Chapter 49 She Must Have Been Mistaken!
The elevator chimed, and Ryan escaped as briskly as he could without appearing to flee.
Grace and Chloe followed, still arm in arm.
“Do you know him?” Chloe asked.
Grace kept her expression casual.
“No. One of the employees, I suppose.”
Chloe relaxed.
Before the camping trip, she would have happily identified Ryan as the man she’d hired. She’d already told Grace about having a fake boyfriend who was treating her grandfather.
Now she wanted to keep him to herself.
If she described his medical skill, his strength, the way he’d saved everyone from the wolves, Grace might become curious. And as his boss, she could see him every day.
No. Let him remain an ordinary employee as far as Grace was concerned.
Fortunately, he’d been quick enough not to greet her.
Grace was equally relieved. She couldn’t bear the thought of explaining her arrangement with Ryan to Chloe. One familiar remark from him could have exposed it.
“Your employees are bold,” Chloe said lightly. “He barely greeted the boss.”
“Maybe he’s new. Besides, it’s lunchtime. Some people leave their manners at their desks.”
They laughed, each satisfied with the deception.
Then Grace looked at Chloe’s face and remembered the incident at the gate.
Could Ryan have mistaken them for each other?
Had he seen Chloe’s breasts?
She dismissed it almost immediately. Chloe would never have ignored him if something like that had happened. She would have had plenty to say in the elevator.
It didn’t matter. In three months, Ryan would no longer be part of her life. He could do as he liked, provided he didn’t involve her.
“Come on. There’s a place nearby with excellent beef soup.”
“Sounds good.”
Outside, Ryan looked back at the building and exhaled.
That had been far too close.
Should he explain everything?
Both women had had the chance to acknowledge him. Neither had taken it. Clearly, they wanted their arrangements kept private.
Why volunteer to be the one who upset them?
In three months, he might leave Asheville. The problem could resolve itself.
After lunch, Chloe sent him a message.
I can’t believe you work for my cousin. What a coincidence.
Ryan smiled. She didn’t know the half of it.
I had no idea Ms. Morgan was your cousin.
She’s older than me, but we’re actually distant cousins. You have to go back generations. Maybe we look like the same ancestor. Everyone thinks we’re twins.
Seeing you together certainly surprised me.
A moment later, another message arrived.
Please don’t tell Grace about us.
There it was.
Of course, he replied.
Thank you. I still owe you dinner for saving me.
We’ll arrange something.
His phone rang before they could say more.
Grace.
“The woman with me at lunch was my cousin,” she said. “She came to visit.”
“All right.”
He waited.
“I’d appreciate you keeping our agreement private. Don’t discuss it with anyone.”
And there was the other request.
“I’ll keep my word.”
She seemed to relax.
“Thank you.”
“You can trust me, you know. We’ve shared a room for days, and I’ve behaved. You don’t have to keep treating me like a creep.”
Silence.
“Goodbye, Ryan.”
He lowered the phone with a smile.
They thought remarkably alike.
At the end of the day, Victor called from outside. Ryan left the building and found him standing beside a luxury sedan.
“Mr. Mercer.”
“Mr. Carter. Please.”
They got in and drove away.
A little farther back, Grace watched from her SUV.
That had been Ryan. But the man collecting him looked familiar.
Victor Mercer?
She shook her head.
A man with that kind of influence, waiting outside to pick Ryan up personally?
She must have been mistaken.