To Make a Marriage
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Carole Mortimer
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15,3K
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13
CHAPTER ONE
‘I’M REALLY sorry to interrupt, Miss Summer, but there’s someone outside to see you!’
Andie looked up with a frown, having been poring over a fashion layout that lay sprawled across the top of her desk. She had asked April not to disturb her for an hour, desperately trying to meet today’s deadline, but as she looked at her secretary’s expectantly flushed face her frown deepened.
‘And who might that someone be, April?’ she prompted dryly, knowing it had to be someone important—or April wouldn’t have disturbed her at all.
April drew in a deep, excited breath. ‘It’s—’
‘Adam Munroe,’ the man himself announced with a smile as he strolled into the office, dressed as impeccably as usual, his charcoal-grey suit tailored across the width of his shoulders and the narrowness of his waist and thighs, his pale blue shirt made of silk, only the bright blue and yellow pattern of his tie giving any indication of the less than conservative nature that lurked beneath his outward appearance.
The arrival of Adam Munroe in the office was reason enough for April to have gone all aflutter, Andie allowed ruefully as she slowly put her marker pen down on the desk-top.
A long-time friend of her father’s, Adam was a well-known film producer, but, with his tall, rugged good looks, and silver-blonde hair, he was gorgeous enough to have starred in one of the films he’d financed.
‘Thank you, April,’ Andie told her secretary dismissively, a slightly knowing smile playing about her lips as she watched April’s slow retreat out of the room, the girl’s avid gaze fixed on Adam the whole time.
Not that Andie could exactly blame April for that, either; Adam had been breaking female hearts with his charming elusiveness ever since she could remember. Elusive, because Adam always made it plain to the women he became involved with that the friendship would never lead to a permanent relationship. Not very romantic, but it certainly didn’t seem to deter those women from becoming involved with him. In fact, the opposite!
Andie stood up slowly. ‘After totally captivating my secretary so that I doubt I will get any more work out of her today—to what do I owe the honour of this visit, Adam?’ she teased as she moved forward to kiss him lightly on the cheek.
He grinned, warm pale grey eyes surrounded by long dark lashes. ‘I was just passing, and wondered if you would care to join me for lunch?’
She raised blonde brows. ‘Isn’t eleven-thirty in the morning a little early for lunch?’ she queried.
He shrugged, making himself comfortable on the edge of her desk, disturbing several of the photographs that lay there in the process. ‘Not when you haven’t had any breakfast yet, no,’ he observed pointedly.
Andie gave a wry smile, shaking her head. ‘Hectic night again, hmm, Adam?’ she taunted, moving back behind the desk to look up at him with mocking green eyes.
‘Not particularly,’ he replied dryly. ‘I don’t seem to be sleeping too well at the moment.’
‘You—’
‘Alone, that is,’ he put in before she could complete her comment.
Andie chuckled. ‘Maybe that’s your problem; you obviously aren’t used to it!’
‘Very funny.’ He scowled. ‘The problem with you Summer sisters is that you have no respect for your elders!’
Andie held back her smile this time, although it lurked in the brightness of her eyes and the slight curve of her lips. ‘Have Harrie and Danie been casting aspersions too?’ She referred to her two older, now married, sisters.
Adam gave a grimace. ‘When haven’t the three of you teased me unmercifully?’
It was true, of course. But Andie and her sisters had known Adam, almost as an honorary uncle, for twenty years, and the fact that most women fell over themselves to meet him had been a constant source of amusement to the three of them as they’d been growing up. School friends, and then university friends, and eventually work friends, had constantly sought invitations to their father’s home in the hope that Adam might be a guest at the same time.
‘You know you love it, Adam,’ she said.
‘What I would love is some lunch.’ He stood up. ‘Going to keep me company?’ He quirked blonde brows enquiringly.
‘I’m very busy, Adam.’ She gave a weary look at the layout on her desk.
‘You still have to eat,’ he persisted.
‘Not at eleven-thirty in the morning, I don’t!’ she rejoined.
Adam gave an impatient sigh. ‘I don’t usually have this much trouble getting a woman to have lunch with me!’
Andie laughed throatily. ‘A little denial is good for the soul!’
‘It’s my soul,’ he returned. ‘Please allow me to know what is and isn’t good for it—and almost having to beg you to have lunch with me is not good for it!’ he assured her scathingly.
If he weren’t a mature self-assured man of almost forty, Andie would have said he had the look of a petulant little boy at that moment—one that couldn’t get his own way!
