Read Online Heirs Book Two: American Lady by Elleby Harper - Free Book Online Page B

because
we’re both Virgos and our birthdays are less than two weeks apart.
It’s like we have this natural affinity.”
    The world dipped dizzily before Nikki’s eyes
and a chasm opened at her feet. “What did you say about
birthdays?”
    “Maix is twenty-eight on September 8.
Luckily he’s older than me so I won’t be marrying a toyboy!” she
gurgled.
    Nikki dropped her head to her knees to ward
off dizziness, the receiver slippery in her suddenly damp hands. It
was as though someone had pushed her head underwater and the world
receded while thoughts pounded in her head. Her child and Leigh’s
child were born only twelve days apart! Could that possibly mean…?
No! It was just a terrifying coincidence!
    “Mom? Are you there? This line is terrible!
I keep losing you. What did you say? Mom?”
    Nikki gasped in some air to steady her
swimming head. “Have you told Maix’s parents? What do they think?”
Her voice sounded tinny and mechanical in her ears, over the blood
thrumming against her eardrums. How had Leigh allowed this
relationship to happen right under her own roof?
    “Not yet. You’re the first one to know. I
was just busting to tell someone and you’re the one person I know
who will keep it secret. Can you imagine if Janie found out? She’d
unzip her lips faster than your models change clothes on the
runway,” she laughed.
    I have to talk to Leigh, Nikki thought as
Charley’s words burbled down the line. What if their births weren’t
a coincidence? We can’t risk this relationship going any
further!
    “Charley, promise me you won’t even think
about announcing an engagement until after July,” Nikki broke into
Charley’s happy chatter. “You know I’m in the midst of making plans
for my engagement with Lorenzo. Please promise me, you won’t say
anything until after that.” Nikki desperately tried to buy time,
just as Paddy had.
    “I’m sorry, I should have thought about
that.” Charley sounded contrite. “I know you have a lot to do. But
won’t it be exciting planning two weddings? Maixent and I want to
get married as soon as we can.”
    Nikki’s faintness returned. “When are you
leaving St Benezet?”
    “I want to stay an extra week, even though
Maix says I interfere with his concentration and he has official
engagements and work that he can’t get out of.” She giggled again,
the happy sound as irritating as a stone in Nikki’s designer shoes.
“So I’ll be back on Saturday week. See you then! Love you,
mom.”
    Nikki crashed the receiver so hard she was
in danger of cracking its cradle. She closed her eyes and rubbed
her throbbing forehead. Her world was unraveling like a wrap dress
about to expose her ugly secret. It just wasn’t fair that nearly
thirty years later a one night stand had come back to haunt her
with such damning repercussions. In a fit of pique at her husband
Alex she had let her passion lead her morals astray with the
heart-revving Jean-Luc Dumont. Jean-Luc Dumont. Even the memory of
that passionate night was capable of making her heart flutter.
    When Leigh had crashed into the hotel room
and found her lover with Nikki, her raging jealousy and fury had
created a devastating aftermath leading to them secretly dumping
Jean-Luc’s almost certain corpse with an unknown French doctor.
Their friendship had been another fatality of that night.
    Nikki closed her eyes, taking deep breaths
to steady her nerves, but the memories kept rolling forward – the
searing urgency of Leigh’s voice, the grip of her fingers holding
her in place while she made Nikki swear to keep their secret.
     
    * * *
     
    “We must promise each other that we will
never breathe a word of what happened tonight to anyone. Not even
to your confessor, Nikki. Not until your dying day. Promise?”
Leigh’s fingers crushed hers.
    Why had she promised? She was terrified,
shivering like a hairless cat in the wintery Paris night. What
would Alex say if he knew the truth? Would he stand by her?