Page 144 of Unexpected Entanglement

“He’ll be home soon,” Rosemary said.

“What is it you need to talk to my son about, Miss Kelly?” George questioned.

Rowan knew enough about Chris’ strained relationship with his father that her instinct warned her to tread lightly. “It’s a private matter.”

“Is it now?” George took his sunglasses off and looked at her, his eyes sharp. “Haven’t you troubled my son enough? Now you had to chase him down after he left your little island?”

Rowan leaned back, aghast by the evenly delivered attack. It was a punch coming out of nowhere.

“George?” Rosemary’s surprised gaze flew to the man.

“Stay out of this, Rosemary,” George said. “I’d like to get to know this woman who’s brazen enough to show up here after putting my son in a questionable situation.”

Rowan abruptly got up. “Mr. Sullens, I’m here to return something that belonged to your son. If he’s not here, I can return another time.”

“Sit down, young lady.” George Sullens’ voice didn’t rise, but it was commanding.

Rowan didn’t move. “I don’t think I will, Mr. Sullens. Good day.” With a last-second glare at Chris’ father, she headed to the door.

“You’re not leaving here with that ring,” George Sullens warned.

Rowan froze. She felt the ring heavy on her finger.

“Why do you think you’re worthy to wear that ring?” George stood.

Feeling her jaw locking with anger, Rowan consciously loosened it before she turned to face George. “Your son put this ring on my finger,” she simply stated.

“For a fake engagement.” George shook his head in disgust. “What an elaborate scheme you’ve concocted, Miss Kelly.”

“What are you implying, Mr. Sullens?” Rowan narrowed her eyes at him.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he challenged. “My son went to Vinalhaven to investigate your inn for a friend, and you saw an opportunity. Why else would you announce that he’s your fiancé? And like the gullible boy he always is, he fell for it.”

Rowan saw red.

She stalked back to George Sullens, and all of her five-foot-five—plus a couple of inches of her heels—squared up to the old man, who was almost as tall as his son.

“First, your son is a man, Mr. Sullens. Not a boy. And not a gullible one at that,” Rowan hissed through her teeth. “He is a good and kind man—none of these qualities came from you, I’m sure.”

“And you take advantage of his kindness,” George shot back. “To the point he gave you his mother’s ring. Is that why you’re here? So you can claim your fake engagement is real all along?”

“I came to return the ring!” Rowan’s voice rose.

“What do you want for it? A couple of million to bankroll your inn? I’ll write you a check right now if you leave my son alone. It sounds like you’re in over your head with that project, Miss Kelly. You couldn’t even get through a wedding without my son’s help.”

Rowan balled her hands into fists and held herself rigid. “I don’t need your money. And my siblings and I can take care of Bright Head. Your son knows that. I don’t give a fuck what you think of me. But I find it comical that you’re suddenly this concerned father when you’ve never shown him you care about him.”

“Don’t turn this around. I love my son.” George’s expression of schooled disdain fell.

“Did you ever actually tell him that?” Rowan demanded. “Do you even know your son thinks he’s a disappointment to you because he wants to go his own way instead of staying in your shadow?”

“I am proud of my son and everything he’s done with his life.”

“Then why don’t you tell him that instead of lashing baseless accusations at me?” Rowan exclaimed. “And while you’re at it,why don’t you start respecting your son by not trying to pay off women behind his back?”

Rowan pulled the ring off her finger and slammed it into George’s hand.

“Please give that back to Chris,” she added. “Unlike you, I don’t want him to feel obligated to commit to something he doesn’t want.”

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