She shook her head. ‘You aren’t begging, Adam. And I wouldn’t allow you to, either,’ she added seriously. ‘But I’m not being deliberately difficult; I really am extremely busy.’ She indicated the photographs scattered over her desk-top.
‘Rome is of the opinion that you work too hard—and I have to agree with him when you can’t even take the customary hour for lunch,’ Adam told her, eyes narrowed on the slenderness of her frame in the silky plum-coloured trouser suit and pale cream blouse.
She had lost weight the last few months, Andie inwardly acknowledged. But she also knew it was a weight she would shortly regain. And more!
That thought sobered her somewhat, and looking up at Adam, ‘Just when did you and my father have this cosy discussion concerning the amount of work I do or don’t do?’ she prompted.
‘At Danie’s wedding on Saturday,’ Adam drawled challengingly. ‘And there was nothing cosy—or underhand—about it; I merely remarked that you were looking at little pale, and Rome said that you’re working too hard. That was the extent of our conversation concerning you,’ he finished decisively.
‘So you thought you would take pity on me today and invite me out to lunch.’ Andie nodded, green eyes sparkling with anger now. ‘It’s very kind of you, Adam—’
‘Don’t get all polite on me, young lady,’ he came back.
‘For one thing—I wouldn’t recognise you if you did! And for another—I’m not being in the least polite.’
‘You just hate to eat alone,’ she guessed.
Adam gave a reluctant smile, shaking his head as he raised his gaze exasperatedly to the ceiling. ‘Either this used to be easier, or I’m just getting old!’
It wasn’t either of those things, but she was busy—and, more to the point, she did not want to go out to lunch with Adam. Her life was complicated enough already at the moment, without that!
‘It was a lovely wedding on Saturday, wasn’t it?’ She changed the subject—to one she knew he would find distasteful. Weddings and Adam Munroe just did not mix!
‘Lovely,’ he echoed with predictable sarcasm. ‘First Harrie took the plunge, and then Danie on Saturday; I expect it will be your turn next!’ he added disgustedly.
Andie looked down at her ringless left hand—knowing it would remain that way too. The man she loved, she just couldn’t have…
‘I doubt that very much,’ she answered gruffly, blinking back sudden, unaccustomed tears. She had become so emotional lately! Definitely one of the symptoms of her condition that she wasn’t too happy about. ‘I’m destined to be an old maid, I’m afraid,’ she explained self-derisively.
‘Hey, I was only teasing.’ Adam seemed to have seen that glitter of tears in her eyes, coming around the desk to put his arm about her narrow shoulders. ‘There’s plenty of time yet for you to fall in love and get married; you’re only twenty-five, Andie—’
‘Twenty-six in a couple of months’ time,’ she put in huskily, knowing he had completely misunderstood the reason for her emotion. It wasn’t a question of falling in love and getting married; if she couldn’t have the man she loved—which she most certainly couldn’t!—then she wouldn’t marry at all. Ever.
‘That old, hmm?’ Adam murmured softly, raising her chin to look into her face. ‘Almost ancient, in fact.’
Andie shook her head, straightening away from him. ‘You misunderstood the reason for my—emotion, I’m afraid, Adam,’ she spoke firmly. ‘I just find it very odd to realise that Harrie and Danie are no longer just my sisters, but are now Quinn and Jonas’s wives.’
And she did find it strange. Three months ago none of the sisters had shown signs of marrying anyone, the three of them extremely close, so much so that they had never particularly needed other friends. And now to share not one of her sisters with a husband, but both of them, within the space of two months, was a little hard to take. Especially now…
Adam looked sympathetic. ‘Harrie’s the wife of a banker. And Danie—madcap Danie—’ he shook his head a little dazedly ‘is now the wife of a doctor. Amazing!’
It did take some adjusting to, Andie agreed. But there would be a lot more adjusting for Andie to do in her own life in the near future, than just to that of her sisters’ marriages…
‘Andie, come and have lunch with me?’ Adam cajolled.
‘If for no other reason than it will do wonders for my reputation to be seen with a very beautiful young woman!’ he added encouragingly.
Andie looked sceptical. ‘Another one?’ she parried, knowing Adam had a succession of beautiful young women in his life.
He gave an irritated sigh, moving back impatiently. ‘You know, I think Rome should have smacked your backside more when you were young enough to take notice!’ He stood up.
‘Mummy would never have let him.’ Andie spoke confidently on behalf of her gentle-natured mother.
