Page 19 of Is This Real or Just Pretend?

As Alex led him across the room, Lucien noticed their progress being tracked by a number of eyes. Perhaps she hadn’t been indulging in a bit of self-pity after all if simply escorting her to an event garnered this much attention.

Even though Alex had a well-earned reputation for being prickly, this reaction seemed a bit extreme as she was still an attractive, intelligent woman. If this were a real courtship and not a sham based on mutual gratification, he would be a lucky man. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

The first display showcased plans for a portable printing press. Alex quickly scanned the documents and frowned. “Hmm.”

“What is it?”

She tapped a finger to her chin in consideration. “I don’t think this will work.”

Lucien stared at the plans but they didn’t make any sense to him. He might as well be trying to read hieroglyphics. “Why do you say that?”

She pointed to something that looked like a very small Ferris wheel, or possibly a millstone.

“There are far too many pieces here. It will take a number of days just to get it up and running—and that’s assuming nothing is lost. What’s the use of calling something ‘portable’ if it is so arduous to put together?

Better to work on making it more convenient first, I think. ”

Lucien furrowed his brow and pretended to have the faintest idea what she was talking about. “Hmm…”

While he tried to formulate a response, a man came up beside her. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with thick, dark hair, and held himself with the kind of innate confidence Lucien had worked very hard to master these last few years.

“Because the inventor hopes that the benefits of such a machine will far outweigh the numerous inconveniences,” he said smoothly. Alex glanced over at him and immediately stiffened.

“Or so I’ve heard,” the man added with a charming smile before extending a hand to Lucien. “Hello, I’m Benjamin Chisolm.”

“Lucien Taylor.”

He squinted in recognition and Lucien couldn’t help thinking the reaction seemed forced, like the man was playing a part.

“Ah. People have been talking about your supper club. Marvelous idea. They’re very popular in New York.

I’d love to speak to you about it further, if that’s all right.

” Mr. Chisolm gave Alex an imploring look.

She stared back at him in frosty silence. Lucien wasn’t sure if she disliked the man or did not know him from Adam—either was a possibility.

“Of course,” she finally said with a terse nod. “How are you?” Though the question itself was friendly enough, Alex’s tone was almost accusatory.

Mr. Chisolm looked nonplussed. “Very well. And yourself?”

She lifted her chin. “Never better.” Then she released Lucien’s arm. “Please excuse me. There is someone I must speak with.”

Mr. Chisolm stared after her with a half smile as she stiffly walked across the room and shook his head. “Miss Atkinson doesn’t change, does she?”

Before Lucien could answer, the man let out a heavy sigh. “We met at Oxford. I was her tutor, actually.”

“Oh.”

Then Mr. Chisolm’s smile turned rueful. “But she went and fell in love with me, poor thing.”

Oh.

“Wasn’t the first time that happened, of course.

You can imagine what those university girls are like,” he said with a chuckle.

“Most of them spend all their time with their noses in a book. If a man simply looks their way, they think it’s true love.

” He chuckled again, but Lucien frowned.

That didn’t sound at all like Alex. “Inevitably, I had to let her down,” Mr. Chisolm blithely continued.

“And she refused to have anything to do with me after that. Then I went off to New York and only just returned last week. But that’s all ancient history.

I did have a feeling she would be here tonight, though,” he added with a knowing little smile that set Lucien’s teeth on edge.

“Now then,” he said brightly, as if he hadn’t just relayed highly private and rather embarrassing information about her to someone he had only just met. “Are you planning to open a supper club here in London? If you’re looking for investors, I’m interested.”

“Uh, yes,” Lucien stammered. Mr. Chisolm then peppered him with questions, which Lucien answered rotely while his mind spun.

Alex had been in love with this man? And actually declared herself to him?

It sounded far-fetched, to put it mildly. But then, he was handsome, charming, and clearly successful. If she were to fall in love with anyone, Lucien supposed it would be with a man like him.

