Home for Christmas by Stephanie Wilson Read Free Book Online Page A

flawless complexion, her sense
of understated style and her grace. He enjoyed watching her many and varied
expressions clearly evident to those around her, amused that she didn’t seem to
realize how transparent she was. He glanced around the table to find three
female faces staring at him expectantly. One determined, one amused, and one
guarded and defensive. “I didn’t catch that,” he admitted cautiously.
    Courtney gazed at him strangely. “I
said,” she repeated slowly, “do you want to explain to Savannah about your
project or shall I?”
    Glancing at Savannah’s very closed
and distant expression, it became instantly and personally urgent to him that
she accept the proposition. He couldn’t explain why, but he’d built nearly an
empire by following his gut and he wasn’t going to stop now. Besides, there
were some things she didn’t yet know and it was time he was honest with her.
    Ignoring the women on either side,
he leaned toward Savannah. He doubted anyone else noticed her infinitesimal
move toward the back of her seat. He smiled his most charming smile.
    “I’d like you two ladies to give me
a couple of moments with Savannah.” And when they both sat staring at him, he
said more forcefully, “Now would be good.”
    Savannah glanced uncertainly at
Courtney, to which she responded with a shrug. “We’ll be back in fifteen,” she
said grabbing her bag and avoiding Savannah’s pleading eyes. Austin replied,
“Thirty,” in a voice that brooked no arguments.
    “Savannah,” Austin said when they
were alone. “I didn’t catch all of what Courtney was telling you, I’ve got a
few things on my mind,” he said self-effacingly. “Sometimes my mind wanders,”
he continued with a smile. She smiled in return, warmed by his admission.
    “It happens,” she answered simply.
    “It wasn’t you, well it was you,”
he continued, clearly his throat, “but it wasn’t due to a lack of interest in
this project Courtney’s been trying to tell you about. I was actually thinking
about some things you need to know that Courtney doesn’t.” And at her quizzical
expression, he looked down at the wooden round table between and hoped his
words could smooth a potentially uncomfortable conversation.  
    “On Halloween night, when we met
for this first time,” he began as she watched him guardedly, “I wasn’t
completely honest with you,” he admitted, again letting his eyes drift to the
table between them. She crossed her arms in front of her as she became very
focused and distant.
    “I don’t know if you’ve connected
the dots yet,” he said, “but I’m founder and CEO of the company that just
purchased your house.”
    He watched as myriad expressions
passed over her face, her eyes both widening and then narrowing as she digested
this information. Shock, anger, hurt, distrust and other emotions he couldn’t
identify played themselves out in mere seconds before his eyes. Quickly,
however, they slipped behind a professional mask he suspected she wore most of
the time.
    “And when you came over to my house that night,” she finally said, clarifying, “you didn’t think to reveal
that? Or just chose not to?” And after a few silent moments, she questioned
icily, “Why? You had possession the next day. Why did you need to come and spy
on me the night before?”
    “I didn’t come to spy ,” he
quickly answered, shaking his head. “I never thought anyone would be there.”
    “You just wanted to gloat? Why did
you lie and tell me you were a neighbor?”
    “I didn’t say I was a neighbor,” he
interrupted quickly. “If I remember correctly, I said I had recently purchased a house in the neighborhood, which was true, but I didn’t correct your
misinterpretation. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again …”
    “And that made it okay?” she
replied angrily. “Your deceit is okay as long as you never see me again? That’s
how you run your company, Mr. Douglass? Wouldn’t the