Adam sobered. ‘True,’ he agreed distractedly.
Andie knew the reason for that distraction. Had known it for some time. Adam had been in love with her mother…
He had been around a lot when Andie and her sisters had been children, appearing at the estate most weekends. Despite a dislike of the countryside and all things connected to it… It had only been as Andie had grown older that she’d realised the reason Adam had put aside his aversion and visited them anyway. Ten years ago her mother had died, and if the three sisters and their father had been heartbroken at the loss, then Adam had been inconsolable.
Because he had been in love with Barbara…!
Andie had been stunned by the realisation at the time, although it hadn’t been a realisation she’d shared with her sisters, somehow finding the subject too difficult to discuss with her already distressed siblings. But she had wondered how her father would react, knowing Rome couldn’t help but see the younger man’s emotional state. Strangely enough Rome had seemed to draw comfort from the fact that Adam had loved Barbara too, an unbreakable bond developing between the two men, and now, ten years later, their friendship was stronger than ever.
Andie shot Adam a questioning look. ‘Does this mean you’ve withdrawn your invitation to lunch?’
Adam looked crossly at her. ‘No, it doesn’t,’ he snapped. ‘And I’m no longer asking—I’m telling! Whatever that stuff is—’ he waved an uninterested hand over the fashion layout she had been working on ‘—you’ll deal with it much more efficiently once you’ve had something to eat.’
The fact that he was right didn’t make the invitation any more palatable; she did not take kindly to being ordered about. By anyone!
She shook her head. ‘The answer is still no, I’m afraid, Adam—’
‘You aren’t afraid at all,’ he cut in harshly. ‘Damn it, Andie, you and I used to be friends—’
‘We still are,’ she assured him coolly, completely unruffled by his loss of temper. Her father had a quiet way of doing the same thing when he couldn’t get his own way, too… ‘But as I’ve already stated—several times—I’m busy.’
‘Fine,’ Adam bit back, his jaw clenched. ‘Perhaps I’ll see if April wants to join me instead.’
Andie gave a grin. ‘I have no doubt she would love to. But I’m also sure her fiancé would have a few things to say about it!’
Adam frowned darkly. ‘You never used to be this difficult, Andie,’ he said slowly.
She straightened in her high-backed chair, the sunshine coming in the window behind her giving her long hair the colour of ripe corn as it lay in a loose plait down her back, fine tendrils curling beside her ears and over her smooth brow.
‘I never used to be a lot of things, Adam,’ she told him tautly, the words tinged with an unhappiness she hoped he couldn’t detect; the last thing she needed in her life at the moment was an over-curious Adam Munroe. It had been difficult enough, initially, to deal with an over-anxious Rome, without having Adam on her case now, too!
Adam looked appreciatively about the luxury of her executive office. ‘You obviously enjoy being numero uno of Gloss,’ he observed.
She gave an acknowledging inclination of her head. ‘In the same way you enjoy running your own film production company,’ she replied noncommittally, having the distinct feeling Adam was just making conversation now, delaying his departure for as long as he possibly could. Although why he should want to do that she couldn’t imagine…
Adam gave her a considering look. ‘Does that mean you’ve become a career woman, Andie?’
Not exactly! Especially as this was the last week she would be working on the magazine for some months to come. Which was another reason she was so determined to make sure everything was done perfectly for this, her final issue, for some time…
But despite the fact Adam was a close family friend, she had no intention of telling him any of that. Her nine months’ leave of absence wasn’t public knowledge, and she preferred that it remain that way!
‘Not at all,’ she dismissed lightly. ‘Will you be coming down to the estate this weekend?’ she asked, her expression still deceptively noncommittal.
Grey eyes narrowed warily. ‘Why?’
‘No particular reason,’ Andie said casually. ‘I just thought I should warn you, if you were, that Rome is not in the best of moods at the moment.’
Which was definitely an understatement! Her sister Danie had promised a few weeks ago to do everything she could to distract their father’s attention from Andie and her present dilemma, but as it turned out Danie hadn’t needed to do that; Audrey, their father’s assistant for the last twelve years, had managed to do that quite successfully for them!
‘I didn’t think he looked too happy on Saturday,’ Adam said. ‘But I put that down to the losing-a-daughter syndrome.’
Andie chuckled softly. ‘Daddy has been trying to give us away for years!’
Adam grinned. ‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that. He wouldn’t give any of you away to just anyone.’
‘That’s comforting to know,’ Andie replied dryly—although she knew that was actually the case. Luckily for Harrie and Danie their father approved of their choice of husband—otherwise one or both of them would have had a battle on their hands!
