“What is the family business?” Cordie asked.
“Merrick Enterprises,” Alec answered.
“Merrick Enterprises?” Aiden responded with surprise.
“You know them?” Cordie asked.
“They’re probably the biggest real estate developers in Australia, not to mention the other businesses they own. I don’t recall meeting the Taylor family, but I’ve attended so many events in Sydney and Melbourne, there’s a good chance I’ve run into them.”
Pointing to the computer screen, Regan said, “This photo is more than twenty years old. Can you find one that’s more current?”
Alec turned back to the computer. “Not yet, but I just started searching.”
Aiden’s phone rang. He checked to see who was calling and clenched his jaw.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Regan asked. “It could be important.”
“No, it isn’t important. Lester Chambers is calling again. He’s trying to get me to change my mind about buying his property. He called a few minutes ago, and I did something I’m not proud of,” he confessed.
“Then why are you smiling?” Regan wondered.
“What’d you do?” Alec asked at the same time.
“I dumped it all on Spencer.” His phone rang again. Muttering something under his breath, he walked toward the doorway before he answered.
“Do you think Simone has tried to find photos of you, Cordie?” Regan asked.
Cordie stopped watching Aiden and turned to her friend. “I doubt it. She erased me, remember?”
Regan nodded. Aiden was obviously a master at multitasking, because he was still on the phone when he asked Cordie for clarification. “How did she erase you?”
“She decided she didn’t get married and she didn’t have me.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Aiden said before going back to his phone conversation.
Why was he lingering? Cordie wondered. He was usually in such a hurry. If she asked him why he was hanging around, the question would come out as rude. He could go anywhere he wanted; it was his hotel. It was next to impossible not to look at him. He was wearing a deep-navy suit and a white shirt that accentuated his tanned complexion. He’d obviously been playing a lot of rugby. He had the muscles to prove it . . . and the bruises. There was a new one on his forehead, small but still noticeable. Rugby could be a brutal game, which was apparently why he liked it so much. No holds barred, no diplomacy, just brute force and strategy. Alec had caught the fever and was now a player on Aiden’s team. They were, of course, undefeated and loved to boast about it.
“Don’t you have a game today?” she asked when he joined them again.
“That’s tomorrow,” Aiden answered. “Regan mentioned you were thinking about going to Australia. Is that true?”
“I don’t know what I want to do anymore,” she admitted. “When I found out my mother didn’t die, that she just walked out, I had no desire to find her. Then I read the letter she left for my father, and I changed my mind. I didn’t want to speak to her. I just needed to see for myself if she got what she wanted. But now, knowing about the fake ID she used to marry my father and all the lies she told him . . . if I do go, I’ll probably get arrested.”
Alec’s head came up. “Arrested for what?”
“Assault.”
Alec laughed. Cordie was one of the gentlest women he had ever known. She could never knowingly cause any other person pain. “You’re thinking about punching Simone?”
She shrugged, then said, “I don’t know what I’ll do if I ever come face-to-face with her.”
“Cordie, you couldn’t deliberately hurt anyone, no matter how horrible or sleazy he or she may be,” Regan said.
“Here we go,” Alec said, nodding toward the screen. “Simone Taylor Rayburn. Craig Rayburn is Simone’s husband. She was twenty-one and he was thirty-four when they married. They have two sons, and they live in Sydney. Want me to go on?” he asked.
“Is there a family photo?” Regan asked.
“Yes.” Alec pulled up a magazine website and scrolled through the pages to find the one he wanted. He leaned back so Cordie could get a closer look.
Cordie stared at the happy family smiling back at her from the computer screen and began to shake with anger. She kept thinking about her father and the anguish Simone had put him through. Her reaction to the photo was intense, and—God help her—she really did want to punch the woman.
She didn’t realize she was leaning into Aiden’s side until he put his arm around her. She knew he could feel her trembling and was thankful he didn’t comment on it. Forcing herself to move away from him, she grabbed her purse and said, “I’ve heard enough for now. Come on, Regan. We should go.”
“Hold on a minute,” Alec said. “I went ahead and e-mailed my friend Liam. Let me know when you’re going to Australia, and he’ll meet you.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Cordie protested.
“Liam knows his way around Sydney, and he has a lot of contacts. If you were to get into trouble—”
She folded her arms defiantly. “Why would I get into trouble?”
Alec shrugged. “I’m just saying. You won’t know anyone there. He can show you around. He’ll be happy to help. Like I said, he owes me.”
“Aiden, are you and Spencer going to Sydney or Melbourne anytime soon?” Regan asked. “If so, Cordie could go on the company jet with you.”
“No, that’s not necessary,” Cordie said. “Really, I don’t think—”
“It would be fun,” Regan said. “And so much nicer than flying commercial. It’s a long trip. You might as well enjoy it, right?”
“You’ll have a good time with Liam, too,” Alec said. He stood and stretched. “Just be careful. Women tend to fall under his spell. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
“Fall under his spell? What does that mean?” Aiden asked suspiciously.
