His Golden Heart Read Online Free

knew everyone there was to know and were frequently featured in the Denver Times .
    Victoria didn’t need to work but she dabbled in high end real estate, making huge commissions. Ed, one of the city’s more prominent criminal attorneys, had earned a name winning some tough high-profile cases. While most of their money had been inherited, they’d made another small fortune through wise investments.
    Victoria now flashed Chandra a tight smile. “How are you, honey?” She stood safely out of reach.
    Ed, the more susceptible to Chandra’s charms, embraced her in a hug. “How’s my daughter-in-law to be?”
    Chandra sniffed. Her eyes brimmed over. “Beau’s trying to dump me.”
    “Beau?” His father shot him a questioning look. “What’s wrong with you, son?”
    Victoria simply shook a full head of blond hair out of her eyes and secured it back with one of her headbands. “You’re still wearing Beau’s ring,” she said pointedly.
    “That she is,” Beau confirmed, omitting that soon it would be on her right hand. He would have to do some serious thinking while Chandra was gone.
    An awkward silence descended. Beau used that time to reflect on how charmed his life had been ever since the Andersons had rescued him from that awful foster home, one of many he’d lived in. They’d adopted him at the ripe old age of ten, no easy feat for a white family with two kids of their own. The system being what it was, kids were usually placed with parents of similar race. But the Andersons had argued relentlessly that they had the desire and wherewithal to adopt a child, and didn’t care whether that child was pink, white, or green. Luckily they had the contacts and money to make Beau happen.
    He’d been one angry little boy when they’d first gotten him. He’d used his fists to settle most fights, and had a tendency to run away. As his scrapes became legendary, the Andersons kept getting summoned to the private school where he was enrolled. Finally they took the advice of his gym teacher and signed Beau up for skiing lessons. All that misdirected rage finally found an outlet. Beau, natural athlete that he was, mastered the sport and the rest was history.
    “Mr. and Mrs. Anderson,” Chandra said, bringing him firmly back to earth. “Beau wants to put our engagement on hold until I get back from Milan.”
    Victoria’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling. “You’re going to Milan and leaving Beau in the state that he’s in? No wonder he wants to…”
    Chandra bristled, a first for her in his mother’s presence. “Beau doesn’t seem to have a problem with me going.” Another slew of tears threatened to ruin her perfect makeup job.
    “A little separation might not be a bad idea,” Victoria said, her mood lightening considerably. His mother seemed happier than when she’d first arrived.
    “It might be good for you both,” Ed said, picking up on his wife’s cue.
    Although Chandra’s look was murderous, she held her tongue. She was not a stupid woman.
    Victoria began to talk nonstop. “Kelly and Jason send their regards, Beau. They’re both coming home to see you soon.”
    Beau grunted. “That would be nice.”
    “Nice, nothing. They’re your brother and sister. They care about you.”
    Kelly, his older sister, had married a Japanese businessman and relocated to San Francisco. Jason, the perennial bachelor, was a successful investment banker who’d made Manhattan his home. Both had managed a visit occasionally, and were now overdue.
    “I’ve got to go, Beau-Beau,” Chandra piped up, twirling her fingers at him. She leaned over to plant a big wet one on his lips. “Love you.” The diamond twinkled on the finger of her left hand.
    Chandra plunged her tongue into his mouth but not before Beau noticed his mother’s twinge of pain. He nibbled gently, and then put her firmly away from him.
    “I really will miss you, Beau-Beau,” Chandra said, staring at him as though he was the one. The only one in her