Wildest Hearts

bottomless ocean of patience. He kept his expression impassive. “I assume you have a reason for dropping by my office today?”

    Sybil regarded him with open speculation. “I want to know what's going on, Oliver. I have some rights. So does Valerie.”

    “What does Valerie have to do with this?”

    “Don't act like I'm an idiot.” Sybil lifted her chin. “I know you're up to something. You're always up to something. You're devious and cunning and everyone knows it except, maybe, little Miss Pollyannie. But do you know something, Oliver? Somehow I never thought you'd sink so low that you'd use your own sister as a pawn.”

    “Do you want to explain exactly what you mean, Sybil, or are we going to play guessing games?”

    “I'm talking about this matter of you and Paul Shore supposedly declaring a truce.” Open accusation flared in Sybil's eyes. “Valerie is so happy, she's dancing on air.”

    “An interesting trick.”

    “Tell me, Oliver.” Sybil leaned forward. “Are you going to feel any guilt at all when she comes crashing down?”

    “Why should she crash?”

    “Because all of her happiness is based on a stack of completely false hopes.” Sybil paused. “Isn't it?”

    Oliver glanced down at his folded hands and then raised his eyes to meet Sybil's. “I don't know if Valerie's relationship with Carson Shore is going to work or not. But if it fails, it won't be because of me.”

    Sybil's polished nails bit into the expensive leather of her purse. “Are you telling me the truth? You're not going to try to crush Valerie's relationship with Carson?”

    “No.” It occurred to Oliver that the members of his family held a remarkably jaundiced opinion of him.

    “You really did seal a truce with Paul Shore at lunch yesterday?”

    “In a manner of speaking.” Oliver glanced at his watch. “Sybil, if you don't mind, I've got a lot of things to do this afternoon.”

    “I don't believe it.”

    “Fine.” Oliver unfolded his hands and picked up a pen. “Believe whatever you want to believe. But as I said, I'm busy at the moment.”

    “Oliver, look at me.” Sybil stood up and stepped to the edge of the desk. “Do you swear to me that you're telling the truth? You don't have any tricks up your sleeve? You aren't hatching any schemes to stop Valerie from marrying Carson?”

    Oliver gazed thoughtfully at her. The last time he had seen that beseeching look in her eyes had been sixteen years ago when he had confronted her after finding her in bed with her lover. “Sybil, you're a very suspicious person.”

    “Everything I know about suspicion I've learned from you.” Sybil narrowed her eyes. “I'm serious. I know you hate my guts, but I'm asking you to please level with me this one time.”

    Oliver put the pen down very slowly. “I don't.”

    “You don't what?” she demanded.

    He practiced the deep breathing he used when he did his yoga exercises. “I don't hate you.”

    Sybil stared at him. “Of course you do. You've always hated me. You didn't like me the day your father married me, and you thought I was beneath contempt that day you found me in bed with Greg.”

    “Greg? Was that his name? I'd forgotten.”

    “Yes, that was his name.” Sybil's voice was very tight. “Greg Taylor.” She swallowed visibly. “I loved him, you know. Oh, I realized later that he didn't love me. He had never loved me. He just used me. But at the time, I loved him.”

    “Even though he was married to someone else? And so were you?”

    “It's true, Greg and I were both married.” Sybil looked down at her wedding ring. “There are a lot of reasons for marriage and they don't all include love. You should know that better than anyone.”

    “One more comment about my marriage and I'll throw you out of this office.”

    “I'm sorry.” Her mouth tightened. “Believe it or not, I didn't come here to quarrel with you. But let's be honest, you're not exactly a model for loving, romantic, devoted husbands everywhere, are you?”

    “Annie seems content,” Oliver said evenly.

    He wondered if Sybil had even the slightest hint of how hard he had to work to keep his tone cool and his words restrained. Inside he was practically shouting out the secret he had held close all day long.

    Annie loved him. He wanted to tell Sybil. He longed to tell the whole world. He longed to say the words aloud so that they would seem more real, but he was half-afraid to give them voice. He was desperate