Read Online The Billionaire's Bauble by Ann Montclair - Free Book Online

her divine tongue and wished he were the fish.
    She didn’t waste any time with resuming her earlier line of questioning. She took a drink of her tea and said, “David, can we talk?”
    “I thought that’s what we were doing, between bites, of course.”
    Here it comes, he thought, and he exhaled, waiting.
    “David, tell me something about your childhood.”
    “Okay, but you go first. Tell me why you came all the way from New York to the furthest point in the United States for college? Fairbanks is not for the faint of heart. It seems an odd choice for a farm girl from the East.”
    Sloane’s easy smile faltered a bit, and he wondered if he had struck a nerve just as she had with him. He didn’t want this evening to turn too serious, but he had to admit he was as curious about her as she seemed to be about him.
    “I came here to get far enough away I wouldn’t be followed.” She twisted the ring on her finger, and he deduced the habit was a comfort to Sloane.
    “I grew up on a farm with a wonderful family. My mom and dad are still married, and the farm has given us all a comfortable life. My parents are supportive, kind, the best people you’ll ever meet.” She stopped.
    “I would love to meet them someday, Sloane,” and he meant it. Any two people who could produce such a lovely woman must be terrific folks.
    “Thanks, but that’s not what I meant. I meant that if you met them you’d see how great they are, how fun they can be.”
    “They sound a lot like you.” He didn’t mean to lay it on so thick, but this woman had bewitched him. He wasn’t playing up to her. He wasn’t in the habit of saying anything he didn’t mean.
    She took another bite of food, chewed thoughtfully, then said, “I came here because I ran away from a boy who loved me.” She looked at him, waiting for his response. He nodded.
    “I was engaged to my high school sweetheart, a student at the local community college, my whole life laid out like an easy game of pick-up sticks, and I ran away from it, from him.” She stood up and walked to the railing. David stayed put. He knew if he followed her he would hold her, kiss her, and then he wouldn’t know why she’d run from home. He needed to know.
    She ran her forefinger along the rail and looked out at the pond for a moment before she turned to him and said, “I broke his heart, David, and he didn’t deserve it.”
    Her voice sounded small, forlorn, but she looked him square in the eye.
    “I’m sure you did the right thing. You must’ve had good reason.”
    “I did. He wasn’t my soul mate.”
    The words hit David like an axe to heartwood. He sat silently, almost dreading what she might say next. He didn’t even know why he feared her words, but something in his head flashed danger.
    “I believe that every person has a partner, a soul mate. Peter wasn’t mine, and I know I wasn’t his. Don’t get me wrong. We were as compatible as hens in a house, but it was friendship, loyalty, trust. It was puppy love and then commitment. It was what was expected .” She paused thoughtfully. “He captained the football team, and I led the cheers. We went to every dance and prom together. We shared family holidays. We’d been together so long, marriage seemed the next logical step, but I couldn’t do it. I had to leave. That’s why I’m here, sort of.”
    “Sort of?” He knew he shouldn’t encourage her further, but he said it anyway. She walked back to the table and sat down gracefully, placing her napkin delicately in her lap.
    “Well, when I met you at Hal’s. By the way, I never go to bars. I was just there because it was the last week of finals and we had to get out, to shake loose. I went as a, pardon my language, designated cock blocker.”
    He spit out his wine, he was so surprised.
    “I’m sorry,” she said and rushed to give him her napkin.
    As he wiped his face, he couldn’t help but laugh. “I have never heard that phrase, but I assume it means you made