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‘Sorry?’
She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter. Of course you weren’t lonely.’
Jack thought of his wide hotel bed. How empty it had felt without her. How quiet and dull his breakfasts had been. How all those networking events had dragged. Even his phenomenal business wins in the past year hadn’t felt as triumphant as he’d expected.
But there was no way he’d admit that to Elisabeth.
He shrugged. ‘Like you, I’ve been busy. Lots of people, lots of meetings and negotiations—’
‘I get the idea.’
Was it imagination or did she sound disappointed? She turned as if to walk on. Instantly he reached out, needing to stop her, but pulled back before touching her. Coercion wasn’t the answer.
‘We need to talk, Elisabeth. Alone.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
‘You’d rather we discussed this in front of the others tomorrow? Because wedoneed to talk.’
Bess drew a shaky breath and looked up into the face of the man she’d once believed made her whole.
He was arresting in that broad-shouldered, athletic way that seemed archetypally Australian. The low lights accentuated the planes and angles of his handsome face, revealing the strength of will that had made him a billionaire success story. His eyes glittered and her heart drummed, her feminine core softening.
Her body’s response terrified her. After all this time and all that distance, all the things that had gone wrong between them, she should be immune to Jack Reilly.
Instead it felt like they were the only two people on the planet.
Bess swallowed, trying to focus on the shushing of tiny waves on the shore rather than her rampaging pulse.
‘You’re not afraid of me, are you?’
She heard something like shock in his tone and knew it was real. ‘Of course not.’
It was herself she feared.
But he was right. They needed to talk. Her lawyers had written to his about the divorce and there’d been no response. She’d be foolish not to take this opportunity to sort that out.
‘We need to clear the air, Elisabeth. You saw Freya tonight, picking up on the tension between us. You don’t want her fretting about that during the ceremony, do you? Tomorrow should be about her and Michael, not us.’
Surprise made her blink up at him. He sounded soreasonable.
Had she spent their separation demonising him? Exaggerating the negatives and forgetting the positives?
Now she thought about it, Jack had always been reasonable. He didn’t shout, bluster or demand. He thought carefully about what he wanted and how to get it. He negotiated. He was a phenomenal dealmaker.
That was how they’d come to marry. He’d offered her a deal. Money to pull her dad out of his financial hole so he didn’t have to sell the estate that had been in the family for generations and in return Jack got her. Not because he was in love but because she’d be an asset as he conquered European markets.
‘Elisabeth?’
Still she hesitated. But she wanted tomorrow perfect for Freya. If they could sort everything out and be on easier terms that would make all the difference to her cousin.
Besides, knowing Jack he’d be booked on the first flight out after the wedding. He never took holidays and his work schedule was brutal. He’d work on the plane as soon as he left tomorrow. This would be their only chance to talk.
‘Okay. Let’s talk.’
‘Excellent.’
Did she imagine his eyes gleamed more brightly? His expression didn’t change yet she had the impression she’d just played into his hands.
