A Corisi Christmas (Legacy Collection #7) (9 page)

“It could have waited, but I did want to speak with you. What did you think of Emily Harris?”

Nothing I could say to my mother,
Asher thought. He pushed away the image of her perfectly rounded ass as she’d bent to retrieve something from beneath a chair in Ryan’s office. “Why do you ask?”

“Thank you for seeing her today. From the first time I heard it, her story moved me. Your father felt the same way.”

“How well do you know her, Mom?”

“Not very, but she spent this afternoon with us, and she is just as sweet and earnest in person as she sounded on the phone. I hated to see her leave. She gave us a painting her mother had made. It’s the most incredible thing. When you look at it, you miss the beauty of it. It’s all one color. But if you close your eyes and run your hands over it, it’s a masterpiece. I cried. Her mother was blind; did she tell you? Remarkable.”

Asher’s hand tightened on the phone. Although part of him was interested in what his mother knew about Emily, the protective son in him was instantly on high alert. “Mom, don’t see that woman again. She is trying to use you to get me to change my mind about buying her property in New Hampshire.”

His mother laughed. “I know. She told us. She’s not a hard nut to crack. We were her Plan B. How adorable is that? She told us all about how she went to your office and warned you that you couldn’t have her land. She also told us what you said. Asher, I raised you better than that. You could have at least promised to look into alternative sites.”

Asher paced the length of his living room and growled his displeasure. “This is business, Mom.”

“I know, and normally I wouldn’t get involved, but blocking a museum for the blind from opening? Really? Asher, I can’t stand back and condone that.”

“Her museum will open, but not at its present location.”

With a pained sigh, Sophie said, “Did you know that her mother gave her that property? It was passed down from her grandfather. When she told me about how she and her mother had created the core artwork for the museum together and what it meant to her, I knew I had to call you. You can’t buy her land, Asher. Find another site for your . . . whatever.”

“Not possible. My company has invested time and money into that location.”

“Asher Dale Barrington, how often do I ask you for anything?”

Fuck.
Using his middle name meant his mother was serious. “All I can promise is that I’ll contact Ms. Harris and discuss the matter with her again.”

“Thank you, Asher. I’m confident that when you hear more about her project you’ll see why you’ll have to change your plans this time.”

“Consider this handled, Mom. There is no need for you to speak with Ms. Harris again.”

“I won’t get involved in your business again, Asher, but we did enjoy Emily’s company so much we invited her to spend the weekend at our place in Nantucket. She’s never been, and there are several resident artists there who could be potential donors for her museum. I’d love to help her acquire some rare pieces. She was so grateful when I mentioned the idea to her. Even your father is excited, and it’s good for him to have something to think about besides his health.”

Oh, Emily, I underestimated you.

He smiled. He liked the challenge she presented. A rush of anticipation filled him as he considered his next move with her.

End of Excerpt from Always Mine, Book 1 of the Barrington Billionaires

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