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If today was anything to go by, she was inclined to think not.
Zack arched his spine, acknowledging his body’s exhaustion. He’d crossed umpteen time zones in the last week between the States, New Zealand and Australia and then back to the States. There were arrangements to make for an indefinite absence from his substantial franchise conglomerate. Luckily his wine-maker had completed harvesting in Zack’s absence and there wasn’t much going on at the new stud right now as the foaling and breeding seasons were the opposite of the northern hemisphere. Managing the weanlings comprised the main business at this time of year.
He looked down at his three-hundred-dollar shirt and the expensive suit pants that were now streaked with horse sweat and dust. It was fair to say it hadn’t been a good week.
The rage seeped away but there was enough residue to narrow his eyes when he looked at her. It would take a while to get over seeing the expectant mother of his baby walking up to twelve hundred pounds of loose and agitated horseflesh.
But she did look good, more magnificently pregnant than a week ago. There was no mistaking it now.
A wave of fatigue made him light-headed. Every muscle, every sinew, had jumped to attention and been stretched to the limit. It was adrenaline, jet lag and a measure of stress. He was dead on his feet.
“The doctors are happy?” It was an effort to un-clench his jaw.
She nodded, relaxing a little.
“How did your family take the news?”
Skylar sucked on her bottom lip gently then released it with a small smacking noise. “With varying degrees of amazement.”
That’s what her brother had told him when he phoned two days ago. Zack respected Blake’s directness. He was almost friendly once satisfied of Zack’s intention to marry his sister and that he had no interest in milking the family’s coffers. He even suggested they double up, as he and his fiancée, Sasha, were planning a winter wedding.
Blake had also warned him to tread carefully with Trina, his and Skylar’s mother. Apparently she liked to meddle in the Fortune’s affairs, even to the extent of supplying the tabloids with false information about her own children.
“What about yours?” Skylar asked.
His head raised. The jury was still out on how much to divulge about a rather unusual family situation with his soon-to-be wife. “Surprised,” he told her. “But increasingly happy about becoming a granddad.”
She looked as if she expected more. Less was more, especially concerning his father. “He’s not in the picture much.”
“Is your mother…”
Zack nodded. “She died four years ago after a long illness.” He paused, watching her face carefully. “They hadn’t been together for some time.” What would she feel about that? Skylar Fortune was, after all, a horse breeder. Lineage was important to her, although her own parents did not have a great track record in that respect.
He found only honest curiosity there. Her clear skin and eyes, the slight parting of her wide, shapely lips had him struggling to believe what Blake had let slip on the phone. It was an innocent enough comment, but it confirmed Zack’s suspicions that he was set up four months ago at the wedding. Set up for seduction by this innocent-looking woman.
Why? Was it just about the baby? Did she want the baby, not the man?
He hardened his heart. No one, not Skylar nor her wealthy family was going to cut him out of his baby’s life and run him out of town.
He exhaled and pushed himself slowly to his feet. “I’m beat. I’ll see you tomorrow. Do the boys log on at six or…”
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