do.”
“Okay,” she said, taken aback by his intensity. “I didn’t know.”
“Yes, I realize you didn’t. I don’t blame you,” he said, but his eyes shifted away from her and she knew he was lying. He did blame her. Completely.
“All right,” she said, trying to smile and lighten the mood. “I’m sure Freddy will keep me company.”
Brody checked his phone again. “Yes, he will.” He sighed and started for the exit.
“Should I expect the papers? The contracts you said were coming?” Chloe called out, her stomach twisting as he turned his back on her.
Brody slowed and turned momentarily. “We’re going to have to rethink that,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll have…someone will be in touch,” he finished, and then he turned and left her standing there alone.
Chloe was shell-shocked. Brody was gone and she was alone with his strange, pale manservant. Freddy looked at her gravely, but his eyes were sensitive. “Do you know where you’d like to go?” he asked, softly.
She bit her lower lip and tried not to cry. Unfortunately, the tears were impossible to keep at bay, and then she was sobbing in front of this old, white haired man who was as remote and foreign to her as a country on the other side of the world.
“Shit,” she whispered, trying to compose herself.
Freddy approached slowly, his slacks rustling. He reached inside his pocket and produced a folded, clean white handkerchief. “Here you go, Miss,” he said, and she nodded, whispering her thanks as she took the soft handkerchief.
Chloe wiped her eyes and nose, feeling like a child. Feeling silly and embarrassed. No, embarrassment was far too much of an understatement for how she was feeling.
This was pure humiliation.
“Sorry, Freddy,” she said. “I’m ruining your beautiful handkerchief.”
“That’s what they’re for, Miss.” He gave her a slight smile, his hands behind his back now. “Take your time.”
She took a long, deep breath, and then let it out, her tears subsiding. “I suppose this isn’t the first time you’ve had to deal with a woman crying in the morning while Brody leaves you to clean up the mess.”
Freddy didn’t react. “I really cannot speak to that, ma’am.”
“No, of course not,” she said.
“But I will tell you that Mister Hawk is a very, very driven human being. Like nobody else I’ve ever encountered.”
“You admire him,” Chloe said, seeing it plainly in Freddy’s eyes.
“He’s been quite good to me,” Freddy told her. “In point of fact, he saved my brother’s life when he was having health problems. Found him the best surgeon in the world and paid for everything.”
“That’s amazing,” Chloe said, a new sadness welling up inside her.
“But although Mister Hawk has a very generous heart and a fighting spirit, his life is complicated and there’s not much room for others.”
She nodded, understanding quite clearly the message Brody’s domestic was sending her. “I get it,” she said. “And thank you for being kind to me, Freddy.”
The older man bowed his head slightly. “And now—do you know where you’d like to go? I will have a car take you anywhere.”
Chloe thought about it.
It was a far drive, but right now, she needed to go somewhere safe—somewhere where she might find understanding and love and warmth.
“Yes, I’d like to go to Connecticut,” she said. “Amesbury, to be precise. Can someone take me that far?”
Freddy smiled. “Yes, Miss. We could have taken you across the country if you’d so chosen.”
* * *
T he ride to her mother’s home in Amesbury Connecticut was taken in the comfort of a luxurious town car that felt like being carried along in a plush leather couch.
But it was difficult for Chloe to appreciate the luxury of her surroundings, now that she was sensing the end of her very short-lived relationship with Brody Hawk.
Freddy had left her, after explaining to the driver that she was to be taken anywhere
“Okay,” she said, taken aback by his intensity. “I didn’t know.”
“Yes, I realize you didn’t. I don’t blame you,” he said, but his eyes shifted away from her and she knew he was lying. He did blame her. Completely.
“All right,” she said, trying to smile and lighten the mood. “I’m sure Freddy will keep me company.”
Brody checked his phone again. “Yes, he will.” He sighed and started for the exit.
“Should I expect the papers? The contracts you said were coming?” Chloe called out, her stomach twisting as he turned his back on her.
Brody slowed and turned momentarily. “We’re going to have to rethink that,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll have…someone will be in touch,” he finished, and then he turned and left her standing there alone.
Chloe was shell-shocked. Brody was gone and she was alone with his strange, pale manservant. Freddy looked at her gravely, but his eyes were sensitive. “Do you know where you’d like to go?” he asked, softly.
She bit her lower lip and tried not to cry. Unfortunately, the tears were impossible to keep at bay, and then she was sobbing in front of this old, white haired man who was as remote and foreign to her as a country on the other side of the world.
“Shit,” she whispered, trying to compose herself.
Freddy approached slowly, his slacks rustling. He reached inside his pocket and produced a folded, clean white handkerchief. “Here you go, Miss,” he said, and she nodded, whispering her thanks as she took the soft handkerchief.
Chloe wiped her eyes and nose, feeling like a child. Feeling silly and embarrassed. No, embarrassment was far too much of an understatement for how she was feeling.
This was pure humiliation.
“Sorry, Freddy,” she said. “I’m ruining your beautiful handkerchief.”
“That’s what they’re for, Miss.” He gave her a slight smile, his hands behind his back now. “Take your time.”
She took a long, deep breath, and then let it out, her tears subsiding. “I suppose this isn’t the first time you’ve had to deal with a woman crying in the morning while Brody leaves you to clean up the mess.”
Freddy didn’t react. “I really cannot speak to that, ma’am.”
“No, of course not,” she said.
“But I will tell you that Mister Hawk is a very, very driven human being. Like nobody else I’ve ever encountered.”
“You admire him,” Chloe said, seeing it plainly in Freddy’s eyes.
“He’s been quite good to me,” Freddy told her. “In point of fact, he saved my brother’s life when he was having health problems. Found him the best surgeon in the world and paid for everything.”
“That’s amazing,” Chloe said, a new sadness welling up inside her.
“But although Mister Hawk has a very generous heart and a fighting spirit, his life is complicated and there’s not much room for others.”
She nodded, understanding quite clearly the message Brody’s domestic was sending her. “I get it,” she said. “And thank you for being kind to me, Freddy.”
The older man bowed his head slightly. “And now—do you know where you’d like to go? I will have a car take you anywhere.”
Chloe thought about it.
It was a far drive, but right now, she needed to go somewhere safe—somewhere where she might find understanding and love and warmth.
“Yes, I’d like to go to Connecticut,” she said. “Amesbury, to be precise. Can someone take me that far?”
Freddy smiled. “Yes, Miss. We could have taken you across the country if you’d so chosen.”
* * *
T he ride to her mother’s home in Amesbury Connecticut was taken in the comfort of a luxurious town car that felt like being carried along in a plush leather couch.
But it was difficult for Chloe to appreciate the luxury of her surroundings, now that she was sensing the end of her very short-lived relationship with Brody Hawk.
Freddy had left her, after explaining to the driver that she was to be taken anywhere
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