One Special Moment - Brenda Jackson [87]
“I trust him, James. And I believe he loves me just as much as he says he does because he has no reason to lie about it. I know you don’t think he loves me but—”
“You’re wrong. I do think he loves you.”
Colby wasn’t prepared for what her brother had just said. “What! Just a few weeks ago, when you found out about Morton Industries, you were almost certain he didn’t.”
James leaned back in his chair and smiled wryly. “Well, yes, but that was before Hamilton paid me a visit.”
A surprised expression covered Colby’s face. “Sterling came to see you? When?”
“When he was on his way to Spain. He thought we should settle the issue once and for all about your marriage and how he felt about you.”
Colby was silent for a moment before asking, “What did he say?”
James chuckled. “Quite a lot. And what he said and how he said it left little doubt in my mind about his feelings for you.”
He reached out for her hand. “But there are a lot of people who’ll read that article and see that picture and believe the worst. That photo is pretty damaging.”
Colby shook her head. “It’s not damaging to me because I don’t believe it, and I don’t care who may read it and believe it. In my heart, I believe Sterling loves me and that’s all that matters.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Mrs. Hamilton,” Mac said, coming into the room. “I didn’t mean to listen in but I just happened to be standing outside the door a few seconds ago.”
He came farther into the room to stand in front of Colby. “I think we should leave this afternoon for North Carolina.”
Colby frowned. “Why? What’s wrong with waiting to leave in the morning as we planned?”
Mac sighed heavily. “I tried calling Spain and Sterling’s not there. The person I talked to said he walked off the set to return to the States the moment he saw the headlines in the papers.”
Colby blinked. “Sterling’s on his way home?”
Mac nodded. “Yes.” Then he looked at her thoughtfully. “And I have a feeling he thinks he’ll find you packed and gone when he gets there.”
Colby’s face went completely blank at Mac’s statement. However, James asked the question before she could. “Why would he think that?”
Mac’s expression was solemn for a moment before he answered. “Because of the Hamilton curse. No Hamilton man has been able to keep a woman for long. All Hamilton women end up divorcing Hamilton men and leaving them.”
Colby rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She remembered that bit of family history Sterling had once shared with her. She stood from her seat. “Well this Hamilton woman has no intention of leaving. I married my Hamilton man for life. Get the car ready, Mac. We’re going home tonight.”
Chapter 23
“Where is she?”
Sterling frantically asked himself that question as he tried calling his home in North Carolina again. He was in his jet on his way back to the States.
The photograph of him and Diamond that appeared everywhere in the newspapers was damaging enough, but the article deliberately raised doubts of his faithfulness to Colby. It was just the type of thing they didn’t need to deal with right now.
He released a deep sigh then tried calling James’s house. There wasn’t an answer there, either. And he couldn’t locate Mac. Where was everyone?
No sooner had he hung up the phone, than it rang.
He snatched it up immediately. “Colby?”
His face showed disappointment that the caller wasn’t Colby. “Yes, Diamond, I’m fine. No, I haven’t been able to reach Colby, and no, it’s not your fault.” He nodded. “Everything will be fine once I talk to her and explain things.”
He shook his head. “No. That won’t be necessary. Just let me handle this. Colby has to trust me. Otherwise, our marriage will never stand a chance against this sort of garbage. Just sit tight and don’t worry about me and Colby. We’ll be fine.”
He took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll keep in touch.”
Sterling hung up the phone, hoping what he’d just told Diamond was true and that he and Colby would be fine.