Chapter 42: Chapter 42

“What?”

Sophie stilled. Return with him? He couldn’t mean that. He couldn’t really want her to come back. First of all, this was just pretend and second of all, in a month, they likely wouldn’t be speaking.

Her heart hurt because he stared at her with such hope in his eyes while he waited on her answer.

“My family seemed to take you in as one of their own and if we’re getting to know each other more and more, it only seems right that you come back with me.” He shrugged. “I mean, if you want to.”

Roslyn closed her eyes just as the plane took off down the runway. Her breath caught in her throat but the fear she had of flying took a backseat to the fear she had of breaking Nigel’s heart.

She simply couldn’t do it. Not now. Not when he was pouring out his raw, honest feelings. He may not have been using the L word, but he was already inviting her back and that spoke volumes.

He literally was handing her everything, and if she told him the truth now, she would be throwing it all right back in his face. He would hate her.

There had to be a better way.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, squeezing her hand when the plane tipped up. “Just breathe.”

He thought she was being silent and avoiding speaking to him because of her fear... If only he knew.

If only he knew her real name, her story...would he still want anything to do with her?

Sophie opened her eyes and shifted to face him. “I’d love to come back with you, but first I want you to meet my family. Well, my brothers. Then we’ll see if you still want me to join you.”

Nigel’s smile widened. “You think I’m going to meet your brothers and get scared off? Are they that bad?”

“They’re wonderful.” But the truth was brutal. “I just want you to know everything about me before we go any further.”

He stared at her another minute and Sophie wished she could just get up the courage to tell him the truth right now like she’d mentally prepared herself to do, but she couldn’t.

“I’d love to meet your brothers,” Nigel told her as he leaned in and slid his hand across her cheek and through her hair. “I want to know everything about you, Roslyn Andrews.”

Sophie Blackwood.

It was on the tip of her tongue, but she said nothing like the coward she was.

How could she ever accuse Miranda of anything at this point? Sophie had betrayed Nigel day after day and she’d had the nerve to call it love. But she did love him. She’d made a mistake that she couldn’t take back and there was no way she could’ve ever seen this disaster coming. Never before in her life had she purposely set out to hurt someone, to blatantly lie to someone’s face. Going into this whole charade, she knew she’d be lying, but she honestly didn’t think the end result would be so painful for so many.

The guilt and shame settled heavy in her heart as Nigel kissed her. The intimacy poured out of him and she just hoped he could find it in his heart to forgive her.

* * *

“Do you have a second?”

Nigel turned from his office windows and faced the doorway where Miranda stood.

“For my biggest star? Of course.”

Miranda laughed as she stepped in and closed the door at her back. “I know I can always count on you for an ego boost.”

Nigel truly did love each of the Secret Lives ladies in different ways. Miranda was genuine and loving.

Always eager to help others. He couldn’t imagine anyone not feeling drawn to her, though he’d heard about her difficult relationship with her ex-stepchildren.

Nigel knew Miranda and the Blackwood siblings didn’t get along, but he really never understood why.

Then again, he didn’t know the Blackwood kids, either.

He’d never had one problem with Miranda and he respected her as a businesswoman and an asset to his show.

“What are you doing in New York?” he asked. “If you’d told me you were coming, I would’ve arranged lunch.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Miranda tucked her red hair behind her ear. “I was in town for a few meetings with some potential investors for Goddess Inc.”