Page 102 of When a Duke Loves a Woman
“From Thorne. I was trying to help him find her. She left him standing at the altar.”
Leaning back in the chair, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not surprised. She has a habit of breaking her promises.” He studied her for a long moment, shook his head. “I hope you didn’t give the scapegrace your heart, Gillie.”
“Tell me the pain lessens over time.”
His expression was one of sadness and sorrow. “Wish I could, but I won’t choose now to start lying to you.”
Not exactly what she’d wanted to hear, but a little over a month after saying goodbye, it was what she’d begun to suspect.
That night business was booming at the Mermaid, and she wondered how long before it might begin to dwindle. As long as her bosom jutted out past her stomach, perhaps none would be the wiser concerning her condition. And if she stayed behind the bar, few would be likely to get a good enough look at her to detect that she was increasing. As her stomach was beginning to round, she was rather certain she’d gotten with child the first night she and Thorne had come together.
“Hello, Gillie,” Aiden said as he slapped a hand on the bar. “I’ll have a pint of dark stout, the darker the better.”
She poured his drink and set it on the counter. “Enjoy.”
He took a long, slow swallow, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Have you got a minute?”
“For you, anytime.”
“Good. Let’s go over there.” He led the way to a vacant table with other vacant tables around it, held out a chair for her—
“I haven’t lost the ability to see to myself,” she muttered as she sat.
“Didn’t think you had. I was just being polite.” He set his glass on the table, grabbed a chair, swung it around, and straddled it. “I’ve been doing some thinking of late.”
“Glad to hear you’ve taken up a pastime.”
“Very funny, Gillie, very funny. That’s what I’ve always fancied about you, your humor.”
“You’re too easy to tease, Aiden.”
“That I am. I also have an extremely successful business that I’ll be expanding soon. You have a good business here—”
“I have an excellent business here. It sees me in good stead.”
“But imagine if we were to combine our assets. We’d be quite the couple to be reckoned with.”
She stared at him. “And how exactly would we combine our assets?”
“Through marriage.”
“You’re asking me to marry you?”
“I’msuggestingyou marry me. You’re not really my sister.” He leaned toward her, an earnestness in his eyes. “Look, Gil, life is going to get really hard for you. I know a gaming hell owner isn’t ideal husband material, but it beats the alternative. You know you’re going to get ostracized.”
“I know.”
“People are likely to start drinking elsewhere.”
“I know. I’ll probably end up selling the place.”
He grimaced. “But you’ve worked so hard. You’ve poured your soul into the Mermaid.”
She placed her hands over her belly. “But now there’s something—someone—else I want to pour my soul into.”
For a moment, his eyes dipped to the shelter she’d created before meeting her gaze. “We’d have fun, Gil. I could show you a good time, better than that fancy duke showed you.”
She very much doubted that. Still she grinned at him. “Drink up, Aiden. Free drinks are all you’re going to get from me.”
