The Secret Heiress Read Online Free

the kitchen and came back with a bowl of cherries. “As you know, Alistair is a good friend of Fionn’s. I’m sure Fionn would be willing to approach him for you. In the wine industry, there must be tons of events.”
    The last thing she needed was to be thrown into Alistair’s path. The man was unforgiving and intense. “Maybe in the future. I need to find my footing before seeking out such a well-known client.”
    Her sister looked at her speculatively. “You’ve always been a little odd around Alistair. It’s almost as if you avoid him at all costs.”
    Anna took another sip of wine. “We had an awkward encounter at your wedding and I prefer to keep a safe distance.”
    She remembered the passionate kisses almost as if it happened yesterday. It was in the back garden, in her mind she could see the fig tree where she had attempted to seduce him.
    Olivia’s hand flew to her chest. “Was he rude to you?”
    She shook her head. “No. Actually the opposite. I fancied him, and after sneaking a glass of champagne, I kissed him and he took me in his arms and kissed me back.”
    Olivia reached out and touched her arm. “I had no idea. What happened?”
    “I don’t think he knew who I was at that point. After a few exploratory kisses in the darkness, Fionn called my name and he stepped back, surprised.”
    “Oh.”
    “Yes. He couldn’t get away fast enough.”
    Olivia looked at her softly. “You may be reading too much into it. It was seven years ago and a few stolen kisses. I doubt he regrets it.”
    Anna shook her head. “He did at the time. He lectured me about modesty and not encouraging advances that I wasn’t ready to handle.”
    Olivia gave her a searching look and then placed her hand on hers. “I’m sorry, Anna. That does sound awkward. But it was a long time ago. It’s best to forget it even happened.”
    “I agree.” She had tried to forget about Alistair Martin but for some odd reason, he fascinated her. Deciding to change the subject, she asked Olivia “Do you have any advice on the start-up?”
    Olivia sat back and crossed her legs. “If you are serious about succeeding with this start-up, then you will need to use your contacts to find work. There will be many titans of business there. Go and network. I’ll help you.”
    The conversation moved to the fashion business and they chatted for a long while about the upcoming season. Anna helped her sister brainstorm about possible venues for a boutique show until they heard Fionn unlock the door.
    Anna hugged her sister. “I’ll call you later in the week.”
    “Good luck. Let me know if I can help you.”
    Waving to Fionn on her way out, she avoided any mention of Alistair. Anna was sure he had no interest in seeing her get involved with his childhood friend. Fionn was an over-protective brother-in-law and would sometimes treat her as if she were a child. She loved that he cared but she needed her freedom and the space to make her own mistakes.
    She walked to the metro and acknowledged to herself that finding out she had two grown siblings was the best thing that could have happened to her. She hadn’t resented them for a second. Her life had been so lonely that she instead embraced them without restraint. Olivia was kind and nurturing. She had taken Anna under her wing and had stayed involved through all of the ups and downs of her life. Her brother, William, was sheer fun. He was the same age and was always encouraging her to let her hair down and add some pleasure to her life. Without them, she might have allowed herself to not fully live. But now with the changes ahead, that wasn’t an option for her. They inspired her to explore her talents and ambitions.
    Contemplating the week ahead, Anna realized there was a ton to do. The movers were coming on Sunday and she needed to have everything packed up. She tried to banish thoughts of Alistair from her mind but kept replaying the chance meeting in her head. Why did she care so much? She