The Promise of Change - By Rebecca Heflin Page 0,39
of the bold stroke of telling him she didn’t want to see him anymore, which she was not willing to do, she saw no resolution that would safeguard against a broken heart.
Chapter 12
After a sleepless night, Sarah rose at dawn. Ordering a breakfast tray, she set about making herself look rested and refreshed, a Herculean task since her eyes were puffy and her head ached.
The breakfast tray arrived, along with a copy of the International Herald. Sipping her hot, sweet Darjeeling tea, she picked up the paper, hoping there was some news that could distract her from the troubled thoughts still plaguing her.
A headline on the inside of the front page caught her eye: Renowned U.S. Surgeon Saves Prince’s Sight. Her breath caught in her throat when she recognized the smiling face staring out of the accompanying photo. Adrian.
Prince Asad, a member of the Saudi royal family was recently diagnosed with a rare benign, but progressive, brain tumor that was pressing on his optic nerve. Left untreated, the Prince would lose his eyesight in a matter of months. However, surgery to remove the tumor was predicted to be complicated and very risky. The Saudi family turned to Dr. Adrian Mills, recognized internationally as the preeminent neurosurgeon for deep-brain tumors. Mills flew to Riyad earlier this week to perform the grueling sixteen-hour surgery.
It wasn’t unusual for Adrian to fly to some foreign country to perform surgery, but the previous surgeries hadn’t resulted in an article in an international paper. Skimming over the parts of the article with the Prince’s bio and more medical information about the brain tumor, the article continued on another page:
The surgery postponed Mills’ upcoming nuptials to fiancée, Brie Wood. Following the successful surgery, the Saudi family offered one of their yachts to the couple. The couple will take a two-week honeymoon on the yacht, sailing the Mediterranean, all at the expense of a grateful Saudi family.
There were other photos: one of Adrian with the Prince’s father, the other of Adrian with a beautiful, plastically-perfect blonde.
“He’s marrying the cheese. On a yacht. That belongs to a Saudi prince.” She could feel the tears stinging her eyes, blurring the photo. So he’s remarrying up or down, depending on how you look at it.
Why? Why did this bother her? And why did it magnify her uncertainty? Because, like her hasty romance with Adrian, this one was destined to break her heart, before she’d even begun to pull the pieces back together.
Pressing her fingers to her aching head, she resolved to keep the charming Lord Rutherford at arm’s length, both literally and figuratively. As if that were even possible.
“What a breathtaking view.” Sarah and Alex stood on the top of a knoll just outside the town of Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest town in the Cotswolds, looking out over the deep green valley below, dotted with sheep. The morning was absolutely glorious, sunny and a little warmer than the previous day.
Alex’s warm greeting and tender kiss on her cheek that morning had made her forget all about the sleepless night, the headache, and the potential heartache.
She could hear Ann’s and Becca’s voices in her head telling her to just enjoy herself. That was easy to do with Alex.
“This is one of my favorite overlooks,” Alex said.
She turned in his direction. He was looking out over the valley, his handsome face in profile. “I can see why. I don’t think I have seen a more picturesque view. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
“It’s my pleasure.” He turned to her, taking her hand. They walked a few minutes in silence.
“Alex . . . what are we doing?” She looked up into his face. She wasn’t going to bring it up, but she couldn’t help herself.
“We’re taking a walk,” he said, joking. And evading.
“You know what I mean. I leave on Sunday, and as much as I’m enjoying your company, I just wonder what this,”—she held up their joined hands—“is.”
“Sarah, can’t we enjoy each other’s company without reading anything else into it?”
She blushed. It was exactly as she’d feared. She was definitely making more out of it than it was. She cleared her throat. “Of course. You’re right.” She looked down before he could see her chagrin.
Damn, he thought, when he saw her crestfallen expression. Instead of lifting her mood, he’d just added another layer of anxiety.
When he’d arranged to meet her again through his grandmother, he hadn’t expected to be so captivated by her. He sure as hell wasn’t ready to confront his feelings