Beautiful, devoted to Hugh’s interests, she’d worked for him for years—the woman had to know him better than anyone else, so why on earth would she marry him? Surely it was another stunt. Or... She looked down at the image of Portia, who was gazing up adoringly at Hugh. Maybe a better question would be did Portia know it was a stunt?
Next query—what was Ruby going to do about it?
Which led on to another question: if she thrust a spoke in Hugh’s wheel what would he do? A flicker of fear ignited at the memory of his expression, taut with threat, as he’d ensured her silence.
It was a flicker she knew she had no choice but to ignore.
With a start she realised Ethan had removed the tablet from her grasp and was reading the article. A formidable frown slashed his brow as he handed it back to Cora.
‘I’ll have to go and sort this out,’ Ruby said briskly. ‘I’ll get a train up to London—I should be back late this evening. Cora, thanks for bringing this to my attention. Can I leave a few things for you to do while I’m gone?’
‘Of course.’
‘Great. I’ll catch you before I leave.’
Ruby nodded and turned, headed for the door.
‘Hold on.’ Ethan’s stepped into her path, his tone peremptory.
‘Yes?’ Slamming to a halt, she tried to sound cool, as if her proximity to his chest, delectably covered in a white T-shirt, wasn’t playing havoc with her respiratory system. Who wore T-shirts at the end of December, anyway?
‘I’ll come with you.’
‘That is not necessary.’
Cora glanced from one to the other. ‘Let me know what you need, Ruby. I’ll be in my office or you can call me.’
Once the redhead had glided away, with admirable discretion, and the door had clicked shut, Ruby glared at Ethan.
‘So not necessary,’ she amended.
‘I disagree—I told you I stand by my employees.’
All of a sudden a wave of pure white-hot anger flooded her—as if every molecule of built-up frustration from the past four days had all exploded into rage simultaneously.
‘So you’re going to hop on your charger and come and protect me because I am your employee?’
‘What is wrong with that?’
‘Everything. Everything is wrong with that.’ Had he forgotten Christmas? Had some sort of brain transplant? ‘Forget it. You have made it perfectly clear that you want our relationship to be professional.’
‘We agreed that once we got back here we would revert to being professional.’
There was no arguing with that—if he took it a step further he might even point out that it had been her fool idea in the first place.
‘You’re right. So since my business with Hugh is personal I will deal with it myself.’
There was no indication that he’d even heard her. ‘I don’t want you to face him alone.’
‘Why not? I’m sure I’ll have to face plenty on my own when I adopt. There will be social workers and carers and teachers and who knows what else? Will you be there when it gets tough then?’
‘That is hardly a valid argument.’
‘It is extremely valid from my side.’
The air was tinged with exasperation as he folded his arms. ‘That scenario is set in the future. This situation with Hugh is now. He’s threatened you in the past, the man is a liar and a bully, and I don’t see the problem with you accepting some support.’
Oh, crap!
As she stared at him, absorbed the frown that slashed his brow and the determined set of his mouth, drank in his sheer strength, the icy cold fingers of realisation dawned. Seeped into her soul. She knew exactly why this was a problem—she wanted Ethan to come with her. But she wanted his presence because he cared about her as person, not as an employee.
Panic squeezed her chest. She’d fallen for Ethan Caversham. Again. Or maybe she’d never got over him. This stubborn, generous, flawed man had called to something deep within her and her heart had responded without her permission.
She wanted him in her present and in her future.
Shock doused her veins, made her skin clammy. How had this happened? Ethan would never want a family. Would never change from being the workaholic, driven man he was. So why was her heart—the self-same heart that wasn’t supposed to be involved—aching with a deep, bitter sting?
His frown deepened as he studied her expression and she desperately tried to think—tried to work out what to do with this awful, awesome knowledge.
Nothing. That was what she should do.
Ethan had made it more than clear that he had negative desire for a relationship, let alone a family. It wasn’t his fault she’d been stupid enough to fall for him. If she told him how she felt he would recoil, and she wasn’t sure she could bear that. Let alone the fact that it would make any work relationship impossible.
Maybe that would be impossible anyway. Maybe her best course of action would be to leave. Otherwise she would have to spend her life erecting a façade of lies, playing a part, watching him from afar, living in hope that one day he’d return her love. The idea made her tummy churn in revolt. It would be a replay of her childhood.
‘Ruby?’ There was concern in his voice now, as well as an assessing look in his blue-grey eyes that indicated the whirring of his formidable brain.
With an effort she recalled their conversation. ‘Ethan, I need to do this by myself. Plus, tomorrow night is too important to blow—too important for kids like Tara and Max. You need to be here to supervise any last-minute glitches.’
He shook his head. ‘Cora can cover that. So can Rafael.’
Somehow she had to dissuade him—all she wanted to do now was run. Achieve some space. Get her head together. Enough that she could hold the façade together for a while longer until she could find him a replacement restaurant manager.
‘No. Cora and Rafael are great, but you need to be here. This is your show.’ For a heartbeat she felt the sudden scratch of tears—this would be one of the last times they were together, and emotion bubbled inside her. ‘You’re doing such good here.’
Instinct carried her forward, so close to him that she could smell the oh-so-familiar, oh-so-dizzying woodsy scent of him. One hand reached out and lay on his forearm as she gazed up at him, allowed herself one last touch.
‘Don’t.’ His voice low and guttural.
‘Don’t what? Tell the truth?’
He shook his head, stepped back so that her hand dropped to her
