Page 59 of Seaside Cowboy's Marriage of Convenience

“Please don’t move.” He hurried to bring the sweeper and swept up the shards. Then he went over the entire floor in the room with a wet paper towel to pick up any minuscule particles, including ones that could have flown far away. Hopefully, not into anyone’s eyes because his were burning, But that was tears wanting to slip out. All the while, her words were beating in his temples like tiny hammers.

Was he losing her? He couldn’t! He just couldn’t.

Okay, okay. He pulled much-needed air into his starved lungs, tasting the faint scent of her favorite orchids. She didn’t break up with him. Didn’t say the marriage was over. She’d asked for time off.

There was hope. She had that hyperresponsibility trait, and though he couldn’t always figure out what she was thinking—fine,mostof the time he couldn’t—he had to find out where all this was coming from. Because he didn’t want time away from her. Ever.

He already couldn’t imagine his life without her. “How... how much time do you need? On my part, five minutes maximum.”

Her lips curled up a little, but the smile didn’t reach her tormented eyes. “How about you take the dogs for a walk on the beach for an hour? And then we’ll decide.”

Lord, please!

He wasn’t even sure what he prayed for, except to stay together with Kennedy. He put the dogs on their leashes. For once, they kept quiet as if as confused as he was. Soon, he closed the front door, hoping with everything in him that the next time he stepped out of this place wouldn’t be with a broken marriage and a broken heart.

Chapter Fifteen

ASKING AUSTIN FOR TIMEoff was such a bad idea. What was she thinking?

Kennedy missed him so much already that it hurt to breathe. And she missed Caramel and Smiley. The large house sounded deafening quiet without their barking and playful shuffling. She never knew how sharp and painful silence could be. And this was only from him leaving for a few minutes or so. She couldn’t imagine her life without him. She just couldn’t.

Tears choking her, she leaped to her feet to run after him, then dropped onto her chair, then rose to her feet again. She hugged her light sweater tighter across her chest, the air-conditioning too high—or was that chill coming from inside her? She’d never needed a sweater in her house.

Her phone rang, and she snatched it, hoping it was Austin. But Rachel’s name appeared on the screen. Kennedy grimaced as she answered the call. “Hello, Rachel.”

“I have a feeling you wanted someone else to call you. I can sense disappointment from miles away.” By now, Rachel was more a friend than an employee and therefore on closer terms. “But I do have some news.”

Kennedy perked up. “About Zoey?”

“First, about Emma. Her ties to your competitor were confirmed. I have proof of their meetings. And in conversations with him, she provided sensitive information about your hotels. I have a transcript of one such conversation.”

Kennedy swallowed hard. Her uncle had warned her that not all employees would be loyal, and yet the betrayal hit her with almost as much force as someone had once struck Emma. Unless that story was untrue. “Don’t tell me you planted a bug?”

“What? I’d never. I just happen to have good hearing.”

“Yeah, it would have to be as good as Smiley’s sense of smell. Especially when he smells biscuits.” Kennedy nearly sniffled. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll handle the rest.”

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