Page 25 of The Rancher's Plain Jane Wife

"I hope you're happy to see us," Pippa teased.

After exchanging quick hugs with her former employer, Sarah pulled back, demanding, "But seriously, what are you guys doing here?"

"You'll have to thank your stepbrother for that," Pippa's Greek billionaire husband drawled. "He insisted that we come as a surprise to you." A pause. "Or is he no longerjustyour stepbrother?"

Sarah's eyes widened.

"A little bit premature, my friend," Damian commented, "but Iamactively working on it."

The level of comfort and familiarity between the two outrageously handsome men was just too obvious, and she asked suspiciously, "Do you two happen to know each other?"

"Yes," Acheron confirmed without a shade of discomfort. "But as you made no mention of him, I thought it best not to make mention of Damian either." The explanation was a little too slick for her taste, but Pippa's huge all-women brood had popped up behind the couple by then, and since she was friends with all of them, Sarah soon found herself busy catching up.

Acheron watched his wife's family carry Sarah off,figuratively of course,and turned to his friend, saying bluntly, "The last time we spoke, you were determined to stay away from her."

"Things have changed," Damian said evenly.

"I see." Acheron's gaze turned contemplative. "And does she—-" Warning glinted in Damian's eyes as he spoke, and without missing a beat, Acheron went on to ask, "—-enjoy seeing the two of her children together again?"

Sarah, catching her former boss's last words, said with a smile, "Are you talking about Mom?"

"We are, although I must say, your mother is very much like my mother-in-law. The two of them could be easily mistaken as a big sister to their own children."

"I know, right?" Sarah was pleased as punch at the compliment since Pippa's mom was an incredible beauty. "Oh, and Frankie—-"

"Olivier's secretary? I didn't realize they were here already." At her nod, Acheron said with a smile, "Then I'll have to beg to be excused. I try to sneak in as much work as possible while the wife's not looking."

While watching her former boss stride off, Sarah couldn't help commenting, "It's true, you know. When I was working for them, the other employees told me about how Acheron used to be a workaholic, and he only started taking days off when he married Pippa."

"I promise to be the same," Damian murmured, "when we marry."

"Ha!"

"You don't want to?"

"Ha!"

The billionaire chuckled. "That's not exactly ano,love."

She knew that, but since to say yes would be sheer stupidity while to say no would be another pathetic lie—-

"Ha!"

And then she hurried past him to welcome the next set of guests. Part of her expected the billionaire to follow her, but he didn't, and Sarah resolutely told herself she wasn't disappointed. She was actually happy and—-

Several anxious-looking staff members suddenly ran past her, and Sarah called out to one of them in concern. "What's happening?"

Mr. Fox...Mr. Moore...

The other girl was barely coherent, but the little she understood was enough for Sarah to break into a run. A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the lodge's parking lot, and Sarah couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Damian about to take a swing at Colton.

"Oh my God, stop!"

COLTON USUALLY HADa carefree air about him, but this time the younger man looked grim and strung up at the same time, like someone running purely on adrenaline for the past few hours.

"I got your email," Colton said shortly. And boy, what a fucking thing to wake up to. Sarah's stepbrother had somehow dredged out what not even the media and Colton's most obsessed fans had a clue about, with the email containing nothing but a series of photos showing him and Beth together.

Colton took a deep breath, knowing he needed to play this just right. Until Beth graduated from college, he needed to keep his girlfriend out of the limelight and free from all the toxic hate that came with dating someone like him. And since the billionaire appeared to be waiting for him to speak first, he said warily, "This is about Sarah, isn't it?"

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