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Back The Runaway Heiress Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR MEG TILLY AND HER NOVELS
  3. TITLES BY MEG TILLY
  4. Dedication
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  69. Excerpt from SOLACE ISLAND
  70. 1
  71. 2
  72. 3
  73. 4
  74. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  75. What’s next onyour reading list?

Phillip Clarke hadn’t planned on spending his evening sitting in his darkened car, staring at Vicki’s town house. He was supposed to be across town having dinner with clients. But when Phillip left the office, instead of heading to Daniel Boulud’s restaurant on the Upper East Side to sup on exquisite French cuisine, he found himself in Brooklyn again. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed, and made his apologies. “I’m terribly sorry. Was heading out the office door when I was laid low with a vicious bout of dysentery. Racked with stomach pains, squirting like a goose. Am trapped on the potskie. Yes. It’s very inconvenient. You go ahead. Give my regrets. It’s all taken care of. Vicki already gave them my card—” And saying her name caused the lie to become the truth, because unbelievable pain doubled him over with its intensity. “Sorry,” he croaked. “Have to go.” He switched his phone off and dropped it on the seat beside him. Had to wrap his arms tightly around himself and rock back and forth as he waited for the grief to subside. He’d always known he’d loved her. Just hadn’t realized how much until it was too late.

A woman with a large black standard poodle passed the car, paused, and then backtracked. She rapped on the window of the passenger side of Phillip’s car. “Are you all right, sir? Do you need me to call 911?”

He managed to unwrap one arm from his abdomen to shoo her away. “I’m fine. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine, sir. Is there someone I can call for you? A family member, perhaps?”

“Go away! I’m fine. Just need a little space. A little peace and quiet!”

“All right.” The woman straightened and backed away.

He watched her scurry off. Nosy bat, he thought as he pulled a handkerchief from the inside breast pocket of his jacket. He mopped his eyes and then blew his nose long and hard as he tried to figure out what his next move should be.

33

“Wow. I’m amazed.” Sarah glanced around the relatively empty Marriage License Bureau. “I’d figured that, Vegas and all, this place would be swamped.” She seemed better this morning. The shadows in her eyes had retreated.

The lack of people had surprised Mick as well. Weddings in Vegas had always been big business. The metal barriers were set up for people to queue, but there was no line. A few couples were at various kiosks, a family was near the wall watching a younger man who was typing something into a computer. Mick studied Sarah’s face. “This place triggering any memories?”

“Nope,” Sarah replied with absolute certainty. “Never been here in my life.”

He felt some of the tension easing out of his belly. “You ready?”