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He was opening his mouth to say just that when her next words knocked the wind out of him.
“Are you here to ask me to marry you for real this time?”
Carrie Kingston was staring right at him, looking like she meant every word. “I’m glad you found me,” she continued. “I never forgot you but I thought there was no hope. When I got the call that you were looking for me, I knew. I’ve been on your mind all this time, haven’t I?”
For a moment all Reed could do was stare. Words failed him. How the hell was he going to dig himself out of this mess?
Obviously, the girl had feelings for him or she’d convinced herself that she did. She’d assumed he’d come looking for her to rekindle whatever it was they had that one night in Vegas. What the heck was she going to do when she found out his reason for hunting her down was the very opposite?
He grimaced, not knowing where to start. Finally, he just spoke. “Carrie, I’m sorry but I’m not here to renew a relationship with you. I’m here to ask you for a divorce.”
“A divorce?” Carrie’s eyes widened in shock. “You came looking for me to ask for a divorce?”
His eyes never leaving her face, Reed nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry.”
The light went out of Carrie’s eyes. Her shoulders sagged and she looked away. Finally, she shook her head and got up. Then she laughed and looked back at Reed. “I should have known better. It was too good to be true. How pathetic can you get?” She slid her hands into the pockets of her slacks and looked up at the ceiling. When she looked down at him again she was still smiling, but it was a sad-looking smile. “I am such an idiot. Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry.” Reed stood up but he did not move toward her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t even think you remembered me.”
“Oh, I remembered you, all right. I thought about you for a long time after I left Las Vegas. I just never thought I’d ever see you again. And then when I heard you were looking for me...” She shrugged. “Let’s just say I made a hell of a wild assumption.”
Reed didn’t know what to say in answer to that but when the silence stretched on he had to speak. “Will you give me the divorce?”
Carrie looked at Reed and this time she was knitting her brow. “Why do you keep asking me that? Don’t you know our marriage was invalid?”
Reed frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Sure, we did the ceremony but we were both drunk and we never saw each other after that. Outside of a few kisses we didn’t do anything. We never even consummated the marriage. It can be easily annulled.” She gave him a questioning look. “Any lawyer could have told you that. Didn’t you ask?”
Reed felt the heat rise up his neck. He shoved his hands in his pockets then slowly shook his head. Fool that he was, he hadn’t even done that one thing he should have done before anything else. Both he and Carrie knew what had taken place that night but outside of giving Max some cursory information he hadn’t spoken with anyone. And definitely not his lawyer.
He could have saved himself years of torture.
He looked down at Carrie. “Thank you, Carrie,” he said gently. “You’ve been a big help.”
She shrugged and gave him a rueful smile. “What are friends for?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Once Reed’s marriage to Carrie was officially annulled he flew back to England, the thing foremost on his mind being an urgent meeting with Golden. As soon as he landed he called her.
“May I see you today?” he asked. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“I don’t think I can,” she said, her voice hesitant. “I’m very busy today.”
“Please, Golden. Just for an hour. Half an hour, even. Ten minutes. That’s all I ask.”
“I...all right. I can give you half an hour but that’s it. I really am busy.” Her voice sounded breathless and he couldn’t tell if it was out of apprehension at the thought of meeting him or if it was out of eager anticipation.
“I’ll take it,” he said before she could change her mind. “Pick you up at three?”
“Make it four. I’ll be out shopping most of the day. I doubt I’ll make it back by then.”
“No problem. I’ll be there at four.”
After Reed hung up the phone he smiled to himself. It looked like working with a company involved in fashion had had an impact on Golden. She’d be out shopping for the better part of the day? This was definitely a new Golden.
That afternoon Reed picked her up and whisked her off for a drive. Before coming to get her he’d scouted out the area and found a quiet knoll shaded by weeping willows bowing their hairy heads over a quiet pond. He’d wanted somewhere secluded and quiet and this place, peaceful and serene, was perfect.
As they walked toward the fallen log he’d already selected as their seat, Reed reached out to take Golden’s hand in his.
She looked up at him quizzically then inexplicably she pulled her hand away.
Reed said nothing. Maybe she was nervous. Of course she had no idea why he’d asked her out here. He wasn’t worried, though. As soon as he told her the good news he was sure she would come around.
After he’d helped Golden get comfortable on the log Reed sat down beside her. He didn’t beat around the bush. “I have great news,” he said, almost reaching out to take her hand but then he stopped himself. Not yet. Not until she knew everything.
“What is it?” she asked, her amber eyes wide as she gazed up at him.
“I’m a free man, Golden.” He gave her a smile filled with relief. “The marriage was never valid in the first place. It’s been annulled.” Then, certain that she was as thrilled as he was, he took her hand in his. “Now it’s my turn to ask the question. Golden Browne, will you marry me?”
He gazed down at her, waiting for her to say yes and throw herself into his arms. It didn’t happen. As Reed stared at her a shadow clouded Golden’s eyes and she looked down at their clasped hands. Slowly, she pulled her hand from his then shook her head.
“I can’t,” she said, her voice so low he had to strain to hear her. “I’m already engaged. I’ll be marrying Lord Mountbatten in five days.
***
Reed floored the gas pedal and as the sports car ate up the road his mind raced over the events of the last few days.
After the shock of Golden’s rejection he’d taken her back home, devastated, but by the next day he’d come back with a renewed resolve to win her hand. Whatever it took, he would have Golden for his wife.
He’d called her, trying to convince her to back out of her planned wedding but, her voice tearful, she’d refused.
“How can I?” she’d asked, her voice sounding so desolate that all he’d wanted to do was go to her. “I gave my word. It’s out of my hands now, Reed. It’s a matter of honor. I have to keep my word.”
No amount of talking could convince her otherwise.
He’d called the day after that but still he couldn’t change her mind. The next day she refused to answer his calls. In desperation he’d gone to the house but she would not come out.
Now it was the day before the wedding and there was only one thing left to do. Reed was on his way to see Mountbatten. If Golden’s sense of honor would not allow her to go back on a promise, no matter that she was sacrificing herself to do it, then he would have to approach things from another angle. He would tackle Lord Mountbatten himself.
Reed screeched off the main road and onto the parochial road to the Mountbatten Estate. He didn’t slow down until he got to the circular driveway where he got out, slammed the car door shut and loped toward the house. He hadn’t called ahead but had launched out on this venture on sheer impulse. Driven by his love for a woman who was supposed to already have been spoken for, there was little he would not do to get her back.
And he’d come to Mountbatten’s residence to do what he did best. He was going to negotiate like he’d never done before.
When Reed knocked at the front door the housekeeper eyed him suspiciously. “Lord Mountbatten never told me he was expecting a guest,” she said, looking him up and down.
“He’s not,” Reed said, giving her his most charming smile, “but I’m here on very important business. Do you mind telling Lord Mountbatten that Reed Davidoff of Davidoff Fashions Inc. is here to see him?”
The woman’s blue eyes widened, a soft blush rising in her plump cheeks. “Davidoff Fashions? You are...the Mr. Davidoff?”
Reed’s smile widened and he gave her a bow. “At your service, Madame.” His status as owner and CEO of a major corporation definitely had its advantages.
The woman gave him a shy smile, her eyes still wide with awe. She almost looked like she was about to curtsy but she nodded and ushered him into the massive hallway. “Please have a seat, sir. I will get Lord Mountbatten right away.”