‘Rome just wants a grandson to whom he can pass his business empire,’ Adam assured her knowingly.
Andie looked down unseeingly at the photographs on her desk-top. ‘And if we should all produce daughters?’ she prompted gruffly.
Adam laughed, seeming unaware of her distraction. ‘Then you’ll all just have to keep trying until that male heir materialises!’
‘I’m sure Harrie and Danie will be thrilled to know that!’ Andie gave a hollow laugh.
‘Look on the bright side, Andie,’ Adam drawled. ‘Until you find a husband it isn’t a problem that need bother you!’
How little he knew…!
She didn’t look well, Adam decided concernedly. Oh, there was no doubting Andie was as beautiful as ever. That would never change. Apart from her blonde hair, which she had inherited from her father, she looked exactly like her mother. And Barbara had been the most beautiful woman he had ever known…
But he knew Rome was worried about Andie, and, after seeing her at the wedding on Saturday, Adam had to admit he felt the same way. Andie still looked good enough to eat, but there was an air of fragility about her now that he had never noticed before, and a haunted look to those deep green eyes.
‘So I really can’t tempt you, then? To come out to lunch with me,’ he pressed as she looked at him beneath mockingly raised brows.
She sighed her impatience. ‘I’ve already explained—’
‘Several times,’ he agreed tersely. ‘Will you be at the estate this weekend?’
Now her expression became guarded. ‘Why?’
It never used to be like this between them! He had always had a close friendship with all of the Summer sisters, and Andie, as the youngest, had been able to twist him around her little finger. But there was a barrier between them now—and it wasn’t a situation he was particularly happy with.
‘No particular reason,’ he replied. ‘But it’s a fact that I have been invited down this weekend, and, if Rome is as bad-tempered as you say he is, it might be nice to have some happier company along!’
Andie gave a loud laugh. ‘Ever the bluntly honest Adam!’
He grimaced. ‘You wouldn’t know me if I suddenly became all charming and polite!’
‘True,’ she acknowledged evenly. ‘It might be interesting to see, though,’ she added softly.
Was it his imagination, or was there a wistful note in her voice…?
Wishful thinking, Adam, he instantly told himself.
Although there didn’t seem to be anyone in her life at the moment; Andie had attended the wedding alone on Saturday. But Adam knew there had been men in her life in the past, and to even imagine that she might have been nurturing a secret passion for him all these years was the height of stupidity on his part.
‘So what’s wrong with Rome?’ he abruptly changed the subject.
Andie frowned as she obviously readjusted her thoughts to coincide with his. ‘Audrey has handed in her notice.’
‘Audrey has?’ Adam gasped disbelievingly.
Because he didn’t believe it. Audrey Archer had been Rome’s personal assistant for so long now, had become part of the Summer family life, it was almost impossible to think of any of them without including Audrey in the equation.
Andie gave an unhappy grimace. ‘We’re all as surprised as you obviously are, Rome most of all—’
“Surprised isn’t exactly the way I would have described my own reaction,’ Adam said.
‘No…?’ Andie looked puzzled by his words.
Were all of the Summer family blind? Adam wondered impatiently. It had been obvious to him for years that the beautiful Audrey was in love with her employer. Just as it had also been obvious that, although Rome might be unaware of it, to all intents and purposes, apart from the physical side of things—which, Adam had decided long ago, was none of his business!—Audrey had been Rome’s wife in everything but name for at least the last ten years!
Audrey went everywhere with Rome, had dedicated the last twelve years of her life to all of the Summer family, becoming a surrogate mother to the three girls after their mother had died ten years ago; what on earth could have prompted her decision to leave them all now…?
With blinding clarity Adam suddenly knew the answer to that, too. Audrey had lost hope, had given up any romantic dreams she might have had of Rome one day coming to realise he loved her too.
Adam, probably more than most people, knew exactly how painful it was to love someone in that hopeless way. To have to stand in the background and watch the person one loved as they lived out their life, possibly with someone else, because that love would never, could never, be returned.
But the saddest part of this situation was that Adam was sure Rome actually did love Audrey—he just didn’t know that he did! Ten years ago Rome had been devastated by Barbara’s death, hadn’t even seen there were other women in the world in the two years that had followed. Since that time Adam knew the other man had confined his relationships to brief, meaningless affairs, never seeing the love, or the beautiful woman who had felt that love, that was right in front of his nose!
