Finding Kate Huntley by Theresa Ragan Read Free Book Online Page B

are you doing this to us?”
    Because Sheila embodied perfection, he thought but didn’t say. Sheila was the woman that Elizabeth could never be. Sheila was his prize, his just reward after Donna, his first wife, walked out on him, and humiliated him. Sheila was his revenge, a constant reminder to his ex-wife, the woman he still yearned for, that she could have been the one at his side, attending extravagant galas like tonight’s event. “I had no choice,” he finally answered.
    “No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop loving you.”
    A tic set in Harrison’s jaw, not because of what she said, but because of the way she said it...the hunger in her voice, the pining in her eyes. Elizabeth loved him in a way both Donna and Sheila never could. His chest tightened at the thought. And yet he had standards and Elizabeth’s defiant manner, not to mention the fine lines gathering at the corners of her eyes, were only two reasons why it would never work. The more money he came into, the higher those standards rose. Sad, but true.
    “I’ll do anything you want to make it work between us. We deserve to be together.”
    He remained stiff. “It’s over, Elizabeth. No more talk of the two of us or I won’t be able to attend these charity events any longer.”
    Boldly, she slid her hand inside his jacket and over his chest. A warm tingle spread through his loins, but he pulled away when he spotted Patrick Monahan motioning to him from across the room. “I have to go.”
    In the few seconds it took Harrison to reach Monahan’s side, Elizabeth was all but forgotten. “What’s going on?” Harrison asked.
    Monahan looked about before he said, “I talked to Ben less than an hour ago. Lou knows that Jack Coffey and Kate Huntley took off from Haiti on a private plane. Apparently Lou is furious after being told they would never get off the island alive.”
    “Tell Ben to let Lou know that Coffey won’t make it back to the States. Lou will be hearing good news regarding the situation by morning.”
    Monahan nodded.
    “And next time you want to talk about private matters,” Harrison said, “I expect it to be done in closed quarters.”

    The plane shook and Kate opened her eyes. Her heart beat rapidly against her chest. Outside, the sky was no longer bright with sunshine, but overcast with shades of gray. The plane was a six-seater...three seats opposite three more seats with a sleek built-in table in-between.
    Jack slid his compact computer from its case and opened it. She saw him do the same thing a few times before she’d fallen asleep. After a moment passed, he would hit a few more buttons on the keyboard, frown, shut it off and slide the computer back into its case. Jack’s nose had turned from red to a purplish blue, casting a dark shadow under his left eye. Who was Jack Coffey, she wondered. And why had he really come for her? Could she trust him? Peering out the window, she watched the dark silhouette of the plane glide over the blanket of thick clouds below.
    “Hungry?”
    She turned toward Jack and watched him sift through a brown paper bag.
    “Starved.”
    He pulled out a wrapped sandwich and handed it to her.
    The smell of fresh meat and tangy mustard made her mouth water. “Where did you get the food?”
    Jack gestured toward a cooler sitting in the back.
    She took a bite. Her stomach rumbled. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d tasted anything so heavenly. Other than a piece of fruit and stale bread, she hadn’t had time to think of food in days. She was ravenous.
    Jack handed her a soda and another sandwich.
    She took both and tucked the second sandwich into her bag. “I’ll save it for later. Thanks.”
    While she ate, Jack clicked away at his keyboard.
    After washing her meal down with a soda that tasted like sugar water, she stood and headed for the lavatory. The plane shifted again, prompting her to brace herself between the walls of the narrow hallway.
    “Turbulence,” Jack said over his