Read Online My Love Betrayed by April Lynn Kihlstrom - Free Book Online Page A

Mr.
Whitford found out that I was a computer
programmer and… and when Rick was arrested,
Mr. Whitford suggested that I take over Rick’s
work.”
    “I see. So your relationship with Whitford is
strictly professional?” Before I could answer, Mr.
Iveson went on. “And how do you feel about, er,
Rick now?”
    I stared down at my coffee cup, reluctant to
explain. “He…I…there seems to have been
some sort of misunderstanding. The police say he
is engaged to another woman.”
    “But you don’t believe it?” Mr. Iveson asked
shrewdly. “When you arrived, he was just as close
to you as ever?”
    I nodded, feeling the conversation slipping away from me. I wanted to tell Mr. Iveson that I was
upset about Rick, concerned for him but definitely
not in love with him. Cinderella’s prince had
turned out to be an imposter. But there are some
things one does not tell a stranger, no matter how
kind and understanding he seems. Abruptly, I
realized Mr. Iveson was speaking again. “…sure
Mr. Whitford has no personal grudge in the
matter. Naturally, a man of his background is
inclined to be rather rigid in his standards, but I’m
sure the rumors are false. I hope they haven’t
disturbed you.”

    “Rumors?” I felt lost. “No, no, they haven’t
upset me at all. I never believe rumors, Mr.
Iveson,” I somehow managed to stammer.
    What rumors? About who? Charles? And Rick?
No one had passed any rumors on to me. And I
didn’t want them to. Especially Mr. Iveson, with
his gentle smile. Too much had happened already,
and I felt as though I couldn’t stand to be torn
apart anymore, and certainly not by rumors I
could have no way of checking. I sat there,
desperately trying to hold onto some shred of
poise as Mr. Iveson called for the check.
    It was only as we were leaving that he said softly,
“Our conversation was not as irrelevant as it may
have seemed, Miss Steffee. How you will perform
on the job has a great deal to do with why you are
here. I can’t say that I’m delighted with your
connection with Rick Kemmler. However, you
seem to be a very sensible young woman. And
perhaps there has been some mistake, after all. As
for your abilities as a programmer, I am relieved to
see that Whitford’s judgment was an impartial one. You see, I, too am directly concerned over the
success of our computer setup here.”

    I nodded, understanding better, now, his
questions. But I couldn’t help wondering just
where Mr. Iveson ranked in the company. I had
almost made up my mind to speak to him about
Carlos when he said abruptly, “I seem to have left
something back at the restaurant. You go on
ahead to your office.” He paused, then smiled as he
added, “It was a very pleasant lunch for me, Miss
Steffee. I never realized how attractive computer
programmers could be.”
    As I stammered out some sort of answer, Mr.
Iveson turned around and started walking back to
the restaurant. Slowly, I returned to my office.
    The men were already working and they wasted
a few minutes teasing me about my “date” with the
“big” man. Only Carlos regarded me more
seriously.
    Rather defensively, I said, “He wanted a
progress report.”
    “And?”
    “And I told him we were doing great, of course.”
    Carlos seemed to accept that and soon we were
in the middle of a pile of programs. But the
afternoon didn’t go as well as the morning had.
Half an hour early, we made a unanimous decision
to quit. No amount of work was going to get us
anywhere until we’d all had a chance to sleep on it.
As Carlos and I walked out the door, I asked him
about a place Mr. Iveson had mentioned.
    He hesitated a moment. “I believe there are
some pyramids there. Why?”
    I shrugged. “Apparently, Mr. Iveson’s wife is interested in archaeology. He made it sound like a
good place to visit.”

    Carlos grinned. “Perhaps. If it is like many sites
here in Mexico, one might need a jeep to get