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‘Although, I must say, Cara seems to like her very much, and she happens to be an excellent judge of character,’ Durand added, the pride in his voice unmistakeable for his pretty blonde wife—whose staggeringly large baby bump made Brandon wonder if Durand kept the poor woman permanently pregnant. ‘Also, your date has been here over an hour and no one has complained yet about her.’
‘I guess she’s on her best behaviour,’ Brandon mused, not sure it mattered to him any more.
His reaction to Lacey Carstairs had been swifter and a lot more intense than usual. But surely all he needed to do was satisfy it? He certainly wasn’t remotely scared of a sexual attraction which would be easily handled once they both indulged it. Her contrary behaviour, the nerves, the guilelessness, the secrecy, and that strange something which kept tugging at his subconscious, had intrigued him, that was all.
‘This woman may be more of a keeper than you are used to,’ the vintner said pensively as his young daughter tugged his hair—finally getting bored with unnerving Brandon.
‘A keeper?Yeah, right.’ Brandon’s laugh released the tension in his gut. He didn’t do permanent, not with women—not really with anyone—because he never let anyone get that close. ‘I don’t think so, pal. But what makes you say that?’
Lacey wasn’t a keeper, not for him anyway. But he’d always respected Durand’s opinion. The man had come from nothing and built a global empire, and he was surprisingly astute.
‘Because my son likes her very much too. Your Ms Carstairs is a natural with children, warm and affectionate and honest—not qualities I have noted previously in British tabloid journalists.’
Brandon frowned, Durand’s observation only increasing his confusion.
Warmth? Affection? Honesty?
Since when had he prized those qualities in a date? Precisely never. Shouldn’t her abilities as a child whisperer make her exceedingly dull, instead of intoxicating?
Durand seemed amused by his confusion, but was forced to make his excuses as his daughter’s giggles turned to tired tears.
‘It is time we put our children to bed,’ he said with remarkable patience as the little girl began to tug his hair again.
The three of them made their way across the ballroom. But, as Brandon approached, Lacey’s eyes locked on him—and for one arresting moment she looked like a doe trapped in a hunter’s rifle sites.
Heat pumped into his groin on cue.
Durand greeted his wife, pressing his hand to the small of her back and leaning down to kiss her cheek. Cara smiled at her husband and daughter, her eyes full of an unguarded affection Brandon found disconcerting. But then he noticed Lacey staring at the couple too, and an undisguised longing flashed across her face.
Something uncomfortable and wholly unfamiliar streaked through Brandon.
What was that about?
You’re not actually jealous, are you?
He forced himself to relax as the Durands excused themselves to take their children to bed. As the couple left, Lacey’s gaze was still fixed on Durand and his wife and children.
‘What a wonderful family,’ Lacey murmured, the wistful comment not helping untie the knot in Brandon’s gut. ‘They seem so happy together.’
He glanced after the Durands. ‘I guess.’
She seemed lost in thought for a moment, but then she turned to him, the look in her eyes curious and strangely sad. ‘You don’t think so?’
Her tone was casual, and the question seemed innocuous, but her gaze was focussed on him as if his answer was important to her.
He’d been expecting her to attempt to pry details about his personal life out of him for her article. His opinion of the Durands’ marriage hadn’t been on his radar of questions to deflect, so he shrugged and gave her an honest answer.
‘Maxim and Cara probably think they’re happy now, but I doubt it will last.’
The curious expression died, but something leapt into her eyes that looked oddly like pity.What the hell?
‘Why would you think that? When it’s obvious they’re devoted to each other?’ Lacey asked, not quite able to hide her horror at Brandon Cade’s cynical observation. Or the wave of sympathy engulfing her.
She knew she shouldn’t be shocked and she certainly shouldn’t feel sorry for him. The man was a powerful billionaire, not some lost boy. But, regardless, her skin chilled despite the warmth of the ballroom.
He shrugged, the movement deceptively casual. ‘You didn’t know Maxim before he met Cara,’ he said. ‘I did. No one could have been further from the family-man type. Except me.’
‘You don’t think a person can change?’
