Law #1: Never Bet on Love: A Sweet Billionaire Love Story (Laws of Love) Agnes Canestri (best books to read in your 20s .txt) š
- Author: Agnes Canestri
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My eyes move to Holly. Iām searching for an ally. Perhaps sheāll take pity on me and persuade Murphy to move this conversation away from Nathan. But instead of siding with me, Nathanās motherās brows furrow. āSo then, what are your intentions with my son?ā
Murphyās face tenses and he shoots a reproachful glance at his mother as if he doesnāt approve of her straightforward question.
The strangeness of this situation is beyond my understanding. Why is Holly so curious what my plans are with Nathan? And why does Murphy look so displeased? Could it be that Holly wants to check whether Iām a gold digger? Oh no, without knowing my emotional baggage, that could be an easy conclusion for her to arrive at. I should probably play my feelings down a little so that she doesnāt think Iām head over heels about her son after just one week because heās a billionaire. I adjust the earrings in my earlobe awkwardly. āTo be honest, Holly, Iām still figuring things out with Nathan and going with the flow.ā
Holly pales and her gaze snaps to Murphy.
Murphy coughs shortly, then drifts backward. He presses his hands on the sofa, creating a myriad of shadows as his fingers sink into the soft upholstery. He ignores his motherās searching eyes and instead stares straight at me. āAh, Eva. I can certainly understand your hesitance about my brother. Iām not sure Iād be able to trust him either if I were a woman.ā Holly lets out a small squeak, but Murphy goes on. āNathan is all about work and schedules. Heās too self-absorbed and doesnāt seem to acknowledge the people around him.ā
Annoyance flares in me at his disloyal words.
How can he speak about Nathan like this?
I bite my cheek for a split second before answering, hoping the sharp pain might help me temper the unfriendly snap thatās on the tip of my tongue. āIām sorry, Murphyā¦but werenāt you the one who told me Nathan is a diamond in the rough? I thought what you meant wasāā
āYes, yes.ā Murphy waves dismissively. āI did say that. I want to see Nathan happy, of course. Heās my blood and I love him. But I canāt deny he isnāt the best suitor for a woman of your wits and kindness, no? Nathan is a bit like a robot. And you? Youāre full of life. Complete opposites. It was a longshot for me to think you could fall in love with a grumpy, cold fellow like my brother.ā
The corner of his mouth twitches, and I canāt decide whether heās amused or embarrassed about what he just said.
But it doesnāt really matter. His discourse has my body locked up with rage. My pulse slams in my neck. I shoot a glance at Holly to see whether she, as Nathanās mother, will stand up for her son, but she just sits there as if sheās too startled to say even a word.
Well, then itās up to me to defend him. I lean forward and narrow my eyes at Murphy. āI donāt think your brother would be pleased if he knew how youāre speaking of him in his absence. Especially because nothing, absolutely nothing, of what you said is true. Nathan is the most tender-hearted person Iāve ever met. He is truly good inside. He is also funny and caring. Heās the sweetest with my siblings. He might have started off on the wrong foot with me, but since then he proved to me that he deserves all my attention. We might be complete opposites in some things, but we are very much complementary in many other ways.ā My voice isnāt as polite and even-toned as I would want, but I need to make Murphy see how wrong he is. āI wonāt stand for you calling Nathan grumpy or cold. He isnāt either of those thingsāor at least not when heās with me. He is the best suitor for me, the only one really!ā I clutch my hand to my lips as I realize what Iāve just admitted.
Murphy and Holly exchange a triumphant glance, then Holly asks, āSo you do love my son?ā
How could I deny it when Iāve already said it. āYes, I do,ā I mumble.
Murphy rubs his hands and gives me an apologetic smile. āSorry, Eva, I really needed to hear how you feel about Nathan.ā
I shake my head in confusion. āDoes this mean you talked badly about your brother to see how I would react? Thatāsā¦unfairā¦but also pretty smart.ā
āWell, I do earn my living helping people unveil the truth about their real selves and desires.ā Murphy grins warmly at me.
Holly stands up and walks to me. I jump up to meet her at the same eye-level. She is also smiling widely as she reaches for my hand and squeezes it. āItās wonderful news, dear Eva. Just what I hoped to hear.ā
Thereās a soft knock on the door. Marjorieās silver-tinted brown curls and heart-shaped face appears. āAll is ready for your announcement, sis. We can start whenever youāre ready.ā
Holly nods. āI still need to have a brief chat with my son.ā She pats my shoulder. āEva, you should go downstairs with Marjorie and enjoy the ball, meanwhile. Iāll send Nathan to you as soon as weāre finished.ā
Marjorie opens the door wide and waves to me. āCome, Eva. Iāll show you the best treats our buffet table offers.ā
āOf course,ā I mumble, still bewildered by the satisfied reaction that my confession unleashed in Nathanās mother and brother.
Iām not comfortable that I admitted my feelings to them first instead of to Nathan, but at least they didnāt accuse me of being a forty-niner as I feared. In all cases, my coming out with them means that Iāll need to do the same with Nathan as soon as possible. I wouldnāt want him to
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