“You won’t mention I said anything about our past to her, will you?” Mr. Chisolm asked with the barest hint of concern. “She’s clearly still upset and I wouldn’t want to embarrass her.”

“No,” Lucien replied. “Of course not.” Though it seemed the man could have avoided that altogether by not saying anything in the first place.

Mr. Chisolm grinned and patted his shoulder, already moving on. “Good lad. Send a note to me at my club, Bedivere’s, and we can set up a time to meet next week and discuss things further.”

Lucien nodded. “Absolutely.”

As Mr. Chisolm left him, Lucien looked around for Alex, but she had disappeared.

Mr. Atkinson was deep in conversation with a few older men, so Lucien wandered about feeling like a lost lamb until Mrs. LaSalle gestured to a set of French doors at the back of the room that opened out onto a terrace.

“She’s out there. I’ll keep the others away so you can have some privacy.

Enjoy yourselves,” she said with a wink, then glided away.

Lucien swallowed and headed outside. Alex stood alone in a dark corner with her arms crossed, staring out at the back garden. Every rigid inch of her bearing seemed designed to ward off others, but Lucien wasn’t deterred.

It made her seem less intimidating, to know that even she wasn’t immune to youthful romantic impulses and had experienced real heartbreak.

Heartbreak that still clearly affected her years later.

Alex didn’t look at him as he approached. “Did you have a productive chat with Mr. Chisolm?”

Lucien paused for a moment, surprised. But then, Alex would have eyes in the back of her head. “He wants to meet at his club next week,” he replied as he came beside her.

“Is that so?” she said flatly.

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t.”

She shot him a challenging look. “Why wouldn’t I want you to meet with him?”

Lucien stared back at her. “I don’t know,” he said carefully before gathering his courage. “Do… do you not like him?”

Her shoulders tensed as she huffed a laugh and turned back to the garden. “That hardly matters.”

“It does to me,” he said after a moment.

“Well, it shouldn’t .” Then Alex whirled on him.

“This is business, Lucien,” she said with exasperation.

“And I expect you to make decisions based on what is best for you without regard for me. Because that is how this works,” she added sharply.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright with anger.

It was the closest she had ever come to completely losing her cool demeanor.

And Lucien was filled with a sudden, overwhelming desire to see that. Very much.

“I understand.”

She held his gaze for another moment as the fire faded from her eyes. “Good. We should circle the room once more. Mr. Chisolm isn’t your only option.”

“He isn’t yours, either,” Lucien murmured.

She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

Lucien pressed his lips together. He didn’t want to embarrass her, truly. But if Alex was still carrying around that man’s rejection and letting it define her worth, she deserved to know the truth.

“I only meant that you have other options as well. Romantically speaking.”

Her dark eyes hardened. “Did he say something to you about me?” Her voice was low and dangerous.

He suddenly wished to take the words back, but his hesitation was answer enough.

“Benjamin Chisolm is a fine enough businessman,” she began.

“But you would do well not to trust him with anything else. Furthermore, I would appreciate it if you refrained from making comments about my life, romantic or otherwise. I neither want nor need your sympathy. You are here to perform a service, and I in kind.”

Lucien inhaled deeply in a bid to tamp down his frustration. This woman was impossible . “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you with my concern.”

If Alex picked up on his sarcasm, she didn’t acknowledge it.

She simply continued on, forcing Lucien to trail behind her like a chastised puppy.

Her complete disinterest in developing even the slightest rapport unexpectedly stung.

Perhaps she really was the heartless ice queen everyone claimed.

Benjamin Chisolm had gotten the best of her, and now he was left with the scraps.

Upon returning to the drawing room, he automatically held out his arm.

You are here to perform a service.

And by God he would do it. Alex glanced at him and her eyes flashed with surprise before she dutifully slid her arm through his.

A kind of instinctual regret began to well inside him, but Lucien pushed the feeling aside and kept his expression impassive.

He would perform his role just as she demanded. Nothing more.