“Iwant this place,” Chelsea replied.“My mother and I have agreed we will never sell to you, or any company you’re affiliated with.”
Johann stepped forward, and Ethan tensed.Johann’s next words enhanced the threat of his body.“You don’t know who you’re playing with.”
Chelsea’s hand tightened around the door handle and Ethan moved to the corner of the house, ready to spring into action.“I can assure you, this is no game, Mr Mueller.”
“You have to sell Lilydale to me,” Johann said, a little desperation in his tone.
“I don’t,” Chelsea replied.“You can’t make me.”
“You obviously don’t know who I work for.”Desperation morphed into fear.
Definitely trouble.Ethan had heard enough.He stepped onto the porch and strode forward.“Morning, Chelsea.”
Johann glared at him but stepped backwards.
“Ethan.”Her face was a little pale, as if shaken by the encounter.
He moved so he stood between Chelsea and Johann and smiled at the man.“Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met.I’m Ethan.”He held out a hand.
Johann glanced at it, before shaking.“Johann Mueller.”
“He was just leaving,” Chelsea said.
“Right.Nice meeting you.”Ethan stared at the man, then flicked his eyes to the black car and back to Johann.
Johann scowled.“I’ll be in touch, Miss McGinnis.”
“Don’t bother.I have nothing to say to you.”
Johann growled as he stalked down the steps to his car.Ethan waited until he drove away before he turned to Chelsea.“The man is dangerous.”
Chelsea frowned.“He’s a businessman.He can’t force Mum to sign over the property.”She stepped back to let him into the house, her hand trembling.
“There are many ways he can force her.”His voice was grim and Chelsea looked at him with her eyebrows raised in question.“You’ve cost him a lot.He’s not taking that kindly, particularly if his bosses aren’t happy.”Ethan would find out who they were, because there had been real fear in Johann’s voice.
Annoyance flashed in her eyes and then she pressed her lips together.“I’ll keep that in mind.”She said nothing else as she entered the kitchen.“I was making coffee.Do you want one?”
Ethan smiled, hoping to lessen the tension.“Yes, please.I was hoping you’d offer.”
That earned him a quick smile, but it was enough to make him feel warm inside.He blinked.That wasn’t the goal here.Sure, he wanted to be friendly, but the increase in his heartbeat wasn’t required.He couldn’t afford to feel things for her again.
His eyes dipped to her left hand, which was bare.No rings.
He shouldn’t be happy about that.
Her laptop was on the kitchen table, as was a tablet and her phone.“Have you been working?”
She hesitated and then nodded.
It shouldn’t hurt that she didn’t want to share with him.“What do you do?”
“I’m in marketing.”She waved her hand.“Though at my last job I was a jack of all trades, creating campaigns, managing people, doing publicity as required.”
She had always put a positive spin on everything.“I bet you’re good at it.”
Chelsea frowned as she frothed his milk.“Apparently not good enough.”She poured his coffee, and they sat at the kitchen table.
“What do you mean?”
