Second Chances Read Free Page B

the street. Maybe Arthur didn’t remember her cousin, he hadn’t seen him in a while…Maya stood.
    “I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate it.”
    Arthur smirked.
    “You don’t have a boyfriend.”
    “Who told you such a thing?”
    The glance he ran over her casual clothing, worn jeans and simple pullover, gave her a furious impulse to slap him.
    “Colin.”
    Maya took another mental note, this one to kill Colin. Tristan entered the restaurant and the red-haired waitress indicated their table.
    “Well, Colin was mistaken.”
    She walked swiftly toward her cousin with a brilliant smile, and wrapped her arms around his waist, tiptoeing to murmur in his ear “Please, play along…” before she pressed her mouth to his. Tristan returned her embrace for a few seconds, before he released her. Arthur stood in turn and approached them, extending one hand.
    “Hi, Tristan, nice to see you again. How’s Ines?”
    Busted. Maya felt the grip on her waist harden. Not only did Arthur remember Tristan, but he knew about his misfortune too. His comment was such a low blow…She wanted to snarl. However, Tristan reacted like the gentleman he was, shaking the offered hand. A certain someone should take lessons.
    “Not around anymore, as you can see. Will you share lunch with us?”
    “Maybe some other time. Maya, please give me a call later, will you? We need to work out the arrangement for Matthew. Tristan…”
    Maya noticed her red scarf was carefully folded on her chair. But when she looked up to thank him, Arthur was already gone.

Chapter 4
     
    Tristan sipped his drink and smiled at Maya who was playing with her fork.
    “So the big show was just your ego getting in the way, huh?”
    She blushed.
    “Sorry about that…”
    “I’m not complaining.”
    Maya smiled at her cousin. Tristan was the vivid image of the romantic poet. Tall and serene, he wore his black hair shoulder-length and looked at the world with dark brown eyes. He was a fine musician and had a knack for mathematics. His easy smile revealed both a nice sense of humor, and an even softer heart, whose only fault had been to fall irrepressibly in love with a woman who had betrayed him, and loved her still.
    “Apparently, dear Arthur didn’t buy your story.”
    Arthur and Tristan had never got along well, the contest going way back to childhood when a stronger Arthur used to bully the slenderer boy her cousin was when he was younger. She sighed.
    “I guess not.”
    “Are you going to accept his offer?”
    What she liked most about Tristan was this talent he had to push emotions aside when he needed to analyse things. A talent he failed to apply to Ines, unfortunately.
    “Would you?”
    “Would I play Arthur’s lover to save an eight-year-old boy? As long as he doesn’t put his tongue down my throat, anytime.”
    She laughed and poked at his arm.
    “Thanks! Now I’m going to have nightmares about the two of you snogging.”
    Tristan rolled his eyes at the image, grinning. Then his handsome face became serious again.
    “Maya, we need to discover what financial handling Robert noticed that decided him to freeze the Foundation’s account.”
    She opened her mouth to protest but he stopped her.
    “I know you still care for your godfather, but you have to accept Robert is only interested in power and money. If he saw a chance to increase his power because something is odd in the books, then there is a good chance he’s right. We have to find out what that is.”
    Maya nodded. Tristan was right. They had to uncover what was wrong with the finances of the Foundation, before Robert found a way to close it for good. They changed the subject for the rest of the meal.
    Tristan didn’t mention his former girlfriend once, and that was such an improvement—along with the renewed teasing and good humor—that Maya didn’t dare ask how he was feeling. They talked about the upcoming holiday, Christmas lists and common friends, future concerts they hoped