Drake hadn’t spoken to anyone of his family in years, not even his aunt who had looked after him until he was eighteen. Talking about them reminded him of his failure to protect his mother and sister. He carried the burden of guilt like a heavy yoke around his neck. A yoke that scratched and itched and rubbed his conscience raw. In hindsight, there had been clues about his father’s criminal intentions, clues Drake had ignored because he had been lulled into a false sense of peace. His father was good at that—getting everyone, including Drake, to believe the storm was over and would not be returning. Thatthistime, everything would change. That his father would change. But his father had not changed, he had planned and plotted a devastating assault on the people he claimed to love most in the world. An assault Drake had missed by mere chance. A twist of fate that left him the last one standing with a burden of survivor guilt that was impossible to shake off.
There was a time when Christmas had been his favourite time of year. Not just for the anticipation of presents but he liked the tradition itself. The gathering of family, the celebration of being together, the nice food his mother so lovingly prepared. Now, he couldn’t stand the sights and sounds and smell of Christmas. He wished he never had to see another Christmas tree with presents nestled around it for it reminded him of his family’s tree with presents that had never been opened.
But somehow, Aerin with her gentle voice had coaxed out of him information he had shared with no one, not even her brother, Tom. He would have to remain vigilant around her this weekend for she had a way of getting under his guard. The proof of that was in the very fact she had got him to agree to the charade in the first place. He should not have agreed but if he hadn’t taken her, someone who was less trustworthy might have and then he would have even more guilt to lug around.
A few minutes later, they had cleared security and then Drake led Aerin to a private boarding gate. ‘I took the liberty of booking a private flight.’
Aerin stopped dead in her tracks to look up at him. ‘But why? I mean, that would have cost a fortune and I don’t mind travelling on a commercial flight.’
‘If I was the type of guy to fall madly in love with someone, I’d want to spoil them, especially since I can afford it.’
Aerin cocked her head at him. ‘Are yousureyou’re not a romantic at heart?’
Drake gave a deep rumble of laughter. ‘Not a chance, Goldilocks. Now come on, your winged carriage awaits.’
CHAPTER THREE
AERINTRIEDNOTto look too impressed with the luxury of the private jet but since it was her first time in one, it was hard not to be a little wide-eyed and open-mouthed. The jet was decked out with two large cream-coloured leather seats in the front section with thick ankle-swallowing soft carpet on the floor. The next section had larger sofas running along each side of the jet with a large central coffee table, no doubt for conducting meetings or conferences in mid-air. There was a king-sized bedroom at the back end with its own bathroom, two other bathrooms situated at the front and rear of the aircraft.
There was a single flight attendant, a smartly dressed young man who issued them with drinks once they had taken their seats.
‘Champagne for you, Ms Drysdale,’ Henry said. ‘And iced water with a slice of lemon for Mr Cawthorn.’
‘Oh, lovely, thank you,’ Aerin said, taking the tall slim flute of fizzing bubbles off the silver tray.
Drake took his glass of water with a tight smile and the young man melted away and disappeared behind a sliding door that cordoned off the galley from the cabin.
Aerin swivelled in her seat to glance at him. ‘You’re not a fan of champagne?’
He put his glass of water on the table in front of their seats. ‘I’m not a fan of alcohol, full stop.’ He flashed her a wry smile and leaned back in his seat. ‘Is that another point against me on your Mr Perfect checklist?’
‘Not at all, it’s just I didn’t know that about you, that you don’t drink, I mean.’ She was surprised she hadn’t noticed until now since he had been to her family’s home on various social occasions. But given she mostly had tried to avoid him, it was no wonder she hadn’t noticed whether he consumed alcohol or not.
‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me.’ His tone was mild and yet a fleeting shadow in his expression sent a tremor of disquiet through her.
‘If we’re going to be convincing this weekend, you’d better start filling me in a bit,’ Aerin said. ‘Why don’t you drink?’
‘It’s a choice I made a long time ago.’
‘Because of your family’s accident? Was it a drunk driver or—?’
‘No, they weren’t killed by a drunk driver.’ His jaw clenched for a moment and his eyes became hard, as if some memory from his past was stirring up emotions he didn’t want to revisit. ‘I drank when I was a lot younger but I never liked the taste. I only did it to be cool, to fit in, so I eventually made the decision to be a teetotaller.’
‘My business partner Harper is a teetotaller too,’ Aerin said. ‘She had an alcoholic mother, so didn’t want to risk it in case there was any genetic tendency for alcoholism. It was just as well since she had a cryptic pregnancy with Marli.’ She waited a beat before adding, ‘Were you close to your family?’
He picked up his glass of water and blotted some of the condensation away with the pad of his thumb. A brooding frown carved into his forehead and his mouth was set in a grim line. ‘My mother and sister, yes, my father less so as time went on.’
‘Why was that?’
He put the glass back down on the table in front of him and leaned back in his seat, his frown still in place. ‘He wasn’t the sort of man you could get close to.’
‘Like you, you mean?’
Drake went completely still as if he had been snap-frozen. His expression was guarded, the drawbridge up on his emotions, but she could sense she had hit on a raw nerve with her comment.
‘I’m sorry,’ Aerin said into the silence. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you or anything...’
‘You didn’t upset me.’ His relaxed tone didn’t match the tension she could sense still lurking in his body.