Right then, Ethan himself came rushing through the door, followed by Terri.
“Daisy!” he gasped, going to his daughter and engulfing her in his arms. “What were you thinking slipping away like that without telling me? I was so afraid you’d—oh, Rachel, hi.”
He stopped short, reddening a little, and somehow she knew instinctively that his multiple appearances here had nothing to do with concern for Gary after his accident.
Nothing at all.
“Where’s Vanessa?” Daisy asked.
“She went back to her mum’s house, buttercup.” Ethan looked embarrassed. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”
“I told Rachel about the ring,” his daughter cried, and she saw Ethan cast a wary glance toward Gary.
“Daisy, I’m just going on a break now. Fancy sharing a nice big hot chocolate with me—with marshmallows?” Terri suggested brightly, and the young girl looked at her father for permission.
“It’s okay, honey. Go with Terri. I’m just going to have a little chat with Rachel.”
Daisy beamed. “Great, Dad! Don’t forget what I told you, okay?” she said, casting a conspiratorial glance at Rachel as they exited.
The problem was that Rachel seemed to be only one who wasn’t in on the conspiracy. Everyone—even the absent Justin—all seemed clearly privy to what was becoming more and more baffling by the second.
There was a momentary silence as Rachel looked back and forth between Gary and Ethan, unsure what to think. “Okay,” she said finally. “What am I missing?”
Chapter 53
“Quite a lot, babe,” Gary began, looking disdainfully at Ethan. “So, Professor, tell us again how your ‘research’ went. Rachel told me all about your bullshit cover story.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.”
“I’m sorry to tell you that this guy and your so-called best friend have been lying and plotting against you,” Rachel’s fiancé said solemnly.
Rachel looked at Ethan. “What is he talking about?” she asked, and she noticed that he looked tired and defeated. Those lively blue eyes now looked flat and dulled.
“You’re a good one to talk about lies,” he said to Gary.
“Oh yeah? Tell us all about your book, Greene,” Gary replied with a sneer. “The one you told her all about at your cozy dinner.”
She looked at him blankly. “What does Ethan’s book have to do with anything?”
“There is no bloody book, Rach. It was just a big lie, another excuse to try and get in your pants.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Ethan glared angrily at him. “How about you tell her why I was forced to come up with a cover story in the first place?”
Gary shrugged. “Hell if I know. Because you were trying to manipulate her? And anyway, if you were so sure, then why couldn’t you just come out with it from the start?”
“Because I didn’t want to hurt her, that’s why. Although you seem to have no problem with it, and you’re supposed to be her fiancé.”
Rachel’s head was spinning. “There’s no book?” she said to Ethan, who nodded grimly. “And if you didn’t come here for research, then why did you? Clearly it’s something to do with Gary’s accident, although Terri’s right. In retrospect, your concern for his well-being did seem over the top.”
Obviously therewasmore to Ethan than met the eye, which disappointed her. So his apparent interest in her—her hopes and dreams—was merely part of some ruse? Now she felt stupid and utterly naive to think that maybe they had a connection of sorts. When she’d spied him and Daisy on the way in, her heart had unexpectedly lightened, something Rachel couldn’t quite explain, since she barely knew them, really. But sitting here in her restaurant, the two of them just looked so…right.
“I had a completely legitimate reason,” Ethan pleaded, and to his credit, he looked shamefaced. “But when it came down it, I just couldn’t tell you. It’s stupid…I can’t explain it.”
“Couldn’t tell mewhat,for crying out loud?”
“About the ring.”
By now, Rachel was completely bewildered. “My ring—the one I lost?” She looked at Gary.