“Liam likes women, and they like him. He’s gonna love Cordie,” Alec predicted. “Come on, Aiden. Open your eyes and look at her. Really look at her. She’ll be a dream come true for Liam.”
“Cordelia has enough to deal with. She doesn’t need some sexually frustrated man hanging all over her.”
Alec hid his smile. Aiden was so easy to read. Maybe he was finally waking up. Alec just hoped it wasn’t too late. Since her father’s death Cordie had been different, and she was making big changes. Moving to Boston was one. She wanted a new life, and she was leaving Aiden behind.
“I’m going to the gym, Regan. Are you coming or not?” Cordie asked.
“I’m right behind you,” she stammered. She kissed Alec, grabbed her gym bag, and followed.
They had just reached the French doors when Aiden stopped them. “Cordelia?”
“Yes, Aiden?”
“Is your passport up to date?”
Frowning now, she turned to him. “Yes, but I haven’t decided—”
Aiden wasn’t looking at her. He had pulled out his cell phone and was checking appointments on his calendar. “We’ll leave tomorrow. Be ready.”
• • •
Arrogance wasn’t Aiden’s greatest sin. Bossiness was. Did he think she was one of his employees he could order about, expecting her to hop to? And why did he believe it was okay for him to get in the middle of her personal problems?
There was a bigger and even more confusing question to be answered. Why was she meekly going along? Maybe not so meekly, she corrected. In fact, she’d thrown a fit. While Regan held the elevator, Cordie had chased Aiden down the hall and around the corner to his office. She told him she wasn’t ready to go anywhere, and while she appreciated his concern, he really needed to stop worrying about her. She said all this and more to his back, because he didn’t bother to turn around. He just kept walking.
She’d been em
phatic. She’d even poked him in his shoulder while she once again explained she wasn’t going anywhere with him. She might have even raised her voice, which was so unlike her, but she stopped arguing when she followed him into his office and found two strangers waiting for him. Aiden gave her his undivided attention then. He dismissed her.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as he put his hands on her shoulders, backed her into the hallway, and shut the door in her face.
One day. That was all the time Aiden had given her. Since Cordie wasn’t one to make a scene in front of others, she planned to call Aiden later and calmly but strongly decline his invitation to fly to Australia with him. She could be tough on the phone, and she wouldn’t give him time to argue with her. But first she had to come up with a viable reason, because he would ask for an explanation. She was still trying to come up with that good reason when his driver knocked on her door, carried her luggage to the town car, and drove her to the private airport.
Her stomach was in knots. Getting to fly to Australia in a private jet instead of flying commercial sounded wonderful and a little decadent. The problem was Aiden. If he weren’t going, she could relax and enjoy the experience. She was so tense around him these days, and anxious. She remembered how she used to follow him, so enamored was she, but now she was trying to run away from him. She just wasn’t having much success. Once she was settled in her new home in Boston, everything would change, especially her outlook on life. That was the hope, anyway. Out of sight, out of mind. Oh, how she hoped that could be true.
She took a deep breath and told herself to enjoy flying in luxury. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Besides, it was all going to work out. She could handle Aiden.
Her five minutes of bravado were quickly spent. Handle Aiden? Who was she kidding? She had a feeling those words were going to come back to bite her.
The Hamilton jet was magnificent. She felt as though she was entering a fantasy. It was all so elegant. There were plush leather seats that magically turned into beds with heavenly down comforters, a sofa with a dining area, and behind the spacious bathroom was a private office that connected to a bedroom with a gorgeous custom-built bed to accommodate Aiden’s height.
Aiden hadn’t arrived yet. Cordie took her seat and pulled out her laptop. Maybe she could find out something about Simone and Craig Rayburn. With less than a day to get ready, she hadn’t had time to do any research. She didn’t even know why she was going. Would she confront Simone? She kept going back and forth. One minute she wanted to, and the next minute she didn’t. If she had to explain why she was going to all this trouble, she couldn’t, unless “Beats me” was a suitable reply.
She hated being vulnerable. She used to have it all together—at least she thought she did—and now she felt as though her life was spiraling out of control. She’d never thought she would be afraid of change, but right this minute she was feeling like a coward, afraid to go forward and afraid to go back. Tears gathered in her eyes. Oh God, she really missed her father.
A young man wearing a light gray shirt with navy pants asked her if she would like something to drink before takeoff. His name was Tom and he explained he would be serving dinner later.
Looking out the window, she saw another black town car driving across the tarmac. Aiden had arrived. She wondered if one of his new blond companions was going to accompany him. She hoped not. She wasn’t jealous, she told herself. She just remembered how obnoxious his last two girlfriends were, and she didn’t want to be stuck trying to be polite for twenty hours.
Aiden did have strange taste in women, she decided, and she once again reminded herself that she was very lucky she had come to her senses and gotten over her ridiculous infatuation.
