Lady's Choice by Jayne Ann Krentz Read Free Book Online

else." He walked under the dazzling lights that illuminated the entrance.
    The massive glass doors were opened by a young man uniformed in buff and gold. "You must be here for the owners' private party," the doorman said with an engaging grin. "Right straight through the main lobby and out to the swimming pool terrace. Can't miss it." He nodded at Juliana. "Good evening, Miss Grant."
    "Hi, Rick. How's everything going?"

    "Just fine. You should enjoy yourself tonight. The kitchen's been working overtime for the past three days getting ready. A real blowout."
    "I believe it. See you later." Juliana smiled distractedly and dashed ahead to catch up with Travis who was still moving forward with the purposeful air of a man heading into battle.
    "Honestly, Travis, you're getting weirder by the minute."
    He stopped at the doors at the far end of the elegant lobby and paused to hold one open for her with a mocking gallantry.
    Juliana scowled at him and then peered through the glass at the throng of people gathered around the turquoise swimming pool. She caught sight of her mother and father, her Uncle Tony and then she spotted her cousin, Elly.
    As Juliana looked at her cousin, a tall, fair-haired, good-looking man moved up behind Elly and draped an arm around her shoulders. They made a handsome couple, no doubt about it. Elly, petite, blond and delicate looking, was a perfect foil for her tall, charming husband. When Elly glanced up at David and smiled, it was easy to see the love in her eyes.
    Juliana jerked her gaze away from the sight of Elly and David just in time to catch Travis staring intently at the couple. There was something in his expression that sent a frisson of genuine alarm through her veins.
    "Travis."
    "We'd better go out and join the others, hadn't we? Wouldn't want to keep them waiting. It's been long enough as it is."
    Confused, Juliana walked through the door, conscious of Travis right behind her. Several faces in the crowd turned to smile in a friendly fashion. Juliana paused to say hello a few times before she reached the small group composed of Elly and David and three of their acquaintances.
    Elly turned, David's arm still resting affectionately on her shoulders. She smiled with genuine pleasure when she saw her cousin. Her short, silvery hair gleamed in the light.
    "Juliana, you're here at last. Uncle Roy and Aunt Beth got here with my father a couple of hours ago.
    We've been waiting for you."
    "How did the spa survey go?" Juliana asked.
    "Great. I picked up all sorts of terrific ideas. Now, who is this mysterious date you told me you were bringing tonight?" Elly's gaze switched to the man standing behind Juliana. Her blue eyes widened with shock and the words of greeting died on her lips.
    She looks as if she's just seen a ghost, Juliana thought. She watched in sick fascination as her cousin struggled to conceal the panic that had so clearly blossomed at the sight of Travis Sawyer.
    Travis did not move but Juliana felt the tension in the atmosphere between him and her cousin. It was the kind of tension that signals powerful emotions and dangerous secrets.

    In that moment Juliana's parents came forward with her Uncle Tony, and Juliana saw Elly's shock mirrored on the faces of the other three Grants.
    And suddenly Juliana understood it all. Travis was the man from Elly's past, the one she'd been engaged to five years ago, the one no one talked about.

3
    "The most amazing thing is how calm, cool and collected everyone is behaving," Juliana muttered to Elly twenty minutes later when she finally managed to corner her cousin in a remote section of the terrace.
    "I thought you were going to faint from shock when you first saw him, but then, two seconds later, there you were, greeting him as if he were just another casual acquaintance. Uncle Tony was just as cool. Just an old business associate. And Mom and Dad acted as if they could barely remember him."
    "Well? What did you expect us to do?" Elly demanded.