for us. It’ll just take me a moment to grab the basket and we can head to the barn.”

Liz bobbed her head and followed him through the foyer, her gaze briefly darting up the massive stairwell and into the kitchen. A few introductions and pleasantries aside and they were crossing the patio on their way to the barn.

The urge to take hold of her hand was almost stronger than his will to not be pushy or presumptuous. But what bothered him more was Liz’s silence. Her gaze seemed to be darting from one side of the property to the other. The sharp, witty, and spunky woman he’d gotten to know seemed to be lost in thought. Right about now, he’d kill to know what was running through her mind.

Holy Moses. She knew the Barons were rich. Everyone knew they were wealthy. After the bachelor auction and the phone calls at the hospital, she’d have to be an idiot not to know they were a substantial family. For years, Liz had heard her sister talk about the galas and fundraisers and parties and cars and boats and everything that went with being an affluent political family. But knowing all this and walking up a driveway longer than her city block to a mansion the size of an apartment building, unexpectedly drove home the Barons could probably afford to use their money for kindling. The more she saw of the house that reminded her of Tara fromGone with the Wind, and the further she walked, the more overwhelmed she was, and the more out of place she felt. This wasn’t one night of playful pretend, this was every day, twenty-four seven.

“Are you okay?” The basket in one hand, he cocked his head in her direction.

“Fine.” Did that sound more like a squeak than a word?

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“You’re awfully rich.” Her hand flew to her mouth. She had not meant to say that out loud. “Sorry. I mean… uhm..” she blew out a sigh and for the first time since pulling off the road, her shoulders relaxed. “I don’t know what I mean.”

It took Devlin several long beats to finally speak up. “I suppose this house is a bit much. I just don’t think about it.”

That was the whole point, none of them probably thought anything about the money. “Though the Lamborghini is amazing in person.”

“That’s Kyle’s.”

“And the Ferrari?”

He squinted. “I think it’s Siobhan’s, but not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

With a chagrined look on his face, he shrugged. “Honestly, I have a lot of siblings and cousins and can’t keep up with who drives what.”

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