After coming on board, Aiden stood just outside the cockpit talking to the pilots for several minutes and then removed his suit jacket and handed it to the male attendant. Loosening his tie, he walked down the aisle and took the seat next to her. He could have sat in any other seat in the cabin, but apparently he would rather crowd her. Was this just one more of his intimidating tactics to get her to do what he wanted? When he turned toward her, she could see the flecks of gray in his eyes.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked.
“The flight? Or Australia?”
“Both.”
“No, I’m not ready.”
She closed her laptop in preparation for takeoff. Aiden took it from her and slipped it into the leather pouch attached to his seat.
“Australia is a beautiful country,” she said. “I’ve read so much about it. I want to take the time to see as much as I can. How long will you be staying?”
“Depends,” he said. “But when I go home, you’re going with me.”
“I’m what?” She was sure she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“I think you should go home with me. I don’t want to leave you there.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m responsible for you.”
She could feel her face heating up. “No, you’re not.”
Aiden knew he’d pushed the wrong buttons. He decided to try another tack. “I know Sydney. I’ll show you around.”
“I can show myself around,” she said. She was more bewildered than angry. What was going on inside his head? “And if I do need any kind of assistance, I can always call Liam Scott. Alec already talked to him, and he’s . . . Why are you shaking your head at me?”
“I don’t think you should call Scott.”
The set of his jaw told her he was digging in on this issue. She couldn’t for the life of her understand why he was acting so . . . territorial. She was determined to get to the bottom of his problem, whether he was stubborn or not. Something was bugging him, but what?
“Have you ever met Liam?” she asked.
“No.”
“So you have no reason to distrust him.”
“Of course not. I don’t know him.”
“Then why . . .”
She didn’t finish her sentence. The jet was gathering a tremendous amount of speed for takeoff. Without thinking what she was doing, she grabbed hold of Aiden’s hand. She was a nervous flyer. Takeoffs and landings scared her, but once the plane was in the air or on the ground she could relax. Being the gentleman he was, Aiden didn’t mention that she was gripping his hand with all her might.
Aiden watched the color drain from her face and did his best to distract her.
“I promised Alec and Regan that I would look out for you, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Before she could protest, he continued, “Have you read the background on the Taylor family? Alec did a lot of research.”
“I haven’t seen it.”
“He must not have e-mailed it to you. I’ll send you a copy.”
“If your goal is to change the subject, it isn’t working. I’m not helpless, Aiden. I’m perfectly capable of seeing the sights on my own.”
He ignored her protest. “Simone’s father, Julian Taylor, has enormous wealth and power. He doesn’t just control the business. He controls the family.”
“What does that mean?”
“They have to behave themselves. From what I’ve read, Julian is a stickler for his rules. It sounds as though he’s wound tight,” he added. “He nearly disowned Simone when he found out she entered a beauty pageant. According to Alec’s notes, Julian thought her behavior was crass.”
“She’s back in his good graces now, I take it.”
“Yes,” he answered. “Unless or until there’s a scandal.”
“And I’m the scandal.”
“You could be if you decide to ruffle some feathers.”
She closed her eyes, leaned back against the headrest, and thought about a plan of action once she landed in Sydney. Indecision was making her crazy. She was on her way to Australia—she was in the air, for Pete’s sake—and she still hadn’t m
ade up her mind if or when she would confront Simone. This was so unlike her, and she began to wonder if others thought of her as weak or wishy-washy. Did Aiden think of her as a weakling? Was that why he was insisting he stay with her while she was in Australia? Did he think she couldn’t make her way across the street without his help? If that was how he really felt, she decided she needed to set him straight.
Aiden interrupted her thoughts. “Cordelia—”
“I’m a strong, independent woman, Aiden.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You believe me, don’t you?”
“Sure I do,” he said. “But . . .”
Cordie turned to him, ready for an argument. “But what?”
“I was wondering if you’ll be needing to hold my hand for the entire flight or if I could get some work done.”
TEN
So much for being independent.
As soon as Cordie let go of his hand, Aiden disappeared into the bedroom, and when she next saw him he was wearing a light gray T-shirt and sweatpants. The clothes had seen better days and should have been put in the rag pile, yet he looked amazing. Only Aiden could be sexy in sweats, she thought.
After making sure she had everything she needed, he went into his office to work, but he kept coming into the main cabin to check on her. It was as though he was making certain she was still there. What did he expect? That she might step outside for some fresh air?
A couple of hours into the flight, when he next looked in on her, she was reading a biochemistry book. It was the latest edition by Frederick Full-of-Himself Fulmer. The author’s massive ego came through in nearly every chapter. He took credit for discovering everything but air. Had she been at home, she would have tossed it into the recycle bin.
“Are you enjoying your book?” Aiden asked.
She decided to tone down her opinion. “It’s a bit pedantic.” Her hand covered the title of the book, but all he had to do was look over her shoulder and read a sentence or two—which he did—to know what the subject matter was.