him a challenge he couldn’t walk away from.
Although Bradley was not tenacious, he didn’t walk away from a competition. I’d seen for myself when he’d lost interest in a business deal only to have it reignited when another company came along. His attention was easily swayed when something was too easy or too hard - an absolute yes or an absolute no - but when a third party was involved, he took to it with relish.
I’d panicked and made a mistake, forgetting this little bit of information about him and now I seemed to have made my situation even more tenuous. Marriage to another man would be the only way to dissuade him, or a drawn out courtship at least, long enough for him to get bored. But there was no way I would marry a man just to rid myself of Bradley. Hopefully after a week or so of me not budging, and turning down every one of his attempts to win me back, would be enough to bore him into giving up the chase.
The door opened and Freddie strode in looking every inch the Earl of Avonlea right down to his polished wingtips. He wore a charcoal three piece suit, that had to’ve been bespoke, a crisp white shirt and dove grey tie.
“I feel under-dressed,” I said looking down at my cashmere sweater and soft wool slacks.
His eyes flared as he looked me over and a small smile tipped the side of his mouth causing an uncomfortable fluttering in my stomach.
“You look as gorgeous as ever, Alex,” he said coming towards me and placing a soft kiss on my cheek.
Our relationship had apparently crossed over into one of familiarity rather than close acquaintances and business associates, and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. Although, he had stepped in to protect me from a PR nightmare by intercepting Bradley before the press could get hold of the story and for that I was grateful.
I indicated that he should take a seat and stepped over to the trolley of liquor that I’d had brought in earlier.
“Drink?”
He nodded, “Armagnac,” he said.
I poured us both a glass and handed his to him before taking my seat opposite. I crossed my legs and swirled the amber liquid in my glass while I thought of a way to start the conversation.
“I spent the morning with Bradley,” he said, watching me carefully. “Interesting guy.”
I chuckled and shook my head lightly, “You don’t like him.”
He shrugged and sipped, his eyes not leaving mine. “I’ve dealt with plenty of guys like him in my business dealings. Seen one, you’ve seen them all.”
“Thank you Freddie,” I said, my voice soft. “Thank you for taking care of him so that he didn’t interrupt the coronation and for keeping an eye on him today. The last thing the Queen needs is my personal life to become front page fodder.”
He didn’t answer straight away and I felt his eyes bore into me like he could see into my very soul. It was unnerving to be under his intense inspection, I’d only ever had a glancing touch of it.
“Did he happen to mention to you how he found you?” Freddie asked, the moment gone.
I shook my head, “No. He did ask me to go back to him though.”
“He still wants you to marry him.” It wasn’t a question which led me to believe that Freddie knew why Bradley was here.
“Yes,” I replied, “But I told him no. I walked away from the wedding because I couldn’t see myself living that life. I have no intention of going back to it.”
Freddie’s posture seemed to relax slightly as he shifted in his seat and took another sip from his glass. “How did he take that?”
“He’s still here, isn’t he.” I replied resignedly.
“Yes,” Freddie replied, “And my question is why? If you told him no, then why is he currently holed up in a guest suite in my parent’s estate.”
Was Freddie angry with me? It was hard to tell, but his words had been sharp. Did he really think I’d want to return to America and become the wife of a man like
Although Bradley was not tenacious, he didn’t walk away from a competition. I’d seen for myself when he’d lost interest in a business deal only to have it reignited when another company came along. His attention was easily swayed when something was too easy or too hard - an absolute yes or an absolute no - but when a third party was involved, he took to it with relish.
I’d panicked and made a mistake, forgetting this little bit of information about him and now I seemed to have made my situation even more tenuous. Marriage to another man would be the only way to dissuade him, or a drawn out courtship at least, long enough for him to get bored. But there was no way I would marry a man just to rid myself of Bradley. Hopefully after a week or so of me not budging, and turning down every one of his attempts to win me back, would be enough to bore him into giving up the chase.
The door opened and Freddie strode in looking every inch the Earl of Avonlea right down to his polished wingtips. He wore a charcoal three piece suit, that had to’ve been bespoke, a crisp white shirt and dove grey tie.
“I feel under-dressed,” I said looking down at my cashmere sweater and soft wool slacks.
His eyes flared as he looked me over and a small smile tipped the side of his mouth causing an uncomfortable fluttering in my stomach.
“You look as gorgeous as ever, Alex,” he said coming towards me and placing a soft kiss on my cheek.
Our relationship had apparently crossed over into one of familiarity rather than close acquaintances and business associates, and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. Although, he had stepped in to protect me from a PR nightmare by intercepting Bradley before the press could get hold of the story and for that I was grateful.
I indicated that he should take a seat and stepped over to the trolley of liquor that I’d had brought in earlier.
“Drink?”
He nodded, “Armagnac,” he said.
I poured us both a glass and handed his to him before taking my seat opposite. I crossed my legs and swirled the amber liquid in my glass while I thought of a way to start the conversation.
“I spent the morning with Bradley,” he said, watching me carefully. “Interesting guy.”
I chuckled and shook my head lightly, “You don’t like him.”
He shrugged and sipped, his eyes not leaving mine. “I’ve dealt with plenty of guys like him in my business dealings. Seen one, you’ve seen them all.”
“Thank you Freddie,” I said, my voice soft. “Thank you for taking care of him so that he didn’t interrupt the coronation and for keeping an eye on him today. The last thing the Queen needs is my personal life to become front page fodder.”
He didn’t answer straight away and I felt his eyes bore into me like he could see into my very soul. It was unnerving to be under his intense inspection, I’d only ever had a glancing touch of it.
“Did he happen to mention to you how he found you?” Freddie asked, the moment gone.
I shook my head, “No. He did ask me to go back to him though.”
“He still wants you to marry him.” It wasn’t a question which led me to believe that Freddie knew why Bradley was here.
“Yes,” I replied, “But I told him no. I walked away from the wedding because I couldn’t see myself living that life. I have no intention of going back to it.”
Freddie’s posture seemed to relax slightly as he shifted in his seat and took another sip from his glass. “How did he take that?”
“He’s still here, isn’t he.” I replied resignedly.
“Yes,” Freddie replied, “And my question is why? If you told him no, then why is he currently holed up in a guest suite in my parent’s estate.”
Was Freddie angry with me? It was hard to tell, but his words had been sharp. Did he really think I’d want to return to America and become the wife of a man like
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