The Billionaire's Secrets (16 page)

The restaurant was bright and cheerful with checked tablecloths and matching café curtains in the windows. A couple with a child about
Sophia
’s age sat at one of the tables. They seemed happy and comfortable together
,
and she felt a pang of sadness for
Sophia
,
who she feared would never enjoy the comfort of such a simple family event.

Feeling thoroughly chilled by the cold day, she walked to the back of the restaurant to take a table as far from the door as possible. Then she saw him.
Gaelan
.
He was sitting at the bar reading a newspaper, a bottle of beer at his elbow. She stopped in her tracks
,
and it seemed to her that her heart stopped too. What was he doing here?
He was supposed to be in Montreal!

She had taken a hesitant step in his direction when he looked up from his newspaper and turned his head toward her and smiled. She took a faltering step back “I...I’m sorry,” she stammered. The man on the stool was not
Gaelan
!

She
didn’t
know how she could tell it wasn’t him, the resemblance was so remarkable. The same thick dark hair, eyes, build, and features, but something was fundamentally different, something that gave him away right away, although for a moment she
didn’t
know what it was. “I thought you were someone else,” she said but without conviction. Really it was amazing. He smiled again at her, and
now
she knew what the difference was. The smile!
Gaelan
would never smile this easily! It would seem frivolous of him. Besides, his intensity would never allow it. He was like the hero in a gothic novel
who
carried in his
very
being the
dark and
stormy night.

“Can I guess who you thought I was?” he asked
,
still smiling at her, his eyes full of curiosity. His voice too, was different. Lighter, friendlier, but lacking the richness that made
Gaelan’s
so sexy. She nodded, knowing by his lack of surprise that this had happened before.

“I’m Bowen Byrne,
Gaelan
Byrne’s twin brother,” he said as he held his hand out to her. She took it, and his grip was warm and firm.

“I’m Chloe Winters,” she said. “I didn’t know
Gaelan
had a twin.”

“Alas,” he said with an exaggerated Newfoundland accent, “not many people do. My brother and I are not exactly on speaking terms.
And you?
How do you know my brother?”

Chloe hesitated, absorbing what he said about not being on speaking terms. “I work for him - I’m
Sophia
’s tutor,” she said.

Again that smile. “How is
Sophia
? I haven’t seen her since her mother died. She was such a bright little thing.”

“She still is,” Chloe said, hearing the pride in her own voice. Suddenly, she wondere
d what Bowen could tell her.
It’s not
just curiosity
, she told herself. Although there was lots of that - but it was more important she knew something about
Sophia
’s mother so as to better understand the situation and help
Sophia
. Surely the loss of her mother meant something to her, and
Gaelan’s
refusal to discuss her could only be unhealthy. And Windy was as close-mouthed as
Gaelan
when it came to the topic. “May I sit down?” she asked.

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry
. Y
ou must think I’m terribly rude.”

Chloe smiled. “Not at all,” she said, taking the stool beside him. Compared to his brother
Gaelan
, Bowen was extremely polite. Bowen was every bit as good-looking as
Gaelan
, although a little fairer, she saw that now as the
other
difference in their looks, but at the same time charming and relaxed. She liked him already.

“May I buy you a drink?” he asked, folding up the newspaper and laying it aside.

“Just coffee,” she said. “I have to pick up
Sophia
from her enrichment class at three.”

“Fine, coffee it is,
”
h
e
said, signalling
the waiter. “How long h
ave you been at Widow’s Cliff?”

“
About
a week
.”

He nodded, and Chloe sensed he was as curious about her as she was about him. “Not long,” he said wryly.
“But still probably a record.
You and my brother must be getting along famously.”

She smiled nervously. “Not really,” she said, averting her eyes from his, knowing that in those two words her voice had reflected volumes. She blinked rapidly, surprised at the sudden prick of tears at the corners of her eyes. It was as if in that moment all the stress and confusing emotions of the last week caught up to her.  She felt the sudden
desire to pour out everything that had happened since her arrival, to seek some muc
h needed comfort and kind words.
She wasn’t sure Bowen was the right person for that,
given she had only just met him
,
but who else could she turn to?

Bowen placed his hand over hers and gave it a slight squeeze before taking it away again. It was a familiar gesture, and Chloe felt like they
could be
friends - that he understood a little of what she was going through. “It’s okay,” he said soothingly. “You don’t have to explain. I know my brother probably better than anyone.”

Chloe took a sip of coffee and breathed deeply in order to regain her composure.
She
knew
she was acting inappropriately. She supposed
Gaelan’s
personal life was none of her business, but on the other hand anything that helped her with
Sophia
was her business.
And it wasn’t like
Gaelan
had always acted appropriately
, she thought, remembering his kisses that first night.
“Why aren’t you on speaking terms?” she asked.

“
Sophia
’s mother,” he said quietly. “Colleen.”

Chloe felt like she was on the brink of a discovery.
“
Gaelan
doesn’t let
Sophia
talk about her mother. Do you know why?’”

Bowen shrugged.
“Guilt, maybe.
If
Gaelan
is capable of such a thing.”
He took a sip of his beer. “How much do you want to know?”

Any warning bells still ringing in Chloe’s head about being indiscre
e
t were now entirely drowned out by her overwhelming curiosity to find the truth about
Gaelan
.
The only computer she’d seen in the castle had been in
Gaelan’s
office, and she worried too much about
Gaelan
finding out she’d been snooping on the internet. She hadn’t had enough money to keep up the payments on her smartphone and hadn’t had a chance to get a new one yet. So Bowen was her only opportunity to learn about
Gaelan
.
Everything
.
Tell me
everything
,
she thought to herself
, while out loud she said
,
“Tell me about
Sophia
’s mother.”

The waitress asked Bowen if he would like another beer. He declined and ordered a coffee instead. “Like you, I’m driving - which reminds me, I parked my car just up the hill, and I should put some money in the parking metre.” He stood up. “Is your car okay? These metres only have an hour on them.”

“
I should probably do the same. I’ll come with you.”

“No, wait here where it’s warm.”

“Thanks," she said. “It’s the white Jeep in front of the drugstore.”

She held a dollar coin to him, but he waved it away. “No problem, just don’t let anyone take my stool.
”

Chloe ordered another coffee for herself
,
and Bowen was back just as it arrived. He sat down a little breathlessly. “You wanted to know about Colleen.”

Chloe nodded
, hoping she didn’t look as eager as she felt.

Bowen stirred his coffee slowly as if deciding where to begin. “It’s hard to know where to start. Colleen was my girlfriend. I met her in New York. A friend of mine was in a play off Broadway, and I went to see him in it. And there she was.” His voice was full of sadness. “I thought she was the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen. My friend introduced us, and I’d like to think it was love.”