‘And what are any of you doing to try and stop her going?’ he bit out tersely.
Andie looked taken aback at his accusing tone. ‘What can we do?’ she said. ‘We’re all upset, naturally—’
‘Oh, naturally!’ Adam came back scornfully.
Her eyes blazed deeply green as she glared at him. ‘But Audrey seems to have made up her mind,’ she continued determinedly, ‘and so—’
‘Hell!’ Adam butted in furiously. ‘Are all of the Summer family so wrapped up in their own lives, their own feelings, that none of you can see what this must be doing to Audrey?’
Andie’s cheeks were pale now. ‘Aren’t you being a little unfair, Adam—?’
‘No, I’m not, damn it, not even a little bit!’ His hands were clenched at his sides. ‘But I can tell you now that you’ve helped make my mind up about going to the estate this weekend. I shall most certainly be there—if only to lend Audrey a shoulder to cry on!’ he blazed angrily.
Andie’s gaze was cold now as she looked across at him unblinkingly, although a nerve pulsed in her throat. ‘I’m sure she’ll be very grateful—’
‘You know something, Andie, I came here today full of good intentions, hoped we could share an enjoyable lunch together,’ he told her harshly. ‘But after listening to this I don’t have any appetite for food, either. For goodness’ sake, Audrey is a part of your family!’ he groaned protestingly.
As I am, he could have added. But didn’t. Because if Audrey, who had been closer to Rome than anyone else these last ten years, and a second mother to Harrie, Danie, and Andie, could be allowed to just leave their lives without protest, then what chance did he have of meaning anything more to any of them?
It was certainly a leveller. One that made him feel slightly sick…
Andie gave a deep sigh. ‘I’m well aware of that, Adam,’ she said. ‘And I have tried talking to her—’
‘Obviously with little result if she still intends leaving,’ he rasped.
She eyed him suspiciously. ‘Maybe you will have more success this weekend,’ she said softly.
Adam’s mouth set angrily. It wasn’t just because of Audrey, he inwardly acknowledged, shaken beyond words at the way she was being allowed to fade out of the lives of the Summer family. Could he, ultimately, expect the same fate?
He had met Rome almost twenty years ago, a young man of nearly twenty himself, with big ideas, and no money to back them up. Rome had been very much a business gambler in those days, and for several years he had become Adam’s financial backer, Adam eventually in a position to pay him back, while at the same time being self-supporting. The last fifteen years had undoubtedly been highly successful ones for Adam, so much so that his film production company was worth millions.
His unhappy beginnings had been put behind him. In fact, they were something he preferred never to think about. But as a result, having no family of his own to speak of, over the years he had come to feel as much part of the Summer family as Audrey must do, had always regarded Rome as the older brother he had never been privileged to have, and he had always looked on the three girls as indulged nieces. They were his family!
He had been a fool to think nothing would ever happen to change that…
‘Maybe I will,’ he agreed grimly. ‘It’s a sure fact someone has to try!’
Andie looked at him wordlessly for several long, tension-filled minutes, until finally she turned back to the work on her desk-top. ‘Perhaps I’ll see you there,’ she muttered, once again picking up her marker pen.
‘Perhaps you will,’ he rejoined grimly, turning on his heel and walking purposefully to the door. But he paused before leaving and his hand on the door-handle, he inserted, ‘If you can manage to drag yourself away from your own interests long enough!’
Those green eyes were hard as emeralds as she looked across at him. ‘I’m sure that if you can I can,’ she finally answered in freezing tones.
Adam shot her a glittering glance through narrowed lids before swinging the door open, closing it determinedly behind him as he left.
The pretty young secretary seated at the desk outside turned to give him a shy smile, and it took tremendous effort on Adam’s part to eliminate his scowl for the few seconds it took to give her a smile in return, before leaving. After all, she hadn’t done anything to annoy him.
Who was he really angry with? he asked himself as he strode outside in the sunshine.
Rome, for being so blind that he couldn’t see the unselfish love right in front of his eyes? A love he was about to lose…
Or Andie for seeming so indifferent about Audrey’s imminent departure?
Or was he just angry with himself?
The latter was probably the more truthful, he accepted. He had gone along for years believing nothing would ever change, that Rome, Audrey, and the three girls would be there, as they always had been.
But nothing had stayed the same. Harrie and Danie were both married now, with homes of their own. Audrey had decided it was time for her to leave the family. And Andie—Andie had become a stranger to him.
And self-pity, he decided determinedly, was not an option!
