LITMIR.BIZ

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easy to ignore under normal circumstances, but it was late at night. Late night phone calls usually meant something was wrong. And with her frail grandfather it was hard not to worry something terrible had happened. Violet eased back from Cam’s embrace and gave him a wincing look. ‘Sorry, better answer that. It might be urgent.’

      ‘Sure.’ He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and stood back while she fished her phone out of her purse.

      By the time Violet got her phone out it had stopped, but she frowned when she saw she’d missed six calls from her mother. There were three each from all of her siblings. Her stomach dropped like an elevator with sabotaged cables. She pressed speed dial and looked at Cam with a grimace as she braced herself for bad news.

      ‘Mum? What’s wrong? You called me—’

      ‘Poppet, why didn’t you tell me?’ Her mother’s clear voice carried as if Violet had put her on speaker. ‘It’s all over social media. I’ve had everyone calling to confirm it. We’re so delighted for you and Cam. When did he ask you? Tell me everything. It’s just so exciting! Grandad’s taken on a new lease of life. He got out of bed and had a wee dram to celebrate. He says he’s going to make it to your wedding and no one’s going to stop him. Your father’s beside himself with joy. Here, speak to him.’

      Violet looked wide-eyed at Cam for help, mouthing, What will I say?

      Cam gestured for her to hand him the phone. He took it and held it to his ear, his eyes on Violet’s, his expression was calm on the surface, but she could see a tiny muscle in his jaw going on and off like a miniature hammer. ‘Gavin? Yes, well, we were hoping to keep it quiet a little longer but—’

      ‘Congratulations,’ her father said. ‘Couldn’t have asked for a better son-in-law. You have my every blessing, Cam. You’re already a big part of the family—this has just made it formal. You and our little Vivi. I’m so thrilled I can barely tell you. I know you’ll look after our baby girl.’

      After a few more effusive congratulations from both her parents, Cam handed back the phone to Violet and she was subjected to the same. This was the trouble with having parents who were enthusiastic and encouraging in anything and everything their children did. There was barely a space for her to put a word in. Finally her parents ended the call and Violet switched her phone off. Her siblings would be next. There would be another barrage of verbiage she wouldn’t be able to contradict for fear of disappointing everyone.

      But her brother and sisters would have to wait until she figured out what Cam was up to. Why hadn’t he denied it? Why let it continue when so many people would be hurt when the truth came out?

      ‘Okay, so apparently we’re now engaged,’ she said, shooting him a please explain look. ‘Any idea how that happened?’

      His mouth was set in a rigid line. ‘Sophia Nicolaides must have made an announcement on social media with that photo she took of us at dinner. Do you know how many followers she has?’ He turned away and let out a stiff curse. ‘I should’ve known something like this would happen.’

      ‘But we could’ve just denied it.’

      He swung his gaze back to hers. ‘You heard what your mother said. Your grandfather practically came out of a coma at the news. No, we’ll have to run with it—at least until after Christmas.’

      Violet’s heart was doing a rather good impression of having some sort of medical event. ‘Why till after Christmas?’

      ‘Because I don’t want your family’s Christmas to be spoilt,’ he said. ‘It’s the time when everyone comes together. Your mother puts such a lot of effort into making it special for everyone. Can you imagine how awkward it would be if we were to tell them it’s all a lie?’

      Violet chewed her lip. He was right. Of course he was. Christmas was a big thing in her family and it would be ruined if she and Cam put them straight about the charade they were playing. And surely poor old Grandad deserved to have his last Christmas as happy as they could make it? It wasn’t like Cam was going to keep this going for ever. He didn’t want to settle down. The last thing he would want to do was tie himself down with a woman he wasn’t in love with. He liked her, loved her even in a platonic sort of way, but he wasn’t in love with her. She wasn’t his type. She wasn’t anyone’s type.

      ‘But we’re going to have to tell them some time...’

      Cam dragged a hand down his face, momentarily distorting his handsome features. ‘I know, but there’s too much at stake. And no, I’m not just referring to this deal with Nicolaides.’

      ‘Apart from my family, what else is at stake?’

      He let out a ragged-sounding breath. ‘There’s my family for one thing. I’m not sure I want to show up to my father’s fifth wedding on Christmas Eve with a broken engagement under my belt. He’ll never let me hear the end of it. I can hear everyone saying it now. Like father, like son.’

      Violet could understand his point of view. From what she knew of his father, Ross McKinnon would make the most of any opportunity to rub in Cam’s mistakes as a way to take the focus off his own behaviour. His mother, Candice, would also not let a chance like that go by, given Cam had been so critical of how both his parents had behaved over the years.

      ‘Right, well, it looks like we run with it then.’

      At least her office Christmas party would be less of an ordeal with him there as her fiancé. For once she would be spared the sleazy flirting from male colleagues, and at least there would be no more pitying looks from some of the women who thought it fine sport to make a mockery out of her being single. It was a win-win...she hoped.

      Cam picked up his keys from the writing desk where he’d left them earlier. ‘I’d better take you home. It’s late.’

      Violet’s spirits slumped in disappointment. Didn’t he want to finish the kiss they’d started? ‘I don’t have to be back by any set time,’ she said. ‘The girls are sleeping over at their boyfriends’ so...’

      His sober expression halted her speech. ‘Violet.’ The way he said her name with that deep note of gravity was a little disquieting to say the least. ‘We’re not going there, okay?’

      There? Where was ‘there’? All she wanted was a little more kissing and...a little fooling around. Okay, lots of fooling around. Violet forced a smile.

      He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes moving back and forth between each of hers in a searching manner that made her feel like someone was trickling sand down the column of her spine. ‘I said we’d kiss and that’s all.’

      ‘Fine. No problem. Best to be sensible about this.’ The words kept tumbling out. ‘Way, way too awkward if we go there. I’m not your type in any case. Not enough experience for one thing.’

      His brows formed a bridge over his dark-as-midnight blue eyes. ‘How much experience have you had?’

      Violet gave a self-deprecating grimace. ‘Well...let’s put it this way. I haven’t been around the block, I got to the corner and then got kind of lost.’

      His frown deepened. ‘What do you mean?’

      What are you doing? You haven’t ever told anyone about...that.

      Violet pressed her lips together, wondering if she should go any further. Would it make him see her differently? Make him judge her for being a naïve little fool to get into such a situation? But something about his concerned expression made her realise he would be the last person to pass judgement on her. ‘I’d rather not talk about it...’

      ‘You can tell me, Violet.’ Cam’s voice was so steady, so strong, so calm. But then he had always been a good listener. Violet remembered an occasion during her teens when she’d found herself telling him about the mean girls at school who had taunted her for not wearing the right label of clothes to a party. What was it with her and parties? Cam had listened to her frustrated rant and then assured her the girls were probably jealous because

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