Read Online Million Dollar Mistake by Meg Lacey - Free Book Online

everything.”
    Jackson stepped forward. “If you must know, Father, Lorianne saw me kissing Raven.”
    J.R. turned on Raven. “What? What the hell were you doing kissing my son?” He turned to Nicholas. “I thought she was kissing you?”
    Nicholas gave him a sardonic smile. “She was—earlier.”
    Glaring at Raven, J.R. demanded, “Who’s next, young lady, the gardener?”
    Raven started to reply when a firm grip around her arm shut her up. She glanced at a very annoyed Nicholas warning her not to respond. She replied anyway. “Mr. Exeter, this incident has been blown out of proportion. Perhaps we can discuss this tomorrow after we’ve—”
    “Not until I know if you’re planning on kissing my son again, young lady.”
    Raven flushed all the way to her navel. And in her current attire she was positive everyone could follow the color en route. “No. I’m not planning on that.”
    “I’m planning on it,” Jackson added.
    Nicholas glared at Jackson. “You can forget that idea right now.”
    “Why should I do that?” Jackson challenged. “I’m in love with her.”
    “Oh,” Lorianne gasped, her face turning pale.
    “God bless me, boy. I told you—” J.R. exploded.
    “Great, just great,” Raven muttered.
    “Nice going, champ,” Nicholas whispered. “See? Chaos follows you.”
    For the first time in many years, Raven would have given anything not to be part of the uproar. She found herself wishing she were sitting by a calm lake. She tried to say something, but everyone was talking at once, so she decided not to bother. Maybe no one would miss her if she disappeared into her room. She took a surreptitious baby step backwards, then another before she jerked to a stop. She’d forgotten about Nicholas’s iron clamp on her wrist.
    “Oh no, you don’t. You’ll stay here and face the music.”
    “It doesn’t sound like music. More like a gang of cats fighting in an alley.”
    Nicholas sent her a look, seeming to agree. “Excuse me.”
    When no one stopped talking, he put two fingers in his mouth and blew, the whistle so sharp that everyone stopped in mid-syllable and covered their ears.
    Nicholas pressed Raven’s wrist in warning, spitting the words out like machine gun fire. “This may not be the ideal time, but I have an announcement to make. Raven and I are engaged.”
    Three mouths dropped open, three sets of eyebrows lifted and three sets of eyes widened until they all looked like surprised owls. Raven swallowed a chuckle at the sight.
    Nicholas turned from right to left, his rapid, precise words spraying the enemy troops. “So, since I’m the person most concerned with whom she was kissing and why, I’ll take care of this.”
    Jackson’s shocked stare swiveled from Nicholas to Raven and then back again. “I don’t believe it.”
    Nicholas drew himself up, seeming even taller than his imposing six-foot- two-inch self. “Believe it. I was on my way to her room when I saw this convention in the hall.”
    “What were you going to do in her room?” Lorianne blurted, her expression curious.
    Indicating his robe, Nicholas grinned, sending Lorianne a look that made her blush from head to toe. “What do you think?”
    “Oh, oh, of course.” She made a quick grab for her cup and saucer, which had almost tipped from her hands at his response.
    “You’re lying,” Jackson accused. “Raven?”
    “It’s true,” she squeaked. Sweet heaven, she’d have agreed with anything, even “my mother is a rooster”, to escape from this mess.
    Nicholas pushed her through her bedroom doorway, stepping inside after her. “I don’t think we’ll need any of you for the rest of the night. Raven and I have other things to do. Don’t we, darling?”
    Raven shivered at the murder-and-mayhem expression in his eyes, but she nodded anyway and even tried a small smile.
    “We’ll clear this up in the morning. Good night.” Nicholas didn’t wait for any response as he gently closed the door.
    Raven