ointment. His lower lip trembled. "But you promised you w

Iris's heart. She missed him too, an ache

very important to do in New York. As soon as it's finished, I'll c

t he also knew when not to push. He sighed dramatically. "Okay. Bu

s, about his day, about the new book he was reading, about the frog he'd foun

nished from Iris's face. The warmth in her ch

d to happen. And i

office of the Pope Group headquart

a glittering carpet at his feet. Gideon stood a re

Mr. Corbin Pope, is making overtures. It seems he's quietly proposin

idn't change. He had

nerve," he said, hi

is meeting with some of the older, more

his eyes. "Let him. It will be a good opportunit

pull the old trust documents. The ones my father established. If necessa

deon said, tur

thur Finch, the head butler at the Pope family mansion. The old ma

of his head. "Mrs. Harrington has sent an

e. "Have I not made it clear that I want nothing and

d without blinking. "I will ha

a euphemism. It wo

he transparent attempts to curry favor through his m

" She had never asked for a single thing. She had built her own life, on her own terms

nted to be

at her uncle, Theodore Beaumont. He was a handsome man in his late fifties, with kind eyes that didn't quite mask t

ern. "You know, if you're not happy there, you can come back to the family'

ne, Uncle Theodore. At least

n. "You're just like your mother. Amelia

hadow passed over his face. The ai

s a wound that had never properly healed, a cons

u didn't ask me here just to see