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Chapter 26
Trent curbed his impatience as long as possible before shooting his publicity manager a warning look. He understood the need for the press conference given the news that had been circulating the globe the past few days, but reporters were reporters no matter what country they called home. Like starving bloodhounds, they smelled a story in Halli and hungered for any bit of gossip they could splash across the headlines.
No way. She’d been through enough without them tearing her and her family to shreds. With barely two hours sleep, he’d been on edge thinking about talking to her. His future hinged on her answers to some pretty big questions, but last night he’d sensed a change. A distance between them he worried had already been given too much time to grow.
Jerry’s ambush here on the steps was icing on the cake. If it weren’t for the international press in front of them, he’d consider strangling the short, media genius right now. Ignore the fact that the guy was doing what Trent paid him lots of money to do, wrap his hands around his skinny little neck, and—
Finally he shouldered Trent away from the microphone, his strong voice and expensive suit lending an air of authority that his diminutive stature otherwise would not have commanded. “Sorry folks, that’s all we’ve got time for. Thank you.”
Trent gladly escaped the resulting volley of hastily shouted questions. Inside the hospital, his publicist started toward a secluded corner. “I have two interviews set up for three o’clock, and then—”
“No.” Trent kept walking straight ahead.
Jerry changed direction, sputtering and arguing about damage control all the way to the elevator. Trent tuned him out.
On the second floor, he stepped from the elevator to see Halli walking down the hall toward Ben’s room. His stomach rolled with nervous anticipation. When he said her name, she turned at the same moment his publicist grabbed his arm. Trent glanced down to see him frowning at Halli.
“Is that her?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Jerry tried to hold him back, but didn’t bother to lower his voice. “She’s not exactly your type. Is there something going on I should know about?”
“No.” Annoyance forced the word out louder than Trent intended. Halli spun on her heel and he bit out his next warning in a rough undertone, “It’s none of your damn business. Back off.”
More sputtering from his manager, but he clenched his jaw to contain a string of emphatic curses and rushed to catch Halli just before she entered Ben and Rachel’s room. “Hey.”
Good—he didn’t sound desperate at all.
She drew up short, hesitated, then turned to face him. “Hey. Good morning. Or should I say afternoon?”
Her smile and expression were completely composed, her tone friendly and carefree. He didn’t buy it. Especially when she refused to lift her gaze higher than his chest.
“We need to talk.”
“Sorry, Trent, but I’ve got a ton of things to do before we head back to Wisconsin. Ben’s staying a few extra days, but Rachel and I are booked for tomorrow morning.”
“You’re leaving?” Dumb question; she’d said all along she was heading straight home, and still the news hit with more impact than his boat exploding before his eyes.
“Well, yeah, what else am I going to do?”
“Stay. I can show you around…salvage some of your vacation.” He tried a teasing reminder of when they’d met. “You know, that quick spin around the lake? They’ll never know you were gone, sugar.”
Her laugh was as brittle as her smile. “Thanks for the offer, but I already changed our flights.”
“So change ‘em back.”
She shook her head, fingers knotted together as she stared down at them. “I can’t.”
Growing dread took the form of anger. “Can’t or don’t want to?”
Clearly uncomfortable, she just shook her head. A glance to the side brought the realization they were the main attraction there in the hall. Damn. This lovely scene would get out just like the doomed dinner invitation.
He took her arm as a flash registered in the corner of his eye. Halli jerked, eyes wide with surprise. This time Trent let the curses flow under his breath and ushered her into her family’s room before the reporter who’d made it past security could snap another money-making picture. He slammed the door and yanked the blinds to shut out the world.
“Sorry.” Trent’s apology was as much for her as for disturbing Ben and Rachel, but when he turned to face Halli, he saw the room was empty save for the two of them. She’d leaned back against the window sill, arms crossed over her chest, chin raised at that angle that told him he was in for an argument.
Shit. Where the hell had this wall of hers come from? Completely invisible; totally impenetrable, but there nonetheless. Good thing he could be just as stubborn. She wasn’t immune to the connection they’d shared, and he felt no remorse using it against her now.
