The Bride He Took For Granted novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The wet asphalt gleamed under the streetlights.

Wind stirred the trees, sending leaves skittering across the road. A few drops of rain tapped against the Maybach’s windshield.

Elise suddenly straightened. “It’s raining.”

Her eyes lit up.

Harold glanced at her, puzzled.

It’s barely raining. What’s she so excited about?

The light ahead turned red. Ninety seconds appeared on the

countdown.

Harold reached toward the center console for his lighter, but a flash of pale skin caught his eye.

The hem of Elise’s black dress had ridden up slightly as she sat, revealing one slender calf.

A light brown scar ran across it.

The scar was raised and uneven, the skin puckered as though the wound had once been stitched shut.

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Harold’s gaze lingered.

Is that a whip scar? Who did that to her?

Elise sensed him looking and turned slightly.

Harold immediately looked away. He found his lighter, pulled out a cigarette, and held it up.

“Mind if I smoke?”

It took Elise a second to understand.

When she saw the cigarette, she quickly shook her head. “Go ahead.”

Harold lit the cigarette before lowering the window.

The smoke caught in Elise’s throat, and she let out a quiet cough.

Embarrassed, she covered her mouth. “Sorry. I’ve got a bit of a

cold.”

Harold took one drag, stubbed out the cigarette, and lowered the window.

“If smoke bothers you, just say so.”

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Harold’s gaze lingered.

Is that a whip scar? Who did that to her?

Elise sensed him looking and turned slightly.

Harold immediately looked away. He found his lighter, pulled out a cigarette, and held it up.

“Mind if I smoke?”

It took Elise a second to understand.

When she saw the cigarette, she quickly shook her head. “Go

ahead.”

Harold lit the cigarette before lowering the window.

The smoke caught in Elise’s throat, and she let out a quiet cough.

Embarrassed, she covered her mouth. “Sorry. I’ve got a bit of a

cold.”

Harold took one drag, stubbed out the cigarette, and lowered the window.

“If smoke bothers you, just say so.”

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Elise had always been sensitive to strong smells. Neither Leonard nor Landon smoked, so she wasn’t used to cigarette

smoke.

“Sorry, Mr. Nash. You didn’t have to put it out.”

There was no fooling a man like Harold.

Knowing he had seen right through her, Elise admitted, “I just thought it’d be rude to ask you not to smoke in your own car.”

The light turned green. Harold drove on, his eyes fixed on the road.

“So you sit there uncomfortable, and now I feel guilty for smoking.” His tone remained calm. “How is that polite?”

Heat crept into Elise’s cheeks.

Harold continued, “So what if someone has to accommodate you once? Worst case, they don’t offer you a ride next time. It’s not like this is your only way home.”

He paused before adding, “You’re allowed to put yourself first once in a while. Otherwise, you’re just making the other person feel guilty.”

Even after Elise went to bed that night, his words stayed with

hur

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Chapter 29

A man as perceptive and direct as Harold was terrifying.

In just a few sentences, he had exposed a habit she had never even thought to question.

The realization left her unsettled.

She tossed and turned as the rain fell outside, unable to sleep until just before dawn.

******

The next morning was Saturday, so Elise didn’t have to go to

work.

But Sharon’s call woke her.

She didn’t bother with a greeting. “Come home right now.”

A bitter smile touched Elise’s lips.

Home? That place is hell.

She lay back down, but sleep wouldn’t come.

She opened her photo gallery and zoomed in on a picture of

Jane.

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She missed Jane’s voice-slightly rough, like wind rustling through a field at dusk. Dry, yet somehow warm.

Several times, Elise nearly called her. But she knew she would start crying the second Jane answered.

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