“Chloe, I’m sorry, but our weekend plans are going to have to be put on hold.”
“Of course, if your family needs you then they take precedence.”
He felt the knot in his stomach begin to ease. He wasn’t sure why he’d thought she’d object to the change in their plans. Maybe it was because the women in his experience to date, his mother and eldest sister included, had been the kind who disliked last minute changes in plans. Not that his mom or sister were princesses, far from it. They were sharp, intelligent and insightful women in their own right, but they also liked things their way.
“Thank you for understanding.”
* * *
Chloe studied Miles’s face carefully. He definitely looked conflicted by the news disclosed in the phone call. With the sounds of the pier and the music playing on the Ferris wheel, she hadn’t been able to make out much of the conversation the two men had shared, but she’d seen the change in Miles’s body language and his face had grown strained and serious. It still was.
She wondered what on earth had happened in the Wingate family that was so dire. That it had to do with the fire at WinJet was most likely. But even with the safety investigation and the bad publicity, they had more than enough money to make a payout to the injured parties and to ride out the storm until things settled down again. So what else could it be?
Chloe was suddenly reminded of her original plan with Miles Wingate. To get close, to find out secrets if she could, then to expose his family for the dirty, low-down scum they really were. She’d been distracted by the powerful physical attraction between her and Miles. Maybe this was the reminder she needed to get back on track and focus on the revenge she’d been planning for all her adult life. The revenge that she hoped would return her mother to being the woman she’d been back when Chloe’s dad was still alive.
Dare she ask Miles what was involved in this sudden change to their plans? Of course she dared.
“What’s wrong? Is there
anything I can do to help you?”
He gave her a quick grin, but she noticed it didn’t reach his eyes. Whatever this was, it had really done a number on him.
“This is something I need to take care of personally.”
“Oh, secret squirrel stuff?”
That got a laugh out of him.
“Yeah, something like that. One of the family businesses had an accident. There’s been an investigation into the cause, etc., but they need me to go deeper.”
“Not something you can delegate, then?”
“Unfortunately, no. I’m really sorry, Chloe. I’m going to have to head to Texas later today.”
“So soon?” She couldn’t help the exclamation from spilling out. “Do you know how long you’ll be away?”
“No. While that’s not a problem for me with my business, it is a problem for us.”
An idea came to mind. “It doesn’t have to be.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m still on summer break. Maybe I could come with you?” She deliberately hesitated a moment. “If you want me to, that is. Of course, I understand if you think I’m being ridiculous. After all we’ve only just met and—”
Miles kissed her into silence.
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day! After all, you’re already packed, right? We’d only need to stop by my place and then head out to the airfield. My brother said he’d send a plane. I just need to tell him when we’d be ready.”
Chloe didn’t know whether to sing for joy that her suggestion had been so willingly picked up, or to regret the rashness of it. Now it was out there, she needed to work with it.
“I’ll need to make a few arrangements before we go,” she told him. “Get my mail collected and someone in to water my plants. You know, the usual stuff. If you could run me back home, I could set all that up, add a few more things to my suitcase, then I can get a cab to the airport to meet you.”
He nodded. “I’ll tell Sebastian to send the plane to Midway. But I won’t hear of you taking a cab. I’ll wait for you to get your things ready. I’ll get my assistant to pack for me and meet us at the airport.”
She wasn’t about to argue, not when he’d accepted her suggestion so willingly.
Miles looked around them. “It seems a shame to have to leave all this.”