The Chosen Heir (The Bolles Dynasty Book 3) (22 page)

“I was placed near interesting people and the food was superb. How about you?”

“Being in New York is challenging because everyone has an opinion about the Bolles family.”

She listened quietly and he continued, “I spoke with Walter Brown. He is interested in funding a new project. It could lead to the establishment of a London office.”

She thought about the complexities of the financial world in New York. William seemed to manage all of it. Olivia had made a throwaway comment about William needing to base himself in London or New York. Would he choose London?

Chapter 10
 

The small private jet landed late at a private airport outside of Dublin. Bridget had enjoyed hours of conversation with William during the flight. The four days spent in New York were such a whirlwind that they had tons to discuss.

She had been living a fantasy. Instead of worrying about her relationship with William, they had been open about it and photographed often. The nights had been pure pleasure and Bridget didn’t want to separate from him.

Climbing down the plane’s staircase, William stopped at the bottom and took her in his arms. “Come home with me.”

She wanted to keep up the pretense about their relationship now that they were back in Dublin. It was one thing for Olivia and his mother to know but quite another for the people they worked with to know.

Bridget clung to him and whispered, “I don’t think that is a good idea.”

He pulled back and looked at her. “We are in a relationship and to hide that feels wrong.”

“I’m tired and the work week starts in a few hours. It would be better if we each go home and talk later in the day.”

“Sure.” He led her over to his Range Rover and, after the crew brought over their luggage, they drove the short distance to Dublin.

She was handling this all wrong. “I don’t know how to navigate all of this.”

His jaw clenched and he said, “Playing the helpless girlfriend doesn’t reflect well on you. You are adept at handling a variety of situations. The issue is that you don’t want to deal with it.”

What could he possibly mean by handling situations? “We have talked about this. My career is important to me. I need to be able to support myself and help my father. I can’t throw it away on a romantic fling.”

“I’m not asking you to throw anything away. I’m asking you to be honest about it.”

What did he possibly know about starting from nothing? “William you grew up in privilege and never had to worry about your reputation.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “The fact that my father led a double life, was rumored to steal from his investors, and had numerous children with other women guaranteed that I grew up with a shadow following me everywhere.”

She hadn’t thought of it in those terms. “In New York, people couldn’t get enough of you. You are highly sought after and seem to have a flawless reputation.”

He slowed down for a light. “I’ve worked hard to create a positive reputation, but you were only around people who would overlook my family’s shortcomings. You weren’t exposed to those who would like to see me destroyed.”

He reminded her of a golden boy. Everything he touched turned to gold. “I can’t imagine there are people who would want to see you destroyed.”

His shoulders and neck held visible tension. “You were one of those people. There are hundreds more.”

“I’m sorry.” He was right. She had cast stones without really knowing who he was and what he stood for.

“I’ll drop you at your flat. This impasse is a deal breaker for me.”

Shock washed over her. That was not what she meant. She didn’t want to end their relationship before it got properly started. But it was complex and created numerous issues for them.

“I don’t want to end our relationship, William. I wanted to find a way to balance our right to some privacy with what we want to share with the outside world.”

He downshifted and stopped for another light. “It doesn’t work that way. Either you are willing to stand behind your choices or you are not.”

“It’s one o’clock in the morning and we are both tired. Can we discuss this tomorrow?”

He remained silent and she looked out the window. Her heart felt like it was shattering into tiny pieces. She had handled the entire situation badly. She ought to consider his viewpoint, but it was nearly impossible for her to trust that everything would work out. He physically craved a connection to her but hadn’t said how he felt about her. How could she possibly take a risk when she had no idea of how he felt?
 

If she were to tell him the truth right now, she would have to admit that she was in love with him. But how could that be? They had been seeing each other for less than a few weeks. She was setting herself up for heartbreak.

He double-parked and helped her with her luggage.
 

“Do you have your keys?” he asked.

She nodded and he said, “Goodnight,” and turned away from her without kissing her.

She stood on the sidewalk for a few moments watching his vehicle disappear down the dark street. She had offended him. She pushed him away and worried that he would not let her back in. Their trip had been so wonderful. Why did it have to end this way? What was she so afraid of?

***

The next morning, William went for a thirty-mile grueling ride at dawn. Getting back to his house before breakfast, he stood at the gate drenched in sweat and depleted but no closer to understanding Bridget. How could she be so open and caring in private and then shut down in public? He had thought their time in New York had proven to her that they could manage a professional and personal relationship. But she had not softened her stance. He couldn’t accept a secret relationship. He was not his father. He would not hide the truth.
 

His heart was pounding. He put away his bicycle. It hit him that he had put off meeting his brother for weeks so he wouldn’t have to deal with the ramifications. That would stop today. He would seek out the woman and her son.

He called to Mrs. Blake as he walked into the house. Coming out of the kitchen, she said, “Bridget is here. Are you wanting breakfast?”

