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Cat’s eyes remained fixed on the throng of reporters and cameras turning in their direction.
Will crouched down before her seat and smoothed her hair back from her face. “Ignore them. No matter what they say, do not make a comment. They’ll forget about this by tomorrow and we can move on.”
Her eyes sought his and she offered him a smile. “Ignore them. That I can do.”
Will stood back up and offered her his hand. “I’m going to at least put my arm around you so you can put some of your weight on me. Anyone looking will just think I’m helping you.”
“I’ll carry her bag,” Bella offered. “I’ll go first. Maybe they’ll focus on James and me. I can always just start discussing my upcoming fund-raiser for my foundation next weekend. I’m okay with yanking the reporters’ chains, too.”
Will couldn’t help but laugh at Bella’s spunk. She was the perfect match for his brother.
As they made their way down the dock, Will kept his arm secured around Cat’s waist. James and Bella took the lead, holding hands as they wedged through the sea of nosy people.
The reporters seemed to all start shouting at once.
“Where have you been for three days?”
“Was your yacht damaged by the storm?”
“Were you stranded somewhere?”
“Who is with you, Will?”
The questions kept coming as Will tried to shield Cat from the press. The whispers and murmurs infuriated him. Seriously? Wasn’t there other newsworthy stuff happening in Alma right now? Dammit, this was one major drawback to being a wealthy, well-known businessman. And if he thought for a second he could have any privacy with Cat now that they were back, he was living in a fantasy.
When he heard someone say the word “staff” he clenched his jaw. He wouldn’t respond. That’s what they wanted: some type of reaction. He heard his father’s name and for reasons unbeknownst to Will, the gossipmongers were starting to piece things together rather quickly. Where the hell would they have seen Cat? On occasion his father would allow a few press members to attend certain parties thrown by the Rowlings if there was a charity involved. Cat had been James’s maid, too, though.
Will groaned as he kept his sights on his brother’s back as the foursome pushed through to the waiting car in the distance. They couldn’t get there fast enough for Will.
“Is your mistress a member of your family’s staff, Mr. Rowling?”
The rude question had Cat stiffening at his side. “Keep going,” he murmured. “Almost there.”
“Wasn’t she working for your brother?”
“Is she on Patrick’s staff?”
“How long have you been seeing your father’s maid?”
“Weren’t you just engaged to your brother’s wife?”
“What does your father think about you and his maid?”
Will snapped. “This isn’t like that. You’re all making a mistake.”
Catalina’s gasp had him jerking his gaze toward her. “Dammit,” he muttered beneath his breath. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
Those damn words echoed from the last time he’d said them to her. And this time they were just as damaging when taken out of context.
Easing back from his side, Cat kept her eyes on his. “I’m not sure, Will. Because only moments ago you said ignore them and you said we’d take this one day at a time. We’ve only been back in Alma five minutes and you’re already referring to me as a mistake.”
Will raked a hand through his hair. From the corner of his eye he spotted James and Bella standing close. For once the reporters weren’t saying a word. They waited, no doubt hoping to really get something juicy for their headlines.
“Marry me.”
Okay, he hadn’t meant to blurt that out there, but now that the words hovered between them, he wasn’t sorry. Maybe Cat would see just how serious he was about them.
“Marry you?” she asked, her brows drawn in. “You’re not serious.”
He stepped forward and took her hand. “We are not a mistake, Cat. You know we’re perfect together. Why wouldn’t you?”
Cat stared back at him, and then shook her head and let out a soft laugh. “This is ridiculous. You don’t mean this proposal so why would you do this to me? Why would you ask that in front of all these people? To prove them wrong? Because you got caught with the maid and you’re trying to glamorize it?”
