her own family business. Then Vance had looked beneath the beauty and the careful charm to see what she was. It had been only the first of many shocks and disillusionments.
Her warm passion had become frigidity; her adoring smiles had become sneers. She had refused to consider having children. It would have spoiled her figure and restricted her freedom. For more than two years Vance had struggled to save his failing marriage, to salvage something of the life he had planned to have with Amelia. But he had come to know that the woman he thought he had married was an illusion.
Ultimately, heâd demanded a divorce, and Amelia had laughed and agreed. She would happily give him his freedom for half of everything he ownedâincluding his share of Riverton. She had promised him an ugly court battle and plenty of publicity. After pointing out that she would be the injured party, Amelia had vowed to play her part of the cast-off wife to the hilt.
Trapped, Vance had lived with her for another year, keeping up the pretense of marriage in public, avoiding her privately. When he had discovered Amelia was taking lovers, heâd seen the first ray of hope.
He had felt no pain on being betrayed, for there had been no emotion in him for her. Slowly, discreetly, Vance had begun to compile the evidence that would give him his freedom. He was willing to face the humiliation and publicity of a messy court battle to free himself and his company. Then there had been no more need. One of Ameliaâs discarded lovers put a bullet through her heart and ended it.
It had been due to Vanceâs wealth and influence that the publicity hadnât been worse than it had been. Still, the whispers and speculation had been ugly enough. Yet there had been a staggering relief in him rather than grief. The guilt this had brought had caused him to bury himself even more in his work. There were condominiums to be built in Florida, a large medical complex in Minnesota, an addition to a university in Texas. But there had been no peace for him.
Determined to find Vance Banning again, heâd bought the dilapidated house in the mountains and had taken an extended leave of absence. Time, solitude and the work he loved had been his prescription. Then, just when he had thought he had found the answer, he had met Shane Abbott.
She was no smoldering hothouse beauty as Amelia had been, no poised sophisticate as were the women he had taken to his bed over the last two years. She was fresh and vital. Instinctively, he was attracted to her good-natured generosity. But his wifeâs legacy to him had been cynicism and distrust. Vance knew that only a fool fell for the innocent act twice. And he was no fool.
He had taken the job with Shane on impulse, and now he would see it through. It would be a challenge to learn if he was still capable of the fine precision work she required. And he knew how to be cautious with a woman now. It was true her fresh looks and artless charm had appealed to him. He admired her way of dealing with her former fiancé. Sheâd been hurt, yet she had held her own and booted Cy out the door.
It might be interesting, he decided, to spend his vacation remodeling Shaneâs house and learning what she hid under her mask. Everyone wore masks, he thought grimly. Life was one long masquerade. It wouldnât take long to discover what went on behind her big brown eyes and bubbling laugh.
With a sound of disgust, Vance hurled himself back into the house. He wasnât going to lose any sleep over a woman. Nevertheless, he tossed and turned much of the night.
***
It was a perfect morning. In the west, the mountains rose into a paintbrush blue sky. Birds chattered in noisy jubilation as Shane tossed open the windows. The air that rushed in was warm, laced with the scent of zinnias. It was all but impossible for one of her nature to remain inside on such a day, cooped up with dust and a clipboard. But there were ways, Shane
Her warm passion had become frigidity; her adoring smiles had become sneers. She had refused to consider having children. It would have spoiled her figure and restricted her freedom. For more than two years Vance had struggled to save his failing marriage, to salvage something of the life he had planned to have with Amelia. But he had come to know that the woman he thought he had married was an illusion.
Ultimately, heâd demanded a divorce, and Amelia had laughed and agreed. She would happily give him his freedom for half of everything he ownedâincluding his share of Riverton. She had promised him an ugly court battle and plenty of publicity. After pointing out that she would be the injured party, Amelia had vowed to play her part of the cast-off wife to the hilt.
Trapped, Vance had lived with her for another year, keeping up the pretense of marriage in public, avoiding her privately. When he had discovered Amelia was taking lovers, heâd seen the first ray of hope.
He had felt no pain on being betrayed, for there had been no emotion in him for her. Slowly, discreetly, Vance had begun to compile the evidence that would give him his freedom. He was willing to face the humiliation and publicity of a messy court battle to free himself and his company. Then there had been no more need. One of Ameliaâs discarded lovers put a bullet through her heart and ended it.
It had been due to Vanceâs wealth and influence that the publicity hadnât been worse than it had been. Still, the whispers and speculation had been ugly enough. Yet there had been a staggering relief in him rather than grief. The guilt this had brought had caused him to bury himself even more in his work. There were condominiums to be built in Florida, a large medical complex in Minnesota, an addition to a university in Texas. But there had been no peace for him.
Determined to find Vance Banning again, heâd bought the dilapidated house in the mountains and had taken an extended leave of absence. Time, solitude and the work he loved had been his prescription. Then, just when he had thought he had found the answer, he had met Shane Abbott.
She was no smoldering hothouse beauty as Amelia had been, no poised sophisticate as were the women he had taken to his bed over the last two years. She was fresh and vital. Instinctively, he was attracted to her good-natured generosity. But his wifeâs legacy to him had been cynicism and distrust. Vance knew that only a fool fell for the innocent act twice. And he was no fool.
He had taken the job with Shane on impulse, and now he would see it through. It would be a challenge to learn if he was still capable of the fine precision work she required. And he knew how to be cautious with a woman now. It was true her fresh looks and artless charm had appealed to him. He admired her way of dealing with her former fiancé. Sheâd been hurt, yet she had held her own and booted Cy out the door.
It might be interesting, he decided, to spend his vacation remodeling Shaneâs house and learning what she hid under her mask. Everyone wore masks, he thought grimly. Life was one long masquerade. It wouldnât take long to discover what went on behind her big brown eyes and bubbling laugh.
With a sound of disgust, Vance hurled himself back into the house. He wasnât going to lose any sleep over a woman. Nevertheless, he tossed and turned much of the night.
***
It was a perfect morning. In the west, the mountains rose into a paintbrush blue sky. Birds chattered in noisy jubilation as Shane tossed open the windows. The air that rushed in was warm, laced with the scent of zinnias. It was all but impossible for one of her nature to remain inside on such a day, cooped up with dust and a clipboard. But there were ways, Shane
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