“No. I plan to be away for a few days. Could you pack a bag? I don’t need suits. Casual and some biking gear is fine.”

Mrs. Blake said, “Bridget is in the kitchen. I’ll go and pack.”

“I’ll shower first. Can you keep her company for a few minutes?” He had expected her to go to Breen today and throw herself into work. Why would she decide to come here?

He stripped off his sweaty shirt and headed to his room. He wasn’t feeling calm or controlled. How was she able to mess with his head?
 

Getting out of the shower, he dried off and dressed in jeans and a dress shirt. The water had done nothing to soothe his nerves. He never allowed his emotions to overtake him, but right now he had the desire to fight with Bridget. He would refuse to back down and the relationship would be over. Maybe that was for the best?

Stepping into the kitchen, he saw her leaning against the counter and chatting with his housekeeper. Her fitted dress and narrow belt highlighted her slim build perfectly. A fierce desire burned through him and he ruthlessly pushed it away.

***

Bridget gazed at the open doorway and saw William watching her. Her heart squeezed in her chest. It had only been a few hours, yet she had missed him terribly.

Mrs. Blake dried her hands on her apron and said, “I’ll go and pack.”

William stepped into the room and she could feel the tension radiating from his body.

“I’m sorry, William. It was wrong of me to insist that nothing change between us.”

A silence descended on the room. He was not going to accept her apology.
 

He crossed his arms. “I don’t think a relationship between us will work. I want complete transparency and you need complete privacy. Trying to continually negotiate it will only lead to arguments and hurt feelings.”

She stepped towards him. Would he turn her down? “I’m willing to go for complete transparency. I’d rather risk my reputation than risk my relationship with you.” Could she risk her heart and survive the heartbreak if he decided he didn’t want to give it a try?

His head jerked back. “What? You are willing to admit to a relationship with me?”

She nodded and waited for his response.
 

He picked her up and spun her around. Slowly lowering her in his arms, he kissed her deeply. A feeling of breathlessness overtook her as her mind made sense of his reaction. He wanted the relationship. The risk no longer held any power over her. Happiness bubbled up inside her and she touched the flat surface of his chest and returned his kiss.

He held her in his arms. “I’m taking a few days and driving down to meet my brother. Can you come with me?”

She looked away. “We’ve been in New York. I need to get back to Breen.”

“I’ll send Jeremy and you can check in by phone.”

She thought about it. She should put work first, but William needed her. Meeting his brother was going to be emotional.
 

Pushing aside her doubts, she said, “All right. I’ll need to stop at my flat.”

***

Packing the Range Rover with cycling equipment, he asked Bridget to send a message to the management team that they would be travelling for a couple of days and would reach out to them later in the week. They had a four hour drive south ahead of them and had his assistant book lodging near a well-regarded touring area.
 

It crossed his mind that for someone who harped on openness, he was being somewhat mysterious. But he needed to find out who these people were before involving his sisters. Once the media got wind of it, there would be a firestorm of speculation.

He opened the door to the Range Rover for Bridget, but before she could climb in, he took her in his arms and kissed her. He craved her and it worried him. He wanted her along on this journey, which was odd for him. He usually wanted to be alone.

They drove to her flat and he waited in the car for her to pack. Turning off his phone, he listened to
La Bohème
and tried to dispel images of the last time he had seen his father. Did his father know that he would have another child? He could be walking into a situation that could plague him for the rest of his life or bring him enormous joy.
 

When Bridget retuned with her bag, he got out and placed it in the back seat.

“So we are also having a cycling adventure?”

“We can’t surprise them and then expect to spend the entire day with them.”

Bridget turned towards him. “They don’t know that you are coming?”

“I decided this morning, but my attorney sent a letter three weeks ago.”

***

After an uneventful drive, they knocked on a small wooden door to a stone cottage. The entire property looked like it belonged in the nineteenth century. He had the feeling that his father was with him. He ran a hand through his hair and pushed away the anger that coursed through his body. Why would his father be so careless?

A striking yet frail-looking woman with muted red hair and deep blue eyes opened the door. “Can I help you?”

He had expected her to look sickly. “I’m William Bolles and this is Bridget North.”

The woman paled and looked them over. “Please come in. Oliver is not home but will be in an hour or so. I’m Mary.”

It was odd to hear of another Bolles being called Oliver. He had barely gotten over his sister, Anna, naming her infant son Oliver.

He thoughts were hazy, but he could feel Bridget’s hand on his arm, anchoring him in the present. Mary was different from his own mother. She was charming but didn’t enhance her looks, instead seemed to play them down. Their house was so modest that he was ashamed of his father for not providing for them. The furniture was old and cheap. His father’s choices were odd. The women he chose to have a relationship with were vastly different. Had this woman been the love of his life?

He wanted to escape from the tiny house but forced himself to remain. “I apologize for intruding but couldn’t wait any longer. My attorney had sent you some paperwork, but it hadn’t been returned yet.”